Is BMI a Valid Indicator of Overweight and Obesity for Adolescents?Karchynskaya, Viktoryia;Kopcakova, Jaroslava;Klein, Daniel;Gába, Aleš;Madarasova-Geckova, Andrea;van Dijk, Jitse P.;de Winter, Andrea F.;Reijneveld, Sijmen A.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph17134815pmid: 32635439
Background: Overweight and obesity are mostly monitored via the Body Mass Index (BMI), based on self-reported or measured height and weight. Previous studies have shown that BMI as a measure of obesity can introduce important misclassification problems. The aim of this study was to assess the validity of overweight and obesity classification based on self-reported and on measured height and weight versus the proportion of body fat as the criterion. Methods: We used data on 782 adolescents (mean age = 13.5, 55.8% boys) from the Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children (HBSC) study conducted in 2018 in Slovakia. We obtained self-reported (height and weight) and objective measures (height, weight) and the proportion of fat (as the criterion measure) measured via bioimpedance body composition analysis (BIA) with an InBody 230 from the adolescents. Results: Both measured and self-reported BMI indicated overweight and obesity with relatively low sensitivity (66–82%), but high specificity (90–92%). The superior accuracy of measured BMI in comparison to self-reported BMI was confirmed by the area under the curve (AUC) based on the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves (AUC measured/self-reported: 0.94/0.89; p < 0.001). The misclassification of overweight and obesity was significantly higher when using self-reported BMI than when using measured BMI. Conclusion: Both self-reported and measured BMI as indicators of overweight and obesity underestimate the prevalence of adolescents with overweight and obesity.
Are Household Expenditures on Food Groups Associated with Children’s Future Heights in Ethiopia, India, Peru, and Vietnam?Weingarten, Sarah E.;Dearden, Kirk A.;Crookston, Benjamin T.;Penny, Mary E.;Behrman, Jere R.;Humphries, Debbie L.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph17134739pmid: 32630270
Household expenditure surveys, routinely conducted in low—and middle-income countries (LMICs), usually include questions pertaining to recent household expenditures on key food groups. When child anthropometrics are also available, such expenditure data can provide insights into household food purchasing patterns that are associated with subsequent child growth measures. We used data from 6993 children, born around 2001, from Ethiopia, India, Peru, and Vietnam, from the Young Lives younger cohort. We compared associations between two weeks of household food expenditures (in PPP—Purchasing Power Parity adjusted dollars) on food groups and child height-for-age-Z score (HAZ) at subsequent time points to assess longitudinal associations. Total food expenditures, rural/urban residence, maternal and paternal schooling, and child sex were included in our adjusted models because they may affect the relations between household food group expenditures and future child HAZ. In Ethiopia, India, and Peru every extra PPP$ spent on fats was associated with 0.02–0.07 higher future HAZ. In Vietnam every extra PPP$ spent on starches, was significantly associated with a 0.01 lower future HAZ. Across countries, different patterns of food expenditure and procurement may be differentially critical for predicting child HAZ. Our results demonstrate how expenditures on specific food groups can be associated with children’s linear growth. This study provides additional evidence of the utility of longitudinal household food expenditure data in understanding child nutritional status.
Relationship between Difficulty in Emotion Regulation and Internet Addiction in College Students: A One-Year Prospective StudyTsai, Jui-Kang;Lu, Wei-Hsin;Hsiao, Ray C.;Hu, Huei-Fan;Yen, Cheng-Fang
doi: 10.3390/ijerph17134766pmid: 32630720
This prospective study evaluated the predictive effect of difficulty in emotion regulation on the occurrence and remission of Internet addiction (IA) and determined whether IA has a role in changing emotion regulation among college students during a follow-up period of 1 year. A total of 500 college students (262 women and 238 men) were recruited. In baseline and follow-up investigations, the levels of IA and difficulty in emotion regulation were evaluated using the Chen Internet Addiction Scale and the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), respectively. The results indicated that the subscale of impulse control difficulties on the DERS predicted the incidence of IA during the follow-up period of 1 year in male participants (t = −2.875, p = 0.005), whereas no subscale on the DERS predicted the remission of IA. IA did not predict the change in difficulties in emotion regulation. The subscale of impulse control difficulties on the DERS predicted the occurrence of IA in the college students and warrants early intervention.
The Effect of Different Cadence on Paddling Gross Efficiency and Economy in Stand-Up Paddle BoardingCastañeda-Babarro, Arkaitz;Santos-Concejero, Jordan;Viribay, Aitor;Gutiérrez-Santamaría, Borja;Mielgo-Ayuso, Juan
doi: 10.3390/ijerph17134893pmid: 32645890
Background: Due to the importance of energy efficiency and economy in endurance performance, it is important to know the influence of different paddling cadences on these variables in the stand-up paddleboarding (SUP). The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of paddling at different cadences on the energy efficiency, economy, and physiological variables of international SUP race competitors. Methods: Ten male paddlers (age 28.8 ± 11.0 years; height 175.4 ± 5.1 m; body mass 74.2 ± 9.4 kg) participating in international tests carried out two test sessions. In the first one, an incremental exercise test was conducted to assess maximal oxygen uptake and peak power output (PPO). On the second day, they underwent 3 trials of 8 min each at 75% of PPO reached in the first test session. Three cadences were carried out in different trials randomly assigned between 45–55 and 65 strokes-min−1 (spm). Heart rate (HR), blood lactate, perceived sense of exertion (RPE), gross efficiency, economy, and oxygen uptake (VO2) were measured in the middle (4-min) and the end (8-min) of each trial. Results: Economy (45.3 ± 5.7 KJ·l−1 at 45 spm vs. 38.1 ± 5.3 KJ·l−1 at 65 spm; p = 0.010) and gross efficiency (13.4 ± 2.3% at 45 spm vs. 11.0 ± 1.6% at 65 spm; p = 0.012) was higher during de 45 spm condition than 65 spm in the 8-min. Respiratory exchange ratio (RER) presented a lower value at 4-min than at 8-min in 55 spm (4-min, 0.950 ± 0.065 vs. 8-min, 0.964 ± 0.053) and 65 spm cadences (4-min, 0.951 ± 0.030 vs. 8-min, 0.992 ± 0.047; p < 0.05). VO2, HR, lactate, and RPE were lower (p < 0.05) at 45 spm (VO2, 34.4 ± 6.0 mL·kg−1·min−1; HR, 161.2 ± 16.4 beats·min−1; lactate, 3.5 ± 1.0 mmol·l−1; RPE, 6.0 ± 2.1) than at 55 spm (VO2, 38.6 ± 5.2 mL·kg−1·min−1; HR, 168.1 ± 15.1 beats·min−1; lactate, 4.2 ± 1.2 mmol·l−1; RPE, 6.9 ± 1.4) and 65 spm (VO2, 38.7 ± 5.9 mL·kg−1·min−1; HR, 170.7 ± 13.0 beats·min−1; 5.3 ± 1.8 mmol·l−1; RPE, 7.6 ± 1.4) at 8-min. Moreover, lactate and RPE at 65 spm was greater than 55 spm (p < 0.05) at 8-min. Conclusion: International male SUP paddlers were most efficient and economical when paddling at 45 spm vs. 55 or 65 spm, confirmed by lower RPE values, which may likely translate to faster paddling speed and greater endurance.
Spatial Heterogeneity Influences of Environmental Control and Informal Regulation on Air Pollutant Emissions in ChinaZhang, Zhenhua;Zhang, Guoxing;Song, Shunfeng;Su, Bin
doi: 10.3390/ijerph17134857pmid: 32640579
High air pollutant emissions in China have become serious environmental issues threatening public health. While spatial heterogeneity plays an important role in environmental regulation in China, it is necessary to analyze the spatial heterogeneity influences of air pollution control policies and informal environmental regulation on air pollutant emissions in China. Based on the quantification of air pollution control policies, this paper incorporates the central government’s policy formulation and local government’s policy implementation into the intensity of air pollution control policy. This paper uses the panel data of China’s 30 provinces to examine the spatial impact of air pollution control policy and informal environmental regulation on air pollutant emissions. The results show that (a) air pollutant emissions represented by soot and dust emission intensity has a significant positive spatial spillover effect; (b) air pollution control policy and informal environmental regulation play significant inhibitory roles in air pollutant emissions; (c) informal environmental regulation has a negative moderating effect on the negative relationship between air pollution control policy and air pollutant emissions. Other implications for environmental management have also been discussed.
Bullying Victimization among Mexican Adolescents: Psychosocial Differences from an Ecological ApproachNuñez-Fadda, Silvana Mabel;Castro-Castañeda, Remberto;Vargas-Jiménez, Esperanza;Musitu-Ochoa, Gonzalo;Callejas-Jerónimo, Juan Evaristo
doi: 10.3390/ijerph17134831pmid: 32635567
This transversal study over a random representative sample of 1687 Mexican students attending public and private secondary schools (54% girls, 12–17 years old, M = 13.65. DT = 1.14) aimed to analyze psychosocial differences between victims and non-victims of bullying from the bioecological model. It included individual variables (ontosystem), familiar, community, and scholar factors (microsystem), and gender (macrosystem) to perform a multivariate discriminant analysis and a logistic regression analysis. The discriminant analysis found that psychological distress, offensive communication with mother and father, and a positive attitude toward social norms transgression characterized the high victimization cluster. For the non-victims, the discriminant variables were community implication, positive attitude toward institutional authority, and open communication with the mother. These variables allowed for correctly predicting membership in 76% of the cases. Logistic regression analysis found that psychological distress, offensive communication with the father, and being a boy increased the probability of high victimization, while a positive attitude toward authority, open communication with the mother, and being a girl decrease this probability. These results highlight the importance of open and offensive communication between adolescents and their parents on psychological distress, attitude toward authority, community implication, and bullying victimization.
Research on the Design of and Preference for Collection Modes of Reusable Takeaway Containers to Promote Sustainable ConsumptionJiang, Xiaohong;Dong, Mingyu;He, Yuewei;Shen, Jiayi;Jing, Wenqi;Yang, Nan;Guo, Xiucheng
doi: 10.3390/ijerph17134764pmid: 32630715
The development of the online to offline business has accelerated the growth of the online food ordering market in China. The widespread use of disposable takeaway containers has resulted in a large amount of waste, which seriously affects the ecological environment. This paper studied the collection modes of reusable takeaway containers and the preferences of consumers and merchants. First, after two rounds of discussion and revision, four takeaway container collection modes were designed. Second, based on the survey results of consumers and merchants, a binary logistic regression model was applied to analyze the preferences of consumers and merchants. The results showed that the consumers’ delivery requirements and the current disposal of takeaway containers had a significant impact on consumers’ preferences. Consumers were more concerned about the hygienic status of the containers, food health and safety, while the merchants were more concerned about the increased costs. The promotion of collection modes requires the special consideration of the locations of dishwashing facilities and increased costs. Finally, according to the preferences and concerns of consumers and merchants, several suggestions on promoting the collection mode, such as the use of different promotion strategies for different people, the short distance of dishwashing facilities, reward systems, and food safeguard measures were proposed. This research provides guidance for decision making regarding the sustainable consumption and the promotion of reusable takeaway containers, which will contribute to resource conservation, ecological environmental improvement and sustainability.
Bone Metabolism in Patients Treated for DepressionSkowrońska-Jóźwiak, Elżbieta;Gałecki, Piotr;Głowacka, Ewa;Wojtyła, Cezary;Biliński, Przemysław;Lewiński, Andrzej
doi: 10.3390/ijerph17134756pmid: 32630653
Background: Depression and osteoporosis are severe public health problems. There are conflicting findings regarding the influence of depression on bone metabolism. The aim of the presented study was to compare bone turnover markers and vitamin D levels between patients treated for depression and healthy controls. Patients and Methods: We determined a concentration of osteocalcin, carboxy-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (β-CTX), 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) and 1,25(OH)2D3 in 99 patients, aged 46.9 ± 11 years, treated for depression, as well as in 45 healthy subjects. Depressive status was determined with the Hamilton Depression Scale (HDRS). Results: In patients treated for depression, we demonstrated significantly lower osteocalcin concentrations (p < 0.03) and higher concentration of β-CTX (result on the border of significance; p = 0.08). Those relationship were stronger in women. The level of 25OHD and 1,25(OH)2D3 did not differ significantly between the examined groups. We observed a negative correlation between the 25OHD and HDRS score after treatment in all patients treated for depression and in subgroups of women and subjects with recurrent depression. Conclusions: Our results indicate that depression is related to disturbances in bone metabolism, especially in women and patients with recurrent depression, suggesting its role in context of osteoporosis development.
Pelvic Symmetry Is Influenced by Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex during Young Children’s GaitGieysztor, Ewa;Pecuch, Anna;Kowal, Mateusz;Borowicz, Wojciech;Paprocka-Borowicz, Małgorzata
doi: 10.3390/ijerph17134759pmid: 32630679
Gait is one of the examined functions in child development. It should be economical and symmetrical. One test increasingly used by physiotherapists and pediatricians is asymmetrical tonic neck reflex (ATNR). Physiologically, it is observed from in utero up to six postnatal months. This reaction is inhibited with the growing maturation of the central nervous system (CNS). In some children, when the natural process of development is incorrect, ATNR manifests later in life, when it is observed as an automatic response of muscle tension to head rotation. Analysis of pelvis symmetry in the gait of children with active ATNR is important for better understanding their specific movements. In the gait of children with persistent ATNR, some variations are observed. The aim of the study was to investigate the gait symmetry of preschool children and the influence of persistent ATNR. Fifty preschool children with a trace form of ATNR were examined. The distribution of the gait parameters was determined using a BTS G-SENSOR measurement instrument. ATNR negatively influences pelvic obliquity and pelvic rotation (p < 0.01). Younger children have a statistically higher symmetry index of pelvis obliquity in the examined group (p = 0.015). Boys obtain a higher result of symmetry in pelvic tilt than girls in the group (p = 0.027). ATNR affects walking symmetry in preschool children, thus evaluation of the reflex activity and then proper therapy is required to support proper development.