Obesity and cardiometabolic disease risk factors among US adolescents with disabilities

AIM: To generate prevalence estimates of weight status and cardiometabolic disease risk factors among adolescents with and without disabilities.METHODS: Analysis of the 1999-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data was conducted among 12-18 years old with(n = 256) and without disabilities(n = 5020). Mean values of waist circumference, fasting glucose, high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, systolic and diastolic blood pressure and metabolic syndrome(Met S, ≥ 3 risk factors present) were examined by the following standardized body mass index(BMI) categories for those with and without disabilities; overweight(BMI ≥ 85th- 95 th percentile for age and sex), obesity(BMI ≥ 95 th percentile) and severe obesity(BMI ≥35 kg/m2). Linear regression models were fit with each cardiometabolic disease risk factor independently as continuous outcomes to show relationships with disability status. RESULTS: Adolescents with disabilities were significantlymore likely to be overweight(49.3%), obese(27.6%) and severely obese(12%) vs their peers without disabilities(33.1%, 17.5% and 3.6%, respectively, P ≤ 0.01 for all). A higher proportion of overweight, obese and severely obese children with disabilities had abnormal SBP, fasting lipids and glucose as well as Met S(18.9% of overweight, 32.3% of obese, 55% of severely obese) vs their peers without disabilities(9.7%, 16.8%, 36.3%, respectively). US adolescents with disabilities are over three times as likely to have Met S(OR = 3.45, 95%CI: 1.08-10.99, P = 0.03) vs their peers with no disabilities.CONCLUSION: Results show that adolescents with disabilities are disproportionately affected by obesity and poor cardiometabolic health vs their peers with no disabilities. Health care professionals should monitor the cardiometabolic health of adolescents with disabilities.     

Identification of dietary patterns of adolescents attending public schools

Objectiveto identify the dietary patterns of adolescents attending public municipal schools in Northern Minas Gerais, Brazil, and to test the association between these patterns and socioeconomic variables and nutritional status of the adolescents.Methodsthis was an analytical, cross-sectional study with randomized sample of 474 adolescents of both genders, between 11 and 17 years of age, attending municipal public schools in the urban area of Montes Claros, MG, Brazil. The parents provided demographic and economic data. The nutritional status (body mass index - BMI) of the adolescents was determined at school, and their dietary habits were assessed though the administration of the Food Frequency Questionnaire for Adolescents (FFQA). Based on 26 categories extracted from FFQA, dietary patterns were determined using principal component analysis (PCA) and associated to anthropometric and socioeconomic factors using multiple regression analysis.Resultsthe three dietary patterns identified, “junk food,” “healthy,” and “traditional”, explained 23.26%, 6.90%, and 5.24% of data variability, respectively. Adolescents with per capita family income exceeding half a minimum wage were more likely to consume the “junk food” pattern (OR = 1.66; 95% CI = 1.07-2.56), and overweight adolescents had lower chances of eating the “healthy” food pattern (OR = 0.56, 95% CI = 0.35-0.91).Conclusionsdeviations from the “healthy” patterns were not associated to low income, but rather to bad eating habits in the studied population. Overweight adolescents did not adhere to the “healthy” dietary pattern, emphasizing the need for nutritional education among them.     

Relationship between chronological and bone ages and pubertal stage of breasts with bone biomarkers and bone mineral density in adolescents

ObjectiveTo study bone mineral density (BMD) in adolescent females according to five groups of chronological age (CA), bone age (BA), and breast development stage (B), and to correlate these parameters with plasma bone biomarkers (BB).MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study performed in 101 healthy adolescent females between 10 and 20 years old. The study variables were: weight, height, body mass index (BMI), CA, B, BA, calcium intake, BMD, and BB. Osteocalcin (OC), bone alkaline phosphatase (BAP), and C-terminal telopeptide (S-CTx) were evaluated for BB. BMD was measured using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA).ResultsBMD in lumbar spine, proximal femur, and total body increased with age, and the respective observed averages were: in CA1 (10 years old), 0.631, 0.692, 0.798 g/cm²; in CA2 (11 to 12 years old), 0.698, 0.763, 0.840 g/cm²; in CA3 (13 to 14 years old), 0.865, 0.889, 0.972 g/cm²; in CA4 (15 to 16 years old), 0.902, 0.922, 1.013 g/cm²; and in CA5 (17 to 19 years old), 0.944, 0.929, 1.35 g/cm². These results showed significant differences between 13 and 14 years of age (CA3) or when girls reached the B3 stage (0.709, 0.832, 0.867 g/cm²). The highest median concentrations of BB were between 10 and 12 years of age when adolescents were in the B2–B3 (p < 0.001). Median BB concentrations decreased in advanced BA and B.ConclusionsBB concentrations were positively correlated with the peak height velocity and negatively correlated with BMD in the study sites. Increased BMD and BB concentrations were observed in B3.     

Tentatives de suicide chez les adolescents français de 17 ans : données de l’étude ESCAPAD 2008

Background

Suicide among children and adolescents is a major public health issue. It is one of the leading causes of death in youths. A previous suicide attempt is a well-established risk factor for completed suicide. Since 1998, hospitalisation has been recommended for all children or adolescents who have attempted suicide by the French sanitary agency. We aim to estimate the frequency of suicide attempts during childhood and adolescence and the frequency of hospitalisation after a suicide attempt.

Method

A cross-sectional sample of adolescents aged 17 years was recruited in 2008 (ESCAPAD Study). Analyses were conducted on 38,236 participants who responded to the question: “During your life, have you ever attempted suicide?”. Bivariate statistical analyses compared sociodemographics characteristics and perceived relationships in the family according to the presence of a history of suicide attempt.

Results

In our sample of French adolescents aged 17 years, 8.2% (n = 3146) reported at least one history of suicide attempt. Three out of four adolescents reporting a history of suicide attempt were women (sex-ratio 1:3). Adolescents who were out of school at 17 years old (Odds ratio = 2.24 [CI 95%: 1.83–2.75]; P < 0.001) and those who had repeated at least one grade in school (Odds ratio = 1.97 [CI 95%: 1.83–2.12]; P < 0.001) were more likely to report a history of suicide attempt. Those whom parents were unemployed (Odds ratio = 1.41 [CI 95%: 1.24–1.61]; P < 0.001) were also more likely to report a history of suicide attempt. Family discord and negative relationship with parents were also associated with an increased frequency of history of suicide attempt. Only 25% of adolescents reporting a history of suicide attempt were hospitalised after this suicide attempt.

Discussion

The results of this study have to be considered given some methodological limitations: data are retrospective and collected by questionnaires completed by the adolescents themselves. Similar results on the association between negative relationships in family and suicidal behaviours in depressed adolescents have been previously shown by Consoli et al. (2013) in the ESCAPAD study.