Entrenched obesity in childhood: findings from a national cohort study

PurposeGiven the high levels of obesity among U.S. children, we examine whether obesity in childhood is a passing phenomenon or remains entrenched into adolescence.MethodsData are from the prospective nationally representative Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998–1999 (analytic sample = 6600). Anthropometrics were measured six times during 1998–2007. Overweight and obesity were defined using CDC cut-points. Entrenched obesity was defined as obesity between ages 5–9 coupled with persistent obesity at ages 11 and 14.ResultsAlmost 30% of children experienced obesity at some point between ages 5.6 and 14.1 years; 63% of children who ever had obesity between ages 5.6 and 9.1 and 72% of those who had obesity at kindergarten entry experienced entrenched obesity. Children with severe obesity in kindergarten or who had obesity at more than 1 year during early elementary were very likely to experience obesity through age 14, regardless of their sex, race, or socioeconomic backgrounds.ConclusionsPrevention should focus on early childhood, as obesity at school entry is not often a passing phenomenon. Even one timepoint of obesity measured during the early elementary school years may be an indicator of risk for long-term obesity.     

Slow gait speed is an independent predictor of early death in older cancer outpatients: Results from a prospective cohort study

Objective

To assess the predictive value of gait speed for early death in older outpatients with cancer.

Design

Prospective bicentric observational cohort study.

Setting

The Physical Frailty in Elder Cancer patients (PF-EC) study (France).

Participants

One hundred and ninety outpatients with cancer during the first 6 months of follow up in the PF-EC study.

Measurements

The association between usual gait speed over 4 m alone (GS) or included in the short physical performance battery (SPPB) and overall survival within 6 months following a comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA). A Cox proportional-hazard regression model was performed in non-survivors for clinical factors from the CGA, along with c reactive protein (CRP). Two models were created to assess GS alone and from inclusion in the SPPB.

Results

The mean age was 80.6 years, and 50.5% of the participants were men. Death occurred in 11% (n=22) of the participants within the 6 month follow up period. Of these participants, 98% had solid cancers, and 33% had a metastatic disease. A GS < 0.8 m/s (HR=5.6, 95%CI=1.6-19.7, p=0.007), a SPPB < 9 (HR=5.8, 95%CI=1.6-20.9, p=0.007) and a CRP of 50 mg/l or greater (p<0.0001) were significantly associated with early death in the two multivariate analyses. Cancer site and extension were not significantly associated with early death.

Conclusion

Walking tests are associated with early death within the 6 month follow up period after a CGA independent of cancer site and cancer extension. GS alone < 0.8 m/s is at least as efficacious as the SPPB in predicting this outcome. GS alone could be used routinely as a marker of early death to adapt oncologic therapeutics. Further studies are needed to validate these preliminary data.

     

Parental age and risk of childhood cancers: a population-based cohort study from Sweden

BACKGROUND: Frequent germ line cells mutations were previously demonstrated to be associated with aging. This suggests a higher incidence of childhood cancer among children of older parents. A population-based cohort study of parental ages and other prenatal risk factors for five main childhood cancers was performed with the use of a linkage between several national-based registries. METHODS: In total, about 4.3 million children with their parents, born between 1961 and 2000, were included in the study. Multivariate Poisson regression was used to obtain the incidence rate ratios (IRR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Children <5 years of age and children 5-14 years of age were analysed independently. RESULTS: There was no significant result for children 5-14 years of age. For children <5 years of age, maternal age were associated with elevated risk of retinoblastoma (oldest age group's IRR = 2.39, 95%CI = 1.17-4.85) and leukaemia (oldest age group's IRR = 1.44, 95%CI = 1.01-2.05). Paternal age was significantly associated with leukaemia (oldest age group's IRR = 1.31, 95%CI = 1.04-1.66). For central nervous system cancer, the effect of paternal age was found to be significant (oldest age group's IRR = 1.69, 95%CI = 1.21-2.35) when maternal age was included in the analysis. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that advanced parental age might be associated with an increased risk of early childhood cancers.     

Oral contraception and epilepsy: findings in a large cohort study

There is no good evidence that oral contraceptives (OCs) increase the risk of epilepsy in unaffected women or increase the frequency of seizures in those suffering from the disorder. Nonetheless, manufacturers' literature continues to include warnings about OCs and epilepsy. We have analyzed the available data about epilepsy in the Oxford-Family Planning Association contraceptive study that includes 17,032 women followed for periods of up to 26 years. In total, 82 women (with no record of having suffered epilepsy when recruited to the study) were referred to hospital for diagnosis or treatment of epilepsy during the follow-up period. No association was found between OC use and the occurrence of the condition. Referral to hospital was, however, more frequent in women of low social class and in those with a high body mass index.     

One-year continuation of postpartum intrauterine contraceptive device: findings from a retrospective cohort study in India

Objective

To evaluate outcomes of a national postpartum (within 48?h of delivery) copper intrauterine device placement (PPCuIUD) program in six “high-focus states” with high unmet family planning need in India.

CD4/CD8 ratio as a predictor of the response to HBV vaccination in HIV-positive patients: A prospective cohort study

BackgroundHepatitis B virus (HBV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) share transmission mechanisms and thus coinfection is frequent. Active immunization against HBV is essential in HIV patients. Reports using standard and reinforced HBV vaccination schedules vary widely in seroconversion rates depending on the characteristics of the included patients. Regional data concerning HBV vaccination in HIV patients are scarce. We aim to determine the serological response to HBV vaccination using standard schedule in HIV-positive patients and to evaluate characteristics that predict seroconversion.Materials and methodsWe performed a single centre prospective study of HBV vaccination with standard schedule in HIV-positive patients. Adults with negative markers of HBV infection were included between November 2012 and December 2014. Anti-HBs titres were measured 4–8 weeks after completion of vaccination schedule. Clinical, laboratory values and HIV characteristics were analyzed to determine their association with seroconversion and adherence to the HBV vaccination schedule.ResultsThe study included 245 HIV-positive patients, 68.9% were male and the mean age was 42.1 years. A total of 80.7% of the patients had undetectable HIV viral loads, 86.1% had CD4 counts >200, and 94.7% were on HAART. The response to vaccination was positive in 62% (95% CI, 56–68%) and mean anti-HBs titres of 646 IU/ml. 85.5% of the responders had anti-HBs titres >100 IU/ml. An age less than 45 years, no tobacco use and a CD4/CD8 ratio >0.4 were associated with seroconversion in multivariate analysis. The seroconversion rates were 86% in the subgroup of patients who met these criteria. A total of 97.9% of the study population completed the vaccination schedule.ConclusionThe CD4/CD8 ratio was the primary factor associated with positive serological conversion in the multivariate analysis. The seroconversion rates were higher in a selected group of patients who were particularly suitable for the use of the standard HBV vaccination schedule.     

Geographical inequalities in health in a time of austerity: Baseline findings from the Stockton-on-Tees cohort study

Stockton-on-Tees has the highest geographical inequalities in health in England with the life expectancy at birth gap between the most and deprived neighbourhoods standing at over 17 years for men and 11 years for women. In this study, we provide the first detailed empirical examination of this geographical health divide by: estimating the gap in physical and general health (as measured by EQ. 5D, EQ. 5D-VAS and SF8PCS) between the most and least deprived areas; using a novel statistical technique to examining the causal role of compositional and contextual factors and their interaction; and doing so in a time of economic recession and austerity. Using a stratified random sampling technique, individual-level survey data was combined with secondary data sources and analysed using multi-level models with 95% confidence intervals obtained from nonparametric bootstrapping. The main findings indicate that there is a significant gap in health between the two areas, and that compositional level material factors, contextual factors and their interaction appear to be the major explanations of this gap. Contrary to the dominant policy discourse in this area, individual behavioural and psychosocial factors did not make a significant contribution towards explaining health inequalities in the study area. The findings are discussed in relation to geographical theories of health inequalities and the context of austerity.     

Oral contraception and ear disease: findings in a large cohort study

A number of authors have suggested that oral contraceptives may increase the risk of certain ear diseases, especially otosclerosis and vestibular disorders, although the amount of published information on this topic is limited. We have analyzed the available data on ear disease in the Oxford-Family Planning Association contraceptive study that includes 17,032 women followed for periods of up to 26 years. No evidence of any adverse effect of oral contraceptives on ear disease was detected. A protective effect of oral contraceptives against wax in the ear has been described in the Royal College of General Practitioners oral contraception study. The amount of data available in the Oxford-Family Planning Association study was too small to permit confirmation or refutation of this finding.     

Prospective cohort study of the risk of prostate cancer among rotating-shift workers: findings from the Japan collaborative cohort study

Shift workers have been reported to have an increased risk of some cancers. However, the risk of prostate cancer in shift workers is not known to have been examined previously. This study prospectively examined the association between shift work and risk of prostate cancer incidence among 14,052 working men in Japan enrolled in a large-scale prospective cohort. A baseline survey was conducted between 1988 and 1990. Subjects were asked to indicate the most regular work schedule they had undertaken previously: day work, rotating-shift work, or fixed-night work. During 111,974 person-years, 31 cases of prostate cancer were recorded. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate the risk, with adjustments for age, family history of prostate cancer, study area surveyed, body mass index, smoking, alcohol drinking, job type, physical activity at work, workplace, perceived stress, educational level, and marriage status. Compared with day workers, rotating-shift workers were significantly at risk for prostate cancer (relative risk = 3.0, 95% confidence interval: 1.2, 7.7), whereas fixed-night work was associated with a small and nonsignificant increase in risk. This report is the first known to reveal a significant relation between rotating-shift work and prostate cancer.     

Oral contraceptive failures and body weight: findings in a large cohort study

This report looks at data from 17 032 women who took part in the Oxford Family Planning Association contraceptive study. Thirty-eight first accidental pregnancies occurred during 6779 woman-years of use of progestogen-only oral contraceptives (0.56 per 100) and 95 first accidental pregnancies occurred during 48 692 woman-years of combined oral contraceptive use (0.20 per 100). Although associations with age and parity were found, there was no evidence of any influence of body weight on the risk of accidental pregnancy with either form of oral contraceptive.     

Mortality in relation to disability pension: findings from a 12-year prospective population-based cohort study in Sweden

AIMS: Knowledge is limited regarding the association between disability pension (DP) and mortality. The aim of this study was to examine the relative risk (RR) of mortality associated with DP among women and men of different ages over a 12-year period, for DP in general, and for full-time DP, part-time DP, and DP for labour-market reasons, respectively. METHODS: A prospective cohort study was performed covering the total population of the Swedish county of Osterg?tland aged 16-64 years in December 1984 (n = 245,704) followed up from 1985 to 1996. The RR of mortality was analysed in relation to DP, age, and gender using a Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: The RR of mortality was higher for DP recipients than for individuals without DP, and this was true for both women (RR 2.79, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.63 to 2.96) and men (RR 2.97, CI 2.83 to 3.11), and for all age groups. The RR of mortality was highest among the youngest DP recipients. The RR of mortality was especially high the first year of DP and remained elevated over the whole follow-up period. The RR of mortality among part-time DP recipients was lower than among full-time DP recipients and was significantly higher than seen for non-DP recipients. Individuals granted DP for labour-market reasons exhibited much lower RR of mortality than all other DP recipients. CONCLUSIONS: Further research is needed to investigate which factors explain the very high RR of mortality among disability pensioners.     

2型糖尿病与恶性肿瘤发病风险关系的队列研究

目的 探讨2型糖尿病与恶性肿瘤发病风险之间的关系。方法 利用浙江省慢性病监测信息管理系统收集2007－2013年监测队列中糖尿病、恶性肿瘤患者及相关信息,采用累积发病率、RR值及其95%CI等指标分析2型糖尿病与恶性肿瘤间的关系。结果 2007－2013年共收集327 268例2型糖尿病患者并随访778 439人年,累计新发恶性肿瘤7 435例,恶性肿瘤发病率为955.12/10万,标化发病率为458.05/10万。相较非糖尿病人群,糖尿病患者恶性肿瘤发病风险增加(RR=1.68,95%CI:1.68～1.70),其中20～39岁组2型糖尿病患者恶性肿瘤发病风险最高(RR=4.34,95%CI:3.54～5.32);随年龄增加,风险降低,但≥60岁组发病风险仍存在关联(RR=1.21, 95%CI:1.18～1.25)。结论 2型糖尿病患者中恶性肿瘤的发病风险增加。     

Height at age 18 years is a strong predictor of attained education later in life: cohort study of over 950,000 Swedish men

BACKGROUND: Adult body height has been related to socioeconomic position in cross-sectional studies. Intelligence, shared family factors, and non-familial circumstances may contribute to associations between height and attained education, but their relative importance has been difficult to resolve. METHODS: A nation-wide record-linkage cohort study of over 950 000 Swedish men born 1950-75 followed with respect to attained education for up to 27 years after measurement of height at age 18 (baseline). The association between height and attained education in later life was investigated by logistic regression modelling with adjustment for age, geography, parental socioeconomic position, and cognitive ability. Shared family factors were accounted for in analyses of full-brother-pairs using conditional logistic regression. RESULTS: The odds ratio (OR) for attaining higher education 7-27 years after baseline was 1.10 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.09-1.10] in fully adjusted models per 5 cm increase in height. Men taller than 194 cm were two to three times more likely to obtain a higher education as compared with men shorter than 165 cm. The association remained within brother-pairs, OR 1.08 (95% CI 1.07-1.10), suggesting that non-familial factors contribute to the association between height and education attainment. A significant interaction (P < 0.0001) was found between year of birth, height, and attained education, showing slightly weaker associations among later birth cohorts. CONCLUSIONS: The strong positive association between height and educational achievement remaining after adjustment for year of birth, parental socioeconomic position, other shared family factors, and cognitive ability may reflect educational discrimination based on height although residual confounding cannot be ruled out.     

Depressive mood and suicide among middle-aged workers: findings from a prospective cohort study in Nagoya, Japan

BACKGROUND: In Japan, mortality from suicide has peaked around 50 years old among men, with increasing trend after 65 years old, and this peak became more apparent in recent years. Beside this, "psychological autopsy" has revealed depression as one of the most important risk factors for suicide. There is, however, no cohort study which examined the relationship between depressive mood measured by simple method and suicide in middle-aged general population. METHODS: In 1989, baseline information was collected by a self-administered questionnaire, and 18,450 workers were followed up to March 31, 1995. All deaths observed during active service were identified, and when retired, its date was recorded. Among 5,352 male workers aged between 40 to 54, 11 committed suicide during follow-up period of 5 years. Analysis were carried out by Cox's proportional hazard model, controlling for age. RESULTS: Those who slept 9 hours or more per night demonstrated 12.14-fold risk of suicide compared with those who slept less than 9 hours. Smokers were more likely to commit suicide than non-smokers. Those who answered affirmatively to more than 7 out of 12 questions, which were derived from Zung self-rating depression scale, experienced an increased risk of suicide (RR 9.95; 95%CI: 1.89-52.44), even after adjusting for other confounding factors. CONCLUSION: We found an association between depressive mood and subsequent suicide in a middle-aged workers. Detailed observation and follow-up of those with depressive mood should be systematically organized with due attention and caution.     

Organisational downsizing as a predictor of disability pension: the 10-town prospective cohort study

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether downsizing, the reduction of personnel in organisations, is a predictor of increased risk of disability retirement among employees who kept their jobs. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. Based on reductions of personnel in participants' occupation and workplace, employees were grouped into exposure categories of no downsizing (less than 8% reduction), minor downsizing (reduction between 8% and 18%), and major downsizing (more than 18% reduction). They were followed up for a five year period after downsizing. SETTING: Four towns in Finland. PARTICIPANTS: 19 273 municipal employees, aged 21-54 years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: All permanent full disability pensions granted because of medical reasons below 55 years of age between 1 January 1994 and 31 December 1998 from the national registers. RESULTS: In all, 223 employees were granted a permanent disability pension. The overall rate for disability pensions per 1000 employees was 7.7 after no downsizing, 13.1 after minor downsizing, and 14.9 after major downsizing. Cox proportional hazard models adjusted for age, sex, occupational status, type of employment contract, and town showed 1.81 (95% confidence intervals 1.22 to 2.70) times higher risk of disability retirement after major downsizing than after no downsizing. CONCLUSIONS: The immediate financial advantages of downsizing need to be considered in relation to increased occupational disability and the resulting extra costs to employers and society.