Does Examining the Childhood Food Experiences Help to Better Understand Food Choices in Adulthood?

Impact of parental feeding practices on children’s eating behaviors is well-documented in the literature. Nevertheless, little is known about how many of these behaviors might persist into adulthood. There is a lack of a tool measuring childhood feeding experiences recollected by adults, while the Comprehensive Feeding Practices Questionnaire (CFPQ) is used to measure parental feeding practices applied towards children. The aim of the study was to adapt the CFPQ to measure adults’ recollections of their childhood (5–10 years old) feeding experiences, to examine its discriminant validity and then to assess if these practices are related to adults’ food choices. In 2020, the modified version of CFPQ (mCFPQ) and questions on current food consumption were administered in a group of 500 adults twice over a two-week interval. The analysis included 443 participants whose questionnaires were correctly completed in both stages of the study. The Q-sorting procedure was used to test for discriminant validity of the questionnaire, i.e., confirmatory and exploratory factor analysis (EFA), Cronbach’s alpha, correlations coefficients, and the analysis of the differences between groups according to the intake of certain food products. Test–retest reliability was examined by calculating interclass correlation coefficients (ICC) for each obtained factor. As a result of EFA, five subscales were identified: “Restrictions”, “Healthy Eating Guidance”, “Pressure and Food Reward”, “Monitoring”, and “Child Control”. Items from these subscales created a new tool—Adults’ Memories of Feeding in Childhood (AMoFiC). Test for internal consistency, factor correlations, and discriminant validity proved satisfactory psychometric parameters of AMoFiC. “Pressure and Food Reward” and “Child Control” were associated with higher intake of sweets and salty snacks, whereas “Healthy Eating Guidance”, “Monitoring”, and “Restrictions” were associated with higher consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables. Despite the fact that the AMoFiC questionnaire requires further research, the findings of the study might be of practical use in counseling addressed to the parents.     

Is Pedophilia a Sexual Orientation?

In this article, I address the question of whether pedophilia in men can be construed as a male sexual orientation, and the implications for thinking of it in this way for scientific research, clinical practice, and public policy. I begin by defining pedophilia and sexual orientation, and then compare pedophilia (as a potential sexual orientation with regard to age) to sexual orientations with regard to gender (heterosexuality, bisexuality, and homosexuality), on the bases of age of onset, correlations with sexual and romantic behavior, and stability over time. I conclude with comments about the potential social and legal implications of conceptualizing pedophilia as a type of sexual orientation in males.     

Can We Change Sexual Orientation?

The self-reports of individuals who claim that they have changed their sexual orientation are either dismissed as false or relied upon to promote sexual orientation change efforts. However, these reactions do not capture the complexity of the sexual reorientation phenomenon. This article provides an overview regarding the promise and effort of sexual reorientation and how this knowledge may inform our current understanding of human sexuality. Specifically, a brief history is given of the interventions used to change attractions to same-sex adults and the assumptions underlying these efforts. Information will be given regarding which conclusions can be derived from sexual reorientation studies. The limitations of these studies will be explained to strengthen future research. Hypotheses will be presented regarding the motivations and needs of those distressed by a same-sex erotic orientation and the impact that the hope of sexual reorientation may have for family members, religious leaders, and policy makers. A multivariate model of sexuality and sexual orientation, including scales of attraction and aversion, will be proposed based upon current understanding of sexuality and the distinctions found in sexual reorientation research. In the end, a therapeutic framework will be highlighted that may be used (and researched) to help those distressed by their sexual orientation.     

Does Obesity Increase Sexual Dysfunction in Women?

This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of sexual dysfunction among women with obesity who are otherwise healthy and applied to the diet center of a hospital located in Ankara, the capital city of Turkey. The sample included 203 volunteers. Data were collected using the personal data form developed by the authors and the female sexual dysfunction inventory (FSFI). The mean age of the participants was 41.17 ± 8.38 years old. Of the participants, 48.7 % were elementary school graduates, 60.6 % were housewives, 64.0 % had the body mass index (BMI) score between 30.00 and 34.99, and the mean BMI score of the participants was 34.73 ± 4.86. Of the participants, 44.3 % stated that being over-weight had adversely affected their sexual life at a score of 6 points or more. Twenty point two of the participants received information regarding sexuality. It is remarkable that health care professionals were found to be the least frequently referred (3 %) resource regarding sexuality. The mean FSFI score of the participants was 27.36 ± 4.80. Severe dysfunction were observed in 12.8 % of the participants. Moreover, all domains of sexual function were dysfunctional. Female sexual function in the present study was not found correlated with several variables, such as the level of education, work status, menopausal status, and knowledge of sexuality. In conclusion, in order to improve women with obesity’s health and well-being diet to lose weight as well as sexual counseling are to be recommended.     

Does Commuting Affect Health?

This paper analyzes the relation between commuting time and health in the UK. I focus on four different types of health outcomes: subjective health measures, objective health measures, health behavior, and healthcare utilization. Fixed effect models are estimated with British Household Panel Survey data. I find that whereas objective health and health behavior are barely affected by commuting time, subjective health measures are clearly lower for people who commute longer. A longer commuting time is, moreover, related to more visits to the general practitioner. Effects turn out to be more pronounced for women and for commuters driving a car. For women, commuting time is also negatively related to regular exercise and positively to calling in sick. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Does Employment-Related Resilience Affect the Relationship between Childhood Adversity,Community Violence,and Depression?

Depression is a barrier to employment among low-income caregivers receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and exposure to community violence (ECV) are often associated with depression. Using baseline data of 103 TANF caregivers of young children of the Building Wealth and Health Network Randomized Controlled Trial Pilot, this study investigated associations of two forms of employment-related resilience—self-efficacy and employment hope—with exposure to adversity/violence and depression, measured by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) short form. Using contingency table analysis and regression analysis, we identified associations between ACEs and depression [OR?=?1.70 (1.25–2.32), p?=?0.0008] and having high levels of ECV with a 6.9-fold increased risk for depression when compared with those without ECV [OR?=?6.86 (1.43–33.01), p?=?0.02]. While self-efficacy and employment hope were significantly associated with depression, neither resilience factor impacted the association of ACE level and depression, whereas self-efficacy and employment hope modestly reduced the associations between ECV and depression, 13 and 16%, respectively. Results suggest that self-efficacy and employment hope may not have an impact on the strong associations between adversity, violence, and depression.     

Fertility Status Does Not Facilitate Women’s Judgment of Male Sexual Orientation

Archives of Sexual Behavior - Previous research has demonstrated that women can correctly distinguish between gay and heterosexual men’s faces significantly better than chance. This ability...     

Does Physical Abuse,Sexual Abuse,or Neglect in Childhood Increase the Likelihood of Same-sex Sexual Relationships and Cohabitation? A Prospective 30-year Follow-up

Existing cross-sectional research suggests associations between physical and sexual abuse in childhood and same-sex sexual orientation in adulthood. This study prospectively examined whether abuse and/or neglect in childhood were associated with increased likelihood of same-sex partnerships in adulthood. The sample included physically abused (N = 85), sexually abused (N = 72), and neglected (N = 429) children (ages 0–11) with documented cases during 1967–1971 who were matched with non-maltreated children (N = 415) and followed into adulthood. At approximately age 40, participants (483 women and 461 men) were asked about romantic cohabitation and sexual partners, in the context of in-person interviews covering a range of topics. Group (abuse/neglect versus control) differences were assessed with cross-tabulations and logistic regression. A total of 8% of the overall sample reported any same-sex relationship (cohabitation or sexual partners). Childhood physical abuse and neglect were not significantly associated with same-sex cohabitation or sexual partners. Individuals with documented histories of childhood sexual abuse were significantly more likely than controls to report ever having had same-sex sexual partners (OR = 2.81, 95% CI = 1.16–6.80, p ≤ .05); however, only men with histories of childhood sexual abuse were significantly more likely than controls to report same-sex sexual partners (OR = 6.75, 95% CI = 1.53–29.86, p ≤ .01). These prospective findings provide tentative evidence of a link between childhood sexual abuse and same-sex sexual partnerships among men, although further research is needed to explore this relationship and to examine potential underlying mechanisms.     

Does Religiosity Affect Health Risk Behaviors in Pregnant and Postpartum Women?

Objectives We examined the association between religious involvement and health risk behaviors such as smoking, drinking, marijuana use, and having multiple sex partners among a multiethnic sample of pregnant and postpartum women. Methods Using data from the National Survey of Family Growth, we estimated multivariate logistic regression models to determine the association between various aspects of religious involvement (e.g., attendance, salience, and denomination) and certain behaviors known to be risky for pregnant women and their offspring. Results Frequent (more than once a week) and regular (once a week) attenders at religious services had 80% and 60% (respectively) lower odds of drinking alcohol compared to women who attended less than once a week. Similar patterns surfaced with regard to smoking tobacco with the odds of smoking roughly 85% lower (OR = 0.146, P < 0.001) among frequent attenders, and nearly 65% lower among regular attenders (OR = 0.369, P < 0.001). For smoking marijuana, religious attendance again emerges as a strong predictor. The odds of marijuana smoking are nearly 75% lower for women who attend services frequently (OR = 0.260, P < 0.05) and more than 65% lower for those who attend regularly (OR = 0.343, P < 0.01), as compared with their counterparts who attend services less often. Conclusions Religious attendance emerged as an important correlate of less-risky health behaviors among this nationwide sample of pregnant and postpartum women. Future research should include an examination of the links between religious involvement and other important lifestyle factors that may influence maternal and child health.     

What Does Attending Early Childhood Program Mean for Child Health in India?

The health impact of attending early childhood development programs in developing countries remains largely unknown. In this study, we focus on the health consequences of attending preschool programs in India. Using a unique longitudinal dataset, we allow for heterogeneity in the impact of preschool across the distribution of health outcomes while controlling for time‐invariant unobservables. We detect unique temporal variation in the effect of preschool attendance – growth of preschool attendees is slower than non‐attendees in various parts of the distributions of several anthropometric measures when evaluated in the early years between ages 1 and 5. This effect is likely to reverse in the longer term at age 8. The early years' adverse effect can be explained in part by over‐attendance in the form of long daily hours, excessive attendance days, and early entry. The findings are insensitive to nutritional incentives like free meals provided in public schools. The growth‐retarding effect remains robust for weight‐for‐age z‐scores, implying that the impact of preschool attendance is not only heterogeneous, but differs across dimensions of health status. Our study highlights the need for strengthening the delivery of childhood programs in developing countries in order to prevent adverse health effects in the critical years. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Childhood Nutrition in Rural China: What Impact Does Public Health Insurance Have?

ObjectivesTo investigate the impact of public health insurance coverage, specifically the New Cooperative Medical Scheme (NCMS), on childhood nutrition in poor rural households in China, and to identify the mechanisms through which health insurance coverage affects nutritional intake.MethodsLongitudinal data on 3291 children were taken from four time periods (2004, 2006, 2009, and 2011) from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS). Panel data analysis was performed with the fixed-effect model and the propensity score matching with difference-in-differences (PSM-DID) approach.ResultsThe introduction of the NCMS was associated with a decline in calories, fat, and protein intake, and an increase in the intake of carbohydrates. The NCMS had the greatest negative effect on children aged 0 to 5 years, particularly girls. Out-of-pocket medical expenses were identified as the main channel through which the NCMS affected the nutritional intake of children.ConclusionsThe study showed that the NCMS neither significantly improved the nutritional status of children nor enhanced intake of high-quality nutrients among rural poor households. These findings were attributed to the way in which health-seeking behavior was modified in the light of NCMS coverage. Specifically, NCMS coverage tended to increase healthcare utilization, which in turn increased out-of-pocket medical expenditures. This encouraged savings to aid financial risk protection and resulted in less disposable income for food consumption.     

How Many Gay Men Owe Their Sexual Orientation to Fraternal Birth Order?

In men, sexual orientation correlates with the number of older brothers, each additional older brother increasing the odds of homosexuality by approximately 33%. However, this phenomenon, the fraternal birth order effect, accounts for the sexual orientation of only a proportion of gay men. To estimate the size of this proportion, we derived generalized forms of two epidemiological statistics, the attributable fraction and the population attributable fraction, which quantify the relationship between a condition and prior exposure to an agent that can cause it. In their common forms, these statistics are calculable only for 2 levels of exposure: exposed versus not-exposed. We developed a method applicable to agents with multiple levels of exposure—in this case, number of older brothers. This noniterative method, which requires the odds ratio from a prior logistic regression analysis, was then applied to a large contemporary sample of gay men. The results showed that roughly 1 gay man in 7 owes his sexual orientation to the fraternal birth order effect. They also showed that the effect of fraternal birth order would exceed all other causes of homosexuality in groups of gay men with 3 or more older brothers and would precisely equal all other causes in a theoretical group with 2.5 older brothers. Implications are suggested for the gay sib-pair linkage method of identifying genetic loci for homosexuality.     

Does Repeated Testing Impact Concordance Between Genital and Self-Reported Sexual Arousal in Women?

Women show a substantial variability in their genital and subjective responses to sexual stimuli. The level of agreement between these two aspects of response is termed sexual concordance and has been increasingly investigated because of its implications for understanding models of sexual response and as a potential endpoint in clinical trials of treatments to improve women’s sexual dysfunction. However, interpreting changes in sexual concordance may be problematic because, to date, it still is unclear how repeated testing itself influences sexual concordance in women. We are aware of only one study that evaluated temporal stability of concordance in women, and it found no evidence of stability. However, time stability would be necessary for arguing that concordance is a stable individual difference. The main goal of this study was to investigate the test–retest reliability of sexual concordance in a sample of 30 women with sexual difficulties. Using hierarchical linear modeling, we found that sexual concordance was not influenced by repeated testing 12 weeks later, but showed test–retest reliability suggesting temporal stability. Our findings support the hypothesis that sexual concordance is a relatively stable individual difference and that changes in sexual concordance after treatment or experimental conditions could, therefore, be attributed to effects of those conditions.     

Does Age Affect the Response to Zinc Therapy for Diarrhoea in Bangladeshi Infants?

The benefit of zinc for the treatment of diarrhoea in a cluster-randomized trial of children, aged 3-59 months, living in rural Bangladesh was previously reported. Here, the benefits of zinc stratified by age--3-5 months, 6-11 months, and 12-59 months--are reported. Although the sample sizes in the stratified groups were too small to detect statistical significance in the 3-5-month and 6-11-month age-groups, the trends suggest that there may be a benefit of zinc for the treatment of diarrhoea on the duration of diarrhoea and on subsequent morbidity and mortality. Additional research is needed to better understand the effect of zinc for the treatment of diarrhoea among infants aged less than six months.