Automobile traffic around the home and attained body mass index: A longitudinal cohort study of children aged 10–18 years

ObjectivesThe objective of this study is to examine the relationship between measured traffic density near the homes of children and attained body mass index (BMI) over an eight-year follow up.MethodsChildren aged 9-10 years were enrolled across multiple communities in Southern California in 1993 and 1996 (n = 3318). Children were followed until age 18 or high school graduation to collect longitudinal information, including annual height and weight measurements. Multilevel growth curve models were used to assess the association between BMI levels at age 18 and traffic around the home.ResultsFor traffic within 150 m around the child's home, there were significant positive associations with attained BMI for both sexes at age 18. With the 300 m traffic buffer, associations for both male and female growth in BMI were positive, but significantly elevated only in females. These associations persisted even after controlling for numerous potential confounding variables.ConclusionsThis analysis yields the first evidence of significant effects from traffic density on BMI levels at age 18 in a large cohort of children. Traffic is a pervasive exposure in most cities, and our results identify traffic as a major risk factor for the development of obesity in children.     

Waning immunity and potential asymptomatic infection in 3–7 years old children who received one dose of measles-mumps-rubella vaccine: A 4-year prospective study

BackgroundMumps outbreaks in adolescents who received two doses of measles-mumps-rubella vaccine (MMR) during childhood have been reported worldwide. In China, one dose of MMR administered in children aged among 18–24 months has a limited effect on the mumps epidemic. There are limited prospective studies evaluating the mumps immunity profile of children aged 3–7 years who received one dose of MMR. This study aimed to describe mumps immunity profile over a span of 4-years in kindergarten and primary school children.MethodsAn observational, prospective study on one-dose MMR in children aged 3–7 years who underwent blood sample collection in 2015, 2016, and 2018 was conducted from 2015 to 2018. The seropositivity and geometric mean concentration of mumps IgG antibodies over time were analyzed.ResultsA total of 3346 eligible children aged 3–7 years who underwent three rounds of blood sample collection were included. The overall seropositivity (79.6%) in 2015 was significantly higher than those recorded in 2016 (73.1%) and 2018 (71.4%). Approximately 11.6–15.9% of the participants were seropositive for mumps in 2015, and converted to negative in 2016. Meanwhile, 11.1–14.6% of the participants were seropositive for mumps in 2016, and the results converted to negative in 2018. Over 6.1–7.4% of the participants had asymptomatic infection from 2015 to 2016, while 9.0–9.9% of the participants were infected without clinical symptoms from 2016 to 2018.ConclusionsKindergarten and primary school children who only received one dose of MMR were at higher risk of developing mumps. Waning immunity, seronegative conversion, and asymptomatic infection coexist in children who received one dose MMR. Determining the optimal age for administering the second dose of MMR in children should be prioritized to improve the control and prevention of mumps in China.     

Psychosocial health and life-events – dynamical development in the short term. A follow-up study of children at four and six years of age

In this paper, (1) the psychosocial health in relation to (2) life-events was assessed among 156 children attending 20 schools by parents and teachers with the Child Behavior Checklist and the Caregiver-Teacher Report Form at the ages of four and six. Life-events were reported by parents. (1) According to the report, 93–96% children had no psychosocial problems. Parents and teachers report significant improvement of externalising (behavioural) problems and total problems in children with psychosocial problems at point of time 1. Teachers also report improvement of internalising (emotional) problems. Parents and teachers agree in 8–25% of the cases. (2) Of the children 46% experienced life events, no correlation was found with changes in psychosocial health. Findings may be explained by regular school attendance, resilience of the children and variability in the normative development. Remarkable dynamic is observed in change of psychosocial problems. Psychosocial development in early childhood is rather liable to change and life-events do not strongly influence psychosocial health.     

Well-woman visit of mothers and human papillomavirus vaccine intent and uptake among their 9–17 year old children

Objective

To examine the association between attending a well-woman clinic in the prior 2 years and obtaining the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine for their 9–17-year-old child.

Methods

Women (n = 1256) who attended reproductive health clinics during September 2011 to February 2013 and had ≥1 children 9–17 years of age were asked to complete a self-administered questionnaire containing questions on demographic characteristics, prior well-woman visits, HPV awareness, and HPV vaccine intent and uptake among their adolescent children.

Results

Nearly 78% of women reported having undergone a well-woman visit during the past 2 years. Bivariate analysis showed that the HPV vaccine initiation (23.9% vs. 14.0%, P = .004) and completion (13.6% vs. 6.7%, P = .011) among 9–17 daughters differed between mothers who did or did not have a well-woman visit during the past 2 years. However, intent to vaccinate them (47.2% vs. 53.3%, P = .173) did not differ between these two groups. With regard to 9–17 year old sons, vaccine initiation (10.1% vs. 9.6%, P = .871), completion (4.6% vs. 2.4%, P = .273) and intent to vaccinate (47.3% vs. 52.1%, P = .311) did not differ between these two groups. Multivariable logistic regression analyses confirmed the findings of these bivariate analyses after adjusting for confounder variables.

Conclusion

The well-woman visit may be a missed opportunity for physicians to educate their patients about the benefits of HPV vaccination for their adolescent children in general and sons in particular. Intervention studies are warranted to assess the benefits of using this setting to improve HPV vaccine uptake in the US.     

The effectiveness of shingles vaccine among Albertans aged 50 years or older: A retrospective cohort study

PurposeWe assessed the effectiveness of shingles vaccine in preventing incident shingles among Alberta residents aged 50 years or older over the period 2009 – 2015, using administrative health data.MethodsThe cohort comprised of Albertans from the Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan Registry (AHCIP) as of June 30, 2009 and aged 50 years or older. Those who received shingles vaccine were identified from the provincial pharmaceutical information network. The occurrence of incident shingles was identified through both inpatient and outpatients/community care data. Incident shingles was defined as the earliest dated record of ICD 9-CM 053 or ICD-10-CA B02. Starting on November 1, 2009, individuals with no history of shingles or shingles vaccination were followed until Nov 1, 2015 (6 years), or until shingles incidence, death, or AHCIP cancellation (including leaving Alberta). Vaccine effectiveness (VE) was estimated as the inverse of the relative risk of developing incident shingles in each year following vaccination compared to time at risk without vaccination, while adjusting for age, sex, income quintile, and immune compromising conditions (identified from physician claims, inpatient, and cancer registry data).ResultsThere were 1,094,236 individuals in the cohort, with 85,439 (7.80%) vaccinated individuals. The shingles incidence rate was 9.03 [95% CI: 8.95, 9.11] cases per 1,000 person years (49,243 cases). Adjusted VE in the first year following immunization was 50.02% [95% CI: 44.71%, 54.83%] against incident shingles, decreasing to no effect by the fifth year (VE = 14.00% [95% CI: −20.99%, 38.88%]).ConclusionsOur findings are consistent with observations from other population based studies and provide population level data for policy-makers to review when making decisions related to public funding of shingles vaccine.     

Differences in physical activity and sedentary time in relation to weight in 8–9 year old children

Background

To determine whether the provision of higher levels of compulsory school physical activity is associated with higher physical activity and fitness levels and less overweight in childhood and 20 years later.

Methods

As part of the 1985 Australian Schools Health and Fitness Survey, 109 schools reported how much compulsory physical education (PE) and school sport they provided and were classified as low (<110 and <150 minutes/week for primary and secondary schools, respectively), medium (110–149 and 150–189 minutes/week for primary and secondary schools, respectively) or high (≥150 and ≥190 minutes/week for primary and secondary schools, respectively) compulsory physical activity schools by tertile cutpoints. 6,412 children reported frequency and duration of school (PE and sport) and non-school (commuting and non-organised exercise) physical activity and had height and weight measured; overweight was defined using body mass index (BMI) (m/kg²) cutpoints. 9, 12 and 15 year-olds (n = 2,595) completed a cycle ergometer fitness test (physical working capacity at heart rate 170, PWC₁₇₀). At follow-up in 2004–5, 2,346 participants kept a pedometer record, completed the International Physical Activity Questionnaire and/or a PWC₁₇₀ fitness test; and had height and weight measured (overweight = BMI≥25 m/kg²).

Results

At baseline and follow-up, median total physical activity, fitness and BMI were similar in participants who attended low, medium and high physical activity schools, and those attending high physical activity schools reported only modestly higher school physical activity. There was no difference in the prevalence of high total physical activity and fitness levels in childhood or adulthood across compulsory school physical activity categories. The prevalence of overweight in childhood and adulthood was similar across low, medium and high compulsory physical activity schools.

Conclusion

The amount of compulsory physical activity reported by schools was not associated with total physical activity, fitness or overweight in childhood or in adulthood. Policies promoting amounts of compulsory school physical activity in this range may not be sufficient to increase physical activity and fitness or reduce the prevalence of obesity in children.     

Friendship groups and physical activity: qualitative findings on how physical activity is initiated and maintained among 10–11 year old children

Background  

Many youth physical activity interventions have minimal effect. To design better interventions we need to understand more about the factors that influence youth activity. Application of self-determination theory to youth physical activity, particularly the relatedness and competence, might suggest that friends and friendship groups influence the initiation and maintenance of youth physical activity. In this study we examined this issue.     

Ten years of progress in the Hokkaido birth cohort study on environment and children’s health: cohort profile—updated 2013

The Hokkaido Study on Environment and Children’s Health is an ongoing cohort study that began in 2002. The study consists of two prospective birth cohorts, the Sapporo cohort (n = 514) and the Hokkaido large-scale cohort (n = 20,940). The primary goals of this study are to first examine the potential negative effects of perinatal environmental chemical exposures on birth outcomes, including congenital malformations and growth retardation; second, to evaluate the development of allergies, infectious diseases and neurodevelopmental disorders and perform longitudinal observations of the children’s physical development to clarify the causal relationship between these outcomes and environmental chemicals; third, to identify individuals genetically susceptible to environmental chemicals; finally, to identify the additive effects of various environmental factors in our daily life, such as secondhand smoke exposure or low folate intake during early pregnancy. In this paper, we introduce our recent progress in the Hokkaido study with a cohort profile updated in 2013. For the last ten years, we followed pregnant women and their offspring, measuring various environmental chemicals, i.e., PCB, OH-PCB and dioxins, PFCs (Perfluorinated Compounds), Organochlorine pesticides, Phthalates, bisphenol A and mercury. We discovered that the concentration of toxic equivalents (TEQ) of dioxin and other specific congeners of PCDF or PCDD have effects on birth weight, infants’ neurodevelopment and immune function. There were significant gender differences in these effects; our results suggest that male infants have more susceptibility to those chemical exposures than female infants. Interestingly, we found maternal genetic polymorphisms in AHR, CYP1A1 or GSTs that significantly modified the dioxin concentrations in maternal blood, suggesting different dioxin accumulations in the bodies of individuals with these genotypes, which would lead to different dioxin exposure levels. These genetic susceptibility factors influenced the body size of children born from mothers that either smoked or were passively exposed to tobacco smoke. Further studies investigating the correlation between epigenetics, the effects of intrauterine exposure to environmental chemicals and developmental factors related to health and disease are warranted.     

Movement and mental health: Behavioral correlates of anxiety and depression among children of 6–17 years old in the U.S.

ObjectivesThe purpose of this cross-sectional study was to examine associations between physical activity, screen-time, sleep duration, and their combinations based on 24-h movement guidelines with anxiety and depression among a nationally representative cohort aged 6–17 years in the US.MethodsThe 2016 National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH) data from a representative sample of children (n = 15,010) aged 6–11 years and adolescents (n = 20,708) aged 12–17 years were analyzed using logistic regression. This analysis examined parent-reported demographics, lifestyle-related behavioral variables, adverse childhood experiences, and history of anxiety and depression.ResultsPhysical activity participation was associated with anxiety and depression. Children with 0 days/week of physical activity were about twice more likely to have anxiety (Odds ratio (OR) = 2.19), and adolescents were over twice as likely to have anxiety (OR = 2.25) and depression (OR = 2.18), than peers with daily physical activity ≥ 60 min. There was no significant difference in the ORs of anxiety or depression between the children with daily physical activity and those with physical activity ≥60 min on 1–3 days/week or 4–6 days/week. Extracurricular activity participation and sleep duration were also significantly associated with anxiety and depression along with demographic variables such as race and weight status.ConclusionSome physical activity or organized extracurricular activity participation are associated with decreased odds of experiencing anxiety among children and adolescents, and depression among adolescents. Meeting all three 24-h movement guidelines was associated with lower ORs for anxiety for children and adolescents and depression among adolescents.     

Increasing weight-bearing physical activity and calcium-rich foods to promote bone mass gains among 9–11 year old girls: outcomes of the Cal-Girls study

Background  

A two-year, community-based, group-randomized trial to promote bone mass gains among 9–11 year-old girls through increased intake of calcium-rich foods and weight-bearing physical activity was evaluated.     

Oral contraceptive use by formulation and endometrial cancer risk among women born in 1947–1964: The Nurses’ Health Study II,a prospective cohort study

European Journal of Epidemiology - Oral contraceptives (OCs) have been associated with long-term lower endometrial cancer risk; relatively little is known about associations with more recent OC...     

Work–family conflicts and subsequent sleep medication among women and men: A longitudinal registry linkage study

Work and family are two key domains of life among working populations. Conflicts between paid work and family life can be detrimental to sleep and other health-related outcomes. This study examined longitudinally the influence of work–family conflicts on subsequent sleep medication. Questionnaire data were derived from the Helsinki Health Study mail surveys in 2001–2002 (2929 women, 793 men) of employees aged 40–60 years. Data concerning sleep medication were derived from the Finnish Social Insurance Institution’s registers covering all prescribed medication from 1995 to 2007. Four items measured whether job responsibilities interfered with family life (work to family conflicts), and four items measured whether family responsibilities interfered with work (family to work conflicts). Cox proportional hazard models were fitted, adjusting for age, sleep medication five years before baseline, as well as various family- and work-related covariates. During a five-year follow-up, 17% of women and 10% of men had at least one purchase of prescribed sleep medication. Among women, family to work conflicts were associated with sleep medication over the following 5 years after adjustment for age and prior medication. The association remained largely unaffected after adjusting for family-related and work-related covariates. Work to family conflicts were also associated with subsequent sleep medication after adjustment for age and prior medication. The association attenuated after adjustment for work-related factors. No associations could be confirmed among men. Thus reasons for men’s sleep medication likely emerge outside their work and family lives. Concerning individual items, strain-based ones showed stronger associations with sleep medication than more concrete time-based items. In conclusion, in particular family to work conflicts, but also work to family conflicts, are clear determinants of women’s sleep medication.     

Metrics of whole-body vibration and exposure–response relationship for low back pain in professional drivers: a prospective cohort study

Objectives  The objective of this study was to investigate the relation between alternative measures of exposure to whole-body vibration (WBV) and low back pain (LBP) in professional drivers. Methods  The incidence of 12-month LBP, high pain intensity (numerical rating scale score > 5), and disability in the lower back (Roland and Morris disability scale score ≥ 12) was investigated in a cohort of 537 drivers over a 2-year follow-up period. LBP outcomes, individual characteristics, and work-related risk factors were investigated by direct interview using a structured questionnaire. Daily vibration exposure was expressed in terms of either equivalent acceleration over an 8-h reference period [A(8), root-mean-square (r.m.s.) method] or vibration dose value [VDV, root-mean-quad (r.m.q.) method]. From the vibration magnitudes measured on vehicles and total exposure duration, seven alternative measures of cumulative vibration exposure were calculated for each driver, using expressions of the form Σa _i ^m t _i , where a _i is the frequency-weighted r.m.s. or r.m.q. acceleration magnitude on vehicle i (a _ws or a _wq, respectively), t _i is the lifetime exposure duration for vehicle i, and m = 0, 1, 2, or 4. Results  In the drivers’ cohort, the cumulative incidence of LBP outcomes were 36.3% for 12-month LBP, 24.6% for high pain intensity, and 19.2% for disability in the lower back. A transition model, which takes into account the temporal sequence of cause and effect and captures the longitudinal part of the relationship, showed that VDV performed better than A(8) for the prediction of LBP outcomes. After adjusting for potential confounders, test for trends suggested an increased risk for developing high pain intensity and disability over time (and, to a lesser extent, 12-month LBP) with the increases of cumulative vibration doses computed from lifetime exposure duration and r.m.q. vibration magnitude (i.e. ∑[a _wqi ^m t _i ]). Measures of exposure duration, either daily or lifetime, also provided good indications of risk for LBP outcomes over time. Physical work load, but not psychosocial environment, was significantly associated with the occurrence of LBP outcomes over time. Conclusions  Measures of vibration exposure derived from exposure duration (daily or lifetime) and r.m.q. acceleration magnitude (VDV, ∑[a _wqi ^m t _i ]) were better predictors of LBP outcomes over time than measures of vibration exposure including r.m.s. acceleration (A(8), ∑[a _wsi ^m t _i ]). Patterns of exposure–response relationship were more evident for the outcomes high pain intensity or disability in the lower back than for the binary response 12-month LBP.