Cardiorespiratory fitness and body mass index values in 9-year-old rural Norwegian children

Aim: To describe cardiorespiratory fitness and body mass index (BMI) values in a representative population of 9-year-old Norwegian children in two rural communities and compare present values with previous findings.
Methods: Two hundred and fifty-nine 9-year-old children were invited, and 256 participated in this study. Maximal oxygen uptake was directly measured during a continuous progressive treadmill protocol. Body mass and height were also measured.
Results: The mean ± SD relative maximal oxygen uptake was 52.8 ± 6.5 for boys and 46.9 ± 7.2 mL/kg/min for girls. Eight percent of the boys and 16.8% of the girls were classified as overweight, and 1.6% of the boys and 6.9% of the girls as obese. Mean age, body mass, height and Ponderal index were not significantly different between sexes. Girls had a higher BMI than boys (p = 0.05).
Conclusion: Compared to earlier Norwegian studies, children's BMI values seem to have increased substantially. This increase is most pronounced in girls. When assessing these differences using the PI, this increase is less marked. Comparing maximal oxygen uptake data with that in earlier Nordic studies, there is no evidence that fitness has declined among 9-year olds. However, the limitations of the few earlier studies make reliable comparisons difficult.     

Depression in Korean immigrants with hepatitis B and related liver diseases

The authors evaluated 50 Korean immigrants who had chronic viral hepatitis or who were healthy carriers for the hepatitis B virus in terms of the relationships between their depression scores, psychosocial stressors, social support, and biological markers of dysfunction. All participants completed a questionnaire, describing their worries and concerns, and the shortform of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-sf). Hepatic transaminases, albumin levels, and prothrombin times were measured during routine clinic follow-up visits and were abstracted from the medical record. Values recorded within 3 months before and within 3 months after the psychiatric interview were correlated with BDI scores. BDI-sf total scores were significantly associated with transaminase elevations (P<0.001) both before and after BDI-sf administration. BDI scores were not associated with other measures of liver dysfunction or other medical causes of depression. Patients with higher BDI-sf total scores had more psychosocial stressors (P = 0.008) and lower Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scores (P = 0.000).     

Predictors of growth from 1 to 18 months among breast-fed Ghanaian infants

OBJECTIVE: To examine factors associated with the physical growth of breast-fed Ghanaian infants during the first 18 months of life. DESIGN: A community-based longitudinal study. SETTING: The study was carried out in Techiman, a district capital and major food trading center in the Brong Ahafo region of Ghana. SUBJECTS: One-month old infants (n=216) with birth weight >/= 2.5 kg were recruited from Maternal and Child Health Centers. METHOD: From 6 to 12 months, infants were provided with one of four types of nutritionally enhanced complementary foods. Anthropometric assessments were completed monthly from 1 to 12 months and every other month from 12 to 18 months. Information was collected on household characteristics, morbidity from common infections and dietary intakes. Blood samples were collected at 6 and 12 months to assess iron, zinc, riboflavin and vitamin A status. Multiple regression analysis was used to examine factors associated with growth during the age intervals of 1-6, 4-6, 6-12 and 12-18 months as well as size attained at 12 and 18 months. RESULTS: Prevalence of diarrhea and fever were negatively associated with growth during the first year of life. No significant relationship was found between respiratory illness (defined as cough or purulent nasal discharge) and growth. With the exception of dietary zinc intake, dietary variables were generally not significantly associated with growth. Maternal education was positively associated with growth during most of the age intervals. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that interventions to reduce morbidity and improve the education of girls may benefit children's growth in this population. Sponsorship: Nestle Foundation; Rockefeller Foundation African Dissertation Internship Award; Fulbright Scholarship. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2000) 54, 41-49     

The impact of chemotherapy on haematological and biochemical profiles during malignant blood diseases in Abidjan,Côte d'Ivoire

Our research concerned the impact of chemotherapy on the haematological and biochemical profiles of patients diagnosed with malignant blood diseases and receiving treatment in Abidjan. The study covered 57 patients, 26 of whom were receiving treatment. Burkitt's lymphoma was the most common type of malignant blood disease encountered (33%). The proportion of men was slightly higher, at 54%, and the average age of patients was 26. Hyperleucocytosis, anaemia and medullar blastosis were the most common blood disorders. The tumours arising from hyperleucocytosis and medullar blastosis caused increases in proteins from inflammatory reaction. The increase was moderate for alpha 1 globulins and haptoglobin and high (at least twice the reference levels) for C Reactive Protein (CRP) and orosomucoid. Full remission was only achieved in the cases of Burkitt's lymphoma, in which the haematological and biochemical parameters reached near-normal levels following treatment. In cases of chronic myeloid leukaemia the treatment lowered the hyperleucocytosis but the high rate of CRP might indicate that the disease was reaching a more acute phase. In the cases of acute leukaemia, chemotherapy did not achieve full remission: the alpha 1 globulins, including orosomucoids, were the most sensitive proteins to treatment. Even though the rate of CRP was lowered, it remained high in all cases of acute leukaemia. Neither haematological nor biochemical data proved superior to the other in monitoring the effectiveness of the treatment or the gradual return of the disease. It would be beneficial to combine them in order to obtain a clearer assessment of the effectiveness of chemotherapy.     

Constraints on the Use of Animal Source Foods for Young Children in Ghana: A Participatory Rapid Appraisal Approach

Micronutrient deficiencies limit child health and development. Although animal source foods (ASF) provide highly bioavailable micronutrients, Ghanaian preschoolers consume little. Participatory rapid appraisal methods identified constraints to the availability, accessibility, and utilization of ASF. Stakeholders working with or living in six communities in three agro-ecological zones reported constraints including low income, lack of access to technology and markets, inequitable household food allocation, inadequate knowledge, and beliefs. The least expensive ASF was fish, which was easy to preserve and consumed by all communities. Since ASF was primarily purchased, interventions that increase income may be most successful in improving Ghanaian children's diets.     

Radiologically guided balloon dilation of gastrointestinal strictures. Part I. Technique and factors influencing procedural success

Radiologically guided balloon catheters were used to dilate 94 gastrointestinal strictures in 92 patients over a 6-year period. Fifty strictures were esophageal and 44 nonesophageal (22 gastroenterostomies, 11 antral-pyloric strictures, four colorectal strictures, four enteroenterostomies, and three miscellaneous strictures). Factors influencing the success of stricture intubation included patient age, stricture location (esophageal vs. nonesophageal and proximal vs. distal esophageal), and association with a surgical anastomosis. Malignancy was associated with greater postdilation irregularity and a smaller increase in stricture diameter, as measured radiographically. Procedural failures occurred in 8% of cases (2% of esophageal and 30% of nonesophageal lesions). Two small, asymptomatic mucosal tears were seen after dilation (one esophageal and one colonic); no other procedural complications occurred. Following successful dilation, 16 patients (17%; six with esophageal and ten with non-esophageal strictures) had recurrence of symptoms during short-term (30-day) follow-up.