Girls Odds Ratio Research Articles

Association between Asthma and Oral Health Symptoms in Adolescents.

Oral health is an indicator of patients' overall quality of life. Poor oral health among adolescents with asthma can affect their health in adulthood. This study researched the association between asthma and oral health symptoms in South Korean adolescents. Data from the 2020 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey were used. A total of 44,940 students participated in this study. The dependent variables were self-reported oral health symptoms. Asthma was the primary independent variable based on diagnosis in the past 12 months. The chi-squared test and multivariable logistic regression analysis were used. Students with asthma were associated with oral health symptoms, compared with those without asthma (boys, odds ratio (OR): 1.29, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.01-1.66; girls, OR: 1.94, 95% CI = 1.40-2.69). Poor health habits, such as low physical activity, higher sweetened beverage consumption, and fewer sleeping hours, were associated with oral health symptoms. Students who did not receive asthma treatment also had higher oral health symptoms (boys, OR: 1.29, 95% CI = 1.13-1.48, girls, OR: 1.34, 95% CI = 1.15-1.57). Students with absence due to asthma had a higher risk of oral health than those without asthma (boys, OR: 1.31, 95% CI = 1.17-1.46, girls OR: 1.28, 95% CI = 1.12-1.46). Students with asthma had a high risk of poor oral health among South Korean adolescents, suggesting more attention be given to regular dental check-ups and maintaining oral hygiene.

P08-15 More active parents, more active children: Association between mode of commuting and physical activity

BackgroundA substantial body of research have shown that parents' behaviours are closely linked to children's behaviours. Although some studies have reported positive association between parents' and youths' physical activity, especially in same sex (father-son; mother-daughter), further studies are required to strengthen these preliminary findings. The main objective of this study was to examine the relationship between fathers' and mothers' physical activity and mode of commuting and sons' and daughters' physical activity and mode of commuting.MethodsThis cross-sectional study included 1,372 participants, 686 parents (43.4±6.5 years; mothers: 52.8%) and 439 children (age: 9.7±1.7 years; girls: 65.1%) and 246 adolescents (14±1.7 years; girls: 68.3%). Each participant completed a self-report questionnaire on physical activity (Parents: IPAQ; Children: YAP) and commuting patterns (PACO: Pedalea y Anda al Cole). The parents completed and signed an informed consent on the characteristics of the study, which was approved by the corresponding ethics committee. Descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, and frequency distribution) and chi-square test (p > 0.05) were used to examine this association. Odds ratio (OR) and confidence interval 95% (CI) were used to determine the degree of association.ResultsMost of the sample did not meet Physical activity recommendations, particularly adolescents and parents (children: 46.4%; adolescents: 6.5%; and parents: 7.2%). Less than one third of the sample commute to school/work actively (children: 31.6%; adolescents: 31.0%; and parents: 31.6%). Only the fathers' physical activity was positively associated with their female childreńs physical activity (OR = 2,477, 95%CI: 1,144-5,362). A positive association between fathers' active commuting to work and their children' commuting to school was only found in girls (Girls OR = 2,890, 95%CI: 1,336-6,251), but this relationship was not found in boys' children and adolescents. And another association was found between motherśactive commuting to work and their childreńs commuting (Girls OR = 3,242, 95%CI: 1,343-7,828; Boys OR = 6,381, 95%CI: 2,530-16,091), but not with adolescents.ConclusionsParent's physical activity and active commuting to work are closely linked to their children's physical activity and active commuting to school, especially in girls. This study emphasizes the importance to involve parents in school-based interventions to create a positive ripple effect in Physical activity-related behaviours.

Meeting 24-h Movement Guidelines is Related to Better Academic Achievement: Findings from the YRBS 2019 Cycle

This research is designed to investigate the relationship between the 24-h movement guidelines (24-HMG) and self-reported academic achievement (AA) using nationally representative data derived from the 2019 U.S. National Youth Risk Behaviour Survey. A multiple-stage cluster sampling procedure has been adopted to ensure a representative sample (N = 9127 adolescents; mean age = 15.7 years old; male% = 49.8%). Logistic regression has been adopted to obtain the odds ratio (OR) regarding the associations between adherence to 24-HMG and AA while controlling for ethnicity, body mass index, sex and age. The prevalence of meeting the 24-h movement guidelines in isolation and combination varied greatly (physical activity = 23.3%, screen time = 32.5%, sleep = 22.3%, and 24-HMG = 2.8%), while the percentage of highest-class AA was 42.5%. Compared with the situation when none of 24-HMG is met, the achievement of any of the combined guidelines (except for meeting the physical activity guidelines) was significantly associated with higher odds of achieving first-class AA. Meeting the sleep guideline had 1.42 times increased likelihood to achieve highest-class AA as compared with not meeting the sleep guideline. Meeting screen time guidelines and physical activity guidelines, respectively, were 1.32 and 1.13 times more likely to report first-class AA; but meeting the guidelines of physical activity was not significantly related to AA. Meeting the 24-HMG had the highest odds of achieving first-class AA (OR = 2.01, 95%CI: 1.47– 2.73). In both sexes, adolescents who met 24-HMG self-reported better AA (boys OR = 2.05, 95%CI: 1.34–3.15; girls OR = 2.26, 95%CI: 1.36–3.76). Significant relationships were observed in adolescents from 9–10th grade, but not higher grades. Our research findings suggest that optimal movement behaviours can be seen as an important This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. DOI: 10.32604/IJMHP.2021.017660 ARTICLE Tech Science Press Published Online: 26 October 2021 element to better academic achievement among U.S. adolescents. Future studies can adopt our discoveries to promote adolescents’ academic achievement through implementing optimal 24-h movement behaviour patterns.

Relative Age and the Use of Second-Generation Antipsychotics from 7 to 17 Years of Age: A Population-Based Register Study.

Objective: The youngest children in a classroom have a higher risk of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorders (ADHDs) and depression than their relatively older peers. However, there has been a lack of research on how relative age is related to second-generation antipsychotic (SGA) medication use. Methods: This study used the Finnish National Prescription Register data and comprised all 669,726 Finnish children and adolescents aged 7-17 in 2018. We extracted data for those who were dispensed SGAs (risperidone, quetiapine, aripiprazole, and olanzapine) and ADHD medication (methylphenidate, atomoxetine, dexamphetamine, and lisdexamfetamine). Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated for medication dispensed to schoolchildren born from January to April (the relatively oldest), May to August, and September to December (the relatively youngest). Dispensed prescriptions were a proxy for medication use. Results: SGAs were dispensed to 9146 (1.4%) individuals in 2018. Their use was lower among girls aged 12-17 years born from September to December than January to April (OR 0.89; 95% CI 0.83-0.97), with no association between SGA use and birth month among boys. However, younger relative age was associated with combined SGA and ADHD medication, which was used by 2556 (0.4%) of the cohort: 2074 (0.6%) boys and 482 (0.1%) girls. The OR was 1.27 for boys aged 12-17 born from September to December (95% CI 1.10-1.46), compared with January to April. The OR for girls born from May to August was 1.35 (95% CI 1.04-1.76) and from September to December it was 1.33 (95% CI 1.02-1.74), compared with January to April. Conclusions: A novel discovery of this study was that using both SGA and ADHD medication at the age of 12-17 years was more common among the youngest subjects in a school year than their relatively older peers.

Neonatal thyroid-stimulating hormone and association with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Normal brain development is dependent on maternal, fetal and neonatal thyroid function. Measuring neonatal thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) 48-72 hours after birth screens for congenital hypothyroidism, allowing early treatment to avoid serious impairment. However, even within sub-clinical ranges, disrupted thyroid homeostasis during brain development has been linked to adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes, including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). To estimate the association between neonatal TSH below threshold for potential congenital hypothyroidism and subsequent ADHD diagnosis using a population-based birth cohort. Children with a diagnosis of ADHD in the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa) were identified through linkage with the Norwegian Patient Registry using ICD-10 codes for hyperkinetic disorders. The study included 405 ADHD cases and 1,092 controls (born 2003-2008) with available neonatal TSH concentrations below 10 mU/L (cut-off for potential congenital hypothyroidism) measured in dried blood spots sampled 48-72 hours after birth. In multivariable, quintile models the relationship appeared to follow a U-shaped pattern with elevated odds ratios (OR) at lower and higher TSH levels. Among children with TSH in the lowest quintile, odds of ADHD was approximately 1.5-fold higher than children in the middle quintile (OR 1.60, 95% CI 1.09, 2.34), which was driven by substantially elevated risk among girls, with no association among boys (Pinteraction = 0.02; girls OR 3.10, 95% CI 1.53, 6.30; boys OR 1.16, 95% CI 0.73, 1.84). ADHD risk appeared to be elevated among newborns with low TSH levels (i.e. with hyperthyroid status), and this association was mainly found among girls. Because our findings are suggestive of increased risk at very low TSH concentrations, where analytical accuracy is low, future studies should employ highly sensitive assays capable of accurate quantitation at very low concentrations. Also, larger studies are needed to investigate these associations at higher neonatal TSH concentrations where data are more widely distributed.

Using a cross-cohort comparison design to test the role of maternal smoking in pregnancy in child mental health and learning: evidence from two UK cohorts born four decades apart.

BackgroundMaternal smoking in pregnancy is associated with low birth weight (LBW), child conduct problems, hyperactivity and lower cognitive attainment, but associations may reflect measured and unmeasured confounding. Cross-cohort designs can aid causal inference through comparison of associations across populations with different confounding structures. We compared associations between maternal smoking in pregnancy and child conduct and hyperactivity problems, cognition and LBW across two cohorts born four decades apart.MethodsTwo national UK cohorts born in 1958 (n = 12 415) and 2000/01 (n = 11 800) were compared. Maternal smoking in pregnancy and child birth weight was assessed at or shortly after birth. Parents rated children’s conduct problems and hyperactivity, and children completed standardized tests of reading and mathematics.ResultsMaternal smoking in pregnancy was less common and more strongly associated with social disadvantage in 2000/01 compared with 1958 (interactions P < 0.001). Maternal smoking in pregnancy was robustly and equivalently associated with infant LBW in both cohorts [interactions: boys odds ratio (OR) = 1.01 (0.89, 1.16), P = 0.838; girls OR = 1.01 (0.91, 1.17), P = 0.633]. Maternal smoking was more strongly associated with conduct problems, hyperactivity and reading in the 2000/01 cohort (interactions P < 0.001).ConclusionsMarked cross-cohort change in associations between maternal smoking and child conduct problems, hyperactivity and reading highlights the likely role of confounding factors. In contrast, association with LBW was unaffected by change in prevalence of maternal smoking and patterns of confounding. The study highlights the utility of cross-cohort designs in helping triangulate conclusions about the role of putative causal risk factors in observational epidemiology.

Association of Obesity With Multiple Sclerosis Risk and Response to First-line Disease Modifying Drugs in Children

Obesity reportedly increases the risk of pediatric multiple sclerosis (MS), but little is known about its association with disease course. To investigate the association of obesity with pediatric MS risk and with first-line therapy response among children with MS. This single-center retrospective study used the medical records and database at the Center for MS in Childhood and Adolescence, Göttingen, Germany. The study included 453 patients with relapsing-remitting pediatric MS and body mass index (BMI) measurement taken within 6 months of diagnosis. Onset of the disease occurred between April 28, 1990, and June 26, 2016, and the mean disease duration was 38.4 months. Data were collected from July 14, 2016, to December 18, 2017. Data on BMIs were stratified by sex and age using German BMI references and compared with the BMI data of 14 747 controls from a nationwide child health survey for odds ratio (OR) estimates. Baseline magnetic resonance imaging findings, intervals between first and second MS attacks, annualized relapse rates before and during treatment with interferon beta-1a or -1b and glatiramer acetate, frequency of second-line treatment, and Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores were compared between nonoverweight (BMI≤90th percentile), overweight (BMI>90th-97th percentile), and obese (BMI>97th percentile) patients. In total, 453 patients with pediatric MS were included, of whom 306 (67.5%) were female, and the mean (SD) age at diagnosis was 13.7 (2.7) years. At diagnosis, 126 patients (27.8%) were overweight or obese, with obesity associated with statistically significant twofold odds of MS in both sexes (girls OR, 2.19; 95% CI, 1.5-3.1; P < .001 vs boys OR, 2.14; 95% CI, 1.3-3.5; P = .003). Obese patients, compared with nonoverweight patients, had statistically significantly more relapses on first-line treatment with interferon beta and glatiramer acetate (ARR, 1.29 vs 0.72; P < .001) and a higher rate of second-line treatment (21 [56.8%] of 37 vs 48 [38.7%] of 124; P = .06). Baseline neuroimaging, interval between first and second MS attacks, pretreatment relapses, and EDSS progression scores were not correlated with BMI. In this study, increased pediatric MS risk appeared to be associated with obesity, and obese patients did not respond well to first-line medications; altered pharmacokinetics appeared to be most likely factors in treatment response, suggesting that achieving healthy weight or adjusting the dose according to BMI could improve therapy response.

The Effects of Intense Physical Activity on Stress in Adolescents: Findings from Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-Based Survey (2015-2017).

The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between intense physical activity and stress in Korean adolescents. The study used data from the Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-Based Survey (KYRBWS), 2015–2017, that included 170,359 responses from Korean adolescents. Intense activity and stress were measured by self-diagnosis. Additionally, the chi-square test and multiple logistic regression analyses were used. It was revealed that 78.9% of Korean adolescents were exposed to stress. Students who engaged in physical activity more than five times per week were less likely to be stressed than those who did not (boys odds ratio (OR): 0.79, confidence interval (CI): 0.78–0.80, p for trend: <0.0001; girls OR: 0.77, CI: 0.75–0.79, p for trend: <0.0001). The results indicated the same tendency among both boys and girls. The results of subgroup analysis revealed that students living with relatives or in childcare facilities were more likely to experience stress if they had insufficient exercise. In addition, the results confirmed that the probability of suicidal ideation increased as the frequency of exercise decreased. This study suggests that intense physical activity in Korean adolescents has a positive effect on stress management in both boys and girls. Hence, physical activity should be encouraged and implemented for managing stress.

Effectiveness of a school-based intervention to reduce the prevalence of overweight and obesity in children aged 7-11 years from Poznań (Poland).

The epidemic of obesity, which is one of the most important public health problems, appeared paradoxically as a result of improving living conditions. The aim of this study was to determine the effects on overweight/obesity prevalence of the primary-school-based intervention program. The group of 5,293 children (7-11 year-olds) from Poznań (Poland) was divided into two subgroups: experimental and control one. The research group was participating in extra physical activities. Measurements (height and weight) were taken twice: at baseline and after 1-year follow-up. The estimations of the prevalence of overweight/obesity were based on the cut-off points of the IOTF values. To estimate the risk the odds ratio (OR) were calculated. There were no differences in BMI for both boys and girls. Also there were no significant differences in prevalence of overweight and obesity, for both sexes. The risk of being overweight/obese was not reduced in children in the experimental group - OR for boys was 0.93 (0.80, 1.08), and for girls OR = 0.88 (0.76, 1.03). In conclusion, the risk of overweight/obesity has not changed after one year of extra physical activities and engagement in health-oriented education program. This study shows that in case of such programs it is necessary to apply more intense interventions, probably also during longer period of time. It is possible that other adverse factors have a stronger influence on the body mass, which would suggest that the theoretical part of intervention concerning pro-health-related behaviors was not implemented in practice.

The Role of Urban Environment, Social and Health Determinants in the Tracking of Leisure-Time Physical Activity Throughout Adolescence

PurposeAdolescence may be a period particularly relevant for acquisition of lifelong habits of physical activity (PA). We investigated the tracking of leisure-time PA from 13 to 17 years old and the influence of urban environment and other determinants. MethodsAs part of the EPITeen cohort (Portugal), we evaluated 969 adolescents living in the city of Porto. Participants were assembled in public and private schools at 13 years and reevaluated at 17 years. Leisure-time PA was evaluated by self-reported questionnaires. The shortest routes from residence to urban green spaces and open sports spaces were calculated using the street network within a Geographical Information System. Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals were calculated by multinomial logistic regression. ResultsAmong sedentary girls at 13 years, 33.1% were still sedentary at 17 years, 39.8% changed to low, 22.3% to moderate, and only 4.6% changed to vigorous PA. In boys, the respective values were 32.3%, 17.3%, 36.2%, and 14.2%. High PA levels were maintained by 19.5% of the girls and by 41.1% of the boys. After adjustment for parental education and body image at 13 years, practice of sports at 13 years was strongly associated with stable high PA at 17 years: in girls OR = 3.96 (2.21, 7.12); in boys OR = 6.81 (3.30, 14.07). Distance to urban green spaces or to open sports spaces was not associated to changes in leisure-time PA. ConclusionPractice of sports in early adolescence may be important to promote maintenance of high PA. Urban environment in the vicinity of residence did not affect changes in the practice of leisure-time PA.

Childhood obesity in relation to poor asthma control and exacerbation: a meta-analysis.

To estimate the association between obesity and poor asthma control or risk of exacerbations in asthmatic children and adolescents, and to assess whether these associations are different by sex.A meta-analysis was performed on unpublished data from three North-European paediatric asthma cohorts (BREATHE, PACMAN (Pharmacogenetics of Asthma medication in Children: Medication with Anti-inflammatory effects) and PAGES (Pediatric Asthma Gene Environment Study)) and 11 previously published studies (cross-sectional and longitudinal studies). Outcomes were poor asthma control (based on asthma symptoms) and exacerbations rates (asthma-related visits to the emergency department, asthma-related hospitalisations or use of oral corticosteroids). Overall pooled estimates of the odds ratios were obtained using fixed- or random-effects models.In a meta-analysis of 46 070 asthmatic children and adolescents, obese children (body mass index ≥95th percentile) compared with non-obese peers had a small but significant increased risk of asthma exacerbations (OR 1.17, 95% CI 1.03-1.34; I2: 54.7%). However, there was no statistically significant association between obesity and poor asthma control (n=4973, OR 1.23, 95% CI 0.99-1.53; I2: 0.0%). After stratification for sex, the differences in odds ratios for girls and boys were similar, yet no longer statistically significant.In asthmatic children, obesity is associated with a minor increased risk of asthma exacerbations but not with poor asthma control. Sex does not appear to modify this risk.

Dietary behaviour and parental socioeconomic position among adolescents: the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents 2003-2006 (KiGGS).

BackgroundThe positive association between parental socioeconomic position (PSEP) and health among adolescents may be partly explained by dietary behaviour. We investigated the associations between fruit intake, vegetable intake, energy-dense food intake, the Healthy Nutrition Score for Kids and Youth (HuSKY) and parental education in a nationwide, cluster-randomized sample of adolescents in Germany.MethodsThe German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents 2003–2006 (KiGGS) included 17,641 individuals aged 0–17 years and their parents. Complete information on relevant variables was available for 6359 individuals in the 11–17 age group. The associations between nutrition indicators and parental education were analysed separately for boys and girls, using multivariate logistic regression analysis. Odds ratios (ORs) adjusted for age, region, income, occupation, physical activity and weight status related variables, were calculated for the associations between parental education and nutrition indicators.ResultsAfter full adjustment, higher parental education level was associated with lower energy-dense food intake – with an OR of 1.3 (95 % CI 1.0–1.7) for boys with secondary educated parents and 1.8 (1.4–2.3) for boys with tertiary educated parents compared to boys with primary educated parents; the corresponding ORs for girls were 1.2 (0.9–1.5) and 1.6 (1.2–2.2). Higher parental education was associated with higher fruit intake – with an OR of 1.3 (1.0–1.7) for boys with secondary educated parents and 2.0 (1.5–2.7) for boys with tertiary educated parents compared to boys with primary educated parents; the corresponding ORs for girls were 1.0 (0.8–1.4) and 1.5 (1.0–2.1). Among boys and girls with tertiary educated parents compared to those with primary educated parents an OR of 1.3 (CI boys: 1.0–1.7, CI girls: 1.0–1.6) was observed for high vegetable intake. Among boys with tertiary educated parents compared to boys with primary educated parents an OR of 1.6 (1.2–2.2) was observed for a high HuSKY; the corresponding OR for girls was 1.5 (1.1–1.9).ConclusionsA high PSEP is associated with consumption of less energy-dense food, more fruits and vegetables and more favourable overall dietary behaviour. Preferably school-based interventions are needed to promote healthy dietary behaviour among German adolescents and a special effort is needed to reach adolescents from low-PSEP families.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12889-015-1830-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Cash plus care: social protection cumulatively mitigates HIV-risk behaviour among adolescents in South Africa.

It is not known whether cumulative 'cash plus care' interventions can reduce adolescent HIV-infection risks in sub-Saharan Africa. This study investigated whether parental AIDS and other environmental adversities increase adolescent HIV-risk behaviour and whether social protection provision of 'cash' or integrated 'cash plus care' reduces HIV-risk behaviour. A prospective observational study with random sampling (<2.5% baseline refusal, 1-year follow-up, 96.8% retention). Three thousand five hundred and fifteen 10-18 year-olds (56.7% girls) were interviewed in South Africa between 2009-2010 and 2011-2012. All homes with a resident adolescent were sampled, within randomly selected census areas in two urban and two rural districts in two provinces. Measures included potential environmental risks (e.g. parental HIV/AIDS, poverty), social protection: receipt of cash/food support (e.g. child grants, school feeding), care (e.g. positive parenting) and HIV-risk behaviours (e.g. unprotected sex). Analyses used logistic regression. Cash alone was associated with reduced HIV risk for girls [odds ratio (OR) 0.63; 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.44-0.91, P = 0.02] but not for boys. Integrated cash plus care was associated with halved HIV-risk behaviour incidence for both sexes (girls OR 0.55; 95% CI 0.35-0.85, P = 0.007; boys OR 0.50; 95% CI 0.31-0.82, P = 0.005), compared with no support and controlling for confounders. Follow-up HIV-risk behaviour was reduced from 41 to 15% for girls and from 42 to 17% for boys. Girls in AIDS-affected families and informal-dwelling boys had higher HIV-risk behaviour, but were less likely to access integrated social protection. Integrated cash plus care reduces male and female adolescent HIV-risk behaviours. Increasing adolescent access to social protection may be an effective HIV prevention strategy in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Why do mothers encourage their children to control their weight? A cross-sectional study of possible contributing factors

BackgroundMothers encouraging their children to control their weight is problematic as it is associated with children’s body dissatisfaction and weight concerns as well as further weight gain. The aim of this study was to identify factors in children and mothers associated with mothers encouraging their children to control their weight and possible gender differences therein.MethodsCross-sectional questionnaire data was available from 1658 mothers of primary school children (mean age 7.1 ±0.6 years, 50.4% boys) participating in the Baden-Württemberg Study. Children’s body weight and height were measured in a standardised manner. Logistic regressions were computed separately for boys and girls, adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) from the final model are reported.Results29% of children were encouraged by their mothers, girls (32.4%) significantly more often than boys (25.6%). Child BMI (girls OR 1.77, CI 1.57 to 1.99; boys OR 1.88, CI 1.66 to 2.13), and child migration background (girls OR 2.14, CI 1.45 to 3.16; boys OR 1.60, CI 1.07 to 2.37) were significantly associated with encouragement by mothers. For girls, maternal body dissatisfaction (OR 1.59, CI 1.10 to 2.30) and maternal perception of a low influence on health (OR 0.51, CI 0.29 to 0.89) were also significantly associated with maternal encouragement. For boys, this was true of mothers self-efficacy to influence their children’s physical activity (OR 0.58, CI 0.40 to 0.85).ConclusionDifferent factors are associated with mothers encouraging boys and girls to control their weight. Identifying correlates and underlying processes of maternal encouragement can inform preventive measures targeting weight and eating related problems in children.

Prenatal exposure to dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane and obesity at 9 years of age in the CHAMACOS study cohort.

In-utero exposure to endocrine-disrupting compounds, including dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and its metabolite dichlorodiphenylethylene (DDE), has been hypothesized to increase the risk of obesity later in life. We examined the associations of maternal serum concentrations of DDT and DDE during pregnancy with body mass index, obesity, waist circumference, and percentage of body fat in 9-year-old children (n = 261) in the Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas (CHAMACOS) Study, a longitudinal birth cohort study in the Salinas Valley, California (2000-2010). We found associations between prenatal exposure to DDT and DDE and several measures of obesity at 9 years of age in boys but not in girls. For example, among boys, 10-fold increases in prenatal DDT and DDE concentrations were associated with increased odds of becoming overweight or obese (for o,p'-DDT, adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 2.5, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.0, 6.3; for p,p'-DDT, adjusted OR = 2.1, 95% CI: 1.0, 4.5; and for p,p'-DDE, adjusted OR = 1.97, 95% CI: 0.94, 4.13). The odds ratios for girls were nonsignificant. Results were similar for body mass index z score, waist circumference z score, and odds of increased waist circumference but were less consistent for percentage of body fat. The difference by sex persisted after considering pubertal status. These results provide support for the chemical obesogen hypothesis.

Dietary and Physical Activity Factors Related to Eating Disorder Symptoms Among Middle School Youth

Dietary and physical activity (PA) behaviors can predict disordered weight control behaviors (DWCB) among youth. This study examines dietary and PA correlates of DWCB and differences by race/ethnicity and weight status in a diverse sample of youth. Self-reported data on dietary weight management behaviors, strengthening/toning exercises, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, and DWCB (vomiting, taking laxatives, and/or taking diet pills without a prescription) were obtained from 15,260 sixth to eighth graders in 47 middle schools participating in the Massachusetts Healthy Choices Study at baseline (2005). Generalized estimating equations were used to estimate odds of DWCB associated with dietary and PA behaviors and to examine for differences by race/ethnicity and weight status, adjusting for covariates and clustering of individuals within schools. Disordered weight control behaviors were reported by 3.6% of girls and 3.1% of boys. Youth who engaged in strengthening/toning exercises 7 days per week versus 0-3 days per week had increased odds of DWCB (girls odds ratio [OR] = 1.9; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.3 - 3.0; boys OR = 1.5; 95% CI = 1.0 - 2.2). Dietary weight management behaviors were associated with increased odds of DWCB (girls OR = 1.2; 95% CI = 1.1 - 1.3; boys OR = 1.3; 95% CI = 1.2 - 1.4) for each additional behavior. These associations did not differ by race/ethnicity or weight status. Persons promoting healthy dietary and PA behaviors among youth should consider the co-occurrence of strengthening/toning and dietary weight management behaviors with DWCB and the consistency in these associations across racial/ethnic and weight status groups.

Are temporomandibular disorder symptoms and diagnoses associated with pubertal development in adolescents? An epidemiological study

In addition to low back pain, temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) are the most prevalent pain- and disability-related musculoskeletal conditions. However, the influence of pubertal development on TMD diagnoses remains unknown. To assess whether the prevalence of TMD diagnoses, in addition to self-reported symptoms (pain, restricted mandibular mobility, clicking), change according to pubertal stage. A random sample of 1,011 children and adolescents was chosen from the general population of 24,129 children and adolescents aged 10-17 years living in the urban area of Halle, Germany. Study participants were examined for TMD symptoms and diagnoses according to the Research Diagnostic Criteria for TMDs (RDC/TMD). Status of pubertal development was assessed using the Pubertal Development Scale (PDS). The χ(2) tests and multivariate logistic regression models were used, and odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals calculated. The observed increase in TMD symptoms during adolescence was mainly due to the higher frequency of self-reports of these symptoms by girls than boys (ORs for girls vs. boys: 1.42-1.53; p ≤ 0.05), whereas clinical TMD diagnoses (any RDC/TMD diagnosis, or RDC/TMD group IIa diagnosis) in adolescence increased mainly due to pubertal development itself (ORs for subjects beyond vs. before puberty: 1.58-2.00; p < 0.05; no significant sex-related effect was found). Pubertal development increases the probability of self-reported TMD symptoms among girls, while the probability thereof decreases among boys. Independent of sex, pubertal growth increases the prevalence of RDC/TMD-related diagnoses-mainly disk displacement-in both sexes.

Intergenerational transmission of overweight among Finnish adolescents and their parents: a 16-year follow-up study

Previous studies have shown strong parental influences on adolescent overweight. However, longitudinal data is scarce on gender-specific effects of parental body mass index (BMI) on offspring overweight. The objective of this study was to examine the associations of parental pre-pregnancy BMI, weight change, BMI and BMI class transition 16 years after pregnancy with the BMI of their 16-year-old children. The study population was derived from the general population-based Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986. A total of 4788 child-mother-father trios (2325 boys, 2463 girls) were analysed. Weight and height of the adolescents were measured and overweight and obesity defined according to the International Obesity Task Force. For the parents, self-reported data were obtained and overweight and obesity defined according to the World Health Organization. Associations of parental BMI status and weight change with offspring BMI were assessed using binary logistic regression analyses stratified by gender and adjusted for parental age and education. Children whose both parents were overweight or obese both before pregnancy and after 16-year follow-up had a strikingly high risk of overweight at age 16 years (boys odds ratio (OR) 5.66 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.12, 10.27; girls OR 14.84 95% CI 7.41, 29.73). Parental pre-pregnancy obesity strongly predicted offspring overweight (mother-son OR 4.36 95% CI 2.50, 7.59; mother-daughter OR 3.95 95% CI 2.34, 6.68; father-son OR 3.17 95% CI 1.70, 5.92; father-daughter OR 5.58 95% CI 3.09, 10.07). Parental overweight conveys a major risk for overweight in children for which both parents' long-term overweight (BMI ≥25 kg m(-2) before pregnancy and after 16-year follow-up) was the strongest single predictor. Preventing intergenerational transmission of obesity by helping parents to maintain a healthy weight is an essential target for public health.

Hip Circumference and Risk of Elevated Blood Pressure in Children: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: The increasing rate of childhood obesity has become a major threat to children health. This study reports the association between hip circumference (HC) and risk of elevated blood pressure in school children. Methods: We measured height, weight, neck circumference, HC, and blood pressure in regular health examinations among children in grade 1 at six elementary schools in Taipei, Taiwan. This study used age-, sex-, and height-specific criteria to define elevated blood pressure. Results: Among 2,334 school children, the mean of blood pressure and the prevalence of elevated blood pressure increased as HC quartiles increased (p<0.0001). In the multivariate logistic regression analyses, the adjusted odds ratios of elevated blood pressure were 1.02 (95% confidence interval [CI]=0.54–1.91), 1.88 (95% CI=1.03–3.44), and 3.79 (95% CI=1.70–8.42) for boys in the second, third, and fourth quartiles of WC when compared with the first quartile. The corresponding odds ratios for girls were 1.72 (95% CI=0.88–3.36), 3.18 (95% CI=1.51–6.70), and 5.61 (95% CI=2.22–14.2), respectively. Conclusions: HC is a simple and useful measure highly associated with elevated blood pressure in school children.

Ethnic differences in overweight and obesity in early adolescence in the MRC DASH study: the role of adolescent and parental lifestyle

Ethnicity is a consistent correlate of excess weight in youth. We examine the influence of lifestyles on ethnic differences in excess weight in early adolescence in the UK. Data were collected from 6599 pupils, aged 11-13 years in 51 schools, on dietary practices and physical activity, parental smoking and overweight, and on overweight and obesity (using International Obesity Task Force criteria). Skipping breakfast [girls odds ratio (OR) 1.74, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.30-2.34; boys OR 2.06; CI 1.57-2.70], maternal smoking (girls OR 2.04, CI 1.49-2.79; boys OR 1.63, CI 1.21-2.21) and maternal overweight (girls OR 2.01, CI 1.29-3.13; boys OR 2.47, CI 1.63-3.73) were associated with obesity. Skipping breakfast, more common among girls, was associated with other poor dietary practices. Compared with White UK peers, Black Caribbeans (girls OR 1.62, CI 1.24-2.12; boys OR 1.49, CI 1.15-1.95) and Black Africans (girls OR 1.96, CI 1.52-2.53; boys OR 2.50, CI 1.92-3.27) were more likely to skip breakfast and engage in other poor dietary practices, and Indians were least likely. White Other boys reported more maternal smoking (OR 1.37, CI 1.03-1.82). All these reports were more common among those born in the UK than those born elsewhere. Black Caribbean girls were more likely to be overweight (OR 1.38, CI 1.02-1.87) and obese (OR 1.65, CI 1.05-2.58), Black African girls to be overweight (OR 1.35, CI 1.02-1.79) and White Other boys to be overweight (OR 1.37, CI 1.00-1.88) and obese (OR 1.86, CI 1.15-3.00). Adverse dietary habits and being born in the UK contributed to these patterns. These findings signal a potential exacerbating effect on ethnic differences in obesity if adverse dietary habits persist. Combined adolescent and parent-focused interventions should be considered.