Health-related Benefits Research Articles

A comparative analysis of the cost-utility of the Philippine tax on sweetened beverages as proposed and as implemented

In response to increasing overweight and obesity, the Philippine government introduced a tax on sweetened beverages (SBs) in 2018. Evidence suggests that the beverage industry influenced the final tax design, making it more favourable for industry than the initially proposed bill. This study aimed to compare the relative health and economic benefits of the proposed SB tax with the implemented SB tax. Philippine dietary consumption data were combined with price elasticity data from Mexico and data from Australia adapted to the Philippine context to estimate reductions in SB purchases and changes in body mass index (BMI) following the implementation of the tax. A multi-state, multiple-cohort Markov model was used to estimate the change in health-adjusted life years (HALYs) due to reduction in the epidemiology of obesity-related diseases, healthcare cost savings and government taxation revenue, resulting from both the proposed and implemented tax policies, over the lifetime of the 2018 Philippine population. The proposed and implemented taxes were modelled to be dominant (cost-saving and improving health). Intervention costs were modelled to be PHP305.2 million (M) (approximately US$6M). Compared to the proposed tax, the implemented tax was modelled to result in a 43.0% smaller reduction in targeted beverage intake (51.1 ml/person/day vs. 89.7 ml/person/day), a 43.5% smaller reduction in BMI (0.35kg/m2 vs. 0.62kg/m2), 39.7% fewer HALYs gained (2,503,118 vs. 4,149,030), 39.9% fewer healthcare cost savings (PHP16.4 billion (B) vs. PHP27.3B), and 27.7% less government taxation revenue (PHP426.3B vs. PHP589.4B). While the implemented tax in the Philippines will benefit population health, it is likely to yield less benefit than the proposed tax. The influence of the food and beverage industry on policy processes has the potential to lessen the benefits of population NCD prevention policies. OH was supported to conduct this research by an Australian Government Research Training Program Stipend Scholarship. The funding body had no role in data collection and analysis, or manuscript preparation.

The Role and Value of Corporate Medical Directors in Employer Benefits Management: Current Perceptions of Corporate Medical Directors and Benefits Professionals.

Knowledge of health-related employer benefits is considered a core competency by the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. This study seeks to understand how this translates into practice. An electronic survey was e-mailed to members of American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine Corporate Medicine and Health and Human Performance Sections; Integrated Benefits Institute; and Employer Health Innovation Roundtable. One hundred nineteen responses were received, including 54 from corporate medical directors (CMDs) and 43 from employee benefits professionals, from a variety of industries. Fifty percent of CMDs reported expertise in designing benefits, but only 25% are engaged with health benefits. The majority of CMDs thought that their involvement was important, while the majority of benefits professionals thought that it was not important. Many CMDs report having benefits expertise but being underutilized while others report not having expertise.

A study on preparation and quality assessment of fermented banana blossom (Musa Acuminate Colla)

Probiotic foods are the fastest-growing functional foods due to their health-related benefits. Fermented vegetable products are packed with dietary fibre, gut-friendly microorganisms, micronutrients, antioxidants, and phytochemicals. Sauerkraut is a well-known probiotic fermented superfood that was originally made from cabbage but not well received by the Indian population. Banana Blossom (Musa acuminata Colla), a by-product of banana cultivation, is popular in Southeast Asian countries. Banana Blossom is easily accessible and affordable to people of all socioeconomic backgrounds in southern India. The main objective of this research was to formulate an indigenous, low-cost, probiotic-rich naturally fermented product similar to sauerkraut using banana blossom and to evaluate its various qualitative aspects. The procured Banana Blossom was cleaned, placed in a pre-sterilized glass jar with the addition of lemon juice and rock salt, and fermented at 40 °C for 7 days. Following fermentation, the fermented banana blossom was evaluated for its physiochemical properties, proximate composition, functional properties, and microbial enumeration. On overall examination, the fermented banana blossom was found to possess an appreciable protein probiotic count (7.8×106 CFU/g), low in sodium (1918 ± 3.60 mg), had a desirable amount of dietary fibre (1.16 ± 0.01 g) and protein (3.09 ± 0.57 g). Therefore, it can be inferred from the current research findings that the raw banana blossom can be effectively utilized as a potential raw ingredient to formulate fermented products with significant health benefits.

S8-4 Reaching beyond competitive sports. How International Sports Federation can use their main competitions to promote physical activity. A World Athletics pilot project

Abstract Purpose International Sports Federations (IF) are global governing bodies for each respective sport and their main duties are to organize international competitions, regulate and promote their sport. Despite their objective of promoting sports participation, their activity mostly focused on competitive/elite sports so far. International competitions not only represent the epitome of each sport but could also be used as an opportunity to improve the health of those living in the hosting city or the staff working for the local organising committee (LOC). The purpose of this pilot project was to measure the benefits of active commuting (AC) and leisure time physical activity (LTPA) of the staff involved in the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 during the two weeks of competition. Project description World Athletics partnered with StravaMetro□ to measure AC between official accommodation and competition venues, as well as the staff LTPA, during the Championships. Before the event, World Athletics staff was briefed on the project purposes and given information on AC options available in Eugene (pedestrian and cycling paths, bike rental). Staff members were encouraged to record their AC and LTPA through the Strava App. During the 2 weeks, a total of 18,656 walking/running trips (both AC and LTPA) were recorded in Eugene. This represents a 225.4% increase compared to the same period of the previous year. Furthermore, 2690 cycling commuting trips were recorded, representing a 143% increase. Conclusions This pilot project demonstrates that IF can efficiently use their main events to promote AC and LTPA to their staff and the workforce involved. Encouraging AC, improves the health of those active, reduces traffic related air pollution, road traffic, and transportation costs for the LOC. An upscaled approach adopted in the early phase of the event planning, involving spectators would amplify observed results and their health-related benefits. The post analysis by StravaMetro□ of the walking and cycling routes used by staff and spectators can also allow the host city to better define and create protected routes which represent a tangible legacy. These objectives require a strong collaboration between the IF, LOC, city government and the national institutions promoting AC and HEPA.

Labor market affiliation of patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms: a population-based matched cohort study

Background Patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) suffer from substantial symptoms and risk of debilitating complications, yet observational data on their labor market affiliation are scarce. Material and methods We conducted a descriptive cohort study using data from Danish nationwide registries, including patients diagnosed with MPN in 2010-2016. Each patient was matched with up to ten comparators without MPN on age, sex, level of education, and region of residence. We assessed pre- and post-diagnosis labor market affiliation, defined as working, unemployed, or receiving sickness benefit, disability pension, retirement pension, or other health-related benefits. Labor market affiliation was assessed weekly from two years pre-diagnosis until death, emigration, or 31 December 2018. For patients and comparators, we reported percentage point (pp) changes in labor market affiliation cross-sectionally from week −104 pre-diagnosis to week 104 post-diagnosis. Results The study included 3,342 patients with MPN and 32,737 comparators. From two years pre-diagnosis until two years post-diagnosis, a larger reduction in the proportion working was observed among patients than comparators (essential thrombocythemia: 10.2 [95% CI: 6.3–14.1] vs. 6.8 [95% CI: 5.5–8.0] pp; polycythemia vera: 9.6 [95% CI: 5.9–13.2] vs. 7.4 [95% CI: 6.2–8.7] pp; myelofibrosis: 8.1 [95% CI: 3.0–13.2] vs. 5.8 [95% CI: 4.2–7.5] pp; and unclassifiable MPN: 8.0 [95% CI: 3.0–13.0] vs. 7.4 [95% CI: 5.7–9.1] pp). Correspondingly, an increase in the proportion of patients receiving sickness benefits including other health-related benefits was evident around the time of diagnosis. Conclusion Overall, we found that Danish patients with essential thrombocythemia, polycythemia vera, myelofibrosis, and unclassifiable MPN had slightly impaired labor market affiliation compared with a population of the same age and sex. From two years pre-diagnosis to two years post-diagnosis, we observed a larger reduction in the proportion of patients with MPN working and a greater proportion receiving sickness benefits compared with matched individuals.

The Association Between Walkability, Zoning Codes, and Neighborhood Wealth in Bergen County, NJ

Walkability is the measure of how friendly an area is to walking, and is important due to the multiple economic, social, environmental, and health-related benefits of walkable communities. A wealth of literature exists on its impacts, however a gap remains in its association with income levels and the zoning laws which affect it. A correlational analysis of multiple factors of towns in Bergen County, NJ, using Pearson’s correlation coefficient, found that towns of higher income tended to be less walkable, due to low land use diversity, suggesting that these towns could increase their walkability through the incorporation of different types of land use, most notably, commercial zones. The results of this study could be used to advise the government of Bergen County on future redevelopment and provide valuable information for the creation of zoning laws for new developments in the U.S.

“It's a cause I believe in”: factors motivating participation and engagement in longitudinal, respiratory-focused research studies

BackgroundKey to the success of any prospective cohort study is the effective recruitment and retention of participants, but the specific factors that influence younger adults of the Millennial generation to participate in research are not well-understood. The objective of this qualitative study was to identify factors that motivated participation and engagement in longitudinal research studies focused on respiratory health among a diverse group of young adults.MethodsWe conducted qualitative, semi-structured interviews with 50 younger adult participants (aged 25–35 years) regarding factors influencing their participation in longitudinal research studies. Thematic analysis was used to develop, organize, and tabulate the frequency of key themes. In exploratory analyses, we examined for patterns in the distribution of key themes across racial, ethnic, or socioeconomic groups.ResultsParticipants identified several key themes that affected their willingness to participate in longitudinal studies. These included the health-related benefits generated by research (both to the individual and to society at-large), factors related to the institution and study team conducting the research, concerns regarding unethical and/or unrepresentative study design, and barriers to participation in research. Certain factors may be more impactful to underrepresented groups, including concerns regarding data privacy and confidentiality.ConclusionsIn this diverse group of younger adults, we identified specific factors that motivated participation and predicted high engagement in longitudinal research studies focused on respiratory health. Implementing and integrating these factors into study protocols may improve recruitment and retention, including among participants who are historically underrepresented in research.

Value-based pricing of add-on life-extending medicines based on economic evaluation

Value-based pricing of new medicines, when defined as pricing or reimbursement based on economic evaluation, requires the use of a threshold incremental cost-effectiveness ratio. Value-based pricing can leave little room for setting a price above zero for manufacturers of new life-extending add-on medicines that are used in combination regimens. This study aimed to present and explore different methodological approaches for pricing life-extending add-on medicines in this value-based pricing framework. The analysis demonstrated that excluding the costs of background therapy will create opportunity costs. A proportional division of the price can avoid opportunity costs. In the absence of information on relative health benefits, a counterfactual scenario of a head-to-head trial has suggested halving the price of background therapy in the relevant patient subgroups. Overall, the most plausible approach appears to be a proportional division of the total price of the combination therapy, in proportion to the health benefits of the add-on medicine and the background therapy.

Urolithin A in Health and Diseases: Prospects for Parkinson's Disease Management.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a chronic and progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by a complex pathophysiology and a range of symptoms. The prevalence increases with age, putting the ageing population at risk. Disease management includes the improvement of symptoms, the comfort of the patient's life, and palliative care. As there is currently no cure, growing evidence points towards the beneficial role of polyphenols on neurodegeneration. Numerous studies indicate the health benefits of the family of urolithins, especially urolithin A (UA). UA is a bacterial metabolite produced by dietary ellagitannins and ellagic acid. An expanding body of literature explores the involvement of the compound in mitochondrial health, and its anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and anti-apoptotic properties. The review organizes the existing knowledge on the role of UA in health and diseases, emphasizing neurodegenerative diseases, especially PD. We gathered data on the potential neuroprotective effect in in vivo and in vitro models. We discussed the possible mechanisms of action of the compound and related health benefits to give a broader perspective of potential applications of UA in neuroprotective strategies. Moreover, we projected the future directions of applying UA in PD management.

Cost-Effectiveness of Four Tobacco Control Interventions in Mongolia.

The aim of this study is to quantify the cost-effectiveness of four tobacco control interventions: Tobacco taxation, mass media campaigns, school programs, and cessation support, and to illustrate how available evaluation tools can be adapted to the local setting. We used the dynamic population health modeling-health impact assessment tool to project the future smoking prevalence associated with the interventions and to simulate the resulting smoking-related disease burden over time. Applying the most recent available national Mongolian data as input, the costs and effects of four interventions were compared to a business-as-usual scenario, resulting in costs per life year gained and per disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) averted. Three years after implementation, all interventions reduce the prevalence of current smoking, with the strongest reduction observed with the increase in tobacco tax (5.1% points), followed by mass media campaigns (1.6% points), school programs (1.3% points), and cessation support interventions (0.6% points). School programs were a cost-saving tobacco control intervention compared to current practice in Mongolia, while the other programs resulted in additional costs compared to business as usual. Compared to the World Health Organization (WHO) thresholds, all interventions would be considered "very cost-effective" in terms of cost per DALY averted (below US$ 4295 per DALY averted) in Mongolia. Large-scale interventions such as taxation and mass media campaigns result in both cost-effectiveness and important health benefits in relation to intervention costs. Reducing the prevalence of smoking among the male population would be particularly worthwhile in Mongolia. This study shows that in Mongolia school programs were a cost-saving intervention, while the cost-effectiveness ratios were US$ 25 per disability-adjusted life year (DALY) averted for mass media campaigns, US$ 74 for taxation, and US$ 1961 for cessation support interventions. Compared to the WHO thresholds, all interventions would be considered "very cost-effective" in terms of expenses per DALY averted (<US$ 4295 per DALY averted), making it beneficial to scale up the WHO-Monitor tobacco use and prevention, Protect people from smoke, Offer help to quit smoking, Warn about the danger, Enforce bans, and Raise taxes (MPOWER) interventions to reduce the burden from smoking in Mongolia.

ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTIDIABETIC ACTIVITY OF DECALEPIS HAMILTONII LEAVES EXTRACT

In most nations, diabetes mellitus is a serious and rising health issue. The goal of the study was to compare the antidiabetic effects of leaves extracts of Decalepis hamiltonii in normal and diabetic rats induced with alloxan. Using 120 mg/kg of alloxan monohydrate, diabetes was induced. In order to considerably lower blood glucose levels in both normal and alloxan-induced diabetic rats, D. hamiltonii methanolic extract was given at doses of 200 mg and 400 mg, along with glibenclamide at a dose of 7 mg/kg bwt. Additionally, the injection of the extract dramatically reduced the levels of AST, ALT, triglycerides, and total blood cholesterol while simultaneously raising the amount of liver glycogen. In order to perform the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), separate groups were given doses of D. hamiltonii methanolic extract (200 mg, 400 mg), and glibenclamide (7.5 mg), which effectively reduced blood sugar levels following an oral glucose load at all time points. These findings indicate that diabetic rats' blood glucose levels were successfully lowered by the methanolic extract of D. hamiltonii leaves. The antioxidant potential of the leaves was measured using various in vitro assays. The methanolic extracts showed high antioxidant activity measured as scavenging of DPPH, superoxide and hydroxyl radicals. The antioxidant activity did not correlate with the phenolic content of the extracts. These results demonstrate the antioxidant potency of the leaves extracts which could be the basis for its alleged health promoting potential of D. hamiltonii. The leaves of D. hamiltonii could serve as a new source of natural antioxidants or nutraceuticals with potential applications to reducing the level of oxidative stress and related health benefits. KEYWORDS: Decalepis hamiltonii, Antidiabetic, Antioxidant, Alloxan, AST, OGTT

Application of moderate intensity pulsed electric fields in red prickly pears and soymilk to develop a plant-based beverage with potential health-related benefits

Through the last years consumers have shown a growing interest in minimally processed foods with clean labels that not only satisfy basic nutrition but also provides health-benefits. This has motivated scientists and technologists to find optimal combination of ingredients and novel technologies to produce functional products with attractive sensory properties. Red prickly pears (RPP) and soymilk (SM) have been recognized as rich sources of antioxidant compounds with health properties. Moderate intensity pulsed electric fields (MIPEF) application in plant-based foods increases phytochemicals content through stress induction or improved extraction yields. Hence, the aim of this work was to enhance the bioactive compounds content of RPP and SM by MIPEF and use them for the development of a plant-based beverage with potential health-benefits. Results indicated that MIPEF-processing increased the bioactive compounds content of RPP and SM, resulting in a plant-based beverage with higher concentration of total phenolic compounds (16%), betalains (7.2%) and isoflavones (7.4%) than the control-beverage. Furthermore, MIPEF application to the ingredients did not affect physicochemical attributes of the beverage, obtaining an appealing product with potential health-attributes. Industrial relevancePulsed electric fields processing at moderate intensities (<5 kV/cm) might be a potential way to enhance the phytochemicals concentration of plant-based ingredients used for the development of beverages with clean-labels, minimally processed and potential health benefits. This kind of products could satisfy current consumers' demand in special situations of health. However, further research must continue to better understand the mechanisms occurred during processing and to find the best processing parameters for different raw materials.

Widening the knowledge of non-employment as a risk factor for suicide: a Norwegian register-based population study

BackgroundThere is a known association between employment status and suicide risk. However, both reason for non-employment and the duration affects the relationship. These factors are investigated to a lesser extent. About one third of the Norwegian working age population are not currently employed. Due to the share size of this population even a small increase in suicide risk is of importance, and hence increased knowledge about this group is needed.MethodsWe used discrete time event history analysis to examine the relationship between suicide risk and non-employment due to either unemployment or health-problems, and the duration of these non-employment periods. We analyze data from the Norwegian population registry from 2004 to 2014, which includes all Norwegian residents in the ages 19–58 born between 1952 and 1989. In total the data consists of 1 063 052 men and 1 024 238 women, and 2 039 suicides.ResultsThe suicide risk among the non-employed men and women is significantly higher than that of the employed. For the unemployed men, the suicide risk is significantly higher than the employed within the first 18 months. For the unemployed women we only find a significant association with suicide risk among those unemployed for six to twelve months. The suicide risk is especially increased among those with temporary health-related benefits. In the second year of health-related non-employment men have eightfold and women over twelvefold the OR for suicide, compared to the employed.ConclusionThere is an association between non-employment and suicide risk. Compared to the employed both unemployed men and men and women with health-related non-employment have elevated suicide risk, and the duration of non-employment may be the driving force. Considering the large share of the working age population that are not employed, non-employment status should be considered in suicide risk assessment by health care professionals and welfare providers.

Comment on: Exercise for counteracting weight recurrence after bariatric surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Bariatric surgery is effective for the treatment of obesity and related co-morbidities such as diabetes [ [1] Kirwan J.P. Courcoulas A.P. Cummings D.E. et al. Diabetes remission in the Alliance of Randomized Trials of Medicine Versus Metabolic Surgery in Type 2 Diabetes (ARMMS-T2D). Diabetes Care. 2022; 45: 1574-1583 Crossref PubMed Scopus (8) Google Scholar ]. Despite the overall effectiveness of this medical treatment for obesity, weight recurrence may still occur in response to bariatric surgery and remission from diabetes may not be sustained [ [2] Courcoulas A.P. Gallagher J.W. Neiberg R.H. et al. Bariatric surgery vs lifestyle intervention for diabetes treatment: 5-year outcomes from a randomized trial. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2020; 105: 866-876 Crossref PubMed Scopus (48) Google Scholar ]. This suggests the need for ongoing treatment to augment the effectiveness of bariatric surgery to prevent weight recurrence and to sustain other related health benefits. Exercise for counteracting weight recurrence after bariatric surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trialsSurgery for Obesity and Related DiseasesPreviewExercise is recommended to prevent post-surgical weight recurrence. Yet, whether exercise interventions are efficacious in this regard has not been systematically evaluated. Moreover, clinicians lack evidence-based information to advise patients on appropriate exercise frequency, intensity, time, and type (FITT) for preventing weight recurrence. Thus, we conducted a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving exercise interventions specifying FITT and weight measurement ≥12 months post-surgery. Full-Text PDF

The Relationship Between Homeownership and Health by Race/Ethnicity Since the Foreclosure Crisis: California Health Interview Survey 2011-2018.

US housing policy places a high priority on homeownership, providing large homeowner subsidies that are justified in part by homeownership's purported health benefits. However, studies conducted before, during, and immediately after the 2007-2010 foreclosure crisis found that while homeownership is associated with better health-related outcomes for White households, that association is weaker or non-existent for African-American and Latinx households. It is not known whether those associations persist in the period since the foreclosure crisis changed the US homeownership landscape. To examine the relationship between homeownership and health and whether that relationship differs by race/ethnicity in the period since the foreclosure crisis. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 8 waves (2011-2018) of the California Health Interview Survey (n = 143,854, response rate 42.3 to 47.5%). We included all US citizen respondents ages 18 and older. The primary predictor variable was housing tenure (homeownership or renting). The primary outcomes were self-rated health, psychological distress, number of health conditions, and delays in receiving necessary medical care and/or medications. Compared to renting, homeownership is associated with lower rates of reporting fair or poor health (OR = 0.86, P < 0.001), fewer health conditions (incidence rate ratio = 0.95, P = 0.03), and fewer delays in receiving medical care (OR = 0.81, P < 0.001) and medication (OR = 0.78, P < 0.001) for the overall study population. Overall, race/ethnicity was not a significant moderator of these associations in the post-crisis period. Homeownership has the potential to provide significant health-related benefits to minoritized communities, but this potential may be threatened by practices of racial exclusion and predatory inclusion. Further study is needed to elucidate health-promoting mechanisms within homeownership as well as potential harms of specific homeownership-promoting policies to develop healthier, more equitable housing policy.

Insertable cardiac monitors in high-risk post-infarction patients: a cost-effectiveness analysis

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Background The randomised SMART-MI trial demonstrated that telemonitoring with insertable cardiac monitors (ICMs) for post-acute myocardial infarction patients with cardiac autonomic dysfunction and a left ventricular ejection fraction between 35-50% is highly effective in detecting serious arrhythmic events (SAE) compared to standard of care (SoC). In SMART-MI, SAE were also predictive of subsequent major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) which might be prevented by preemptive interventions. It is unknown whether such a monitoring strategy would be cost-effective. Purpose To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of ICM-based telemonitoring compared to SoC among a UK post-acute myocardial infarction population. Methods We created a Markov model to conduct a cost-effectiveness analysis comparing ICMs to SoC for the SMART-MI population. For the analyses, we hypothesized that the SAE-triggered interventions could prevent clinical complications with certain probabilities. A UK National Health System (NHS) perspective was employed with costs and health-related benefits discounted at 3.5%. We employed 6-months Markov cycles and calculated the model over a lifetime horizon. Patient characteristics and detection probabilities were based on the SMART-MI diagnostic study. UK-specific costs and risk-adjusted parameters were used to model the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular pathways. Scenario, deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were conducted to control for uncertainty. Results The base-case scenario found an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of the ICM to be £7,812.92 per QALY gained compared to SoC. There were 0.0646 less ischaemic strokes events per patient and 0.0168 less syncope events per patient in the ICM arm compared to SoC. Results were robust to sensitivity analysis. Conclusion Under the assumptions of the study, ICMs were a cost-effective diagnostic tool for detecting arrhythmias compared to SoC, preventing stroke and syncope events in post-acute myocardial infarction patients in the UK.

Impact of Workplace-Based Fitness on Development of an Individualized Physical Activity Program Among Nigerian Health Workers

Background: Workplace-based fitness program has been introduced as a means of motivating employees towards participating in active living, maintenance of healthy lifestyle behaviors and increase brain power and productivity. However, the effects of such program on development of individualized fitness program have not been evaluated. Objective: The focus of this study was to investigate the impact of workplace-based fitness on development of an individualized physical activity program among health workers. Method: The cross-sectional study recruited 177 clinical and administrative workers in a tertiary health institution. Data on demographic characteristics, health-benefit of exercise, physical activity level and development of an individualized physical activity program were obtained using a self-administered questionnaire. Data were summarized using a descriptive statistic of percentage and frequency distribution. Results: 172 (97.1%) of the participants are aware of the health benefits of physical activity and the monthly physical fitness program held in the hospital. Only 71 (40.1%) of those that are aware actually participated in the fitness program. 52 (73.2%) of those that participated in the monthly program have developed a personalized fitness program as a result of the motivation received through the monthly fitness program. Conclusions: Hospital workers are aware of the health-related benefits of physical activity however higher level of awareness does not always translate to high level of participation in physical activity. A well-designed workplace-based physical activity can help staff in developing an individualised fitness program. Employers of labour should incorporate workplace-based physical activity into their organisation as a means of promoting the health and fitness of their employee thereby improving productivity and reducing health cost of preventive diseases.

Fifty shades of grain – Increasing whole grain consumption through daily messages

Despite numerous health benefits, the majority of consumers, in particular young adults, show low levels of whole grain consumption behaviour (WGCB). In order to increase WGCB, this pre-registered experimental study investigates the effect of a two weeks message intervention. Participants (n = 329) received either information about health benefits, recipe suggestions, a combination of both, or about a control topic. We evaluated WGCB at three time points: prior to, immediately after (post), and one month after the intervention (follow-up). Our findings show that participants read the message on most of the days and on average, evaluate the health-only message most positively. Furthermore, we found that health messages, but not recipe suggestions significantly increase WGCB at the follow-up measure. This effect was serially mediated by attitudes and behavioural intentions at the post-intervention measure, with more positive attitudes and higher intentions leading to more WGCB. Although health messages are an effective tool to influence WGCB, the effect is small in magnitude and consumption levels remain rather low. We discuss implications for future research and for the communication of whole grain related health benefits among different stakeholders in the health sector.

A fast ultra performance supercritical fluid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric method for profiling of targeted phytosterols

Phytosterols are essential structural components of plant cell membranes and possess health-related benefits, including lowering blood cholesterol levels in humans. Numerous analytical methods are being used to profile plant and animal sterols. Chromatography hyphenated to tandem mass spectrometry, is a better option due to its specificity, selectivity, and sensitivity. An ultra-performance supercritical fluid chromatography hyphenated with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) tandem mass spectrometric method was developed and evaluated for fingerprint analysis of seven phytosterols. Mass spectrometry fragmentation behavior was used for phytosterol identification, and multiple reaction monitoring scanning was utilized for phytosterol confirmation, where APCI outperformed superiority in terms of ion intensity, particularly in the production of [M + H-H2O]+ ions rather than [M + H]+ ions. The chromatographic conditions were thoroughly evaluated, and the ionization parameters were optimized as well. In a 3 min. run, the seven phytosterols were separated concurrently. The calibration and repeatability tests were conducted to check the instrument's performance, and the results indicated that all of the phytosterols tested had correlation coefficients (r2) greater than 0.9911 over the concentration range of 5–5000 ng/mL. The limit of quantification was below 20 ng/mL for all the tested analytes except for stigmasterol and campesterol. The partially validated method was applied for the evaluation of phytosterols in pure coconut oil and palm oil in order to demonstrate its applicability. Total sterols in coconut and palm oils were 126.77 ng/mL and 101.73 ng/mL, respectively. In comparison to earlier methods of phytosterol analysis, the novel method offers a far faster, more sensitive, and more selective analytical process.

If unpartnered at the birth of a child, how would you fare? A life-course perspective on contemporary single motherhood

ABSTRACT In this article, we use population-based administrative data and multichannel sequence analysis to investigate the trajectories of single mothers in Norway who had a child while unpartnered in 1993, 2001 and 2008. Our observation period is from 1994 to 2015. This period covers several structural transformations in Norwegian society and changes in family policies and welfare policies concerning single mothers. Furthermore, the period saw the growth of alternatives to the nuclear family as the prevailing normative ideal. Our findings demonstrate both complexity and heterogeneity among single mothers and their trajectories. Even so, the population of this group of single mothers is both younger and have lower education than the comparable population of non-single mothers. Nearly half of the single mothers followed trajectories characterized by strong labour market integration and family re-establishment. The other half followed more precarious trajectories characterized by unemployment and health related benefits. Importantly, age and life stage have strong implications for the labour market and family trajectories. Thus, early parenthood combined with leaving school early increases the probability of following precarious trajectories. The results further suggest that both economic cycles and changing welfare state framework is of great importance for single mother trajectories.