Higher Parental Education Level Research Articles

Association of parental level of education and child factors on length-for-age indicator among socially vulnerable children aged 6-24 months from a Brazilian state using Structural Equation Modelling.

This cross-sectional study employs Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) to explore both direct and indirect effects of parental level of education and child individual factors on the length-for-age outcomes in children aged 6-24 months assisted by the Bolsa Família Program in the State of Alagoas. A total of 1,448 children were analyzed by the SEM technique. A negative standardize direct effect (SED) of the children's younger age (SED: -0.06; p=0.017), the use of bottle feeding (SED: -0.11; p<0.001), and lack a minimum acceptable diet (SED: -0.09; p<0.001) on the length-for-age indicator was found. Being female (SDE: 0.08; p=0.001), the higher birth weight (SDE: 0.33; p<0.001), being ever breastfed (SED: 0.07; p=0.004) and a higher level of parental education (SDE: 0.09; p<0.001) showed a positive SDE effect on the child's length-for-age. The model also demonstrated a negative standardize indirect effect (SIE) of the sweet beverage consumption (SIE: -0.08; p=0.003) and a positive effect of being ever breastfed (SIE: 0.06; p=0.017) on the child's length-for-age through parental level of education as a mediator. This research underscores the crucial role of proper feeding practices and provide valuable insights for the development of targeted interventions, policies, and programs to improve the nutritional well-being and promote adequate linear growth and development among young children facing similar challenges.

Role of parental educational level as psychosocial factor in a sample of inpatients with anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.

Evidence on parental educational level (PEL) as a risk factor for Eating Disorders (EDs) is mixed, and no study has assessed its role in relation to the compliance and outcomes of treatments in EDs. Further, no study differentiated from the educational level of mothers and fathers, nor considered the possible mediation of perfectionism in fostering EDs. A clinical sample of 242 first-ever admitted inpatients with EDs provided information on PEL and completed the following questionnaires: the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) and the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale (F-MPS). Clinicians also provided information on the Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety (HAM-A) and the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D) for each participant. Individuals with high PEL (whether mothers, fathers, or both parents) showed significantly higher scores on depressive symptoms and lower on parental criticism, were younger, had an earlier age of onset, had fewer years of illness, more were students and employed, and fewer had offspring. Individuals with fathers or both parents with high educational levels suffered more from Anorexia Nervosa rather than Bulimia Nervosa, had a longer length of stay during the current hospitalization, had less dietary restraint, and had higher personal standards. Individuals with mothers with high educational levels showed a lower rate of previous substance or alcohol addiction. Personal standards partially mediated the relationship between higher PEL and lower dietary restraint. PEL emerged to be a twofold psychosocial risk factor, being associated with higher depressive symptoms and a longer length of stay, but also with a shorter duration of illness and better scholar and working involvement. Higher PEL was related to higher personal standards but not to global perfectionism. Patterns of eating psychopathology emerged based on the high PEL of mothers or fathers.

Patterns and socioeconomic differences in secondhand exposure to cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and heated tobacco products at home in Hong Kong adolescents.

Smoke or aerosols from cigarettes, e-cigarettes (ECs), or heated tobacco products (HTPs) are harmful. Yet, there is little knowledge about the specific patterns of secondhand tobacco exposure by source within household settings and the socioeconomic status (SES) differences in adolescents. We used territory-representative student data from a cross-sectional school-based survey in 2020-2021 to calculate the weighted prevalence of secondhand exposure to cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and HTPs in the past seven days. Parental education and perceived family affluence were used as indicators of socioeconomic status. Generalized linear mixed models were used to analyze associations. Among 22039 participants, 29.8% reported any secondhand tobacco exposure (SH-Any) at home, primarily from cigarettes (27.4%), followed by e-cigarettes (4.0%) and HTPs (0.9%). Tertiary parental education level was associated with lower SH-Any exposure (Adjusted odds ratio, AOR=0.49; 95% CI: 0.45-0.53, p<0.001), fewer exposure days (β= -0.685, p<0.001), lower exposure to cigarettes (SH-CC) (AOR=0.49; 95% CI: 0.45-0.54, p<0.001) and to e-cigarettes or HTPs (SH-EC/HTP) (AOR=0.57; 95% CI: 0.45-0.71, p<0.001). 'Poor' family affluence was associated with higher exposures [AOR(SH-Any) =1.14; 95% CI: 1.06-1.22, p=0.001; β(days)=0.160, p<0.001; AOR(SH-CC) =1.15; 95% CI: 1.07-1.24, p<0.001], except for SH-EC/HTP exposure, which was higher in students in an affluent family (AOR =1.66; 95% CI: 1.25-2.21, p<0.001). Significant SES differences in SH-EC/HTP exposure were found only in groups with low parental education level. Dose-response relationships were found between lower SH-Any and SH-CC and higher SES categories (p for trend<0.001). Adolescents experienced a high prevalence of tobacco smoke exposure at home, primarily from cigarettes. Higher SES was associated with lower tobacco exposure, except for SH-EC/HTP, which was higher among adolescents from affluent families. Additionally, high parental education level was protective against exposure to SH-EC/HTP. Comprehensive control measures to reduce the use of these tobacco products are needed to protect adolescents of diverse socioeconomic backgrounds.

Neurocognitive profiles in a community sample of children & adolescents: sociodemographic, behavioral and emotional correlates

ObjectivesWe aim to investigate the association between cognitive profiles of children and adolescents, classified using latent class analysis and emotional, behavioral and sociodemographic factors in a community-based sample of children and adolescents.MethodsThe sample consists of 161 participants recruited from a nationally representative household sample of 1517 children and adolescents who participated in a national mental health survey. Participants and their parents completed the following scales: Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, Mood and Feelings Questionnaire, and Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders. Participants were then administered a battery of cognitive tests from the Cambridge Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Battery as well as the Wechsler Nonverbal Scale of Ability.ResultsLatent class analysis showed a 2-class model that was stable and had good entropy (0.837). Class 1 included 58 participants (36.0%), and Class 2 included 103 participants (64.0%). Participants belonging to Class 1 performed better than those in Class 2 on all cognitive tasks. Chances for belonging to a specific Class varied based on different sociodemographic, behavioral and emotional factors: older participants with higher Intellectual Quotient, higher parental educational level, lower reported hyperactivity and better-reported mood were more likely to belong to Class 1.ConclusionOur results show a tight correlation between different emotional, behavioral and sociodemographic variables on one hand and cognitive functioning in children and adolescents on the other hand. This supports the continuous need for an integrative approach when building norms for cognitive tests that account at the least for all these variables.

Acceptance of Surgical and Non-surgical Cosmetic Procedures: A Cross-Sectional Study From Jazan, Saudi Arabia.

Background and objective Cosmetic surgery is a field that primarily focuses on the preservation, rebuilding, or improvement of the physical appearance of an individual through surgical and therapeutic methods. This specialization encompasses various interventions, both surgical, such as blepharoplasty, rhinoplasty, and breast augmentation, and non-surgical, including procedures such as chemical peeling, Botox injections, and dermal fillers. This study aims to assess the acceptance of cosmetic surgeries and non-surgical cosmetic procedures and the reasons for non-acceptance in a population from Jazan, Saudi Arabia. Methods This cross-sectional survey study was conducted in the general population of Jazan, Saudi Arabia, between July and August 2023. An online self-administered questionnaire was created using Google Forms and distributed through social media. The acceptance was measured using the Arabic translation of the Acceptance of Cosmetic Surgery Scale (ACSS). Results The mean cosmetic surgery acceptance score was 62.1 ± 25.9, whereas the mean non-surgical procedure acceptance score was 63.7 ± 24.5. Engaged and widowed participants had a higher mean acceptance score for cosmetic surgery, whereas divorced participants had a higher mean acceptance score for non-surgical cosmetic procedures. Higher age was associated with higher acceptance of cosmetic surgery (95% CI: 1-15), while having higher income was associated with lower acceptance (95% CI: -14 to -0.32). A higher level of parental education was associated with lower acceptance of surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures (95% CI: -23 to -3.5). The perceived lack of a need for cosmetic procedures was the most commonly cited reason for not accepting these procedures, while religious beliefs were the second most common reason. Conclusion Non-surgical cosmetic procedures generally had higher acceptance than cosmetic surgeries. Age, sex, marital status, income level, familial influence, and prior experience all played significant roles in shaping these attitudes. The perceived lack of a need for the procedures and religious beliefs were common reasons for not accepting cosmetic procedures.

Determinants of Knowledge, Attitudes, Perceptions and Behaviors Regarding Air Pollution in Schoolchildren in Pristina, Kosovo.

Air pollution poses a significant public health challenge, and Kosovo, a low-middle-income country in the Balkan peninsula, suffers from particularly poor air quality, especially around the area of the capital Pristina. The availability of accurate and timely information is crucial in mitigating the adverse effects of air pollution. This study aimed at evaluating the knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and perceptions (KAPB) related to poor air quality in Pristina's low-middle schools. Furthermore, the study explored the connections between these factors and socio-demographic and health attributes and provided valuable inputs for the development of future strategies and policies in air pollution mitigation. Regression analysis provided insights into how these various factors interacted with KAPB scores. The results revealed limited knowledge about air pollution sources and risks among pupils, with insufficient awareness of reliable information sources. While attitudes were generally positive, they declined with higher grade levels. Parental education significantly influenced knowledge and attitudes, and better health correlated with more positive attitudes. Perceptions of air pollution risks were influenced by grade, gender, and parental education, with better-educated parents associated with improved perceptions. Overall behavior scores increased with higher levels of parental education. Understanding the factors that shape pupils' responses to air pollution is critical for strategy and policy development. These findings can guide strategies to enhance environmental awareness and promote healthy behavior, helping address the pressing issue of air pollution in the country.

ВКЛАД СЕМЕЙНЫХ ФАКТОРОВ В ПСИХИЧЕСКОЕ ЗДОРОВЬЕ МЛАДШИХ ШКОЛЬНИКОВ ДО И ВО ВРЕМЯ ПАНДЕМИИ COVID-19

The objective of this study was to examine the contribution of distal and proximal family factors to mental health of Russian children before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants were primary caregivers of 1,985 children aged 6 to 12 years. The 2011-2019 sample consisted of 1403 children (53% girls; mean age 8.6; SD = 1.2); 2020-2021 sample consisted of 582 children (50% girls; mean age 8.8; SD = 1.4). The study used internationally recognized measures with established validity and reliability. Children’s mental health was measured by the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ); family factors were measured by the socio-demographic questionnaire, short Family Cohesion Scale, and the Alabama Parenting Questionnaire — Brief Form (APQ-BF). The results showed that during the COVID-19 pandemic, parents of primary schoolchildren rated family cohesion lower than before the pandemic; they were also less likely to apply positive parenting practices, and more likely to use inconsistent discipline. High level of parental involvement maintained an existing level of children’s prosocial behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic, whereas with the average and low levels of parental involvement the expression of children’s prosocial behavior during the pandemic decreased. An increase in children’s internalizing and externalizing problems during the pandemic was observed only in families low in cohesion. Low level of parental education weakened the negative impact of child mental health problems on their everyday life, whereas high level of parental education was a risk factor of greater impact. These results can be used to develop evidencebased programs for prevention and intervention of mental health problems in primary school children and their families.

PISA 2018 TÜRKİYE MATEMATİK OKURYAZARLIĞINI AÇIKLAYAN DEĞİŞKENLERİN CHAID ANALİZİ İLE İNCELENMESİ

This study aims to investigate the variables explaining mathematics literacy of Turkish students who attended at Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). The topic of the study is at utmost importance due to the potential findings that will identify the variables influencing mathematical literacy in our education system and generate recommendations aimed at addressing shortcomings.This study utilizes the answers given to the PISA student questionnaire, which are analysed by correlational survey design.Stratified sampling design is used in the selection of 6890 students in Turkish sample. After excluding the missing data, the sample of the study consists of 5293 participants. Chi-squared Automatic Interaction Detection (CHAID) method, which is one of the data mining decision tree algorithms, is used for data analysis. According to the results of the study, the most important variable explaining Turkish students’ mathematic literacy is the number of the books at home. Father’s education level, highest parental education level, accessibility of ICT both at home and school, and time allocated per week to study mathematics are other variables explaining mathematics literacy.

Investigation of the effects of sociodemographic conditions on adherence to spectacles treatment in adolescents

Aim: To investigate the effects of several sociodemographic conditions on adherence to spectacles treatment in adolescents.&#x0D; Material and Methods: 10-19-year-old otherwise healthy adolescents who had been prescribed spectacles at least one year ago were included in this study. To quantitatively evaluate adherence to spectacles treatment, patients were asked to mark along a visual analog scale and the result was noted as an adherence score (AS). Sociodemographic conditions that have potential to affect adherence to spectacles treatment were questioned. &#x0D; Results: This study includes 107 patients and the mean age of patients was 14.83 ± 2.75 years (10-19). The mean AS was 8.59 ± 2.21 (3-10) for mothers with a higher educational degree, and 6.85 ± 3.14 (0-10) for mothers with a lower educational degree (p =0.018). Similarly, the mean AS was 8.45 ± 2.40 (3-10) for fathers with a higher educational degree and 6.94 ± 3.08 (0-10) for fathers with a lower educational degree (p =0.033). According to logistic regression analysis, a higher educational degree in fathers was associated with 8 and more AS (odds ratio: 4.17, 95% confidence interval 1.14-15.25, and p =0.031). There was no significant difference in AS according to conditions regarding whether or not to use spectacles in a family and social environment (p &gt;0.05, for all).&#x0D; Conclusion: It was concluded that higher parental educational level is associated with higher adherence to spectacles treatment in adolescents.

Individual, family, and environmental determinants of vision-related quality of life of children and young people with visual impairment.

Childhood visual impairment can have a significant impact on an individual's development. To improve clinical care and develop appropriate psychosocial interventions of these patients, it is necessary to understand the contributing and modifiable factors that both identify individuals in greater need and could be targeted in interventions. Here we investigate the broader individual, family, and environmental factors associated with vision-related quality of life (VQoL) of children and young people with visual impairment (CYP-VI). Data for this cross-sectional study were collected from September 2014 to May 2017 to develop and validate two vision-specific patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) for CYP-VI. Patients were recruited from 22 hospitals in the United Kingdom and were aged 7-18 years with visual impairment as per WHO criteria. Participants self-completed the two PROMs, VQoL and Functional Vision Questionnaires. Clinical characteristics were extracted from medical records. Their carers provided information on family sociodemographic backgrounds. Associations between the VQoL scores and other factors were examined using Spearman's correlation, Kruskal-Wallis, Wilcoxon rank-sum tests, and quantile regression models. The sample consisted of 152 CYP-VI (67 females). Better VQoL was significantly associated with better functional vision overall (rSpearman = -0.52), parent-reported absence of additional chronic conditions (dCohen = 0.46), attending mainstream (versus other) school (dCohen = 0.44), higher socio-economic status (rSpearman = 0.17) and higher parental education level (rSpearman = 0.20). No other investigated factors were significantly associated with VQoL. The final quantile regression model included functional vision scores and the presence of additional health condition. Variation in self-reported VQoL in CYP-VI can be partly accounted for by factors relating to the clinical status of the affected child and, more importantly, by non-health-related factors. This needs to be considered in clinical practice when assessing vision-specific outcomes and providing support to CYP-VI, as well as in the development of future interventions.

COVID-19 pandemic-related weight gain in the pediatric population declined after restrictions ended, except among obese patients.

Childhood obesity has become an important topic, not only of increasing relevance during the COVID-19 pandemic but specifically enhanced by it. Restrictions implemented to mitigate further outbreaks led to major constraints on daily physical activity, leading to a severe increase in body weight among children. This study highlights changes in BMI and weight development in children during and (in particular) after the COVID-19 restrictions in Austria, focusing on various socioeconomic factors. Weight development throughout the pandemic and socioeconomic factors were evaluated by anonymous cross-sectional surveys filled out by parents at a pediatric practice. This study included 388 children. The rate of obesity increased by 88.5%, from 6.4 to 12.1%, throughout the pandemic, reaching a maximum of 15.2% during the restrictions. Overall, age-adapted BMI z-scores increased significantly by 0.22 during the restrictions and remained increased by 0.19 compared to pre-pandemic levels. With the exception of obese children, all children in the study population experienced significant weight loss after the restrictions were lifted. Obese children continued to gain weight without any sign of the onset of normalization. Socioeconomic factors, such as participation in regular activity in the form of organized sport or the availability of an outdoor area, were associated with relevant differences before the pandemic but had no protective effect against intra-pandemic weight gain. A higher level of parental education was the only factor associated with less weight gain in children during the early phase of the pandemic. Austrian COVID-19 restrictions have had concerning effects on pediatric BMI, with very little effect of socioeconomic background. After restrictions were loosened, measurable weight loss occurred, but the significant increase in children's BMI percentiles persisted. No weight loss was observed among children who were obese prior to the pandemic. There is a need for broad projects tackling childhood obesity, as obese children are the most vulnerable group with the strongest and most severe long-term effects.

Socioeconomic Inequality in Screen Time, Phone, and Tablet Use among Iranian Adolescents: Results of A National Study.

Excessive screen time has been associated with a variety of negative health outcomes. We aimed to evaluate screen time and phone and tablet use in Iranian adolescents and their relation to the socioeconomic status of adolescents' families in 2018. This descriptive-analytical study was carried out on 10-12-year-old adolescents from Kurdistan, Fars, and Markazi provinces. Cluster sampling was used for sampling. Data were collected by completing demographic questionnaires, calculating the BMI of adolescents and phone and tablet use, screen time, and socioeconomic status of the families. We used linear and logistic regression to estimate the final model. The concentration index was used to measure inequality and the Oaxaca decomposition to examine the different determinants of the inequality. 1590 adolescents (52.58% boys) were enrolled in our study. Screen time activities were significantly higher in boys, older adolescents, higher BMIs, more educated mothers, and 35< year-old fathers (P < 0.05). The use of mobile phones and tablets was significantly higher among boys, ten-year-olds, families with four or fewer members, higher BMIs, adolescents with higher levels of parental education, and more educated mothers (P < 0.05). In addition, the concentration index for screen time activities (C = 0.083) and phone and tablet use (C = 0.536) showed that screen time and phone and tablet use activities were higher in adolescents with high socioeconomic status. Screen time, phone and tablet use were higher in adolescents with high socioeconomic status. Also, many other factors like gender, age, BMI, parents' education and age can affect screen time, phone and tablet use in adolescents.

Do more children lead to greater blessings? Birth quantity and household economic risk in China

AbstractDoes the number of births in a family decrease a household's economic risk? We find that in a distribution of households by children's age stages, the economic risk of households in the middle (16–22 years) and late stages (23–38 years) appears to be more significantly affected by the dual nature of children as consumable goods and investment assets than does the risk of households in the early stage (0–15 years). Furthermore, we find that this pattern persists even when we consider China's one‐child policy. Our findings also reveal that households with higher parental education levels and education investment expenditures in the middle stage exhibit greater resilience against economic risks in the late stage.

Trends in social inequality and how mental wellbeing vary and covary among Norwegian adolescents and their families: the Young-HUNT Study.

The study had two aims: first, to investigate trends in socioeconomic inequalities in psychological distress and loneliness among Norwegian adolescents, and second, to study variation and covariation of psychological distress and loneliness within adolescents and between siblings within families. Multivariate mixed models were used to investigate trends in socioeconomic inequality in psychological distress and loneliness using three separate cohorts of Norwegian adolescents from the Young-HUNT study conducted in 1995-1997 (Young-HUNT1, n = 8980), 2006-2008 (Young-HUNT3, n = 8199) and 2017-2019 (Young-HUNT4, n = 8066). Register data on parental education level was used as a marker of socioeconomic position (SEP), and a unique family number was used to identify adolescents belonging to the same family. A three-level multivariate mixed model was created, consisting of the outcomes at level 1, adolescents at level 2 and families at level 3. No statistically significant difference in scores on loneliness and psychological distress was observed between low and high parental education level in Young-HUNT1, whereas in Young-HUNT4, low parental education level was associated with a higher score on both psychological distress (β = 0.09; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.03-0.14) and loneliness (β = 0.12; 95% CI 0.07-0.17). Analyses of covariation between psychological distress and loneliness showed that they were correlated within adolescents and strongly correlated within families across all timepoints. Increasing socioeconomic inequalities in psychological distress and loneliness among Norwegian adolescents is worrisome. Further, the family seems to be an important arena for potential prevention of psychological distress and loneliness among adolescents, regardless of parental education level.

Food consumption and nutrient intake of Finnish preschool children according to parental educational level.

We examined the association between parental educational level (PEL) and children's food consumption and nutrient intake in a sample of Finnish 3- to 6-year-old preschoolers (n 811). The data were obtained from the cross-sectional DAGIS project, conducted in eight municipalities in Finland during 2015-2016. The food consumption and nutrient intake were assessed using food records. The highest educational level of the family was used as the indicator of socio-economic status. Differences in diet by PEL were analysed using a hierarchical linear model adjusted for energy intake. Compared with high PEL, low PEL was associated with a child's lower consumption of fresh vegetables and salads, vegetarian dishes, berries, white bread, blended spread, skimmed milk and ice cream but higher consumption of milk with 1-1·5 % fat content, dairy-based desserts and sugar-sweetened soft drinks. Food consumption was also examined after disaggregating dishes into their ingredients. Low PEL was associated with lower consumption of vegetables, nuts and seeds, berries and fish but higher consumption of red meat. Children in the low PEL, compared with the high PEL group, had a lower intake of protein, fibre, EPA, DHA, vitamin D, riboflavin, vitamin B6, folate, vitamin B12, vitamin C, potassium, phosphorous, Ca, Mg, Zn and iodine but a higher intake of fat and saturated, trans and MUFA. The observed diet-related disparities highlight the need for policy actions and interventions supporting healthy eating patterns such as high consumption of vegetables, nuts and berries in childhood, paying special attention to those with low PEL.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TEACHER-PARENTS INTERACTION AND STUDENT’S PERFORMANCE AT SECONDARY SCHOOL LEVEL IN DISTRICT FAISALABAD

The relationship between parents and teachers has a significant impact on pupils' achievement. The contact between a student's home and school has a big impact on their personal, social, and emotional growth. The teacher and parent discussing the students' academic progress can help them study more and produce better academic results. In District Faisalabad, Pakistan, the study was undertaken to determine the "relationship between teachers-parents interaction and student's performance at secondary level in tehsil Faisalabad city." Parents are the children's primary educators. The study area was decided upon as Tehsil Faisalabad. The study was restricted to the 20 secondary schools (10 public and 10 private). A simple random sample procedure was used to choose the 150 students and 100 teachers that participated in the research project. To gather the data, a well-designed questionnaire was created. SPSS, the data were examined using a social science statistical technique and draw conclusions and suggestions. 90% of respondents believed that parents should always participate in school activities. According to the study's findings, 61% of teachers and 54% of students stated that their school held PTM once a month. The majority of responders (50.7%) felt that teachers should be contacted directly to discuss students' progress. The majority of students (74%) and instructors (70%) supported the nuclear family structure since there are fewer disruptions to students' schoolwork in this type of household. The majority of students (74%) and teachers (71%) agreed that an urban environment has a substantial impact on pupils' performance. The teachers' and students' mean values (M= 4.6200, SD=.52762) of the respondents were most in agreement about the impact of family income on student achievement. Higher parental education levels, according to 50% of respondents, have an impact on how well students achieve. Keywords: Teacher-parents interaction, Students, performance, Meeting, involvement.

Cumulative genetic score of KIAA0319 affects reading ability in Chinese children: moderation by parental education and mediation by rapid automatized naming

KIAA0319, a well-studied candidate gene, has been shown to be associated with reading ability and developmental dyslexia. In the present study, we investigated whether KIAA0319 affects reading ability by interacting with the parental education level and whether rapid automatized naming (RAN), phonological awareness and morphological awareness mediate the relationship between KIAA0319 and reading ability. A total of 2284 Chinese children from primary school grades 3 and 6 participated in this study. Chinese character reading accuracy and word reading fluency were used as measures of reading abilities. The cumulative genetic risk score (CGS) of 13 SNPs in KIAA0319 was calculated. Results revealed interaction effect between CGS of KIAA0319 and parental education level on reading fluency. The interaction effect suggested that individuals with a low CGS of KIAA0319 were better at reading fluency in a positive environment (higher parental educational level) than individuals with a high CGS. Moreover, the interaction effect coincided with the differential susceptibility model. The results of the multiple mediator model revealed that RAN mediates the impact of the genetic cumulative effect of KIAA0319 on reading abilities. These findings provide evidence that KIAA0319 is a risk vulnerability gene that interacts with environmental factor to impact reading abilities and demonstrate the reliability of RAN as an endophenotype between genes and reading associations.

Associations between socioeconomic status, home food availability, parental role-modeling, and children’s fruit and vegetable consumption: a mediation analysis

BackgroundRecent literature has suggested that associations and interactions between family socioeconomic status (SES) and home food environment influence children’s diet, but little is known about the mediation roles of parental role-modeling and food availability in the socioeconomic inequalities of children’s diet. This study aimed to determine the associations between family SES and children’s fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption and to assess the mediation roles of parental role-modeling and food availability in the above associations.MethodsCross-sectional data of 574 Finnish children (aged 3 to 6) were analyzed. Parents completed an FFQ assessing their children’s FV consumption frequency and a questionnaire assessing SES and home food environment. Two exposure variables: parental educational level (“low”, “middle”, and “high”) and the relative family income tertiles of the family were used. The frequencies of parental role-modeling of FV and sugary food and drink (SFD) consumption, and the availability of FV and SFD at home were calculated. Single- and multiple-mediator models were created using IBM SPSS 27.0.ResultsThe positive association between high parental educational level and children’s FV consumption (direct effect coefficient: 2.76, 95% CI: 0.51–4.86) was partially mediated by more frequent parental role-modeling of FV consumption (indirect effect coefficient: 0.89, 95% CI: 0.10–1.76), higher availability of FV (indirect effect coefficient: 1.00, 95% CI: 0.35–1.77), and lower availability of SFD (indirect effect coefficient: -0.30, 95% CI: -0.72 – -0.01). The relative family income was not directly associated with the outcome. However, the higher relative family income level indirectly predicted the Children’s FV consumption (full mediation) through more frequent parental role-modeling of FV consumption (indirect effect coefficient: 0.91, 95% CI: 0.06–1.83) and higher availability of FV (indirect effect coefficient: 0.98, 95% CI: 0.40–1.67). Parental role-modeling on SFD consumption did not mediate any of the above associations.ConclusionsParental educational level showed more associations with children’s FV consumption than relative family income. Our findings suggest that reducing the availability of SFD is as important as increasing the availability of FV to enhance children’s FV consumption. Future interventions to improve children’s dietary behaviors should pay greater attention to the lower SES segments of society. Longitudinal studies and intervention studies supporting these findings are needed for making meaningful recommendations for health promotion.

A Longitudinal Analysis of Gene x Environment Interaction on Verbal Intelligence Across Adolescence and Early Adulthood.

The Scarr-Rowe hypothesis proposes that the heritability of intelligence is higher in more advantaged socioeconomic contexts. An early demonstration of this hypothesis was Rowe and colleagues (Rowe et al., Child Dev 70:1151-1162, 1999), where an interaction between the heritability of verbal intelligence and parental education was identified in adolescent siblings in Wave I of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health. The present study repeated their original analysis at Wave I using contemporary methods, replicated the finding during young adulthood at Wave III, and analyzed the interaction longitudinally utilizing multiple measurements. We examined parental education, family income, and peer academic environment as potential moderators. Results indicated increased heritability and decreased shared environmental variance of verbal intelligence at higher levels of parental education and peer academic environment in adolescence. Moreover, moderation by peer academic environment persisted into adulthood with its effect partially attributable to novel gene-environment interactions that arose in the process of cognitive development.

Urinary aluminium and its association with autism spectrum disorder in urban preschool children in Malaysia.

The presence of aluminium (Al) in the human body may impact brain neurodevelopment and function, and it is thought to contribute to autism spectrum disease (ASD). The main objective of this study was to assess the association between urinary Al and the development of ASD among Malaysian preschool children in the urban city of Kuala Lumpur. This was an unmatched case-control study in which children with ASD were recruited from an autism early intervention center and typically developed (TD) children were recruited from government-run nurseries and preschools. Urine samples were collected at home, assembled temporarily at study locations, and transported to the laboratory within 24 h. The Al concentration in the children's urine samples was determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). A total of 155 preschool children; 81 ASD children and 74 TD children, aged 3 to 6 years, were enlisted in the study. This study demonstrated that ASD children had significantly higher urinary Al levels than TD children (median (interquartile range (IQR): 2.89 (6.77) µg/dL versus 0.96 (2.95) µg/dL) (p<0.001). Higher parental education level, non-Malay ethnicity, male gender, and higher urinary Al level were the significant ASD risk factors (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) >1, p<0.05). A higher urine Al level was discovered to be a significant risk factor for ASD among preschool children in the urban area of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.