Hungarian Children Research Articles

Preschoolers’ interpretation of doubly quantified sentences

This paper presents the results of two sentence-picture matching experiments investigating how Hungarian preschoolers interpret doubly quantified sentences involving numerical quantifiers. We claim that for Hungarian children, scope interpretation is primarily determined by the structure of the visual representation of the event associated with the given sentence. We found in a series of previous experiments that children’s preferred scope order cannot be derived from either the linear order of quantifiers, or from any other linguistic factor, but seems to be affected by visual cues provided by the picture stimuli. In this follow-up study, we tested two hypotheses, namely: (i) children assign wide scope to the set whose elements are more salient in the visual representation; (ii) children choose the scope interpretation whose visual representation is easier to chunk into identical subevents. The results confirm hypothesis (ii). This converges with the results of former experiments testing children’s inter...

The stigmatization of obesity among Gypsy and Hungarian children

Prejudice against obese people has been widely confirmed in scientific papers. Therefore, recent studies have increasingly focused on investigating the individual and cultural factors related to attitudes towards obesity. Since there have been no comparative studies involving Gypsy people, our present research aimed at exploring the possible discrepancies in children's attitudes towards obese children between Gypsy and Hungarian cultures. Our survey included 247 children aged 9-16 (108 boys and 139 girls), of which 136 considered themselves Hungarian (55.1%), while 111 children (44.9%) claimed themselves as Gypsy. The subjects were asked to rank six male and six female figure drawings according to their preference. Each sequence of figure drawings included a healthy child, an obese child, and four drawings depicted children with disabilities. According to our results, the drawings portraying the healthy child figure were rated most preferable and those portraying the obese child figure the least preferable amongst the subjects regardless of gender and origin. However, the obese girl figures and boy figures were rated significantly more positively by Gypsy children than Hungarian children. Our results suggest that there is a difference in attitude towards obesity among Gypsy and Hungarian children. Therefore, it is worthwhile to further explore this phenomenon.

Uncoupling protein‐2 gene polymorphisms are associated with obesity in Hungarian children

To determine the frequency of common polymorphisms of genes associated with energy metabolism among normal weight and overweight/obese children to look for effects on childhood obesity. Among 709 overweight/obese and 637 normal weight children (age 6-17 years), anthropometric measurements were carried out and genotyping for the following gene polymorphisms: β3 -adrenoreceptor Trp64Arg, uncoupling protein (UCP) -1 -3826 A/G, UCP-2 -866 G/A and exon 8 del/ins, UCP-3 -55 C/T and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ Pro12Ala. On multivariate regression analysis adjusted for age and gender heterozygosity and homozygosity for the UCP-2 -866 A variant was associated with an odds ratio (OR) for obesity of 0.69 (95% CI: 0.52-0.92; p = 0.013) and 0.50 (95% CI: 0.32-0.79; p = 0.003), respectively, compared with G/G homozygotes. Heterozygotes and homozygotes for the UCP-2 exon 8 ins allele had an OR for obesity of 1.66 (95% CI: 1.24-2.23; p = 0.001) and 2.12 (95% CI: 1.23-3.63; p = 0.006), respectively, compared with del/del homozygotes. There were no significant differences in obesity risk in association with the other examined gene polymorphisms. Common polymorphisms of the UCP-2 gene might influence the propensity to overweight/obesity in Hungarian children.

Harmonic cues for speech segmentation: a cross-linguistic corpus study on child-directed speech

Previous studies on the role of vowel harmony in word segmentation are based on artificial languages where harmonic cues reliably signal word boundaries. In this corpus study run on the data available at CHILDES, we investigated whether natural languages provide a learner with reliable segmentation cues similar to the ones created artificially. We observed that in harmonic languages (child-directed speech to thirty-five Turkish and three Hungarian children), but not in non-harmonic ones (child-directed speech to one Farsi and four Polish children), harmonic vowel sequences are more likely to appear within words, and non-harmonic ones mostly appear across word boundaries, suggesting that natural harmonic languages provide a learner with regular cues that could potentially be used for word segmentation along with other cues.

Hormonal and biochemical parameters correlated with bone densitometric markers in prepubertal Hungarian children

BackgroundThe conditions that define bone development in prepuberty profoundly influence bone health later in life. We aimed to reveal important determinants of bone mass in Tanner stage I. MethodsWe studied 84 healthy children (43 girls and 41 boys) aged 7 to 11years. Serum estradiol (E2), 25-hydroxyvitamin D3-vitamin [25(OH)D3], intact parathyroid hormone (PTHi), osteocalcin (OC) and β-crosslaps (CTXs) were longitudinally analyzed (Roche Diagnostics System). Total and spine bone mineral content (tBMC and LBMC) and density (tBMD and LBMD) were assessed, and total fat body mass index (FBMi) was calculated (DXA Lunar Prodigy). ResultsThe serum PTHi, OC and LBMD values were significantly higher in girls than in boys. The mean 25(OH)D3 level was lower but not significantly in girls compared to boys. Significant negative correlation was found between PTHi and 25(OH)D3 levels (r=−0.28; p=0.011) when tested in all subjects, but no correlation was detected when the gender groups were separately tested. There was a trend for higher E2 levels in girls. Significant positive correlation (r=0.32; p=0.042) was detected between FBMi and E2 concentration in girls only. A significant negative correlation was found between E2 and 25(OH)D3 levels (r=−0.37, p<0.05) in girls with elevated (>3.6pmol/l) PTHi and with suboptimal (<75nmol/l) 25(OH)D3 levels. Furthermore, positive correlations were noted between E2 and CTXs and OC (r=0.54, p<0.01 and r=0.39, p<0.03) and a marginally significant positive correlation (r=0.33; p=0.06) was detected between OC and PTHi levels in girls. However, we detected no correlations when these markers were analyzed in boys. There was a significant correlation between E2 and all BMC and LBMD values in both genders. The tBMD, LBMD and tBMC values showed weak, but significant negative associations with 25OHD3 levels (β=−0.44 to −0.55; p<0.001) in girls only. All BMD and BMC values were positively predicted by OC levels, but not by CTXs, in both genders. Among the biochemical markers, E2 was the only factor correlating with all dependent variables (BMCs and BMDs) in both genders. Among all parameters analyzed, FBMi (β=0.64) showed the strongest influence on tBMC characteristically in girls only. ConclusionsOur results support that 1.) E2 levels play a key role in defining bone turnover and bone mass in both genders already in prepuberty; 2.) high PTHi levels in childhood should be evaluated with caution, because the normal range for serum PTHi in different Tanner stage groups is not well established; and 3.) the negative correlation between 25(OH)D and E2 and the positive correlation between PTHi and OC suggest that estrogens regulate PTHi indirectly and cause lower circulating 25(OH)D3 levels. We propose that the decreased levels of 25(OH)D3 reflect not the real vitamin supply, but may rather be the result of E2 regulation. Therefore, the actual serum 25OHD levels may underestimate the availability of factors supporting bone formation.

Television in the bedroom and increased body weight: potential explanations for their relationship among European schoolchildren

A television in the bedroom is associated with measures of adiposity. We aimed to test if this association is mediated by any of (i) time spent watching television, (ii) sleep duration, (iii) physical activity level or (iv) consumption of soft drinks. Data were from 7234 boys and girls aged 10-12 years in European countries involved in the EuropeaN Energy balance Research to prevent excessive weight Gain among Youth project (Belgium, Greece, Hungary, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovenia and Spain). Waist circumference, height and weight were measured. The presence of a bedroom television, television viewing time, sleep duration, physical activity time and soft drink consumption were assessed by standardized questionnaires. Almost 40% of schoolchildren had a bedroom television, with the highest percentage among Hungarian children (65%) and lowest for Belgian, Slovenian and Spanish children (all ≈28%). A television in the bedroom was positively associated with time spent watching television, soft drink consumption and overweight and obesity (all P < 0.001). The relationship between a television in the bedroom and measures of body size was partly mediated by total television viewing time (proportion mediated for waist circumference 8.9%; for body mass index 8.3%) but not sleep duration, physical activity time or soft drink consumption. The strong association between a television in the bedroom and adiposity was at least partially mediated by television viewing time. The large proportion of European schoolchildren with a television in their bedroom is of concern. Parents should be aware of the potential consequences when placing a television in a child's bedroom and children should limit viewing time.

Pre-school children's aggressive and pro-social behaviours in stressful situations

The aim of our research was to investigate social and emotional skills that determine pre-schoolers’ aggressive and pro-social behaviours in stressful situations. The sample of the empirical study consisted of 119 (36–48, 49–60 and 61–72 months) Hungarian children from six pre-schools. Instruments that were used: Coping strategy self-report and teacher-report questionnaires as well as hypothetical social situations interviews with puppets. The statistical analysis of pre-school teachers’ questionnaires showed that verbal and physical aggression as coping strategies were used in a significantly higher proportion (p < 0.05) by 61–72-month-old children than by the younger age groups. In the oldest age group, boys were rated significantly more aggressive than girls (p < 0.05). However, significant age or gender effects could not be demonstrated on pro-social behaviour. Self-report questionnaires have not yielded any significant results concerning age and gender differences in either studied dimension. Hypothetical social situations resulted in significantly less-aggressive responses by 36–48-month-old children than by the two other age groups (p < 0.05). Data obtained by self-report and teacher-report questionnaires on coping strategies and pro-social behaviour showed moderate correlations (r = 0.325–0.478).

The 2nd Hungarian National Growth Study (2003–2006)

Background: Secular changes in the pattern of growth and maturation have been analysed by many regional surveys in Hungary during the last century. The first representative Hungarian National Growth Study was carried out between 1980–1983.Aim: The main objectives of the 2nd Hungarian National Growth Study (2003–2006) were to construct reference data of the most important indicators of body development and nutritional status in Hungarian children (aged 3–18 years, n = 25 278); to analyse the influence of nutrition, habitual physical activity and socio-economic background factors on body development; to study secular changes in the pattern of development in Hungary in the last 20 years; and to analyse the relationship between body development and psychic health.Subjects and methods: Anthropometric dimensions and proportions, sexual maturity status, body composition, nutritional status and body shape were used for body developmental estimation. Some indicators of psychic health were also investigated.Results: Reference centiles and data of all absolute body dimensions, some relative body dimensions and the pattern of eating and habitual physical activity have been constructed.Conclusion: Secular changes in the growth and maturation pattern are still taking place in the Hungarian population; sexual maturation in boys has shifted to a younger age.

Differences in Response Bias Among Younger and Older Preschoolers

Groups of children in Japan and Hungary aged 2 to 5 years were asked yes-no questions pertaining to familiar and unfamiliar objects by either strange adults or mothers. In Experiment 1, 3- to 5-year-old Japanese and Hungarian children were interviewed by strange adults, and 3-year-olds in both countries exhibited a yes bias for familiar objects. Japanese 3-year-olds exhibited a yes bias for unfamiliar objects as well. Japanese 4- and 5-year-olds exhibited a yes bias for familiar objects, whereas Hungarian 4- and 5-year-olds exhibited a nay-saying bias for unfamiliar objects. In Experiment 2, Hungarian 2-year-olds exhibited a yes bias for both familiar and unfamiliar objects when asked by strange adults. In Experiment 3, Japanese 3-year-olds exhibited a yes bias for both familiar and unfamiliar objects, whereas 4-year-olds did not exhibit it for familiar objects and exhibited a nay-saying bias for unfamiliar objects when they were asked by mothers. The results suggest that young preschoolers have a common mechanism for exhibiting a yes bias, but older preschoolers may have other reasons to exhibit response biases.

Relationship of environmental tobacco smoke to otitis media (OM) in children

IntroductionMany, but not all, studies have found a correlation between environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) and acute otitis media (AOM) and other adverse otologic outcomes. Given its high personal and societal costs and the divergent findings of the effect of ETS on middle ear disease, the aim of the current study was to assess the impact and possible determinant factors of ETS on recurrent (two or more) episodes of AOM. MethodsThe study was performed at Heim Pal Children's Hospital, Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Department, Budapest, Hungary. Caregivers of a convenience sample of 412 children attending the ENT outpatient clinic were surveyed via a 22-item questionnaire regarding demographics, socioeconomics, and smoking behaviours of the child's family; as well as care-givers’ self report of the number of AOM episodes of the child. ResultsOf the 412 participants, 155 (38%) children's parents smoked. In bivariate analysis, two or more episodes of AOM correlated with reported hearing problems, day care enrolment, parental employment and increased age of the child. In multivariate logistic regression, parental smoking more than doubled a child's risk for recurrent AOM while increased maternal employment (e.g. part-time or full-time versus unemployed) boosted risk up to fourfold. Among children whose parents smoked, half-packs of cigarettes smoked per day and day care attendance doubled or nearly tripled, respectively, the risk of recurrent AOM episodes. ConclusionsChildhood exposure to ETS is high among an ENT clinic population of Hungarian children. Such exposure correlates with AOM episodes, ENT operations and conductive hearing loss. Data such as these argue for strict laws smoke-free laws not only in Hungary, but also in Europe and around the world.

Nasal carriage of Streptococcus pneumoniae among Hungarian children before the wide use of the conjugate vaccine

Streptococcus pneumoniae is responsible for a significant amount of morbidity and mortality worldwide, especially among children <5 years. Healthy carriers are the most important sources of infections and the carriage also peaks in the first years of life, especially among children attending communities. In this study, for the first time in Hungary, we surveyed the nasal carriage of healthy children, just before the use of the conjugate vaccine started increasing.Nasal specimens of 358 children were cultured and pneumococci isolated. The strains were serotyped with antisera and PCR, genotyped by PFGE and their antibiotic sensitivity determined by agar dilution method.The carriage rate was 37.71%. The isolates were sensitive to most tested antibiotics, except for macrolides. In this cohort of specimens still the widespread, so-called "pediatric serotypes" dominated (14, 19F, 23F, 6A, 6B in ranking order), but three of the previously rare types: 15B, 11A and 13 were represented already by 21.5% of all strains and also a few other rare non-vaccine types (e.g. 10A or 37) were detected.The calculated vaccine coverage was 55.6% for PCV-7, 69.6% for PCV-13 and 86.7% for Pneumovax. In this cohort, only 15.9% of the children (n = 57) were vaccinated. The carriage rate of PCV-7 vaccinated children was significantly lower (30.4%) than that of the non-vaccinated group (39.2%). The clonality of the isolates was significant within each group, revealing the extensive bacterium exchange among children.

W03-03 - Depression, suicide and suicide prevention in hungary

Suicide is the second cause of death in the ages 15-19 in Europe. Hungary led the suicide statistics before the political changes and we are still the second in the European Union, but it is luckily not the situation among Hungarian children and adolescents. In spite of this, adolescent suicide is a big mental health problem in Hungary as well. To illustrate it we would like to present our data on suicidal behaviour of Hungarian children/adolescents, who were admitted for the first time in their life to a child psychiatric department. Using a structured diagnostic interview the authors examined 221 children/adolescents, aged 11-18, who were admitted for the first time to the Vadaskert Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Hospital, Budapest. More than one-third, exactly 36.7% (n = 81) of the hospitalized children/adolescents had suicidal behaviour. The most common co-occurring conditions among suicidal children under 14 were attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (n = 19; 59.4%), oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) (n=15; 46.9%) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) (n = 14; 43.8%), while above age 15 it was ODD, dysthimia and GAD (in all cases: n = 21; 42.9%). The striking finding was the extremely high prevalence of suicidal behavior among children/adolescents aged 11-18, who were at the first time in their life admitted to a psychiatric department. Both externalization and internalization disorders should be carefully screened in suicide prevention among children and adolescents.

Twenty-one years of prospective incidence of childhood type 1 diabetes in Hungary - the rising trend continues (or peaks and highlands?)

The aim of this study was to examine secular trends in the incidence of type 1 diabetes in children aged 0-14 yr in Hungary over the period 1989-2009. Newly diagnosed children with type 1 diabetes aged 0-14 yr in Hungary were prospectively registered from 1989 to 2009. Primary ascertainment of cases was by prospective registration using hospital notifications. Case ascertainment was over 96% complete using the capture-recapture method. Standardized incidence rates were calculated and secular trends estimated using Poisson regression analysis. In Hungary during 1989-2009 a total number of 3432 children were identified, giving a standardized incidence rate of 12.5 [95% confidence interval (CI) 12.1-12.9] per 100,000 person yr. The overall incidence rate has doubled from 7.7 (95% CI 6.4-9.15) per 100,000 per yr in 1989 to 18.2 (95% CI 15.7-20.9) per 100,000 per yr in 2009. A significant linear trend in incidence (p < 0.001) has been observed over time, with a mean annual increase of 4.4%. The increase in incidence was present in both genders and in all age groups, with the largest relative increase in the youngest age group (6.2%; p < 0.001). The incidence of type 1 diabetes in Hungarian children continues to increase, with the highest rate in the very young. Although it seems that transient periods of stabilization followed by increases in incidence are apparent, the long-term trend continues to be steadily upward. Incidence of childhood type 1 diabetes is a dynamic process, probably reflecting the changes of the environmental exposures and continued registration is necessary to recognize these trends.

“Always up or peaks and highlands?” Incidence of childhood type 1 diabetes in Hungary (1989–2009)

Aim of this study was to examine secular trends in the incidence of type 1 diabetes in children aged 0–14 years in Hungary over the period 1989–2009. Methods: Newly diagnosed children with type 1 diabetes aged 0–14 years in Hungary were prospectively registered from 1989 to 2009. Standardized incidence rates were calculated and secular trends were estimated using Poisson regression analysis. Results: Between 1989 and 2009 a total number of 3432 children were identified, giving a standardized incidence rate of 12.5 (95%CI 12.1–12.9) per 100 000 person/year. The overall incidence rate has doubled from 7.7 (95%CI 6.4–9.15) per 100 000 per year in 1989 to 18.2 (95%CI 15.7–20.9) per 100 000 per year in 2009. A significant linear trend in incidence (p&lt;0.001) has been observed over time, with a mean annual increase of 4.4%. The increase in incidence was present in both genders and in all age groups, with the largest relative increase in the youngest age group (6.2%; p&lt;0.001). Conclusion: The incidence of type 1 diabetes in Hungarian children continues to increase, with the highest rate in the very young. Orv. Hetil., 2011, 152, 1692–1697.

Early morphological productivity in Hungarian: evidence from sentence repetition and elicited production

This paper investigates early productivity of morpheme use in Hungarian children aged between 2 ; 1 and 5 ; 3. Hungarian has a rich morphology which is the core marker of grammatical functions. A new method is introduced using the novel word paradigm in a sentence repetition task with masked inflections (i.e. a disguised elicited production task). Results suggest that Hungarian nominal and verbal suffixes can be used productively before the age of three. Children showed greater productivity with nominal than with verbal suffixes, and no productivity with novel suffixes; greater input variability facilitated productive use. These findings confirm that although morphological productivity is an early achievement, it is a gradual process influenced by several characteristics (e.g. syntactic category and variability) of the input. They also confirm that the new method is an effective way of testing morphological knowledge even at younger ages where other ways of eliciting grammatical knowledge often fail.

Paralytic Poliomyelitis Associated With Sabin Monovalent and Bivalent Oral Polio Vaccines in Hungary

Historical records of patients with vaccine-associated paralytic poliomyelitis (VAPP) in Hungary during 1961-1981 were reviewed to assess the risk of VAPP after oral polio vaccine (OPV) administration. A confirmed VAPP case was defined as a diagnosis of paralytic poliomyelitis and residual paralysis at 60 days in a patient with an epidemiologic link to the vaccine. Archived poliovirus isolates were retested using polymerase chain reaction and sequencing of the viral protein 1 capsid region. This review confirmed 46 of 47 cases previously reported as VAPP. Three cases originally linked to monovalent OPV (mOPV) 3 and one case linked to mOPV1 presented after administration of bivalent OPV 1 + 3 (bOPV). The adjusted VAPP risk per million doses administered was 0.18 for mOPV1 (2 cases/11.13 million doses), 2.96 for mOPV3 (32 cases/10.81 million doses), and 12.82 for bOPV (5 cases/390,000 doses). Absence of protection from immunization with inactivated poliovirus vaccine or exposure to OPV virus from routine immunization and recent injections could explain the higher relative risk of VAPP in Hungarian children. In polio-endemic areas in which mOPV3 and bOPV are needed to achieve eradication, the higher risk of VAPP would be offset by the high risk of paralysis due to wild poliovirus and higher per-dose efficacy of mOPV3 and bOPV compared with trivalent OPV.

Secular changes in the nutritional status of Hungarian children and adolescents during the last two decades

Pendant les dernieres decennies, la prevalence de surpoids et d’obesite a augmente parmi les enfants ainsi que les adultes dans la plupart des pays europeens. Cette tendance est defavorable, parce que les enfants obeses deviennent en general des adultes obeses, et l’obesite adulte est accompagnee par une prevalence augmentee de pathologies physique et psychosocial. Presenter l’evolution de l’etat nutritionnel des enfants et adolescents hongrois pendant les dernieres 20 annees, basee sur les donnees de la premiere (NGRS-I, 1983–1986) et de la deuxieme (NGRS-II, 2003–2006) Etude nationale de croissance. NGRS-I: 39 158 et NGRS-II: 27 958 enfants, entre 3 et 18 ans. Le poids, la taille, l’IMC, les plis cutanes, la composition corporelle et le somatotype selon Heath-Carter ont ete utilises pour estimer l’etat nutritionnel. Les percentiles ont ete obtenus par la methode LMS. La masse maigre et la masse grasse du corps ont ete estimees par les formules de Siri et de Durnin-Rahaman. 1) Le somatotype a evolue vers une constitution plutot grasse et robuste; 2) la partie grasse du corps a contribue plus a l’evolution seculaire que la partie maigre; 3) pour l’IMC, le median ainsi que le percentile 90 depassent nettement ceux de l’enquete effectuee il y a 20 ans; 4) la prevalence de surpoids et d’obesite chez les enfants a augmente dans toutes les classes d’âge jusqu’aux âges de 15 ans. L’augmentation de taille n’est pas accompagnee par une augmentation proportionnelle de poids, et la composition de la masse corporelle n’a pas evolue d’une facon parallele. Autrement dit, les enfants sont devenus non seulement plus lourds, mais plus gras aussi. Cela est reflete par un somatotype plutot endomorphe et par une augmentation de la prevalence de surpoids et d’obesite.

Physical Activity Levels of Hungarian Boys and Girls During 3 Weekdays and the Weekend

Antal et al. (2009) found that prevalence of overweight and obesity in Hungarian children was 18.1 and 7.4% for boys and 19.6 and 6.3% for girls. Little objective data has examined the physical activity (PA) levels of Hungarian children using accelerometry, and more data are needed concerning the habitual PA levels of school children. PURPOSE: To determinate the physical activity levels of children during 3 weekdays and weekend. METHODS: Sixty-three children (35 boys aged=11.5±1.1 yr and 28 girls aged=10.9±1.0 yr) from 2 schools returned signed informed parental consent and were invited to participate in the study. Physical activity was quantified using uni-axial accelerometry for 3 consecutive school days and 2 weekend days. The accelerometer was worn mounted on the right hip using a fitted elastic belt during all waking hours except for water-based activities. Epoch length was set at 5 seconds. Time spent in sedentary, light, moderate, and vigorous physical activity was determined using existing age- appropriate cut- points (Freedson at al. 1997). Children who did not achieve minimum 480 minute wear time/day were excluded from the statistical analysis. Differences in body dimensions between boys and girls were assessed using independent samples t-tests. Differences between means of daily activity were analysed by ANOVA. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05. RESULTS: Boys were significantly older than girls but their body dimensions, relative body fat content and body mass index was not different. Altogether only 9.5% of the investigated children were assessed overweight. Boys were consistently more active than girls but the differences were not significant on weekdays and on weekends. Hungarian children's moderate-to-vigorous physical activity was double the international 60 min./day recommendation on weekdays (boys=129.4±44.5 min, girls=116.±27.3min) and significantly decreased by Sunday (boys=90.3±44.8, girls=80.9±37.5) CONCLUSION: The differences were not significant which means that in boys and girls physical activity in weekdays, potentially as the children took part in the same PE lessons and afternoon school clubs. The organized daily routine on weekdays produced daily physical activity opportunities compared to the weekend.

Physical activity and sedentary behaviors among urban Hungarian school children

Childhood obesity has become a worldwide epidemic. Declining physical activity is one of the major contributors. To obtain data on Hungarian primary school students' weight status, sport club participation and sedentary behaviors. A cross-sectional survey was distributed to all primary schools (n=18) in Obuda, Budapest. Children (1648 boys, 1654 girls; 11.3+/-2.3 years) completed questionnaires about sedentary behaviors and sport participation. Height, weight and waist circumference were measured. According to the IOTF criteria, 14.5% of the children were overweight and 4.6% were obese. The rate of those children who did not attend any extracurricular sport increased parallel with age in both gender. At the lower end of the range, 15.3% of the 9-year-old boys and 21% of the 10-year old girls did not sport. These numbers increased up to 31.0% in boys and 53.8% in girls by the age of 15 years. Screening time on weekdays and on weekends was 2.2+/-1.9 and 3.6+/-2.6 hours/day, respectively. One third of participants (32.2%) spent >2 h/day in front of a screen on weekdays, whereas 61.8% did on weekends. The frequency of sedentary behaviors was high among urban Hungarian school children. Health promotion strategies should start in early ages.

Molecular characterization of poliovirus isolates from children who contracted vaccine-associated paralytic poliomyelitis (VAPP) following administration of monovalent type 3 oral poliovirus vaccine in the 1960s in Hungary

Hungarian children were immunized with monovalent oral poliovaccine (mOPV) delivered at 6-week intervals in the order Sabin 1, Sabin 3, Sabin 2, from 1959 until 1992. During that period, 90 cases of vaccine-associated paralytic poliomyelitis (VAPP) were reported, 52 of which were associated with Sabin 3-related virus (76% of VAPP cases with virologic data). Because of renewed interest in type 3 mOPV (mOPV3), molecular methods were used to reanalyze 18 of the Sabin 3-related isolates from 15 VAPP patients, confirming the original identification. All isolates had the U472C 5'-untranslated region (5'-UTR) substitution associated with reversion to neurovirulence, and from zero to seven nucleotide substitutions in the virus protein 1 (VP1) region. No evidence was found for prolonged mOPV3 replication in the VAPP patients or for spread of Sabin 3-related viruses beyond close vaccinee contacts. The VAPP diseases were prevented by a single dose of inactivated poliovirus vaccine from 1992 to 2006 in Hungary, as proved by continuous surveillance of acute flaccid paralysis.