Lifestyle Of Women Research Articles

Parenting satisfaction of dual earner couples in child rearing stage of family life cycle

The traditional Indian system is being profoundly shaken and the women life style is being re-written because of numerous forces. Literacy and employment rates have increased significantly for the women. Due to this, more and more women are now seeking employment outside their home and formation of nuclear type family is commonly seen. The parental role is one of the most important roles in adulthood. The present study focused on the comparison of parenting satisfaction in joint and nuclear families in child rearing stage of family life cycle. The sample comprised of 60 dual earner couples (30 couples from joint families and 30 couples from nuclear families) selected randomly from Udaipur district in Rajasthan state. A selfconstructed parenting satisfaction inventory was used for collecting the data. Results showed that there was significant difference between parenting satisfaction of dual earner couples in joint and nuclear families. Couples in joint families were highly satisfied with all the aspects of child care such as feeding, bathing, toilet training, dressing, rest and sleep, tasks related with motor skills, socio-emotional behavior of infant and verbal cognitive competence of infant as compared to couples in nuclear families.

No association between adherence to the healthy Nordic food index and cardiovascular disease amongst Swedish women: a cohort study.

In several intervention trials, a healthyNordic diet showed beneficial effects on markers of cardiovascular disease. We investigated the association between a healthy Nordic diet and clinical diagnosis of cardiovascular disease. Our aim was first to examine the association between a healthy Nordic food index (wholegrain bread, oatmeal, apples/pears, root vegetables, cabbages and fish) and the incidence of overall cardiovascular disease (ischaemic heart disease, stroke, arrhythmia, thrombosis and hypertensive disease), and secondly to test for possible effect modification by smoking, body mass index (BMI), alcohol consumption and age. We conducted an analysis of data from the prospective Swedish Women's Lifestyle and Health cohort, including 43310 women who completed a food frequency questionnaire in 1991-1992, and followed up until 31 December 2012 through Swedish registries. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using Cox proportional hazards models. During follow-up, 8383 women developed cardiovascular disease. We found no association between the healthy Nordic food index and overall cardiovascular disease risk or any of the subgroups investigated. There was a statistically significant interaction with smoking status (P=0.02), with a beneficial effect only amongst former smokers (HR 0.96, 95% CI 0.94-0.99 per 1-point increment). The present results do not support an association between a healthy Nordic food index and risk of cardiovascular disease in Swedish women. There was also no effect modification by alcohol intake, BMI or age. Our finding of an interaction with smoking status requires reproduction.

The Shift from Printed to Digital Magazine and Its Impact to Women Reader in Jakarta

Technology and globalization have brought fundamental changes in the information media. Femina is the first women's magazine in Indonesia that launched the digital magazine. The objective of the paper is to describe some aspects that influence urban women in Jakarta to change the habit of reading from print to digital magazine. The paper will also discuss the impact of digital media to the women's lifestyle in Jakarta. The study is undertaken by analyzing data from the survey by Femina and interviewing readers of digital Femina. The digital magazine Femina has introduced modern lifestyle to the women and influenced the pattern of women's behavior in Jakarta, in particular, women working in modern offices.

Prospective study of breast cancer in relation to coffee, tea and caffeine in Sweden.

Studies of coffee and tea consumption and caffeine intake as risk factors for breast cancer are inconclusive. We assessed coffee and tea consumption, caffeine intake, and possible confounding factors among 42,099 women from the Swedish Women's Lifestyle and Health study, the participants of which were aged 30-49 years at enrollment in 1991-1992. Complete follow-up for breast cancer incidence was performed through 2012 via linkage to national registries. Poisson regression models were used to estimate relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for breast cancer. During follow-up 1,395 breast cancers were diagnosed. The RR was 0.97 (95% CI 0.94-0.99) for a 1-unit increase in cups of coffee/day, 1.14 (95% CI 1.05-1.24) for a 1-unit increase in cups of tea/day, and 0.97 (95% CI 0.95-1.00) for a 100 mg/day increase in caffeine intake. Although the RR for no consumption (RR = 0.86, 95% CI 0.69-1.08), a group with a relatively small number of women, was not statistically significant, women with higher consumption had a decreased breast cancer risk (3-4 cups/day: RR = 0.87, 95% CI 0.76-1.00; ≥5 cups/day: RR = 0.81, 95% CI 0.70-0.94) compared to women consuming 1-2 cups of coffee/day. Compared to no consumption, women consuming >1 cups tea/day showed an increased breast cancer risk (RR = 1.19, 95% CI 1.00-1.42). Similar patterns of estimates were observed for breast cancer risk overall, during pre- and postmenopausal years, and for ER+ or PR+ breast cancer, but not for ER- and PR- breast cancer. Our findings suggest that coffee consumption and caffeine intake is negatively associated with the risk of overall and ER+/PR- breast cancer, and tea consumption is positively associated with the risk of overall and ER+/PR+ breast cancer.

No Association between Adherence to a Healthy Nordic Food Index and Colorectal Cancer: Results from a Swedish Cohort Study.

Recently, the Nordic diet has gained interest, and a healthy Nordic food index has been developed, which has been found inversely related to colorectal cancer among Danish women. This single finding, however, requires replication in other cohorts. We conducted a prospective study in the Women's Lifestyle and Health cohort, including 45,222 women, recruited in 1991-92, and followed up ever since through Swedish registries. Participants were classified according to the Nordic food index (consisting of whole grain bread, oatmeal, apples/pears, cabbages, root vegetables, and fish/shellfish), and the association between adherence and colorectal cancer was assessed using the Cox proportional hazards models. In the fully adjusted models, we found no association, neither with the continuous index score [incidence rate ratio (IRR), 1.04; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.95-1.12, per 1-point increment] nor in the categorical analyses (IRR, 1.09; 95% CI, 0.78-1.52 for highest vs. lowest adherers). The present study does, thus, not support a previous finding of an inverse association between a healthy Nordic food index and colorectal cancer. This article adds new evidence to the field of the Nordic diet in disease prevention.

Empowerment and Coping Strategies in Menopause Women: A Review

Context:Menopause is described as a period of psychological difficulties that changes the lifestyle of women in multiple ways. Menopausal women require more information about their physical and psychosocial needs. Empowerment during the menopause can contribute to improving the perception of this stage and the importance of self-care. It is essential to increase women’s awareness and adaptation to menopause, using empowerment programs. The aim of this study was to review the empowerment and coping strategies in menopause women.Evidence Acquisition:In this review, PubMed, EMBASE, ISI, and Iranian databases were scanned for relevant literature. A comprehensive search was performed, using the combinations of the keywords "empowerment, menopause, coping with" to review relevant literature and higher education journals.Results:Most interventions for menopause women have focused on educational intervention, physical activity/exercise, healthy diet, stress management, healthy behaviors, preventing certain diseases and osteoporosis. Health education intervention strategy is one of the alternative strategies for improving women's attitudes and coping with menopause symptoms, identified as severalof the subcategories of health promotion programs.Conclusions:Empowerment of menopausal women will guarantee their health during the last third of their life. It will also help them benefit from their final years of reproductive life. The results of the present study can pave the way for future research about women’s health promotion and empowerment.

Adherence to the healthy Nordic food index and total and cause-specific mortality among Swedish women.

Several healthy dietary patterns have been linked to longevity. Recently, a Nordic dietary pattern was associated with a lower overall mortality. No study has, however, investigated this dietary pattern in relation to cause-specific mortality. The aim of the present study was to examine the association between adherence to a healthy Nordic food index (consisting of wholegrain bread, oatmeal, apples/pears, root vegetables, cabbages and fish/shellfish) and overall mortality, and death by cardiovascular disease, cancer, injuries/suicide and other causes. We conducted a prospective analysis in the Swedish Women's Lifestyle and Health cohort, including 44,961 women, aged 29-49 years, who completed a food frequency questionnaire between 1991-1992, and have been followed up for mortality ever since, through Swedish registries. The median follow-up time is 21.3 years, and mortality rate ratios (MRR) were calculated using Cox Proportional Hazards Models. Compared to women with the lowest index score (0-1 points), those with the highest score (4-6 points) had an 18% lower overall mortality (MRR 0.82; 0.71-0.93, p < 0.0004). A 1-point increment in the healthy Nordic food index was associated with a significantly lower risk of all-cause mortality: 6% (3-9%), cancer mortality: 5% (1-9%) and mortality from other causes: 16% (8-22%). When examining the diet components individually, only wholegrain bread and apples/pears were significantly inversely associated with all-cause mortality. We observed no effect-modification by smoking status, BMI or age at baseline. The present study encourages adherence to a healthy Nordic food index, and warrants further investigation of the strong association with non-cancer, non-cardiovascular and non-injury/suicide deaths.

Gender-based differences in understanding the purchasing patterns of eco-friendly cosmetics and beauty care products in Mauritius: a study of female customers

Purpose – This paper aims to explore the factors influencing the purchasing patterns of eco-friendly cosmetics and beauty care products among female customers in Mauritius. It also investigates upon the relative significance of these factors in predicting the preference to buy and recommend eco-friendly cosmetics and beauty care products to others. Design/methodology/approach – The paper applies the data reduction technique by using exploratory factor analysis on a sample of 150 female consumers and condenses a set of 35 attributes into a list of eight comprehensible factors influencing the purchasing patterns of eco-friendly and beauty care products among females in Mauritius. Multiple regression analysis was also conducted to investigate upon the importance of the eight dimensions in influencing the behavioural intentions of females to purchase eco-friendly products and their likeliness to engage in referral for eco-friendly products. Findings – The factor analysis identified that the purchasing patterns for eco-friendly cosmetics and beauty care products is influenced by a combination of eight factors namely: “women lifestyles, self-image health and economic considerations”, “ethical consumerism among females”, “pharmacological essence of green cosmetics and beauty care products”, “visual appeal and physical cues in cosmetic stores”, “price-conscious decisions and effective promotion”, “belief on ethical claims in green messages”, “brand image and usage experience” and “sales representatives and social influences”. The results of the regression analysis have also suggested that the behavioural intention and referral of female customers is primarily derived from one predictor factor related to “women lifestyles, self-image, health and economic conditions”. Practical implications – In terms of marketing strategies, cosmetic and beauty care organisations should promote greater ethical concerns among female customers through effective green advertising messages. Greater emphasis should be placed on the pharmacological essence of green advertising. Cosmetic executives should also focus on health-related benefits while marketing cosmetics and beauty care products. Originality/value – The paper aims to fill up the significant gap in the literature on purchasing patterns for eco-friendly cosmetics and beauty care products among female customers. This study remains one of few research work designed to address different factors influencing the purchasing patterns for green cosmetics and beauty care products in the context of developing countries such as Mauritius. Yet, it would serve as a roadmap for cosmetics and beauty care companies to understand the factors impacting on purchasing patterns of eco-friendly cosmetics and beauty care products in similar contexts.

The effect of educational intervention on health promoting lifestyle: Focusing on middle-aged women.

Background:Lifestyle affects people's health and life length, however, no sufficient studies have been done on the effect of lifestyle on middle-ageing, as the transitional period from adulthood to old-ageing, this study has been conducted to study the effect of educational intervention on health promoting lifestyle of middle-aged women in Lenjan city of Isfahan Province, Iran.Methods:This quasi-experimental study was conducted on 88 middle-aged women were selected through randomized sampling from two health centers in Lenjan, and then were categorized into experimental and control groups. To collect data, a researcher-made demographic and life style questionnaire was used. The educational intervention was performed in five sessions. Data were collected from both groups in two stages: Before the intervention and 3 months after the education. Data were analyzed with using SPSS-20 and P < 0.05 were considered statistically significant.Results:The results showed that educational program had a positive significant effect on increasing the mean scores in the intervention group, considering the physical activity, mental health, and interpersonal relationship, P < 0.001. However, regarding the nutrition, the mean increase was not significant (P = 0.113).Conclusion:According to the findings, it is evident that educational intervention is beneficial for various aspects of middle-aged women's lifestyle. Therefore, applying a healthy lifestyle seems essential for having a healthy aging period, and educational intervention can be effective.

Adherence to the healthy Nordic food index, dietary composition, and lifestyle among Swedish women

BackgroundStudies examining diet scores in relation to health outcomes are gaining ground. Thus, control for dietary factors not part of the score, and lifestyle associated with adherence, is required to allow for a causal interpretation of studies on diet scores and health outcomes.ObjectiveThe study objective is to describe and investigate dietary composition, micronutrient density, lifestyle, socioeconomic factors, and adherence to the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations across groups defined by their level of adherence to a healthy Nordic food index (HNFI). The paper examines both dietary components included in the HNFI as well as dietary components, which are not part of the HNFI, to get a broad picture of the diet.DesignThe study is cross-sectional and conducted in the Swedish Women's Lifestyle and Health cohort. We included 45,277 women, aged 29–49 years at baseline (1991–1992). The HNFI was defined by six items: wholegrain bread, oatmeal, apples/pears, cabbages, root vegetables and fish/shellfish, using data from a food frequency questionnaire. Proportions, means and standard deviations were calculated in the entire cohort and by adherence groups.ResultsWomen scoring high on the HNFI had a higher energy intake, compared to low adherers. They had a higher intake of fiber and a higher micronutrient density (components of the HNFI), but also a higher intake of items not included in the HNFI: red/processed meats, sweets, and potatoes. They were on average more physically active and less likely to smoke.ConclusionsAdherence to the HNFI was associated with a generally healthier lifestyle and a high intake of health-beneficial components. However, it was also associated with a higher energy intake and a higher intake of foods without proven health benefits. Therefore, future studies on the HNFI and health outcomes should take into account potential confounding of dietary and lifestyle factors associated with the HNFI.

Menstruation related myths in India: strategies for combating it.

Menstruation is a phenomenon unique to girls. However, it has always been surrounded by taboos and myths that exclude women from many aspects of socio-cultural life. In India, the topic has been a taboo until date. Such taboos about menstruation present in many societies impact on girls’ and women's emotional state, mentality and lifestyle and most importantly, health. The challenge, of addressing the socio-cultural taboos and beliefs in menstruation, is further compounded by the low girls’ knowledge levels and understandings of puberty, menstruation, and reproductive health. Thus, there is the need to follow a strategic approach in combating these issues. The current paper aims to discuss menstruation related myths prevalent in India, their impact on women's life, relevance of addressing these issues in primary care and a brief description about various strategies to combat them.

Improving health and wellbeing in women's secure services: physical activity, appearance, self-care and body image

Purpose– Lifestyle change to improve physical health is a significant challenge in secure psychiatric hospitals for women. In addition to factors that contribute to an obesogenic environments body image, self-care, self-esteem, and motivational problems compound efforts to increase physical activity and to lose weight. The paper aims to discuss these issues.Design/methodology/approach– Two elements of a comprehensive programme to improve physical health and mental wellbeing are discussed. The first describes the development of a unique role of self-care and body image therapists and an evaluation of the effects of treatment. The second describes initiatives to assess the environmental and therapeutic milieu contingencies that impact on physical activity and to increase engagement in exercise through motivational strategies.Findings– Research within the current settings has resulted in a validation of the role of the self-care and body image therapist. Other evaluations have described the environmental contingencies that impact on physical activity along with strategies to increase exercise participation.Originality/value– While much has to be learnt about how to translate awareness of the value of a healthy lifestyle for women into positive behaviour change the programme described represents part of a comprehensive and long term attempt to evaluate and improve the physical wellbeing of women in secure care.

Pregnancy and childbirth: What changes in the lifestyle of women who become mothers?

Pregnancy is a period influenced by the interaction of several factors, therefore this study aimed to identify changes in lifestyles due to pregnancy and childbirth in Portuguese and immigrant women in Portugal. This is a qualitative study, using the semi-structured interview, with eighty-two Portuguese and immigrant women. Content analysis was used, with verbatim classification supported by Nvivo 10. It was authorized by an Ethics Commission. Results revealed that the primary changes in lifestyles due to pregnancy were in eating habits (nutrition), daily activity, exposure to danger, sleep and rest patterns, social and family relationships, going out, self-care, work, clothing and footwear, travel, health monitoring and sexual activity and substances consumption. The main change after the birth, manifested by these women, was that their lives began to revolve around their baby.

Investigation of serum proteome alterations in human endometriosis.

Globally, about 12 in 100 women of reproductive age are diagnosed with endometriosis. The pathogenesis of the disease still remains unclear, leading to non-specific therapeutic approaches for disease management. Moreover, there is a delay of 8-12years in correct diagnosis after the initial onset of symptoms leading to a considerable impact on the woman's lifestyle. Also, the gold standard for diagnosis of endometriosis, laparoscopy, is an invasive procedure. The value of a noninvasive or semi-invasive diagnostic test for endometriosis with easily accessible fluids such as plasma, serum, urine, and saliva is, therefore, rightfully recognized. The present study is expected to considerably improve the understanding of the disease pathogenesis along with improved diagnostics and therapeutic approaches leading to better management of the disease.

Dietary and health profiles of Spanish women in preconception, pregnancy and lactation.

The nutritional status and lifestyle of women in preconception, pregnancy and lactation determine maternal, fetal and child health. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate dietary patterns and lifestyles according the perinatal physiological status in a large sample of Spanish women. Community pharmacists that were previously trained to collect the data recruited 13,845 women. General information, anthropometric measurements, physical activity, unhealthy habits and dietary data were assessed using a validated questionnaire. Mean values and percentages were used as descriptive statistics. The t-test, ANOVA or chi-squared test were used to compare groups. A score that included dietary and behavioral characteristics was generated to compare lifestyles in the three physiological situations. The analysis revealed that diet quality should be improved in the three stages, but in a different manner. While women seeking a pregnancy only met dairy recommendations, those who were pregnant only fulfilled fresh fruits servings and lactating women only covered protein group requirements. In all cases, the consumption allowances of sausages, buns and pastries were exceeded. Food patterns and unhealthy behaviors of Spanish women in preconception, pregnancy and lactation should be improved, particularly in preconception. This information might be useful in order to implement educational programs for each population group.

The association between resistance exercise and cardiovascular disease risk in women.

The objective of this study was to examine the association between resistance exercise and cardiovascular disease risk, independent of body composition, physical activity and aerobic capacity, in healthy women. A cross-sectional analysis including 7321 women with no history of heart disease, hypertension or diabetes was performed. Participation in resistance exercise was self-reported and body weight and height was measured. A single cardiovascular disease risk score was established via factor analysis including percent body fat, mean arterial pressure, fasting glucose, total cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Physical activity level was determined based on questionnaire data and aerobic capacity was assessed via a maximal treadmill exercise test. Women reporting resistance exercise had lower total cardiovascular disease risk at any age. Specifically, resistance exercise was associated with lower body fat, fasting glucose and total cholesterol. The association between resistance exercise and cardiovascular disease risk, however, remained only in normal weight women after adjusting for physical activity and aerobic capacity. Results of the present study underline the importance of resistance exercise as part of a healthy and active lifestyle in women across all ages. Our results suggest that resistance exercise may be particularly beneficial to independently improve cardiovascular disease risk profiles in women with normal weight. In overweight/obese women, total physical activity and aerobic capacity may have a stronger association with cardiovascular disease risk.

Endometrial Cancer in Relation to Coffee, Tea, and Caffeine Consumption: A Prospective Cohort Study Among Middle-Aged Women in Sweden

This study aimed to add to prospective data on the possible inverse association between coffee consumption and endometrial cancer risk, already supported by several case-control studies. Coffee and tea consumption and possible confounding factors were assessed among 42,270 women aged 30–49 years at enrollment in 1991–1992 in the Swedish Women's Lifestyle and Health cohort study, with complete follow-up through 2009. We calculated caffeine intake per day; Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate multivariable relative risks (mRR) for endometrial cancer with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). One hundred forty-four endometrial cancers were diagnosed during follow-up. Women with and without endometrial cancer had a similar mean daily coffee consumption (549 vs. 547 g), tea consumption (104 vs. 115 g), and caffeine intake (405 vs. 406 mg). Compared to those consuming <2 cups of coffee per day, women consuming >3 cups had a mRR of 1.56 (95% CI: 0.94–2.59; P for trend = 0.17). Compared with the lowest tertile of caffeine intake, the highest tertile had a mRR of 1.32 (95% CI: 0.87–1.99; P for trend = 0.27). Our study provides no convincing evidence of an association between coffee consumption, tea consumption, or caffeine intake and endometrial cancer risk among middle-aged women.

The Constables and the ‘Garage Girl’

In the summer of 1928, the arrest on a disorder charge of a young woman in north London who gave her name as Helene Adele led to a press sensation after she claimed that the officers had falsely accused her in order to discredit her claim that one of them had sexually assaulted her. The constables were ultimately prosecuted, convicted and discharged from the Metropolitan Police. This article considers the Adele case in the context of intense concerns about the possible abuse of police powers—particularly in cases involving women—in the late 1920s. Adele was catapulted onto the front pages of Britain's sensationalist press: her serialised memoir appeared in a newspaper and was reprinted in a women's magazine. However, her case was more than just a tabloid spectacle. Contributing to historians' reconsideration of the sensationalist inter-war press, this article shows how the coverage of the case fit into the press's interest in young working-class women's lifestyles and sexuality, highlighting how ‘human interest’ journalism could be intermixed with social critique.

ALCOHOL, HEALTH, AND REPRODUCTION

This article analyzes two recent Swedish public health campaigns targeting pregnant women's drinking: A good start, a pamphlet by the Swedish National Institute of Public Health, and Advice about food for you who are pregnant, a brochure by the Swedish National Food Administration. It conceptualizes the public health campaigns as governmental attempts to steer citizens' behavior and behavior-related desires, aspirations, and beliefs toward a certain understanding of normal healthy lifestyle. The public health campaigns are seen as part of larger processes of bio-power. By applying critical discourse analysis, the article, first, asks how drinking during pregnancy is represented in the campaigns as a health risk. Second, it analyses how the pamphlets advise women to take action to restrain from drinking during pregnancy and what kind of knowledge the pamphlets use to legitimate intervening in the women's lifestyles. And finally, it analyses how the pamphlets try to persuade the women to identify with the proposed information and recommendations. The analysis shows that the campaigns construct an intimate partnership between the state and the citizen. By extending the medical public health gaze to reach inside the female body to emphasize how easily fetal development can be disturbed, and by making women's individual lifestyle choices both the cause of and solution to potential damage during fetal development, the pamphlets make mothers solely responsible and culpable for the health status of the fetus. Partners and fathers are practically absent from the campaign pamphlets. Both campaigns bypass the responsibilities of communities and other broad social institutions in preventing drinking during pregnancy. The campaigns, though having many similarities, differ from each other in terms of the kinds of choices they have made in representations, action, and identification.

20歳代および30歳代女性のライフイベントと生活習慣 結婚，妊娠，出産，育児の影響

20歳代および30歳代女性のライフイベントと生活習慣 結婚，妊娠，出産，育児の影響