Year-old Adolescents Research Articles

Physical Activity in the Daily Life of Adolescents: Factors Affecting Healthy Choices from a Discrete Choice Experiment.

Physical activity improves peoples’ well-being and can help in preventing weight gain, obesity, and related non-communicable diseases. Promoting healthy behaviors in the daily travels and transport choices of adolescents is very important in early establishing healthy habits that imply routine physical activity. For designing and developing effective strategies, it is relevant to study adolescents’ preferences for physical activity and what factors in the social and environmental contexts affect their preferences. The paper investigates these aspects by means of a discrete choice experiment, using data from more than 4300 16–17 year-old adolescents in Italy. The results show that adolescents generally prefer walking for long time alone. However, females prefer cycling, while adolescents from lower educated families prefer motorized means of transport. Environmental factors affect the adolescents’ preferences: living nearby a green area is associated with more active and healthier choices in their short daily travels. Conversely, adolescents living closer to an industrial or high traffic area prefer to use motorized vehicles. Such findings have been discussed and policy implications presented, in order to support policymakers in designing cross-sectoral policies to promote healthy choices related to physical activity in adolescence.

Association of Fitness and Fatness with Clustered Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors in Nigerian Adolescents.

Purpose: This study examinedthe independent and joint association of fitness and fatness with clustered cardiovascular disease risk (CVDrs) in 11–18 year-old Nigerian adolescents. Methods: A hundred and ninety seven adolescents (100 girls and 97 boys) were evaluated forfitness, fatness and CVDrs. Fitness was evaluated with the progressive aerobic cardiovascular endurance run test while fatness was assessed using body mass index. A clustered CVDrs was computed from the standardized residuals of total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, Low density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, plasma glucose, systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure. Regression models controlling for waist circumference assessed the association of fitness and fatness with CVDrs. Results: Prevalence of clustered CVD risk was 7.1% (girls = 3.0%; boys = 4.1%). Based on risk factor abnormalities, 52.8% of participants had one or more CVD risk factor abnormalities with more boys (27.4%) affected. Low fitness was associated with clustered CVDrs in both girls (R2 = 9.8%, β = −0.287, p = 0.05) and boys (R2 = 17%, β = −0.406, p < 0.0005). Fatness was not associated with the CVDrs in both sexes. After controlling for all the variables in the model, only fitness (R2 = 10.4%) and abdominal fat (R2 = 19.5%) were associated with CVDrs respectively. Unfit girls were 3.2 (95% CI = 1.31–7.91, p = 0.011) times likely to develop CVD risk abnormality compared to their fit counterparts. The likelihood of unfit boys developing CVD risk abnormality was 3.9 (95% CI = 1.15–10.08, p = 0.005) times compared to their fit peers. Conclusions: Fitness but not fatness was a better predictor of CVDrs in Nigerian boys and girls. The result of this study suggests that any public health strategies aimed at preventing or reversing the increasing trends of CVD risk in adolescents should emphasize promotion of aerobic fitness.

A Joinpoint Regression Analysis of Syphilis and Gonorrhea Incidence in 15-19-Year Old Adolescents between 2005 and 2017: A Regional Study.

Background and Objectives: Surveillance of syphilis and gonorrhea in Romania is case-based and makes use of European case definitions. Adolescence is a period characterized by vulnerabilities and opportunities, a period when health decisions, including those related to sexually transmitted infections, may have a lifetime impact. The present study investigates the trends recorded in the incidence of syphilis and gonorrhea in 15–19 year-old adolescents in the central and northwestern regions of Romania. Materials and Methods: An observational study was conducted and this included surveillance data for syphilis and gonorrhea in the period 2005–2017 (n = 939). The distribution of demographic and epidemiological variables in adolescents with syphilis and gonorrhea was evaluated, as well as the tendency of the incidence of syphilis and gonorrhea in the studied population. Joinpoint regression analysis was used to characterize the incidence trend for syphilis and gonorrhea. Results: Between 2005 and 2017, 773 cases of syphilis and 166 cases of gonorrhea were reported. The incidence of syphilis and gonorrhea decreased. Most cases of syphilis have been found out by active detection. Most cases of gonorrhea have been found out by passive detection. The age distribution in the group diagnosed with syphilis was similar to that in the group diagnosed with gonorrhea. There was a higher frequency of syphilis in females and gonorrhea was more common in males. Syphilis was more common in rural areas. Gonorrhea was more common in urban areas. Conclusions: There was a decreasing tendency in the incidence of syphilis and gonorrhea in adolescents aged 15–19 during the studied period.

The role of Polish school nurses in the oral health promotion for 7\u201319 year-old children and adolescents

PurposeThe assessment of the role of school nurses in the oral health education and counselling of children and adolescents aged 7–19 years.MethodsA self-administered questionnaire was used to evaluate nurses’ practice in oral health education, previous training in caries prevention, collaboration with a dentist and self-assessment of knowledge. Data were analysed with the Chi square test.ResultsThe study group consisted of 140 Polish school nurses. Respondents declared the following activities: dietary counselling (99.2%), oral hygiene education (92.8%), NHS-funded supervised fluoride prophylaxis (82.8%), and caries screenings (4.3%). 47.1% participated in training on caries prevention, 25.7% had a collaboration with a dentist. Nurses from schools located in towns less frequently provided oral hygiene education (p < 0.005) and dietary counselling, but more often had a collaboration with a dentist (p < 0.05). The youngest nurses were more confident about their knowledge (p < 0.05). There was an association between participation in training on caries prevention and positive opinion on a school-based fluoride prophylaxis (p < 0.01). Nurses who did not include dental topics in their practice worked mainly with pupils older than 15 years, had shorter experience (p < 0.05), secondary education, worked in urban areas and had no training on dental problems (p < 0.01).ConclusionPolish school nurses have potentially crucial roles in improving the oral health status in pupils through oral hygiene education, dietary counselling and fluoride prophylaxis included in their duties.

Physical behaviors of 12-15 year-old adolescents in 54 low- and middle-income countries: Results from the Global School-based Student Health Survey.

BackgroundTo describe and compare the separate and combined prevalence of physical activity, active transportation, physical education, and sedentary behavior among adolescents 12-15 year-olds in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).MethodsWe used the latest data from the Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS), which collect data on the physical behaviors of young adolescents in LMICs. The weighted prevalence and 95% confidence intervals of separate, combined and all of the qualifying physical behaviors were calculated. Pooled overall and regional estimates were calculated using a random effects model.ResultsIn total, 154 559 young adolescents (45.90% boys) aged 12-15 from 54 countries covered in the GSHS were included in our analysis. Only 0.7% (95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.5%-1.0%) of the adolescents, comprising 0.9% (95% CI = 0.6%-1.3%) of the boys and 0.5% (95% CI = 0.3%-0.7%) of the girls, displayed all of the qualifying physical behaviors. The overall prevalence of physical activity, active transportation, physical education, and sedentary behavior was 15.2% (95% CI = 13.7%-16.7%), 39.5% (95% CI = 34.9%-44.0%), 18.8% (95% CI = 16.1%-21.5%), and 34.6% (95% CI = 28.4%-40.7%), respectively. The overall prevalence of high levels of combined physical behaviors was 6.6% (95% CI = 5.4%-7.8%), with lowest in the Eastern Mediterranean region (4.9%, 95% CI = 3.5%-6.2%) and highest in Southeast Asia (8.6%, 95% CI = 4.9%-12.3%).ConclusionThe prevalence of the separate physical behaviors and high levels of the combined physical behaviors was consistently low among young adolescents in LMICs, and that of all qualifying physical behaviors was even lower.

0331 Neurological Impact on the Reward Processing of Food Images Imposed by Mild Sleep Restriction in Adolescents

Abstract Introduction Previous studies indicate that lack of sleep might increase risk for unhealthy eating and obesity. This is particularly important during adolescence, when most youth sleep less than the recommended 8-10 hours/night and dietary habits are developed that extend into adulthood. This study investigated the relationship between multi-night sleep restriction and the appeal of food, including neuroimaging to examine the impact on brain responses to food-related stimuli. Methods Healthy 14-17 year-old adolescents (n=39) completed an experimental sleep manipulation across consecutive five-night periods to compare nightly sleep of approximately 9 hours (healthy sleep duration) vs. about 6.3 hours (mild sleep restriction). At the end of each week, participants underwent functional MRI while performing a visual food appeal task. The task included 42 photos in each of four food categories (sweets, snacks, fast-food, meat/fruit/vegetable) and one non-food category. Photos were presented every 3 seconds in blocks of 7 within each category; 6 interleaved blocks per category. Teens rated the appeal of each block of photos. General linear modeling explained regional brain response according to categorical presentation time-courses. Results The pattern of brain responses to the different food types was similar across the two sleep conditions. However, the sleep manipulation led to significant regional effects when contrasting the totality of food vs non-food images. Specifically, when compared to non-food, food images overall resulted in greater activation in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and substantia nigra (SN) during sleep restriction. Both regions have been previously shown to be involved in processing reward-related information. Conclusion Our findings suggest neuronal responses in reward circuitry for teens viewing food images are influenced by sleep duration. Sleep restriction may affect reward processing of food in teens by increasing brain activation in VTA/SN network components that underlie dopamine-mediated motivational drive. Support Supported by NIH R01HL120879

0916 The Use of Immersive Virtual Reality and Slow Breathing to Enhance Relaxation and Sleep in Adolescents

Abstract Introduction Sleep disturbances frequently emerge during adolescence amongst profound, normative, sleep maturation and biopsychosocial changes. Factors like stress, worry or rumination may make falling asleep and maintaining sleep more difficult. Here, we evaluate the efficacy of a novel intervention based on virtual reality (VR) and slow breathing to promote bedtime relaxation and facilitate sleep in high-school adolescents. Methods Twenty-nine 16-18 year-old adolescents with (N=9, 6 girls) and without (N=20, 11 girls) sleep difficulties underwent two counterbalanced in-lab relaxation and baseline polysomnography (PSG) nights. For the relaxation condition, immediately preceding bedtime, participants were engaged in slow diaphragmatic breathing (to promote physiological downregulation) whilst passively experiencing a relaxation immersive VR environment, designed to promote cognitive relaxation/distraction (20min). On the baseline night, participants engaged in quiet activities (e.g., reading a book) before bedtime (20min). Results The VR intervention resulted in a significant immediate increase in perceived relaxation and reduced worry (p&amp;lt;0.05). Also, heart rate dropped (~5bpm) in the pre-to-post intervention (p&amp;lt;0.05), while no significant change in heart rate was evident before and after the time spent in quiet activities on the baseline night. PSG-defined sleep onset latency was shorter (~6min reduction) and sleep efficiency was greater (~3% increase) on the VR relaxation night compared to the baseline night (p&amp;lt;0.05). In addition, baseline sleep onset latency was related to the magnitude of the baseline-to-relaxation reduction in sleep onset latency in participants (R2=0.70; p&amp;lt;0.01). There was no apparent difference in responses to the VR intervention between adolescents with or without insomnia. Conclusion Our data highlight the potential for combining cognitive relaxation/distraction strategies, using immersive VR technology and physiological downregulation, to promote bedtime relaxation and improve overall sleep quality in adolescents. Further research is needed to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of such interventions over time. Support National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) R01HL139652 (to MdZ)

Tobacco use and dental fear among 15-16 year-old adolescents in Finland.

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the association between tobacco use and dental fear when adjusting for gender, parent's level of education and oral health habits. This secondary analysis used questionnaire data from 15- and 16-year-old adolescents and their parents (n=2486). Ninety-four percent of the adolescents and 73% of the parents responded. For logistic regression analysis, variables were categorized as follows: dental fear (dependent) 0=not at all to somewhat afraid, 1=quite or very afraid; tobacco use (independent) 0=never, 1=occasionally or more often; and for confounders: tooth-brushing 0=at least twice a day, 1=once a day or less often; xylitol products 0=at least three times a day, 1=two times a day or less often; and parents' occupation: 0=both low, 1=high+low, and 2=both high. 2223 adolescents were included in the final analyses resulting in a 89% response rate. Those using tobacco at least occasionally were more likely to have dental fear than those who reported they had never used tobacco, also when adjusting for oral health habits, gender and parents' occupation (OR=1.74, 95% CI=1.31-2.33). Adolescent tobacco users were more likely to have dental fear than non-users. Dental teams should consider this when meeting adolescents who have dental fear and/or are using tobacco. The possible common vulnerability factors for dental fear and tobacco use needs further study.

Peer Relationship Experiences Of Deaf And Hard-Of-Hearing Adolescents.

Deaf and hard-of-hearing adolescents (DHH) experience more peer problems and lower levels of friendships than their hearing peers. This study used a qualitative approach to identify their experiences of peer problems and factors influencing them. A sample of 30, 13–19 year-old DHH adolescents with a moderate to profound hearing loss, drawn from a population-based cohort study in which their receptive language and social–emotional skills had been assessed, underwent semi-structured interviews. Interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. Participants reported that, overall, they had developed positive and rewarding relationships with their peers, notwithstanding their earlier experience of being bullied. Conflicts and infrequency of interaction in their friendships were mainly reported by girls. Adolescents with moderate hearing loss were identified as facing the same or even more barriers than adolescents with severe to profound hearing loss in making new friends. Implications for educational practice are discussed.

Active Commuting to School and Physical Activity Levels among 11 to 16 Year-Old Adolescents from 63 Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Background: Global physical activity levels are low. Active commuting to school is a low-cost and sustainable behaviour that promotes adolescents’ physical activity levels. Despite its importance, data on low- and middle-income countries is scarce. This study aimed to assess the relationship between active commuting to school and physical activity (PA) levels among 11–16 years-old adolescents from 63 low- and middle-income countries and six world regions. Methods: Data were from the GSHS database. Participants were 187,934 adolescents (89,550 boys), aged 11–16 years-old, from 63 low- and middle-income countries. Active commuting to school and PA were self-reported as the number of days adolescents walked or cycled to school and engaged in physical activity for at least 60 min in the past 7 days. Results: Boys and girls who actively commuted to school presented higher prevalence of attaining the PA recommendations, but only for the 13–14 (boys: 16.6% versus 22.0%; girls: 9.8% versus 14.6%) and 15–16 (boys: 16.3% versus 21.6%; girls: 8.0% versus 14.0%) year-old age groups. Only for Oceania, Central Asian, Middle Eastern, and North African girls and Sub-Saharan African boys no difference was found in the prevalence of attaining the PA recommendations between those who actively commuted to school and those who did not. Boys who actively commuted to school were 42% (95% CI: 1.37, 1.46) more likely to achieve the PA recommendations, while girls were 66% (95% CI: 1.59, 1.73) more likely to achieve the PA recommendations. Conclusions: Active commuting to school is associated with the adolescents’ physical activity levels. However, it may have a lesser influence in helping younger adolescents attaining physical activity recommendations. Public health authorities should promote active commuting to school among adolescents in order to improve the PA levels and promote health.

Food Messages Adolescents See Daily on Social Media: A Diary Study

AbstractBillions are spent yearly on food marketing that influences unhealthy eating preferences and habits, and contributes to the development of obesogenic environments worldwide. Recent social media advancements have provided food marketers with platforms to readily reach out to many especially younger consumers. Adolescents seem vulnerable to food marketing as they have increased impulsive decision-making and decreased inhibitory-control as compared to adults. Yet, they are becoming independent from their parents and relying on unmonitored (social) media. Despite the presumed influence of social media marketing, little is known about the type of marketing strategies used on social media to influence adolescent eating.Aim:The aim of this study is to explore the food messages adolescents (12–18 years old) encounter when using social media.Methods:A diary study was carried out with 12–18 year-old Belgian adolescents (N = 20) who took screenshots of food images they encountered on their social media during a one-week period. Participants also completed surveys assessing social media use, image source, marketing strategy, etc. Five-hundred food images were gathered and preliminary analyzed for their content. A coding book, developed based on a literature review and a pilot, will guide two authors in coding the images. The codes will be checked for agreement and discrepancies will be resolved among the research team. Finally, the codes will be analyzed to determine food marketing strategies employed and eating social norms portrayed.Results:The most commonly reported social media were Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, and Facebook. Preliminary findings showed that adolescents often encounter branded food images through peers, influencers and food brands, majority of which are paid or word-of-mouth food marketing. The images were mostly promoting non-core foods that are energy-dense and poor in nutrients, especially branded soft drinks and fried foods. An ongoing qualitative analysis of the gathered images aims to conclude with detailed frequencies and relationships between the different study measures assessed. These findings will be elaborated on during the presentation.Discussion:This research provides an in-depth understanding of the social media messages adolescents encounter daily and sheds light on food norms typically communicated on social media by marketers, peers, and influencers. Such findings identify prominent social media food messages that must be tested for their persuasive nature, providing insights for future research that aims to assesses the effects of social media food marketing on adolescent eating. Finally, we call for policies that address current social media marketing strategies targeting adolescents.

Effective/cost effective interventions of child mental health problems in low- and middle-income countries (LAMIC): Systematic review.

This systematic review protocol aims to examine the evidence of effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of interventions for children and adolescents with, or at risk of developing mental disorders in low- and middle-income countries (LAMICs). We will search Medline Ovid, EMBASE Ovid, PsycINFO Ovid, CINAHL, LILACS, BDENF and IBECS. We will include randomised and non-randomised controlled trials, economic modelling studies and economic evaluations. Participants are 6 to 18 year-old children and adolescents who live in a LAMIC and who present with, or are at high risk of developing, one or more of the conditions: depression, anxiety, behavioural disorders, eating disorders, psychosis, substance abuse, autism and intellectual disabilities as defined by the DSM-V. Interventions which address suicide, self-harm will also be included, if identified during the extraction process. We will include in person or e-health interventions which have some evidence of effectiveness (in relation to clinical and/or functional outcomes) and which have been delivered to young people in LAMICs. We will consider a wide range of delivery channels (e.g., in person, web-based or virtual, phone), different practitioners (healthcare practitioners, teachers, lay health care providers) and sectors (i.e., primary, secondary and tertiary health care, education, guardianship councils). In the pilot of screening procedures, 5% of all references will be screened by two reviewers. Divergences will be resolved by one expert in mental health research. Reviewers will be retrained afterwards to ensure reliability. The remaining 95% will be screened by one reviewer. Covidence web-based tool will be used to perform screening of references and full text paper, and data extraction. The protocol of this systematic review will be disseminated in a peer-reviewed journal and presented at relevant conferences. The results will be presented descriptively and, if possible, meta-analysis will be conducted. Ethical approval is not needed for anonymised secondary data. the systematic review could help health specialists and other professionals to identify evidence-based strategies to deal with child and adolescents with mental health conditions.

Patterns of daily energy drink consumption differ by gender among Belgian adolescents

AbstractOver the past decade, energy drinks (ED) have become increasingly popular among adolescents. Due to their high content in caffeine, sugar and other energy-promoting components, frequent ED consumption may have adverse health effects, like cardiovascular symptoms, sleep impairment, and nervousness. Previous studies have shown that ED consumption was more frequent among males. To extend this knowledge, our analysis examined how sociodemographic and lifestyle determinants of frequent ED consumption may differ by gender among Belgian adolescents. This study was based on data self-reported by 9,119 12–19 year-old French-speaking Belgian adolescents in secondary school, within the 2014 cross-sectional Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children survey. Pupils reporting they usually consumed ED once a day or more were considered as “high ED consumers”. Sociodemographic and lifestyle characteristics were described in relation to ED consumption, for boys and girls separately. We used multiple logistic regression models, stratified by gender, to assess the associations between the sociodemographic and lifestyle variables, with high ED consumption. Daily ED consumption was reported by 7.9% of boys and 4.6% of girls. In both genders, the proportion of high ED consumers was significantly higher among adolescents of grades 1–3, those of lower family affluence, in first- and second-generation immigrants, those watching TV more than 6 hours/day, those reporting later bedtimes, and those consuming soft drinks daily. In girls only, higher percentages were observed in girls from single- (7.6%) or blended-families (5.2%), than in girls from two-parent families (3.5%). In boys only, this percentage was higher among adolescents meeting physical activity recommendations (14.5% vs 6.5%). Multivariate analyses showed that high ED consumption was associated with lower grades, long screen time, later bedtimes, and daily soft drink consumption in both genders. In girls only, adolescents from single-parent families were more likely to consume ED daily (OR 1.70; 95% CI 1.23–2.37) (vs. two-parent families). In boys only, first-generation immigrants (OR 1.53; 95% CI 1.06–2.21) (vs. natives) and youth sufficiently physically active (OR 2.19; 95% CI 1.65–2.90) were more likely to consume ED daily. High ED consumption was more frequent among boys and showed gender-specific patterns, with associations with family structure in girls only, and with migration status and physical activity in boys only. Our findings provide evidence about patterns of high ED consumption among adolescents and should be used to inform the development of prevention strategies.

Is the SPARTACUS 15-15 test an accurate proxy for the assessment and tracking of maximal aerobic capacities in adolescents with obesity?

[Purpose] While there is a need for reliable field tests for the evaluation of physical fitness in pediatric obesity, the present work i) evaluates the validity of the Spartacus 15-15 test in indirectly assessing maximal aerobic capacity in adolescents with obesity and ii) evaluates its sensibility to weight loss. [Participants and Methods] Fifty-five 11–16 year-old adolescents with obesity (Tanner 3–4) were enrolled in a 12-week weight-management intervention. Maximal Aerobic fitness (VO2peak test + Spartacus test) and body composition (Dual X-ray absorptiometry) were assessed at baseline and after 12 weeks. [Results] Moderate correlations were found at baseline between VO2peak (2,231.90 ± 465.6 mL/min) and Spartacus stage (6.83 ± 1.8 stage, r=0.52; p≤0.05), speed (12.85 ± 1.8 km/h, r=0.52 ; p≤0.05) and time (20.6 ± 5.4 min; r=0.50; p≤0.05). The intervention favored significant improvements for VO2peak, Spartacus Rate of Perceived Exertion final stage, maximal speed and time. Change over time in VO2peak and Spartacus variables were not correlated. [Conclusion] The Spartacus test can be used as a proxy for VO2peak at baseline and can be used to estimate VO2peak using the proposed equation. The Spartacus 15-15 test might be a better indicator for changes in functional capacity than an indicator of VO2peak changes in youth with obesity.

A MEG Study of Acute Arbaclofen (STX-209) Administration.

Several electrophysiological parameters, including the auditory evoked response component M50/M100 latencies and the phase synchrony of transient and steady-state gamma-band oscillations have been implicated as atypical (to various extents) in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Furthermore, some hypotheses suggest that an underlying neurobiological mechanism for these observations might be atypical local circuit function indexed by atypical levels of inhibitory neurotransmitter, GABA. This study was a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, escalating-dose, acute investigation conducted in 25 14–18 year-old adolescents with ASD. The study assessed the sensitivity of magnetoencephalography (MEG) and MEGAPRESS “GABA” magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) to monitor dose-dependent acute effects, as well as seeking to define properties of the pre-drug “baseline” electrophysiological and GABA signatures that might predict responsiveness to the GABA-B agonist, arbaclofen (STX-209). Overall, GABA levels and gamma-band oscillatory activity showed no acute changes at either low (15 mg) or high (30 mg) dose. Evoked M50 response latency measures tended to shorten (normalize), but there was heterogeneity across the group in M50 latency response, with only a subset of participants (n = 6) showing significant M50 latency shortening, and only at the 15 mg dose. Findings thus suggest that MEG M50 latency measures show acute effects of arbaclofen administration in select individuals, perhaps reflecting effective target engagement. Whether these subjects have a greater trend towards clinical benefit remains to be established. Finally, findings also provide preliminary support for the use of objective electrophysiological measures upon which to base inclusion for optimal enrichment of populations to be included in full-scale clinical trials of arbaclofen.

Towards a wider conception of autonomy support in adolescence: The contribution of reflective inner-compass facilitation to the formation of an authentic inner compass and well-being

Ample research has demonstrated the benefits of basic autonomy supportive practices (e.g., perspective-taking, choice, minimizing-control) for adolescents’ psychosocial functioning. Herein, we posit that there is one additional autonomy supportive practice with specific importance for adolescents’ development: Reflective Authentic Inner Compass facilitation. This practice is posited to contribute to the formation of an Authentic Inner-Compass: An action-guiding schema, informing youth on what they truly value, need, and want, and consisting of two parts: (1) A foundation including authentic values, interests, and life-aspirations, and (2) Autonomous commitment to future-oriented goals and decisions, based on the foundation. A longitudinal study of 18–19 year-old Israeli adolescents showed that perceived Reflective Authentic Inner Compass Facilitation by instructors uniquely predicted (beyond Basic Autonomy Support) adolescents’ experience of having an authentic inner-compass in the military domain, which then predicted autonomous engagement in plan-promoting activities. A cross-sectional study with 16−18 year-old Belgian adolescents showed that perceived Reflective Authentic Inner Compass Facilitation by parents uniquely predicted (beyond Basic Autonomy Support) the experience of having an authentic inner-compass, which then related positively to well-being. Implications of the notion of the authentic inner compass for the conceptualization of autonomy support and the experience of autonomy are discussed.

Does the neighborhood food environment contribute to ethnic inequalities in fast-food intake? findings from the ORiEL study.

The neighborhood food environment may contribute to ethnic inequalities in diet. Using data from 1389 participants in the Olympic Regeneration in East London (UK) study we assessed whether ethnic inequalities in neighborhood availability of fast-food restaurants mediated and/or modified ethnic inequalities in fast-food intake in 13–15 year-old adolescents. We compared the proportion of high fast-food consumers across “White UK”, “Black”, and “South Asian” ethnic categories. We used Poisson regression with robust standard errors to assess direct and indirect effects (mediation analysis) and risk ratios of high fast-food intake by ethnic category and fast-food restaurant availability level (effect measure modification analysis). There were ethnic inequalities in high fast-food intake, with risk ratios in adolescents of Black and South Asian background of 1.53 (95% CI: 1.25, 1.87) and 1.71 (95% CI: 1.41, 2.07) respectively compared to White UK participants. We found no evidence of a mediating effect by fast-food restaurant availability, but found some evidence of effect measure modification: ethnic inequalities in fast-food intake were largest in neighborhoods lacking fast-food restaurants, and narrowed as availability increased. Future research should explore why ethnic minorities are more likely to be high fast-food consumers than the majority ethnic group, especially when fast-food restaurant availability is lowest.

Prevalence of Lip Competency among Nepalese Adolescents with different Ethnic group of Kathmandu Valley

Introduction: Esthetic is one of the outcome that is expected from orthodontic treatment. In orthodontic practice, lip protrusion has been observed with proclined upper and lower incisors in bimaxillary protrusion. Such lip protrusion has been shown to be reduced with backward movement of the anterior teeth, which often accompanies premolar extraction. Hence the aim of our study is to find out prevalence of lip competency among Nepalese Adolescents with different ethnic group of Kathmandu valley.&#x0D; Materials &amp; Method: lt is a cross-sectional descriptive study. The study population included 14-18 year-old adolescents studying in high school of all three districts of Kathmandu Valley. An evaluation form was developed categorizing different levels of deep bite following WHO guidelines 1985 and accordingly data were recorded on it.&#x0D; Statistical Analysis: Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS for Windows, Version 23) in which p-values were calculated by Pearson Chi-Square Tests.&#x0D; Result: Out of 935 screened students, 89.6% had competent lips and 10.4% had Incompetent lips. Female showed 91.9% of competent lips and 8.1% of incompetent lips. Male showed 87.8% of competent lips and 12.2% of incompetent lips. Among different ethnic group for lip competency, Advasi/Tharu showed 0.2%, Brahmin/chettri showed 61.6%, Dalit showed 0.6, janajati- Hi showed 35.8%, Madhesi showed 0.7%,Muslim showed 0.6% and others showed 0.3%. Among Brahmin/chettri 56.4% showed competent lips, 5.22% showed incompetent lips. However among Janajati-Hi 30.7% showed competent lips, 5.12% showed incompetent lips.&#x0D; Conclusion: The Prevalence of competent lips was 89.6% and incompetent lips was 10.4%. Among Genders both female and male showed higher percent of competent lips than incompetent lips. However competent lips were more associated with females. Among ethnic groups , Brahmin/chhetri have 61.6% of lip competency whereas Janajati-Hi have 35.8%. Rest of the ethnic group have less than 1% of lip competency. Among Brahmin/chettri 56.4% have competent lips, 5.22% have incompetent lips where as Janajati-Hi 30.7% have competent lips, 5.12% have incompetent lips.

Expectations about Fertility and Field of Study among Adolescents: A Case of Self-selection?

In recent studies on the association between education and fertility, increased attention has been paid to the field of study. Women who studied in traditionally more “feminine” fields, like care, teaching, and health, were found to have their children earlier and to have more children than other women. A point of debate in this literature is on the causal direction of this relationship. Does the field of study change the attitudes towards family formation, or do young adults with stronger family-life attitudes self-select into educational fields that emphasize care, teaching, and health? Or do both field of study preferences and family-life attitudes arise before actual choices in these domains are made?We contribute to this debate by examining the relationship between fertility expectations and expected fields of study and occupation among 14-17 year-old adolescents. We use data collected in 2005 from 1500 Dutch adolescents and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) to examine the associations between expected field of study and occupation and fertility expectations. Our results show that expectations concerning fertility and field of study are already interrelated during secondary education. Both female and male adolescents who expect to pursue studies in fields that focus on care and social interaction (like health care, teaching etc.) are less likely to expect to remain childless. This holds equally for girls and boys. In addition, girls who more strongly aspire to an occupation in which communication skills are important also expect to have more children. We did not find any relationship between expectations of pursuing a communicative field of study and occupation and expectations of earlier parenthood.In addition, among boys, we find that the greater their expectation of opting for an economics, a technical, or a communicative field of study, the less likely they were to expect to remain childless. Boys who expected to study in the economic field also expect to have their first child earlier, but boys expecting to pursue a technical course of studies expect to enter parenthood later. We also found that those who expect to pursue cultural studies are more likely to have a preference for no children, or if they do want children, to have them later in life.Overall, our findings suggest that the processes of elective affinity between the communicative fields of study and work on the one hand and fertility on the other hand are more or less comparable for boys and girls. With respect to the other domains, we find, apart from the gender differences in the relation between fields of study and childlessness, hardly or no gender differences in the expected timing of parenthood and the number of children. The genders do differ in their level of preference for communicative and economics-related fields of study and occupation, but if they do have the same preference, the association with fertility expectations is more or less similar.

Usual intake and dietary sources of Selenium in adolescents: A cross-sectional school-based study

Selenium is a mineral that constitutes selenoproteins and, therefore, has been studied, especially in cardiovascular diseases. Some risk factors for the development of these diseases, such as obesity, hypertension and dyslipidemia, have been observed early in life, including in childhood and adolescence, and food and nutrient intake is an important associated factor for their development. The aim of this study was to assess usual intake of selenium (Se) and dietary inadequacies regarding the consumption of this mineral, and to identify the main dietary sources of Se among 12-17 year-old Brazilian adolescents. Data from the Study of Cardiovascular Risk in Adolescents, performed countrywide in the years 2013 and 2014, were used to estimate inadequate Se dietary intake. The National Cancer Institute's method was used, considering two days of 24h dietary recall (24hR). The contribution of each food group to the total intake of Se was determined using a single 24hR, and was defined as a ratio between the total intake of Se and the percentage of Se in each food group, until reaching 95%. Food mentioned by adolescents were categorized into 39 food groups, according to macronutrient similarities. Data from 76,957 adolescents aged from 12-17 years (49.7% girls) from public and private schools were assessed. Selenium intake was according to recommendation levels. Mean Se intake ranged from 84.3 to 105.9μg among sex and age groups. Considering the whole sample, meat, pasta, poultry, and fish were the food groups that contributed with the greatest amount of Se (representing 57.9% of total Se). Brazil nuts are consumed in bigger quantity only by 14-17 year-old girls, contributing to 1.6% of the Se in their diets. Brazilian adolescents have an adequate Se intake because of the high consumption of meat, pasta, and poultry. Although Brazil nuts are the most important dietary source of Se, adolescents consume them in very small amounts, leading to a small contribution in the total intake.