Abstract: Objectives: The objective of this study was to examine whether there was significant risk associated with types of beverages consumed on the weight status in children.

Design: Nationally representative cross-sectional sample.

Setting: Demographic information was obtained from the NHANES interviews. Dietary intake data were obtained from Day 1, in-person 24-hour dietary recall interviews administered using an automated multiple-pass method. Height and weight were obtained according to NHANES Anthropometry Procedures Manual.

Subjects: Children 2-18 years of age.

Results: The likelihood of being overweight or obese was not significant for any of the beverages studied between consumers and non-consumers. For the total sample, for every 29.6 mL of water consumed the risk of being obese was 1%. For ages 6-11 years water consumption increased the risk of being obese and in ages 2-5 years, consumption of sugar sweetened beverages (SSB) increased the risk of being obese. The risk of being obese was significant p <0.05 for Hispanic males for every 29.6 mL of water consumed and for 100% fruit juice and SSB for other males; increased risk was ≤3%. The risk of being obese increased for White females for every 29.6 mL of flavored milk consumed and water consumption for both Black females and Hispanic females; the significant p<0.05 increased risk of obesity was ≤7%.

Conclusions: Beverage consumption was not consistently associated with weight status in the diets of a nationally representative sample of children. In some cases the increased risk was very small.

Keywords:  Beverage, consumption, NHANES, weight status, children.

Download

Abstract: Objectives: to evaluate factors influencing breastfeeding duration in an integrative model, considering both the organization of medical care and the perinatal education.

Methods: We conducted a cross sectional study with data collected in a face to face interview of 1,008 mothers with children aged between 9 and 14 months The questionnaire focused on the main characteristics of a Mother-Baby Friendly Hospital initiative and the type of perinatal education received by pregnant women. Correlation and partial correlation tests, non-parametric tests and classification tests were applied. Data were processed in SPSS 12.0 software.

Results: The positive effects of Mother Baby Friendly Hospitals Organization initiative organization were confirmed. However, the main differentiator for breastfeeding duration was the level of formal education of pregnant mothers and the active seeking of perinatal education (r = 0.22, p< 0.001). The perinatal counseling was correlated with breastfeeding duration only for the subgroup participating to structured, dedicated time slot apart from the regular medical consultation (r = 0.079; p = 0.014), independently of mother’s age, education, residence, time to first breastfeeding contact, type of birth delivery and rooming in. Our results support a broader approach to perinatal education than medical counseling during pregnancy to increase the voluntary participation of future mothers to the perinatal educational programs.

Conclusion: As mothers’ motivation to maintain the optimum duration of breastfeeding is a determinant factor, an earlier and sustained educational process, before pregnancy and after birth delivery, is necessary in order to create a general favorability for exclusive breastfeeding.

Keywords:  Perinatal education, rooming in, birth delivery.

Download

Abstract: Objective: Examine dietary intake (DI), anthropometric measures, cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and nutritional knowledge (NK) of school children.

Design: Cross-sectional study. Food Diary, NK questionnaire and 550m walk/run test were used to assess DI, NK and CRF respectively. Blood pressure (BP) was also taken and body mass index (BMI) and waist to height ratio (WHtR) were calculated.

Setting: Two primary schools, Cork, Ireland.

Subjects: Six (n = 49, age 5.9 ± 0.6 years) and ten (n = 52, age 9.8 ± 0.5 years) year olds.

Results: Intakes of fruit and vegetables, fibre, calcium and iron were sub-optimal. Unhealthy snacks and saturated fat intakes were higher than recommended. A total of 24.4% of six year olds and 35.4% of ten year olds were classified as ‘fast’. Furthermore, 45.9% of six and ten year olds had high-normal BP and 27.9% had high BP. NK was negatively correlated with sugar intake (r = -0.321, p = 0.044) in ten year olds. WHtR was negatively correlated with servings of vegetables in six year olds (r = -0.377, p = 0.014). For ten year olds, there was a positive correlation between WHtR and run score (r = 0.350, p = 0.014) and BMI and run score (r = 0.482, p = 0.001).

Conclusion: This study highlights, for the first time, DI, NK, CRF, BP and anthropometric data for Irish children and their potential combined effect on overall health. Study results suggest preventive initiatives are needed, in children as young as 6 years of age.

Keywords:  Dietary Intake, Nutritional Knowledge, CRF, BP, Health Markers, Irish Children.

Download

Abstract: This paper analyses the relation between socioeconomic characteristics, family and peer relations, depression and eating disorders with 218 (144 female, 66.1%) participants aged 14-19 from Croatia. The questionnaire encompassed questions on socioeconomic traits, family and peer relations, depression and anorexia, bulimia, binge eating and orthorexia. Girls reported most dissatisfaction with the abdominal region (38.5%), thighs (31.2%) and breasts (16.1%). Boys reported most dissatisfaction with the abdomen (12.4%), chest (10.1%) and legs/calves (7.3%). Gender was significant for depression (p<.001), anorexia (p<.01), bulimia (p<.001) and binge eating (p<.05), with girls scoring higher on all scales. Age was significant for depression (p<.05) in younger participants, and orthorexia (p<.05) for older adolescents. Participants from vocational schools reported significantly higher family life satisfaction (p<.01), while gymnasium students reported significantly higher depression (p<.000), bulimia (p<.01) and binge eating behaviour (p<.01). Higher mother’s educational level was significant for anorexia (p<.05) and orthorexia (p<.01). Family relations correlated negatively with bulimia and binge eating, but positively with orthorexia. Peer relations were not significant for eating disorders. Eating disorders show positively correlated comorbidity (p<.000), and were significantly correlated to depression (p<.000). Anorexia is best predicted by bulimia (p<.001), orthorexia (p<.001), depression (p<.01) and mother’s education (p<.01). Bulimia is strongly predicted by anorexia (p<.001), binge eating (p<.001), depression (p<.001) and gender (p<.001). Binge eating is strongly predicted by bulimia (p<.001), depression (p<.01) and school type (p<.05). Orthorexia is strongly predicted by anorexia (p<.001), family relations quality (p<.05), the mother’s education (p<.05) and school success (p<.05).

Keywords:  Eating disorders, adolescents, family, school, peers, depression, anorexia, bulimia, binge eating, orthorexia.

Download