| 1. |
- Mishra, A, et al.
(författare)
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Diminishing benefits of urban living for children and adolescents' growth and development
- 2023
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Ingår i: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1476-4687 .- 0028-0836. ; 615:7954, s. 874-883
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Optimal growth and development in childhood and adolescence is crucial for lifelong health and well-being1–6. Here we used data from 2,325 population-based studies, with measurements of height and weight from 71 million participants, to report the height and body-mass index (BMI) of children and adolescents aged 5–19 years on the basis of rural and urban place of residence in 200 countries and territories from 1990 to 2020. In 1990, children and adolescents residing in cities were taller than their rural counterparts in all but a few high-income countries. By 2020, the urban height advantage became smaller in most countries, and in many high-income western countries it reversed into a small urban-based disadvantage. The exception was for boys in most countries in sub-Saharan Africa and in some countries in Oceania, south Asia and the region of central Asia, Middle East and north Africa. In these countries, successive cohorts of boys from rural places either did not gain height or possibly became shorter, and hence fell further behind their urban peers. The difference between the age-standardized mean BMI of children in urban and rural areas was <1.1 kg m–2 in the vast majority of countries. Within this small range, BMI increased slightly more in cities than in rural areas, except in south Asia, sub-Saharan Africa and some countries in central and eastern Europe. Our results show that in much of the world, the growth and developmental advantages of living in cities have diminished in the twenty-first century, whereas in much of sub-Saharan Africa they have amplified.
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| 2. |
- Bixby, H., et al.
(författare)
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Rising rural body-mass index is the main driver of the global obesity epidemic in adults
- 2019
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Ingår i: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 569:7755, s. 260-4
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Body-mass index (BMI) has increased steadily in most countries in parallel with a rise in the proportion of the population who live in cities(.)(1,2) This has led to a widely reported view that urbanization is one of the most important drivers of the global rise in obesity(3-6). Here we use 2,009 population-based studies, with measurements of height and weight in more than 112 million adults, to report national, regional and global trends in mean BMI segregated by place of residence (a rural or urban area) from 1985 to 2017. We show that, contrary to the dominant paradigm, more than 55% of the global rise in mean BMI from 1985 to 2017-and more than 80% in some low- and middle-income regions-was due to increases in BMI in rural areas. This large contribution stems from the fact that, with the exception of women in sub-Saharan Africa, BMI is increasing at the same rate or faster in rural areas than in cities in low- and middle-income regions. These trends have in turn resulted in a closing-and in some countries reversal-of the gap in BMI between urban and rural areas in low- and middle-income countries, especially for women. In high-income and industrialized countries, we noted a persistently higher rural BMI, especially for women. There is an urgent need for an integrated approach to rural nutrition that enhances financial and physical access to healthy foods, to avoid replacing the rural undernutrition disadvantage in poor countries with a more general malnutrition disadvantage that entails excessive consumption of low-quality calories.
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| 3. |
- Lehto, Elviira, 1953-, et al.
(författare)
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Mediation of parental educational level on fruit and vegetable intake among schoolchildren in ten European countries
- 2015
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Ingår i: Public Health Nutrition. - 1368-9800 .- 1475-2727. ; 18:1, s. 89-99
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: To examine which factors act as mediators between parental educational level and children's fruit and vegetable (F&V) intake in ten European countries.Design: Cross-sectional data were collected in ten European countries participating in the PRO GREENS project (2009). Schoolchildren completed a validated FFQ about their daily F&V intake and filled in a questionnaire about availability of F&V at home, parental facilitation of F&V intake, knowledge of recommendations about F&V intake, self-efficacy to eat F&V and liking for F&V. Parental educational level was determined from a questionnaire given to parents. The associations were examined with multilevel mediation analyses.Setting: Schools in Bulgaria, Finland, Germany, Greece, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia and Sweden.Subjects: Eleven-year-old children (n 8159, response rate 72%) and their parents.Results: In five of the ten countries, children with higher educated parents were more likely to report eating fruits daily. This association was mainly mediated by knowledge but self-efficacy, liking, availability and facilitation also acted as mediators in some countries. Parents' education was positively associated with their children's daily vegetable intake in seven countries, with knowledge and availability being the strongest mediators and self-efficacy and liking acting as mediators to some degree.Conclusions: Parental educational level correlated positively with children's daily F&V intake in most countries and the pattern of mediation varied among the participating countries. Future intervention studies that endeavour to decrease the educational-level differences in F&V intake should take into account country-specific features in the relevant determinants of F&V intake.
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| 4. |
- Lissner, Lauren, 1956, et al.
(författare)
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Socioeconomic inequalities in childhood overweight : heterogeneity across five countries in the WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI-2008)
- 2016
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Ingår i: International Journal of Obesity. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 0307-0565 .- 1476-5497. ; 40:5, s. 796-802
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Excess risk of childhood overweight and obesity occurring in socioeconomically disadvantaged families has been demonstrated in numerous studies from high-income regions, including Europe. It is well known that socioeconomic characteristics such as parental education, income and occupation are etiologically relevant to childhood obesity. However, in the pan-European setting, there is reason to believe that inequalities in childhood weight status may vary among countries as a function of differing degrees of socioeconomic development and equity.SUBJECTS AND METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, we have examined socioeconomic differences in childhood obesity in different parts of the European region using nationally representative data from Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Portugal and Sweden that were collected in 2008 during the first round of the World Health Organization ( WHO) European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative.RESULTS: Heterogeneity in the association between parental socioeconomic indicators and childhood overweight or obesity was clearly observed across the five countries studied. Positive as well as negative associations were observed between parental socioeconomic indicators and childhood overweight, with statistically significant interactions between country and parental indicators.CONCLUSIONS: These findings have public health implications for the WHO European Region and underscore the necessity to continue documenting socioeconomic inequalities in obesity in all countries through international surveillance efforts in countries with diverse geographic, social and economic environments. This is a prerequisite for universal as well as targeted preventive actions.
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| 5. |
- Moraeus, Lotta, 1981, et al.
(författare)
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Multi-level influences on childhood obesity in Sweden: societal factors, parental determinants and child's lifestyle
- 2012
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Ingår i: International Journal of Obesity. - London, United Kingdom : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0307-0565 .- 1476-5497. ; 36:7, s. 969-976
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Swedish school children living in rural areas and in areas with low education are at excess risk of becoming overweight. This study examines influences of societal and individual characteristics (children and their parents) on prevalence of overweight and obesity, in a national sample of 7-9-year-old children. METHOD: Anthropometric and lifestyle data were collected in a nationally representative sample of 3636 Swedish children. Overweight and obesity (International Obesity Task Force (IOTF)) data were analyzed in relation to lifestyle factors, parental weight, education and breast-feeding. RESULTS: The prevalence of overweight was 15.6% including 2.6% obese. Urbanization level and parental characteristics (weight status and education) were related to risk of overweight. Overall less favorable lifestyle characteristics were observed in rural areas and for children of low/medium educated mothers. Boys had greater risk of obesity in semi-urban and rural areas but this was not true for girls. For children's overweight, the living area effect was attenuated in multivariate analysis, while there was an association with origin of parents, high parental weight and medium maternal education. For obesity, the living area effect remained in boys while having two non-Nordic parents predicted obesity in girls. Parental weight status was associated with obesity in both girls and boys. CONCLUSION: Individual and societal factors influence children's weight status, and parental weight status is a strong determinant. Including overweight and obese parents in future health promoting interventions could be a strategy to prevent children from becoming overweight, but identifying those parents may prove difficult. To ensure reaching children with the greatest needs, targeting high risk areas might be a more effective approach.
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| 6. |
- Murto, Tiina, et al.
(författare)
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Folic acid supplementation and IVF pregnancy outcome in women with unexplained infertility
- 2014
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Ingår i: Reproductive BioMedicine Online. - : Elsevier. - 1472-6483 .- 1472-6491. ; 28:6, s. 766-772
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Folic acid supplements are commonly used by infertile women and lead to a positive folate status. However, the effect of folic acid supplements on pregnancy outcome in women with unexplained infertility has not been well investigated. This study evaluated folic acid supplement use and folate status in women with unexplained infertility in relation to pregnancy outcome. In addition, use of folic acid supplements and folate status were compared between women with unexplained infertility and fertile, nonpregnant control women. Women with unexplained infertility used significantly more folic acid supplements and had higher median total folic acid intake from supplements compared with fertile control women (both P < 0.001). Women with unexplained infertility also had significantly higher median plasma folate and lower median plasma homocysteine concentrations than fertile women (both P < 0.001), but folic acid supplementation or folate status were not related to pregnancy outcome in women with unexplained infertility. In conclusion, folic acid supplementation or good folate status did not have a positive effect on pregnancy outcome following infertility treatment in women with unexplained infertility.
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| 7. |
- Murto, Tiina, 1975-, et al.
(författare)
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Folic acid supplementation and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene variations in relation to IVF pregnancy outcome
- 2014
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Ingår i: Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica. - : Wiley. - 0001-6349 .- 1600-0412. ; 94:1, s. 65-71
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: To study folic acid intake, folate status and pregnancy outcome after infertility treatment in women with different infertility diagnoses in relation to methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) 677C>T, 1298A>C and 1793G>A polymorphisms. Also the use of folic acid supplements, folate status and the frequency of different gene variations were studied in women undergoing infertility treatment and fertile women.DESIGN: Observational study.SETTING: University hospital.POPULATION: Women undergoing infertility treatment and healthy, fertile, non-pregnant women.METHODS: A questionnaire was used to assess general background data and use of dietary supplements. Blood samples were taken to determine plasma folate and homocysteine levels, and for genomic DNA extraction. A comparison of four studies was performed to assess pregnancy outcome in relation to MTHFR 677 TT vs. CC, and 1298 CC vs. AA polymorphisms.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Folic acid supplement intake, and plasma folate, homocysteine and genomic assays.RESULTS: Women in the infertility group used significantly more folic acid supplements and had better folate status than fertile women, but pregnancy outcome after fertility treatment was not dependent on folic acid intake, folate status or MTHFR gene variations.CONCLUSION: High folic acid intakes and MTHFR gene variations seem not associated with helping women to achieve pregnancy during or after fertility treatment.
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| 8. |
- Nilsen, Bente B., 1960-, et al.
(författare)
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Using different growth references to measure thinness and overweight among Swedish primary school children showed considerable variations
- 2016
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Ingår i: Acta Paediatrica. - West Sussex, United Kingdom : Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Inc.. - 0803-5253 .- 1651-2227. ; 105:10, s. 1158-1165
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aim: The study compared how four different growth references determined the prevalence of thinness and overweight, based on height and weight measurements from a nationally representative sample of Swedish children from seven to nine years of age.Methods: The height and weight measurements of 4,518 Swedish schoolchildren aged seven to nine years were carried out in 2008 using a standardised protocol. The prevalence of different degrees of thinness and overweight were calculated using international growth references from the World Health Organization, the International Obesity Task Force and two Swedish growth references from Werner and Karlberg.Results: Depending on which growth reference we used, the prevalence of different degrees of thinness varied from 7.5%-16.9% for the boys and 6.9%-13.7% for the girls, while for the prevalence of overweight, including obesity and severe obesity, varied from 16.5%-25.7% for the boys and 18.2-25.2% for the girls. There were also significant gender differences depending on the growth reference we used.Conclusion: Using four different growth references, two international and two Swedish, produced wide variations in the prevalence of thinness and overweight, together with significant gender differences. In the absence of a global definition, we need both national and international growth references.
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| 9. |
- Spinelli, Angela, et al.
(författare)
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Prevalence of Severe Obesity among Primary School Children in 21 European Countries
- 2019
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Ingår i: Obesity Facts. - : S. Karger. - 1662-4025 .- 1662-4033. ; 12:2, s. 244-258
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: The World Health Organization (WHO) European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI) was established more than 10 years ago to estimate prevalence and monitor changes in overweight and obesity in children aged 6-9 years. Since then, there have been five rounds of data collection in more than 40 countries involving more than half a million children. To date, no comparative studies with data on severe childhood obesity from European countries have been published.OBJECTIVES: The aim of this work was to present the prevalence of severe obesity in school-aged children from 21 countries participating in COSI.METHOD: The data are from cross-sectional studies in 21 European WHO member states that took part in the first three COSI rounds of data collection (2007/2008, 2009/2010, 2012/2013). School-aged children were measured using standardized instruments and methodology. Children were classified as severely obese using the definitions provided by WHO and the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF). Analyses overtime, by child's age and mother's educational level, were performed in a select group of countries.RESULTS: A total of 636,933 children were included in the analysis (323,648 boys and 313,285 girls). The prevalence of severe obesity varied greatly among countries, with higher values in Southern Europe. According to the WHO definition, severe obesity ranged from 1.0% in Swedish and Moldovan children (95% CI 0.7-1.3 and 0.7-1.5, respectively) to 5.5% (95% CI 4.9-6.1) in Maltese children. The prevalence was generally higher among boys compared to girls. The IOTF cut-offs lead to lower estimates, but confirm the differences among countries, and were more similar for both boys and girls. In many countries 1 in 4 obese children were severely obese. Applying the estimates of prevalence based on the WHO definition to the whole population of children aged 6-9 years in each country, around 398,000 children would be expected to be severely obese in the 21 European countries. The trend between 2007 and 2013 and the analysis by child's age did not show a clear pattern. Severe obesity was more common among children whose mother's educational level was lower.CONCLUSIONS: Severe obesity is a serious public health issue which affects a large number of children in Europe. Because of the impact on educational, health, social care, and economic systems, obesity needs to be addressed via a range of approaches from early prevention of overweight and obesity to treatment of those who need it.
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| 10. |
- Taxová Braunerová, Radka, et al.
(författare)
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Waist circumference and waist-to-height ratio in 7-year-old children : WHO Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative
- 2021
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Ingår i: Obesity Reviews. - : Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Inc.. - 1467-7881 .- 1467-789X. ; 22:S6
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Childhood obesity is a serious global health problem. Waist circumference (WC) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) reflect body fat distribution in children. The objectives of this study were to assess WC and WHtR in 7-year-old children and to determine body mass index (BMI), WC, and WHtR differences in children from 10 selected countries across Europe (Bulgaria, Czechia, Greece, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Norway, Spain, and Sweden) participating in the World Health Organization (WHO) Europe Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI). The 50th and 90th percentile of WC (according to COSI and "Identification and prevention of Dietary- and lifestyle-induced health EFfects In Children and infantS" (IDEFICS) cutoff values) and WHtR above 0.5 were used as measures of abdominal obesity in a unique sample of 38,975 children aged 7.00-7.99 years. Southern European countries, including Greece and Spain, showed significantly higher BMI, WC, and WHtRin both genders (p < 0.0001) than Eastern and Northern Europe. The highest values for WC were observed in Greece (60.8 ± 7.36 cm boys; 60.3 ± 7.48 cm girls), North Macedonia (60.4 ± 7.91 cm boys; 59.0 ± 8.01 cm girls), and Spain (59.7 ± 6.96 cm boys; 58.9 ± 6.77 cm girls). WC and WHtRin may add an information about the occurrence of central obesity in children.
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