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Background: Few studies have examined associations between gender non-conformity (GNC) in childhood or adolescence and mental health outcomes later in life. This study examined associations between (1) GNC and mental health over multiple time points in childhood and adolescence, and (2) GNC in childhood and/or adolescence and mental health in adulthood. Method: Second generation participants from the Raine Study, a longitudinal cohort from Perth, Western Australia. Data were collected between 1995 and 2018, comprising seven waves: ages 5 (N = 2236), 8 (N = 2140), 10 (N = 2048), 14 (N = 1864), 17 (N = 1726), 22 (N = 1236) and 27 (N = 1190) years. History of GNC, v. absence of this history, was based on responses to item 110 from the Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL)/Youth Self Report (YSR) ('wishes to be of opposite sex'). The CBCL/YSR were used to measure internalising and externalising symptoms. Items 18 ('deliberate self-harm [DSH] or attempts suicide') and 91 ('talks/thinks about killing self') were used as measures of suicidal ideation (SI) and DSH. For adults, Depression, Anxiety and Stress Subscales and Kessler Psychological Distress Scale assessed mental health. Results: Child and adolescent GNC was associated with elevated internalising and externalising behaviours and increased odds of DSH. A history of GNC was also associated with vulnerability for severe psychological distress in adulthood in some symptom scales. Conclusion: GNC over the child and adolescent period is associated with significant emotional and behavioural difficulties, and psychological distress. A history of GNC in childhood and/or adolescence also predicts poorer mental health in adulthood on multiple symptom domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Maternal Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is suggested to increase the risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in the offspring, mainly through inflammation/autoimmunity, but the association is unclear. A prospective population-based cohort study was implemented to examine the association between maternal RA and offspring ASD. Methods: We included all children born alive in Sweden from 1995 to 2015, followed up through 2017. Diagnoses of ASD and RA were clinically ascertained from National Patient Register. We quantified the association by hazard ratios (HR) and two-sided 95% confidence intervals (CI), from Cox regression after detailed adjustment for potential confounders. We examined RA serostatus, etiological subgroups and the timing of exposure. To closer examine the underlying mechanism for the association, we included a negative control group for RA, arthralgia, with similar symptomology as RA but free from inflammation/autoimmunity. Results: Of 3629 children born to mothers with RA, 70 (1.94%) were diagnosed with ASD, compared to 28 892 (1.92%) of 1 503 908 children born to mothers without RA. Maternal RA before delivery was associated with an increased risk of offspring ASD (HR = 1.43, 95% CI 1.11–1.84), especially for seronegative RA (HR = 1.61, 95% CI 1.12–2.30). No similar association was observed for paternal RA, maternal sisters with RA, or RA diagnosed after delivery. Maternal arthralgia displayed as high risks for offspring ASD as did maternal RA (HR = 1.41, 95% CI 1.24–1.60). Conclusions: In Sweden, maternal RA before delivery was associated with an increased risk of offspring ASD. The comparable association between maternal arthralgia and ASD risk suggests other pathways of risk than autoimmunity/inflammation, acting jointly or independently of RA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a clinically heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorder defined by characteristic behavioral and cognitive features. Abnormal brain dynamic functional connectivity (dFC) has been associated with the disorder. The full spectrum of ADHD-related variation of brain dynamics and its association with behavioral and cognitive features remain to be established. Methods: We sought to identify patterns of brain dynamics linked to specific behavioral and cognitive dimensions using sparse canonical correlation analysis across a cohort of children with and without ADHD (122 children in total, 63 with ADHD). Then, using mediation analysis, we tested the hypothesis that cognitive deficits mediate the relationship between brain dynamics and ADHD-associated behaviors. Results: We identified four distinct patterns of dFC, each corresponding to a specific dimension of behavioral or cognitive function (r = 0.811–0.879). Specifically, the inattention/hyperactivity dimension was positively associated with dFC within the default mode network (DMN) and negatively associated with dFC between DMN and the sensorimotor network (SMN); the somatization dimension was positively associated with dFC within DMN and SMN; the inhibition and flexibility dimension and fluency and memory dimensions were both positively associated with dFC within DMN and between DMN and SMN, and negatively associated with dFC between DMN and the fronto-parietal network. Furthermore, we observed that cognitive functions of inhibition and flexibility mediated the relationship between brain dynamics and behavioral manifestations of inattention and hyperactivity. Conclusions: These findings document the importance of distinct patterns of dynamic functional brain activity for different cardinal behavioral and cognitive features related to ADHD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Enhanced post-awakening cortisol may serve as a biological marker for individuals with major depressive disorder. However, studies comparing post-awakening cortisol between patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and healthy controls have produced conflicting findings. The aim of this study was to investigate whether this inconsistency could be due to the effects of childhood trauma. Methods: A total of N = 112 patients with MDD and healthy controls were divided into four groups according to the presence of childhood trauma. Saliva samples were collected at awakening and 15, 30, 45, and 60 min later. The total cortisol output and the cortisol awakening response (CAR) were calculated. Results: The total post-awakening cortisol output was significantly higher in patients with MDD as compared to healthy controls, but only in those individuals reporting childhood trauma. The four groups did not differ regarding the CAR. Conclusions: Elevated post-awakening cortisol in MDD may be confined to those with a history of early life stress. Tailoring and/or augmenting of currently available treatments may be required to meet the specific needs of this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bullying victimisation has been associated with increased risk of suicide ideation and attempt throughout the lifespan, but no study has yet examined whether it translates to a greater risk of death by suicide. We aimed to determine the association of bullying victimisation with suicide mortality. Methods: Participants were drawn from the 1958 British birth cohort, a prospective follow-up of all births in 1 week in Britain in 1958. We conducted logistic regressions on 14 946 participants whose mothers reported bullying victimisation at 7 and 11 years with linked information on suicide deaths through the National Health Service Central Register. Results: Fifty-five participants (48 males) had died by suicide between the age 18 and 52 years. Bullying victimisation was associated with suicide mortality; a one standard deviation increases in bullying victimisation linked to an increased odds for suicide mortality [odds ratio (OR) 1.29; 1.02–1.64] during adulthood. The OR attenuated by 11% after adjustment for individual (e.g. behavioural and emotional problems) and familial characteristics (e.g. adverse childhood experiences, 1.18; 0.92–1.51). Analysis of bullying victimisation frequency categories yields similar results: compared with individuals who had not been bullied, those who had been frequently bullied had an increased odds for suicide mortality (OR 1.89; 0.99–3.62). Conclusion: Our study suggests that individuals who have been frequently bullied have a small increased risk of dying by suicide, when no other risk factors is considered. Suicide prevention might start in childhood, with bullying included in a range of inter-correlated vulnerabilities encompassing behavioural and emotional difficulties and adverse experiences within the family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study aims to determine health-related quality of life (QoL) and the related factors from the perspective of social determinants of health among children. Background: Childhood is the most intense period of life, and environmental factors surrounding children, as well as individual lifestyle factors, are related to the child's physical and mental well-being. To our knowledge, there is a lack of studies evaluating the relationship between determinants of health and the QoL of healthy children in general. Methods: This cross-sectional study was executed in the Bayrakli district of Izmir city. Stratified clustered sampling was used including 24 schools and 3367 7th-grade children, and 1284 students were targeted (50% prevalence, 95% CI, %5 margins of error, 2.25 design effect, and 20% replacement). The response rate was 84.9% (n = 1090). The Turkish KID-KINDL Health-Related Quality of Life Questionnaire for Children was used to assess QoL. Independent variables were examined in four layers using Dahlgren's Determinants of Health Model: basic characteristics, lifestyle factors, family characteristics, and life conditions. Results: The mean QoL score was 71.3 ± 12.6. Our study explained 31.7% of the variance in QoL. Higher QoL scores were associated with better health status, perceived academic achievement, normal/thin body perception, physical activity (PA), and adequate sleep duration. Living with both parents and having fewer siblings positively influenced QoL. Moreover, the presence of structural problems in the household and poorer health perceptions were associated with lower QoL scores (P < 0.05) This study highlighted the multifaceted nature of QoL in Turkish children, revealing the importance of various determinants of health. The results show that in order to improve the general well-being of this population, interventions and policies are required that concentrate on elements including health status, academic accomplishment, body perception, physical activity, family structure, and living situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To provide an update on the microbiology, sensitivity rates and antibiotic prescribing patterns for superficial neck lymph node abscesses at Scotland's largest paediatric tertiary centre. Findings were compared to historical data from our institution. Methods: A retrospective case series was conducted of paediatric patients undergoing incision and drainage of a superficial neck lymph node abscess at the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow, from 2018 to 2021. Results: Thirty-nine abscesses were identified. Methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus was the commonest micro-organism (28 per cent), followed by Streptococcus pyogenes (13 per cent). Eighty-two per cent of patients were administered a drug regimen containing co-amoxiclav. Only three children required a change in their antibiotics. Conclusion: There was a significant change in causative micro-organisms, including a decrease in S aureus and an increase in the Streptococcus anginosus group. Empirical use of co-amoxiclav is recommended. In abscesses showing no clinical improvement, second-line options such as clindamycin, cefotaxime and vancomycin should be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To identify determinants of egg consumption in infants and young children aged 6-23·9 months in Ethiopia.Design and Setting: Data used were from the cross-sectional baseline survey of an egg campaign in Ethiopia implemented by the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition.Participants: Children aged 6-23·9 months (n 453) were sampled. Data on socio-demographic characteristics, economic resources, caregiver's behaviour, child health and feeding practices, and egg consumption in the last 7 d were collected using interviewer-administered questionnaires. Multivariable ordinal logistic regression was used to examine the association between explanatory variables and egg consumption in the last 7 d.Results: About half of children (53·4 %) did not consume eggs in the last 7 d. The odds of children consuming eggs were 4·33 (P < 0·002) times higher when their caregivers had some college education compared with no education. Wealth was positively (OR, 1·13, P = 0·029) and household food insecurity was negatively (OR, 0·96, P = 0·117) associated with child egg consumption. Purchasing eggs (OR, 9·73, P < 0·001) and caregiver's positive behavioural determinants (OR, 1·37, P = 0·005) were associated with child egg consumption. The associations of socio-demographic characteristics and economic resources with egg consumption provide evidence of partial mediation through caregiver behaviour and child health.Conclusions: About half of children aged 6-23·9 months consumed eggs. Availability of eggs in households, mainly through purchase, was strongly associated with egg consumption. Education of caregivers and household heads and economic resources were associated with egg consumption and may operate through caregiver behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To study the effectiveness of unilateral cochlear implantation, binaural-bimodal hearing devices, and bilateral cochlear implantation in children with inner-ear malformation. Methods: This study comprised 261 patients who were allocated to inner-ear malformation or control groups. Twenty-four months after surgery, aided sound-field thresholds were tested, and the Meaningful Auditory Integration Scale, Infant-Toddler Meaningful Auditory Integration Scale, Meaningful Use of Speech Scale, Categories of Auditory Performance scale and Speech Intelligibility Rating test were completed. Results: Aided sound-field thresholds were significantly better for bilateral cochlear implantation patients than for unilateral cochlear implantation or binaural-bimodal hearing device patients. There was no significant difference in Meaningful Auditory Integration Scale, Infant-Toddler Meaningful Auditory Integration Scale, or Categories of Auditory Performance scores among the three groups. The binaural-bimodal hearing device patients outperformed unilateral cochlear implantation patients on both Meaningful Use of Speech Scale and Speech Intelligibility Rating scores. No statistical difference was observed between the two subgroups. Conclusion: Children who received bilateral cochlear implants have the best auditory awareness in a quiet environment. Children with binaural-bimodal hearing devices have better voice control and verbal skills than unilateral cochlear implantation patients, and people are more likely to understand them. Children with inner-ear malformations benefit from cochlear implantation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Language awareness (LA)—an understanding of the communicative functions and conventions of language—could benefit monolingual children as they navigate their increasingly multilingual world. To evaluate how non-native language exposure influences English-speaking children's understanding that different languages can convey equivalent information, 63 5–7-year-olds compared utterances in English and Lithuanian (unfamiliar to all participants). Half of the children also compared English utterances to Spanish (a widely spoken language in their community—94% of children had some past exposure), whereas the other half compared English utterances to Tagalog (unfamiliar to all participants). Children in the Spanish condition were significantly more likely than those in the Tagalog condition to agree that a Lithuanian and an English speaker could be saying the same thing. We argue that children's experience with Spanish as a community language, coupled with explicit questioning about commonalities between languages, served to scaffold an understanding of LA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aggressiveness of paediatric cholesteatoma has long been a matter of debate. While much of the evidence is substantiated by data from the Western world, it is further limited by the retrospective nature of most studies. Therefore, this paper presents a comparative analysis of various characteristics of cholesteatoma between paediatric and adult populations seen at our centre. Methods: A total of 50 patients (25 adults and 25 paediatric) with clinical diagnosis of chronic suppurative otitis media with cholesteatoma underwent canal wall down mastoidectomy over a period of two years. The intra-operative findings were noted and patients were followed up for six months. Results: There was more extensive spread and ossicular erosion in paediatric cases. However, complications such as facial canal dehiscence and lateral semicircular canal dehiscence were more common in adults. Conclusion: Paediatric cholesteatoma is more aggressive and invasive than adult cholesteatoma, and the clinical behaviour is consistent with findings from other parts of the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Offspring exposed to prenatal maternal depression (PMD) are vulnerable to depression across their lifespan. The underlying cause(s) for this elevated intergenerational risk is most likely complex. However, depression is underpinned by a dysfunctional frontal-limbic network, associated with core information processing biases (e.g. attending more to sad stimuli). Aberrations in this network might mediate transmission of this vulnerability in infants exposed to PMD. In this study, we aimed to explore the association between foetal exposure to PMD and frontal-limbic network function in infancy, hypothesising that, in response to emotional sounds, infants exposed to PMD would exhibit atypical activity in these regions, relative to those not exposed to PMD. Method: We employed a novel functional magnetic resonance imaging sequence to compare brain function, whilst listening to emotional sounds, in 78 full-term infants (3–6 months of age) born to mothers with and without a diagnosis of PMD. Results: After exclusion of 19 datasets due to infants waking up, or moving excessively, we report between-group brain activity differences, between 29 infants exposed to PMD and 29 infants not exposed to PMD, occurring in temporal, striatal, amygdala/parahippocampal and frontal regions (p < 0.005). The offspring exposed to PMD exhibited a relative increase in activation to sad sounds and reduced (or unchanged) activation to happy sounds in frontal-limbic clusters. Conclusions: Findings of a differential response to positive and negative valanced sounds by 3–6 months of age may have significant implications for our understanding of neural mechanisms that underpin the increased risk for later-life depression in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonliteral language understanding has always been recognized as problematic in autistic individuals. We ran a study on 26 autistic children (mean age = 7.3 years) and 2 comparison groups of typically developing children, 1 matched for chronological age, and 1 of younger peers (mean age = 6.11 years) matched for linguistic abilities, aiming at assessing their understanding of ironic criticisms and compliments, and identifying the cognitive and linguistic factors that may underpin this ability. Autistic participants lagged behind the comparison groups in the comprehension of both types of irony, and their performance was related to mindreading and linguistic abilities. Significant correlations were found between first-order Theory of Mind (ToM) and both types of irony, between second-order ToM and ironic compliments, and between linguistic abilities and ironic criticisms. The autistic group displayed an interesting, and previously unattested in the literature, bimodal distribution: the great majority of them (n = 18) displayed a very poor performance in irony understanding, whereas some (n = 6) were at ceiling. We discuss these results in terms of two different profiles of autistic children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To translate and validate the Child Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (CTFEQr17), assessing cognitive restraint (CR), uncontrolled eating (UE) and emotional eating (EE), among French-speaking Canadian young individuals.Design: Phase 1 comprised a translation and the evaluation of the comprehension of the questionnaire. Phase 2 comprised a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), the evaluation of internal consistency (Cronbach's α), test-retest reliability (intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC)) and construct validity, including correlations among the CTFEQr17 and Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26), anthropometrics, dietary intake and diet quality.Setting: Primary and secondary schools, Québec City, Canada.Participants: Phases 1 and 2 included 20 (40 % boys, mean age 11·5 (sd 2·4) years) and 145 (48 % boys, mean age 11·0 (sd 1·9) years) participants, respectively.Results: Phase 1 resulted in the questionnaire to be used in Phase 2. In Phase 2, the CFA revealed that the seventeen item, three-factor model (CTFEQr17) provided an excellent fit. Internal consistency was good (Cronbach's α: 0·81-0·90). Test-retest reliability was moderate to good (ICC = 0·59, (95 % CI 0·48, 0·70), ICC = 0·78, (95 % CI 0·70, 0·84), ICC = 0·50, (95 % CI 0·38, 0·62) for CR, UE and EE, respectively). CR correlated with EAT-26 score (r = 0·43, P < 0·0001). UE and EE correlated negatively with BMI Z-scores (r = -0;·26, P = 0·003; r = -0;·19, P = 0·03, respectively). CR correlated with the proportion of energy intake from protein and diet quality (r = 0·18, P = 0·04; r = 0·20, P = 0·02, respectively).Conclusion: The CTFEQr17 is suitable to use among French-speaking Canadian young individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: In 2019, California and Wilmington, Delaware' implemented policies requiring healthier default beverages with restaurant kids' meals. The current study assessed restaurant beverage offerings and manager perceptions.Design: Pre-post menu observations were conducted in California and Wilmington. Observations of cashiers/servers during orders were conducted pre-post implementation in California and post-implementation in Wilmington. Changes in California were compared using multilevel logistic regression and paired t tests. Post-implementation, managers were interviewed.Setting: Inside and drive-through ordering venues in a sample of quick-service restaurants in low-income California communities and all restaurants in Wilmington subject to the policy, the month before and 7-12 months after policy implementation.Participants: Restaurant observations (California n 110; Wilmington n 14); managers (California n 75; Wilmington n 15).Results: Pre-implementation, the most common kids' meal beverages on California menus were unflavoured milk and water (78·8 %, 52·0 %); in Wilmington, juice, milk and sugar-sweetened beverages were most common (81·8 %, 66·7 % and 46·2 %). Post-implementation, menus including only policy-consistent beverages significantly increased in California (9·7 % to 66·1 %, P < 0·0001), but remained constant in Wilmington (30·8 %). During orders, cashiers/servers offering only policy-consistent beverages significantly decreased post-implementation in California (5·0 % to 1·0 %, P = 0·002). Few managers (California 29·3 %; Wilmington 0 %) reported policy knowledge, although most expressed support. Most managers wanted additional information for customers and staff.Conclusions: While the proportion of menus offering only policy-consistent kids' meal default beverages increased in California, offerings did not change in Wilmington. In both jurisdictions, managers lacked policy knowledge, and few cashiers/servers offered only policy-consistent beverages. Additional efforts are needed to strengthen implementation of kids' meal beverage policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To examine the association between mealtime media use and non-HDL-cholesterol as well as other markers of cardiometabolic risk (CMR) in children.Design: A repeated measures study design was used to examine the association between mealtime media use and CMR outcomes. Multivariable linear regression with generalised estimating equations was used to examine the association between mealtime media use and CMR outcomes. Analyses were stratified a priori by age groups (1-4 and 5-13 years).Setting: The TARGet Kids! Practice-based research network in Toronto, Canada.Participants: 2117 children aged 1-13 years were included in the analysis.Results: After adjusting for covariates, there was no evidence that total mealtime media use was associated with non-HDL-cholesterol in 1-4 year olds (P = 0·10) or 5-13 year olds (P = 0·29). Each additional meal with media per week was associated with decreased HDL-cholesterol in 5-13 year olds (-0·006 mmol/l; 95 % CI -0·009, -0·002; P = 0·003) and log-TAG in 1-4 year olds (β = -0·004; 95 % CI -0·008, -0·00009; P = 0·04). Media use during breakfast was associated with decreased HDL-cholesterol in 5-13 year olds (-0·012 mmol/l; 95 % CI -0·02, -0·004; P = 0·002), while media during lunch was associated with decreased log-TAG (-0·01 mmol/l; 95 % CI -0·03, -0·002; P = 0·03) in children aged 1-4 years. Total mealtime media use was not associated with total cholesterol, glucose or insulin in either age group.Conclusions: Mealtime media use may be associated with unfavourable lipid profiles through effects on HDL-cholesterol in school-aged children but likely not in pre-schoolers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Feeding practices used by educators in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) settings can influence the diet quality of young children. However, Australian data is scarce and limited to describing barriers to responsive feeding. This study describes the use of feeding practices amongst a group of Australian educators.Design: Direct observation of feeding practices and assessment of centre policy were conducted using the 'Environment and Policy Assessment and Observation' tool. Self-reported feeding practices and demographic data were collected via online survey using the Childcare Food and Activity Practices Questionnaire.Setting: Ten centre-based ECEC services in South East Queensland, Australia.Participants: Educators working in ECEC.Results: A total of 120 meals were observed and 88 educators provided self-report data (n 84 female). Centre policy supported the use of responsive feeding practices, and this was reflected in the high frequency with which children could decide what and how much to eat, across both observed and self-report data as well as low levels of pressure to eat and use of food as a reward (observed at 19·9 % and 0 % of meals). The only apparent discrepancy was regarding modelling. Median score for self-reported role-modelling was 5·0 (4·3-5·0) and educators were observed to sit with children at 75 % of meals, however observed occasions of enthusiastic role modelling was only 22 % (0-33·3) of meals.Conclusions: Research addressing how educators conceptualise feeding practices, as well under what circumstances they are used, particularly in centres with different models of food provision, may shed light on why modelling is rarely implemented in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research on the acquisition of grammatical gender has shown that this property is acquired early in transparent gender systems such as Russian. However, it is not clear to what extent children are sensitive to the assignment cues and to what extent they simply memorize correspondences between frequent lexical items. Furthermore, we do not know if bilingual children are different from monolingual children in this respect. This article reports on a study investigating bilingual children's sensitivity to gender assignment cues in Russian. A group of 64 bilingual German–Russian children living in Germany participated in the study, as well as 107 monolingual controls in Russia. The elicitation experiments used both real and nonce words, as well as noun phrases with mismatched cues (where the morphophonological shape of the noun cued one gender and the agreement on the modifying adjective another). The results show that both bilinguals and monolinguals are highly sensitive to cues, both to the frequent transparent cues and to more fine-grained gender regularities in situations where there is ambiguity. There is also an age effect, showing that younger children pay more attention to the cue on the noun itself, thus displaying a preference for regular patterns, while older children are more sensitive to gender agreement on other targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To quantify food/beverage advertising on television in Montreal (Quebec), to estimate and characterise children's exposure and to examine trends over time.Design: Television food advertising data were licensed for nineteen food categories and eighteen stations for May 2011, 2016 and 2019. The frequency of advertisements and the average number viewed per child aged 2-11 years overall, by food category and by station type (i.e. youth-appealing (n 3) and generalist (n 15) stations) were determined. The percent change in advertising frequency and exposure between May 2011 and 2019 was calculated.Setting: Montreal, Quebec, Canada.Participants: This study used media data and did not directly involve human participants.Results: The total number of television advertisements increased by 11 % between May 2011 (n 41 084) and May 2019 (n 45 406); however, exposure to food/beverage advertisements decreased by 53 %, going from 226 ads/child in May 2011 to 107 ads/child in May 2019. Overall, the most advertised food categories in both May 2011 and 2019 were fast food (29·8 % and 39·2 %, respectively) followed by chocolate (14·2 %) in 2011 and savory snacks (9·7 %) in 2019. In May 2019, children were predominantly exposed to unhealthy food categories such as fast food (41·3 % of exposure), savory snacks (7·5 %), chocolate (5·0 %) and regular soft drinks (4·5 %), and most (89·3 %) of their total exposure occurred on generalist television stations.Conclusion: Despite Quebec's restrictions on commercial advertising directed to children under 13 years, Quebecois children are still frequently exposed to unhealthy food advertising on television. Government should tighten restrictions to protect children from this exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the shifts and factors associated with different scenarios resulting from the prevalence of child stunting and overweight in Brazilian municipalities.Design: This is an ecological study using municipality-level panel data of stunting and overweight prevalence and socio-economic characteristics from 2008 to 2014. The municipalities were classified according to the WHO-UNICEF prevalence thresholds for stunting and overweight and were categorised into four nutritional scenarios: no burden (prevalence of stunting < 20 % and overweight < 10 %), stunting burden (prevalence of stunting ≥ 20 % and overweight < 10 %), overweight burden (prevalence of stunting < 20 % and overweight ≥ 10 %) and double burden (prevalence of stunting ≥ 20 % and overweight ≥ 10 %).Setting: Totally, 4443 Brazilian municipalities.Participants: Aggregated data of children under 5 years old enrolled in the Brazil's conditional cash transfer programme (Bolsa Família).Results: A mean reduction from 14·2 % to 12·7 % in the prevalence of stunting and an increase from 17·2 % to 18·4 % in the prevalence of overweight were observed. The predominant scenarios were overweight burden and double burden. The odds of both scenarios increased with higher gross domestic product (GDP) per capita and decreased with higher unemployment rates. Stunting and double burden decreased with higher expected years of schooling, and stunting burden increased with household crowding.Conclusion: Our findings indicate an advanced nutrition transition stage in Brazil, associated mainly with municipal GDP per capita growth, which has contributed to increasing the burden of overweight alone or coexisting with stunting (double burden) among children in the most socio-economically vulnerable strata of the population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Increasing evidence links unhealthy food environments with diet quality and overweight/obesity. Recent evidence has demonstrated that relative food environment measures outperform absolute measures. Few studies have examined the interplay between these two measures. We examined the separate and combined effects of the absolute and relative densities of unhealthy food outlets within 1600 m buffers around elementary schools on children's diet- and weight-related outcomes.Design: This is a cross-sectional study of 812 children from thirty-nine schools. The Youth Healthy Eating Index (Y-HEI) and daily vegetables and fruit servings were derived from the Harvard Food Frequency Questionnaire for Children and Youth. Measured heights and weights determined BMI Z-scores. Food outlets were ranked as healthy, somewhat healthy and unhealthy according to provincial paediatric nutrition guidelines. Multilevel mixed-effects regression models were used to assess the effect of absolute (number) and relative (proportion) densities of unhealthy food outlets within 1600 m around schools on diet quality and weight status.Setting: Two urban centres in the province of Alberta, Canada.Participants: Grade 5 students (10-11 years).Results: For children attending schools with a higher absolute number (36+) of unhealthy food outlets within 1600 m, every 10 % increase in the proportion of unhealthy food outlets was associated with 4·1 lower Y-HEI score and 0·9 fewer daily vegetables and fruit.Conclusions: Children exposed to a higher relative density of unhealthy food outlets around a school had lower diet quality, specifically in areas where the absolute density of unhealthy food outlets was also high. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Evaluate associations between orange juice (OJ) consumption and anthropometric parameters.Design: Prospective cohort study assessing the association between OJ intake and changes in BMI and height-for-age Z-score (HAZ) using mixed linear regression.Setting: 2004-2008, USA.Participants: Children from the Growing Up Today Study II (n 7301), aged 9-16 years at enrollment.Results: OJ consumption was positively associated with 2-year change in HAZ in girls (mean (se)): 0·03 (0·01) for non-consumers, 0·03 (0·02) for 1-3 glasses/month, 0·06 (0·01) for 1-6 glasses/week and 0·09 (0·02) for ≥1 glass/d after full adjustment (Ptrend = 0·02). However, OJ consumption was not associated with 2-year change in BMI percentile (kg/m2, mean (se)): -0·44 (0·36) for non-consumers, 0·20 (0·41) for 1-3 glasses/month, -0·04 (0·34) for 1-6 glasses/week and -0·77 (0·62) for ≥1 glass/d in girls, Ptrend = 0·81; -0·94 (0·53) for non-consumers, -1·68 (0·52) for 1-3 glasses/month, -0·81 (0·38) for 1-6 glasses per week and -1·12 (0·61) for ≥1 glass/d in boys, Ptrend = 0·49.Conclusion: OJ consumption was favourably associated with height growth but unrelated to excess weight gain. OJ may be a useful alternative to whole fruit in the event that whole fruit intake is insufficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess the association between dietary diversity and development among children under 24 months in rural Uganda and to establish other factors that could be associated with development among these children.Design: A secondary data analysis of a cluster-randomised controlled maternal education trial (n 511) was conducted on a sub-sample of 385 children. We used adjusted ORs (AORs) to assess the associations of dietary diversity scores (DDS) and other baseline factors assessed at 6-8 months with child development domains (communication, fine motor, gross motor, personal-social and problem solving) at 20-24 months of age.Setting: Rural areas in Kabale and Kisoro districts of south-western Uganda.Participants: Children under 24 months.Results: After multivariable analysis, DDS at 6-8 months were positively associated with normal fine motor skills development at 20-24 months (AOR = 1·18; 95 % CI 1·01, 1·37; P = 0·02). No significant association was found between DDS and other development domains. Children who were not ill at 6-8 months had higher odds of developing normal communication (AOR = 1·73; 95 % CI 1·08, 2·77) and gross motor (AOR = 1·91; 95 % CI 1·09, 3·36) skills than sick children. Girls had lower odds of developing normal gross motor skills compared with boys (AOR = 0·58; 95 % CI 0·33, 0·98). Maternal/caregiver nutritional education intervention was positively associated with development of gross motor, fine motor and problem-solving skills (P-values < 0·05).Conclusions: We found an association between child DDS at 6-8 months and improvement in fine motor skills development at 20-24 months. Child illness status, maternal/caregiver nutritional education intervention and sex were other significant baseline predictors of child development at 20-24 months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine the associations of home cooking with caregiver-child interaction and child mental health in Japan.Design: Cross-sectional data collected in 2018. Frequency of home cooking was assessed by a questionnaire among 4126 caregivers and classified as high (almost every day), medium (4-5 d/week) or low (≤3 d/week). Caregiver-child interaction was evaluated by assessing frequency of talking and playing together (per week). Behaviour problems and prosocial behaviour were assessed by the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, and resilience was assessed using the Children's Resilient Coping Scale.Setting: Japan.Participants: Children aged 9-10 years and their caregivers in Adachi, Tokyo, Japan.Results: Low and middle frequency of home cooking were associated with lower frequencies of talking about school life, talking about news with the child, talking about television shows with the child and helping with the child's homework. Children with low and/or middle frequency of home cooking had more behaviour problems (low frequency: β = 3·95, 95 % CI 1·30, 6·59 and medium frequency: β = 3·38, 95 % CI 2·07, 4·70), lower prosocial behaviour (low frequency: β = -5·85, 95 % CI -10·04, -1·66) and lower resilience (low frequency: β = -6·56, 95 % CI -9·77, -3·35 and medium frequency: β = -4·11, 95 % CI -5·71, -2·51), compared with children with high frequency of home cooking after adjusting covariates including socio-economic status. These associations were mediated by child's eating behaviours and/or caregiver-child interaction.Conclusions: Creating an environment that encourages caregivers to cook at home may be important for children's mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To systematically audit the extent of unhealthy sponsorship within junior community sporting clubs and ascertain whether differences exist across geographical areas and sport types.Design: Club sponsorship data were assessed to determine the extent of unhealthy food/beverage, alcohol and gambling sponsorship using a cross-sectional design. Differences across geographical areas were assessed using logistic regressions.Setting: A stratified random sampling procedure was used to select thirty communities across the state of Victoria, Australia. Within each community, local clubs across the top eight participating junior sports were selected for audit.Participants: Sponsorship data were collected from 191 club websites and Facebook pages in September-November 2019.Results: Unhealthy sponsorships represented 8·9 % of all identified sponsorship arrangements. A quarter of all clubs accepted alcohol (25·6 %) and unhealthy food sponsors (25·9 %), and one-fifth of all clubs accepted high-risk food (unhealthy brands with large market share) (18·1 %) and gambling sponsors (20·4 %). Acceptance of unhealthy sponsorship differed across sport types with football, netball, cricket and soccer clubs having the greatest numbers. Compared with metro areas, a significantly greater proportion of sporting clubs in regional areas were affiliated with unhealthy food (32·7 % v. 19·6 %) and high-risk food sponsors (26·9 % v. 9·8 %). A higher proportion of clubs in low socio-economic status (SES), compared with the high SES areas, were affiliated with alcohol (33·9 % v. 16·5 %) and gambling sponsors (27·4 % v. 12·6 %).Conclusion: Victorian children participating in community junior sports are being exposed to marketing of unhealthy brands and products. Public health intervention is necessary to protect children from this exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess the quality and quantity of foods and beverages provided to children aged 0-5 years in family day care and identify structural and sociodemographic factors associated with the nutritional quality of food provided.Design: A cross-sectional study measured the food and beverages provided to children using weighed food records. The number of serves from different food groups was calculated according to the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating, and a healthy food provision index score was created. Associations between structural and sociodemographic factors and healthy food provision index scores were analysed using linear mixed models.Setting: Family day care services in two large geographic areas in New South Wales, Australia.Participants: One hundred and four children in thirty-three family day care services.Results: During attendance at childcare, most children met recommended servings of fruit but not dairy, vegetables, lean meat and meat alternatives and wholegrains. Discretionary foods exceeded recommendations. Children's age, socio-economic status and the type of main meal provided were significantly associated with the healthy food provision index score.Conclusions: Foods provided to children in family day care are aligned with dietary recommendations for fruit but not vegetables, dairy, lean meat and meat alternatives, wholegrains or discretionary foods. Interventions to promote healthy eating are needed to support families and educators to improve the nutritional quality of food provided to children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the complementary food consumption according to the extent and purpose of food processing based on NOVA classification among children aged 6-24 months of Federal District, Brazil.Design: We performed a cross-sectional study using a 24-h recall to estimate the daily energy intake and nutrients according to NOVA classification. We conducted a linear regression to assess the association between the processed and ultra-processed foods (UPF) energy intake and the daily energy intake from saturated fat, daily energy intake from total sugars and daily intake of sodium.Setting: Federal District, Brazil.Participants: Five hundred and thirty-eight children aged between 6 and 24 months attended at Primary Health Care Units from March 2017 to March 2018.Results: On average, children aged from 6 to 12 and from 12 to 24 months consumed 2393 and 4054 kJ/d, respectively, and processed and UPF represented one-third of dietary energy intake. Group 2 (processed and UPF) was higher carbohydrate contributors, and lower protein, fibre and most micronutrient contributors, when compared with Group 1 (unprocessed, minimally processed foods and processed culinary ingredients). In addition, the higher the energy intake from processed and UPF, the higher was the daily energy intake from saturated fat, daily energy intake from total sugar and daily intake of sodium.Conclusion: Children are being exposed early to processed and UPF and their share affect the diet's nutritional quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: In 2011-2012, severe El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) conditions (La Niña) led to massive flooding and temporarily displacement in the Peruvian Amazon. Our aims were to examine the impact of this ENSO exposure on child diets, in particular: (1) frequency of food consumption patterns, (2) the amount of food consumed (g/d), (3) dietary diversity (DD), (4) consumption of donated foods, among children aged 9-36 months living in the outskirts of City of Iquitos in the Amazonian Peru.Design: This was a longitudinal study that used quantitative 24-h recall dietary data collection from children aged 9-36 months from 2010 to 2014 as part of the MAL-ED birth cohort study.Setting: Iquitos, Loreto, Peru.Participants: Two hundred and fifty-two mother-child dyads.Results: The frequency of grains, rice, dairy and sugar in meals reduced by 5-7 %, while the frequency of plantain in meals increased by 24 % after adjusting for covariates. ENSO exposure reduced girl's intake of plantains and sugar. Despite seasonal fluctuations in the availability of fruits, vegetables and fish, DD remained constant across seasons and as children aged. However, DD was significantly reduced under moderate La Niña conditions by 0·32 (P < 0·05) food groups. Adaptive social strategies such as consumption of donated foods were significantly higher among households with girls.Conclusions: This is the first empirical study to show differential effect of the ENSO on the dietary patterns of children, highlighting differences by gender. Public health nutrition programmes should be climate- and gender-sensitive in their efforts to safeguard the diets of vulnerable populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the association between the consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPF) and the practice of breast-feeding in children under 2 years of age assisted by the conditional cash transfer programme, Bolsa Família Programme (PBF).Design: A cross-sectional study. The consumption of UPF and the practice of breast-feeding were assessed using a structured 24-h recall. Associations were calculated using hierarchical Poisson regression, adjusted at the last level by socio-economic, demographic and environmental variables from previous hierarchical levels.Setting: Six counties from the state of Alagoas, Brazil.Participants: Children aged 6-24 months, assisted by PBF.Results: A total of 1604 children were evaluated, 11·7% of whom were overweight, and most had consumed UPF (90·6%) in the last 24 h. The most consumed UPF were biscuits, chocolate milk and baby food with 74·8, 66·8 and 24·9%, respectively. Through multivariable analysis, an association was found between lower consumption of UPF in the continuation of breast-feeding until the second year of life (prevalence ratio (PR) 0·91, 95 % CI 0·86, 0·96) and in the first year of life (PR 0·93, 95 % CI 0·88, 0·99).Conclusions: It was found that the studied population had a high consumption of UPF, which harmed continued breast-feeding. We highlight the importance of strengthening public policies aimed at the promotion, protection and support of breast-feeding and healthy complementary feeding aimed at populations that have difficulties in physical and economic access to a healthy and adequate diet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Chronic aflatoxin exposure has been associated with childhood stunting (length-for-age/height-for-age < -2 sd), while data lacks for Bangladesh, a country with substantial burden of childhood stunting. This paper examined the association between aflatoxin exposure and childhood stunting in a slum setting of Dhaka city.Design: In this MAL-ED aflatoxin birth cohort study, plasma samples were assayed for aflatoxin B1-lysine adduct (AFB1-lys) by MS at 7, 15, 24 and 36 months of age for 208, 196, 173 and 167 children to assess chronic aflatoxin exposure. Relationship between aflatoxin exposure and anthropometric measures was examined by mixed-effects logistic regression models.Setting and Participants: The study was conducted in Mirpur, Dhaka, where children were followed from birth to 36 months.Results: Prevalence of stunting increased from 21 % at 7 months to 49 % at 36 months of age. Mean AFB1-lys concentrations at 7, 15, 24 and 36 months were 1·30 (range 0·09-5·79), 1·52 (range 0·06-6·35), 3·43 (range 0·15-65·60) and 3·70 (range 0·09-126·54) pg/mg albumin, respectively, and the percentage of children with detectable AFB1-lys was 10, 21, 18 and 62 %, respectively. No association was observed between aflatoxin exposure and stunting in multivariable analyses. Factors associated with childhood stunting were age, low birth weight, maternal height, stool myeloperoxidase and number of people sleeping in one room.Conclusions: A relatively lower exposure to aflatoxin may not influence the linear growth of children. This finding indicates a threshold level of exposure for linear growth deficit and further investigation in other areas where higher concentrations of aflatoxin exposure exist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with later depression and there is considerable genetic overlap between them. This study investigated if ADHD and ADHD genetic liability are causally related to depression using two different methods. Methods: First, a longitudinal population cohort design was used to assess the association between childhood ADHD (age 7 years) and recurrent depression in young-adulthood (age 18–25 years) in N = 8310 individuals in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). Second, two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses examined relationships between genetic liability for ADHD and depression utilising published Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS) data. Results: Childhood ADHD was associated with an increased risk of recurrent depression in young-adulthood (OR 1.35, 95% CI 1.05–1.73). MR analyses suggested a causal effect of ADHD genetic liability on major depression (OR 1.21, 95% CI 1.12–1.31). MR findings using a broader definition of depression differed, showing a weak influence on depression (OR 1.07, 95% CI 1.02–1.13). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that ADHD increases the risk of depression later in life and are consistent with a causal effect of ADHD genetic liability on subsequent major depression. However, findings were different for more broadly defined depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is a wealth of literature on the observed association between childhood trauma and psychotic illness. However, the relationship between childhood trauma and psychosis is complex and could be explained, in part, by gene–environment correlation. Methods: The association between schizophrenia polygenic scores (PGS) and experiencing childhood trauma was investigated using data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) and the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa). Schizophrenia PGS were derived in each cohort for children, mothers, and fathers where genetic data were available. Measures of trauma exposure were derived based on data collected throughout childhood and adolescence (0–17 years; ALSPAC) and at age 8 years (MoBa). Results: Within ALSPAC, we found a positive association between schizophrenia PGS and exposure to trauma across childhood and adolescence; effect sizes were consistent for both child or maternal PGS. We found evidence of an association between the schizophrenia PGS and the majority of trauma subtypes investigated, with the exception of bullying. These results were comparable with those of MoBa. Within ALSPAC, genetic liability to a range of additional psychiatric traits was also associated with a greater trauma exposure. Conclusions: Results from two international birth cohorts indicate that genetic liability for a range of psychiatric traits is associated with experiencing childhood trauma. Genome-wide association study of psychiatric phenotypes may also reflect risk factors for these phenotypes. Our findings also suggest that youth at higher genetic risk might require greater resources/support to ensure they grow-up in a healthy environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Approximately 25 % of Canadian children aged 4-8 years fail to meet the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of calcium (Ca). Young children's food choices are primarily determined by their parents. No interventions have directly targeted parents as a medium through which to increase children's Ca consumption. This study compared the effectiveness of a Ca-specific intervention targeted towards parents, with generic dietary advice on the Ca consumption of children aged 4-10 years.Design: A parallel two-arm randomised controlled trial was conducted.Setting: The study was conducted across Canada. Both conditions received information on the RDA of Ca and an index of intake requirements. Material sent to the intervention condition included behavioural strategies to increase dietary Ca consumption, information on the benefits of dietary Ca intake and messages addressing perceived barriers to the consumption of Ca-rich foods.Participants: A total of 239 parents (93 % mothers) of children aged 4-10 years who consumed less than the RDA of Ca were randomly assigned in a 1:1 allocation ratio.Results: There was a significant increase in total Ca intake and Ca from dairy for children at weeks 8, 34 and 52 (P ≤ 0·001) in both conditions. Parental Ca intake and amount spent on dairy products did not significantly increase following the intervention.Conclusions: Provision of daily Ca requirements with regular reminders could impact parents' delivery of Ca-rich foods to their children. This finding is important for public health messaging as it suggests that parents are a potent medium through which to promote Ca intake in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Schools offer an ideal setting for childhood obesity interventions due to their access to children and adolescents. This review aimed to systematically review the impact of school-based intervention for the treatment of childhood obesity.Design: Eight databases were searched from inception till 30 May 2020. A revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool and the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations criteria were used to evaluate the risk of bias and overall evidence. Meta-analysis and meta-regression were performed on Stata software using the random effects model. Overall effect was evaluated using Hedges' g, and heterogeneity was assessed using Cochran's Q and I2.Setting: Cluster randomised controlled trials (cluster-RCT) delivered in school.Participants: Children and adolescents (6-18 years of age) with overweight and obesity.Results: Twelve cluster-RCT from seven countries with 1755 participants were included in the meta-analysis. School-based interventions for the treatment of childhood obesity reduced BMI and BMI z-scores with a medium effect (g = 0·52). Subgroup analyses showed greater effectiveness of brief school-based interventions and the interventions conducted in lower-middle to upper-middle economies. Meta-regression assessed the heterogeneity and the final model, with covariates of the type of economies and trial duration, accounted for 41·2 % of the variability. The overall quality of evidence was rated low because of the high risk of bias and inconsistency.Conclusions: School-based interventions are a possible approach to provide universal healthcare for the treatment of childhood obesity, and further well-designed cluster-RCT with longer follow-up are needed. This study is registered with PROSPERO (CRD42020160735). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of the study was to assess the impact of different lunchbox messages on parents' intention to pack a healthy lunchbox.Design: This study employed an experimental design.Setting: A series of messages were developed to align with the six constructs of the Health Belief Model. Messages were also developed that were (and were not) personalised and varied based on the source of the information provided (university, school, dietitian and health promotion service). During a telephone survey, participants were read the content of each message and asked about their intention to pack a healthy lunchbox.Participants: Parents of primary school-aged children were randomised to receive different messages to encourage the packing of healthy lunchboxes.Results: The study was completed by 511 parents. Linear mixed regression analyses identified significant differences (P < 0·05) in intention scores between variant messages targeting the same behavioural constructs for 'susceptibility', 'severity', 'benefits' and 'barriers' but not 'cues to action' or 'self-efficacy'. The highest mean behavioural intention score was for 'benefits', whilst the lowest mean score was for 'barriers'. There were no significant differences in intention scores of parents receiving messages from a dietitian, university, health promotion team or school (P = 0·37). Intention scores did not differ in which messages were personalised based on child's name (P = 0·84) or grade level (P = 0·54).Conclusions: The findings suggest that messages that focus on the benefits of packing healthy lunchboxes may be particularly useful in improving intentions of parents to pack healthy foods for their children to consume at school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of the current study was to identify and describe the meal and snack patterns (breakfast, mid-morning snack, lunch, mid-afternoon snack, dinner and evening snack) of public schoolchildren.Design: Cross-sectional study. Information on the previous day's food intake was obtained through the Web-CAAFE (Food Intake and Physical Activity of Schoolchildren), an interactive questionnaire, which divides daily food consumption into three meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) and three snacks (mid-morning, mid-afternoon and evening). Each meal contains thirty-one food items and the schoolchildren clicked on the food items consumed in each meal. Factor analysis was used to identify meal and snack patterns. The descriptions of the dietary patterns (DP) were based on food items with factor loads ≥ 0·30 that were considered representative of each DP.Setting: Schoolchildren, Florianopolis, Brazil.Participants: Children (n 1074) aged 7-13 years.Results: Lunch was the most consumed meal (96·0 %), followed by dinner (86·4 %), breakfast (85·3 %) and mid-afternoon snack (81·7 %). Four DP were identified for breakfast, mid-morning snack, lunch, dinner and evening snack, and three for mid-afternoon snack. Breakfast, lunch and dinner patterns included traditional Brazilian foods. DP consisting of fast foods and sugary beverages were also observed, mainly for the evening snack.Conclusions: The results of the current study provide important information regarding the meal and snack patterns of schoolchildren to guide the development of nutrition interventions in public health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess differences between traditional paper bag ordering and online ordering from primary school canteens in terms of menu, usage and lunch order characteristics.Design: A cross-sectional study.Setting: New South Wales (NSW) primary schools that offered both paper bag and online canteen ordering.Participants: Students (aged 5-12 years) with a lunch order on the day of the observation.Results: Across the six school canteens, 59-90 % of all available items were listed on both the online and paper menus, with no significant differences in the nutritional quality ('Everyday'/'Occasional') or nutritional content (kJ/saturated fat/sugar/sodium) of menu items. In total, 387 student lunch orders were placed, containing 776 menu items. Most orders (68 %) were placed online. There were no significant differences between order modality in the quantity of items ordered or the cost of orders, or the nutritional quality of orders based on the classification system of the NSW Healthy School Canteen Strategy ('Everyday'/'Occasional'). However, nutritional analysis revealed that paper bag orders contained 222 fewer kJ than online orders (P = 0·001), 0·65 g less saturated fat (P = 0·04) and 4·7 g less sugar (P < 0·001).Conclusions: Online canteens are commonly used to order canteen lunches for primary school children. This is the first study to investigate differences between traditional paper bag ordering and online ordering in this setting. Given the rapid increase in the use of online ordering systems in schools and other food settings and their potential to deliver public health nutrition interventions, additional research is warranted to further investigate differences in ordering modalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Dietary pattern analysis constitutes a suitable method for identifying complex food preferences as well as a useful tool for comparing dietary behaviour across individual populations. In addition to a lack of information on Central European dietary patterns, dietary data featuring a longitudinal aspect are likewise largely unavailable for the region. Our study thus strives to address this gap by analysing children's dietary patterns, their stability and possible changes at 7, 11 and 15 years in the Czech part of the European Longitudinal Study of Pregnancy and Childhood (ELSPAC-CZ).Design: We analysed dietary data based on the self-reported semi-quantitative FFQ obtained in 1998, 2002 and 2006. Dietary patterns were derived using factor analysis for each period, followed by the determination of dietary pattern stability across the individual periods.Setting: The analysis of dietary patterns was based on longitudinal children's dietary data from the geographical region that was undergoing massive socio-economic changes at the time of birth of the study subjects.Participants: All participants were children. At 7 years the analysis included 3220 children, at 11 years the analysis included 2509 children and at 15 years the analysis included 1589 children.Results: Two stable children's dietary patterns labelled as 'prudent' and 'junk food' were identified across all three time points (7, 11 and 15 years).Conclusions: This study identifies stable longitudinal trends in the dietary behaviour of children enrolled in the ELSPAC-CZ study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to assess whether the long-term effectiveness of the Melbourne Infant, Feeding, Activity and Nutrition Trial (INFANT) at 2 and 3·5 years post-intervention varied according to maternal education and age.Design: Two and 3·5 years post-intervention follow-up of the INFANT cluster-randomised controlled trial. Outcomes at both follow-ups included children's BMI z-scores, physical activity (ActiGraph), television viewing (parental report) and dietary intake (3 × 24-h dietary recalls). Dichotomous moderator variables included maternal education (university v. no university) and age (< 32 v. ≥ 32 years).Setting: Population based.Participants: Families completing the 15-month programme (n 492) were invited to participate in the follow-ups when their child was 3·6 and 5 years old.Results: At the 2-year follow-up, the intervention effects on vegetable (positive) and sweet snack (negative) intake were greater in children with higher educated mothers, whereas water consumption (positive) was greater in children with lower educated mothers. At the 2-year follow-up, the intervention was more effective in increasing water consumption in children with younger mothers and decreasing sweet snack intake in children with older mothers (opposite result observed at the 3·5-year follow-up). At the 3·5-year follow-up, children with younger and older mothers increased and decreased their consumption of savoury snacks, respectively.Conclusions: Moderation by maternal education and age were observed for some outcomes; however, clear patterns were not evident at both follow-ups, with little consistency across outcomes. This indicates that INFANT was more-or-less equally effective in children irrespective of their mother's education level or age, which is important in community-based interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate and compare cases of simultaneous and consecutive bilateral cochlear implantation from the perspective of the duration of anaesthesia, surgical complications and hospitalisation. Method: Fifty patients with simultaneous bilateral cochlear implantation (group 1) and 47 patients with consecutive bilateral cochlear implantation (group 2) were included in this study. The two groups were compared in terms of the duration of anaesthesia, the duration of surgery, radiological findings, the complications and the post-operative hospitalisation time. Results: Group 1 had a significantly shorter operation time than group 2 (p < 0.01). The mean total operation time was 189 minutes in group 1. In group 2, the mean operation times for the first and second surgery were 134 minutes and 136 minutes, respectively, and the total operation time for both surgical procedures in group 2 was 270 minutes. The duration of post-operative hospitalisation of the patients in group 1 was significantly shorter than the total post-operative hospitalisation after both operations for the patients in group 2 (p < 0.01). Conclusion: In conclusion, if there is no anatomical problem that may lead to a prolonged operation time or any risk regarding anaesthesia, simultaneous bilateral cochlear implantation can be performed safely. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aimed to compare graft take rate after tympanoplasty between adults and paediatric patients, cartilage and fascia grafts, and overlay and underlay techniques. Methods: Data were analysed in groups according to the technique (underlay vs overlay), age (paediatric patients vs adults) and graft (cartilage vs temporalis fascia). The main outcome measures were full graft take and the incidence of complications. Results: A total of 198 patients (208 ears) were included. Overall, full graft take was achieved in 200 ears (96 per cent). The success rate was higher in adults compared with paediatric patients (97.5 per cent vs 92.25, respectively) but the difference was insignificant. Similarly, higher but insignificant graft take rate was found in the cartilage group compared with fascia group (98.6 per cent vs 94.9 per cent, respectively). Conclusion: All cases of overlay tympanoplasty had full graft take (success rate 100 per cent). In the underlay group, successful graft take was achieved in 154 cases (95 per cent). This difference was statistically insignificant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine current dietary fat intakes and compliance in Irish children and to examine changes in intakes from 2005 to 2019.Design: Analyses were based on data from the Irish National Children's Food Survey (NCFS) and the NSFS II, two cross-sectional studies that collected detailed food and beverage intake data through 7-day and 4-day weighed food diaries, respectively.Setting: NCFS and NCFS II, Republic of Ireland.Participants: A nationally representative sample of 594 (NCFS) and 600 (NCFS II) children aged 5-12 years. Current intakes from the NCFS II were compared with those previously reported in the NCFS (www.iuna.net).Results: Current intakes of total fat, SFA, MUFA, PUFA and trans fat as a percentage of total energy are 33·3, 14·0, 13·6, 5·6 and 0·5 %, respectively. Total fat, SFA and trans fat intakes since 2005 remained largely stable over time with all displaying minor decreases of <1 %. Adherence to SFA recommendations remains inadequate, with only 7 % of the population complying. Insufficient compliance with PUFA (71 %) and EPA and DHA (DHA; 16 %) recommendations was also noted.Conclusion: Children in Ireland continue to meet the total fat and trans fat target goals. Adherence to MUFA and PUFA recommendations has also significantly improved. However, deviations for some fats remain, in particular SFA. These findings are useful for the development of dietary strategies to improve compliance with current recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This cross-sectional study evaluated the dietary characteristics of snacks, the contribution of snacks to daily nutrient intake and the association of energy intake (EI) from snacks with the prevalence of nutritional inadequacy in Japanese nursery school children.Design: Foods and nutrients consumed in each eating occasion were assessed by 3-d dietary records. The prevalence of inadequate intake of twenty nutrients assessed by the age- and sex-specific reference values in the Japanese Dietary Reference Intakes was compared according to tertile categories of EI from snacks.Setting: A multi-regional dietary survey based on nursery schools in Japan.Participants: A total of 187 boys and 191 girls aged 3-6 years.Results: EI from snacks accounted for 19·5 % (sd 6·9) of total daily EI. Confectionaries accounted for the largest part of EI from snacks (35·3 %), followed by milk (19·5 %). Relative to their energy contribution, snacks accounted for a small proportion for all nutrients examined, except for free sugar, calcium, SFA and riboflavin. Although a higher EI from snacks was associated with favourable profiles for intakes of calcium, iron, thiamine and riboflavin, excessive intakes of free sugar and Na were more prevalent among children with a higher EI from snacks.Conclusions: Although snacks are effective in meeting the requirement of some nutrients among Japanese nursery school children, snacks are generally not nutrient-dense and have an impact on excessive intake of some nutrients. There is hence room for improvement in food choices at snack time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To compare exposure to household food insufficiency and the relationship between household food insufficiency and both health status and emergency healthcare utilisation among children with and without special healthcare needs (SHCN).Design: Analysing pooled data from the 2016-2017 iterations of the National Survey of Children's Health, we conducted multivariate logistic regressions on household food insufficiency, health status and emergency healthcare utilisation. We assessed interactions between household food insufficiency and children's SHCN status in our models of health status and utilisation.Setting: United States.Participants: Parents of a nationally representative sample of non-institutionalised children (aged 0-17 years).Results: Children with SHCN were more likely to experience household food insufficiency (70 v. 56 %), non-excellent health status (67 v. 28 %) and emergency healthcare utilisation (32 v. 18 %) than other children. Household food insufficiency was associated with 37 % (children with SHCN) and 19 % (children without SHCN) reductions in the likelihood of having excellent health. Household food insufficiency was associated with a roughly equal (16-19 %) increase in the likelihood of emergency department utilisation across groups.Conclusions: Compared with other children, children with SHCN have an elevated risk of exposure to household food insufficiency and experiencing greater reductions in health status when exposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to compare the outcomes of ventilation tube insertion and balloon Eustachian tuboplasty as a first line treatment for otitis media with effusion in children. Method: This was a retrospective evaluation of 62 children, 30 cases that underwent balloon Eustachian tuboplasty (group 1) and 32 cases that underwent ventilation tube insertion (group 2), from July 2016 to April 2018. Results: The pre-operative air–bone gap of patients who underwent balloon Eustachian tuboplasty was 15–35 dB (mean: 27.6 ± 8.2 dB). The mean pre-operative air–bone gap decreased to 9.6 dB after a mean of 14.4 months (p < 0.05). The air–bone gap decreased from 25.6 dB to 17.6 dB in the ventilation tube group. There was a significant improvement in the air–bone gap values in both groups; however, this decrease was significantly higher in the balloon Eustachian tuboplasty group (p = 0.043). Conclusion: Balloon Eustachian tuboplasty may be an effective and safe method for use as a first-line treatment of otitis media with effusion in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess trends in consumption of soda, sweetened fruit drinks/sports drinks and any sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) from 2013 to 2016 among all children in California aged 2-5 and 6-11 years and by racial-ethnic group.Design: Serial cross-sectional study using the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS).Setting: CHIS is a telephone survey of households in California designed to assess population-level estimates of key health behaviours. Previous research using CHIS documented a decrease in SSB consumption among children in California from 2003 to 2009 coinciding with state-level policy efforts targeting child SSB consumption.Participants: Parents of children in California aged 2-11 years (n 4901 in 2013-2014; n 3606 in 2015-2016) were surveyed about the child's consumption of soda and sweetened fruit drinks/sports drinks on the day prior.Results: Among 2-5-year-olds, consumption of soda, sweetened fruit drinks/sports drinks and any SSB remained stable. Sweetened fruit drink/sports drink consumption was higher than soda consumption in this age group. Latino 2-5- year-olds were more likely to consume any SSB in both 2013-2014 and 2015-2016 compared with Whites. Among 6-11-year-olds, consumption of soda, sweetened fruit drinks/sports drinks and any SSB also remained stable over time. Latino and African-American 6-11-year-olds were more likely to consume an SSB in 2013-2014 compared with White children.Conclusions: SSB consumption among children in California was unchanged from 2013 to 2016 and racial-ethnic disparities were evident. Increased policy efforts are needed to further reduce SSB consumption, particularly among children of Latino and African-American backgrounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the relationships between children's food and drink choices at school lunch for children who consume high and low sugar intakes at home.Design: Children's food and drink consumption at home was assessed using diet diaries over three consecutive days. Children were classified as 'high' or 'low' sugar consumers at home using the WHO recommendation that free sugars should be less than 10 % of their daily total energy intake. A purposive sample of children was then selected and observed during school lunch, recording food selections, food left on plates and content of packed lunches.Setting: Six primary schools in Newham and Kent, England.Participants: Parents and children aged 6-7 years.Results: Seventy-one parents completed diet diaries. From the seventy-one, thirty-nine children were observed during school lunch. Twenty children were high sugar consumers, nineteen children were low sugar consumers; thirty-one children had a school meal. Eleven of the fifteen children (73 %) who had school meals and who were high sugar consumers selected a high-sugar dessert rather than fruit. Only five of the sixteen (31 %) children who had school meals and were low sugar consumers at home chose a high-sugar dessert. Most of the children who had packed lunches had sweet items, despite school policies.Conclusions: Children who consumed high sugar intake at home tended to select foods high in sugar for school meals or had packed lunches containing high-sugar foods. The implications for public health programmes include healthy eating workshops and implementing school food policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to assess the validity of a portable anthropometer against the gold standard among 2-year-old infants from the 2015 Pelotas (Brazil) Birth Cohort.Design: Birth cohort study.Setting: A fixed Harpenden® infant anthropometer was considered as the gold standard for measuring infant length due to its greater precision and stability. The portable SANNY® (model ES2000) anthropometer was the instrument to be validated. The acceptable mean difference in length between the anthropometers was 0·5 cm. In order to compare length estimates, the interviewers carried out two length measures for each of the anthropometers (fixed and portable) and for each child. The mean of the two lengths was calculated for each anthropometer, and their difference was calculated.Participants: A subsample of 252 24-month-old members of the 2015 Pelotas (Brazil) birth cohort study.Results: Children's mean age was 23·5 months. According to Bland-Altman plot, there were no differences in overall lengths between the portable and the fixed anthropometers, or in lengths according to sex. There was a high overall concordance between the length estimates of the fixed and portable anthropometers (ρ = 0·94; 95 % CI 0·92, 0·95).Conclusions: The portable anthropometer proved to be accurate to measure the length of 24-month-old infants, being applicable to studies using the same standardised protocol used in the present study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To (i) identify and synthesise findings from interventions to improve the dietary intake, physical activity and weight status of children aged 0-6 years attending family day care services; and (ii) assess the impact of interventions on family day care environments, intervention cost and adverse outcomes.Design: Medline in Process, PsycINFO, ERIC, Embase, CINAHL, CENTRAL and Scopus databases were searched in March 2019. Studies were included if they (i) evaluated an intervention to improve the diet, physical activity and/or weight of children aged 0-6 years; (ii) were delivered in family day care services; (iii) targeted child diet, physical activity and/or weight; and (iv) used a parallel control group design. Screening was undertaken by two reviewers with disagreements resolved by a third reviewer.Setting: Family day care services, also known as family childcare homes.Participants: Children aged 0-6 years attending family day care services.Results: In total, 8977 titles were retrieved, and 199 full-texts reviewed. No studies met the inclusion criteria for the primary outcome; however, two studies reporting on the secondary outcome of family day care environments were included. The 4-year community-wide obesity prevention programme and the 12-month train-the-trainer programme both reported statistically significant improvements in the healthy eating and physical activity environments of family day care, compared to cross-sectional state-average control groups.Conclusions: Findings highlight few existing interventions in family day care services and a need for high-quality controlled trials to identify effective interventions to improve children's diet, activity and weight in this setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: In 2014, a Nutrition Report Card (NRC) was developed as a sustainable, low-cost framework to assess the healthfulness of children's food environments and highlight action to support healthy eating. We summarise our experiences in producing, disseminating, evaluating and refining an annual NRC in a Canadian province from 2015 to 2019.Design: To produce the NRC, children's food environment indicator data are collected, analyzed and compiled for consensus grading by an Expert Working Group of researchers and practitioners. Knowledge translation activities are tailored annually to the needs of target audiences: researchers, practitioners, policymakers and the public. Evaluation of reach is conducted through diverse strategies, including tracking media coverage and website traffic. Assessment of impact on diets and health outcomes is planned.Setting: Alberta, Canada.Participants: Not applicable.Discussion: The grading process has facilitated refining the NRC to enhance its relevance and utility as a tool for its target audiences. Its public release consistently captures media interest and policymakers' attention. The importance of partnerships in revealing data sources and in strategising to enhance policy approaches to improve food environments is apparent. The NRC has benchmarked progress and stimulated dialogue regarding healthy food environments for children.Conclusions: The NRC may help to foster a supportive climate for improving the quality of children's food environments. As an engaging and accessible document, the NRC represents a key mechanism for collating data related to children's food environments and ensuring it reaches the audiences best positioned to use it. Efforts are underway to expand the NRC across Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]