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Objective: To evaluate the effects of a universal prevention programme for disordered eating behaviours (DEB) and sedentary lifestyle among Mexican young people. Design: Non-experimental single group field study with repeated measures (pre-test, post-test and at 6-month follow-up). Setting: Public high school in Hidalgo, Mexico. Methods: In all, 214 young women and 154 young men aged 15--18 years with a mean age of 16.4 participated in the study. For both young women and men, data were collected using the Brief Questionnaire for Disordered Eating Behaviours (DEB) and the short form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Among young men, additional data were collected using the Drive for Muscularity Scale (DMS). Intervention: Five activity-based sessions. In the first four sessions, the following topics were addressed: thinness culture, myths and realities of dieting and supplements, healthy eating behaviours and healthy menus. At the end of each session, students engaged in an enjoyable physical activity hour. In the fifth session, participants were divided into three parallel workshop groups focusing on: thinness culture, healthy menus, and physical activity. The programme incorporated a variety of dissonance-based interventions using interactive psychoeducational strategies. Results: After 6 months, repeated-measures analyses of variance (ANOVAs) revealed a significant reduction in the mean DEB scores in young women. In young men, DEB and DMS mean scores decreased but not significantly. Physical activity frequency and duration showed a significant increase in the total sample over time. Conclusions: Overall, implementation of the programme had positive effects on young people and important differences were found between the sexes.

Alcohol and cigarettes are the psychoactive substances that adolescents use most frequently. When both addictions are combined, they carry the worst burden of disease globally. The objective of this study was to identify whether socioeconomic factors correlate with alcohol and tobacco consumption in Mexican adolescents aged 10 years or more and to establish the relationship in the consumption between the two substances. This ecological study utilized data describing alcohol and tobacco consumption among adolescents aged 10–16 years (n = 48,837 ≈ N = 11,621,100). Having ever consumed any alcohol-containing beverage constituted alcohol consumption. Smoking a cigarette within 30 days constituted cigarette consumption. For both variables, the state-level percentages reported in the survey were used. Diverse socioeconomic variables were collected from official sources. Data on the prevalence of tobacco use and alcohol consumption were entered into an Excel database estimated for each of the states of the Mexican Republic, as well as the socioeconomic variables. We performed the analysis using Stata 14. Consumption prevalence was 15.0% for alcohol and 4.2% for tobacco. Alcohol consumption was not correlated with any studied socioeconomic variable (p > 0.05). The prevalence of tobacco consumption among elementary school students correlated (p < 0.05) with the portion of the population living in private dwellings without sewage, drainage, or sanitation (r = 0.3853). The prevalence of tobacco consumption among middle-school adolescents correlated with the portion of the employed population that earned up to two minimum wages (r = 0.3960), the percentage in poverty by income 2008 (r = 0.4754) and 2010 (r = 0.4531), and the percentage in extreme poverty by income 2008 (r = 0.4612) and 2010 (r = 0.4291). Positive correlations were found between tobacco consumption and alcohol consumption among both elementary (r = 0.5762, p = 0.0006) and middle-school children (r = 0.7016, p = 0.0000). These results suggest that certain socioeconomic factors correlate with tobacco consumption but not alcohol consumption. A correlation between alcohol consumption and tobacco consumption was observed. The results can be used for developing interventions in adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The high prevalence of overweight and obesity in children from Latin America (LA) have been related to obesogenic food environments. Besides, the negative effects of the Covid-19 pandemic should also be considered. The objective of this research was to describe and compare the perceptions of parents, teachers, and experts in LA of food environments at home and school that favor healthy habits in schoolchildren in pre Covid-19 stage and during the pandemic. Methods: This study used a survey self-reporting regarding conditions at home and the school favoring healthy habits, for three profiles: parents, primary school teachers, and experts. A fisher exact test was used to establish the difference between the response categories between countries and profiles. Logistic regression models were used to determine the probability of response in the levels of importance adjusted for sex and nationality. Results: Information from 954 questionnaires was reported: 48.4% experts, 32.0% teachers, and 19.6% parents. There were differences in the perception of food environments at school between profiles (p<0.001). In multivariate logistic regression models, experts and teachers were 20% more likely to give greater importance to elements of the food environment at school compared to parents (p<0.001). Conclusions: Our findings showed that parents were less likely to perceive important elements of the school food environment compared to experts and teachers. Interventions are required to improve healthy eating environments that consider children's interpersonal mediators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adolescence is a difficult stage, a period of risk for developing disorders, including depression and self-injurious behavior. A non-random sample was drawn (n = 563) from first-year high school students (32.8%) 185 males and 378 females (67.14%) from public schools in Mexico. The age range was 15 and 19 years, with a mean age of 15.63 (SD = 0.78). According to the results, the sample was divided into n1 = 414 (73.3%) adolescents without self-injury (S.I.) and n2 = 149 (26.4%) S.I. adolescents. In addition, results were obtained on methods, motives, time, and frequency of S.I., and a model was generated in which depression and first sexual experience obtained the highest Odd Ratio and d values in their relationship with S.I. Finally, we contrasted the results with earlier reports and concluded that depression is an important variable in S.I. behavior. Early S.I. detection will prevent the aggravation of S.I. and suicide attempts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Puerto Rican Journal of Psychology / Revista Puertorriqueña de Psicología is the property of Puerto Rican Psychological Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Behavioral Psychology / Psicologia Conductual is the property of Fundacion VECA para el Avance de la Psicologia Clinica Conductual and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Given the lack of scales with a robust psychometric assessment of self-efficacy related to obesity in early adolescence, we aimed to obtain an instrument with high-quality validity and reliability items. Nonrandom samples (N = 2371) classified boys (1174, M = 12.83, SD = 0.84) and girls (1197, M = 12.68, SD = 0.78) from Mexico City and some cities of the Mexican Republic with obesity rates near to the national level mean. A multi-validity process and structural invariance analysis using the Perceived Self-efficacy Scale for Obesity Prevention were performed. A two-factor— physical activity and healthy eating—model with high effect-sized values—girls R² (0.88, p < 0.01) and boys R² (0.87, p < 0.01)—were obtained. Each factor explained more than half of the variance with high-reliability coefficients in each group and acceptable adjustment rates. The self-efficacy scale proved to have only girls, an invariant factor structure, or a psychometric equivalence between the groups. The obtained scale showed that a two-factor structure is feasible and appropriate, according to the highest quality of validity and reliability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the effects of a universal prevention programme for disordered eating behaviours (DEB) and sedentary lifestyle among Mexican young people. Design: Non-experimental single group field study with repeated measures (pre-test, post-test and at 6-month follow-up). Setting: Public high school in Hidalgo, Mexico. Methods: In all, 214 young women and 154 young men aged 15–18 years with a mean age of 16.4 participated in the study. For both young women and men, data were collected using the Brief Questionnaire for Disordered Eating Behaviours (DEB) and the short form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Among young men, additional data were collected using the Drive for Muscularity Scale (DMS). Intervention: Five activity-based sessions. In the first four sessions, the following topics were addressed: thinness culture, myths and realities of dieting and supplements, healthy eating behaviours and healthy menus. At the end of each session, students engaged in an enjoyable physical activity hour. In the fifth session, participants were divided into three parallel workshop groups focusing on: thinness culture, healthy menus, and physical activity. The programme incorporated a variety of dissonance-based interventions using interactive psychoeducational strategies. Results: After 6 months, repeated-measures analyses of variance (ANOVAs) revealed a significant reduction in the mean DEB scores in young women. In young men, DEB and DMS mean scores decreased but not significantly. Physical activity frequency and duration showed a significant increase in the total sample over time. Conclusions: Overall, implementation of the programme had positive effects on young people and important differences were found between the sexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In Mexican school-age children the consumption of vegetables and fruits (V&F) is less than 25% of the amount recommended by the World Health Organization.Objectives: Evaluate the effectiveness of a promotion campaign about the consumption of V&F in urban school children from Hidalgo, Mexico.Methods: A non controlled community trial in 226 school-age children from private and public schools was conducted, we designed and distributed printed material for promoting the consumption of V&F among the school population, access to V&F was provided through planning and sales at school stores, and consumption was supervised by the teachers.Results: At the end of the intervention vegetable consumption increased by 50 g and plain water in 100 mL (T-test, p < 0.05); the proportion of school-age children who identified the health benefits of the consumption of V&F increased significantly (68% initial, 87% final) and greater support from parents (61% initial, 92 final%) was achieved.Conclusions: A promotion campaign and improved access to vegetables, fruits and water in the school environment which is supported by parents and teachers can encourage healthier eating at school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pharmacoepidemiological research about antibiotics is supported by the World Health Organization (WHO), but data regarding antibiotic prevalence based on actual prescriptions and dosing patterns are insufficient. The aims were: (i) To estimate the prevalence and prescribed daily dose (PDD) of antibiotics in outpatients from Mexico City and (ii) to compare the PDD against the defined daily dose (DDD), as established by the WHO. The study included 685 prescriptions of antibiotics selected randomly from five geographical zones of Mexico City. Drug, dose, frequency, and duration of treatment were obtained from each prescription. PDD values of each antibiotic drug were calculated as the average of the daily doses. Sub-use and overuse were determined by the ratio PDD/DDD for each prescription. The most prescribed antibiotics to outpatients from Mexico City included six pharmacological groups: quinolones (28%), penicillins (23%), cephalosporins (17%), macrolides (10%), lincosamides (9%), and sulfonamides (4%). Both overuse and sub-use were high (55% and 63%, respectively). In conclusion, most of the antibiotics with a high prevalence of prescription also had a high rate of either sub-use or overuse, with prescribed doses that significantly differ with their corresponding DDD. The dosing variation has important clinical implications since it denotes low prescription control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alcohol and cigarettes are the psychoactive substances that adolescents use most frequently. When both addictions are combined, they carry the worst burden of disease globally. The objective of this study was to identify whether socioeconomic factors correlate with alcohol and tobacco consumption in Mexican adolescents aged 10 years or more and to establish the relationship in the consumption between the two substances. This ecological study utilized data describing alcohol and tobacco consumption among adolescents aged 10-16 years ( n  = 48,837 ≈  N  = 11,621,100). Having ever consumed any alcohol-containing beverage constituted alcohol consumption. Smoking a cigarette within 30 days constituted cigarette consumption. For both variables, the state-level percentages reported in the survey were used. Diverse socioeconomic variables were collected from official sources. Data on the prevalence of tobacco use and alcohol consumption were entered into an Excel database estimated for each of the states of the Mexican Republic, as well as the socioeconomic variables. We performed the analysis using Stata 14. Consumption prevalence was 15.0% for alcohol and 4.2% for tobacco. Alcohol consumption was not correlated with any studied socioeconomic variable ( p > 0.05). The prevalence of tobacco consumption among elementary school students correlated ( p < 0.05) with the portion of the population living in private dwellings without sewage, drainage, or sanitation ( r  = 0.3853). The prevalence of tobacco consumption among middle-school adolescents correlated with the portion of the employed population that earned up to two minimum wages ( r  = 0.3960), the percentage in poverty by income 2008 ( r  = 0.4754) and 2010 ( r  = 0.4531), and the percentage in extreme poverty by income 2008 ( r  = 0.4612) and 2010 ( r  = 0.4291). Positive correlations were found between tobacco consumption and alcohol consumption among both elementary ( r  = 0.5762, p =0.0006) and middle-school children ( r  = 0.7016, p =0.0000). These results suggest that certain socioeconomic factors correlate with tobacco consumption but not alcohol consumption. A correlation between alcohol consumption and tobacco consumption was observed. The results can be used for developing interventions in adolescents., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Leticia Ávila-Burgos et al.)

The objective of this study was to evaluate the validity and reliability of OTESSED, an online test for the self-detection and prevention of risk factors for eating disorders and related problems, such as depression, social anxiety, and self-injury, in samples of male and female adolescents. Participants formed a non-probability sample of N = 577 high school students. The mean ages of boys and girls were the same (Mage = 15.61; SD = 0.73). Among the main results, scales of depression, self-injury, social anxiety, and risky eating behavior (REB) with construct validity (CFA) were obtained. The first two showed the same structure (two factors per sex), with an appropriate reliability omega value (0.92), and a similar percentage of explained variance (≥50). The REB scale presented two factors for boys and three for girls, with an appropriate omega value (0.88) and explained variance percentage (0.56). The instrument validation process was completed, meeting the discriminant validity criterion for each scale of the OTESSED.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused many changes in the education sector worldwide, and school curricula have had to adapt to a non-face-to-face modality. However, international studies have concluded that this modality has affected the academic performance of students. The present study aimed to compare the academic performance of a sample of college students from before the start of quarantine with their current performance, and to test whether various demographic factors influenced these changes in conjunction with alcohol consumption. With a non-experimental, comparative and longitudinal design, we applied an ad hoc questionnaire, in conjunction with the AUDIT questionnaire, in a sample of college students ( n = 341), and we also obtained data of academic average and failed subjects. The demographic factors that influenced academic performance were sex ( p < 0.01), age ( p < 0.01) and alcohol consumption ( p = 0.001). Most students showed an improvement in their academic average during the quarantine period. Women without failed subjects and low-risk alcohol consumption obtained a better average in this period. In conclusion sex, age and alcohol consumption level were factors associated with academic performance during the quarantine period due to the COVID-19 pandemic; and women had a higher academic average than men did.

Introduction: In Mexican school-age children the consumption of vegetables and fruits (V&F) is less than 25% of the amount recommended by the World Health Organization., Objectives: Evaluate the effectiveness of a promotion campaign about the consumption of V&F in urban school children from Hidalgo, Mexico., Methods: A non controlled community trial in 226 school-age children from private and public schools was conducted, we designed and distributed printed material for promoting the consumption of V&F among the school population, access to V&F was provided through planning and sales at school stores, and consumption was supervised by the teachers., Results: At the end of the intervention vegetable consumption increased by 50 g and plain water in 100 mL (T-test, p < 0.05); the proportion of school-age children who identified the health benefits of the consumption of V&F increased significantly (68% initial, 87% final) and greater support from parents (61% initial, 92 final%) was achieved., Conclusions: A promotion campaign and improved access to vegetables, fruits and water in the school environment which is supported by parents and teachers can encourage healthier eating at school.