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The assessment of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is increasingly important in fields of public health, medicine, sociology and psychology. The aim of the study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Polish version of generic Kiddo-KINDL questionnaire for adolescents. The psychometric evaluation was performed using 96 questionnaires fulfilled by adolescents aged 12–16 years. Cronbach’s α coefficient for internal consistency and split-half reliability was estimated as well as ceiling, floor effect and correlations among the subscales and total score. The mean reliability for subscales was 0.65 and the Cronbach’s α coefficient for the total score was 0.85. The lowest α coefficient was for the School dimension (0.44) and the highest was achieved for the Self-esteem (0.80). The correlation between two parts of the questionnaire and split-half reliability was 0.66 and 0.80 respectively. The first psychometric evaluation of the Polish Kiddo-KINDL showed promising basic measurement properties, but it needs farther assessment, including convergent, construct and discriminant validity estimation.

The aim of this study was to develop age- and sex-specific reference data for body composition parameters, including fat-free mass (FFM), body cell mass (BCM), fat mass (FM) and related indices, fat mass percentage (FM%), total body water (TBW) and muscle mass (MM) and to assess differences in these parameters between male and female adolescents. Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) data were obtained from an ethnically homogeneous sub-sample of 4037 normal-weight participants selected on the basis of BMI from the total sample (2005 males and 2032 females aged 10-18 years) of the ADOPOLNOR study, a cross-sectional population-based survey conducted in western Poland. The LMS method and RefCurv version 0.4.2 software package were used to calculate centile values and plot smoothed centile curves. The results showed age-related changes in body composition parameters and a clear sexual dimorphism. From the age of 13 (for FFM) or 14 (for BCM, BCMI and MM) or throughout adolescence (for TBW and FFMI), boys had consistently higher values for these parameters than girls (p < 0.01 for each). However, they had significantly lower values for FM, FMI and FM% (1.3, 1.6 and 1.5 times lower at 18 years, respectively), indicating a lower proportion of body fat than girls (p < 0.01 for each). The centile values and curves were specific for boys and girls of all ages. Compared with other European adolescent cohorts, the data fit the normal-weight subsamples better than the population reference data., Conclusion: This study provides reference data for body composition in normal (healthy) weight Polish adolescents, providing a contextualised framework that takes into account the unique physiological and environmental factors of the region. These reference data may also be useful for other Central European adolescents., What Is Known: • Adolescence is a period of significant physical growth and increased susceptibility to nutritional problems due to factors such as suboptimal nutrition, unhealthy dietary choices, inadequate physical activity and psychosocial stressors related to body image concerns. • Body composition (BC) parameters, rather than BMI alone, are more effective in identifying nutritional abnormalities and health risks such as eating disorders, obesity and chronic diseases. Existing studies provide reference data for BC parameters, but often do not cover all relevant measures or specific regional populations., What Is New: • This study provides new age- and sex-specific reference values for a comprehensive range of body composition parameters, including body cell mass (BCM), total body water (TBW) and muscle mass (MM), in addition to fat-free mass (FFM) and fat mass (FM), in a large, ethnically homogeneous, normal-weight population of Polish adolescents aged 10-18 years. • These reference values for the normalweight cohort reflect healthy adolescent growth and body composition patterns, minimising bias from abnormal weight status. In addition, they can be applied to other Central European adolescent populations., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Overweight and obesity among children have become significant global health concerns. Previous studies have highlighted the potential role of genetic factors, particularly polymorphisms in the FTO and MC4R genes, as well as environmental factors in the development of childhood obesity. This study aimed to investigate the relationships between genetic, socioeconomic and perinatal factors, adverse childhood events (ACEs), and lifestyle, and their impact on overweight, obesity and body composition parameters in children. Additionally, we explored potential interactions between genetic factors and ACEs., Methods: Four hundred fifty-six children aged 6-12 years participated in our study. Information on the socioeconomic status, perinatal factors, ACEs and lifestyle of the children was collected with a questionnaire completed by their parents/guardians. We examined the children's body weight and conducted an electrical bioimpedance analysis. Overweight and obesity were diagnosed based on the International Obesity Task Force and McCarthy criteria. We genotyped two selected polymorphisms in the FTO and MC4R genes using the TaqMan SNP allelic discrimination method., Results: Higher BMI (Body Mass Index) z scores were related to higher paternal BMI and lower maternal age at the child's birth. Higher FMI (Fat Mass Index) z scores were associated with higher paternal BMI, increased gestational weight, lower maternal education and the presence of the FTO risk allele. Higher FatM (fat mass in kg) z scores were linked to lower maternal education, lower maternal age at the child's birth, higher maternal body weight gain, paternal BMI and the presence of the FTO risk allele. Moreover, interaction effects were observed on BMI z scores between ACE and FTO AA, and on FMI z scores and FatM z scored between ACE and MC4R CC., Conclusions: The contribution of environmental factors is more strongly related to changes in body composition than genetic ones. Additionally, the presence of the risk allele combined with unfavourable environmental factors like ACEs leads to visible interaction effects, resulting in increased BMI z scores and FMI z scores in children., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

The FTO gene rs9936909 polymorphism is one of the well-documented single nucleotide polymorphisms in the context of increased risk of obesity, including in children. Few studies have tested the association of the FTO gene with cognitive functions. Deficits of "cool" executive functions (EFs) are considered a potential risk factor for excessive weight. The aims of our study were to investigate whether cool EFs are associated with the Body Mass Index, the Fat Mass Index and the risk of excess body mass and overfatness in neurotypically school-aged children, and whether the FTO gene polymorphism is involved in development of this possible association. The sample consisted of 553 children aged 6-12 years old. A body composition analysis, a neuropsychological assessment of EFs, and FTO polymorphism genotyping were performed in the children studied. The study found a significant association of an interference effect in theStroop Color-Word Interference Task and the risk of excessive body fatness, but not excessive body mass. There were no explicit associations between the FTO genotype and EFs deficits. Environmental factors, and particularly low maternal education, appeared to be the strongest contributors to the increased risk of obesity., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background: There are indications that the occurrence of metabolic diseases in children may be conditioned by factors experienced already in the utero. Aim of the study: The aim of this systematic review was to analyze the studies that examined the effects of stress experienced by a pregnant woman on the child's adiposity rates in postnatal life. Methods: The review includes 20 articles published before March 2020 in Scopus and Medline databases with the use of following keyword combinations: /maternal or mother/, /prenatal or pregnant/, /stress or distress/ and /BMI, body mass index or overweight or obesity or body composition/. Results: The results of the research were inconsistent. Nevertheless, most articles confirmed the positive association of prenatal stress with fatness indicators in children. The review raised a question of the role of the methods applied for stress measurement (objective vs. subjective indicators) and adiposity assessment, as well as the time of prenatal exposition to stress. Conclusion: Most studies have proved that prenatal stress is related to the children adiposity in postnatal life.

Background: One of the environmental factors contributing to abnormal weight changes in children may be maternal exposure to adverse environmental factors during pregnancy, which in previous studies led to inconclusive results showing both overweight or obesity and underweight in children. The aim of the study was to assess the influence of prenatal stress on the BMI status and cut-off points for the percentage of fat content., Methods: The cohort study included 254 girls and 276 boys. Information on prenatal stress was collected retrospectively with a questionnaire on objective adverse events completed by a parent/guardian of a 6-12-year-old child. We examined the body weight of children and performed an electrical bioimpedance analysis of their body composition. We assessed the BMI status according to the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) criterion and on the basis of body fat according to McCarthy criterion., Results: The results of our study show that the prenatal stress was related to increased risk of overweight (OR 2.14, 95% CI: 1.25-3.65) diagnosed on the basis of body fat cut-off points, but not when the BMI was a diagnostic criterion (OR 1.03, 95% CI: 0.58-1.83)., Conclusion: The method of diagnosis based on the fat content appears to be an indicator of the occurrence of abnormalities in body composition due to prenatal stress more sensitive than that based on the BMI., Level of Evidence: Level III evidence obtained from well-designed cohort or case-control analytic studies., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

The aim of this study was to assess the relation between early exposure to stressful events and symptoms of the Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children, based on the outcomes from a natural experiment. It was hypothesized that children pre- and postnatally exposed to cyclone Aila have increased ADHD symptoms compared to the control group, and the effect depends on the timing of the exposure. Indian children (8-11 years) prenatally (N = 336) and early postnatally (N = 216) exposed to cyclone Aila were compared to a non-exposed control peer group (N = 285). ADHD symptoms were assessed using the Conner's Teacher Rating Scale Revised. The main effect of exposure to the cyclone on the total ADHD symptoms' score, ADHD index, Hyperactivity and Oppositional symptoms was significant and independent to covariates: age and sex of children, gestational age and birth weight, maternal stress during the year before the study and the socioeconomic status of a family. The timing of exposure and sex of the children were found to be a significant moderator of the relation between early exposure to the natural disaster and ADHD symptoms. The prenatal, but also early postnatal exposure to stressful experiences such as a natural disaster, may disturb the development of cognitive functions and behavioural control, thus increasing the risk of ADHD in children., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Purpose: The aim of the study was to test the hypothesis that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are related to both obesity and underweight from childhood, and that the association of ACEs with weight abnormalities is modulated by type of ACEs, sex and socioeconomic status (SES) indices., Methods: The relations between ACEs (0 vs ≥ 1), ACE accumulation and ACE type with weight status and z scores BMI were assessed in 503 children aged 6-12 years from Poznan, Poland. The effects of interaction of ACEs with sex and SES on z scores BMI were included in the analyses., Results: ACEs were significantly related to both obesity and underweight, in unadjusted analysis, and when sex and SES indices, such as size of place of residence, people per room in household, and parental education were controlled. The relation of ACEs with z scores BMI was modulated by ACE type, parental subjective assessment of economic situation of a family and parental education. ACE accumulation was not related to an increase of obesity or underweight rate, or z scores BMI., Conclusion: The study implicates the need for both obesity and underweight prevention in individuals with adverse experiences as early as in childhood., Level of Evidence: III: evidence obtained from well-designed cohort study., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Background: Childhood institutional deprivation is associated with growth stunting in childhood but long-term effects in adulthood remain uncertain., Objective: To examine the impact of global institutional deprivation experienced in early childhood on subsequent growth with a special focus on final adult height and puberty timing., Participants & Setting: The study was originally set in the UK, though some adoptive families lived abroad by the time of the adult follow up. 165 individuals adopted by UK families before 43 months of age from Romanian orphanages after the fall of the Ceaușescu regime in the early 1990's were compared to 51 non-deprived UK adoptees, adopted before the age of 6 months., Methods: The English and Romanian Adoptees (ERA) study is a 20-year longitudinal natural experiment on the effects of institutional deprivation on development. Key growth milestones were extracted from growth curve modelling of height data collected at ages 4, 6, 11, 15 and 23 years using a Bayesian approach to fit the JPA2 model., Results: Deprivation effects on height were present at the take-off point of accelerating adolescent growth and persisted into adulthood - the largest effects being for individuals who experienced over six months of deprivation. Deprivation was associated with earlier take-off and achievement of peak height velocity of adolescent growth acceleration - an effect driven largely by females' data and correlated with parent ratings of pubertal development., Conclusions: Early deprivation appears to reset tempo of growth early in development leading to permanent growth stunting in adulthood and accelerated onset of puberty, specifically in females., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: The use of easily accessible biomarkers for assessing young patients' health is weighty. This cohort study is aimed at measuring stress/immune biomarkers in the saliva of healthy school-age children and comparing subgroups according to age, sex, and stress perception. Material and Methods . 503 children under 12 years old (8.7 ± 1.3) were included with anthropometric evaluation (height, waist, hip circumference, body weight, and body mass index (BMI)). Levels of opiorphin (OPI), free cortisol, alpha-amylase (sAA), and secreted immunoglobulin (sIgA) were determined by quantitative assays (ELISA) in unstimulated saliva. Unpaired t -test, Welch test, and Mann-Whitney U test were applied for appropriate group comparisons, and the correlation between variables was analyzed with Spearman's rank coefficient. Results were considered significant at p < 0.05., Results: sIgA and sAA exhibited significant differences depending on age and sex: IgA (ng/mL): 86 ± 68.6 vs. 104.9 ± 72.1 for (6-7 y.o.) and (8-11 y.o.), respectively, and 108.1 ± 80.1 vs. 94.6 ± 62.2 for male and females, respectively; sAA (U/mL): 78.9 ± 54.4 vs. 100.5 ± 81.2 for (6-7 y.o.) and (8-11 y.o.). No difference related to age or sex between groups was observed for cortisol and OPI. However, OPI levels were higher and correlated to prior stress exposure in children (0.31 ± 0.4 vs. 0.26 ± 0.5 ng/mL, p = 0.031). sAA was negatively correlated to low mood self-declaration in children in the last two weeks ( r = -0.10, p = 0.045)., Conclusions: sIgA and sAA can be used as sex- and age-related biomarkers in children 6-12 y.o., which is not the case for free cortisol and opiorphin. However, OPI reflected previous exposure to stress, suggesting its use for evaluating stress-related changes in children., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interests., (Copyright © 2021 Anna Krahel et al.)

Objective: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of overweight and obesity in the group of children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) according to three different diagnostic criteria for obesity. The effect of ADHD treatment on the risk of obesity was controlled. Materials and Methods: The study group consisted of 58 subjects aged from 8 to 17 years with ADHD. Control group consisted of 62 healthy age- and sex-matched children and adolescents. Overweight and obesity were assessed according to International Obesity Task-Force (IOTF), World Health Organization (WHO) and European Childhood Obesity Group (ECOG) criteria. Results: There was a significantly higher incidence of obesity in ADHD group according to WHO (ADHD vs. Control: 17.2% vs. 3.2%, p  = 0.01) and IOTF criteria (ADHD vs. Control: 10.3% vs. 1.6%, p  = 0.04), but no significant difference according to ECOG criteria. There was significantly higher occurrence of overweight (20.7% vs. 12.8%, p  < 0.001), obesity (10.3% vs. 3.5%, p  < 0.001), and overweight and obesity (31.0% vs. 16.3%, p  < 0.001) in the ADHD group compared to the Polish population. The analysis did not show a statistically significant relationship between the amount of taken psychostimulant and the occurrence of overweight and obesity. Conclusions: The prevalence of overweight and obesity in the group of ADHD children and adolescents varies depending on the choice of diagnostic criteria. At the same time, it is significantly more frequent than in the general population. We suggest that future studies should give a clear rationale for the selection of cutoff points to minimize errors that could confound data analysis and interpretation.

Deficits of 'hot' executive functions (EFs) involving emotional and motivational processes are considered as a risk factor for excessive weight, but few studies have tested the relationship between hot EFs and body composition in children. The aim of the study was to assess the association of the ability to delay gratification and affective decision-making with the body mass index (BMI) and body composition in children with typical neurocognitive development. The sample consisted of 553 Polish children aged between 6-12 y. The delay of gratification task (DGT) was applied to assess the ability to delay gratification. The Hungry Donkey test (HDT) was applied to assess affective decision-making. The indicators of decision-making in the HDT were net score and learning rate. The relationships between hot EFs and BMI, fat mass index (FMI), lean body mass index (LBMI) were tested. The association of the z scores of BMI and FMI, overweight/obesity, and the ability to delay gratification was found insignificant after controlling cofounding factors. Most of the results on affective decision-making and z scores for BMI, FMI and LBMI were insignificant as well. The relationship between the ability to delay gratification, affective decision-making, and adiposity is not pronounced in typically developed children.

Despite the increasing body of research on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), the results of the studies assessing the relationship between executive function deficit and the risk of obesity in people with ADHD are incongruent. Our study aimed to assess the relationship between measures of executive functions and body weight and Body Mass Index (BMI) in children and adolescents with ADHD and control subjects. The study group consisted of 58 subjects aged from 8 to 17 years with ADHD. The Control group consisted of 62 healthy age and sex-matched participants from primary and secondary schools. Weight, height, and BMI measurements were standardized. The Sustained Attention to Response Test (SART) and the Attention Network Test (ANT) were used to assess executive functions. Based on the analysis of the correlation and analysis of moderation, we found that subjects with higher weight in the study group presented a lower efficiency of the inhibition processes and gave more impulsive and incorrect answers. The occurrence of impulsive reactions might contribute to the risk of excessive weight in children and adolescents with ADHD.

Background . This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate stress and immune biomarkers in saliva samples of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder ADHD compared to healthy non-ADHD children. Material and methods . A total of 132 children under 11 years old (8.5 ± 1.1) enrolled in a cross-sectional study: with confirmed ADHD (n = 60) and healthy controls (n = 72). The clinical evaluation included physical measurements (height, waist, hip circumference, body weight, body mass index BMI, BMI z-score) and unstimulated saliva collection and measurements of free cortisol, salivary alpha-amylase (sAA), and secreted immunoglobulins (sIgA, IgG, and IgM) with quantitative assay (ELISA) analysis. Unpaired t -test, Welch test, or Mann-Whitney U test were applied for group comparisons when appropriate, and the correlation between variables was analyzed with Spearman's rank coefficient. Results were considered significant at p < 0.05. Results . In the ADHD group, body weight ( p ≤ 0.01), BMI ( p ≤ 0.009), and hip circumference ( p ≤ 0.001) significantly differed, while waist size and BMI z-score did not ( p > 0.05). Significant elevation of the salivary sAA ( p = 0.03), sIgA ( p = 0.02), and IgM ( p ≤ 0.001) biomarkers were detected, without differences in the morning cortisol ( p > 0.05). Significant correlations between cortisol and BMI, hip size, and IgA, as well as between IgG and sAA and IgA were obtained. Conclusions. Saliva can be used to monitor ADHD status with regard to biomarkers indicating the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis, as HPA axis, and sympathetic activity. The results indicate that morning collection of saliva in contrast to unchanged salivary cortisol, may evaluate mentioned above system dysregulations by measurements of sAA and immunoglobulins among ADHD children.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess time intervals between the age at menarche (AM) and age at sexual initiation (ASI) in Polish women born before and after the political transformation period in Poland., Methods: Participants were 518 women born between 1959 and 2001 in Poland. AM and ASI were based on self-report. Three birth cohorts were distinguished based on the year of birth: I (1959-1979), II (1980-1989), III (1990-2001). Three categories of AM were distinguished: early maturing (<12.0 years), average (12.0-13.0 years), and late maturing (≥14.0 years). Temporal intervals between AM and ASI were calculated., Results: Both AM and ASI decreased in subsequent birth cohorts, with the greatest changes observed in the women born after 1989. No significant differences in the time interval between AM and ASI were observed between birth cohorts. However, the time interval between AM and ASI differed by AM category (H = 74.16; P < .001). The longest time period between AM and ASI occurred in early maturing girls (7.13 years) and the shortest in late maturing girls (3.25 years)., Conclusions: Despite the transformation and decline in both AM and ASI, the time interval between these two characteristics remained stable. Significant differences in the time interval were found among women stratified by AM. The time interval between AM and ASI was longer in girls who matured early in comparison to those maturing late or at the average time., (© 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Objective: To examine the impact of central nervous system (CNS) stimulants on the growth of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and to assess the efficacy and feasibility of weight recovery interventions on growth., Method: A total of 230 children aged 5 to 12 years with ADHD with no history of chronic CNS stimulant use were randomly assigned to receive daily CNS stimulants (78%, primarily osmotic release oral system-methylphenidate [OROS-MPH]) or behavioral treatment (22%) for 30 months. After 6 months, children evidencing a decline in body mass index (BMI) of >0.5 z-units were randomized to 1 of 3 weight recovery treatments (WRTs): monthly monitoring of height/weight (MON) plus continued daily medication; drug holidays (DH) with medication limited to school days; or daily caloric supplementation (CS) with a 150-kcal supplement plus daily medication., Results: Before WRT assignment, medication was associated with significant reductions in standardized weight and height (p values <.01). Adherence to CS and DH during WRT was high, with significant increases in daily caloric intake and decreases in weekly medication exposure (p values <.05). Across all WRT participants (n = 71), weight velocity increased significantly after WRT randomization (β 2 = 0.271, SE = 0.027, p < .001).When analyzed by what parents did (versus what they were assigned to), CS (p < .01) and DH (p < .05) increased weight velocity more than MON. No increase in height velocity was seen after randomization to any WRT. Over the entire study, WRT participants declined in standardized weight (-0.44 z-units) and height (-0.20 z-units)., Conclusion: Drug holidays, caloric supplementation, and increased monitoring all led to increased weight velocity in children taking CNS stimulants, but none led to increased height velocity., Clinical Trial Registration Information: Novel Approach to Stimulant Induced Weight Suppression and Its Impact on Growth; https://clinicaltrials.gov/; NCT01109849., (Copyright © 2019 American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

In recent years, attention has been paid to the co-occurrence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and obesity, but results in relation to dental caries outcomes differ. The study was conducted to determine obesity/overweight and dental caries in children suffering from ADHD and to draw comparisons with non-ADHD children. A total of 119 children under 11 years old (8.2 ± 1.2) were enrolled into a cross-sectional study: those with confirmed ADHD ( n = 39), and healthy controls ( n = 80). The behavioral evaluation included a parent interview directed at sweetened food/drink habits. The clinical evaluation included physical measurements (height, waist, hip circumference, body weight, body mass index (BMI), and dental examination (International Caries Detection and Assessment System-ICDAS). Results showed a higher prevalence of abnormal body weight, hip circumference, and BMI, and a higher frequency of caries (84.6%) in the ADHD group. Significant caries differences for primary (ICDAS 0, 1, 2, 5, 6 scores) and permanent teeth (ICDAS 1, 3 scores) were recorded. The questionnaire pinpointed interplays between sugar consumption and tooth decay, especially for primary dentition. It can be concluded that the consumption of sweetened foods/drinks among ADHD children may lead to an increased rate of overweight, but may also affect oral health. Limiting sugar consumption might be one of the important elements in prevention programmes against dental caries and overweight/obesity.

Objective: To estimate long-term stimulant treatment associations on standardized height, weight, and body mass index trajectories from childhood to adulthood in the Multimodal Treatment Study of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (MTA)., Method: Of 579 children with DSM-IV ADHD-combined type at baseline (aged 7.0-9.9 years) and 289 classmates (local normative comparison group [LNCG]), 568 and 258 respectively, were assessed 8 times over 16 years (final mean age = 24.7). Parent interview data established subgroups with self-selected Consistent (n = 53, 9%), Inconsistent (n = 374, 66%), and Negligible (n = 141, 25%) stimulant medication use, as well as patients starting stimulants prior to MTA entry (n = 211, 39%). Height and weight growth trajectories were calculated for each subgroup., Results: Height z scores trajectories differed among subgroups (F = 2.22, p < .0001) and by stimulant use prior to study entry (F = 2.22, p < .001). The subgroup-by-assessment interaction was significant (F = 2.81, p < .0001). Paired comparisons revealed significant subgroup differences at endpoint: Consistent was shorter than Negligible (-0.66 z units /-4.06 cm /1.6 inches, t = -3.17, p < 0.0016), Consistent shorter than Inconsistent (-0.45 z units /-2.74 cm /-1.08 inches, t = -2.39, p < .0172), and the Consistent shorter than LNCG (-0.54 z units/+3.34 cm/ 1.31 inches, t = -3.30, p < 0.001). Weight z scores initially diverged among subgroups, converged in adolescence, and then diverged again in adulthood when the Consistent outweighed the LNCG (+ 3.561 z units /+7.47 kg /+16.46 lb, p < .0001)., Conclusion: Compared with those negligibly medicated and the LNCG, 16 years of consistent stimulant treatment of children with ADHD in the MTA was associated with changes in height trajectory, a reduction in adult height, and an increase in weight and body mass index., Clinical Trial Registration Information: Multimodal Treatment Study of Children With Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (MTA); https://clinicaltrials.gov/; NCT00000388., (Copyright © 2019 American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Obesity in children is becoming a global epidemic. Health and emotional consequences can threaten life and health both during childhood and adulthood. In this study, we aimed to assess the coexistence of overweight and obesity, binge eating disorder and detrimental attitudes toward nutrition among school-age children. We also aimed to determine the usefulness of the Children's Binge Eating Disorder Scale (C-BEDS) as a screening tool. We examined a group of over 550 healthy children aged 6-12. In all, 15% were overweight, and 6% were obese. A total of 12% of the children presented an increased risk of eating disorders. The examined group of children significantly differed in the number of positive C-BEDS responses compared with the authors of the test. Test reliability as measured by the Cronbach's alpha coefficient was .008. Preliminary results indicate that the problem of excessive body weight affects every fifth child, consistent with previous reports. The C-BEDS used in this study did not permit the identification of children, neither with the risk of Binge Eating Disorder (BED) nor subthreshold BED. This may be due to the relatively low internal consistency of the questions contained in the scale.

The prevalence of obesity in children and adolescents has become an increasing health problem all over the world. Prior studies suggest there is a relationship between excess body mass in adults and executive functions (EF). The paper analyzes recent studies on the association of obesity indicators and EF performance in children and adolescents. We analyzed four types of studies: comparison studies with obese and healthy children, cross-sectional studies describing dependencies between EF and BMI, follow up studies applying EF as a predictor of overweight/obesity and studies describing the effect of weight reduction on improving EF. We interpreted the results based on the categorization of EF into three main processes: inhibitory control, working memory, cognitive flexibility, and higher-level EF such as reasoning, problem-solving and planning. The strongest evidence supports the relationship between poor inhibitory control and higher BMI, overweight or obesity. However, the mechanism of the association is still unclear. A better understanding of the EF-obesity link may be relevant for the prevention of obesity or help in EF deficits improvement., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objectives : The purpose of the study was to evaluate the relationship between BMI at menarche and selected growth spurt parameters, such as age at take-off of the pubertal growth spurt (ATO), age at peak height velocity (APHV), growth spurt duration (APHV-ATO), and the pubertal growth rate. Methods: The study group consisted of 243 girls aged 10-16 years. Several measurements of body height and weight have been taken for each girl during the girls' development (longitudinal study). Nutritional status has been assessed using the IOTF (Cole et al. 2000; Cole et al. 2007). Girls were asked about their age at menarche. To investigate the growth rate, the age at TO and PHV for each girl was calculated using AUXAL.3 software and a structural model JPA2. Statistical analyses were made in Statistica 12.0 using Kruskal-Wallis test Kruskal-Wallis test and multiple regression analysis. Results: The mean age at menarche for the entire group was 12.59 (Me = 12.52, Min = 9.9, Max = 16.2). There was a significant statistical relationship between the level of BMI and age at menarche. The age at menarche decreased significantly with increasing levels of nutritional status (H = 33.2, p < 0.001). Also, TO and PHV occurred earlier in girls with higher values of BMI indicator (TO: H = 12.25, p < 0.05; PHV: H = 12.25, p < 0.05). Conclusions: The level of nutritional status at the age of menarche is significantly related to growth and the rate of biological maturation in girls. Higher BMI at menarche is associated with an earlier occurrence of menarche, TO and PHV.

Objective: Assessment of the prevalence of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents with ADHD with emphasis on pharmacological treatment and comorbid disorders., Method: We analyzed 408 medical records of patients with ADHD aged 7 to 18., Results: The prevalence of overweight (14.71% vs. 12.83%, χ 2 = 3,586.43, p < .001) and obesity (6.37% vs. 3.45%, χ 2 = 3,588.19, p < .001) was significantly higher in children with ADHD compared with the population. There was significantly higher incidence of obesity in patients with comorbid diagnosis of adjustment disorder (22.22% vs. 4.42%, χ 2 = 5.66, p = .02) and mental retardation (19.05% vs. 4.42%, χ 2 = 7.63, p = .005). Pharmacological treatment was associated with a higher incidence of obesity (8.37% vs. 2.76%, χ 2 = 4.92, p = .03)., Conclusion: Standardized body mass index (BMI), prevalence of overweight, and obesity was higher in patients with ADHD compared with the population. Higher incidence of obesity was shown in patients with analyzed comorbidities.

Objective: The aim of the study was to assess the relationship of overweight, the polymorphisms of selected candidate genes, and deficits in the executive functions among children with ADHD., Method: We examined 109 boys with ADHD aged between 7 and 17 years. The study indicated variants of 14 polymorphisms in eight candidate genes. We applied seven neuropsychological tests to evaluate the executive functions. Overweight was diagnosed on the basis of the guidelines of the International Obesity Task Force., Results: Analyses revealed significant association between DRD4 rs1800955, SNAP25 rs363039 and rs363043, 5HTR2A rs17288723, and overweight in boys with ADHD. There were no significant differences in the level of neuropsychological test results between patients with overweight and without overweight., Conclusion: Overweight in boys with ADHD is associated with polymorphisms in three candidate genes: DRD4, SNAP25, and 5HTR2A, but not through conditioning deficits in cognitive functions.

Available meta-analyses point to a significant association between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and obesity. The possible mechanisms underlying this relationship are unclear. Here, we overview the studies aimed at identifying the factors contributing to the comorbidity between ADHD and obesity, including genetic factors, fetal programming, executive dysfunctions, psychosocial stress, factors directly related to energy balance, and sleep patterns alterations. The bulk of current research has focused on reduced physical activity and abnormal eating patterns as possible causes of weight gain in individuals with ADHD. Further research is needed to explore the specific role of executive dysfunctions. None of the available published studies have evaluated physiological mechanisms such as hormonal and metabolic disorders or inappropriate neurobiological regulation of appetite. Research exploring the genetic basis for the coexistence of ADHD and obesity and epigenetic mechanisms, with particular emphasis on stress, both pre- and postnatal, seems particularly promising. Here, we propose a biopsychosocial model to integrate current findings and move the field forward to gain insight into the ADHD-obesity relationship., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Abstract: The aim of the study was to evaluate (1) changes over time in age at sexual initiation among Polish women and (2) underlying socio-economic determinants. 273 women born between 1975 and 1995 in Wielkopolska region (Poland) filled in a questionnaire of sexual behavior. The questionnaire included questions about the age of sexual initiation and women's socio-economic status such as place of residence, level of education, type of school, marital status. Database and statistical analyzes were performed using Statistica 10.0. Age of sexual initiation differed significantly among the cohorts of women stratified by birth cohort (H = 61.4, p < 0.001). In cohort I (born between 1970-1975), mean age of initiation was 18.97 years, in cohort II (1976-1980) 18.67 years, in cohort III (1981-1985) 18.53 years; cohort IV (1986-1990) 18.27 years, and cohort V (1991-1995) 16.41 years. Two socio-economic variables significantly affected the age of the sexual activity onset: the type of school and level of education. The mean age of sexual debut among Polish women has significantly decreased over the last 40 years, with the largest, statistically significant difference observed between the most recent cohort of women (born between 1991-1995) and the other cohorts (born between 1970-1990). The most significant socio-economic determinants of age at first sex were the type of school and level of education.

Objective: The aim of the study was to hierarchically assess the predictive power of low and high birth weight, pre-term and post-term birth, and low Apgar score as the risk factors for ADHD., Method: The data of 132 boys diagnosed with ADHD and 146 boys from control group, aged 6 to 18 years, have been analyzed. The boys were categorized according to term of birth, birth weight, and Apgar score. CART method (Classification and Regression Trees) was used for assessment of the relationship between perinatal factors and the risk of ADHD., Results: Low Apgar score (21.97% vs. 13.01%) and post-term birth (12.12% vs. 0.68%) were more frequent in the sample than in the control group. CART method additionally indicated low birth weight as associated with the risk of ADHD. Among analyzed risk factors, Apgar score had the highest predictive value., Conclusion: The decreased Apgar score is the most important perinatal risk factor of ADHD. Research results also indicated a high significance of post-term birth in predicting the disorder.

Obesity is now a major health concern in both children and adults. According to research from the past 15 years, one of the factors that increase the risk of obesity may be attentiondeficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Not all the studies, however, provide unambiguous results. This literature review aims to systematize the results of previous studies on the risk of obesity in people with ADHD. It included articles addressing the issue of relationship between ADHD and obesity published in the years 2004-2016. Finally, 31 surveys fulfilling the selection criteria were qualified for the review. Analysis of the available sources leads to the conclusion that ADHD is a significant risk factor for obesity, which is especially visible in the adult population. Of the disorders associated with ADHD, the greatest modulating impact on the relationship between obesity and ADHD had oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder and emotional overeating. Pharmacological treatment, comorbid conditions, but also age and sex must remain important factors controlled in subsequent studies. Future research should focus on more systematic testing of hypotheses explaining the comorbidity of ADHD and obesity.

Twenty-two scientists met at Krobielowice, Poland, to discuss the impact of the social environment, spatial proximity, migration, poverty, but also psychological factors such as body perception and satisfaction, and social stressors such as elite sports, and teenage pregnancies, on child and adolescent growth. The data analysis included linear mixed effects models with different random effects, Monte Carlo analyses, and network simulations. The work stressed the importance of the peer group, but also included historic material, some considerations about body proportions, and growth in chronic liver, and congenital heart disease., (Copyright© of YS Medical Media ltd.)

Objective: Previous studies have associated attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with growth deviations and obesity. However, available data regarding the growth of children with ADHD in their early childhood are insufficient. Therefore, we aimed to examine whether there are differences in body size between preschool boys with and without ADHD., Methods: The study used cross-sectional and retrospective longitudinal data concerning 112 boys with ADHD and a community-based sample of 308 boys without ADHD. The groups were homogeneous in terms of socioeconomic status, place of residence, term of birth, and birth weight. The average age of diagnosis was 8.3 years, and none of boys had been treated with stimulants before they were 7 years of age. Comparisons were made at the ages of 2, 4, and 6 years, for World Health Organization (WHO)-norm-standardized height, weight, body mass index (BMI), prevalence of underweight, overweight, and obesity. Separate analysis were made for the cross-sectional measurements of current body size., Results: Boys with ADHD at the age of 2 had significantly lower z scores for weight (t=-1.98, p=0.04) and BMI (t=-2.09, p=0.04), and at the age of 4 for weight (t=-2.05, p=0.04) than the boys from the control group. A significantly lower percentage of overweight/obesity was observed in boys with ADHD at the age of 2 in comparison with the control group. At the age of 6, boys with ADHD were underweight more often. Cross-sectional analysis of current body size showed that boys with ADHD had lower z scores for height (t=-3.08, p=0.002) and higher z scores (t=3.13, p=0.002) for BMI. Overweight was more frequent in this group., Conclusions: Preschool boys with ADHD (age of 2-6 years) have a tendency toward lower body weight than their peers. But in subsequent phases of development, they are shorter and more frequently overweight than boys without ADHD, when place of residence, socioeconomic status, term of birth, birth weight, comorbid conditions, and treatment are controlled.

The study was aimed at assessment of impact of parents' alcohol addiction on growth and prevalence of underweight and overweight in their children. Two groups of subjects were compared: 80 children of alcohol addicted parents (ChAAP) aged from 7 to 14 years and reference group (RG) of 1000 children selected in terms of age and place of residence. Differences in z scores for height and Body Mass Index (BMI), prevalence of underweight and overweight were assessed. Families of ChAAP were characterized by: lower parents' education, higher unemployment rate, a greater number of children than in RG. The differences between ChAAP and RG in z scores for height (z scores: -0.54 vs. 0.45, t = -7.01, p < 0.001) and BMI (z scores: -0.61 vs. 0.29, t = -6.28, p < 0.001) remained significant when impact of the parents' employment (for height: F = 8.88, p = 0.003; for BMI: F = 21.90, p < 0.001) and the number of children (for height: F = 30.89, p < 0.001; for BMI: F = 21.89, p < 0.001) were controlled. Children raised in families with alcohol addicted parents were shorter and had lower BMI than children of the reference group. Underweight was more frequent in that group, and overweight and obesity were more rare. The observed differences seem to result from other factors than bad living conditions, e.g.: chronic post-natal stress, or adverse events during fetal development., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Population studies indicate a strong relationship between birth weight (BW) and body size in later life. However, BW as a variable was never accounted for in studies on the relationship between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and overweight. This study aims to assess the relationship between ADHD and overweight with control of birth weight and other confounding factors. Prevalence of overweight was compared in clinical sample of 219 boys with ADHD and 396 boys without ADHD, aged 6-18 years. The following factors were controlled: BW, parents income and education level, place of residence, ADHD type, selected comorbid disorders and stimulant treatment. Overweight and obesity were diagnosed according to the criteria proposed by the International Obesity Task Force. Logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the association between ADHD and the prevalence of overweight and obesity. Boys with ADHD differed significantly from the control group in distribution of low BW (8.2 vs. 3.0 %, χ (2) = 8.23, p = 0.02). Low BW was associated with a lower prevalence of overweight than normal and high BW (0 vs. 12.14 %, χ (2) = 4.12, p = 0.04). Overweight was observed significantly more often in boys with ADHD (17.3 vs. 8.3 %, χ (2) = 11.23, p < 0.001) even after adjustment for BW and other variables (OR = 2.44, 95 % CI 1.38-4.29, p = 0.002) and after controlling for ADHD type, stimulant treatment and selected comorbid disorders. Independently to applied analysis, obesity was not associated with ADHD. Lower birth weight is over twice more often observed in boys with ADHD than in control group. Although this phenomenon may reduce the rate of overweight in the studied group, ADHD remains strongly associated with increased prevalence of overweight.

The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between adverse life events, a tendency to respond with a high level of anxiety, and height and adiposity of adolescents. The sample included 575 persons (309 girls and 266 boys) aged 10-15 (mean 12.73) from the Wielkopolska region of Poland. The influence of adverse events during the 6 months before the examination and anxiety trait, as assessed with a STAIC questionnaire, on body height and BMI was analysed. Also sex, age, chronic diseases and socioeconomic status indicators were assessed. One-way and two-way ANOVA was used for assessment of relationships. Adverse events had no influence on body height and BMI. Subjects with a high level of anxiety trait (>34 score) were shorter (difference z=0.21) than subjects with a normal level of anxiety trait (≤34 score). The association of anxiety trait and body height was significant after adjustment for sex, age, chronic diseases and history of adverse life events. The analysis showed no statistically significant influence of adverse life events on height and BMI and a significant relationship between the general tendency to respond with anxiety and body height of adolescents. This suggests that psychological characteristics associated with the cognitive tendency to interpret events as threatening, and consequently, to respond with stress, may be involved in the variability of biological traits regardless of the objective harmfulness of the situation.

Objective: The objective of this study was to estimate the growth of pharmacological treatment-naïve polish boys with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)., Method: The sample included 135 boys (mean age: 11.67 years) with ADHD. The level of subjects' height, weight, and body mass index (BMI) was compared to the reference growth charts. Full estimation of measurement accuracy was provided. Regression analysis was used to estimate the biological and social factors contributing to the growth determination in the examined group., Results: There were no statistically significant differences between mean body height of boys with ADHD and standards of growth of Polish children. Separate analyses for body height of the examined boys aged 6-10, 11-15, and 16-18 years also gave no statistically significant results. Mean body weight (z=0.28) and BMI (z=0.25) in the total cohort were statistically higher than the norm. After categorization of the boys according to age, statistically significant differences were demonstrated only for weight in the age range of 6-10 years (z=0.31) and for BMI in the age range of 11-15y (z=0.42). The regression analysis showed the strongest relation between the subjects' growth and the parents' body size, newborn's condition (birth, body weight, and APGAR score), factors connected with lifestyle, and socio-economic status of the family., Conclusion: The study revealed that the height of drug-naïve boys with ADHD was not significantly different from the norm. The investigation also showed a tendency for greater body weight and BMI in boys with ADHD in comparison with the growth charts, which may be manifested also in greater risk of overweight and obesity in this group. The results of research suggest the necessity to control for such variables as genetic, perinatal, socioeconomic, and psychosocial factors, which may affect children's development, in future research on the growth of children with ADHD.

Numerous studies have confirmed the efficacy of cognitive-behavioral therapy in anxiety disorders. One of the main research aims presently is to analyze the relation between decrease of symptoms' severity due to therapy and changes on a cerebral level. The increasing number of investigations concerns neurobiological correlates of anxiety disorders and an influence of cognitive-behavioral therapy on brain structures' activity. The present paper provides a review of the above-mentioned issues relevant articles.

Unlabelled: Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are a very complex group of pathogenic viruses, with more than 80 types, causing human infection. Given the prevalence of HPV infection and its relationship with the development of cervical and many other cancers, HPV vaccine development has been a major public health initiative worldwide in the last decade. The aim of the presented study was to identify HPV DNA by MY-PCR in 4,150 school children and adolescents, aged 10-18 years in the Wielkopolska region, Poland. All individuals were asked to fill in extensive questionnaires; further normal, oral squamous cells were collected from each pupil. Cellular DNA was isolated and used as a MY-PCR template to estimate the incidence of HPV-active infection. Forty five subjects (1.08% of the sample) were carriers of oropharyngeal HPVs. HPV status and variables of interest, such as age, gender, socioeconomical status, and risk factors (smoking and sexual intercourse history, alcohol consumption) were not correlated. The presence of HPVs in the oral cavity was cumulated in several schools of the region. DNA sequencing of MY-PCR products revealed only four HPV genotypes. The most frequent genotype was HPV11 (38/45 HPV-positive cases), while other more rare genotypes were HPV6 (3/45), HPV12 (3/45), and HPV57 (1/45)., Conclusion: Our findings presented herein, reveal a relatively low prevalance of oropharyngeal HPVs in Polish adolescents and fill an important gap in the knowledge of oral HPV infections of children above 10 years and adolescents.

The aim of the study was to develop a multiplex PCR (mPCR) for a rapid and simultaneous detection of herpes simplex 1 (HSV-1), herpes simplex 2 (HSV-2), and human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) DNA in squamous oral cells obtained from adolescents. Accuracy of the method was tested in a group of 513 adolescents, almost 11% of subjects were positive for infection with herpes viruses. Correlations with gender, age, and place of residence were sought. A similar incidence of HSV-2 and HCMV was found (4.3% and 5.4%, respectively) and the incidence of HSV-1 was the lowest (1%) in the study group. Conversely to HSV-2, HCMV was detected mostly in the youngest individuals. The same occurrence of all viruses was observed in boys and girls. The mPCR method described is suggested as a useful tool for epidemiologic studies of active herpes infections., (2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the growth of stimulant-naive children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in 3 aspects of development: level, trend, and structure of the process., Patients and Method: The study sample included 53 individuals between the ages of 6 and 17 years (mean: 11.90). The average level of growth (z scores) in prepubertal, pubertal, and postpubertal stage of development and trend of the process were estimated on the basis of a comparison with growth charts. The prediction of adolescent growth spurt was conducted using the mathematical structural growth model of Jolioceur, Pontier, and Abidi., Results: Difference between boys with attention-deficit/hyperactivity and the norm was statistically significant in the prepubertal stage and for the average level of growth between the ages of 2 and 17 years. Distinct suppression of growth was found between the ages of 9 and 14. Analysis of development structure revealed an earlier onset of the adolescent growth spurt among boys (difference: 5 months) and a higher velocity of growth at this moment (difference: 0.33 cm/year) than expected values., Conclusions: The application of both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses clearly illustrated the higher level of growth of boys with attention-deficit/hyperactivity in the prepubertal stage, the suppression of growth on the turn of prepubertal and pubertal periods, and earlier occurrence of the spurt onset. Observed differences in the level and trend of growth as well as in the parameters of adolescent growth spurt are linked with disorder-related factors.