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When fathers live away from their children, taking an active paternal role may become challenging and can add to paternal psychological distress. In a large ( N = 3,980) diverse cohort, we found that nonresident fathers are more likely to be psychologically distressed than resident fathers (27.4% vs. 15.2%) and more likely to report wanting a change in the level of involvement they have in their child’s life (76.6% vs. 58.1%). Nonresident fathers were more likely to suffer economic hardship, unemployment, poor health, and have a depression and anxiety history ( ps < .001). However, the factors associated with increased psychological distress were largely the same across resident and nonresident fathers. The biggest stressors were managing work alongside family responsibilities and commitments, arguments with the partner, prior history of depression, and economic hardship or deprivation. Fathers’ actual levels of involvement and desired levels of involvement with their child did not predict their psychological distress.

Background Most women decide about infant immunisation during pregnancy. However, we have limited knowledge of the immunisation intentions of their partners. We aimed to describe what pregnant women and their partners intended for their future child's immunisations, and to identify associations between parental intentions and the subsequent timeliness of infant immunisation. Methods We recruited a cohort of pregnant New Zealand (NZ) women expecting to deliver between April 2009 and March 2010. The cohort included 11% of births in NZ during the recruitment period and was generalisable to the national birth cohort. We completed antenatal interviews independently with mothers and partners. We determined immunisation receipt from the National Immunisation Register and defined timely immunisation as receiving all vaccines (scheduled at 6-weeks, 3- and 5-months) within 30 days of their due date. We described independent associations of immunisation intentions with timeliness using adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results Of 6172 women, 5014 (81%) intended full immunisation, 245 (4%) partial immunisation, 140 (2%) no immunisation and 773 (13%) were undecided. Of 4152 partners, 2942 (71%) intended full immunisation, 208 (5%) partial immunisation, 83 (2%) no immunisation and 921 (22%) were undecided. Agreement between mothers and partners was moderate (Kappa = 0.42). Timely immunisation occurred in 70% of infants. Independent of their partner's intentions, infants of pregnant women who decided upon full immunisation were more likely to be immunised on time (OR = 7.65, 95% CI: 4.87 − 12.18). Independent of the future mother's intentions, infants of partners who had decided upon full immunisations were more likely to be immunised on time (OR = 3.33, 95% CI: 2.29 − 4.84). Conclusions During pregnancy, most future parents intend to fully immunise their child; however, more partners than mothers remain undecided about immunisation. Both future mothers’ and future fathers’ intentions are independently associated with the timeliness of their infant's immunisations.

We describe the demography, health, pregnancy behaviours, family histories, and intentions for their children, of the 4401 partners who were enrolled antenatally into Growing Up in New Zealand, New Zealand's new birth cohort study. The prospective fathers and their pregnant partners had similar demographics. Amongst the prospective fathers there were high rates of obesity, although the majority described themselves as healthy. Higher rates of antenatal depression were present than reported in overseas studies of men. Nearly one-third of the prospective fathers changed their dietary and smoking behaviours during their partners' pregnancies, highlighting an exciting window of opportunity presented by pregnancy to influence health-related lifestyle changes in men. Most expected high levels of involvement in the care of their babies, in marked contrast to previous generations of fathers. This baseline description provides a context for understanding the contribution these men, as fathers, will make to the health and wellbeing of their children.

Despite the wealth of literature examining long term outcomes of preterm low birthweight children, few studies have directly assessed the developmental impact of being born full term but small for gestational age (SGA). We aim to determine whether (i) being SGA increases preschool behavioural problems and (ii) other risk factors operate differently in SGA and appropriate for gestational age (AGA) controls. 550 New Zealand European mothers and their 3.5 year old children participated in this study. All children were born at full term (>37 weeks' gestation) and approximately half were SGA (≤sex specific 10th percentile for gestation) the remainder were AGA controls. Extensive data were collected at the child's birth, 1 year and 3.5 years. Behavioural problems were measured when children were 3.5 years, using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Multiple regression analyses were used to examine the associations between risk factors and behavioural problems; statistical weighting was used for analyses of the total study group. There was no significant difference in behavioural problems between SGA and AGA groups. In the total sample the significant predictors of behavioural problems included: mothers' school leaving age; smoking during pregnancy; maternal alcohol use during pregnancy; and absence of the father. Predictors of behavioural problems were found to be the same for SGA and AGA groups. These results do not support the view that SGA is a risk for behavioural preschool difficulties or that SGA children are sensitised to risks known to be associated with such difficulties in the preschool years.

This longitudinal study was designed to investigate whether or not social connectedness predicts psychological well-being over time. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the temporal relations between these constructs assessed yearly for 3 years for a sample of 1,774 10- to 15-year-olds (at Time 1). Results indicated that global connectedness (i.e., connectedness combined across the domains of family, school, peers, and neighborhood) predicted well-being, but no reciprocal relation was found. However, reciprocal relations were revealed by analyses that examined connectedness at the domain level, that is, for family and school contexts. The results suggest that youth who reported higher levels of social connectedness at one point in time would subsequently report higher well-being (i.e., life satisfaction, confidence, positive affect, and aspirations).

The Parenting Through Separation (PTS) program is available throughout New Zealand to separating parents. The PTS program aims to educate parents on the impact of separation on children, how to minimise parental conflict, and how to make postseparation care arrangements that are in children's best interests. This paper presents an evaluation of the PTS program, including an assessment of the extent to which the program is meeting its aims. Using before and after course measures the evaluation also assessed the extent to which parents reported reduced parental conflict, more satisfactory care arrangements, and improved child adjustment. While the PTS program is doing well in achieving most of its goals, the research identified areas where it is having less of an impact.

Conflict between parents has been widely studied. However, the possible impact of nonverbal, nonphysical, silent conflict has not been examined. In this study, young people were interviewed about the characteristics of silent conflict, its impact, and their behaviours in response. Characteristics included high emotional content, behavioural changes in parents, and lack of resolution. Young people felt helplessness, a lack of control, insecurity, inability to monitor what was happening, confusion, and blame. In response to their parents’ silent conflict, they reported behaving badly to distract parents, taking sides, and self-harming. Overall, it was apparent that silent conflict is a real phenomenon readily recognised by young people, causing them distress. In particular, its characteristics of nonresolution, lack of identifiable content, and the consequent lack of ability to make sense of it, indicate that it is a particularly difficult aspect of interparental conflict.

The aim of this study was to determine which demographic, maternal, obstetric and postnatal variables were associated with achievement of developmental milestones at the age of 12 months in term infants. Mothers and babies were enrolled in the Auckland Birthweight Collaborative Study shortly after birth. All infants were full term (gestation >or= 37 weeks). Approximately half of the sample were small for gestational age (SGA = birthweight 10th percentile). A maternal interview was conducted soon after birth. Phase 2 of the study occurred 12 months later when mothers were sent a postal questionnaire requesting information about the child's health and development during the first year of life using the Denver Prescreening Developmental Questionnaire. Seven hundred and forty-four (85.4%) European mothers returned the postal questionnaire. SGA children were not at increased risk of developmental delay at 12 months of age. In a sample representative of New Zealand European children, after adjustment for the effects of potential confounders, maternal smoking during pregnancy (OR = 2.1 [95% CI 1.1, 4.0]), maternal smoking during the first year of life (OR = 1.9 [95% CI 1.0, 3.8]) and low levels of satisfaction with parenting (OR = 2.4 [95% CI 1.1, 5.2]) were associated with significantly increased risk of developmental delay. In the subgroup of SGA children, maternal smoking during pregnancy (OR = 2.9 [95% CI 1.4, 6.2]), high levels of stress associated with parenting (OR = 2.2 [95% CI 1.2, 4.0]), and low levels of satisfaction with parenting (OR = 4.3 [95% CI 1.3, 13.5]) were significantly associated with developmental delay after adjustment for the effects of potential confounders. In conclusion, maternal and postnatal factors were better predictors of developmental delay than demographic variables.

Aim: To investigate whether breastfeeding during infancy is a determinant of intelligence at 3.5 y. Methods: Five hundred and fifty European children enrolled at birth in the Auckland Birthweight Collaborative Study were assessed at 3.5 y of age. Approximately half were small for gestational age (SGA ≤ 10th percentile) at birth and half were appropriate for gestational age (AGA > 10th percentile). Duration of breastfeeding was recorded at maternal interview, and the intelligence of children was assessed using the Stanford Binet Intelligence Scale. Regression analysis was used to calculate estimates of difference in intelligence scores between breastfeeding groups for the total sample and the group of SGA children. Analyses of the total sample were weighted to account for the disproportionate sampling of SGA children. Results: Breastfeeding was not significantly related to intelligence scores in the total sample despite a trend for longer periods of breastfeeding to be associated with higher intelligence scores. However, in the SGA group, breastfeeding was significantly related to IQ at 3.5 y. Small for gestational age children who were breastfed for longer than 12 mo had adjusted scores 6.0 points higher than those who were not breastfed (p = 0.06). Conclusion: Breastfeeding may be particularly important for the cognitive development of preschool children born small for gestational age.

This study investigated the relationships among marital conflict, perceptions of parents, and parenting styles perceived by adolescents. Subjects were 172 high school and university students aged 16 to 19 years. Subjects were given a questionnaire containing The Conflict Scale, Parenting Styles Scale, and Perceptions of Parents Scale. Results indicated that total marital conflict scores correlated with negative perceptions of mothers and fathers and with authoritarian, neglectful, and permissive parenting. Marital conflict correlated positively with negative perceptions of mothers and fathers and negatively with positive perceptions of parents. Mediational analyses revealed that neglectful parenting was a partial and sometimes full mediator in the relationships between perceived marital conflict and perceptions of parents. Neglect was a full mediator in the relationship between perceived marital conflict and both positive and negative perceptions of mothers. Neglect was a partial mediator in the relationship between perceived marital conflict and positive perceptions of fathers. This suggests that marital conflict may be consuming parents' emotional resources, leading to neglectful parenting and low support, which in turn contributes to adolescents holding negative perceptions of parents. These findings might contribute to education programs for addressing the negative effects of marital conflict and its impact on the perceptions children hold of their parents. Awareness of these influences may minimise the harmful family relationship effects of marital conflict.

Objective: This case-control study determined whether internationally recognized risk factors for small-for-gestational-age (SGA) term babies were applicable in New Zealand. Methodology: All babies were born at 37 or more completed weeks of gestation in one of three hospitals in Auckland. Cases weighed less than the sex specific 10th percentile for gestational age at birth, and controls (appropriate-for-gestational-age (AGA)) were a random selection of heavier babies. Information was collected by maternal interview and from obstetric databases. Results: Information from 1714 completed interviews (844 SGA and 870 AGA) was available for analysis. Computerized obstetric records were available for 1691 of the 1701 women who consented to such access. In a multivariate analysis allowing for sex, gestational age at birth, social class and other potential confounders, mothers who smoked had a significantly increased risk of an SGA baby (adjusted OR 2.41; 95% CI 1.78–;3.28), as did primiparous mothers (adjusted OR 1.34; 95% CI 1.03–;1.73), mothers of Indian ethnicity (adjusted OR 3.22; 95% CI 1.95–;5.30), women with pre-eclamptic toxaemia (adjusted OR 2.42; 95% CI 1.08–;5.40) and those with pre-existing hypertension toxaemia (adjusted OR 5.49; 95% CI 1.81–;16.71). Mothers of SGA infants were shorter (P < 0.001) and reported lower prepregnancy body weights (P < 0.001) than mothers of AGA infants. The population attributable fraction for smoking suggests that up to 18% of SGA infants born in the ABC Study could be related to maternal smoking. Conclusions: Risk factors associated with SGA births in other countries are also important in New Zealand. Smoking in pregnancy is an important and potentially modifiable behaviour, and efforts to decrease the number of women who smoke during pregnancy should be encouraged.

This study examines the experiences of young adults whose parents separated when they were 18 years or older, and uses the conceptual framework of Family Social Capital for interpretation. Family support, parent-child relationships, family fragility, inverted parenting, and kin keeping were significant factors for this group. They reported low levels of support, a sense throughout childhood of family vulnerability, and demands for parenting parents and kin keeping after their parents separated. Father-son relationships often improved after parental separation. The chronicity of family unhappiness for this group is compared with the experiences of offspring whose parents separated when they were children.

The paper reports preliminary findings of a study investigating correlates and possible predictors of development in small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infants. Antenatal, perinatal, physical, and behavioural variables were examined for links with performance on the Bayley Scales of Infant Development at 1 year of age. In a group of 65 SGA infants, high levels of maternal exercise in pregnancy and head size at 12 months predicted 35% of the variance in MDI scores. In a contrast group of 20 appropriately-grown (AGA) infants, levels of mutual interest in an object, and maternal affectionate behaviour were predictive of MDI scores. It was notable that no social-interactive variables were correlated with 12-month development in SGA infants; however, several were related to development in AGA infants. SGA mothers and infants were found to be less interactive with each other in comparison with AGA dyads, and SGA infants demonstrated comparatively high levels of state instability and of quiet-alert state. ...

This study explored the relative influence of adolescents' perceptions of their attachment relationships with their mothers, fathers, and friends on three measures of self-esteem. The sample consisted of 493 New Zealand adolescents ranging from 13 to 19 years of age. Two dimensions of the attachment relationship were assessed: the utilization of emotional support and proximity, and the quality of affect. The major findings were as follows: utilization of emotional support and proximity from mothers, fathers, and friends was minimally related to overall self-esteem, coping abilities, and social competence. The quality of affect toward mothers and fathers was significantly related only to social competence. These findings suggest that adolescent self-esteem is more strongly associated with the quality of affect toward parents and friends than with the utilization of these target figures for support or proximity. The notion that parents and friends may contribute to different facets of self-esteem is discussed.

The present study investigated the role of connectedness to the family and school contexts on future orientation of New Zealand adolescents. Participants were 1774 young people (51.9% female) aged between 9 and 16 years at time 1 of the study, who reported their connectedness to family and school and their perceptions of future orientation at three times of measurement one year apart. Structural equation modelling was used to test the combined role of family and school connectedness on future orientation over time. Findings supported a multiple mediation model in that adolescents' connectedness to family and school predicted more positive perceptions of future orientation both directly and indirectly via the effect of the context variables on each other.

This study explored changes in New Zealand adolescents' perceptions of their attachment relationships with their mothers, fathers, and friends. The main findings revealed that from early to late adolescence: Males and females remained stable in their quality of affect toward their mothers. With increasing age, females utilized their mothers for support and proximity more, whereas males utilized their mothers for support and proximity less. With increasing age, males and females rated their quality of affect toward their fathers as lower and utilized their fathers for support and proximity less. Females had a higher quality of affect toward friends than males regardless of age, but both males and females increased their utilization of friends for support and proximity over age. Further analyses revealed that Pacific Island adolescents utilized their mothers less for support and proximity than European/Pakeha adolescents. Adolescents from one-parent families utilized their fathers less for support and proximity and had a lower quality of affect toward him than adolescents from two-parent families. These findings suggested that substantial changes take place in attachment relationships from early to late adolescence and highlighted the need for research to differentiate between the sex of adolescent and sex of parent dyads in order to examine adolescents' affective relationships effectively.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) genomes are small, semi-double-stranded DNA circular genomes that contain alternating overlapping reading frames and replicate through an RNA intermediary phase. This complex biology has presented a challenge to estimating an evolutionary rate for HBV, leading to difficulties resolving the evolutionary and epidemiological history of the virus. Here, we re-examine rates of HBV evolution using a novel data set of 112 within-host, transmission history (pedigree) and among-host genomes isolated over 20 years from the indigenous peoples of the South Pacific, combined with 313 previously published HBV genomes. We employ Bayesian phylogenetic approaches to examine several potential causes and consequences of evolutionary rate variation in HBV. Our results reveal rate variation both between genotypes and across the genome, as well as strikingly slower rates when genomes are sampled in the Hepatitis B e antigen positive state, compared to the e antigen negative state. This Hepatitis B e antigen rate variation was found to be largely attributable to changes during the course of infection in the preCore and Core genes and their regulatory elements.

This research examined the longitudinal links between perceptions of family rituals, family cohesion, and adolescents' well-being in 713 adolescent-parent/caregiver dyads in New Zealand. Parents (86% mothers) assessed family ritual meaning and family cohesion, and adolescents (10 to 16 years old at Time 1) reported on family cohesion and well-being at two times of measurement with a 1-year interval. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to assess stability coefficients, cross-lagged effects, and to test a multistep mediation model. Results showed longitudinal bidirectional effects between perceptions of family ritual meaning and family cohesion (for parents), and between perceptions of family cohesion from parents/caregivers and adolescents. In addition, family ritual meaning was found to be linked to adolescents' well-being indirectly via parents' and adolescents' family cohesion. Results support and expand previous research on the direct and indirect effects of family rituals in family and individual positive outcomes.

Invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) epidemiology and the potential impact of the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in Fiji are docu- mented. The annual incidence was 26.5 and 10.9 in those aged 5 and 55 years per 100,000, respectively. The case fatality rate was 9.4% and 67% in 5 and 65 year olds, respectively. One pneumococcal death and case would be prevented in 5 years olds for every 1930 and 128 infants vaccinated with 7vPCV, respectively.

Background: To evaluate the immunological impact of the 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (23vPPS) at 12 months, for children who have received zero to three infant doses of seven-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV), on responses to a subsequent exposure to a small dose of 23vPPS (mPPS). Methods: Five hundred and fifty-two Fijian infants were stratified by ethnicity and randomized into eight groups to receive zero, one, two, or three PCV doses at 14 weeks, six and 14 weeks, or six, ten, and 14 weeks. Within each group, half received 23vPPS at 12 months and all received mPPS at 17 months. Sera were taken prior and one month post-mPPS. Findings: By 17 months, geometric mean antibody concentrations (GMC) to all 23 serotypes in 23vPPS were significantly higher in children who had received 23vPPS at 12 months compared to those who had not. Post-mPPS, children who had not received the 12 month 23vPPS had a significantly higher GMC for all PCV serotypes compared with those who had (each p < 0.02). For the non-PCV serotypes, children who had not received the 12 month 23vPPS had significantly higher GMC for six of 16 non-PCV serotypes (7F, 9N, 12F, 19A, 22F, 33F) than those who did (each p < 0.02). After adjusting for the pre-mPPS level, exposure to 23vPPS was associated with a lower response to mPPS for all serotypes (each p < 0.001). Interpretation: Despite higher antibody concentrations at 17 months in children who had received 23vPPS at 12 months, the response to a re-challenge was poor for all 23 serotypes compared to children who had not received the 12 month 23vPPS.

The present study examined the longitudinal links between perceptions of family connectedness and body satisfaction in 1,774 (52% female) adolescents. Participants (10-15 years of age at Time 1) completed self-report measures at three measurement occasions separated by 1 year each. Mean group difference results showed that both body satisfaction levels and perceived levels of family connectedness decreased over 2 years for the whole sample. As expected, girls were generally less satisfied with their bodies than boys, particularly in the older cohort. Structural equation modelling was used to assess stability coefficients and cross-lagged effects, and longitudinal bidirectional effects between perceptions of family connectedness and body satisfaction were found for girls, but not for boys. This result suggests that adolescent girls' body satisfaction is both affected by and a predictor of perceived family connectedness.

The aim was to identify an appropriate infant pneumococcal vaccination strategy for resource poor countries. Fijian infants received zero, one, two, or three doses of 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) in early infancy. Following three PCV doses, geometric mean concentration (GMC) to all seven serotypes wereor = 1.0 microg/mL, and85% of children achieved antibody levelsor = 0.35 microg/mL at 18 weeks. Following two doses, GMC were lower for 6B, 14, and 23F, but higher for 19F compared with three doses. Following a single dose, significant responses were seen for all serotypes post-primary series compared with the unvaccinated. By 12 months, differences between two and three doses persisted for serotype 14 only. Although GMC following three doses are higher than after two doses, the differences were small. A single dose may offer some protection for most serotypes.

Foreword Paul R. Amato. Preface. Contributors. Introduction. Acknowledgments. Section I: INTERNATIONAL, DEMOGRAPHIC, AND CULTURAL CONTEXTS. 1 The Demography of Stepfamilies in the United States (Jay Teachman and Lucky Tedrow). 2 Stereotypes of Stepfamilies and Stepfamily Members (Stephen Claxton-Oldfield). 3 Stepfamilies in France Since the 1990s (Jean-Francois Mignot). 4 The Social Context of Emerging Stepfamilies in Japan (Shinji Nozawa). 5 Stepfathers in Cultural Context: Mexican American Families in the United States (Scott Coltrane, Erika Gutierrez, and Ross D. Parke). Section II: DYNAMICS WITHIN STEPFAMILY HOUSEHOLDS. 6 Stepfathers in Families (Jeremy Robertson). 7 Resident Mothers in Stepfamilies (Marjorie Smith). 8 Sibling Relationships in Blended Families (Melinda E. Baham, Amy A. Weimer, Sanford L. Braver, and William V. Fabricius). 9 Resident Parent-Child Relationships in Stepfamilies (Claire Cartwright). 10 A Longitudinal Examination of Marital Processes Leading to Instability in Remarriages and Stepfamilies (Brad van Eeden-Moorefield and Kay Pasley). 11 Children's Appraisals of Relationships in Stepfamilies and First Families (Katherine H. Shelton, Sasha L. Walters, and Gordon T. Harold). 12 The Distribution of Household Tasks in First-Marriage Families and Stepfamilies Across Europe (Laurent Snoeckx, Britt Dehertogh, and Dimitri Mortelmans). 13 Communication in Stepfamilies (Tamara D. Afifi). Section III: INFLUENCES AND RELATIONSHIPS BEYOND THE HOUSEHOLD. 14 Kinship in Stepfamilies (Graham Allan, Sheila Hawker, and Graham Crow). 15 Children's Relationships with Nonresident Parents (Jan Pryor). 16 The Diversity of Stepmothers (Marilyn Coleman, Jessica Troilo, and Tyler Jamison). 17 Intergenerational Relationships in Stepfamilies (Lawrence Ganong). Section IV: CLINICAL AND LEGAL ISSUES. 18 A Clinician's View of "Stepfamily Architecture" (Patricia L. Papernow). 19 Research on Interventions for Stepfamily Couples (Sarah W. Whitton, Jan M. Nicholson, and Howard J. Markman). 20 The Prevention and Treatment of Children's Adjustment Problems in Stepfamilies (Jan M. Nicholson, Matthew R. Sanders, W. Kim Halford, Maddy Phillips, and Sarah W. Whitton). 21 Legal Structures and Re-Formed Families (Bill Atkin). 22 How Relevant Are U.S. Family and Probate Laws to Stepfamilies? (Sarah E. C. Malia). 23 Where to from Here? Stepfamilies and the Future (Jan Pryor). Author Index. Subject Index.

Foodborne diseases are an important cause of gastrointestinal illness in Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs). They are known to have significant health and economic consequences, however, reliable data on the various causes and the foodborne sources associated with specific disease are limited. This lack of data limits our understanding about foodborne diseases in the PICTs, their burden and impact on public health, and possible ways to improve food safety. There is an urgent need for better surveillance data. Improving country surveillance systems and the capacity for outbreak investigations will help address these limitations. This paper is the outcome of individual research and a four-day meeting of technical experts convened to develop practical options that PICTs might consider to enhance foodborne disease (FBD) surveillance systems. It is anticipated that the content and recommendations outlined herein will assist in establishing a regional strategy for Pacific FBD surveillance. It gives a framework on how to develop and enhance FBD surveillance for both the regional and national levels and provides examples that countries in the Pacific may consider to enhance their foodborne disease surveillance systems.

Although foodborne diseases are an important public health problem worldwide, the burden of foodborne illness is not well described in most Pacific Island Countries and Territories. Laboratory-based surveillance programs can detect trends and outbreaks, estimate burden of illness, and allow subtyping of enteric pathogens (e.g. Salmonella serotyping), which is critical for linking illness to food vehicles and animal reservoirs. To enhance public health capacity in Fiji for foodborne disease surveillance, we developed the Salmonella Surveillance Project (SSP), a collaboration to pilot laboratory-based surveillance for Salmonella. A network of national and international partners was formed including epidemiologists, microbiologists, and environmental health personnel. Ministry of Health personnel were trained in foodborne disease surveillance and outbreak investigation. Three clinical microbiology laboratories from different parts of the country functioned as sentinel sites, reporting all laboratory-confirmed Salmonella infections using a standardized case report form. Non-Typhi Salmonella isolates were collected for serotyping. In 2004-2005, 86 non-Typhi Salmonella and 275 S. Typhi laboratory-confirmed infections were reported. Salmonella enterica serotype I 3,10: r:- and Salmonella enterica serotype Weltevreden were the most commonly isolated non-Typhi serotypes. In Fiji, the SSP utilized international partnerships to facilitate training, and to enhance laboratory capacity and surveillance for salmonellosis. Incorporating laboratory-based foodborne disease reporting into national disease surveillance will enable public health officials to describe the burden of foodborne illness, identify outbreaks, conduct analytic epidemiology studies, and improve food safety.

To record and describe the dietary patterns of a large group of New Zealand (NZ) European preschool children and to compare these with NZ Ministry of Health (MOH) food and nutrition guidelines.Mothers were interviewed when children enrolled in the Auckland Birthweight Collaborative (ABC) study were seen at 3.5 years of age. Approximately half of the children in the study were born small for gestational age (SGA =10th percentile) and the remaining were born appropriate for gestational age (AGA10th percentile). Food frequency information was collected on 549 New Zealand European children. The analysis utilised weighting to allow for the disproportionate sampling of children born SGA.Compared with nutritional guidelines, 27% and 54% of preschool children did not eat the recommended two or more servings of fruit per day or two or more servings of vegetables per day, respectively; 93% of children did not eat breads and cereals the recommended four or more times a day.A notable proportion of children were not eating fruit and vegetables at levels recommended by the MOH. Preschool children's food frequency patterns were, however, similar to patterns reported for school-aged children in the National Children's Nutrition Survey.

“Family policy” is a field which presents a set of unique problems. One is the difficulty we have in removing individual experiences (and prejudices) from the discussion about political choices. There is something remarkably odd, indeed ostrich-like, about the debates we have about families, our relationships within them, and where they fit into the broader contexts of communities and cultures. Quite simply, our heads are in the sand about what a family is, and how in New Zealand perceptions have merged and changed in step with other shifts in society.

To assess the effect of maternal diet during pregnancy on the risk of delivering a baby who is small for gestational age (SGA).Case-control study of 844 cases (SGA) and 870 controls (appropriate size for gestational age (AGA)). Only term (37+ completed weeks of gestation) infants were included. Retrospective food frequency questionnaires were completed at birth on the diet at the time of conception and in the last month of pregnancy.At the time of conception, mothers of AGA infants ate significantly more servings of carbohydrate rich food and fruit, and were more likely to have taken folate and vitamin supplements than mothers of SGA infants. There was some evidence that mothers of AGA infants also ate more servings of dairy products, meat, and fish (0.05p0.1). However, after adjustment for maternal ethnicity, smoking, height, weight, hypertension, and occupation, fish intake (p = 0.04), carbohydrate-rich foods (p = 0.04), and folate supplementation (p = 0.02) were associated with a reduced risk of SGA. In the last month of pregnancy, only iron supplementation was associated with a reduced risk of SGA (p = 0.05) after adjustment for potential confounders.This study suggests that small variations in maternal diets within the normal range during pregnancy in developed countries are associated with differences in birth weight.