Vitamin E Deficiency Is Associated with Reduced Handgrip Strength in Rural Nepalese Children

Abstract Objectives Vitamin E deficiency (VED), common in areas of rural South Asia, can affect neuromuscular health. This study determined the extent of VED and its association with neuromuscular function, indicated by hand grip strength, in Nepalese school aged children. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted in a birth cohort of 6–8 year old children, born during an earlier maternal micronutrient trial, in Sarlahi District in the southern plains (Tarai) of Nepal. Assessments included anthropometry (height, weight, MUAC), handgrip strength by hydraulic dynamometry, plasma α- and γ-tocopherol concentrations by HPLC, other nutritional and inflammatory biomarkers, diet and SES. Data were analyzed using descriptive, bivariate and multivariable regression analyses. Results In 998 children, mean (+SD) α- and γ-tocopherol levels were 12.21 (+3.27) μmol/L and 1.50 (+0.70), μmol/L respectively. α-Tocopherol distributions were comparable in females (12.34 ± 3.29 μmol/L) and males (12.09 ± 3.24), with 51.9% of all children classified as VED (plasma α-tocopherol < 12 μmol/L). Plasma γ-tocopherol was higher in females than males (1.56 ± 0.72 vs 1.44 ± 0.67, P < 0.01). Handgrip strength (in kg) was higher in males (7.25 ± 2.14) than females (6.44 ± 2.00) (P < 0.001), which also increased with age. In a continuous multivariable model, adjusted for sex and age, handgrip strength increased with plasma α-tocopherol (βα = 0.054 kg/μmol/L (95% CI: 0.0149–0.0926), P < 0.001). Age-sex adjusted handgrip strength was 0.328 (95% CI: 0.015–0.093) kg lower in VED vs non-deficient children (P < 0.01), but was unrelated to plasma γ-tocopherol. There were no interactions in handgrip strength and vitamin E status by sex. Conclusions Vitamin E deficiency is common and is associated with neuromuscular weakness in young, school aged children in southern Nepal, evident by a lower handgrip strength. Funding Sources Funded by The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (GH614, OPP5241), Seattle, WA with assistance from the Sight and Life Global Nutrition Research Institute, Baltimore, MD.

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Food Insecurity, Food Environment and Obesity Among Urban School-Aged Children in Queretaro, Mexico

Current Developments in Nutrition ◽

10.1093/cdn/nzab035_039 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (Supplement_2) ◽

pp. 131-131

Author(s):

María Guadalupe Hernández-Pineda ◽

María del Carmen Caamaño ◽

Dolores Ronquillo ◽

Hugo Melgar-Quinonez ◽

Juana Elizabeth Elton-Puente ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Food Insecurity ◽

Latin American ◽

Food Environment ◽

Fruits And Vegetables ◽

Univariate Analysis ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Processed Foods ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

School Aged Children ◽

Funding Sources

Abstract Objectives To evaluate the relationship between food insecurity, food environment and obesity in school-aged children in Queretaro. Methods In this cross-sectional study, weight, height and body fat % (BF%) were measured in 122 school-aged children (8.1 ± 1.5 y) from an urban area in Queretaro, Mexico. Additionally, household food insecurity was assessed using the Latin American and Caribbean Food Security Scale (ELCSA). Geolocation data of both food establishments (FE) and participants’ households (HH) were collected and uploaded into a GIS database. The distance to the closest FE within a 300 m radius from each participant's household was calculated using GIS. FE were categorized as follows: (1) FEPF, which mainly sold processed foods (e.g., convenient stores); and (2) FEnPF, which mainly sold non-processed foods (e.g., fruterías – only fruits and vegetables). Univariate analysis was used to assess the interaction of BF%, food insecurity and FE categories using SPSS v23.0. Results Almost half of the children showed high BF% (48%), while 43% lived in HH with some degree of food insecurity. Children in moderately/severely food insecure HH and who lived close to FEnPF had significantly lower BF% (18.9 ± 4.7%), compared to children in food secure HH (24.4 ± 2.5%) or HH experiencing mild food insecurity (25.0 ± 2.6%) (P < 0.05). However, children in moderately/severely food insecure HH, who lived close to FEPF had significantly higher BF% (29.4 ± 2.7%), compared to those experiencing mild food insecurity (23.7 ± 1.5%), or who were food secure (22.8 ± 1.1%) (P < 0.05). Conclusions Children living in moderately/severely food insecure HH showed an opposite BF% pattern when compared to those in food secure or mildly food insecure HH, depending on how close they live to FE that either mainly sold processed foods or unprocessed foods, indicating the potential relationship of food environment to childhood obesity mediated by food insecurity. Funding Sources Partially funded by FOFI, UAQ.

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Nutrient pattern of unsaturated fatty acids and vitamin E increase resting metabolic rate of overweight and obese women

International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research ◽

10.1024/0300-9831/a000664 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-9

Author(s):

Habib Yarizadeh ◽

Leila Setayesh ◽

Caroline Roberts ◽

Mir Saeed Yekaninejad ◽

Khadijeh Mirzaei

Keyword(s):

Vitamin E ◽

Metabolic Rate ◽

Unsaturated Fatty Acids ◽

Resting Metabolic Rate ◽

Blood Parameters ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Obese Women ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Dietary Nutrients ◽

Nutrient Patterns

Abstract. Objectives: Obesity plays an important role in the development of chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease and diabetes. A low resting metabolic rate (RMR) for a given body size and composition is a risk factor for obesity, however, there is limited evidence available regarding the association of nutrient patterns and RMR. The aim of this study was to determine the association of nutrient patterns and RMR in overweight and obese women. Study design: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 360 women who were overweight or obese. Method: Dietary intake was assessed using a semi-quantitative standard food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Nutrient patterns were also extracted by principal components analysis (PCA). All participants were evaluated for their body composition, RMR, and blood parameters. Result: Three nutrient patterns explaining 64% of the variance in dietary nutrients consumption were identified as B-complex-mineral, antioxidant, and unsaturated fatty acid and vitamin E (USFA-vit E) respectively. Participants were categorized into two groups based on the nutrient patterns. High scores of USFA-vit E pattern was significantly associated with the increase of RMR (β = 0.13, 95% CI = 0.79 to 68.16, p = 0.04). No significant associations were found among B-complex-mineral pattern (β = −0.00, 95% CI = −49.67 to 46.03, p = 0.94) and antioxidant pattern (β = 0.03, 95% CI −41.42 to 22.59, p = 0.56) with RMR. Conclusion: Our results suggested that the “USFA-vit E” pattern (such as PUFA, oleic, linoleic, vit.E, α-tocopherol and EPA) was associated with increased RMR.

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Psychosocial health of school-aged children during the initial COVID-19 safer-at-home school mandates in Florida: a cross-sectional study

BMC Public Health ◽

10.1186/s12889-021-10540-2 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Sarah L. McKune ◽

Daniel Acosta ◽

Nick Diaz ◽

Kaitlin Brittain ◽

Diana Joyce- Beaulieu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Psychosocial Health ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Home School ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

School Aged Children ◽

K 12 ◽

At Home

Abstract Background Given the emerging literature regarding the impacts of lockdown measures on mental health, this study aims to describe the psychosocial health of school-aged children and adolescents during the COVID-19 Safer-at-Home School mandates. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in April 2020 (n = 280) among K-12 students at a research school in North Central Florida. Bivariate analysis and logistic and multinomial logistic regression models were used to examine socio-demographic and knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) predictors of indicators of anxiety-related, depressive, and obsessive-compulsive disorder(OCD)-related symptoms. Outcomes (anxiety, OCD, and depressive related symptoms) were measured by indices generated based on reported symptoms associated with each psychosocial outcome. Results Loss of household income was associated with increased risk for all three index-based outcomes: depressive symptoms [aOR = 3.130, 95% CI = (1.41–6.97)], anxiety-related symptoms [aOR = 2.531, 95%CI = (1.154–5.551)], and OCD-related symptoms [aOR = 2.90, 95%CI = (1.32–6.36)]. Being female was associated with being at higher risk for depressive symptoms [aOR = 1.72, 95% CI = (1.02–2.93)], anxiety-related symptoms [aOR = 1.75, 95% CI = (1.04–2.97)], and OCD-related symptoms [aOR = 1.764, 95%CI = (1.027–3.028)]. Parental practices protective against COVID-19 were associated with children being at higher risk of depressive symptoms [aOR = 1.55, 95% CI = (1.04–2.31)]. Lower school level was associated with children being at higher risk of anxiety-related and OCD-related symptoms. Conclusions As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, schools should prioritize mental health interventions that target younger, female students, and children of families with income loss. Limiting the spread of COVID-19 through school closure may exacerbate negative psychosocial health outcomes in children, thus school administrators should move quickly to target those at greatest risk.

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Assessment of the Foot’s Longitudinal Arch by Different Indicators and Their Correlation with the Foot Loading Paradigm in School-Aged Children: A Cross Sectional Study

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18105196 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (10) ◽

pp. 5196

Author(s):

Beata Szczepanowska-Wołowiec ◽

Paulina Sztandera ◽

Ireneusz Kotela ◽

Marek Zak

Keyword(s):

Morphological Structure ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Strongly Correlated ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

School Aged Children ◽

Longitudinal Arch ◽

Flat Feet ◽

Foot Loading ◽

Static Conditions ◽

Increased Pressure

Background: There are numerous studies assessing the morphological structure of the foot, but there is a notable scarcity of those focused on juxtaposing various longitudinal arch indices with foot loading paradigm. The present study aimed to determine the overall reliability, diagnostic accuracy of respective variables, and their correlation with the foot loading paradigm. Methods: The study group consisted of 336 children, aged 10–15 years (girls 49.1% and boys 50.9%). The morphological structure of the plantar part of the foot in static conditions was assessed with the aid of a 2D podoscan. Individual foot loading paradigm in static conditions was assessed making use of the FreeMed platform. Results: Staheli (SI), Chippaux–Smirak (CSI), and Sztriter–Godunow (KY) indices were strongly correlated with each other (ρ > 0.84, p < 0.001). Own research corroborated an increased pressure of hollow feet, as assessed by the SI, CSI, and KY indices, on the forefoot and the hindfoot, foot zones B, E, F; these correlations being statistically significant. The results yielded by the present study also indicate an increased pressure on the metatarsal, and foot zones C, D of the flat feet. Conclusions: Flatfootedness is not believed to be a common deformity among children and adolescents. The SI, CSI, and KY indices were found to be strongly correlated, as well as proved reliable in assessing the foot’s longitudinal arch.

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Impact of COVID-19 Home Confinement in Children’s Refractive Errors

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18105347 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (10) ◽

pp. 5347

Author(s):

Cristina Alvarez-Peregrina ◽

Clara Martinez-Perez ◽

Cesar Villa-Collar ◽

Cristina Andreu-Vázquez ◽

Alicia Ruiz-Pomeda ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health Problem ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

World Population ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

School Aged Children ◽

Digital Devices ◽

Visual Screening ◽

Near Work ◽

The Impact

Background: Myopia is a public health problem, with estimations that 50% of the world population will be myopic by 2050. Some environmental factors, such as time spent outdoors, doing near work, and using digital devices, influence the development of myopia in children. Home confinement in Spain has increased these risk factors, so this study aims to investigate the impact of home confinement during the COVID-19 outbreak in the vision of school-aged children; Methods: A cross-sectional study in children between 5 and 7 years old that completed a visual screening and a questionnaire about their lifestyles at opticians in Spain in September and October of 2019 and 2020. Statistical analysis to compare lifestyles pre and post confinement, and vision in 2020 versus a similar cohort examined at the same opticians in 2019, was conducted; Results: Spanish children spent less time outdoors and more time doing near work in 2020 than in 2019 (p ≤ 0.001). There was a significant decrease of the spherical equivalent (mean ± standard deviation; 0.66 ± 2.03 D in 2019 vs. 0.48 ± 1.81 D in 2020; p ≤ 0.001); Conclusions: Lifestyles of Spanish children changed during the home confinement at the beginning of 2020. Together with changes in their lifestyles, spherical equivalents have decreased, which implies higher figures of myopia for children aged between 5 and 7.

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Home-Measured Blood Pressure Is Associated with Handgrip Strength in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: The KAMOGAWA-HBP Study

Journal of Clinical Medicine ◽

10.3390/jcm10091913 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (9) ◽

pp. 1913

Author(s):

Tomonori Kimura ◽

Emi Ushigome ◽

Yoshitaka Hashimoto ◽

Naoko Nakanishi ◽

Masahide Hamaguchi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Blood Pressure ◽

Type 2 Diabetes ◽

Pulse Pressure ◽

Handgrip Strength ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Home Blood Pressure ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

The Relationship ◽

At Home

The association between blood pressure measured at home and handgrip strength in patients with diabetes has not been investigated. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to assess this association among patients with type 2 diabetes. In this cross-sectional study, 157 patients with type 2 diabetes underwent muscle tests and morning and evening blood-pressure measurements at home in triplicate for 14 consecutive days throughout the study period. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were conducted to analyze the relationship between home blood-pressure parameters and handgrip strength. The average age and hemoglobin A1c of the patients were 70.5 years and 7.1%, respectively. Morning diastolic blood pressure of [β (95% confidence interval; CI): 0.20 (0.03, 0.37)] was associated with handgrip strength in men, while morning systolic blood pressure of [−0.09 (−0.15, −0.04)], morning pulse pressure of [−0.14 (−0.21, −0.08)], and evening pulse pressure of [−0.12 (−0.19, −0.04)] were associated with handgrip strength in women. Home-measured blood pressure was associated with handgrip strength. Sex differences were found in the relationship between home blood-pressure parameters and handgrip strength.

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Reference values and factors associated with hand grip strength among older adults living in southeastern Poland

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-89408-9 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Agnieszka Wiśniowska-Szurlej ◽

Agnieszka Ćwirlej-Sozańska ◽

Justyna Kilian ◽

Natalia Wołoszyn ◽

Bernard Sozański ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Older People ◽

Reference Values ◽

Handgrip Strength ◽

Age Groups ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Normative Values ◽

Dominant Hand ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Factors Associated

AbstractHandgrip strength (HGS) is used as a biomarker for the state of health of older people, but the number of research publications containing the normative values of HGS in older adult populations is limited. The aim of the study was to define reference values and factors associated with HGS in older adults living in southeastern Poland. A cross-sectional study including 405 participants aged 65 and older was conducted. Handgrip strength for the dominant hand was assessed by the average of three trials using a JAMAR dynamometer. The sample was categorized into the following age groups: 65–69 years, 70–74 years, 75–79 years, 80–84 years, 85 and over. The average HGS was 19.98 kg (16.91 kg for women and 26.19 kg for men). There was a decrease in handgrip strength across the age range in both sexes. The average handgrip strength of the older people was 17.97 kg (14.47 kg for women and 25.66 kg for men) for those aged 80–85 and 16.68 kg (13.51 kg for women and 21.77 kg for men) in the group over 85 years old. In both sexes, marital status was an independent factor associated with reduced handgrip strength. In conclusion, this study described, for the first time, handgrip strength values for the southeastern Polish population aged ≥ 65 years according to age and gender.

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Excellent Self-Rated Health among Swedish Boys and Girls and Its Relationship with Working Conditions in School: A Cross-Sectional Study

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18031310 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (3) ◽

pp. 1310

Author(s):

Sara Brolin Låftman ◽

Maria Granvik Saminathen ◽

Bitte Modin ◽

Petra Löfstedt

Keyword(s):

Academic Success ◽

Working Conditions ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Probability Models ◽

Positive Health ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

School Aged Children ◽

Self Rated Health ◽

Linear Probability ◽

Classmate Support

The aim of this study was to investigate the extent to which school demands, teacher support, and classmate support were associated with excellent self-rated health among students, and to examine if any such statistical predictions differed by gender. Data were drawn from the Swedish Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study of 2017/18, performed among adolescents in grades five, seven, and nine (n = 3701). Linear probability models showed that school demands were negatively associated with excellent self-rated health, whereas teacher and classmate support showed positive associations. The link with school demands was stronger for girls than boys, driven by the finding that in grades five and nine, school demands were associated with excellent self-rated health only among girls. In conclusion, the study suggests that working conditions in school in terms of manageable school demands and strong teacher and classmate support may benefit adolescents’ positive health. The finding that the link between school demands and excellent self-rated health was more evident among girls than among boys may be interpreted in light of girls’ on average stronger focus on schoolwork and academic success. The study contributes with to knowledge about how working conditions in school may impede or promote students’ positive health.

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Can Anthropometry and Body Composition Explain Physical Fitness Levels in School-Aged Children?

Children ◽

10.3390/children8060460 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 (6) ◽

pp. 460

Author(s):

Chih-Yu Hsu ◽

Liang-Sien Chen ◽

I-Jen Chang ◽

Wei-Ching Fang ◽

Sun-Weng Huang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Body Composition ◽

Physical Fitness ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Continuous Variables ◽

Z Score ◽

Fat Percentage ◽

Anthropometric Measures ◽

Muscle Weight ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

School Aged Children

Physical fitness (PF) is closely related to various health outcomes and quality of life among children. However, the associations between anthropometry, body composition (BC), and PF are not fully elucidated. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the associations between demographic metrics (age, sex), anthropometric measures (body mass index z-score (BMI z-score) waist/height ratio (WHtR)), BC parameters (body-fat percentage (BF%), muscle weight), and PF levels (800-m run, sit-and-reach, 1-min sit-ups, standing long jump) in school-aged children. Continuous variables were dichotomized by median splits. The results of 180 girls and 180 boys (mean age: 10.0 ± 0.7 years; mean BMI z-score: 0.366 ± 1.216) were analyzed. Multivariable linear regressions revealed that BF% (regression coefficient (B) = 3.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 2.5–4.3) was independently correlated with the 800-m run. Sex (B = 4.6, 95% CI = 3.0–6.3), age (B = 3.1, 95% CI = 1.9–4.3), and BMI z-score (B = −0.7, 95% CI = −1.4–−0.1) were independently related to sit-and-reach. Age (B = 3.3, 95% CI = 2.0–4.7), BF% (B = −0.3, 95% CI = −0.4–−0.2), and muscle weight (B = 0.7, 95% CI = 0.2–1.2) were independently associated with 1-min sit-ups. In addition to demography, anthropometry and BC provided additional information concerning some PF levels in school-aged children. Weight management and PF promotion should be addressed simultaneously in terms of preventive medicine and health promotion for children.

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Handgrip strength and associated factors among Brazilian adolescents: a cross-sectional study

Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies ◽

10.1016/j.jbmt.2021.06.010 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Mateus Augusto Bim ◽

André de Araújo Pinto ◽

Karoline Sousa Scarabelot ◽

Gaia Salvador Claumann ◽

Andreia Pelegrini

Keyword(s):

Associated Factors ◽

Handgrip Strength ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional

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