scholarly journals Healthy Lifestyle Behaviours Are Associated With Children’s Psychological Health: a Cross-Sectional Analysis of Data From the New South Wales Child Population Health Survey 2013-2014

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margaret Mary Thomas ◽  
Jessica Gugusheff ◽  
Heather Baldwin ◽  
Joanne Gale ◽  
Sinead Boylan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Population Health ◽  
Psychological Health ◽  
Screen Time ◽  
Healthy Lifestyle ◽  
New South ◽  
Lifestyle Behaviours ◽  
South Wales

Abstract Background Despite numerous studies showing that diet and exercise influence mental health in children, there is limited data available from representative populations of children and adolescents on the relationship between regular healthy lifestyle behaviour and psychological health. Methods Data were obtained from the New South Wales Child Population Health Survey, 2013–2014. Parents were asked about diet, physical activity and screen time behaviours and completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) for one child aged 5-15. Higher scores on the SDQ indicate poorer psychological health and risk for mental health problems. Multivariable linear and logistic regression models examined the relationships between dietary consumption, physical activity, screen time and SDQ scores, adjusting for potential confounding. Results Proportionally more children than adolescents met the guidelines for appropriate diet, physical activity and screen time behaviours. Meeting screen time recommendations was most strongly associated with a lower SDQ total difficulties score (5-10yrs: -1.56 (-2.68, -0.44); 11-15yrs: -2.12 (-3.11, -1.12)). Children and adolescents who met screen time recommendations were also significantly less likely to have any score in the at-risk range. In addition, children and adolescents meeting vegetable intake guidelines had a significantly lower total difficulties score (5-10yrs: -1.54 (-3.03,-0.05); 11-15yrs: -1.19 (-3.60,-0.39)), as did adolescents meeting discretionary food guidelines (-1.16 (-2.14,-0.18)) and children consuming the recommended fruit intake (-1.26 (-2.42,-0.10)).Conclusions Since adopting regular healthy lifestyle behaviours is associated with better psychological health among children and adolescents, it is imperative that appropriate and effective interventions are implemented to increase these healthy lifestyle behaviours among young Australians.

scholarly journals Healthy Lifestyle Behaviours Are Associated with Children’s Psychological Health: A Cross-Sectional Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (20) ◽  
pp. 7509
Author(s):  
Margaret M. Thomas ◽  
Jessica Gugusheff ◽  
Heather J. Baldwin ◽  
Joanne Gale ◽  
Sinead Boylan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Psychological Health ◽  
Screen Time ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Vegetable Intake ◽  
Healthy Lifestyle ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Lifestyle Behaviours

Protecting children’s mental health is important and studies have shown that diet and exercise can have a positive impact. There are limited data available, however, from representative populations of children on the relationship between regular healthy lifestyle behaviours and psychological health. Data were obtained from the New South Wales Child Population Health Survey, 2013–2014. Parents were asked about diet, physical activity and screen time behaviours and completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) for one child aged 5–15. Higher SDQ scores indicate poorer psychological health and risk for mental health problems. Multivariable linear and logistic regression examined the relationships among dietary consumption, physical activity, screen time and SDQ scores, adjusting for potential confounding. Meeting screen time recommendations was most strongly associated with a lower SDQ total difficulties score (5–10 years: −1.56 (−2.68, −0.44); 11–15 years: −2.12 (−3.11, −1.12)). Children and adolescents who met screen time recommendations were also significantly less likely to have any score in the at-risk range. Children and adolescents meeting vegetable intake guidelines had significantly lower total difficulties scores (5–10 years: −1.54 (−3.03, −0.05); 11–15 years: −1.19 (−3.60, −0.39)), as did adolescents meeting discretionary food guidelines (−1.16 (−2.14, −0.18)) and children consuming the recommended fruit intake (−1.26 (−2.42, −0.10)). Our findings indicate that more effective interventions to increase the proportion of young Australians who meet the guidelines for diet and screen time would contribute to protecting their mental health.

scholarly journals Clustering of Sedentary Behaviours, Physical Activity, and Energy-Dense Food Intake in Six-Year-Old Children: Associations with Family Socioeconomic Status

Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 1722
Author(s):  
Junwen Yang-Huang ◽  
Amy van Grieken ◽  
Lu Wang ◽  
Wilma Jansen ◽  
Hein Raat
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Screen Time ◽  
Healthy Lifestyle ◽  
Intervention Development ◽  
Lifestyle Behaviour ◽  
Lifestyle Behaviours ◽  
Sugary Drinks ◽  
Physically Inactive

This study examined the clustering of lifestyle behaviours in children aged six years from a prospective cohort study in the Netherlands. Additionally, we analysed the associations between socioeconomic status and the lifestyle behaviour clusters that we identified. Data of 4059 children from the Generation R Study were analysed. Socioeconomic status was measured by maternal educational level and net household income. Lifestyle behaviours including screen time, physical activity, calorie-rich snack consumption and sugar-sweetened beverages consumption were measured via a parental questionnaire. Hierarchical and non-hierarchical cluster analyses were applied. The associations between socioeconomic status and lifestyle behaviour clusters were assessed using logistic regression models. Three lifestyle clusters were identified: “relatively healthy lifestyle” cluster (n = 1444), “high screen time and physically inactive” cluster (n = 1217), and “physically active, high snacks and sugary drinks” cluster (n = 1398). Children from high educated mothers or high-income households were more likely to be allocated to the “relatively healthy lifestyle” cluster, while children from low educated mothers or from low-income households were more likely to be allocated in the “high screen time and physically inactive” cluster. Intervention development and prevention strategies may use this information to further target programs promoting healthy behaviours of children and their families.

scholarly journals Screen-time, obesity, ageing and disability: findings from 91 266 participants in the 45 and Up Study

2010 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 34-43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily Banks ◽  
Louisa Jorm ◽  
Kris Rogers ◽  
Mark Clements ◽  
Adrian Bauman
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Screen Time ◽  
Vegetable Consumption ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Obesity Prevalence ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
South Wales ◽  
The Relationship

AbstractObjectiveTo assess the relationship between obesity and sedentary behaviours, such as watching television or using a computer (‘screen-time’), and describe how this relationship varies between population subgroups.DesignCross-sectional analysis of the relationship between obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) and screen-time, adjusted for age, sex, income and education and compared according to a range of personal characteristics.SettingNew South Wales, Australia.SubjectsA total of 91 266 men and women aged 45 years and above from the general population of New South Wales in 2006–2007 and providing self-reported information on height and weight and other factors.ResultsObesity prevalence was 21·4 %. Compared to individuals with <2 h of daily screen-time, the adjusted relative risks (RR) of obesity were 1·35 (95 % CI 1·26, 1·44), 1·70 (95 % CI 1·59, 1·82), 1·94 (95 % CI 1·81, 2·08) and 1·92 (95 % CI 1·80, 2·06) for 2–3, 4–5, 6–7 and ≥8 h, respectively. The increase in obesity with increasing screen-time was similar within categories of overall physical activity, but was attenuated in those in full-time paid work, compared to non-workers (P for interaction < 0·0001). Among non-workers, the overall obesity RR per 2 h increase in daily screen-time was 1·23 (95 % CI 1·21, 1·25) and was significantly elevated in all groups examined, ranging from 1·16 to 1·31 according to sex, level of age, education, income, smoking and fruit consumption. The RR did not differ significantly according to overall physical activity, region of residence and alcohol and vegetable consumption, but was substantially lower in disabled v. not-disabled individuals (P for interaction < 0·0001).ConclusionsObesity increases with increasing screen-time, independent of purposeful physical activity. This was observed in all population groups examined, although it is attenuated in full-time workers and disabled individuals.

scholarly journals Risks and Protective Factors Associated With Mental Health Symptoms During COVID-19 Home Confinement in Italian Children and Adolescents: The #Understandingkids Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Salvatore Oliva ◽  
Giusy Russo ◽  
Renata Gili ◽  
Luigi Russo ◽  
Antonio Di Mauro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
Protective Factors ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Screen Time ◽  
Job Loss ◽  
Home Schooling ◽  
Lifestyle Changes ◽  
Mental Health Symptoms ◽  
Health Symptoms

Objective: To identify risk and protective factors for mental health symptoms associated with lifestyle changes caused by home confinement in pediatric subjects and in children and adolescents with a neuropsychiatric disorder.Study design: This was a prospective, cross-sectional study conducted from May 10 to May 31, 2020. Two online anonymous surveys were developed: population-based and clinical-based (children with neuropsychiatric disorders). Outcomes included emotional and behavioral symptoms, as assessed by psychometric scales (BPSC, PPSC, PSC, CES-DC and SCARED, respectively), and lifestyle changes during home confinement (i.e., physical activity, screen time, home schooling, reading).Results: The sample included 9,688 pediatric subjects, and 289 children and adolescents with a neuropsychiatric disorder. The presence of siblings was a protective factor in all ages. In pre- and school children: male sex, a diagnosis of autism, residency in highly affected areas, high parental educational level or job loss, and screen time (&gt;2 h/day) were risk factors. Physical activity, home-schooling, reading, talking with other people were protective factors. Residency in highly affected areas, a diagnosis of mood disorder, parental job loss, and screen time, were associated with a worsening of the depressive symptoms, whereas physical activity, talking with other people, playing with parents were protective activities. Screen time was also a risk factor for anxiety symptoms, while physical activity, reading and talking with other people were protective factors.Conclusions: This study identified risk and protective factors for mental health symptoms associated with lifestyle changes caused by COVID-19 home confinement to promote mental well-being in pediatrics during pandemic times.

scholarly journals Influence of socioeconomic variables on physical activity and screen time of children and adolescents during the COVID‑19 lockdown in Germany: the MoMo study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steffen C. E. Schmidt ◽  
Alexander Burchartz ◽  
Simon Kolb ◽  
Claudia Niessner ◽  
Doris Oriwol ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Screen Time ◽  
Housing Situation ◽  
Natural Experiments ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Sports Activity ◽  
Habitual Activity ◽  
The World

AbstractThe COVID‑19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic created a multitude of natural experiments about the change of human behavior in a widely unfamiliar situation. Besides physical and mental health, physical activity (PA) and people’s movement behaviors were of particular interest to researchers all over the world. In a recent study, we found that among youth in Germany, sports activity declined, whereas recreational screen time and habitual activity increased during the first COVID‑19 lockdown. In the present study, we analyze the influence of the socioeconomic status and the housing situation on the changes in PA behavior and recreational screen-time before and during the first COVID‑19 lockdown among children and adolescents living in Germany. We found an alignment of PA behavior among youth from families with different socioeconomic backgrounds during the first lockdown and identified the housing situation to be a meaningful predictor of the increase in habitual activity. We conclude that restriction policies, communities, and in the last instance parents need to enable access to nonorganized PA to all children and adolescents every day and especially during potential future lockdowns.

scholarly journals Psychiatric hospital treatment of children and adolescents in New South Wales, Australia: 12-year trends

BJPsych Open ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip Hazell ◽  
Titia Sprague ◽  
Joanne Sharpe
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Child And Adolescent ◽  
Hospital Treatment ◽  
Temporary Increase ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Health Districts

BackgroundIt is preferable that children and adolescents requiring in-patient care for mental health problems are managed in age-appropriate facilities. To achieve this, nine specialist Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) in-patient units have been commissioned in New South Wales (NSW) since 2002.AimsTo examine trends in child and adolescent in-patient admissions since the opening of these CAMHS units.MethodAnalysis of separation data for under 18-year-olds to CAMHS, adult mental health and paediatric units for the period 2002 to 2013 in NSW, comparing districts with and without specialist CAMHS units.ResultsSeparations from CAMHS, adult and paediatric units rose with time, but there was no interaction between time and health district type (with/without CAMHS unit). Five of eight health districts experienced increased separations of under 18-year-olds from adult units in the year of opening a CAMHS unit. Separations from related paediatric units increased in three of seven health districts.ConclusionsOpening CAMHS units may be followed by a temporary increase in separations of young people from adult units, but it does not influence the flow of patients to non-CAMHS facilities in the longer term.

scholarly journals Obesity and its association with sociodemographic factors, health behaviours and health status among Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal adults in New South Wales, Australia

2018 ◽  
Vol 72 (6) ◽  
pp. 491-498 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine Ann Thurber ◽  
Grace Joshy ◽  
Rosemary Korda ◽  
Sandra J Eades ◽  
Vicki Wade ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Risk Factors ◽  
Health Status ◽  
Screen Time ◽  
New South ◽  
Health Behaviours ◽  
Sociodemographic Factors ◽  
Obesity Prevalence ◽  
Key Factors ◽  
South Wales

BackgroundHigh body mass index (BMI) is the second leading contributor to Australia’s burden of disease and is particularly prevalent among Aboriginal peoples. This paper aims to provide insight into factors relating to obesity among Aboriginal adults and Aboriginal–non-Aboriginal differences.MethodsCross-sectional analysis of data from the 45 and Up Study, comparing obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m2) prevalence and risk factors among 1515 Aboriginal and 213 301 non-Aboriginal adults in New South Wales. Age–sex-adjusted prevalence ratios (PRs) for obesity by sociodemographic factors, health behaviours and health status were estimated (multivariable log-binomial regression) for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal participants separately. We quantified the extent to which key factors (physical activity, screen time, education, remoteness, area-level disadvantage) accounted for any excess Aboriginal obesity prevalence.ResultsObesity prevalence was 39% among Aboriginal and 22% among non-Aboriginal participants (PR=1.65, 95% CI 1.55 to 1.76). Risk factors for obesity were generally similar for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal participants and included individual-level and area-level disadvantage, physical inactivity, and poor physical and mental health, with steeper gradients observed among non-Aboriginal participants for some factors (Pinteraction <0.05). Many risk factors were more common among Aboriginal versus non-Aboriginal participants; key factors accounted for >40% of the excess Aboriginal obesity prevalence.ConclusionA substantial proportion of the excess obesity prevalence among Aboriginal versus non-Aboriginal participants was explained by physical activity, screen time, education, remoteness and area-level disadvantage. Socioeconomic and health behaviour factors are potential targets for promoting healthy BMI, but these must be considered within the context of upstream social and cultural factors. Adults with health needs and disability require particular attention.

Overweight children and adolescents referred for weight management: are they meeting lifestyle behaviour recommendations?

2008 ◽  
Vol 33 (5) ◽  
pp. 936-945 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geoff D.C. Ball ◽  
Julie M. Lenk ◽  
Bobbi N. Barbarich ◽  
Ronald C. Plotnikoff ◽  
Graham J. Fishburne ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Weight Management ◽  
Health Risks ◽  
Screen Time ◽  
Management Program ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Overweight Children ◽  
Lifestyle Behaviour ◽  
Lifestyle Behaviours

Adopting and maintaining healthy lifestyle behaviours can help overweight boys and girls manage their weight and reduce obesity-related health risks. However, we currently know very little about the lifestyle habits of overweight children and adolescents referred for weight management in Canada and whether or not they are meeting current lifestyle recommendations. The objectives of this study were (i) to determine the demographic characteristics and lifestyle behaviours of overweight children and adolescents referred for clinical weight management, and (ii) to examine sex (boys vs. girls) and (or) age (child vs. youth) differences with respect to the achievement of lifestyle behaviour recommendations. Overweight (age- and sex-specific body mass index ≥ 85th percentile) children (n = 27 girls, n = 24 boys) and adolescents (n = 29 girls, n = 19 boys) were referred to and enrolled in weight-management programs at the Pediatric Centre for Weight and Health (PCWH) at the Stollery Children’s Hospital (Edmonton, Alta.) from January 2006–September 2007. Information was collected at intake regarding demography, anthropometry, and lifestyle behaviours before participants started a formal weight-management program. Lifestyle behaviour recommendations for nutrition, physical activity, screen time, and sleep were used to determine whether participants were meeting established guidelines. Overall, participants presented with poor lifestyle behaviours. Although most consumed adequate servings of grain products (93.9%) and meat and alternatives (68.7%), few met the serving recommendations for milk and alternatives (31.3%) or vegetables and fruit (14.1%). Physical activity levels were low – 7.4% and 4.1% achieved the recommended time and steps per day goals, respectively. Approximately 1/4 (22.7%) met the screen time recommendation, whereas fewer than 1/2 (47.4%) achieved the nightly sleep duration goal. Sex and age-group comparisons revealed subtle, but potentially important, differences in lifestyle behaviours that have implications for pediatric weight management. This study highlights the sub-optimal lifestyle behaviours of overweight children and adolescents referred for weight management. Intervention studies are needed to determine whether overweight boys and girls who achieve the lifestyle behaviour targets included in this study are able to successfully manage their weight and (or) reduce obesity-related health risks.

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