Contribution of voluntary fortified foods to micronutrient intake in The Netherlands

Purpose In the Netherlands, voluntary fortification of foods with micronutrients is allowed under strict regulations. This study investigates the impact of voluntary food fortification practices in the Netherlands on the frequency and type of fortified food consumption and on the micronutrient intakes of the Dutch population. Methods Data of the Dutch National Food Consumption Survey (2012–2016; N = 4314; 1–79 year) and the Dutch Food Composition Database (NEVO version 2016) was used. To determine if voluntary fortified foods could be classified as healthy foods, criteria of the Dutch Wheel of Five were used. Habitual intakes of users and non-users of voluntary food fortification were calculated using Statistical Program to Assess Dietary Exposure (SPADE) and compared. Results Within the Dutch population, 75% could be classified as user of voluntary fortified foods. Consumed voluntary fortified foods were mostly within food groups ‘Fats and Oils’, ‘Non-alcoholic Beverages’ and ‘Dairy products and Substitutes’ and fell mostly outside the Wheel of Five. Voluntary foods contributed between 9 and 78% to total micronutrient intake of users. Users had up to 64% higher habitual micronutrient intakes, compared to non-users. These higher intakes resulted into lower risks on inadequate intakes, and did not contribute to increased risks of excessive intakes. Conclusion Although voluntary fortified foods increased micronutrient intakes, most of these foods cannot be classified as healthy foods. Future studies should study the association between higher micronutrient intakes and (potential) excessive intakes of e.g. saturated fat and sugar to better understand the role of voluntary fortified foods in a healthy food pattern.

Patterns and Drivers of Emigration of the Turkish Second Generation in the Netherlands

Using unique longitudinal data from the Dutch population registers, this study investigates the patterns and drivers of emigration of the Turkish second generation born in the Netherlands between 1983 and 1992. Around 13% of the Turkish second generation in the research population emigrated during early adulthood, as compared to 6% of their peers without immigrant parents. Half of the Turkish second-generation emigrants who reported their destination country moved to Turkey, while the other half moved to other destinations, especially the Dutch neighbouring countries. Among the Turkish second generation, unemployment over the previous year was found to increase the likelihood of emigration for individuals with low or middle levels of education, whereas no support was found that higher educated individuals (either employed or unemployed) are more likely to emigrate. However, if high-skilled unemployed individuals of the Turkish second generation emigrated, they appeared more likely to select Turkey as their destination as compared to other (or unknown) destinations. International migration experiences during childhood, living at the parental home, and residing in neighbourhoods with a high share of co-ethnics were also associated with a higher chance of emigration to Turkey, whereas living in the Dutch border regions was associated with a higher chance of emigration to other destinations. Together, the findings indicate that the Turkish second generation has a higher chance to emigrate than their peers without immigrant parents, and that mechanisms specific to the second generation apply to the migration behaviour of this group.

Fatigue in children and adolescents perinatally infected with human immunodeficiency virus: an observational study

Background Fatigue is common among adults living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) as well as children with a chronic disease (CCD). Fatigue can have disastrous effects on health status, including health related quality of life (HRQOL). Even so, fatigue is underexplored in children and adolescents perinatally infected with HIV (PHIV+) in the Netherlands. The objective of this observational study is to explore fatigue in PHIV+ and its association with their HRQOL. Methods We measured HRQOL and fatigue using the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ (PedsQL 4.0) and the PedsQL Multidimensional Fatigue Scale (MFS). The PedsQL MFS encompasses three subscales: general fatigue, sleep/rest fatigue and cognitive fatigue, and a total fatigue score. We compared outcomes of PHIV+ children and adolescents in the Amsterdam University Medical Centre with three groups: 1) HIV-uninfected controls (HIV-) matched for age, sex, region of birth, socioeconomic status and adoption status, 2) CCD, and 3) the general Dutch population. Within the PHIV+ group we explored associations between fatigue and HRQOL. Results We enrolled 14 PHIV+ (median age 10.2 years [IQR 9.2–11.4]) and 14 HIV-. Compared to CCD, PHIV+ significantly reported less general fatigue (mean difference 13.0, 95% CI 1.3 to 24.8). PHIV+ did not score significantly different on any of the other PedsQL MFS scales compared to HIV-, CCD or the general Dutch population. PHIV children scored relatively low on the cognitive fatigue scale in comparison to HIV-uninfected matched controls, CCD and the general population, although these differences did not reach significance. Among PHIV+, a lower score on total fatigue, general fatigue and cognitive fatigue was associated with a lower HRQOL score. Conclusions The results of this study suggest that PHIV children and adolescents do not experience more symptoms of fatigue than their healthy peers. However, PHIV children and adolescents may be more likely to experience cognitive fatigue. Fatigue in PHIV also appears to be associated with children’s HRQOL. Further research should confirm these exploratory findings.

SARS-CoV-2 Spike S1-specific IgG kinetic profiles following mRNA- versus vector-based vaccination in the general Dutch population

mRNA- and vector-based vaccines are used at a large scale to prevent COVID-19. We compared Spike S1-specific (S1) IgG antibodies after vaccination with mRNA-based (Comirnaty, Spikevax) or vector-based (Janssen, Vaxzevria) vaccines, using samples from a Dutch nationwide cohort. mRNA vaccines induced faster inclines and higher S1 antibodies compared to vector-based vaccines in adults 18-64 years old (n=2,412). For all vaccines, one dose resulted in boosting of S1 antibodies in adults with a history of SARS-CoV-2 infection. For Comirnaty, two to four months following the second dose (n=196), S1 antibodies in adults aged 18-64 years old (436 BAU/mL, interquartile range: 328-891) were less variable and median concentrations higher compared to those in persons ≥80 years old (366, 177-743), but differences were not statistically significant (p>0.100). Nearly all participants seroconverted following COVID-19 vaccination, including the aging population. These data confirm results from controlled vaccine trials in a general population, including vulnerable groups.

Detailed Tables from the Dutch Census 1947: Experiences and Lessons Learned in Publishing a Large Dataset

Since the end of the nineties, Dutch census publications have been digitized and made available for digital processing. New analyses of the data were presented in some fruitful conferences in the first decade of this century. In addition to the census publications, a mass of detailed census data was found in dossiers and so-called “transparencies” in the archive of Statistics Netherlands. Most of that material was scanned into digital images, awaiting further content conversion into numeric data. In the present article, the authors describe the process of digitizing the detailed tables of the Dutch Population and Occupational Censuses held in 1947, which is the first set of detailed census data that is made available in a digitally processible form. They give an example of historical analyses made possible by this dataset. Moreover, they take these census data as an example of preparing and publishing a large dataset. Experiences and lessons learned in the process lead to ample opportunities for further analysis of the data and for efficient ways to accomplish the content conversion of the many remaining images of census data.