Children’s and Families’ Determinants of Health-Related Behaviors in an Italian Primary School Sample: The “Seven Days for My Health” Project

Childhood obesity is an established health problem, and there is a growing need for health promotion interventions focused on healthy behaviors in collaboration with parents and schools. The Mediterranean diet (MD) could help to tackle obesity, but it is essential to maintain a good level of physical activity (PA) and limit time spent in sedentary activities (ST). To explore family determinants, adherence to the MD and PA levels as potential predictors of a child’s health-related behaviors, we performed a cross-sectional analysis of 368 Italian primary school children with a mean age of 8.95 years (SD = 1.43). Data were collected from May to June 2017 using a weekly diary, an interactive tool to assess the child’s and parents’ lifestyle. The child’s degree of adherence to the MD was calculated using the KIDMED index. Adherence to the MD was high, medium and poor in 5.2%, 62.5% and 32.3% of children, respectively. Higher maternal educational level was positively associated with children’s MD and PA (p < 0.05) and negatively correlated to ST. Maternal fruit and vegetable consumption was positively related to the MD and negatively related to ST (p < 0.05). Maternal PA was positively associated with the MD (p < 0.001). Paternal PA, and fruit and vegetable consumption, were positively associated with children’s PA (p < 0.05). Our results underline the need for future studies, mainly focused on school-based and family-based interventions, to promote healthy lifestyles and nutritional habits.

Health-Related Behaviors and Social Media Usage in Young Adults: Mediating Role of Coping Strategies during COVID-19 Smart Lockdown

The study investigated the association between health-related behaviors, coping strategies and social media usage in young adults during COVID-19 smart lockdown as well as the mediating role of coping strategies between the relationships. It was hypothesized that coping strategies mediates the relationship between health-related behaviors and social media usage in young adults during COVID-19 smart lockdown. Through purposive sampling technique, data from (N=300) young adults with age range 18-35 years (M=23.67, SD= 3.78) was collected from three private universities of Lahore. For data collection, lifestyle behavior change questionnaire by Chopra et al. (2021), coping scale by Hamby et al. (2013) and social networking usage questionnaire by Savita and Liyaqat (2018) were used. For the analysis, Pearson Product Moment Correlation, Mediation analysis, independent sample t-test and Analysis of variance were used. Coping strategies significantly mediated between health-related behaviors and social media usage in young adults during COVID-19 smart lockdown. Findings have practical implications for the expansion of different strategies for other population like adolescents, old age people, teachers, parents, anddoctors, expecting to cope better with others during stressful or traumatic events.

Feasibility and Efficacy of Life Logging System Using TouchCare Application for Older Adults Living Alone: Pilot Study (Preprint)

BACKGROUND With the number of older people living alone continuously rising, health-monitoring systems using information and communication technology (ICT) have been developed to manage their health issues. Life logging, a type of ICT, has been adapted to manage and monitor health status of the elderly. However, its feasibility and efficacy remain unclear. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to examine the feasibility of a life logging system combined with human body communication technology and its effect on the physical and psychological status of older adults living alone. METHODS The life logging system, which consisted of a wearable watch, touchpad sensors, TouchCare application, and context-aware artificial intelligence, was developed by DNX Co. Ltd and used by the participants for 5 months. Out of the 111 selected participants, 91 replied to the satisfaction survey, and 22 participated in further investigation regarding their physical and psychological status. Finally, health assessment and sensor data from 14 participants (mean age=77.4; SD=3.8) were analyzed to compare their health status and health-related behaviors before and after use of the system. RESULTS Out of the 91 participants who took the survey, 51.6% were satisfied with the system. Nutritional status (pre-intervention (10.6± 2.0) vs. post-intervention (11.8± 1.9), P=0.04) and fall efficacy (pre-intervention (89.2± 15.3) vs. post-intervention (99.9± 0.5), P=0.001) significantly improved after use of the system. Chronic pain (pre-intervention (4.8± 2.5) vs. post-intervention (4.4± 3.7), P=0.78) and depressive symptoms (pre-intervention (5.7± 3.9) vs. post-intervention (5.4± 3.1), P=0.60) reduced, while cognitive function (pre-intervention (4.1± 1.4) vs. post-intervention (4.6± 1.1), P=0.15) and physical performance related to walking improved (pre-intervention (3.9± 0.2) vs. post-intervention (4.0± 0), P=0.35), but were not significant. Behaviors related to physical activity and gait improved after use of the system; touch counts of refrigerator and microwave also increased with a decrease in night touch counts. CONCLUSIONS The life logging system was acceptable to older people living alone, and it efficiently managed their daily living while promoting their health-related behaviors. Further experimental studies are required to verify the effectiveness of the system, and to develop the system which meet the individualized needs of older people living alone.

Behavioral correlates of subjective cognitive decline in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA)

Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) is a self-reported decline in cognition among otherwise cognitively healthy older adults. It is believed that SCD may be a precursor to Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). Analyzing data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA), a large national sample of participants aged 45-85 at baseline, we sought to identify prospective relationships between health-related behaviors and SCD. Exposures were measured at baseline and SCD was measured three years later, with the question: “Do you feel like your memory is becoming worse?”. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to estimate odds of SCD (analytic sample: n=35,680). Alcohol consumption was associated with increased odds of SCD, with regular drinkers (OR=1.13, 95% CI: 1.04, 1.22) and frequent drinkers (OR=1.17, 95% CI: 1.08, 1.27) more likely to report SCD than never drinkers. Compared to participants who never smoked, former smokers had increased odds of SCD (OR=1.13, 95% CI: 1.08, 1.18), whereas current smokers had reduced odds of SCD (OR=0.90, 95% CI: 0.83, 0.98). Participants who consumed five or more servings of fruits/ vegetables had reduced odds of SCD (OR=0.95, 95% CI: 0.91, 0.99), when compared to those who consumed &lt;5 servings. Lastly, we did not observe any associations between walking and SCD. This study identifies relationships between various health-related behaviors and SCD in a large population-based sample of older Canadians. Identification of modifiable risk factors may help with early prevention and intervention of SCD.