Together or Apart? A Historical Snapshot of Personal Internet Usage at Home

This paper provides a historical snapshot of personal ICT usage in 2005/2006, specifically shedding light on how Australian and German couples (N= 48) had integrated the internet into their homes with a focus on spatial and social transformations. Using a home ethnographic approach, this qualitative study implemented in-depth interviews across two countries. From a spatial perspective, Australian couples had their laptops or PCs highly integrated into the family life usually in multifunctional rooms or open areas, whereas German couples’ laptops and PCs were most often found in separate study rooms. From a social perspective, internet use can be related to elements that bring couples together, but also to elements of disintegration. A shift in how couples spent their time together was observed from watching TV together in the same room, to going online in the same room at two PCs or one person being online while the other conducted other activities.

A Scenario of COVID-19 Disease on Mental Health Among the General Age-groups

The COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) virus causes a respiratory disease with physical and mental health effects, ending at general morbidity and fatality from some latest coronavirus strains, at times. During the present pandemics, people stay mainly at home, contributing to some elevated stress levels. World Health Organization (WHO) contemplates that the additional steps like, quarantine and self-isolation have stimulated daily routines of peoples, leading to a rise in agitation, oppression, sleeplessness, alcohol addiction, drug-addictions and suicidal behaviors; consequently, causing increase in cases of domestic violence, even. At this stage, health service providers cannot help the poor, elderly people, children who are susceptible to pre-medical adverse conditions. This work aims to highlight the general scenario of the mental health locally in India during covid-19 pandemic. Some lifestyles, such as yoga, meditation, Ayurvedic medication, avoiding reading on corona too much and watching TV about it, while staying with the own family with the popular healthier lifestyles are recommended to alleviate stress.

Sustainability in the Companies Practices

The sustainability topic is present in our everyday life. No matter if we are traveling in the public transport, we are having coffee with friends or watching tv we hear something related to green economy, sustainable usage of resources or smart energy saving devices. All ads that we see around us, in one way or another, also are calling to be environmentally friendly and sustainable. On national and international level, there are a lot of regulations and requirements developed and enforced both for the business and for the citizens. In the general case, it is commonly accepted, that the companies are taking actions in the field of sustainable development only because they are forced to do so by legislative requirements and penalties. But is it always the case? The paper discusses the main idea standing behind the sustainable development and presents some of the models that summarizes this idea. Further, by reviewing the practices of three large companies in different economic fields, it discusses their approach and attitude towards the subject. Key words: Sustainability, environment protection, business practices

Where and when are portion sizes larger in young children? An analysis of eating occasion size among 1.5-5-year-olds in the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey (2008-17)

Objective To identify eating occasion-level and individual-level factors associated with the consumption of larger portions in young children and estimate their relative importance. Design Cross-sectional. Setting Data from parent-reported 4-day food diaries in the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey (2008-17) were analysed. Multilevel models explored variation in eating occasion size (kJ) within (n=48,419 occasions) and between children (n=1962) for all eating occasions. Eating contexts; location, eating companion, watching TV, and sitting at a table and individual characteristics; age, gender, ethnicity, and parental socioeconomic status were explored as potential correlates of eating occasion size. Participants Children aged 1.5-5 years. Results Median eating occasion size was 657kJ (IQR 356, 1117) Eating occasion size variation was primarily attributed (90%) to differences between eating occasions. Most (73%) eating occasions were consumed at home. In adjusted models, eating occasions in eateries were 377kJ larger than at home. Eating occasions sitting at a table, vs. not, were 197kJ larger. Eating in childcare, with additional family members and friends, and whilst watching TV were other eating contexts associated with slightly larger eating occasion sizes. Conclusions Eating contexts that vary from one eating occasion to another are more important than demographic characteristics that vary between children in explaining variation in consumed portion sizes in young children. Strategies to promote consumption of age-appropriate portion sizes in young children should be developed, especially in the home environment, in eating contexts such as sitting at the table, eating with others and watching TV.

Reading of today Russian adolescents in the context of digital reality

Reading of literature is important type of activity contributed to the formation of identity and worldview. Reading for teenagers has become an optional activity, perceived as the leisure, preference is given to watching TV, computer games, social networks and etс. These changes are principally related to the processes taking place in modern society, including the increasing representation of digital technologies in the life of adolescents. Psychological study showed that in the structure of reading motivation of today adolescents can be distinguished: benefit motive, entertainment motive, escapism motive, personal motive, compulsion motive, social motive. At the same time, more than a third of adolescents do not have any formed reading motivation, and prevail motives for reading are external motives: benefit motives, entertainment and compulsion motives. The age dynamic and gender differences can be traced. Sociological surveys show that the reading circle of adolescents consists of printed and electronic books and periodicals. The proportions change towards the preference for electronic reading. Despite the fact that the Internet has increased the intensity of teenagers reading, they read not only e-books, but also news, encyclopedias, humorous sites, publications about celebrities and music portals. Thus, digitalization increases the volume of reading, but decreases its quality.

Dairy Intake in Association with Asthma Symptoms Among a Large Sample of Children and Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Study

Dairy products may be linked to an increased risk of asthma, although there is little scientific evidence to back this up. The goal of this study was to look at the link between dairy consumption and asthma symptoms. This cross-sectional study was conducted on children and adolescents aged 6-8 and 13-14 living in central Iran. Dietary food consumption was assessed using a multiple-choice questionnaire. Logistic regression was used to obtain odds ratios for the association between milk, other dairy products, and total dairy consumption with asthma symptoms. In total, 7667 participants (3414 boys and 4253 girls) were included in the current study. Milk intake and total dairy consumption were not associated with the likelihood of wheezing, asthma confirmed by a doctor, current asthma, and asthma medication use. However, the analysis revealed that those who eat other dairy products on most days or every day might have a reduced likelihood of wheezing compared to those who do not eat or rarely eat other dairy products (OR: 0.65, 95% CI 0.44-0.94, Pterend=0.18). After adjusting for age, sex (OR: 0.58, 95% CI 0.39-0.84, Pterend=0.03), and additionally adjusting for watching TV and computer use (OR=0.58, 0.40-0.85, Pterend=0.02), and BMI (OR: 0.58, 95% CI 0.40-0.85, Pterend=0.02), individuals in the highest category of other dairy consumption had significantly lower odds of wheezing compared with those with the lowest intakes. In conclusion, the consumption of dairy products other than milk, including cheese and yogurt, might reduce the likelihood of wheezing in children and adolescents.

A Comparative Time-Diary Analysis of UK and US Children’s Screen Time and Device Use

This paper presents the results of a comparative analysis of the time school-age children 8-17 years in the UK and the US spent using devices such as smartphones and tablets, and their time in screen-based activities such as watching TV and playing videogames in 2014-15. The paper draws on innovative instruments measuring children’s time using technology and engaging with screens in these two countries. We find that in both, children’s time using devices overlaps with time in screen-based activities, non-screen leisure, and non-leisure activities. Children in the UK spend more time using devices than children in the US, but family size and the availability of an internet connection at home largely explain major cross-national differences. Children in the US spend less time using computers than children in the UK, and, on non-school days, more time watching TV and playing videogames. These differences remain significant after controlling for a range of child, parent and family-level characteristics. Divergent cross-national patterns for children’s time using relatively new devices and their time in more established screen-based activities are linked to differences in family composition and to differential access.

Accelerometer-Measured Patterns of Sedentary Behavior in Older Women: The OPACH Study

Excessive sedentary behavior (SB) is related to deleterious health outcomes. Understanding the patterns and contexts in which SB accumulates can promote healthy aging. Daily sitting time and mean sitting bout duration (MBD) were measured by triaxial accelerometers. Participants self-reported how much time they spent sitting while: watching TV, reading, using the computer, driving, working, or taking phone calls. Data were compared across aging-related characteristics. Age-adjusted sitting time (minutes/day) for 5,838 diverse (33.2% Black, 16.9% Hispanic), older women (mean age 78.7±6.7) were 577.2 for Hispanic women, 630.3 for Black women, and 632.0 for White women. Those in the lowest vs. highest physical function category had the longest MBD (16.1 vs. 11.7 minutes/bout). Watching television was the most common self-reported sedentary activity. The highest vs. lowest quartile of MBD spent, on average, 30.6 and 22.3 minutes/day watching television, respectively. This presentation will illuminate critical factors associated with sitting patterns in older adults.

Linking Coping Behavior and Mental Well-Being in Older Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic

In addition to being a significant source of stress, the COVID-19 pandemic required older adults to drastically alter their behaviors and routines. People cope with stress in various ways; however, the pandemic was a unique situation that warranted investigation of this topic. This study aimed to identify the ways older adults coped with the COVID-19 pandemic, and the relationship between specific coping behaviors and perceived stress and mental health. Two hundred thirty-one older adults, ages 53 to 90, completed an online survey about coping behaviors used to manage stress during the pandemic, as well as measures of loneliness, depression, perceived stress, and the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their lives. “Talking with friends and family” (83%) and “increased television watching or other screen-time” (68%) were the most common coping behaviors. A series of one-way analyses of covariance (ANCOVA), with race, gender, age, education, and income included as covariates, revealed “eating more often” and “drinking alcohol” were associated with greater loneliness, depression, and stress. “Increased screen time” was also associated with greater depression and stress. “Engaging in more family activities,” was associated with a less negative impact of the pandemic, and “talking with friends and family” was associated with less loneliness. These findings suggest older adults who coped with stress of the COVID-19 pandemic through more eating, drinking, and the second most common behavior—watching TV—were more likely to report poorer well-being, and may benefit from programs to boost virtual social engagement.

COVID-19 and Older Adults: Coping With Long-Term Pandemic Precautions

Studies conducted at the beginning of Covid-19 precautions suggested that older adults were stressed, but hopeful. Less is known how coping has changed for older adults after experiencing months-long pandemic precautions. We explore differences in coping between the initial pandemic declaration in March 2020, and 9 months later, via an internet survey fielded in November 2020 (n= 781). We present summary data, using chi-square tests for subgroup analyses. A majority of respondents (aged M=66 yrs, range 60-89) were women (64%) and White (94%). When asked to compare their feelings to the beginning of the pandemic, 44.8% were more frustrated, 38.7% were more stressed, and 32.7% were more anxious. However, 38.3% were more appreciative. Women were significantly more likely than men to report increases in feeling frustrated, angry, scared, stressed, sad, and hopeless. Introverts were significantly more likely than extroverts to report an increase in loneliness and stress. Since the first few weeks of the pandemic, respondents reported more communication through video calls (45.2%), texting (40.2%), and phone calls (28.8%). Additionally, 61.5% spent more time on computers/tablets, 47.2% spent more time watching TV, and 24.5% spent more time praying. Extroverts were significantly more likely than introverts to report an increase in time with TV, phones, and computers/tablets. Women were significantly more likely than men to report increased texting and praying. These data provide further understanding of the impact of long-term pandemic precautions on older adults and suggest particular subgroups of older adults may benefit from public health and mental health interventions.