Triacylglycerol Fatty Acid Composition in Diet-Induced Weight Loss in Subjects with Abnormal Glucose Metabolism – the GENOBIN Study

BACKGROUND: The effect of weight loss on different plasma lipid subclasses at the molecular level is unknown. The aim of this study was to examine whether a diet-induced weight reduction result in changes in the extended plasma lipid profiles (lipidome) in subjects with features of metabolic syndrome in a 33-week intervention. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Plasma samples of 9 subjects in the weight reduction group and 10 subjects in the control group were analyzed using mass spectrometry based lipidomic and fatty acid analyses. Body weight decreased in the weight reduction group by 7.8+/-2.9% (p<0.01). Most of the serum triacylglycerols and phosphatidylcholines were reduced. The decrease in triacylglycerols affected predominantly the saturated short chain fatty acids. This decrease of saturated short chain fatty acid containing triacylglycerols correlated with the increase of insulin sensitivity. However, levels of several longer chain fatty acids, including arachidonic and docosahexanoic acid, were not affected by weight loss. Levels of other lipids known to be associated with obesity such as sphingolipids and lysophosphatidylcholines were not altered by weight reduction. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Diet-induced weight loss caused significant changes in global lipid profiles in subjects with abnormal glucose metabolism. The observed changes may affect insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism in these subjects. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00621205

Worldwide trends in underweight and obesity from 1990 to 2022 : a pooled analysis of 3663 population-representative studies with 222 million children, adolescents, and adults

A list of authors and their affiliations appears online. A supplementary appendix is herewith attached.Background: Underweight and obesity are associated with adverse health outcomes throughout the life course. We estimated the individual and combined prevalence of underweight or thinness and obesity, and their changes, from 1990 to 2022 for adults and school-aged children and adolescents in 200 countries and territories. Methods: We used data from 3663 population-based studies with 222 million participants that measured height and weight in representative samples of the general population. We used a Bayesian hierarchical model to estimate trends in the prevalence of different BMI categories, separately for adults (age ≥20 years) and school-aged children and adolescents (age 5–19 years), from 1990 to 2022 for 200 countries and territories. For adults, we report the individual and combined prevalence of underweight (BMI 2 SD above the median). Findings: From 1990 to 2022, the combined prevalence of underweight and obesity in adults decreased in 11 countries (6%) for women and 17 (9%) for men with a posterior probability of at least 0·80 that the observed changes were true decreases. The combined prevalence increased in 162 countries (81%) for women and 140 countries (70%) for men with a posterior probability of at least 0·80. In 2022, the combined prevalence of underweight and obesity was highest in island nations in the Caribbean and Polynesia and Micronesia, and countries in the Middle East and north Africa. Obesity prevalence was higher than underweight with posterior probability of at least 0·80 in 177 countries (89%) for women and 145 (73%) for men in 2022, whereas the converse was true in 16 countries (8%) for women, and 39 (20%) for men. From 1990 to 2022, the combined prevalence of thinness and obesity decreased among girls in five countries (3%) and among boys in 15 countries (8%) with a posterior probability of at least 0·80, and increased among girls in 140 countries (70%) and boys in 137 countries (69%) with a posterior probability of at least 0·80. The countries with highest combined prevalence of thinness and obesity in school-aged children and adolescents in 2022 were in Polynesia and Micronesia and the Caribbean for both sexes, and Chile and Qatar for boys. Combined prevalence was also high in some countries in south Asia, such as India and Pakistan, where thinness remained prevalent despite having declined. In 2022, obesity in school-aged children and adolescents was more prevalent than thinness with a posterior probability of at least 0·80 among girls in 133 countries (67%) and boys in 125 countries (63%), whereas the converse was true in 35 countries (18%) and 42 countries (21%), respectively. In almost all countries for both adults and school-aged children and adolescents, the increases in double burden were driven by increases in obesity, and decreases in double burden by declining underweight or thinness. Interpretation: The combined burden of underweight and obesity has increased in most countries, driven by an increase in obesity, while underweight and thinness remain prevalent in south Asia and parts of Africa. A healthy nutrition transition that enhances access to nutritious foods is needed to address the remaining burden of underweight while curbing and reversing the increase in obesity.peer-reviewe

Vi är ju ändå olika - En studie av förskolepedagogers syn på möjligheten att omsätta läroplanens jämställdhetsmål i den vardagliga verksamheten

Sammanfattning Syftet med denna kvalitativa studie är att belysa och undersöka hur pedagoger i förskolan upplever och förhåller sig till läroplansmålen gällande genus och jämlikhet. Studiens mål är att ta reda hur dagens pedagoger i förskolan ser på genus, men även i vilken mån de faktiskt lyckas med att omsätta målen i sin vardagliga verksamhet. Vår undersökning är en kvalitativ studie baserad på intervjuer och observationer. Studien är genomförd på tre förskolor tillsammans med sju pedagoger. Det innebär att vi inte kommer att leta efter en absolut sanning om hur pedagoger i allmänhet förhåller sig till genus utan snarare göra ett tendentiellt nedslag i tre befintliga förskoleverksamheter. Vår studie visar att i stort sett samtliga pedagoger vi intervjuat anser att det är viktigt att arbeta för jämlikhet och att motverka stereotypa könsroller och traditionella könsmönster. Samtidigt visar det sig däremot också att läroplansmålen av olika anledningar efterlevs i varierande utsträckning; bland annat därför att somliga pedagoger vidmakthåller att det finns en betydande skillnad mellan pojkar och flickor. Analysresultaten diskuterar vi i relation till teorier som poststrukturalism och feministisk poststrukturalism. Eftersom vi uppfattar pedagogernas utsagor liksom läroplanens innehåll som texter, har diskursanalys tillämpats både teoretiskt och metodologiskt. Vi anser att en aktiv diskussion och ökad medvetenhet kring genus och jämlikhet är viktigt för vår kommande yrkesroll som förskolepedagoger, eftersom vi alla är produkter av den samtid och det samhälle vi lever i, ett samhälle vi överlag, bortsett från de formulerade läroplansmålen, inte upplever vara särskilt tillfredsställande vad gäller möjligheterna att bryta mot givna normer och könsmönster

Autonomy and influence in everyday life. : Older people's perceptions of autonomy and influence related to Framework Decision in Home Help Services

Syftet var att undersöka äldre personers uppfattningar om självbestämmande och inflytande relaterat till rambeslut i hemtjänsten. Att respektera individens rätt till självbestämmande och inflytande är grundläggande värden och förhållningssätt i svensk äldreomsorg. Rambeslut i hemtjänsten är ett salutogent arbetssätt som syftar till att i högre utsträckning stärka individens möjlighet till självbestämmande och att utöva inflytande över insatsernas utformning avseende hur och när de ska utföras. Uppsatsen tar sin utgångspunkt i den salutogena teorin.   Studien genomfördes med kvalitativ metod. Åtta äldre personer deltog i semistrukturerade intervjuer. Intervjuerna bandades och transkriberades ordagrant och analyserades med kvalitativ innehållsanalys. Deltagarna ingick i ett pilotprojekt där rambeslut skulle utvecklas för att därefter införas för alla hemtjänstkunder i den aktuella kommunen.   Analysen resulterade i tre kategorier som beskriver äldres uppfattningar om självbestämmande och inflytande relaterat till rambeslut i hemtjänsten. Kategorierna inkluderade 1) de äldres vaga uppfattningar om innebörden av begreppen, 2) vad de äldre tycker är viktigt att ha inflytande över och 3) att de äldre uppfattar sig ha inflytande i stunden men inte i planeringen. De äldre uttryckte bland annat att det är viktigt att ha inflytande över när man ska få sin hemtjänst, hur städningen utförs och att det finns flexibilitet utifrån dagsform. En slutsats som kan dras utifrån detta är att det som de äldre tycker är viktigt att ha självbestämmande och inflytande över stämmer väl överens med intentionerna för införandet av rambeslut. En annan slutsats är att de äldre uppfattar att de har självbestämmande och inflytande i stunden, i den faktiska vardagen, men inte i själva planeringen av insatserna. En tredje slutsats är att samtliga tre salutogena faktorer, begriplighet, hanterbarhet och meningsfullhet, är essentiella för att rambeslutets intentioner om ökat självbestämmande och inflytande ska uppnås.The objective was to examine older people’s perceptions of autonomy and influence related to Framework Decision in Home Help Services. Respect of individual's rights of autonomy and influence are fundamental values and attitudes in Swedish elderly care. Framework Decision in the Home Help Services has the main goal of strengthening the individual’s right to decide for himself and have influence over how the Home Help Service should be carried out and when it should be performed.   The study was conducted using qualitative method. Eight older persons participated in semi-structured interviews. The interviews were taped and transcribed verbatim, and the data was analyzed using qualitative content analysis. The participants were part of a pilot study aimed at developing Framework Decisionsin Home Help Services that subsequently would be implemented for all home care clients in the municipality.   The analysis resulted in three categories that describe the older persons’ perceptions of autonomy and influence related to the Framework Decision in Home Help Services. The categories included 1) the older persons have vague notions about the meaning of the terms, 2) what the older persons think is important to have influence over, and 3) that the older persons perceive themselves to have influence in the moment but not in the planning. The participants expressed, among other things, that it is important to have control over when to get help service, how the cleaning is carried out and that there is flexibility on daily basis. One conclusion that can be drawn from this is that the things the older persons think is important to have self-determination and influence over is in line with the intentions of the introduction of the Framework Decision. Another conclusion is that the older persons feel that they have autonomy and influence in the moment, in the actual everyday life, but not in the planning of activities. A third conclusion is that all three salutogenic factors, comprehensibility, manageability and meaningfulness, are essential in order to achieve the Framework Decision’s intentions of greater autonomy and influence

Självmedkänsla och hälsa : Psykoterapeutstudenter och legitimerade psykoterapeuter

Självmedkänsla anses vara betydelsefull för vår fysiska och psykiska hälsa och ökar förutsättningarna för vår inre trygghet vid motgångar och svårigheter. Självmedkänsla motverkar nedstämdhet, stress och ökar förmågan till känslomässig självreglering och ger ökad kontakt med adaptiva aktiverande affekter med ökad förmåga till läkande och helande hos människan. Blivande psykoterapeuter och andra inom människovårdande yrken anses speciellt utsatta och självomsorg blir en viktig komponent. Självmedkänsla utvecklas i den trygga anknytningen och kan övas upp som vuxen, via meditation, mindfulness, affektfokuserade psykoterapier och i en trygg terapeutisk relation. Studiens syfte var att undersöka självskattad självmedkänsla och fysisk/psykisk hälsa bland psykoterapeutstudenter och göra en jämförelse med legitimerade psykoterapeuter. En enkät (Self-Compassion Scale, SF-36) som mäter självmedkänsla respektive fysisk/psykisk hälsa, distribuerades till studenterna i en klassrumssituation och till legitimerade psykoterapeuter via post. Totalt kom 33 psykoterapistudenter och 34 legitimerade psykoterapeuter att ingå i studien. Resultatet visar att psykoterapeutstudenterna, enligt självskattning, hade en signifikant bättre självmedkänsla men signifikant sämre fysisk och psykisk hälsa än de legitimerade psykoterapeuterna. Båda grupperna hade en medel nivå avseende självskattad självmedkänsla. Mindfulnessträning och meditation kan vara verktyg att stärka upp självmedkänslan och minska självkritiken

Access to and Use of the Internet among Adolscents and Young Adults with Intellectual Disabilities in Everyday Settings.

Background: The aim is to explore and describe access to the internet and how it is used among adolescents and young adults with mild and moderate intellectual disabilities in their everyday settings. Method: Data were collected through observations of and interviews with 15 participants with intellectual disabilities, aged 13-25, on access and use of the internet in school or work and at home or in their free time. A qualitative content analysis was used. Results: Main findings were categorised into: Access to the internet in different settings, Challenges when using the internet and Strategies to handle the digital environment and take part in internet activities.Conclusions: This study revealed that participants had access to internet connections and to a high number of internet-enabled devices. Participants use the internet through strategies when doing internet activities, for example using pictures and reducing the number of internet-enabled devices used in their everyday settings

Internet opportunities and risks for adolescents with intellectual disabilities : a comparative study of parents' perceptions.

Background: In contemporary society internet and digital competencies are used to perform activities. Aim: The aim of this study is to investigate opportunities and risks of internet use as perceived by the parents of adolescents with intellectual disabilities (ID) in comparison with a national reference group of parents of adolescents. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study with group comparisons using a national survey. Analyses were carried out using Fisher's exact test and logistic regression to control for confounding factors. Results: A significantly higher proportion of parents of adolescents with ID perceive opportunities associated with internet use and playing games, and a lower proportion perceive risks with negative consequences, compared with the reference group. Significantly more parents of adolescents with ID perceive their adolescent never use smartphones and social media compared with the reference group. Fewer parents of adolescents with ID have concerns about online risks for their adolescents compared with the reference group. Conclusion and Significance: The results provide new knowledge for occupational therapists to support positive risk-taking in internet-use for adolescents with ID, in collaboration with their parents, to enable the development of digital competencies and digital participation in everyday life in a digitalised society.Funding: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden</p

Internet activities and social and community participation among young people with learning disabilities

BackgroundA digital lag has been reported on access to the internet and performing internet activities for young people with learning disabilities in everyday life. AimThe aim of this study is to explore environmental opportunities and challenges when performing internet activities and how internet use influences social and community participation for young people with learning disabilities from the perspectives of the target group. MethodsAn inductive design was applied, with focused observations and follow-up interviews of 15 internet-using young persons with learning disabilities in their everyday settings. The data was analysed interpretatively using open coding. FindingsThe environment offered both opportunities and challenges in terms of the design of digital devices and digital support. Support from peers was often preferred. All participants performed internet activities related to social participation although not all used social media. Searching for information was performed, however, finding the information or understanding it was challenging and led to restricted participation in the community. ConclusionMore examples of internet use positively influencing social participation were found, contrary to community participation. It is indicated that concrete learning situations when using the internet for social participation were more adapted to the participants and promoted this type of participation, contrary to situations of internet use influencing community participation

Digital participation? Internet use among adolescents with and without intellectual disabilities: A comparative study

Internet use is an integrated part of everyday life, especially among young people. However, knowledge of this for young people with disabilities is scarce. This study investigates digital participation of adolescents with intellectual disabilities by comparing aspects of Internet use among adolescents with and without intellectual disabilities. Cross-sectional comparative design was used and a national survey from the Swedish Media Council was cognitively adapted for adolescents with intellectual disabilities aged 13-20 years. The results reveal that a significantly lower proportion of the 114 participating adolescents with intellectual disabilities had access to Internet-enabled devices and performed Internet activities, except for playing games, than the reference group (n = 1161). The greatest difference was found in searching for information. Analyses indicate that adolescents with intellectual disabilities are following a similar pattern of Internet use as the reference group, but a digital lag is prevalent, and a more cognitively accessible web could be beneficial.Funding Agencies|Linkoping University, Sweden; Foundation Solstickan, Stockholm, Sweden; Swedish Association of Occupational Therapy, Stockholm, Sweden</p