Review of standards for biodegradable plastic bags.

The Single Use Carrier Bags Charges (England) Order 2015 requires retailers to charge at least 5p for each single use carrier bag, except where exempted. Under section 18 of that order, the Secretary of State must— (a) complete a review of industry standards for the biodegradability of lightweight plastic material; and (b) lay a copy of a report before Parliament setting out the conclusions of the review, in particular— (i) whether it appears to the Secretary of State that there exists an industry standard appropriate for the purposes of an exclusion from the obligations specified in Part 2 on grounds of biodegradability; and (ii) if so, how that exclusion would be implemented. That review has now been completed. It found that there are a number of standards for plastic bag biodegradability. We will need to conduct further work before any of these could be used to exempt certain types of carrier bags on grounds of biodegradability. By the end of May 2016 retailers are required to report the number of bags that have been supplied, and the uses to which the proceeds of the charge have been put, after reasonable costs are deducted. The Government will use that opportunity to consider the early impacts of the charge. The Government will continue to consider the technical specification for a genuinely biodegradable bag, and will at that point further report on how an exemption for such a biodegradable bag can be implemented

Trends in the Environmental Health Job Market for New Graduates

The question of whether the job market can support future graduates of environmental health programs remains an important and difficult question for environmental health programs, current and prospective students, parents, and other stakeholders. Our previous report using 2014 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics demonstrated anticipated growth and higher than average pay in the profession through at least 2022 for baccalaureate degree holders (Marion & Sinde, 2015). Growth in the profession does not necessarily translate into job availability if the market is saturated with job candidates. While university programs produce graduates, local health departments (LHDs) have suffered tremendous job losses nationally. Although there was a net gain of 850 positions in LHDs in 2016, the U.S. has 50,000 fewer LHD employees today than one decade ago. For monitoring potential changes in job availability, an annual survey is performed among the 32 programs accredited by the National Environmental Health Science and Protection Accreditation Council (EHAC). The results of the last six surveys (2012 - 2017) pertaining to job outlooks were evaluated. Using the responses to the overarching categories of public sector and private sector employment, descriptive analyses and a logistic regression model were performed to see if programs perceiving increasing job growth were oriented more toward having graduates placed in private sector positions. Overall, over half of accredited EHAC undergraduate and graduate programs perceive increasing job opportunities for their graduating students. The programs most closely aligned to the private sector reported more favorable job outlook scenarios for their graduates. Specifically, the odds of perceiving an increasing market for graduates increased six-fold for each percent increase in the number of recent graduates working in private industry (OR = 6.0, 95% CI: 1.1, 32). Most of the programs that are most closely aligned to public sector employment opportunities perceive either no change or increasing opportunities in the job market. Future studies among recent graduates taking into consideration salary differences between public and private employers are encouraged. Such discrepancies, if any, between public versus private salaries among EHAC graduates could be useful in informing environmental public health budgets and policies

‘Walk Buds’: A walking intervention to increase physical activity, physical fitness, and emotional wellbeing, in 9–13 year old children with intellectual disabilities. Results of a clustered randomised feasibility trial

BACKGROUND: Children with intellectual disability are less physically active and more sedentary than typically developing peers. To date no studies have tested the feasibility of a school-based walking intervention for children with Intellectual Disability.METHOD: A clustered randomised controlled trial (cRCT), with an embedded process evaluation, was used to test the feasibility of a school-based walking intervention. Eight schools (n = 161 pupils aged 9-13 years) were randomised into either an intervention arm or an 'exercise as usual' arm. Measures included physical activity, physical fitness and emotional wellbeing. Baseline and 3-month follow-up data were collected.RESULTS: The 'Walk Buds' intervention was found to be acceptable to teaching staff and pupils, with an uptake rate of the walking sessions offered of 84%.CONCLUSION: A number of challenges were experienced, relating to the COVID-19 pandemic, and difficulties collecting accelerometer data. Barriers, facilitators and required changes identified through the mixed methods process evaluation are discussed.</p

Short-term effects of a Mediterranean-style dietary pattern on cognition and mental wellbeing: A systematic review of clinical trials

Background: Although the long-term effects of a Mediterranean-style dietary pattern (MDP) on cognition and overall mental wellbeing have been consistently described, the short-term effects of the MDP on cognitive performance, mood and anxiety have not been as widely reviewed. Objectives: The aims of this systematic review were to synthesise the evidence from randomised controlled trials (RCT) to examine whether a MDP can alter cognition and overall mental wellbeing in the short-term (up to 10 days). This will also be used to identify research gaps and to inform the design of future acute RCTs in the area. Methods: Ovid EMBASE, Ovid MEDLINE and Web of Science Core Collection were searched from inception to 8/12/2020. The data was synthesised narratively with no quantitative synthesis. The detailed protocol is available on PROSPERO, with the registration number CRD42021221085. Results: A total of 3002 studies were initially identified. After the deduplication and screening stages, 4 studies (3 articles and 1 conference proceeding) were eligible to be included. Despite the very limited data obtained, the literature suggests that a MDP can improve cognition and mood in the short-term. Specifically, improvements in attention, alertness and contentment were consistently reported. Conclusion: A MDP appears a promising strategy to improve short-term cognitive and mental health. A limitation of this review is the small number of studies identified, therefore, future studies are required to confirm these initial novel findings, and to provide granularity as to which domains are most responsive and in which population subgroups

Using the consensus group method to select the best screening tools for autism and intellectual disability for use with Nigerian adolescents

Diagnosing autism or ID using a gold‐standard tool can be time‐consuming, costly, and requires training, which is generally limited in Nigeria, and the rest of Africa. Screening, on the other hand, can be quick and effective, with minimal training depending on the tool (Iragorri & Spackman, Public Health Reviews, 2018;39(1):17), thus making the availability of short screeners a necessity in Nigeria, and the rest of Africa. We identified four screening tools through a previously completed systematic review (Nwokolo et al., Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 2022;1–23.), two (SCQ and AQ‐10) for autism and two (SCIL and CAIDS‐Q) for ID, which appeared appropriate for validation for use within African nations. The Nominal Group Technique was used with a purposive group of professionals, parents, and laypersons to select and adapt the existing screening tools for autism and ID for use with older children and adolescents in Nigeria. The group examined the screening tools for cultural relevance, face and content validity. Following the discussions, items were either (1) accepted in the original form or (2) more culturally appropriate examples chosen if at least 75% of participants agreed. The group selected the SCQ for autism and the SCIL for ID. The minimum agreement on all autism and ID measures items was 84%, and this indicated the measures had face and content validity for use within Nigeria. Following the recommendations and consensus of the group, the SCQ and the SCIL 14–17 were agreed on as measures to be validated with the Nigerian adolescents, with only a small number of adjustments needed to allow for different use of language, customs and environment in the Nigerian context

Orally administered extract from \u3ci\u3ePrunella vulgaris\u3c/i\u3e attenuates spontaneous colitis in mdr1a\u3csup\u3e-/-\u3c/sup\u3e mice

AIM: To investigate the ability of a Prunella vulgaris (P. vulgaris) ethanolic extract to attenuate spontaneous typhlocolitis in mdr1a-/- mice. METHODS: Vehicle (5% ethanol) or P. vulgaris ethanolic extract (2.4 mg/d) were administered daily by oral gavage to mdr1a-/- or wild type FVBWT mice from 6 wk of age up to 20 wk of age. Clinical signs of disease were noted by monitoring weight loss. Mice experiencing weight loss in excess of 15% were removed from the study. At the time mice were removed from the study, blood and colon tissue were collected for analyses that included histological evaluation of lesions, inflammatory cytokine levels, and myeloperoxidase activity. RESULTS: Administration of P. vulgaris extracts to mdr1a-/- mice delayed onset of colitis and reduced severity of mucosal inflammation when compared to vehicle-treated mdr1a-/- mice. Oral administration of the P. vulgaris extract resulted in reduced (P \u3c 0.05) serum levels of IL-10 (4.6 ± 2 vs 19.4 ± 4), CXCL9 (1319.0 ± 277 vs 3901.0 ± 858), and TNFα (9.9 ± 3 vs 14.8 ± 1) as well as reduced gene expression by more than two-fold for Ccl2, Ccl20, Cxcl1, Cxcl9, IL-1 α, Mmp10, VCAM-1, ICAM, IL-2, and TNFα in the colonic mucosa of mdr1a-/- mice compared to vehicle-treated mdr1a-/- mice. Histologically, several microscopic parameters were reduced (P \u3c 0.05) in P. vulgaris -treated mdr1a-/- mice, as was myeloperoxidase activity in the colon (2.49 ± 0.16 vs 3.36 ± 0.06, P \u3c 0.05). The numbers of CD4+ T cells (2031.9 ± 412.1 vs 5054.5 ± 809.5) and germinal center B cells (2749.6 ± 473.7 vs 4934.0 ± 645.9) observed in the cecal tonsils of P. vulgaris - treated mdr1a-/- were significantly reduced (P \u3c 0.05) from vehicle-treated mdr1a-/- mice. Vehicle-treated mdr1a-/- mice were found to produce serum antibodies to antigens derived from members of the intestinal microbiota, indicative of severe colitis and a loss of adaptive tolerance to the members of the microbiota. These serum antibodies were greatly reduced or absent in P. vulgaris -treated mdr1a-/- mice. CONCLUSION: The anti-inflammatory activity of P. vulgaris ethanolic extract effectively attenuated the severity of intestinal inflammation in mdr1a-/- mice

The Erasmus+ EUMOVE project-a school-based promotion of healthy lifestyles to prevent obesity in European children and adolescents

The aim of this study was to describe the goals, activities, and methods of EUMOVE project in developing a set of resources targeting both primary and secondary schools that allow the entire educational community to promote healthy lifestyles (HL). The EUMOVE project is an Erasmus+ program based in the Creating Active Schools (CAS) framework. The project lasted 3 years and was developed by 14 academic and non-governmental institutions from Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, and the UK. EUMOVE was divided into three phases. In the first phase, several work packages were carried out aimed to ensure the coordination/management of the project activities. In the second phase, seven educational resources strengthened by rigorous scientific research were developed to promote HL from schools. During the last phase, all the resources were disseminated through scientific seminars, workshops with families and teachers, and the online promotion by the non-governmental institutions of each country. The EUMOVE project developed and promoted a smartphone APP, video/activity repository of physically active lessons, active break virtual platform, learning units, and parent/teachers/school-leaders' guidelines to promote physical activity, active commuting, active school playgrounds, healthy diet, and sleep habits. To our knowledge, EUMOVE is the first European project to provide a set of practical tools based on scientific evidence to help schools or future school-wide interventions implement a paradigm shift based on the CAS framework for the promotion of HL. Future research will need to investigate the implementation, effectiveness, and scalability of this proposal. [Abstract copyright: © The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association.