Impact of childhood experience and adult well-being on eating preferences and behaviours

OBJECTIVES: To examine the relative contribution of childhood experience, measured by childhood violence and childhood happiness, and adult well-being on adult eating preferences and behaviours, independent of proximal factors such as current deprivation. DESIGN: A cross-sectional, stratified, randomised sample survey using retrospective measures of childhood violence and happiness and self-reported measures of current well-being. SETTING: The North West Region of England between September 2012 and March 2013. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals aged 18–95-year-olds from randomly selected households (participation was successful for 90% of eligible households and 78% of the total visited addresses; n=11 243). OUTCOMES: Dichotomised measures for preference of healthy foods or ‘feel good’ foods and low or high daily fruit and vegetable consumption. RESULTS: After correcting for demographics, combined categories for childhood experience and dichotomised measures of adult well-being were found to be significantly related to adult food preferences and eating behaviours. Participants with unhappy and violent childhoods compared to those with happy and non-violent childhoods had adjusted ORs (95% CI, significance) of 2.67 (2.15 to 3.06, p<0.001) of having low daily fruit and vegetable intake (two or less portions) and 1.53 (1.29 to 1.81, p<0.001) of choosing ‘feel good’ foods over foods which were good for their long term health. CONCLUSIONS: Daily intake of fruit and vegetables, linked to non-communicable diseases, and preference for ‘feel good’ foods, linked to obesity, are affected by childhood experience and adult well-being independent of demographic factors. Preventative interventions which support parent–child relationships and improve childhood experience are likely to reduce the development of poor dietary and other health-risk behaviours

Spin and parity measurement of the Lambda(1405) baryon

A determination of the spin and parity of the Lambda(1405) is presented using photoproduction data from the CLAS detector at Jefferson Lab. The reaction gamma + p -\u3e K+ + Lambda(1405) is analyzed in the decay channel Lambda(1405) -\u3e Sigma(+) + pi(-), where the decay distribution to Sigma(+)pi(-) the variation of the Sigma(+) polarization with respect to the Lambda(1405) polarization direction determines the parity. The Lambda(1405) is produced, in the energy range 2.55 \u3c W \u3c 2.85 GeV and for 0.6 \u3c cos theta(c.m.)(K+) \u3c 0.9, with polarization P = 0.45 +/- 0.02(stat) +/- 0.07(syst). The analysis shows that the decays are in S wave, with the Sigma(+) polarized such that the Lambda(1405) has spin-parity J(P) = 1(-)/2, as expected by most theories

Measurement of the Sigma pi photoproduction line shapes near the Lambda(1405)

The reaction gamma + p -\u3e K+ + Sigma + pi was used to determine the invariant mass distributions or line shapes of the Sigma(+) pi-, Sigma - pi(+), and Sigma(0)pi(0) final states, from threshold at 1328 MeV/c(2) through the mass range of the Lambda(1405) and the Lambda(1520). The measurements were made with the CLAS system at Jefferson Lab using tagged real photons, for center-of-mass energies 1.95 \u3c W \u3c 2.85 GeV. The three mass distributions differ strongly in the vicinity of the I = 0 Lambda(1405), indicating the presence of substantial I = 1 strength in the reaction. Background contributions to the data from the Sigma(0)(1385) and from K*Sigma production were studied and shown to have negligible influence. To separate the isospin amplitudes, Breit-Wigner model fits were made that included channel-coupling distortions due to the N (K) over bar threshold. A best fit to all the data was obtained after including a phenomenological I = 1, J(P) = 1/2(-) amplitude with a centroid at 1394 +/- 20 MeV/c(2) and a second I = 1 amplitude at 1413 +/- 10 MeV/c(2). The centroid of the I = 0 Lambda(1405) strength was found at the Sigma pi threshold, with the observed shape determined largely by channel coupling, leading to an apparent overall peak near 1405 MeV/c(2)

Differential photoproduction cross sections of the Sigma(0)(1385), Lambda(1405), and Lambda(1520)

We report the exclusive photoproduction cross sections for the Sigma(0)(1385), Lambda(1405), and Lambda(1520) in the reactions gamma + p -\u3e K+ + Y* using the CLAS detector for energies from near the respective production thresholds up to a center-of-mass energy W of 2.85 GeV. The differential cross sections are integrated to give the total exclusive cross sections for each hyperon. Comparisons are made to current theoretical models based on the effective-Lagrangian approach and fit to previous data. The accuracy of these models is seen to vary widely. The cross sections for the Lambda(1405) region are strikingly different for the Sigma(+)pi(-), Sigma(0)pi(0), and Sigma(-)pi(+) decay channels, indicating the effect of isospin interference, especially at W values close to the threshold

Harms from other people's drinking: an international survey of their occurrence, impacts on feeling safe and legislation relating to their control.

OBJECTIVE: To examine factors associated with suffering harm from another person's alcohol consumption and explore how suffering such harms relate to feelings of safety in nightlife. DESIGN: Cross-sectional opportunistic survey (Global Drug Survey) using an online anonymous questionnaire in 11 languages promoted through newspapers, magazines and social media. SUBJECTS: Individuals (participating November 2014-January 2015) aged 18-34 years, reporting alcohol consumption in the past 12 months and resident in a country providing ≥250 respondents (n=21 countries; 63 725 respondents). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Harms suffered due to others' drinking in the past 12 months, feelings of safety on nights out (on the way out, in bars/pubs, in nightclubs and when travelling home) and knowledge of over-serving laws and their implementation. RESULTS: In the past 12 months, >40% of respondents suffered at least one aggressive (physical, verbal or sexual assault) harm and 59.5% any harm caused by someone drunk. Suffering each category of harm was higher in younger respondents and those with more harmful alcohol consumption patterns. Men were more likely than women to have suffered physical assault (9.2% vs 4.7; p<0.001), with women much more likely to suffer sexual assault or harassment (15.3% vs 2.5%; p<0.001). Women were more likely to feel unsafe in all nightlife settings, with 40.8% typically feeling unsafe on the way home. In all settings, feeling unsafe increased with experiencing more categories of aggressive harm by a drunk person. Only 25.7% of respondents resident in countries with restrictions on selling alcohol to drunks knew about such laws and 75.8% believed that drunks usually get served alcohol. CONCLUSIONS: Harms from others' drinking are a threat to people's health and well-being. Public health bodies must ensure that such harms are reflected in measures of the societal costs of alcohol, and must advocate for the enforcement of legislation designed to reduce such harms

Party package travel: alcohol use and related problems in a holiday resort: a mixed methods study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>People travelling abroad tend to increase their use of alcohol and other drugs. In the present study we describe organized party activities in connection with young tourists' drinking, and the differences between young people travelling with and without organized party activities.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We conducted ethnographic observations and a cross-sectional survey in Sunny Beach, Bulgaria.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The behaviour of the guides from two travel agencies strongly promoted heavy drinking, but discouraged illicit drug use. Even after controlling for several potential confounders, young people who travelled with such "party package travel agencies" were more likely to drink 12 or more units when going out. In univariate analyses, they were also more likely to get into fights, but were not more likely to seek medical assistance or medical assistance for an accident or an alcohol-related problem. After controlling for confounders, the association between type of travel agency and getting into fights was no longer significant. Short-term consequences of drinking in the holiday resort did not differ between party package travellers and ordinary package travellers.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>There may be a small impact of party package travels on young people's drinking. Strategies could be developed used to minimise the harm associated with both party package travel and other kinds of travel where heavy substance use is likely to occur.</p

Multivariate side-band subtraction using probabilistic event weights

A common situation in experimental physics is to have a signal which can not be separated from a non-interfering background through the use of any cut. In this paper, we describe a procedure for determining, on an event-by-event basis, a quality factor ($Q$-factor) that a given event originated from the signal distribution. This procedure generalizes the "side-band" subtraction method to higher dimensions without requiring the data to be divided into bins. The $Q$-factors can then be used as event weights in subsequent analysis procedures, allowing one to more directly access the true spectrum of the signal.Comment: 17 pages, 9 figure

Data analysis techniques, differential cross sections, and spin density matrix elements for the reaction gamma p -\u3e phi p

High-statistics measurements of differential cross sections and spin density matrix elements for the reaction gamma p -\u3e phi p have been made using the CLAS detector at Jefferson Lab. We cover center-of-mass energies (v s) from 1.97 to 2.84 GeV, with an extensive coverage in the phi production angle. The high statistics of the data sample made it necessary to carefully account for the interplay between the f natural lineshape and effects of the detector resolution, that are found to be comparable in magnitude. We study both the charged-(phi -\u3e K+ K-) and neutral( phi -\u3e(KsKL0)-K-0) K (K) over bar decay modes of the phi Further, for the charged mode, we differentiate between the cases where the final K-track is directly detected or its momentum reconstructed as the total missing momentum in the event. The two charged-mode topologies and the neutral-mode have different resolutions and are calibrated against each other. Extensive usage is made of kinematic fitting to improve the reconstructed f mass resolution. Our final results are reported in 10- and mostly 30-MeV-wide root s bins for the charged-and the neutral-modes, respectively. Possible effects from K+Lambda* channels with pK (K) over bar final states are discussed. These present results constitute the most precise and extensive phi photoproduction measurements to date and in conjunction with the omega photoproduction results recently published by CLAS, will greatly improve our understanding of low energy vector meson photoproduction

Adverse Childhood Experiences and their impact on health-harming behaviours in the Welsh adult population

This report is one in a series of reports examining the prevalence of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) in the Welsh adult population and their impact on health and well-being across the life course. Substantial proportions of the Welsh population reported suffering abuse, neglect and other ACEs during their childhood with 47% reporting having experienced at least one ACE and 14% experiencing four or more ACEs. This report focuses on: alcohol use, drug use, violence, sexual behaviour, incarceration, smoking and poor diet

Associations between e-cigarette access and smoking and drinking behaviours in teenagers

Background: Public health concerns regarding e-cigarettes and debate on appropriate regulatory responses are focusing on the need to prevent child access to these devices. However, little is currently known about the characteristics of those young people that are accessing e-cigarettes. Methods: Using a cross-sectional survey of 14-17 year old school students in North West England (n = 16,193) we examined associations between e-cigarette access and demographics, conventional smoking behaviours, alcohol consumption, and methods of accessing cigarettes and alcohol. Access to e-cigarettes was identified through a question asking students if they had ever tried or purchased e-cigarettes. Results: One in five participants reported having accessed e-cigarettes (19.2%). Prevalence was highest among\ud smokers (rising to 75.8% in those smoking >5 per day), although 15.8% of teenagers that had accessed e-cigarettes had never smoked conventional cigarettes (v.13.6% being ex-smokers). E-cigarette access was independently associated with male gender, having parents/guardians that smoke and students’ alcohol use. Compared with non-drinkers, teenagers that drank alcohol at least weekly and binge drank were more likely to have accessed e-cigarettes (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 1.89, P < 0.001), with this association particularly strong among never-smokers (AOR 4.59, P < 0.001). Among drinkers, e-cigarette access was related to: drinking to get drunk, alcohol-related violence, consumption of spirits; self-purchase of alcohol from shops or supermarkets; and accessing alcohol by recruiting adult proxy purchasers outside shops. Conclusions: There is an urgent need for controls on the promotion and sale of e-cigarettes to children. Findings suggest that e-cigarettes are being accessed by teenagers more for experimentation than smoking cessation. Those most likely to access e-cigarettes may already be familiar with illicit methods of accessing age-restricted substances