50 research outputs found
Fast Electrochemical Measurement of Laccase Activity for Monitoring Grapesâ Infection with Botrytis cinerea
Grapesâ infection with the fungi Botrytis cinerea is one of the major causes of economic loss in the winemaking sector worldwide. The laccase activity of grapes is considered an appropriate indicator of this type of fungal infection, and enzymatic activity higher than 3 U/mL indicates a high risk of irreversibly damaged grape must due to enzymatic browning. This work describes a fast test for the measurement of laccase activity based on a dual optical and electrochemical detection method. A paper sensor impregnated with the enzymatic substrate dye 2,2âČ-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) provides a semi-quantitative optical measurement. While the paper sensor can be used independently, when combined with a screen-printed electrode and amperometry measurements, it enables the quantitative detection of laccase activities down to 0.4 U/mL in only 5 min. The method was applied for monitoring the artificial infection of white, rosĂ©, and red grapes with different strains of Botrytis cinerea. The results were confirmed by parallel analysis using the spectrophotometric method of laccase activity determination based on syringaldazine. The influence of the fungal strain and type of grape on laccase activity levels is reported. The demonstrated robustness, simplicity, and versatility of the developed method make it ideal for application on-site in the vineyard or at grape processing points.Financial support provided by the Romanian Executive Agency for Higher Education, Research, Development and Innovation (UEFISCDI), ERANET-MANUNET-III-WINBIOTOOL-2, contract 151/9.03.2020 grant (for A.V),
contract150/9.03.2020 (for P.E) and contract 152/9.03.2020 (for C.P. (Catalina Pantazi), E.B., and M.I.);
the Romanian Academy grant RO1567-IBB05/2021 (for R.R. and C.P. (Cristina Purcarea));
the Basque Government and the European Union through the European regional development fund 2014â2020 (FEDER) (ZL-2020/00532 and ZL-2021/00340);
and the DiputaciĂłn Foral de Ălava (ALAVA INNOVA programâINNOEM-2020/00045) for Bodegas de los Herederos del MarquĂ©s de Riscal; and the DiputaciĂłn Foral de Ălava (ALAVA INNOVA programâ INNOEM-2020/00045) for Bodegas de los Herederos del MarquĂ©s de Risca is gratefully acknowledged
Urban and rural differences in frequency of fruit, vegetable, and soft drink consumption among 6â9âyearâold children from 19 countries from the WHO European region
In order to address the paucity of evidence on the association between childhood eating habits and urbanization, this cross-sectional study describes urbanârural differences in frequency of fruit, vegetable, and soft drink consumption in 123,100 children aged 6â9 years from 19 countries participating in the fourth round (2015-2017) of the WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI). Children's parents/caregivers completed food-frequency questionnaires. A multivariate multilevel logistic regression analysis was performed and revealed wide variability among countries and within macroregions for all indicators. The percentage of children attending rural schools ranged from 3% in Turkey to 70% in Turkmenistan. The prevalence of less healthy eating habits was high, with between 30â80% and 30â90% children not eating fruit or vegetables daily, respectively, and up to 45% consuming soft drinks on >3 days a week. For less than one third of the countries, children attending rural schools had higher odds (OR-range: 1.1â2.1) for not eating fruit or vegetables daily or consuming soft drinks >3 days a week compared to children attending urban schools. For the remainder of the countries no significant associations were observed. Both population-based interventions and policy strategies are necessary to improve access to healthy foods and increase healthy eating behaviors among children.The authors gratefully acknowledge support from a grant from the
Russian Government in the context of the WHO European Office for
the Prevention and Control of NCDs.
Data collection in the countries was made possible through
funding from Albania: WHO through the Joint Programme on
Children, Food Security and Nutrition âReducing Malnutrition in
Children,â funded by the Millennium Development Goals Achievement Fund, and the Institute of Public Health; Austria: Federal Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection, Republic
of Austria; Bulgaria: Ministry of Health, National Center of Public
Health and Analyses, WHO Regional Office for Europe; Croatia: Ministry of Health, Croatian Institute of Public Health and WHO
Regional Office for Europe; Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic,
grant nr. AZV MZÄR 17-31670 A and MZÄRâRVO EĂ 00023761;
Denmark: Danish Ministry of Health; Estonia: Ministry of Social
Affairs, Ministry of Education and Research (IUT 42-2), WHO Country
Office, and National Institute for Health Development; Georgia:
WHO; Ireland: Health Service Executive; Italy: Ministry of Health and
Italian National Institute of Health; Kazakhstan: Ministry of Health of
the Republic of Kazakhstan and WHO Country Office; Kyrgyzstan:
World Health Organization; Latvia: Ministry of Health, Centre for
Disease Prevention and Control; Lithuania: Science Foundation of
Lithuanian University of Health Sciences and Lithuanian Science
Council and WHO; Malta: Ministry of Health; Montenegro: WHO and
Institute of Public Health of Montenegro; North Macedonia: COSI in
North Macedonia is funded by the Government of North Macedonia
through National Annual Program of Public Health and implemented
by the Institute of Public Health and Centers of Public Health in the
country. WHO country office provides support for training and data
management; Norway: Ministry of Health and Norwegian Institute of
Public Health; Poland: National Health Programme, Ministry of
Health; Portugal: Ministry of Health Institutions, the National Institute
of Health, Directorate General of Health, Regional Health Directorates and the kind technical support from the Center for Studies and
Research on Social Dynamics and Health (CEIDSS); Romania: Ministry
of Health; Serbia: This study was supported by the World Health
Organization (Ref. File 2015-540940); Slovakia: Biennial Collaborative
Agreement between WHO Regional Office for Europe and Ministry
of Health SR; Spain: Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition
(AESAN); Tajikistan: WHO Country Office in Tajikistan and Ministry
of Health and Social Protection; Turkmenistan: WHO Country Office
in Turkmenistan and Ministry of Health; Turkey: Turkish Ministry of
Health and World Bank.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Socioeconomic disparities in physical activity, sedentary behavior and sleep patterns among 6- to 9-year-old children from 24 countries in the WHO European region
Physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep are important predictors of children's health. This paper aimed to investigate socioeconomic disparities in physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep across the WHO European region. This cross-sectional study used data on 124,700 children aged 6 to 9 years from 24 countries participating in the WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative between 2015 and 2017. Socioeconomic status (SES) was measured through parental education, parental employment status, and family perceived wealth. Overall, results showed different patterns in socioeconomic disparities in children's movement behaviors across countries. In general, high SES children were more likely to use motorized transportation. Low SES children were less likely to participate in sports clubs and more likely to have more than 2 h/day of screen time. Children with low parental education had a 2.24 [95% CI 1.94-2.58] times higher risk of practising sports for less than 2 h/week. In the pooled analysis, SES was not significantly related to active play. The relationship between SES and sleep varied by the SES indicator used. Importantly, results showed that low SES is not always associated with a higher prevalence of "less healthy" behaviors. There is a great diversity in SES patterns across countries which supports the need for country-specific, targeted public health interventions.The authors gratefully acknowledge support from a grant from the
Russian Government in the context of the WHO European Office for
the Prevention and Control of NCDs. Data collection in the countries
was made possible through funding from: Croatia: Ministry of Health,
Croatian Institute of Public Health and WHO Regional Office for
Europe. Albania: World Health Organization (WHO) Country Office
Albania and the WHO Regional Office for Europe. Bulgaria: WHO
Regional Office for Europe. Czech Republic: Ministry of Health of the
Czech Republic, grant nr. AZV MZÄR 17-31670 A and MZÄRâRVO
EĂ 00023761. Denmark: The Danish Ministry of Health. France:
Santé publique France, the French Agency for Public Health. Georgia:
WHO. Ireland: Health Service Executive. Italy: Italian Ministry of
Health; Italian National Institute of Health (Istituto Superiore di
SanitĂ ). Kazakhstan: the Ministry of Health of the Republic of
Kazakhstan within the scientific and technical program. Kyrgyzstan:
World Health Organization. Latvia: Centre for Disease Prevention and
Control, Ministry of Health, Latvia. Lithuania: Science Foundation of
Lithuanian University of Health Sciences and Lithuanian Science
Council and WHO. Malta: Ministry of Health. Montenegro: WHO and
Institute of Public Health of Montenegro. Poland: National Health
Programme, Ministry of Health. Portugal: Ministry of Health Institutions, the National Institute of Health, Directorate General of Health,
Regional Health Directorates and the kind technical support from the
Center for Studies and Research on Social Dynamics and Health
(CEIDSS). Romania: Ministry of Health. Russian Federation: WHO. San Marino: Health Ministry. Spain: the Spanish Agency for Food
Safety & Nutrition. Tajikistan: WHO Country Office in Tajikistan and
Ministry of Health and Social Protection; Turkmenistan: WHO
Country Office in Turkmenistan and Ministry of Health. Turkey:
Turkish Ministry of Health and World Bank. Austria: Federal Ministry
of Labor, Social Affairs, Health and Consumer Protection of Austria.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Physical activity, screen time, and sleep duration of children aged 6-9 years in 25 countries:An analysis within the WHO european childhood obesity surveillance initiative (COSI) 2015-2017
Background: Children are becoming less physically active as opportunities for safe active play, recreational activities, and active transport decrease. At the same time, sedentary screen-based activities both during school and leisure time are increasing. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate physical activity (PA), screen time, and sleep duration of girls and boys aged 6-9 years in Europe using data from the WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI). Method: The fourth COSI data collection round was conducted in 2015-2017, using a standardized protocol that included a family form completed by parents with specific questions about their children's PA, screen time, and sleep duration. Results: Nationally representative data from 25 countries was included and information on the PA behaviour, screen time, and sleep duration of 150,651 children was analysed. Pooled analysis showed that: 79.4% were actively playing for >1 h each day, 53.9% were not members of a sport or dancing club, 50.0% walked or cycled to school each day, 60.2% engaged in screen time for <2 h/day, and 84.9% slept for 9-11 h/night. Country-specific analyses of these behaviours showed pronounced differences, with national prevalences in the range of 61.7-98.3% actively playing for >1 h/day, 8.2-85.6% were not members of a sport or dancing club, 17.7-94.0% walked or cycled to school each day, 32.3-80.0% engaged in screen time for <2 h/day, and 50.0-95.8% slept for 9-11 h/night. Conclusions: The prevalence of engagement in PA and the achievement of healthy screen time and sleep duration are heterogenous across the region. Policymakers and other stakeholders, including school administrators and parents, should increase opportunities for young people to participate in daily PA as well as explore solutions to address excessive screen time and short sleep duration to improve the overall physical and mental health and well-being of children. </p
Parental Perceptions of Childrenâs Weight Status in 22 Countries: The WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative: COSI 2015/2017
Introduction: Parents can act as important agents of change
and support for healthy childhood growth and development. Studies have found that parents may not be able to
accurately perceive their childâs weight status. The purpose
of this study was to measure parental perceptions of their
childâs weight status and to identify predictors of potential
parental misperceptions. Methods: We used data from the
World Health Organization (WHO) European Childhood
Obesity Surveillance Initiative and 22 countries. Parents
were asked to identify their perceptions of their childrenâs
weight status as âunderweight,â ânormal weight,â âa little
overweight,â or âextremely overweight.â We categorized
childrenâs (6â9 years; n = 124,296) body mass index (BMI) as
BMI-for-age Z-scores based on the 2007 WHO-recommended growth references. For each country included in the analysis and pooled estimates (country level), we calculated the
distribution of children according to the WHO weight status
classification, distribution by parental perception of childâs
weight status, percentages of accurate, overestimating, or
underestimating perceptions, misclassification levels, and
predictors of parental misperceptions using a multilevel logistic regression analysis that included only children with
overweight (including obesity). Statistical analyses were performed using Stata version 15 1. Results: Overall, 64.1% of
parents categorized their childâs weight status accurately
relative to the WHO growth charts. However, parents were
more likely to underestimate their childâs weight if the child
had overweight (82.3%) or obesity (93.8%). Parents were
more likely to underestimate their childâs weight if the child
was male (adjusted OR [adjOR]: 1.41; 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 1.28â1.55); the parent had a lower educational level
(adjOR: 1.41; 95% CI: 1.26â1.57); the father was asked rather
than the mother (adjOR: 1.14; 95% CI: 0.98â1.33); and the
family lived in a rural area (adjOR: 1.10; 95% CI: 0.99â1.24).
Overall, parentsâ BMI was not strongly associated with the
underestimation of childrenâs weight status, but there was a
stronger association in some countries. Discussion/Conclusion: Our study supplements the current literature on factors
that influence parental perceptions of their childâs weight
status. Public health interventions aimed at promoting
healthy childhood growth and development should consider parentsâ knowledge and perceptions, as well as the sociocultural contexts in which children and families live.The authors gratefully acknowledge support from a grant from
the Russian Government in the context of the WHO European Office for the Prevention and Control of NCDs. Data collection in the
countries was made possible through funding by: Albania: World
Health Organization through the Joint Programme on Children,
Food Security and Nutrition âReducing Malnutrition in Children,â funded by the Millennium Development Goals Achievement Fund, and the Institute of Public Health; Bulgaria: Ministry
of Health, National Center of Public Health and Analyses, World
Health Organization Regional Office for Europe; Croatia: Ministry of Health, Croatian Institute of Public Health and World
Health Organization Regional Office for Europe; Czechia: Grants
AZV MZÄR 17-31670 A and MZÄR â RVO EĂ 00023761; Denmark: Danish Ministry of Health; France: French Public Health
Agency; Georgia: World Health Organization; Ireland: Health
Service Executive; Italy: Ministry of Health; Istituto Superiore di
sanitĂ (National Institute of Health); Kazakhstan: Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan and World Health Organization Country Office; Latvia: n/a; Lithuania: Science Foundation of
Lithuanian University of Health Sciences and Lithuanian Science
Council and World Health Organization; Malta: Ministry of
Health; Montenegro: World Health Organization and Institute of
Public Health of Montenegro; Poland: National Health Programme, Ministry of Health; Portugal: Ministry of Health Institutions, the National Institute of Health, Directorate General of
Health, Regional Health Directorates and the kind technical support of Center for Studies and Research on Social Dynamics and
Health (CEIDSS); Romania: Ministry of Health; Russia (Moscow): n/a; San Marino: Health Ministry; Educational Ministry; Social Security Institute; the Health Authority; Spain: Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (AESAN); Tajikistan: World
Health Organization Country Office in Tajikistan and Ministry of
Health and Social Protection; and Turkmenistan: World Health
Organization Country Office in Turkmenistan and Ministry of
Health. The authors alone are responsible for the views expressed
in this article and they do not necessarily represent the views, decisions, or policies of the institutions with which they are affiliated.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Physical activity, screen time, and sleep duration of children aged 6-9 years in 25 countries:An analysis within the WHO european childhood obesity surveillance initiative (COSI) 2015-2017
BACKGROUND: Children are becoming less physically active as opportunities for safe active play, recreational activities, and active transport decrease. At the same time, sedentary screen-based activities both during school and leisure time are increasing. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate physical activity (PA), screen time, and sleep duration of girls and boys aged 6-9 years in Europe using data from the WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI). METHOD: The fourth COSI data collection round was conducted in 2015-2017, using a standardized protocol that included a family form completed by parents with specific questions about their children's PA, screen time, and sleep duration. RESULTS: Nationally representative data from 25 countries was included and information on the PA behaviour, screen time, and sleep duration of 150,651 children was analysed. Pooled analysis showed that: 79.4% were actively playing for >1 h each day, 53.9% were not members of a sport or dancing club, 50.0% walked or cycled to school each day, 60.2% engaged in screen time for 1 h/day, 8.2-85.6% were not members of a sport or dancing club, 17.7-94.0% walked or cycled to school each day, 32.3-80.0% engaged in screen time for <2 h/day, and 50.0-95.8% slept for 9-11 h/night. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of engagement in PA and the achievement of healthy screen time and sleep duration are heterogenous across the region. Policymakers and other stakeholders, including school administrators and parents, should increase opportunities for young people to participate in daily PA as well as explore solutions to address excessive screen time and short sleep duration to improve the overall physical and mental health and well-being of children
Physical Activity, Screen Time, and Sleep Duration of Children Aged 6-9 Years in 25 Countries: An Analysis within the WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI) 2015-2017
Background: Children are becoming less physically active as opportunities for safe active play, recreational activities, and active transport decrease. At the same time, sedentary screen-based activities both during school and leisure time are increasing. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate physical activity (PA), screen time, and sleep duration of girls and boys aged 6â9 years in Europe using data from the WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI). Method: The fourth COSI data collection round was conducted in 2015â2017, using a standardized protocol that included a family form completed by parents with specific questions about their childrenâs PA, screen time, and sleep duration. Results: Nationally representative data from 25 countries was included and information on the PA behaviour, screen time, and sleep duration of 150,651 children was analysed. Pooled analysis showed that: 79.4% were actively playing for >1 h each day, 53.9% were not members of a sport or dancing club, 50.0% walked or cycled to school each day, 60.2% engaged in screen time for 1 h/day, 8.2â85.6% were not members of a sport or dancing club, 17.7â94.0% walked or cycled to school each day, 32.3â80.0% engaged in screen time for <2 h/day, and 50.0â95.8% slept for 9â11 h/night. Conclusions: The prevalence of engagement in PA and the achievement of healthy screen time and sleep duration are heterogenous across the region. Policymakers and other stakeholders, including school administrators and parents, should increase opportunities for young people to participate in daily PA as well as explore solutions to address excessive screen time and short sleep duration to improve the overall physical and mental health and well-being of children.The authors gratefully acknowledge support from a grant from the Russian Government in the context of the WHO European Office for the Prevention and Control of NCDs.
Data collection in the following countries was made possible through funding. Albania: WHO through the Joint Programme on Children, Food Security and Nutrition âReducing Malnutrition in Childrenâ (the Millennium Development Goals Achievement Fund) and the Institute of Public Health; Bulgaria: Ministry of Health, National Centre of Public Health and Analyses, WHO Regional Office for Europe; Croatia: Ministry of Health, Croatian Institute of Public Health and WHO Regional Office for Europe; Czechia: grants AZV MZÄR 17â31670 A and MZÄR â RVO EĂ 00023761; Denmark: Danish Ministry of Health; Estonia: Ministry of Social Affairs, Ministry of Education and Research (IUT 42â2), WHO Country Office, and National Institute for Health Development; France: Sante Publique France, the French Agency for Public Health; Georgia: WHO; Ireland: Health Service Executive; Italy: Ministry of Health and Italian National Institute of Health; Kazakhstan: Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan and WHO Country Office; Kyrgyzstan: WHO; Latvia: Ministry of Health, Centre for Disease Prevention and Control; Lithuania: Science Foundation of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences and Lithuanian Science Council and WHO; Malta: Ministry of Health; Montenegro: WHO and Institute of Public Health of Montenegro; Poland: National Health Programme, Ministry of Health; Portugal: Ministry of Health Institutions, the National Institute of Health, Directorate General of Health, Regional Health Directorates and the kind technical support from the Center for Studies and Research on Social Dynamics and Health (CEIDSS); Romania: Ministry of Health; San Marino: Health Ministry, Educational Ministry, Social Security Institute and Health Authority; Spain: Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (AESAN); Turkmenistan: WHO Country Office in Turkmenistan and Ministry of Health; Turkey: Turkish Ministry of Health and the World Bank
Methodology and implementation of the WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI)
Establishment of the WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI) has resulted in a surveillance system which provides regular, reliable, timely, and accurate data on children's weight statusâthrough standardized measurement of bodyweight and heightâin the WHO European Region. Additional data on dietary intake, physical activity, sedentary behavior, family background, and school environments are collected in several countries. In total, 45 countries in the European Region have participated in COSI. The first five data collection rounds, between 2007 and 2021, yielded measured anthropometric data on over 1.3 million children. In COSI, data are collected according to a common protocol, using standardized instruments and procedures. The systematic collection and analysis of these data enables intercountry comparisons and reveals differences in the prevalence of childhood thinness, overweight, normal weight, and obesity between and within populations. Furthermore, it facilitates investigation of the relationship between overweight, obesity, and potential risk or protective factors and improves the understanding of the development of overweight and obesity in European primary-school children in order to support appropriate and effective policy responses