The Effect of Nutrient Intake on Bone Mineral Status in Young Adults: The Northern Ireland Young Hearts Project

Aunque hemos hablado de ello, no estará de más recordar que uno de los mejores blogs de historia es el de la Historical Society. Este recién empezado año lo han inaugurado con un repaso al número que su revista, Historically Speaking, publicó a principios de 2009. Ha pasado cierto tiempo, es evidente, pero conviene detenerse en su contenido, porque no es habitual: la forma en la que escribimos  la historia. En efecto, la citada publicación dedicó una mesa redonda a debatir sobre "Teaching the..

Physical activity, sports participation and risk factors in adolescents

The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationships between physical activity (ACT), including sports participation (SP) and antecedent risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD), in a representative sample of adolescent from Northern Ireland, a region of high coronary mortality. Biological and behavioral risk factors were measured in a random sample of 1015 school children aged 12 and 15 yr, ACT and SP were assessed by self- report questionnaire, and relationships with biological risk factors were analyzed with stepwise multiple linear regression after controlling for potential confounders. Results showed that in 15-yr-old males ACT was beneficially associated with systolic blood pressure (P < 0.05), lipid profile, and cardiorespiratory fitness (both P < 0.01). In 15-yr-old females, SP was associated beneficially with fatness and cardiorespiratory fitness. Odds ratios calculated from logistic regression revealed that for the older children, a relatively small drop (-20%) in ACT (boys) or SP (girls) was significantly related to the probability of exposure to multiple risk factors. Overall, relationships were stronger for males rather than females and for older rather than younger children. This study provides further evidence for beneficial associations between ACT, SP, and CHD risk status in adolescents

Relationships between the development of biological risk factors for coronary heart disease and lifestyle parameteres during adolescence: the Northern Ireland Young Heart Project

The purpose of this study was to examine relationships between the longitudinal development of biological risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD) (namely, serum lipids, body fatness, blood pressure and cardiorespiratory fitness) and the development of lifestyles considered to be atherogenic. The study was conducted in a representative sample of adolescents from Northern Ireland, a region of high coronary mortality, and atherogenic aspects of lifestyle such as cigarette smoking, physical inactivity and selected aspects of diet were examined. Repeated measurements were made at 12 and 15 y of age on 229 boys and 230 girls. Longitudinal relations were analysed with generalised estimating equations, and the following longitudinal relations were found: for boys diastolic blood pressure was positively associated with vitamin C intake (P = 0.014), and inversely with energy intake (P = 0.006), and smoking (P = 0.048). Systolic blood pressure was inversely related to physical activity (P = 0.012), and smoking (P = 0.000). Body fatness was also inversely related to smoking (P = 0.006). Total cholesterol (TC) was positively related to physical activity (P = 0.044) and the TC:HDL cholesterol ratio positively to vitamin C intake (P = 0.008). Cardiorespiratory fitness was positively related to physical activity (P = 0.000) and inversely to smoking (P = 0.031). For girls, systolic blood pressure was positively related to vitamin C intake (P = 0.042); HDL cholesterol inversely to carbohydrate intake (P = 0.014), fat intake (P = 0.031), cholesterol intake (P = 0.042) and smoking (P = 0.035) and positively to energy intake (P = 0.035). The TC:HDL cholesterol ratio was inversely related to energy intake (P = 0.038) and finally, cardiorespiratory fitness positively to physical activity (P = 0.001). These results offer additional evidence that changes in lifestyle are associated with changes in biological risk factors in adolescents. Education and intervention at this stage, particularly in relation to cigarette smoking, physical activity and certain aspects of diet appear justified as part of a preventative strategy for CHD

Clustering of biological risk factors for cardiovascular disease and the longitudinal relationship with lifestyle of an adolescent population: the Northern Ireland Young Hearts Project

Objective To determine whether clustering of biological cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors exists and to investigate the longitudinal relationship between lifestyle parameters (dietary intake, physical activity and smoking behaviour) and clustering of biological CVD risk factors, which was defined as belonging to one or more sex-specific &apos;high-risk&apos; quartiles for the ratio between levels of total serum cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, diastolic blood pressure, body fatness (sum of four skinfolds) and cardiopulmonary fitness (number of laps accomplished on a 20 m shuttle-run test). Methods The study was part of the Northern Ireland Young Hearts Project a 3-year observational longitudinal study concerning adolescent boys (n =229) and girls (n=230) who were initially aged 12 years. The longitudinal relationships wer