Family composition and age at menarche: findings from the international Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children Study

This research was funded by The University of St Andrews and NHS Health Scotland.Background Early menarche has been associated with father absence, stepfather presence and adverse health consequences in later life. This article assesses the association of different family compositions with the age at menarche. Pathways are explored which may explain any association between family characteristics and pubertal timing. Methods Cross-sectional, international data on the age at menarche, family structure and covariates (age, psychosomatic complaints, media consumption, physical activity) were collected from the 2009–2010 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) survey. The sample focuses on 15-year old girls comprising 36,175 individuals across 40 countries in Europe and North America (N = 21,075 for age at menarche). The study examined the association of different family characteristics with age at menarche. Regression and path analyses were applied incorporating multilevel techniques to adjust for the nested nature of data within countries. Results Living with mother (Cohen’s d = .12), father (d = .08), brothers (d = .04) and sisters (d = .06) are independently associated with later age at menarche. Living in a foster home (d = −.16), with ‘someone else’ (d = −.11), stepmother (d = −.10) or stepfather (d = −.06) was associated with earlier menarche. Path models show that up to 89% of these effects can be explained through lifestyle and psychological variables. Conclusions Earlier menarche is reported amongst those with living conditions other than a family consisting of two biological parents. This can partly be explained by girls’ higher Body Mass Index in these families which is a biological determinant of early menarche. Lower physical activity and elevated psychosomatic complaints were also more often found in girls in these family environments.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Analysis of the relationships between edentulism, periodontal health, body composition, and bone mineral density in elderly women

Zofia Ignasiak,1 Malgorzata Radwan-Oczko,2 Krystyna Rozek-Piechura,3 Marta Cholewa,4 Anna Skrzek,5 Tomasz Ignasiak,6 Teresa Slawinska1 1Department of Biostructure, University School of Physical Education, Wroclaw, Poland; 2Department of Periodontology, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland; 3Department of Physiotherapy and Occupation Therapy in Internal Diseases, University School of Physical Education, Wroclaw, Poland; 4DENTARAMA Dentistry Center, Walbrzych, Poland; 5Department of Physiotherapy and Ocupation Therapy in Motor-System Dysfunction, University School of Physical Education, Wroclaw, Poland; 6Karkonosze State Higher School in Jelenia Gora, Jelenia Gora, Poland Objective: The relationship between bone mineral density (BMD) and tooth loss in conjunction with periodontal disease is not clear. The suggested effects include alteration in bone remodeling rates as well as the multifaceted etiology of edentulism. There is also a question if other body-related variables besides BMD, such as body composition, may be associated with tooth number and general periodontal health. The aim of this study was to evaluate if tooth number and marginal periodontal status are associated with body composition and BMD in a sample of elderly women. Materials and methods: The study involved 91 postmenopausal women. Data included basic anthropometric characteristics, body composition via bioelectrical impedance analysis, and BMD analysis at the distal end of the radial bone of the nondominant arm via peripheral dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. A dental examination was performed to assess tooth number, periodontal pocket depth (PD), and gingival bleeding. Results: In nonosteoporotic women, a significant positive correlation was found between BMD and lean body mass, total body water, and muscle mass. The indicators of bone metabolism correlated negatively with PD. Such relationships did not appear in osteoporotic women. In both groups, basic anthropometric characteristics and body composition were significantly and positively correlated with PD and bleeding on probing. Conclusion: The results suggest that body composition and BMD are not significantly correlated with tooth number and gingival bleeding. Keywords: tooth number, bone mineral density, fat mass, lean body mas

Drgania na stanowisku kierowcy ciągnika rolniczego podczas koszenia łąki z zastosowaniem wysokowydajnych kosiarek dyskowych

The paper concerns the subject of vibrations influence on driver body, generated by high efficient disc mowers while mowing and during transport on public roads and dirt roads. Information about accelerations of the head and the seat of machine operator were collected. Then these data were converted to the characteristics, which were compared with the limit values specified in ISO 2631. Allowable exposure times of the human body to the vibrations were defined and assessment of the risk of loss of control over the machine by vibration was performed.W artykule podjęto tematykę wpływu wibracji na organizm kierowcy, generowanych przez wysokowydajne kosiarki dyskowe, podczas realizacji procesu technologicznego koszenia oraz podczas przejazdów transportowych po drogach publicznych i polnych. Zgromadzono informacje o przebiegach przyspieszeń głowy oraz siedziska operatora agregatu. Dane te poddano następnie przekształceniom i uzyskano charakterystyki, które skonfrontowano z wartośćiami dopuszczalnymi określonymi w normie ISO 2631. Zdefiniowano dopuszczalne czasy ekspozycji na drgania dla organizmu człowieka i dokonano oceny narażenia na niebezpieczeństwo utraty kontroli nad prowadzonym zespołem w wyniku wibracji