Hauerwas and the Law: Framing a Productive Conversation

Background: Meal-Q and its shorter version, MiniMeal-Q, are 2 new Web-based food frequency questionnaires. Their meal-based and interactive format was designed to promote ease of use and to minimize answering time, desirable improvements in large epidemiological studies. Objective: We evaluated the validity of energy and macronutrient intake assessed with Meal-Q and MiniMeal-Q as well as the reproducibility of Meal-Q. Methods: Healthy volunteers aged 20-63 years recruited from Stockholm County filled out the 174-item Meal-Q. The questionnaire was compared to 7-day weighed food records (WFR; n=163), for energy and macronutrient intake, and to doubly labeled water (DLW; n=39), for total energy expenditure. In addition, the 126-item MiniMeal-Q was evaluated in a simulated validation using truncated Meal-Q data. We also assessed the answering time and ease of use of both questionnaires. Results: Bland-Altman plots showed a varying bias within the intake range for all validity comparisons. Cross-classification of quartiles placed 70%-86% in the same/adjacent quartile with WFR and 77% with DLW. Deattenuated and energy-adjusted Pearson correlation coefficients with the WFR ranged from r=0.33-0.74 for macronutrients and was r=0.18 for energy. Correlations with DLW were r=0.42 for Meal-Q and r=0.38 for MiniMeal-Q. Intraclass correlations for Meal-Q ranged from r=0.57-0.90. Median answering time was 17 minutes for Meal-Q and 7 minutes for MiniMeal-Q, and participants rated both questionnaires as easy to use. Conclusions: Meal-Q and MiniMeal-Q are easy to use and have short answering times. The ranking agreement is good for most of the nutrients for both questionnaires and Meal-Q shows fair reproducibility.QC 20130709</p

Workplace health promotion to facilitate physical activity among office workers in Sweden

Office workers spend most of their working time being sedentary, contributing to a sedentary lifestyle that increases the risk of developing disease and disability. A gradual decline in cardiorespiratory fitness among adults, along with increased rate of non-communicable diseases across developed countries, makes the workplace an important opportunity for promoting healthy behaviors. This study aimed to investigate: how office companies in Sweden organize and provide workplace health promotion services related to physical activity; the companies' vision for providing workplace health promotion; and potential facilitators and barriers. Nine informants from eight companies participated in the study, and both qualitative and quantitative data were collected by semi-structured interviews. Informants were selected through purposive sampling in collaboration with eight companies in the office market, including companies that own and develop office buildings, shared workspaces, interior design, sustainable solutions, or consult on issues related to the office sector. The framework method was used to analyze the data in a flexible and systematic way. The results showed that workplace health promotion is implemented to maintain employee health, productivity, and employee branding. Also, a significant number of financial resources, organizational support and office space are devoted to workplace health promotion. Convenience and easy access to storage and fitness facilities are key facilitators. In conclusion, this study highlights the importance of employees' engagement in developing and improving workplace health promotion and addressing work-life balance constraints that hinder a healthy lifestyle. Removing barriers on an organizational level may improve the usage of workplace health promotion related to physical activity among office employees

The Nordic Nutrition Recommendations and prostate cancer risk in the Cancer of the Prostate in Sweden (CAPS) study.

AbstractObjectiveThe Nordic Nutrition Recommendations (NNR) aim at preventing diet-associated diseases such as cancer in the Nordic countries. We evaluated adherence to the NNR in relation to prostate cancer (PC) in Swedish men, including potential interaction with a genetic risk score and with lifestyle factors.DesignPopulation-based case–control study (Cancer of the Prostate in Sweden (CAPS), 2001–2002). Using data from a semi-quantitative FFQ, we created an NNR adherence score and estimated relative risks of PC by unconditional logistic regression. Individual score components were modelled separately and potential modifying effects were assessed on the multiplicative scale.SettingFour regions in the central and northern parts of Sweden.SubjectsIncident PC patients (n 1386) and population controls (n 940), frequency-matched on age and region.ResultsNo overall association with PC was found, possibly due to the generally high adherence to the NNR score and its narrow distribution in the study population. Among individual NNR score components, high compared with low intakes of polyunsaturated fat were associated with an increased relative risk of localized PC. No formal interaction with genetic or lifestyle factors was observed, although in stratified analysis a positive association between the NNR and PC was suggested among men with a high genetic risk score but not among men with a medium or low genetic risk score.ConclusionsOur findings do not support an association between NNR adherence and PC. The suggestive interaction with the genetic risk score deserves further investigations in other study populations

Mediterranean Diet Score and prostate cancer risk in a Swedish population-based case–control study

Several individual components of the Mediterranean diet have been shown to offer protection against prostate cancer. The present study is the first to investigate the association between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and the relative risk of prostate cancer. We also explored the usefulness of the Mediterranean Diet Score (MDS) in a non-Mediterranean population. FFQ data were obtained from 1482 incident prostate cancer patients and 1108 population-based controls in the Cancer of the Prostate in Sweden (CAPS) study. We defined five MDS variants with different components or using either study-specific intakes or intakes in a Greek reference population as cut-off values between low and high intake of each component. Unconditional logistic regression was used to estimate the relative risk of prostate cancer for high and medium v. low MDS, as well as potential associations with the individual score components. No statistically significant association was found between adherence to the Mediterranean diet based on any of the MDS variants and prostate cancer risk (OR range: 0·96–1·19 for total prostate cancer, comparing high with low adherence). Overall, we found little support for an association between the Mediterranean diet and prostate cancer in this Northern European study population. Despite potential limitations inherent in the study or in the build-up of a dietary score, we suggest that the original MDS with study-specific median intakes as cut-off values between low and high intake is useful in assessing the adherence to the Mediterranean diet in non-Mediterranean populations

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms and dietary habits in adulthood: A large population-based twin study in Sweden

Associations between adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms and dietary habits have not been well established and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We explored these associations using a Swedish population-based twin study with 17,999 individuals aged 20–47 years. We estimated correlations between inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity with dietary habits and fitted twin models to determine the genetic and environmental contributions. Dietary habits were defined as (a) consumption of food groups, (b) consumption of food items rich in particular macronutrients, and (c) healthy and unhealthy dietary patterns. At the phenotypic level, inattention was positively correlated with seafood, high-fat, high-sugar, high-protein food consumptions, and unhealthy dietary pattern, with correlation coefficients ranging from 0.03 (95%CI: 0.01, 0.05) to 0.13 (95% CI: 0.11, 0.15). Inattention was negatively correlated with fruits, vegetables consumptions and healthy dietary pattern, with correlation coefficients ranging from −0.06 (95%CI: −0.08, −0.04) to −0.07 (95%CI: −0.09, −0.05). Hyperactivity/impulsivity and dietary habits showed similar but weaker patterns compared to inattention. All associations remained stable across age, sex and socioeconomic status. Nonshared environmental effects contributed substantially to the correlations of inattention (56–60%) and hyperactivity/impulsivity (63–80%) with dietary habits. The highest and lowest genetic correlations were between inattention and high-sugar food (rA = .16, 95% CI: 0.07, 0.25), and between hyperactivity/impulsivity and unhealthy dietary pattern (rA = .05, 95% CI: −0.05, 0.14), respectively. We found phenotypic and etiological overlap between ADHD and dietary habits, although these associations were weak. Our findings contribute to a better understanding of common etiological pathways between ADHD symptoms and various dietary habits.publishedVersio

Alcohol Intake and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease in Younger, Middle-Aged, and Older Adults

BACKGROUND: Light-to-moderate alcohol consumption is associated with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). This protective effect of alcohol, however, may be confined to middle-aged or older individuals. CHD Incidence is low in men younger than 40 and in women younger than 50 years and for this reason, study cohorts rarely have the power to investigate effects of alcohol on CHD risk in younger adults. This study examined whether the beneficial effect of alcohol on CHD depends on age. METHODS AND RESULTS: A pooled analysis of eight prospective studies from North America and Europe including 192,067 women and 74,919 men free of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and cancers at baseline. Average daily alcohol intake was assessed at baseline using a food frequency or diet history questionnaire. An inverse association between alcohol and risk of coronary heart disease was observed in all age groups: hazard ratios among moderately drinking men (5.0–29.9 g/day) aged 39–50, 50–59, and 60+ years were 0.58 (95% C.I. 0.36 to 0.93), 0.72 (95% C.I. 0.60–0.86), and 0.85 (95% C.I. 0.75 to 0.97) compared with abstainers. However, the analyses indicated a smaller incidence rate difference (IRD) between abstainers and moderate consumers in younger adults (IRD=45 per 100,000; 90% C.I. 8 to 84), than in middle-aged (IRD=64 per 100,000; 90% C.I. 24 to 102) and older adults (IRD=89 per 100,000; 90% C.I. 44 to 140). Similar results were observed in women. CONCLUSIONS: Alcohol is also associated with a decreased risk of CHD in younger adults; however, the absolute risk was small compared with middle-aged and older adults

Background risk of breast cancer and the association between physical activity and mammographic density

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Community-Based Approaches to Reducing Health Inequities and Fostering Environmental Justice through Global Youth-Engaged Citizen Science

Growing socioeconomic and structural disparities within and between nations have created unprecedented health inequities that have been felt most keenly among the world’s youth. While policy approaches can help to mitigate such inequities, they are often challenging to enact in under-resourced and marginalized communities. Community-engaged participatory action research provides an alternative or complementary means for addressing the physical and social environmental contexts that can impact health inequities. The purpose of this article is to describe the application of a particular form of technology-enabled participatory action research, called the Our Voice citizen science research model, with youth. An overview of 20 Our Voice studies occurring across five continents indicates that youth and young adults from varied backgrounds and with interests in diverse issues affecting their communities can participate successfully in multiple contributory research processes, including those representing the full scientific endeavor. These activities can, in turn, lead to changes in physical and social environments of relevance to health, wellbeing, and, at times, climate stabilization. The article ends with future directions for the advancement of this type of community-engaged citizen science among young people across the socioeconomic spectrum

Payment cards and its market analysis and development in Latvia

Bakalaura darbs ir izstrādāts ar mērķi izpētīt maksājumu kartes pasaulē un Latvijā, kā arī izanalizēt šī brīža maksājumu karšu tirgus stāvokli un sagaidāmās attīstības iespējas Latvijā. Autors secina, ka Latvijas maksājumu sistēma ir augsti attīstīta un stabila, kas nozīme, ka Latvija ir gatava jaunu maksājumu karšu produktu ieviešanai tirgū, turpretī Latvijas iedzīvotāji ir skeptiski noskaņoti par sagaidāmajām pārmaiņām. Darbā apskatīti un izvērtēti maksājumu karšu pirmsākumi un uzbūve, maksājumu karšu veidi un asociācijas, jaunākā statistika par maksājumu kartēm Latvijā, bezkontakta maksājumu karšu attīstības iespējas Latvijā, kā arī aptaujas rezultāti. Bakalaura darba izstrādei izmantota bakalaura darba tēmai atbilstoša zinātniskā literatūra, statistika, periodika un interneta resursi. Bakalaura darbs izklāstīts 67 lapās, tas ietver arī 7 tabulas, 15 attēlus un 1 pielikumu. Izmantotās literatūras un avotu saraksts- 30 vienības.The bachelor thesis is designed to explore the payment cards in the world and in Latvia, as well as to analyze the current state of the payment card market and expected development opportunities in Latvia. The author concludes that the Latvian payment system is highly developed and stable, which means that Latvia is ready for a launch of new payment card products to the market, while Latvian residents are sceptical about the expected changes. The Payment Card origins and structure of payment card types and associations, the most recent statistics on the Latvian payment cards, contactless payment cards development opportunities in Latvia, as well as the results of the survey are explored in this work. Appropriate scientific literature, statistical data, periodicals and the Internet databases have been used to work out the bachelor thesis. Thesis outlined in 67 pages, it includes 7 tables, 15 pictures and 1 attachment. Literature and list of sources - 30 units