Housing environment and mental health of Europeans during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-country comparison

Many studies have investigated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health. Throughout the pandemic, time spent at home increased to a great extent due to restrictive measures. Here we set out to investigate the relationship between housing conditions and the mental health of populations across European countries. We analyzed survey data collected during spring 2020 from 69,136 individuals from four cohorts from Denmark, France, and the UK. The investigated housing conditions included household density, composition, and crowding, access to outdoor facilities, dwelling type, and urbanicity. The outcomes were loneliness, anxiety, and life satisfaction. Logistic regression models were used, and results were pooled using random-effects meta-analysis. In the meta-analysis, living alone was associated with higher levels of loneliness (OR = 3.08, 95% CI 1.87–5.07), and lower life satisfaction (OR = 1.27, 95% CI 1.05–0.55), compared to living with others. Not having access to an outdoor space and household crowding were suggestively associated with worse outcomes. Living in crowded households, living alone, or lacking access to outdoor facilities may be particularly important in contributing to poor mental health during a lockdown. Addressing the observed fundamental issues related to housing conditions within society will likely have positive effects in reducing social inequalities, as well as improving preparedness for future pandemics

Evaluation of Eating Habits and Quality of Life in Postbariatric Surgery Patients and Their Family Members: A Case-Control Study

Background. Obesity is a major health problem worldwide. Today, bariatric surgery is considered as the last option and most effective treatment for severe obesity (BMI ≥40 kg/m2 or BMI ≥35 kg/m2 with metabolic conditions). Aims. We aimed to evaluate the medium-term effect (>36 months) of bariatric surgery and assess postbariatric nutritional and lifestyle management among Lebanese patients who underwent bariatric surgeries in Jbeil and Keserwan hospitals. Methods. This study is a quantitative case-control study. The case group includes a couple of patients who have undergone sleeve or bypass surgery 6 months ago and above, along with the main family caregivers. The control group constitutes a couple of obese patients with BMI ≥30 kg/m2 who did not proceed to any surgical intervention with their main caregivers. The final samples consisted of 53 cases and caregivers and 50 controls and caregivers. The assessment was made by an online questionnaire. Results. Compared to obese patients, bariatric patients were less likely to have high energy intake (54% versus 34%, P value 0.012). Moreover, 35.8% of the caregivers of bariatric patients had a low physical activity level compared to those of the control group who had a lower level (70%). In addition, cases’ main caregivers (75.5%) had much higher quality of life compared to the cases (56.6%), and also, higher quality of life was seen among the case’s main caregivers (75%) compared to the controls (72%). Conclusion. In Jbeil and Keserwan regions of Lebanon, there is a lack of postbariatric nutritional and lifestyle management leading to less desirable outcomes in the medium to long term. A set of recommendations are developed based on this study

Poverty does not modify the association between perceived diet healthiness and adherence to nutritional guidelines in the Constances cohort (France)

Poor individuals have less healthy diets and seem to benefit less from nutrition information campaigns. One may wonder if they are less aware of their diets’ shortcomings. The aim of this paper is to assess whether the association between perceived diet healthiness and adherence to nutritional guidelines is weaker among poor people. Data were collected from 40,000 participants from the Constances study, a large population-based observational cohort in France. Adherence to French nutritional guidelines was measured by a validated score based on a 22 item food frequency questionnaire and poverty was defined as facing material deprivation. These variables and their interaction were the variables of interest of a linear regression predicting perceived diet healthiness, with controls for confounders and 95% CI. Poor participants had lower nutrition scores and diet healthiness perceptions. Among respondents who had never faced material deprivation, for each increase in the guideline adherence score there was a +0.21 change (95% CI [0.18,0.23]) in perceived diet healthiness for men (women: +0.19 [0.17,0.22]). The coefficients were not smaller among poor respondents. Our results do not support the assumption that people facing poverty might overestimate their diet healthiness. This suggests that information campaigns are not enough: policies or interventions making healthy eating easier and more manageable are necessary

The association between substance use and subsequent employment among students: prospective findings from the CONSTANCES cohort

International audienceAbstract Purpose To examine prospectively associations between substance use and subsequent employment among young students. Methods From the French population-based CONSTANCES cohort, 1427 students who never worked were included between 2012 and 2018 and followed up for 2.1 years on average. Generalized estimating equations computed the odds of being unemployed versus employed according to substance use at baseline controlling for sociodemographic factors and depressive state. Tobacco use (smoking status and number of cigarettes), cannabis use frequency, and at-risk alcohol use according to the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (total score > 7) were introduced separately in the models. Results Tobacco use was not significantly associated with employment. Cannabis use at least weekly was associated with increased odds of being unemployed OR 1.73 (1.16–2.57). At-risk alcohol use was no longer significantly associated with employment after adjustment for depressive state, while analyses on sub-scores of alcohol use suggested that alcohol dependence was associated with increased odds of being unemployed OR 1.65 (1.16–2.34). Conclusion Public health campaigns targeting youth should include lower chances of getting employed among the detrimental roles of regular cannabis use and at-risk alcohol use

Towards quantifying the reciprocal associations between frequency of cannabis use and alcohol consumption: a cross-lagged analysis from the CONSTANCES cohort

International audienceObjective Disentangle the temporal relationships between frequency of cannabis use and alcohol consumption. Methods A cross-lagged model providing standardised coefficients (SCs)±their standard errors in 13 255 men and 13 696 women enrolled in 2015 or 2016 in the French population-based 'CONSulTANts des Centres d'Examens de Santé' (CONSTANCES) cohort. Cannabis use was categorised as follows: ‘No use during the past 12 months’, ‘Use during the past 12 months but not in the past month’ and ‘Use in the past month’ for cannabis use at baseline, and No use during the past 12 months, ‘Use less than once per month’ and ‘Use once per month or more’ for cannabis use at 1 year of follow-up. Alcohol consumption was measured at baseline and at 1 year of follow-up and three categories were determined: low risk (<28 drinks per week in men; <14 drinks per week in women), moderate risk (≥28 and<42 in men; ≥14 and<28 in women) and high risk (≥42 in men; ≥28 in women). Analyses were adjusted for age, sex, education, income, tobacco consumption, self-rated health status and depressive symptoms. Results Both associations from alcohol to cannabis and from cannabis to alcohol were significant (SC=0.02±0.01 with p=0.003 and SC=0.06±0.01 with p<0.001, respectively). However, the SC of the association from cannabis to alcohol was three times higher than the opposite association (p<0.001). After stratification for sex, SCs of the association from cannabis to alcohol were more than two times higher than for the opposite association in men, and more than four times higher in women (both p<0.001). Conclusions The association between frequency of cannabis use and subsequent alcohol consumption was stronger than the opposite association. This finding encourages considering the risk of increased alcohol consumption among cannabis users

Prévalence du surpoids, de l’obésité et des facteurs de risque cardio-métaboliques dans la cohorte Constances

International audienceOBJECTIVES  – The objective of this article is to provide data on the prevalence of overweight and obesity in France. The prevalence of the ’metabolically healthy obesity’ phenotype (MHO) was also determined. METHODS  – The study population consisted of 28,895  participants from the CONSTANCES cohort, aged 30-69 years in 2013. Weight, height, waist circumference, and blood pressure were measured. Blood analyses were performed. Abdominal obesity was defined as a waist circumference ≥94 cm for men and ≥80 cm for women. Sociodemographic data was collected using questionnaires. RESULTS – The prevalence of overweight was 41.0% and 25.3% in men and women respectively. The prevalence of obesity was 15.8% for men and 15.6% for women. The prevalence of abdominal obesity was higher with rates of 41.6% and 48.5% for men and women respectively. Women have a higher prevalence of the MHO phenotype (51.8%) versus men (25.7%) without taking into consideration medications intake. CONCLUSION – Excess weight concerns nearly half of the French population. These results confirm the importance of this nutritional pathology in terms of public health.Objectifs-L'objectif de cette étude était de fournir des estimations de la prévalence du surpoids et de l'obésité en France. La fréquence du phénotype d'obésité métaboliquement saine (MHO) a aussi été calculée. Méthodes-La population d'étude était constituée de 28 895 participants issus de la cohorte Constance, âgés de 30 à 69 ans en 2013. Le poids, la taille, le tour de taille et la tension artérielle ont été mesurés. Des analyses sanguines ont été effectuées. L'obésité abdominale était définie par un tour de taille ≥94 cm pour les hommes et ≥80 cm pour les femmes, et les données sociodémographiques ont été recueillies par questionnaires. Résultats-La prévalence du surpoids était de 41,0% et 25,3%, respectivement, chez les hommes et les femmes. La prévalence de l'obésité globale était de 15,8% pour les hommes et de 15,6% pour les femmes, celle de l'obésité abdominale était de 41,6% et 48,5% respectivement chez les hommes et les femmes. La prévalence du phénotype MHO, sans prise en compte des traitements, était moins élevée chez les hommes (25,7%) que chez les femmes (51,8%). Conclusion-L'excès de poids concerne près de la moitié de la population en France. Ces données confirment l'importance de cette pathologie nutritionnelle en termes de santé publique. Objectives-The objective of this article is to provide data on the prevalence of overweight and obesity in France. The prevalence of the 'metabolically healthy obesity' phenotype (MHO) was also determined. Methods-The study population consisted of 28,895 participants from the CONSTANCES cohort, aged 30-69 years in 2013. Weight, height, waist circumference, and blood pressure were measured. Blood analyses were performed. Abdominal obesity was defined as a waist circumference ≥94 cm for men and ≥80 cm for women. Sociodemographic data was collected using questionnaires. Results-The prevalence of overweight was 41.0% and 25.3% in men and women respectively. The prevalence of obesity was 15.8% for men and 15.6% for women. The prevalence of abdominal obesity was higher with rates of 41.6% and 48.5% for men and women respectively. Women have a higher prevalence of the MHO phenotype (51.8%) versus men (25.7%) without taking into consideration medications intake. Conclusion-Excess weight concerns nearly half of the French population. These results confirm the importance of this nutritional pathology in terms of public health

Prévalence du surpoids, de l’obésité et des facteurs de risque cardio-métaboliques dans la cohorte Constances

International audienceOBJECTIVES  – The objective of this article is to provide data on the prevalence of overweight and obesity in France. The prevalence of the ’metabolically healthy obesity’ phenotype (MHO) was also determined. METHODS  – The study population consisted of 28,895  participants from the CONSTANCES cohort, aged 30-69 years in 2013. Weight, height, waist circumference, and blood pressure were measured. Blood analyses were performed. Abdominal obesity was defined as a waist circumference ≥94 cm for men and ≥80 cm for women. Sociodemographic data was collected using questionnaires. RESULTS – The prevalence of overweight was 41.0% and 25.3% in men and women respectively. The prevalence of obesity was 15.8% for men and 15.6% for women. The prevalence of abdominal obesity was higher with rates of 41.6% and 48.5% for men and women respectively. Women have a higher prevalence of the MHO phenotype (51.8%) versus men (25.7%) without taking into consideration medications intake. CONCLUSION – Excess weight concerns nearly half of the French population. These results confirm the importance of this nutritional pathology in terms of public health.Objectifs-L'objectif de cette étude était de fournir des estimations de la prévalence du surpoids et de l'obésité en France. La fréquence du phénotype d'obésité métaboliquement saine (MHO) a aussi été calculée. Méthodes-La population d'étude était constituée de 28 895 participants issus de la cohorte Constance, âgés de 30 à 69 ans en 2013. Le poids, la taille, le tour de taille et la tension artérielle ont été mesurés. Des analyses sanguines ont été effectuées. L'obésité abdominale était définie par un tour de taille ≥94 cm pour les hommes et ≥80 cm pour les femmes, et les données sociodémographiques ont été recueillies par questionnaires. Résultats-La prévalence du surpoids était de 41,0% et 25,3%, respectivement, chez les hommes et les femmes. La prévalence de l'obésité globale était de 15,8% pour les hommes et de 15,6% pour les femmes, celle de l'obésité abdominale était de 41,6% et 48,5% respectivement chez les hommes et les femmes. La prévalence du phénotype MHO, sans prise en compte des traitements, était moins élevée chez les hommes (25,7%) que chez les femmes (51,8%). Conclusion-L'excès de poids concerne près de la moitié de la population en France. Ces données confirment l'importance de cette pathologie nutritionnelle en termes de santé publique. Objectives-The objective of this article is to provide data on the prevalence of overweight and obesity in France. The prevalence of the 'metabolically healthy obesity' phenotype (MHO) was also determined. Methods-The study population consisted of 28,895 participants from the CONSTANCES cohort, aged 30-69 years in 2013. Weight, height, waist circumference, and blood pressure were measured. Blood analyses were performed. Abdominal obesity was defined as a waist circumference ≥94 cm for men and ≥80 cm for women. Sociodemographic data was collected using questionnaires. Results-The prevalence of overweight was 41.0% and 25.3% in men and women respectively. The prevalence of obesity was 15.8% for men and 15.6% for women. The prevalence of abdominal obesity was higher with rates of 41.6% and 48.5% for men and women respectively. Women have a higher prevalence of the MHO phenotype (51.8%) versus men (25.7%) without taking into consideration medications intake. Conclusion-Excess weight concerns nearly half of the French population. These results confirm the importance of this nutritional pathology in terms of public health

Are aga-born obese adults more metabolically healhty than sga-born obese individuals?

International audienc

Depressive Symptoms and Vegetarian Diets: Results from the Constances Cohort

The association between depressive symptoms and vegetarian diets is controversial. This study examines the cross-sectional association between depressive symptoms and vegetarian diets while controlling for potential confounders. Among 90,380 subjects from the population-based Constances cohort, depressive symptoms were defined by a score &#8805;19 on the Centre of Epidemiologic Studies-Depression (CES-D) scale and diet types (omnivorous, pesco-vegetarian, lacto-ovo-vegetarian and vegan) were determined with a food frequency questionnaire. Associations between depressive symptoms and diet were estimated through logistic regressions adjusting for socio-demographics, other foods, alcohol and tobacco consumption, physical activity and health-related concerns; specificity analyses considered the exclusion of any other food group. Depressive symptoms were associated with pesco-vegetarian and lacto-ovo-vegetarian diets in multivariable analyses (Odds-Ratio [95% confidence interval]: 1.43 [1.19&#8315;1.72] and 1.36 [1.09&#8315;1.70], respectively), especially in case of low legumes intake (p for interaction &lt; 0.0001), as well as with the exclusion of any food group (e.g., 1.37 [1.24&#8315;1.52], 1.40 [1.31&#8315;1.50], 1.71 [1.49&#8315;1.97] for meat, fish and vegetables exclusion, respectively). Regardless of food type, the Odds-Ratio of depressive symptoms gradually increased with the number of excluded food groups (p for trend &lt; 0.0001). Depressive symptoms are associated with the exclusion of any food group from the diet, including but not restricted to animal products

Metabolically Healthy Overweight and Obesity Is Associated with Higher Adherence to a Traditional Dietary Pattern: A Cross-Sectional Study among Adults in Lebanon

This study aimed to examine the proportion and socio-demographic correlates of Metabolically Healthy Overweight and Obesity (MHOv/O) among Lebanese adults and to investigate the independent effect of previously identified dietary patterns on odds of MHOv/O. Data were drawn from the National Nutrition and Non-Communicable Disease Risk Factor Survey (Lebanon 2008–2009). Out of the 337 adult participants who had complete socio-demographic, lifestyle, dietary as well as anthropometric and biochemical data, 196 had a BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 and their data were included in this study. MHOv/O was identified using the Adult Treatment Panel criteria. Dietary patterns previously derived in this study population were: Fast Food/Dessert, Traditional-Lebanese and High-Protein. The proportion of MHOv/O in the study sample was 37.2%. Females, higher education and high level of physical activity were positively associated with odds of MHOv/O. Subjects with higher adherence to the Traditional-Lebanese pattern had higher odds of MHOv/O (OR: 1.83, 95% CI: 1.09–3.91). No significant associations were observed between the Fast Food/Dessert and the high-protein patterns with MHOv/O. Follow-up studies are needed to confirm those findings and understand the mechanisms by which the Traditional-Lebanese pattern may exert a protective effect in this subgroup of overweight and obese adults