Stress during Pregnancy and Offspring Pediatric Disease: A National Cohort Study

Background: Identifying risk factors for adverse health outcomes in children is important. The intrauterine environment plays a pivotal role for health and disease across life

Patterns of cross-sectional and predictive physical activity in Swiss adults aged 52+: results from the SAPALDIA cohort

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) account for the vast majority of deaths in Switzerland. Insufficient physical activity (PA) is an established NCD risk factor and PA is known to be beneficial for physical and mental wellbeing. Sedentary behaviour (SB) is an additional, independent risk factor and associated with frailty in older adults. This study aimed at describing cross-sectional PA patterns in a general population sample of subjects aged 52 years and older (52+) from eight areas across different language regions of Switzerland. Additionally, the predictive association of self-reported PA for objectively measured PA was tested.; Participants 52+ of the Swiss Cohort Study on Air Pollution And Lung and Heart Disease In Adults (SAPALDIA) who completed accelerometer data collection at the most recent follow-up (SAPALDIA4 in 2017/18) and provided information on determinants of interest (sex, age, body mass index [BMI], language region, education, employment status, civil status, smoking) were included in the analysis (n = 1314). The accelerometer-derived average time spent in different PA intensities (SB, light PA [LPA], moderate-to-vigorous PA [MVPA]) was estimated according to participant characteristics with control for season and wear time using multiple linear regressions. In further analyses, the predictive effect of changes in self-reported PA over roughly ten years between SAPALDIA2 (2001/02) and SAPALDIA3 (2010/11) (remaining inactive [RI]; becoming inactive [BI]; becoming active [BA]; remaining active [RA]) on the objectively measured SB, LPA and MVPA obtained seven years later by accelerometry (SAPALDIA4), was assessed using multiple linear regression models.; Overall, 21.7% of 52+ participants met the Swiss recommendations for subjectively assessed PA. Obese participants, 75+ year-olds, smokers and subjects living alone spent more time in SB and less time in LPA and MVPA compared with participants with a BMI below 25 kg/m2, between 52 and 64 years old, not smoking and being married, respectively. Residents living in the French-speaking part of Switzerland were less likely to engage in MVPA compared with residents from the German-speaking part and thus were less likely to meet the PA recommendations. A trend for increasing PA and decreasing SB was observed consistently across the four groups (RI, BI, BA, RA) of predictive self-reported PA patterns with participants remaining active over the course of roughly ten years showing highest levels of PA and lowest levels of SB measured objectively at SAPALDIA4.; The high proportion of SB points to the need of physical activity promotion for the older part of the population in Switzerland. According to our data, behavioural changes in PA are possible and sustainable as we can see in the group of participants becoming active and this is essential for health promotion recommendations

Associations of Novel and Traditional Vascular Biomarkers of Arterial Stiffness: Results of the SAPALDIA 3 Cohort Study

There is a lack of evidence concerning associations between novel parameters of arterial stiffness as cardiovascular risk markers and traditional structural and functional vascular biomarkers in a population-based Caucasian cohort. We examined these associations in the second follow-up of the Swiss Cohort Study on Air Pollution and Lung and Heart Diseases in Adults (SAPALDIA 3).; Arterial stiffness was measured oscillometrically by pulse wave analysis to derive the cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI), brachial-ankle (baPWV) and aortic pulse wave velocity (aPWV), and amplitude of the forward and backward wave. Carotid ultrasonography was used to measure carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) and carotid lumen diameter (LD), and to derive a distensibility coefficient (DC). We used multivariable linear regression models adjusted for several potential confounders for 2,733 people aged 50-81 years.; CAVI, aPWV and the amplitude of the forward and backward wave were significant predictors of cIMT (p < 0.001). All parameters were significantly associated with LD (p < 0.001), with aPWV and the amplitude of the forward wave explaining the highest proportion of variance (2%). Only CAVI and baPWV were significant predictors of DC (p < 0.001), explaining more than 0.3% of the DC variance.; We demonstrated that novel non-invasive oscillometric arterial stiffness parameters are differentially associated with specific established structural and functional local stiffness parameters. Longitudinal studies are needed to follow-up on these cross-sectional findings and to evaluate their relevance for clinical phenotypes

Incidence of depression in relation to transportation noise exposure and noise annoyance in the SAPALDIA study

Prospective evidence on the risk of depression in relation to transportation noise exposure and noise annoyance is limited and mixed. We aimed to investigate the associations of long-term exposure to source-specific transportation noise and noise annoyance with incidence of depression in the SAPALDIA (Swiss cohort study on air pollution and lung and heart diseases in adults) cohort. We investigated 4,581 SAPALDIA participants without depression in the year 2001/2002. Corresponding one-year mean road, railway and aircraft day-evening-night noise (Lden) was calculated at the most exposed façade of the participants' residential floors, and transportation noise annoyance was assessed on an 11-point scale. Incident cases of depression were identified in 2010/2011, and comprised participants reporting physician diagnosis, intake of antidepressant medication or having a short form-36 mental health score < 50. We used robust Poisson regressions to estimate the mutually adjusted relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of depression, independent of traffic-related air pollution and other potential confounders. Incidence of depression was 11 cases per 1,000 person-years. In single exposure models, we observed positive but in part, statistically non-significant associations (per 10 dB) of road traffic Lden [RR: 1.06 (0.93, 1.22)] and aircraft Lden [RR: 1.19 (0.93, 1.53)], and (per 1-point difference) of noise annoyance [RR: 1.05 (1.02, 1.08)] with depression risk. In multi-exposure model, noise annoyance effect remained unchanged, with weaker effects of road traffic Lden [(RR: 1.02 (0.89, 1.17)] and aircraft Lden [(RR: 1.17 (0.90, 1.50)]. However, there were statistically significant indirect effects of road traffic Lden [(β: 0.02 (0.01, 0.03)] and aircraft Lden [β: 0.01 (0.002, 0.02)] via noise annoyance. There were no associations with railway Lden in the single and multi-exposure models [(RR; both models; : 0.88 (0.75, 1.03)]. We made similar findings among 2,885 non-movers, where the effect modification and cumulative risks were more distinct. Noise annoyance effect in non-movers was stronger among the insufficiently active (RR: 1.09; 95%CI: 1.02, 1.17; p; interaction; = 0.07) and those with daytime sleepiness [RR: 1.07 (1.02, 1.12); p; interaction; = 0.008]. Cumulative risks of Lden in non-movers showed additive tendencies for the linear cumulative risk [(RR; per 10dB of combined sources; : 1.31 (0.90, 1.91)] and the categorical cumulative risk [(RR; triple- vs. zero-source ≥45 dB; : 2.29 (1.02, 5.14)], and remained stable to noise annoyance. Transportation noise level and noise annoyance may jointly and independently influence the risk of depression. Combined long-term exposures to noise level seems to be most detrimental, largely acting via annoyance. The moderation of noise annoyance effect by daytime sleepiness and physical activity further contribute to clarifying the involved mechanisms. More evidence is needed to confirm these findings for effective public health control of depression and noise exposure burden

Associations between domains of physical activity, sitting time, and different measures of overweight and obesity

AbstractObjectiveTo describe 1) cross-sectional associations between domain-specific physical activity, sitting time and different measures of overweight/obesity and 2) longitudinal associations between patterns of change in physical activity and overweight/obesity ten years later.MethodsCross-sectional and longitudinal analyses based on the first and second follow-up of the Swiss cohort study SAPALDIA (SAP) were conducted (SAP2 in 2002/03, SAP3 in 2010/11). Physical activity was assessed by self-report using the long International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and four short questions regarding moderate and vigorous activities. Overweight/obesity were defined based on body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) and percent body fat based on bioelectric impedance analysis (BIA), all measured objectively. Multivariable logistic regression was used for analyses.ResultsCross-sectionally, leisure-time and vigorous physical activity were inversely associated with all obesity parameters. Most consistent associations were found with BIA percent body fat. There were no associations between work-related and domestic activities and overweight/obesity. Sitting time was positively associated with BIA percent body fat, but not with BMI, WHR and WHtR. Longitudinally, remaining inactive from SAP2 to SAP3 was associated with obesity and BIA percent body fat at SAP3 and with weight increase, becoming inactive with BIA percent body fat and weight increase.ConclusionsThe results support associations between physical activity and overweight/obesity cross-sectionally and longitudinally. Most consistent associations were found for BIA percent body fat. For prevention purposes, the results indicate that physical activity can have an important contribution to weight management

The independent association of source-specific transportation noise exposure, noise annoyance and noise sensitivity with health-related quality of life

Noise exposure is affecting health-related quality of life (HRQoL). There are many modelling approaches linking specific noise sources with single health-related outcomes. However, an integrated approach is missing taking into account measured levels as well as noise annoyance and sensitivity and assessing their independent association with HRQoL domains. Therefore, we investigated the predictive association of most common transportation noise sources (aircraft, railway and road traffic) as well as transportation noise annoyance and noise sensitivity with HRQoL using data from SAPALDIA (Swiss Cohort Study on Air Pollution and Lung and Heart Diseases in Adults). We assessed 2035 subjects, who participated in the second and third wave of SAPALDIA (3&4) and had complete information on exposure, outcome and covariates. At SAPALDIA3, we calculated annual means (Lden) of source-specific transportation noise exposure at the most exposed facade of participant's dwelling floor height. Participants reported noise annoyance on the widely used 11-point ICBEN scale and answered to 10 questions assessing individual noise sensitivity. To assess the potentially predictive effect of these noise exposures, HRQoL was assessed about 8 years later (SAPALDIA4) using the SF-36. We performed predictive multiple quantile regression models to elucidate associations of noise parameters measured at SAPALDIA3 with median SF-36 scores at SAPALDIA4. Source-specific transportation noise exposures showed few yet not consistent associations with HRQoL scores. We observed statistically significant negative associations of transportation noise annoyance with HRQoL scores covering mental health components (adjusted difference in SF-36 mental health score between highest vs. lowest annoyance tertile: -2.54 (95%CI: -3.89; -1.20). Noise sensitivity showed strongest and most consistent associations with HRQoL scores covering both general and mental health components (adjusted difference in SF-36 scores between highest vs. lowest sensitivity tertile: Mental health -5.96 (-7.57; -4.36); general health -5.16 (-7.08; -3.24)). Within all noise parameters, we predominantly observed negative associations of noise sensitivity with HRQoL attaining a magnitude of potential clinical relevance. This implies that factors other than transportation noise exposure may be relevant for this exposure-outcome relation. Nonetheless, transportation noise annoyance showed relevant associations with mental health components, indicating a negative association of transportation noise with HRQoL

Cross-Sectional but Not Prospective Association of Accelerometry-Derived Physical Activity With Quality of Life in Children and Adolescents

Objectives: This study aims to quantify the cross-sectional and prospective associations between quality of life (QoL) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA).Methods: This study was based on the Swiss children’s Objectively measured PHYsical Activity cohort. The primary endpoint is the overall QoL score and its six dimensions. The main predictor is the average time spent in MVPA per day. Linear mixed effects and linear regression models respectively were used to investigate the cross-sectional and prospective associations between MVPA and QoL.Results: There were 352 participants in the study with complete data from baseline (2013–2015) and follow-up (2019). MVPA was positively associated with overall QoL and physical wellbeing (p = 0.023 and 0.002 respectively). The between-subject MVPA was positively associated with the overall QoL, physical wellbeing, and social wellbeing (p = 0.030, 0.017, and 0.028 respectively). Within-subject MVPA was positively associated with physical wellbeing and functioning at school (p = 0.039 and 0.013 respectively). Baseline MVPA was not associated with QoL 5 years later.Conclusion: Future longitudinal studies should employ shorter follow-up times and repeat measurements to assess the PA and QoL association

Heart Rate Variability in Association with Frequent Use of Household Sprays and Scented Products in SAPALDIA

Background: Household cleaning products are associated with adverse respiratory health outcomes, but the cardiovascular health effects are largely unknown. Objective: We determined if long-term use of household sprays and scented products at home was associated with reduced heart rate variability (HRV), a marker of autonomic cardiac dysfunction. Methods: We recorded 24-hr electrocardiograms in a cross-sectional survey of 581 Swiss adults, ≥ 50 years of age, who answered a detailed questionnaire regarding their use of household cleaning products in their homes. The adjusted average percent changes in standard deviation of all normal-to-normal intervals in 24 hr (24-hr SDNN) and total power (TP) were estimated in multiple linear regression in association with frequency [< 1, 1–3, or 4–7 days/week, unexposed (reference)] of using cleaning sprays, air freshening sprays, and scented products. Results: Decreases in 24-hr SDNN and TP were observed with frequent use of all product types, but the strongest reductions were associated with air freshening sprays. Compared with unexposed participants, we found that using air freshening sprays 4–7 days/week was associated with 11% [95% confidence interval (CI): –20%, –2%] and 29% (95% CI: –46%, –8%) decreases in 24-hr SDNN and TP, respectively. Inverse associations of 24-SDNN and TP with increased use of cleaning sprays, air freshening sprays, and scented products were observed mainly in participants with obstructive lung disease (p < 0.05 for interactions). Conclusions: In predominantly older adult women, long-term frequent use of household spray and scented products was associated with reduced HRV, which suggests an increased risk of cardiovascular health hazards. People with preexisting pulmonary conditions may be more susceptible

Exposure to night-time traffic noise, melatonin-regulating gene variants and change in glycemia in adults

Traffic noise has been linked to diabetes, with limited understanding of its mechanisms. We hypothesize that night-time road traffic noise (RTN) may impair glucose homeostasis through circadian rhythm disturbances. We prospectively investigated the relationship between residential night-time RTN and subsequent eight-year change in glycosylated hemoglobin (ΔHbA1c) in 3350 participants of the Swiss Cohort Study on Air Pollution and Lung and Heart Diseases in Adults (SAPALDIA), adjusting for diabetes risk factors and air pollution levels. Annual average RTN (Lnight) was assigned to participants in 2001 using validated Swiss noise models. HbA1c was measured in 2002 and 2011 using liquid chromatography. We applied mixed linear models to explore RTN-ΔHbA1c association and its modification by a genetic risk score of six common circadian-related MTNR1B variants (MGRS). A 10 dB difference in RTN was associated with a 0.02% (0.003-0.04%) increase in mean ΔHbA1c in 2142 non-movers. RTN-ΔHbA1c association was modified by MGRS among diabetic participants (Pinteraction = 0.001). A similar trend in non-diabetic participants was non-significant. Among the single variants, we observed strongest interactions with rs10830963, an acknowledged diabetes risk variant also implicated in melatonin profile dysregulation. Night-time RTN may impair glycemic control, especially in diabetic individuals, through circadian rhythm disturbances. Experimental sleep studies are needed to test whether noise control may help individuals to attain optimal glycemic levels