Icelandic learners’ declining performance on the PISA reading literacy test from 2000 to 2015: suggestIons for effective approaches to reverse the deterioration

Frammistaða íslenskra 15 ára unglinga í lesskilningshluta PISA-rannsóknarinnar hefur dalað um 23 stig frá árinu 2000 til ársins 2015. Lækkunin nemur um hálfu skólaári, en munur á innfæddum nemendum og fyrstu kynslóð innflytjenda hefur nær tvöfaldast á tímabilinu. Hér á landi er skortur á sjálfvirkni í lestri áhrifaþáttur hjá þeim sem slakasta frammistöðu sýna á lesskilningshluta PISA. Rannsóknir sýna þó að orðaforði er sá þáttur sem mest áhrif hefur á lesskilning unglinga. Orðaforði og málskilningur þróast frá fæðingu en máluppeldi á heimilum skiptir verulegu máli. Lestrariðkun er forsenda framfara í lestri, en munur á orðaforða og lesskilningi barna hefur tilhneigingu til að aukast með aldri. Lagðar eru fram rökstuddar tillögur um það hvernig skóli og samfélag skuli taka höndum saman til að snúa við neikvæðri þróun lesskilnings íslenskra ungmenna. Horfa verður til máluppeldis, ekki aðeins í skólum, heldur líka á heimilum. Vefmiðlar gegna mikilvægu hlutverki í samskiptum, dægradvöl og upplýsingamiðlun til ungmenna, en þar er efnið að miklu leyti á ensku. Hlutverk skóla er að gefa öllum nemendum tækifæri til að efla með sér þá hæfni og þekkingu sem nútímasamfélag gerir kröfur um. Lestur, sem felst í því að finna, velja, túlka og meta upplýsingar, sem miðlað er á fjölbreytilegan hátt, þarfnast stöðugrar þjálfunar. Opinber menntastefna og aðalnámskrá þurfa að leggja áherslu á eflingu djúps lesskilnings, og þá þætti sem liggja honum til grundvallar. Í öllu námi og menntun allra kennara þarf að taka mið af þessu. Börn og ungmenni þroskast í auðugu málumhverfi með hæfilegri ögrun og áskorunum. Efla þarf framleiðslu íslensks efnis, prentaðs og stafræns og á ljósvakamiðlum. Auka þarf þekkingu á íslenskum orðum sem liggja til grundvallar námsárangri, og þá sér í lagi lágtíðniorðum. Slíkar upplýsingar er hægt að nýta sem grunn við þróun námsefnis og mælitækja, og þær geta því leitt til markvissari náms- og kennsluhátta.Reading literacy is defined by the OECD as “understanding, using, reflecting on and engaging with written texts, in order to achieve one’s goals, to develop one’s knowledge and potential, and to participate in society” (OECD, 2017, p. 51). Fifteen yearold celandic learners’ performance in the reading literacy part of PISA has declined since 2000, when the test was first administered. The drop in mean scores is equivalent to the progress that students are, on average, expected to make over a period of six months. No participating country shows a steeper decline during these years. The percentage of Icelandic participants in the highest proficiency levels has fallen, and the percentage in the lowest levels has risen. In 2015, 22% of Icelandic learners were under the second proficiency level, indicating very poor reading comprehension skills. The gap between Icelandic-born students and first generation immigrants corresponded to one and a half year’s progress in 2000 but increased to two and a half year’s progress by 2015, suggesting that this group of Icelandic students, in general, has difficulties in fulfilling their personal, social, and educational needs in Iceland. Research findings in Denmark and the US (Arnbak, 2010; LaRusso et al., 2016) indicate that vocabulary is the strongest single predicting variable for learners’ proficiency in completing reading literacy tasks as tested in PISA. Similar results from an Icelandic study (Freyja Birgisdóttir, 2016) demonstrate that Icelandic vocabulary was the strongest predictor of reading comprehension skills in PISA 2012, predicting more than self-regulated learning, the use of reading comprehension strategies, time spent on reading, and attitudes towards reading. Moreover, the study by Freyja Birgisdóttir (2016) revealed that low sight-word reading proficiency correctly identified 33% of poor performers. These findings indicate that a sizeable proportion of 15-year-old Icelandic learners is disadvantaged by basic reading skills and insufficient Icelandic vocabulary, which impedes their ability to comprehend written texts. Language skills and vocabulary develop from birth, and a rich language environment in the family is crucial for language development. Individual differences in language skills, as measured in the preschool, are likely to increase with age, and predict later academic performance (Jóhanna T. Einarsdóttir, Amalía Björnsdóttir and Ingibjörg Símonardóttir, 2016). Citizens in modern society need the capacity to understand and evaluate an abundance of information from various media, and increasingly from the digital world. Consequently, opportunities to express one’s thoughts and knowledge have multiplied. It is noteworthy that a recent study (Rannsóknir og greining [Research and Analysis], 2016) revealed that the majority of Icelandic teenagers spend several hours on the internet every day. Due to the small size of the Icelandic population, there is a shortage of digital materials in Icelandic, and English is increasingly being used by Icelandic youth. The question remains whether they are increasing their English skills at the cost of their Icelandic language proficiency. In fact, Icelandic is one of many languages in the world that have to strive to survive in a globalized digital information society. To address this issue, a comprehensive approach is needed from all those who are responsible for the well-being and educational success of Icelandic students: The Ministry of Culture and Education, local authorities, universities, teachers, and parents. Financial investments are needed in the publication of Icelandic literature, films, and digital material that address young people’s interests. Learners must be provided with plentiful opportunities to practise deep reading comprehension skills, as well as productive language proficiency. The schools have a central role in giving support to those who lag behind, and to prepare all learners for becoming active citizens in Icelandic society. More research is needed on Icelandic vocabulary, especially concerning lexical items fundamental for academic success in Icelandic schools, in particular low-frequency words. Such information can subsequently be used as a foundation for the development of teaching materials and language measurements which can lead further towards a more effective learning and teaching approach. The Icelandic language is best preserved when Icelandic speaking people understand and use Icelandic words.Peer Reviewe

Foreldrar og tvítyngd börn á tímum faraldurs

Óritrýn

Sköpun í stafrænum heimi: Sjónarmið myndmenntakennara

Markmið rannsóknarinnar var að kanna notkun snjalltækja í listgreinum. Í ljósi aukinnar notkunar snjalltækja í skólastarfi og mikilvægis skapandi hugsunar er leitast við að kanna hvernig slík tæki eru notuð í myndmenntakennslu. Jafnframt er markmiðið að kanna notkunarmöguleika tækninnar í myndmennt og tækifæri til sköpunar. Í rannsókninni var notuð eigindleg rannsóknaraðferð og tekin hálfopin viðtöl við fjóra myndmenntakennara og einn margmiðlunarkennara sem starfa í grunnskólum á höfuðborgarsvæðinu. Tilgangurinn var að svara eftirfarandi rannsóknarspurningum: Hver er tilgangurinn með notkun snjalltækja í myndmennt, hvernig nota kennarar tækin í kennslu og hver eru tækifærin til sköpunar? Í þessari grein eru skoðuð viðhorf kennara til tækninnar og snjalltæki sem verkfæri skoðuð. Niðurstöður leiddu í ljós að snjalltæki eru notuð sem tiltekin verkfæri í myndmenntakennslu en þau nýtast nemendum við upplýsingaleit, hugmyndavinnu og efnisleit. Notkun snjalltækja kemur ekki í staðinn fyrir hefðbundnar aðferðir í myndmennt heldur er meginhlutverk þeirra að styðja vinnuferli og verkefni nemenda. Þrátt fyrir takmarkaða notkun snjalltækja í myndmennt og ólík viðhorf kennara til notkunar tækninnar í greininni gefa niðurstöður til kynna að upplýsingatækni og gagnvirkir miðlar geti eflt skapandi hugsun nemenda. Færni nemenda til sköpunar og þekking þeirra á tækninni gegnir þar stóru hlutverki. Í myndmennt geta skapast tækifæri fyrir kennara til að breyta kennsluháttum sínum með því að nýta snjalltæki á virkan hátt við ný verkefni sem annars væru óframkvæmanleg. Þannig getur tæknin bæði nýst til að breyta nálgun og stutt hefðbundnar aðferðir.Ritrýnd grei

Results from glucose tolerance tests

Neðst á síðunni er hægt að nálgast greinina í heild sinni með því að smella á hlekkinn View/OpenTíðni meðgöngusykursýki er talin vera allt frá 0,6% í 15%. Þrátt fyrir auknar vísindarannsóknir á meðgöngusykursýki eru menn ekki sammála um hvort eða hvernig ber að skima konur fyrir sykursýki og hver greiningargildi skulu vera. Klínískum leiðbeiningum frá Landspítala er fylgt á höfuðborgarsvæðinu. Konur eru skimaðar á grundvelli a.m.k. eins áhættuþáttar. Þeir eru m.a.: 1) saga um meðgöngusykursýki áður; 2) fjölskyldusaga; 3) BMI ≥ 35; 4) áður fætt barn yfir 4500 gr og 5) sykur í þvagi. Greining fer fram með sykurþolsprófi (glucose tolerance test, GTT) sem öllu jafnan er gert á 24.-28. viku meðgöngu. Rannsókn þessi var gerð til að greina niðurstöður úr sykurþolsprófum, hvað margar konur voru greindar jákvæðar og hvaða áhættuþættir höfðu mest forspárgildi. Niðurstöður: Af þeim 670 konum sem fóru í sykurþolspróf á Göngudeild sykursjúkra, LSH á tveggja ára tímabili, fengu 82,1% kvennanna greininguna eðlilegt sykurþol en 17.9% kvenna greindist með meðgöngusykursýki. Mestar líkur á að greinast jákvæðar voru ef konan hafði áður fengið meðgöngusykursýki (52%); sykur í þvagi (24.3%), og fjölskyldusaga (22.5%) komu þar á eftir. Ef það væri regla að senda einungis konur sem eru með a.m.k. tvo áhættuþætti mundi sykurþolsprófum fækka um 61%. Umfjöllun: Þegar niðurstöður rannsóknarinnar eru skoðaðar sést að stærsti hluti kvenna sem fer í sykurþolspróf (GTT) fer án þess að miklar líkur séu á að hún greinist með meðgöngusykursýki. Það er því nauðsynlegt fyrir ljósmæður og lækna að vinna saman að því að finna nákvæmari greiningaraðferð fyrir meðgöngusykursýki og t.d. að ganga út frá því að a.m.k. tveir áhættuþættir séu forsenda þess að kona sé beðin um að fara í sykurþolspróf (GTT).Frequency of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is found to be between 0.6 – 15.0%. Despite many researches on GDM there is no agreement if or how pregnant women should be screened or which diagnostic values should be used. Clinical guidelines from Landspitali- University hospital (LSH) in Reykjavik Iceland recommend a screening for women, based on at least one risk factor. Among the risk factors that are listed are: 1) GDM in a previous pregnancy; 2) family history; 3) BMI > 35; 4) previous macrosomia (≥ 4500gr) and 5) glucosuria. Diagnosis is usually done with glucose tolerance test (GTT) between 24th to 28th weeks of pregnancy. The purpose of this research was to analyse results of GTT and to find out how many women were diagnosed with GDM and to evaluate if some risk factors had more predictive value than others. Results: Of the 670 women who had a GTT at the Diabetic Clinic at LSH, 82.1 % had negative results and 17.9% where diagnosed with GDM. The most predictive value had the risk factors of: GDM in earlier pregnancy (52%); glucosuria (24.3%) and family history (22.5%). If the clinical guideline was that women with at least two risks factor should have a GTT, we would decrease the frequency of GTT of 61%. Discussion: The majority of women go for GTT for a negative test. These results indicate that midwives and physicians need to find a solution for a more specific diagnostic test for GDM. Two risk factors would give us a more positive GTT

Matarumhverfi við íþróttaiðkun barna: rannsóknarverkefni

Fjöldi íslenskra barna stundar æfingar hjá íþróttafélögum í frítíma sínum og mótast börnin á ýmsan hátt af umhverfi íþróttamiðstöðva og nágrennis. Markmið rannsóknarinnar var að rannsaka fæðuval 10–18 ára barna í tengslum við íþróttaæfingar þeirra og matarumhverfi hjá Ungmennafélaginu Aftureldingu (UMFA) í Mosfellsbæ. Bæjarfélagið Mosfellsbær hefur verið brautryðjandi sem heilsueflandi samfélag frá innleiðingu 2013. Leitast var við að varpa ljósi á það hvernig börn og foreldrar upplifa matarumhverfi og fæðuframboð innan íþróttamiðstöðvar félagsins, auk þess að kanna fæðuvenjur barna í tengslum við æfingar. Ljóst má vera að umhverfið er mikilvægur áhrifaþáttur fæðuvals. Tilgáta verkefnisins var tvíþætt: A) Að fæðuvenjur í tengslum við íþróttaiðkun barnanna mótist að nokkru leyti af framboði í veitingasölunni og framboðið hindri það hugsanlega að hægt sé að velja hollan mat. B) Markaðssetning og auglýsingar um hvers kyns óhollustu séu áberandi í matarumhverfinu og börn jafnt sem foreldrar upplifi það sem hindrun. Rannsóknin tók til 221 barns, 105 stúlkna og 116 drengja, í sjö greinum íþrótta hjá félaginu og foreldra þeirra (n=175). Notaðir voru tveir áþekkir spurningalistar og var annar ætlaður foreldrum en hinn börnum. Jafnframt gerðu rannsakendur úttekt á matarumhverfi, þar með talið auglýsingum, og fæðuframboði innan íþróttamiðstöðvarinnar. Samkvæmt niðurstöðunum einkenndist fæðuval iðkenda, í tengslum við íþróttaiðkun, af hollum eða frekar hollum valkostum. Fáir iðkendur nýttu sér það reglulega að kaupa mat í veitingasölu íþróttahússins í tengslum við æfingar. Um þriðja hvert foreldri og fjórða hvert barn vildu sjá breytingar á matarumhverfi félagsins. Foreldrar litu á mat að heiman, þjálfara og vini sem helstu hvata til að borða hollan mat í tengslum við æfingar. Helstu hvatar að mati barna voru framboð á mat að heiman og nægur tími. Að mati foreldra voru helstu hindranir fyrir því að borða hollan mat tímaskortur, verð, aðstaða og framboð í matsölu félagsins. Orkuríkir en næringarsnauðir valkostir einkenndu framboð á matvöru og drykk í veitingasölu íþróttahússins. Auglýsingar um mat og drykk voru flestar í aðalsal félagsins. Af niðurstöðunum má álykta að mikilvægt sé að endurskoða bæði aðstöðu til að matast og framboð á mat og drykk í íþróttamiðstöðinni og mæta þannig óskum foreldra og barna. Fæðutengdar auglýsingar voru mjög áberandi í húsnæði félagsins en í þessari rannsókn var ekki metið hvort auglýsingarnar sem slíkar hefðu áhrif á fæðuval barnanna. Æskilegt væri að kanna hugsanleg áhrif betur, en um leið ætti það að vera stefna íþróttafélaga þar sem börn stunda reglulegar æfingar að draga úr áreiti með auglýsingum.Many Icelandic children are engaged in organized sports during leisure time. These children are influenced by factors in the sporting environment and this has been found to be an important setting for health promotion which is the process of enabling people to increase control over their health and improve it. The determinants of health are. in addition to individual characteristics and behaviours, the social -, economic - , and physical environment. A healthy nutrition environment increases the possibilities of accessing healthy food and beverages. The aim of the study was to observe food choices among 10-18 year old children and the food environment of their sports club, Ungmennafélagið Afturelding (UMFA), located in the municipality of Mosfellsbær. The municipality has been a pioneer as a health promoting community since 2013. The approach aimed to gain insight into how the food environment of the sports center can impact food choices of children in sports and also to explore parents’ and children’s perception of food and drinks available at the center. The hypotheses were: A) that food choices in relation to children’s sports were limited by availability in the sports center and that the supply was a possible hindrance for choosing healthy foods. B) that food-related marketing and advertisements were prominent in the food environment and that this would be experienced by both children and parents as a hindrance to choosing healthy foods. This cross-sectional study involved 221 children, 105 girls and 116 boys, participating in seven different sports (soccer, handball, gymnastics, athletics, volleyball, taekwondo and karate) and their parents (n=175). Two similar questionnaires were used, one for parents and one for children. The questionnaires included food frequency questionnaires and questions on the food environment at the sports center. Parents filled in the questionnaire online, while children filled in their questionnaire on paper during training. Observational assessment of the food environment was also conducted, including registration of the number and type of advertisements the children were exposed to and food items sold at the sports center. The results show that food choices associated with training seemed rather healthy and nutritious. Few children bought meals on a regular basis at the sports center, but more girls (15%) than boys (9%) did so occassionally. Few children had their meals at the sports center on a regular basis, again more girls (12%) than boys (4%). When asked about the food environment, the children were more positive towards the facilities than the parents, as 40% of the children reported that the facilities were good or very good, compared to 18% of the parents. Roughly one third of parents and one fourth of children said that changes were needed. Parents considered food available at home, as well as the influence of coaches and friends, as major incentives for healthy eating before and after training. Children regarded food available at home and enough time as major incentives. According to parents, the major hindrances were lack of time, price, facilities, and types of food available at the sports center. Observational assessment of the food environment concluded that most of the food and drinks sold at the center were energy dense and nutritionally poor and that food advertisements were most prominent in the main hall. It can be concluded that it is important to reconsider facilities and the variety of foods and drinks sold at the sports centre, since this would be in line with the wishes of both children and parents. Increased availability of healthy foods at sports centers could increase the consumption of those, as it is part of health promotion to make the healthy choice the easy choice. The researchers see sports centers as a pedagogical environment where the supply of healthy foods should be increased at the cost of the energy dense and nutritionally poor food items more prominent at the center. Coaches were among the major incentives for the children’s healthy eating, according to the parents, consequently the coaches’ role in health promoting activities at sports clubs should be emphasized. The results of this study can be used as a basis for health promotion initiatives and the development of nutritional policies for sports clubs. Food-related advertisments were readily visible, but their impact on children’s food choices was not studied. Further research is recommended and sports centers and teams should also aim to minimize advertising stimuli.Peer Reviewe

Attitudes to food and eating in an Icelandic cohort

Efst á síðunni er hægt að nálgast greinina í heild sinni með því að smella á hlekkinnInngangur: Líðan og viðhorf fólks í tengslum við eigið mataræði hafa lítið verið rannsökuð meðal fullorðinna á Íslandi. Í flestum vestrænum samfé- lögum er lögð mikil áhersla á grannan og stæltan líkama en á sama tíma þyngjast æ fleiri. Slíkar aðstæður geta hugsanlega alið á kvíða og stuðlað að hamlandi viðhorfum í tengslum við mat og fæðuval. Markmið þessarar rannsóknar var að skoða algengi hamlandi viðhorfs til eigin mataræðis á Íslandi. Efniviður og aðferðir: Rannsóknin byggir á könnun Embættis landlæknis, Heilsa og líðan Íslendinga árið 2007, sem var lögð fyrir tilviljunarúrtak þjóðarinnar. Þátttakendur voru 5861 einstaklingur, 18-79 ára. Útbúinn var kvarði út frá svörum könnunarinnar til að meta viðhorf sem tengjast kvíða og óheilbrigðum kröfum varðandi eigin næringu og hollustu og var hamlandi fæðuviðhorf skilgreint samkvæmt matskvarðanum. Notuð var tvíkosta lógistísk aðhvarfsgreining til að meta gagnlíkindahlutfall (OR) og 95% öryggisbil (CI) fyrir hamlandi viðhorf til eigin mataræðis, greint eftir undirhópum rannsóknarinnar. Niðurstöður: Algengi hamlandi fæðuviðhorfa samkvæmt matskvarða rannsóknarinnar mældist 17% í þýðinu, 22% hjá konum og 11% hjá körlum. Hamlandi viðhorf til eigin mataræðis voru algengust meðal þátttakenda á aldrinum 18-29 ára (36% kvenna, 15% karla), meðal þeirra sem voru ósáttir við eigin líkamsþyngd (35% kvenna, 22% karla) og þeirra sem skilgreindir voru í offitu (38% kvenna, 23% karla). Ályktun: Hamlandi viðhorf til eigin mataræðis mældust algengari meðal kvenna en karla í þessari rannsókn. Ungur aldur, óánægja með eigin líkamsþyngd og hár líkamsþyngdarstuðull sýndu tengsl við hamlandi fæðuviðhorf hjá báðum kynjum.Introduction: Few studies exist on eating attitudes and well-being of adults in Iceland. In most Western societies great emphasis is placed on a lean and fit body, nevertheless the number of people gaining weigt keeps increasing. Such circumstances may cause discomfort related to food and food choice. The aim of this study was to examine attitudes towards food and eating among Icelandic adults. Material and methods: We used data from the Icelandic national health survey of 5,861 adults, age 18-79, conducted in 2007. A numerical assessment tool for measuring eating attitude was established, based on answers to questions on eating attitude. We used binary regression models to estimate odds ratios (ORs) for unhealthy eating attitude according to different demographic factors. Results: The prevalence of unhealthy eating attitude according to the measurement tool used in the study was 17% among participants, 22% for women and 11% for men. Unhealthy eating attitude was most prevalent in the age-group 18-29 years (36% of women, 15% of men), among those dissatisfied with their body weight (35% of women, 22% of men) and among those defined as obese (38% of women, 23% of men). Conclusion: Our data show that women are more prone to express unhealthy eating attitude compared to men. Those of younger age, with weight dissatisfaction and with high body mass index are positively associated with unhealthy eating attitude, irrespective of gende

Education for Democratic Citizenship: A Study of The Romanian And Icelandic Learner’s Profile

Education for democratic citizenship is a major pillar of today’s society and is strongly acknowledged by educational systems worldwide. In the context of learner-centered education, a prerequisite for the effectiveness of the learning process is a good understanding of the learner’s profile, to which the teaching practice should be consistently adapted. When analyzing the factors that influence the learner’s profile, Tomlinson (2003) and Brice Heath (1983) have pointed out the importance of societal culture, while Jónsson & Sigurðardóttir (2012) have emphasized the pivotal role of education in preparing students for active participation in society. Against this background, our research proposes an approach to the learner’s profile in the framework of education for democratic citizenship and starts from the hypothesis that national cultural features play a significant role in shaping it. By means of a comparison between two groups of students from Romania and Iceland – two countries positioned on opposite levels in The Democracy Index 2018 – the authors of this study aim to identify and analyze the differences that may be motivated by cultural specificities. This study is underpinned by the following leading questions: What are the viewpoints of the Romanian and Icelandic respondents from the target groups regarding education and democracy, in general, and education for democratic citizenship, in particular? What specific cultural features may explain differences between the two groups? Which cultural characteristics of the two groups can influence their approach to education for democratic citizenship? To answer these questions, a questionnaire including multiple-choice, openended, and rank ordering questions was administered to two groups of students, one from the University of Craiova and the other from the University of Iceland identical in size and field of study. The data were interpreted using a mixed methodological approach: the ordinal data collected was analyzed using quantitative methods, and the nominal data were subjected to content analysis. Thus, the investigation outlines the Romanian and Icelandic respondents' profile, focusing on the main aspects relevant for education for democratic citizenship, and puts forward a set of differences between the two groups induced by intrinsic cultural characteristic

Adverse drug reaction reports in Iceland from 2013 to 2016. A comparison with other Nordic countries

To access publisher's full text version of this article, please click on the hyperlink in Additional Links field or click on the hyperlink at the top of the page marked FilesInngangur: Niðurstöður rannsókna á takmörkuðum hópi fólks liggja til grundvallar upplýsingum um aukaverkanir nýrra lyfja á markaði. Aukaverkanatilkynningar gegna mikilvægu hlutverki í uppfærslu þessara upplýsinga sem ná þá til breiðari hóps sjúklinga. Markmið þessarar rannsóknar var að skoða fjölda og eðli aukaverkanatilkynninga á Íslandi og bera saman við nágrannalöndin. Efniviður og aðferðir: Farið var yfir aukaverkanatilkynningar í gagnagrunni Lyfjastofnunar árin 2013 til 2016 og þær bornar saman við upplýsingar úr ársskýrslum lyfjastofnana í Svíþjóð, Noregi og Danmörku fyrir árin 2013 til 2015. Samanburðurinn tók til fjölda og flokkunar tilkynntra aukaverkana eftir alvarleika og eftir ATC-flokkum lyfjanna. Sala lyfja í þessum löndum var skoðuð. Niðurstöður: Fjöldi aukaverkanatilkynninga á Íslandi var á bilinu 36-104 tilkynningar á hverja 100.000 íbúa á ári. Heildarfjöldi tilkynninga á Norð- urlöndunum var 58-133 á 100.000 íbúa á ári. Innan við 10% tilkynninga á Íslandi flokkuðust sem alvarlegar aukaverkanir meðan þetta hlutfall var frá 38-64% á hinum Norðurlöndunum. Hérlendis voru aukaverkanatilkynningar mun algengari í ATC-flokki A, en fátíðari í flokkum B, J og L, heldur en á hinum Norðurlöndunum. Sala lyfja eftir ATC-flokkum var sambærileg milli landanna. Ályktun: Mikill breytileiki er á fjölda tilkynntra aukaverkana á Íslandi milli ára á tímabilinu. Í samanburði við hin Norðurlöndin er dreifing aukaverkana eftir ATC-flokkum lyfja önnur og hlutfall alvarlegra aukaverkana lágt. Sölutölur skýra ekki þennan mismun.Introduction: Information regarding adverse drug reactions (ADRs) of new medications is based on clinical studies of selected populations. The reporting of ADRs from real-life use following the marketing of new active substances is instrumental for the continuous evaluation of their benefit-risk balance. The aim of this study was to determine the number and nature of ADR reports in Iceland and compare with other Nordic countries. Materials and methods: Reports of ADRs from 2013 to 2016 were examined using the Icelandic Medicines Agency´s database. The total number and seriousness of ADRs by ATC-classification of drugs were compared with data published in the 2013 to 2015 annual reports from the Swedish, Danish and Norwegian Medicines Agencies. Comparison of sales between countries was examined. Results: The number of ADR reports in Iceland was between 36 to 104 per 100 thousand inhabitants/year, with less than 10% defined as serious. This compares to 58 to 133 ADR reports per 100 thousand inhabitants in the other Nordic countries, with 38% to 64% of ADRs classified as serious. In Iceland, ADR reports were more common for medications in ATC-class A and less common for classes B, J and L compared to the other Nordic countries. Sales of medications were comparable between these nations. Conclusion: There is great variability in the number of ADRs reported annually in Iceland. The drugs reported are within different ATC-classes and the proportion of serious ADRs is low compared to the other Nordic countries. This is not explained by different sales volumes

Henta lágkolvetnamataræði og föstur í þjálfun?

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Fatness but Not Fitness Relative to the Fat-Free Mass Is Related to C-Reactive Protein in 18 Year-Old Adolescents

Introduction The interaction between fatness, fitness, and C-reactive protein (CRP) in adolescents is not well characterized but may be important to prevent low grade inflammation. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between adiposity, different expressions of fitness, and CRP in late adolescence using direct measures of fitness and fatness. Methods Anthropometric measurements were taken on 245 eighteen-year-old participants (116 girls). Fasting CRP, glucose, and insulin were measured and homeostatic model assess- ment (HOMA) calculated. Body composition was estimated via dual energy X-ray absorpti- ometry. Fitness was assessed with maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) during a treadmill test and also expressed relative to the fat-free mass (VO2maxFFM). Results Prevalence of overweight/obesity based on body mass index (BMI) was 20.7% and 25.6% among girls and boys, respectively (p = 0.407), but 42.5% and 58.1% when based on body fat percentage (%fat, p = 0.015). Higher proportion of boys (81.3%) than girls (54.5%) were highly fit (p0.05). VO2maxFFM was unrelated to CRP with (r = -0.07 to -0.11, p>0.05) or without (r = -0.10, p = 0.142) adjustment for adiposity. Additional adjustment for HOMA did not change any of the relationships, although the coefficients were attenuated. Conclusions Fatness has a greater association with CRP than fitness in late adolescence. However, VO2maxFFM, which is truly independent of adiposity, is unrelated to CRP, indicating that the effects of fitness might be mediated via the fatness component embedded in fitness expressed relative to body mass.Ministry of Education Sports Fund, University of Iceland Research FundPeer Reviewe