Social Diversification of Overweight and Obesity in Adults in Poland

Overweight and obesity are connected with environmental factors to a greater degree than with genetic and psychological factors, because in their aetiology the focus is mostly on two factors, i.e. inappropriate diet and a sedentary lifestyle. This is an increasingly widespread phenomenon that harms the health and quality of life in adults, and also contributes to a decrease in their efficiency at work. The study aimed to evaluate the social diversification of overweight and obesity in adults living in different social environments in Swietokrzyskie region of Poland. The study was based on a questionnaire and observations, and encompassed 517 women and 515 men aged between 20 and 59 years. The questionnaire included questions about the characteristics of the social and family environment; while the observation involved anthropometric measurements of the basic somatic traits that were used to calculate the Body Mass Index (BMI), Waist-to-Hip Ratio (WHR) and Waist-to-Height Ratio (WHtR), which in turn were used to evaluate the occurrence of overweight and obesity. The incidence of overweight and obese adults showed a clear increase with age and displayed considerable social diversification, especially in the case of the women, among whom a better financial situation and a higher level of education correlated with a more slender body shape and a smaller increase in the incidence of overweight and obesity. The increase in the number of overweight and obese adult persons who lived in the different social environments in Poland was only slightly smaller than the increase in other European countries. Overall, the social diversification of overweight and obesity in adult persons indicates that Polish women are more health-aware than men

A global experiment on motivating social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic

Finding communication strategies that effectively motivate social distancing continues to be a global public health priority during the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-country, preregistered experiment (n = 25,718 from 89 countries) tested hypotheses concerning generalizable positive and negative outcomes of social distancing messages that promoted personal agency and reflective choices (i.e., an autonomy-supportive message) or were restrictive and shaming (i.e., a controlling message) compared with no message at all. Results partially supported experimental hypotheses in that the controlling message increased controlled motivation (a poorly internalized form of motivation relying on shame, guilt, and fear of social consequences) relative to no message. On the other hand, the autonomy-supportive message lowered feelings of defiance compared with the controlling message, but the controlling message did not differ from receiving no message at all. Unexpectedly, messages did not influence autonomous motivation (a highly internalized form of motivation relying on one’s core values) or behavioral intentions. Results supported hypothesized associations between people’s existing autonomous and controlled motivations and self-reported behavioral intentions to engage in social distancing. Controlled motivation was associated with more defiance and less long-term behavioral intention to engage in social distancing, whereas autonomous motivation was associated with less defiance and more short- and long-term intentions to social distance. Overall, this work highlights the potential harm of using shaming and pressuring language in public health communication, with implications for the current and future global health challenges

A multi-country test of brief reappraisal interventions on emotions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased negative emotions and decreased positive emotions globally. Left unchecked, these emotional changes might have a wide array of adverse impacts. To reduce negative emotions and increase positive emotions, we tested the effectiveness of reappraisal, an emotion-regulation strategy that modifies how one thinks about a situation. Participants from 87 countries and regions (n = 21,644) were randomly assigned to one of two brief reappraisal interventions (reconstrual or repurposing) or one of two control conditions (active or passive). Results revealed that both reappraisal interventions (vesus both control conditions) consistently reduced negative emotions and increased positive emotions across different measures. Reconstrual and repurposing interventions had similar effects. Importantly, planned exploratory analyses indicated that reappraisal interventions did not reduce intentions to practice preventive health behaviours. The findings demonstrate the viability of creating scalable, low-cost interventions for use around the world

Age at menopause and reproductive determinants in Polish women

Selected reproductive determinants of age at menopause were analyzed using data from a representative sample of 4354 women aged 35-65 years. The data were collected in cross-sectional surveys carried out in Wielkopolska and Western part of Poland in the years 1998 to 2001. Menopausal status and median and mean ages at menopause were estimated with the use of retrospective and status-quo methods. It was found that the median age at natural menopause, estimated by probit analysis, was 50.1 years. Women, who had been treated with HRT (Hormonal Replacement Therapy) in the period perimenopause, underwent manopause significantly later - their median age at menopause was 52.9 years. Results of ANOVA revealed that of all characteristic of female reproduction taken into consideration, age at menarche and lenght of menstruation cycle had significant influence on age at menopause. Menopause occurred markedly later in women who began to menstruate after 15 years of age and whose menstrual cycles lasted longer than 32 days. Reproductive determinants were considered as a complex factor. Stepwise multiple regression analysis with backward elimination revealed that the reproductive determinants including the lenght of menstruation cycle, age at menarhe, age at first and last pregnancies and lenght of lactation in combination affected age at menopause

A review of anthropological approaches to ageing

It is evident that the pattern of ageing among humans has a unique character. Therefore, when undertaking any research on human ageing one has to specify a proper methodology and methods which are available in the anthropological perspective. The paper is aimed at providing a review of anthropological approaches to the study of ageing. On the basis of the meaning and scope of the concept of ageing, its sources and causal factors are discussed. Further, functional, physiological and morphological indicators of ageing are briefly described. Much attention is focused on the concept of biological age which is the key notion for assessment of variation in the rates of human ageing

Catch-Up Growth as a Risk Factor for Rapid Weight Gain, Earlier Menarche and Earlier Pubertal Growth Spurt in Girls Born Small for Gestational Age (SGA)—A Longitudinal Study

Most children born small for gestational age (SGA) have rapid postnatal growth. Despite its positive aspects, catch-up growth may affect the level of adipose tissue in the pre-pubertal and pubertal periods and therefore affect the age of puberty. The aim of this study was to determine the associations between size at birth, catch-up growth in infancy, BMI in peripubertal period, age at menarche, and the parameters of adolescent growth spurt of body height in girls born SGA. For 297 girls (22.6% SGA; 77.4% appropriate for gestational age (AGA)) complete body weight and height measurements and age at menarche were obtained. Adolescent growth spurt parameters were estimated using the JPA2 model (AUXAL SSI 3.1). Calculations were made in the Statistica 13 program using the Kruskal-Wallis and Kaplan–Meier tests. Girls born SGA with catch-up had the highest BMIs at the age of 8 years (H = 94.22, p < 0.001) and at menarche (H = 58.21, p < 0.001), experienced menarche earliest (H = 21.77, p < 0.001), same as the onset (H = 6.54, p = 0.012) and peak height velocity (H = 11.71, p = 0.003) of their adolescent growth spurt compared to SGA girls without catch-up and AGA girls. In SGA girls, catch-up growth has far-reaching consequences such as increased risk of fat accumulation and a rapid transition to puberty

The second to fourth digit ratio and asymmetry

Background: Deviations of physical characteristics from bilateral symmetry, in otherwise symmetric individuals, are supposed to result from environmental perturbations during development. One cause of such perturbations may be sex steroids such as testosterone and oestrogen. Aim: The study examined the relationship between second to fourth digit ratio (2D:4D), a putative negative correlate with prenatal testosterone and a positive correlate with prenatal oestrogen, and asymmetry. Methods: Eleven traits (including the second and fourth finger lengths) were measured in a sample of 680 English children aged 2-18 years, and second to fifth finger lengths in samples of 120 Austrian and English undergraduate students aged from 17 to 30 years and 213 Polish adults aged from 26 to 90 years. Results: Significant U-shaped curvilinear associations between 2D:4D and all 11 traits were found in English children with the strongest associations between 2D:4D and composite asymmetry of second plus fourth digit, and second to fifth digits. Further investigation of the relation between 2D:4D and digit asymmetries in the sample of Austrian and English undergraduates and the Polish adults confirmed significant U-shaped relationships between 2D:4D and finger asymmetries. Conclusion: Our data show that both low 2D:4D (a marker of high prenatal testosterone) and high 2D:4D (a marker of high prenatal oestrogen) are associated with elevated levels of asymmetry and this relationship applies particularly to finger asymmetry

Assessing quality of life of caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s disease

Wstęp. Opieka nad osobą z chorobą Alzheimera (AD) jest nie tylko wyczerpująca fizycznie i psychicznie, ale także kosztowna. Problem ten nabiera szczególnego znaczenia wobec procesu starzenia się jednostek i społeczeństw i systematycznie zwiększającej się liczby osób chorych. W pracy podjęto próbę ukazania problemów, z jakimi spotykają się rodzinni i zawodowi opiekunowie osób z AD. Materiał i metody. Badania przeprowadzono w 2006 roku w domu dziennej opieki prowadzonym przez Wielkopolskie Stowarzyszenie Alzheimerowskie w Poznaniu i w Zakładzie Opiekuńczo-Leczniczym w Koprzywnicy. Podstawę badań stanowił kwestionariusz jakości życia, który wypełniło 29 kobiet i 18 mężczyzn opiekujących się chorymi w domu lub zawodowo. Wyniki. Opiekunowie rodzinni i zawodowi wspierali osoby z AD we wszystkich czynnościach życiowych. Problemy wskazywane przez opiekunów rodzinnych to: obciążenie finansowe związane z zakupem leków oraz opłaceniem dodatkowej pomocy; niedostatek informacji na temat AD i sposobów radzenia sobie z chorym. Ponadto wskazywano równocześnie Stowarzyszenie Alzheimerowskie oraz lekarza ogólnego/rodzinnego jako podstawowe źródła informacji. Opiekunowie rodzinni stwierdzali, że opieka nad chorym z AD znacząco pogarszała ich jakość życia pod względem psychicznym, zdrowotnym i finansowym. Opiekunowie zawodowi deklarowali wysoki stopień zadowolenia z informacji na temat pacjenta z AD oraz sposobów jego leczenia i opieki; wskazywali jednak na niedostatek informacji związanych z dostępem do usług proponowanych przez opiekę zdrowotną, społeczną oraz funkcjonowaniem organizacji alzheimerowskich. Wnioski. Sprawowanie opieki nad osobą z AD stwarza wysokie ryzyko obniżenia jakości życia, przede wszystkim opiekunów rodzinnych silnie związanych emocjonalnie z chorym. W niniejszej pracy wykazano konieczność poprawienia obiegu informacji na temat choroby i zakresu pomocy udzielanej przez instytucje opieki zdrowotnej i społecznej w Polsce. Gerontol. Pol. 2010; 18, 2: 86-94Background. Caring for a person with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is not only exhausting physically and emotionally, but can also have high financial costs. This problem becomes of a special importance in the presence of an ageing process of individual and society and growing number of people with AD. The paper aims to present difficulties encountered by family caregivers and healthcare providers of people with AD. Material and methods. The survey was carried out in 2006 in the Day Center run by the Wielkopolska Association of Alzheimer’s Disease in Poznań and in the Senior Nursing Home in Koprzywnica. The QOL questionnaire was administered to a sample of 29 women and 18 men caring for persons with AD at family and nursing homes. Results. Both family caregivers and healthcare providers supported their charges in all household and personal daily activities. Family caregivers indicated following difficulties: the high costs of remedies and treatment service; shortage of information on the disease and coping tips for patients. The Association of Alzheimer’s Disease and GPs were pointed out as main sources of information on AD. Family caregivers claimed that the care for patients with AD significantly decreased their quality of life in terms of physical and emotional health and financial costs. Professional healthcare providers were highly satisfied with information about patient and care and treatment methods, however they pointed out that information about health care service provided by medical and social institutions and Alzheimer’s organizations was insufficient. Conclusion. Caring for person with AD run the caregivers the high risk of decreased quality of life, it is especially true with regard to family caregivers who are emotionally related with the patient. There is urgent need to improve information about the Alzheimer’s disease and scope of services provided by health care and social institutions in Poland. Gerontol. Pol. 2010; 18, 2: 86-9

The Mediating Role of the Gut Microbiota in the Physical Growth of Children

Gut microbiota succession overlaps with intensive growth in infancy and early childhood. The multitude of functions performed by intestinal microbes, including participation in metabolic, hormonal, and immune pathways, makes the gut bacterial community an important player in cross-talk between intestinal processes and growth. Long-term disturbances in the colonization pattern may affect the growth trajectory, resulting in stunting or wasting. In this review, we summarize the evidence on the mediating role of gut microbiota in the mechanisms controlling the growth of children