Association between body image dissatisfaction and body anthropometric indices among Chinese children and adolescents at different developmental stages

ObjectiveChildren at different developmental stages show different physical development and psychological cognitive characteristics and may pay different attention to body parts. The purpose of this study was to analyze the associations between body image dissatisfaction (BID) and body anthropometric indices (BAIs) among Chinese children and adolescents at different developmental stages.MethodsA total of 609 Chinese primary and secondary school students aged 8–15 years (329 boys and 280 girls) were selected using stratified cluster sampling. The students' body height, sitting height (SH), weight, chest circumference (CC), hip circumference (HC), waist circumference (WC), scapular skinfold thickness (SST), triceps skinfold thickness (TST), and abdominal skinfold thickness (AST) were measured. Boys' testicular volumes and first spermatorrhea and girls' breast measures and menarche were assessed using the Tanner stage standard. A body shape questionnaire (BSQ) was used to survey the subject's BID.ResultsIn boys with testicular volume < 4 ml, the hip-to-height ratio (HHR) was positively correlated with BSQ score (β = 8.17, P < 0.01). In boys with testicular volume ≥4 ml and nonfirst spermatorrhea, the HHR and SST were positively correlated with BSQ score (β = 2.51, P = 0.04; β = 4.98, P < 0.01). In boys with first spermatorrhea, weight was positively correlated with BSQ score (β = 10.30, P < 0.01). In girls with breast development < Tanner stage II, waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) was positively correlated with BSQ score (β = 5.12, P < 0.01); In girls with breast development ≥ Tanner stage II and nonmenarche, chest-to-sitting height ratio (CSHR) was positively correlated with BSQ score (β = 10.82, P < 0.01), and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) was negatively correlated with BSQ score (β = −3.61, P = 0.04). In girls with menarche, WHtR and sitting height-to-height ratio (SHHR) were positively correlated with BSQ score (β = 6.09, P < 0.01; β = 2.05, P = 0.02).ConclusionThe associations between body image dissatisfaction and anthropometric indices among Chinese children and adolescents at different developmental stages are different

The effect of intergenerational mobility on family education investment: evidence from China

Abstract The discussion of inequality has been an enduring topic in sociology and economics. With the intensification of inequality, an increasing amount of research has begun to focus on the impact of inequality on various aspects of the economy and society. However, research on how inequality affects families’ education investment behavior currently remains relatively scarce. This study contributes to filling this gap by presenting one of the first analyses of the effect of intergenerational mobility-based opportunity inequality on family education investment. Specifically, based on a Chinese population sample survey conducted in 2015 and the China Family Panel Studies survey conducted in 2018, this paper measures the intergenerational mobility of regions using an index of intergenerational educational rank correlation, and it uses extracurricular tutoring expenses to measure families’ investment in their children’s education. The benchmark regression results show that intergenerational mobility significantly negatively impacts family education investment, with the average family education investment decreasing by 25.75 percent for every 0.1-unit increase in intergenerational mobility. This negative effect remains significant after robustness tests, such as replacing the explanatory variables and dependent variables, considering the influence of important omitted variables, evaluating the impact of unobservable factors, and introducing an instrumental variable for two-stage least squares regression analysis. In addition, this negative impact is more prevalent among families with high socioeconomic status, while it is not significant in families with low socioeconomic status. The reason is that families with low socioeconomic status face greater credit constraints and intergenerational mobility incentives. Furthermore, an examination of the mechanisms involved reveals that although the improvement in intergenerational mobility may increase people’s confidence in investing, it ultimately reduces family education investment by lowering excessive anxiety and the extent of status-seeking behavior among families. According to the analysis, promoting equality of opportunity could mitigate China’s negative educational competition and facilitate the realization of the “Double Reduction” policy

The Anti-Inflammatory Mechanism of Flaxseed Linusorbs on Lipopolysaccharide-Induced RAW 264.7 Macrophages by Modulating TLR4/NF-κB/MAPK Pathway

Flaxseed linusorbs (FLs), cyclic peptides derived from flaxseed oils, have shown multiple activities such as anticancer, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory effects. However, the anti-inflammatory monomers of FLs and their mechanisms are still unclear. In this study, we have elucidated that FLs suppress the modulation of NF-κB/MAPK signaling pathways by targeting the inhibition of activating TLR4 in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells. Therefore, the transcription and expression of inflammatory cytokines (i.e., TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6) and inflammatory mediator proteins (i.e., iNos and Cox-2) were significantly suppressed by FLs. In addition, an in silico study discovered that eight monomers of FLs showed high-affinity bindings with TLR4. In silico data combined with HPLC results indicated that FLA and FLE, accounting for 44%, were likely the major anti-inflammatory monomers in FLs. In summary, FLA and FLE were proposed as the main anti-inflammatory active cyclopeptides via hindering TLR4/NF-κB/MAPK signaling pathways, suggesting the potential use of food-derived FLs as natural anti-inflammatory supplements in a daily diet

Recent progress in the thermal treatment of oilseeds and oil oxidative stability: A review

Oxidative deterioration of vegetable oils is of great importance in the food industry. In China, vegetable oils produced via thermal pretreatment are popular owing to their strong oil flavor and enhanced yield. Here, we review: (i) the currently employed thermal treatment methods of oilseeds before oil extraction; (ii) effects of thermal treatments on the physicochemical properties, contents of minor lipid components, and oxidative stability of vegetable oils; and (iii) Maillard model systems that are related to oil and oilseed chemistry. Among the thermal pretreatment technologies, microwave and infrared radiations are promising, but these are not performed on the same large production scales as roasting. For most oilseeds, thermal treatments increase the yield of extracted oil and content of minor lipid compounds in the oil, such as polyphenols, tocopherols, and phytosterols. In addition, some Maillard reaction products (MRPs) generated by heating oilseeds have been extracted. The presence of both minor lipids and MRPs in the oil confers improved oxidative stability. However, the mechanism or relationship between thermal treatment and oxidative stability is yet to be clearly elucidated because vegetable oil oxidation is dependent on variables such as unsaturation, concentration and types of minor lipid components, MRPs, and the potential synergistic effects of these components. Recently, several Maillard reaction models related to thermally treated oilseeds have been established, suggesting that MRPs play a critical role during oxidation. However, comprehensive identification of antioxidants and the mechanism by which they inhibit oxidation are lacking. Future research can be performed to establish models that would help elucidate the antioxidative mechanisms of MRPs for more oilseeds. Using these models, it will be possible to predict the oil quality after processing, based on the presence of MRPs and oil chemistry

Reporting data from sentinel hospital networks for Week 1 of 2018 to Week 52 of 2022.

Reporting data from sentinel hospital networks for Week 1 of 2018 to Week 52 of 2022.</p

ILI cases and ILI% at monitoring points in Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province, 2018–2022.

ILI cases and ILI% at monitoring points in Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province, 2018–2022.</p