naturopathydigest.com -- Critical Research

buy microsoft office enterprise 2007

buy Microsoft Office 2003 Professional sp3buy autodesk autocad 2009

Critical Research

Critical Research is a regular feature in Naturopathy Digest. Each month, we provide abstracts from studies published in the top peer-reviewed journals; each abstract includes the complete citation and an online link to the journal. Whenever possible, this link directs you to a page where you can order the full text of the study, if desired.

This Month's Featured Abstract

The association of television viewing with snacking behavior and body weight of young adults

Thomson M, Spence JC, Raine K, Laing L

Purpose: Investigate whether TV viewing and recognition of snack food advertisements were associated with snack food consumption and the odds of being overweight or obese. DESIGN: Cross-sectional internet-based survey.

Setting: University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.

Subjects: Undergraduate university students aged 18 to 25 years (N = 613).

Measures: Self-reported TV viewing, energy-dense snack consumption, snacking while viewing TV, and body weight.

Analysis: Hypothesis testing was completed using multiple analysis of variance, analysis of covariance, and logistic regression.

Results: Students reporting medium or high TV viewership snacked more frequently while watching TV and recognized more advertising than students who were considered low viewers. High viewers also reported more consumption of energy-dense snacks than low viewers. Snacking frequency appeared to be related to TV viewing and place of residence, but the association between snacking frequency and TV viewing was not accounted for by advertising. Conversely, the association between TV viewing and consumption of energy-dense snacks was accounted for by advertising recognition. Finally, male students (odds ratio [OR], 2.78; 99% confidence interval [CI], 1.68-4.59) and medium (OR, 3.11; 99% CI, 1.37-7.08) and high (OR, 5.47; 99% CI, 1.97-15.16) TV viewers had higher odds of being overweight or obese.

Conclusions: Associations were found among TV viewing, energy-dense snack consumption, and snacking behavior, and between TV viewing and body weight status.

Source: Am J Health Promot. 2008 May-Jun;22(5):329-35.

Plasma vitamin C level, fruit and vegetable consumption, and the risk of new-onset type 2 diabetes mellitus: the European prospective investigation of cancer--Norfolk prospective study

Harding AH, Wareham NJ, Bingham SA, et al.

Background: Epidemiologic studies suggest that greater consumption of fruit and vegetables may decrease the risk of diabetes mellitus, but the evidence is limited and inconclusive. Plasma vitamin C level is a good biomarker of fruit and vegetable intake, but, to our knowledge, no prospective studies have examined its association with diabetes risk. This study aims to examine whether fruit and vegetable intake and plasma vitamin C level are associated with the risk of incident type 2 diabetes.

Methods: We administered a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire to men and women from a population-based prospective cohort (European Prospective Investigation of Cancer-Norfolk) study who were aged 40 to 75 years at baseline (1993-1997) when plasma vitamin C level was determined and habitual intake of fruit and vegetables was assessed. During 12 years of follow-up between February 1993 and the end of December 2005, 735 clinically incident cases of diabetes were identified among 21 831 healthy individuals. We report the odds ratios of diabetes associated with sex-specific quintiles of fruit and vegetable intake and of plasma vitamin C levels.

Results: A strong inverse association was found between plasma vitamin C level and diabetes risk. The odds ratio of diabetes in the top quintile of plasma vitamin C was 0.38 (95% confidence interval, 0.28-0.52) in a model adjusted for demographic, lifestyle, and anthropometric variables. In a similarly adjusted model, the odds ratio of diabetes in the top quintile of fruit and vegetable consumption was 0.78 (95% confidence interval, 0.60-1.00).

Conclusions: Higher plasma vitamin C level and, to a lesser degree, fruit and vegetable intake were associated with a substantially decreased risk of diabetes. Our findings highlight a potentially important public health message on the benefits of a diet rich in fruit and vegetables for the prevention of diabetes.

Source: Arch Intern Med. 2008 Jul 28;168(14):1493-9.

High levels of physical inactivity and sedentary behaviors among US immigrant children and adolescents

Singh GK, Yu SM, Siahpush M, Kogan MD

Objective: To examine the prevalence and correlates of physical inactivity and sedentary behavior among immigrant and US-born children.

Design: Cross-sectional analysis using data from the 2003 National Survey of Children's Health, a telephone survey conducted between January 29, 2003, and July 1, 2004.

Setting: United States.

Participants: Multivariate logistic and least squares regression models were used to analyze immigrant differentials among 68 288 children aged 6 through 17 years. Main Exposure Ethnic-immigrant status.

Main Outcome Measures: Prevalence and odds of regular physical activity, inactivity, television watching, and lack of sports participation.

Results: Physical inactivity and sedentary behaviors varied widely among children in various ethnic-immigrant groups. For example, 22.5% of immigrant Hispanic children were physically inactive compared with 9.5% of US-born white children with US-born parents. Approximately 67% of immigrant Hispanic children did not participate in sports compared with 30.2% of native Asian children. Overall, immigrant children were significantly more likely to be physically inactive and less likely to participate in sports than native children; they were, however, less likely to watch television 3 or more hours per day than native children, although the nativity gap narrowed with increasing acculturation levels. Compared with native white children, the adjusted odds of physical inactivity and lack of sports participation were both 2 times higher for immigrant Hispanic children with foreign-born parents, and the odds of television watching were 1.5 and 2.3 times higher for native Hispanic and black children, respectively.

Conclusions: Immigrant children in each ethnic minority group generally had higher physical inactivity and lower sports participation levels than native children. To reduce disparities, health education programs need to promote physical activity among children in immigrant families.

Source: Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2008 Aug;162(8):756-63.

Reduced disability and mortality among aging runners: a 21-year longitudinal study

Chakravarty EF, Hubert HB, Lingala VB, Fries JF

Background: Exercise has been shown to improve many health outcomes and well-being of people of all ages. Long-term studies in older adults are needed to confirm disability and survival benefits of exercise.

Methods: Annual self-administered questionnaires were sent to 538 members of a nationwide running club and 423 healthy controls from northern California who were 50 years and older beginning in 1984. Data included running and exercise frequency, body mass index, and disability assessed by the Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (HAQ-DI; scored from 0 [no difficulty] to 3 [unable to perform]) through 2005. A total of 284 runners and 156 controls completed the 21-year follow-up. Causes of death through 2003 were ascertained using the National Death Index. Multivariate regression techniques compared groups on disability and mortality.

Results: At baseline, runners were younger, leaner, and less likely to smoke compared with controls. The mean (SD) HAQ-DI score was higher for controls than for runners at all time points and increased with age in both groups, but to a lesser degree in runners (0.17 [0.34]) than in controls (0.36 [0.55]) (P < .001). Multivariate analyses showed that runners had a significantly lower risk of an HAQ-DI score of 0.5 (hazard ratio, 0.62; 95% confidence interval, 0.46-0.84). At 19 years, 15% of runners had died compared with 34% of controls. After adjustment for covariates, runners demonstrated a survival benefit (hazard ratio, 0.61; 95% confidence interval, 0.45-0.82). Disability and survival curves continued to diverge between groups after the 21-year follow-up as participants approached their ninth decade of life.

Conclusion: Vigorous exercise (running) at middle and older ages is associated with reduced disability in later life and a notable survival advantage.

Source: Arch Intern Med. 2008 Aug 11;168(15):1638-46.

Cough and cold medication use by US children, 1999-2006: results from the Slone survey

Vernacchio L, Kelly JP, Kaufman DW, Mitchell AA

Objective: Pediatric cough and cold medications are widely marketed in the United States, but the precise patterns of use among children are not known. Such information is especially important given recent reports suggesting that these medications are responsible for previously underappreciated serious adverse events and deaths among children. We sought to describe the prevalence and patterns of pediatric use of cough and cold medications, with particular attention to use among young children.

Methods: We analyzed data on the use of cough and cold medications, defined as any oral medication that contains >or=1 antitussive, decongestant, expectorant, and/or first-generation antihistamine active ingredients, among 4267 US children who were younger than 18 years and enrolled during 1999-2006 in the Slone Survey, a national random-digit-dial telephone survey of medication use by the US population.

Results: In a given week, a cough and cold medication was used by 10.1% of US children. Exposure was highest to decongestants (6.3%; mostly pseudoephedrine) and first-generation antihistamines (6.3%; most common were chlorpheniramine, diphenhydramine, and brompheniramine), followed by antitussives (4.1%; mostly dextromethorphan) and expectorants (1.5%; almost exclusively guaifenesin). Multiple-ingredient products accounted for 64.2% of all cough and cold medications used. Exposure to antitussives, decongestants, and first-generation antihistamines was highest among 2- to 5-year-olds (7.0%, 9.9%, and 10.1%, respectively) followed by children who were younger than 2 years (5.9%, 9.4%, and 7.6%, respectively); expectorant use was low in all age groups. The use of cough and cold medications declined from 1999 through 2006.

Conclusions: Approximately 1 in 10 US children uses a cough and cold medication in a given week. The especially high prevalence of use among children of young age is noteworthy, given concerns about potential adverse effects and the lack of data on the efficacy of cough and cold medications in this age group.

Source: Pediatrics. 2008 Aug;122(2):e323-9.

Temporal trends in adults' sports participation patterns in England between 1997 and 2006: The Health Survey for England

Stamatakis E, Chaudhury M

Objective: To examine temporal trends in participation in sport and exercise activities (SPEX) in England between 1997 and 2006 while taking into account wider societal changes. DESIGN: A series of annual cross-sectional surveys.

Setting and Participants: Nationally-representative samples of men (N=27,217) and women (N=33,721) aged >/=16 yrs. Main outcome measurements: Any (>/=once/four weeks) and regular (>/=once/week) participation in overall SPEX, and a number of SPEX groupings (e.g. cycling, swimming, gym and fitness club-based activities (G/FC), racket sports). Time point (1997/98, 2003/04, 2006) was the main dependent variable.

Results: Age-standardized overall regular participation changed from 40.8% in 1997/98 to 41.2% in 2006 in men (multivariable-adjusted participation odds in 2006:OR 1.11, 95%CIs: 1.03-1.19, p<0.001) and from 31.2% to 33.9% in women (1.21, 1.13-1.29, p<0.001). Regular G/FC increased from 17.0% to 19.2% in men (1.19, 1.09-1.30) and from 15.9% to 18.7% in women (1.23, 1.14-1.33), regular running increased from 2.4% to 4.0% in women only (1.84, 1.56-2.18). Overall increases were apparent only in older adults (>/=45 years) (1.25, 1.16-1.35, p<0.001). Young men (16-29 yrs) had reduced odds for cycling (0.72, 0.58-0.88, p=0.008), dancing (0.60, 0.45-0.82, p=0.001), running (0.78, 0.64-0.94, p<0.001) and racket sports (0.60, 0.42-0.86, p=0.003). In men increases were pronounced only among men from nonmanual social classes, higher income households and white ethnic backgrounds.

Conclusions: SPEX participation in England has changed between 1997 and 2006 as the result of increases among middle-aged and older adults and decreases among young males. There are no signs that the participation gap between less and more advantaged population groups is narrowing.

Source: Br J Sports Med. 2008 Jul 25. [Epub ahead of print]

Oral zinc for treating diarrhea in children

Lazzerini M, Ronfani L

Background: Diarrhea causes around two million child deaths annually. Zinc supplementation could help reduce the duration and severity of diarrhea, and is recommended by the World Health Organization and UNICEF.

Objectives: To evaluate oral zinc supplementation for treating children with acute or persistent diarrhea.

Search Strategy: In November 2007, we searched the Cochrane Infectious Diseases Group Specialized Register, CENTRAL (The Cochrane Library 2007, Issue 4), MEDLINE, EMBASE, LILACS, CINAHL, mRCT, and reference lists. We also contacted researchers.

Selection Criteria: Randomized controlled trials comparing oral zinc supplementation (>/= 5 mg/day for any duration) with placebo in children aged one month to five years with acute or persistent diarrhea, including dysentery.

Data Collection and Analysis: Both authors assessed trial eligibility and methodological quality, extracted and analyzed data, and drafted the review. Diarrhea duration and severity were the primary outcomes. We summarized dichotomous outcomes using risk ratios (RR) and continuous outcomes using mean differences (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Where appropriate, we combined data in meta-analyses (using the fixed- or random-effects model) and assessed heterogeneity.

Main Results: Eighteen trials enrolling 6165 participants met our inclusion criteria. In acute diarrhea, zinc resulted in a shorter diarrhea duration (MD -12.27 h, 95% CI -23.02 to -1.52 h; 2741 children, 9 trials), and less diarrhea at day three (RR 0.69, 95% CI 0.59 to 0.81; 1073 children, 2 trials), day five (RR 0.55, 95% CI 0.32 to 0.95; 346 children, 2 trials), and day seven (RR 0.71, 95% CI 0.52 to 0.98; 4087 children, 7 trials). The four trials (1458 children) that reported on diarrhea severity used different units and time points, and the effect of zinc was less clear. Subgroup analyses by age (trials with only children aged less than six months) showed no benefit with zinc. Subgroup analyses by nutritional status, geographical region, background zinc deficiency, zinc type, and study setting did not affect the results' significance. Zinc also reduced the duration of persistent diarrhea (MD -15.84 h, 95% CI -25.43 to -6.24 h; 529 children, 5 trials). Few trials reported on severity, and results were inconsistent. No trial reported serious adverse events, but vomiting was more common in zinc-treated children with acute diarrhea (RR 1.71, 95% 1.27 to 2.30; 4727 children, 8 trials).

Authors' Conclusions: In areas where diarrhea is an important cause of child mortality, research evidence shows zinc is clearly of benefit in children aged six months or more.

Source: Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2008 Jul 16;(3):CD005436.