Ivana Milanović

Mediterranean Diet and Its Correlates among Adolescents in Non-Mediterranean European Countries: A Population-Based Study

Little is known about the factors which might influence the adherence to a Mediterranean diet in non-Mediterranean European countries. Thus, the main purpose of this study was to determine the associations between socioeconomic, psychological, and physical factors on a Mediterranean diet. In this cross-sectional study, participants were 14–18-year-old adolescents (N = 3071) from two non-Mediterranean countries: Lithuania (N = 1863) and Serbia (N = 1208). The dependent variable was Mediterranean diet, and was assessed with the Mediterranean Diet Quality Index for children and adolescents questionnaire. Independent variables were gender, body-mass index, self-rated health, socioeconomic status, psychological distress, physical activity, and sedentary behavior. The associations between dependent and independent variables were analyzed by using logistic regression. Results showed that higher adherence to a Mediterranean diet was associated with higher self-rated health, socioeconomic status, and physical activity, yet low adherence to a Mediterranean diet was associated with being female, having higher body-mass index, psychological distress, and sedentary behavior. Our findings suggest that future studies need to explore associations between lifestyle habits—especially in target populations, such as primary and secondary school students.

Accuracy of three electronic apex locators in determining the apical foramen in multi‐rooted teeth: Randomised clinical and laboratory study

This study aimed to compare the accuracy of three electronic apex locators (EALs), Raypex 5, Apex NRG and ProPex II, in locating the apical foramen (AF) in vivo. Thirty multi-rooted teeth were included in the study. Distances from the file tip to the radiographic apex from the buccal (R1) and mesial (R2) aspect were measured after extraction. The distance from the file tip to the AF (L) was measured microscopically. Raypex 5, Apex NRG and ProPex II were accurate to within ± 0.5 mm in 84.6%, 78.6% and 66.7% of cases, respectively. R1, R2 and L measurements between the EALs were not statistically different (P > 0.05). R1 and L correlated positively (r(2) = 0.817; P < 0.001). There were no significant differences in all measurements between vital and non-vital root canals (P > 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between the EALs. There was a positive correlation between electronic and radiographic measurements when locating the AF.

Development and validation of the physical education attitude scale for adolescents

The goal of this research was to develop and validate a physical education (PE) attitude scale (PEAS) for students in early and middle adolescence, based on the contemporary theories of attitudes as a summary evaluation of different information related to the attitude object. In the first study, preliminary version of the scale was administrated on the sample of 547 students. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed 4 factors, named Satisfaction, Comfort, Activity and Teacher. Second order PCA showed that these factors are a part of a single construct, general attitude toward PE. Based on the results of the first study, the final version of the PEAS is constructed, consisting of the 43 items. In the second study, on a new sample of 659 students, construct validity of the PEAS is confirmed through confirmatory factor analysis. PEAS has good psychometric properties. External validity of the scale is demonstrated through relations with relevant variables.

The Associations Between Socioeconomic Status and Lifestyle Factors in European Adolescents: A Population-based Study

Abstract The main purpose of the present study was to determine the associations between socioeconomic status (SES) and lifestyle factors. In this cross-sectional study, participants were 3,072 adolescents from two European countries of Lithuania and Serbia. The dependent variable was SES, while independent variables were gender, adherence to a Mediterranean diet, body-mass index, self-rated health, psychological distress, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and sedentary behaviour. The associations between dependent and independent variables were analysed by using logistic regression analysis. In univariate model, middle/high SES was associated with higher adherence to a Mediterranean diet (ptrend = 0.003), good self-rated health (OR 1.51; 95 % CI 1.12 to 2.05) and meeting recommendations of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (OR 2.09; 95 % CI 1.45 to 3.00), yet inversely associated with psychological distress (OR 0.81; 95 % CI 0.66 to 0.99) and sedentary behaviour (OR 0.80; 95 % CI 0.68 to 0.94). No associations were found between SES and bodymass index and gender. In multivariate model, the same associations occurred between middle/high SES and lifestyle factors. In conclusion, special strategies and policies, based on more affordable nutrition and participation in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, should be implemented within the system.

Some Indicators of Fatness and Motor Fitness in Slovenian and Serbian Children

El proposito de este estudio fue identificar las diferencias especificas de sexo y edad en la aptitud y niveles de condicion fisica en ninos de dos paises de los Balcanes occidentales en el sudeste de Europa: Eslovenia y Serbia. La muestra consistio en 1.659 sujetos de ambos sexos, con edades entre los 9 y 15 anos. Para el analisis se utilizaron la altura corporal, masa corporal, espesor del pliegue cutaneo del triceps, brazo doblado al colgar y de pie en salto largo. Se utilizo la regresion ordinal para probar las diferencias en el indice de masa corporal (IMC) categorias entre los paises. El analisis MANOVA fue utilizado para probar las diferencias en el nivel de condicion motriz fisica. El conjunto de variables analizadas (p<0,001) entre los paises no fueron estadisticamente significativas. Los ninos y ninas de ambos paises tenian similar altura y masa corporal e IMC, pero en los eslovenos los pliegues cutaneos del triceps mas pequenos. Los ninos de ambos paises fueron superiores en salto largo en comparacion con sus homologos de otras partes de Europa. Sin embargo, los ninos y las ninas eslovenos obtuvieron mejores resultados que los serbios en ambas pruebas de motricidad. Las diferencias en los resultados de las pruebas de motricidad entre los paises fueron mayores a los 9 anos de edad, a los 14 anos se detecto una tendencia aparente: con caracteristicas morfologicas similares, los ninos eslovenos, particularmente las ninas, se encontraban en mejores condiciones fisicas que los ninos serbios. El sexo es el unico parametro significativo (p<0,001) de clasificar en una categoria de IMC. Los ninos tienen una probabilidad promedio aproximada de 1,75 para pasar a una categoria superior IMC tal como las ninas. Entre las ninas, las diferencias entre los paises eran mayores, ya que la prevalencia de las ninas con sobrepeso y obesidad en Eslovenia disminuyen con la edad, mientras que se observo una tendencia inversa en Serbia.