Jennifer L.P. Protudjer

Children's perceptions of healthful eating and physical activity.

Purpose: Healthful lifestyle habits established in childhood may continue through adulthood. Such habits may also be effective in preventing or reversing overweight and obesity. However, little is known about childrens perceptions of healthful eating and physical activity. Thus, we sought a better understanding of how children perceive healthful eating and physical activity. Methods: A purposeful selection was made of Winnipeg, Manitoba, boys (n=23) and girls (n=22) aged 11 to 12 years. The children were interviewed using a semi-structured, indepth interview guide. Data were analyzed using thematic coding. Results: Although healthful eating was seen as necessary for health, high-fat, high-sugar foods were a source of pleasure and enjoyed during social times. Physical activity was a way of spending time with friends, either through active play or watching sports. Boys viewed screen time and homework as barriers to physical activity, while girls identified no common barriers. Children viewed physical activ...Purpose: Healthful lifestyle habits established in childhood may continue through adulthood. Such habits may also be effective in preventing or reversing overweight and obesity. However, little is known about childrens perceptions of healthful eating and physical activity. Thus, we sought a better understanding of how children perceive healthful eating and physical activity. Methods: A purposeful selection was made of Winnipeg, Manitoba, boys (n=23) and girls (n=22) aged 11 to 12 years. The children were interviewed using a semi-structured, indepth interview guide. Data were analyzed using thematic coding. Results: Although healthful eating was seen as necessary for health, high-fat, high-sugar foods were a source of pleasure and enjoyed during social times. Physical activity was a way of spending time with friends, either through active play or watching sports. Boys viewed screen time and homework as barriers to physical activity, while girls identified no common barriers. Children viewed physical activ...

Hospitalizations due to allergic reactions in Finnish and Swedish children during 1999–2011

Several authors have reported on allergic reactions that resulted in presentation to the emergency department. However, studies of the secular trend of hospitalizations for paediatric allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, are scarce. The aim of this study was to describe the secular trends of hospitalizations for allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, among children aged 0–19 years in Finland and Sweden, and to establish the trend of prescribed epinephrine auto‐injectors (EAI) among paediatric populations.

Puberty and asthma in a cohort of Swedish children

Asthma prevalence and medication use shifts from male to female predominance during the pubertal years, suggesting an involvement of sex-specific factors. We examined associations between pubertal staging and asthma and medication use in a longitudinal cohort of 4089 Swedish children born in 1994-96. At Yr8 and Yr12, asthma was based on parent reports of ≥4 episodes of wheeze, or ≥1 episode of wheeze + inhaled corticosteroid use in the previous 12 months. Pubertal incidence of asthma was defined as no asthma at Yr8, but asthma at Yr12. At Yr12, participants self-reported pubertal development, from which we developed pubertal staging categorisations (Petersen, A.C. et al. J Youth Adolesc. 1988 April;17:117-33). After excluding those with missing data on asthma and/or puberty, our sample size was 2721 (50.2% boys). As most boys (97.8%) were in pre-, early- or mid-puberty and half of girls (47.6%) were in late- or post-puberty, we created sex-specific pubertal staging categories. Using binomial logistic regression, girls had a lower odds of asthma at Yr8 (OR 0.66; 95%CI 0.47-0.92) and Yr12 (OR 0.57; 95% CI 0.42-0.78), compared to boys. In boys, pubertal staging was not statistically significantly associated with asthma or pubertal incidence of asthma. In girls, late/post puberty was inversely associated with asthma (OR 0.35; 95% CI 0.16-0.78), while the odds of pubertal incidence of asthma vs. no asthma at Yr8 or Yr12 decreased with more advanced pubertal staging (mid-puberty: OR 0.36; 95% CI 0.15-0.88; late/post puberty: OR 0.25; 95% CI 0.09-0.68). In neither sex was pubertal staging associated with asthma medication use. To conclude, puberty and asthma prevalence and incidence were inversely associated in girls only.

Low vegetable intake is associated with allergic asthma and moderate‐to‐severe airway hyperresponsiveness

In recent decades, childrens diet quality has changed and asthma prevalence has increased, although it remains unclear if these events are associated.

Health-related quality of life in children with objectively diagnosed staple food allergy assessed with a disease-specific questionnaire

Among Swedish children of 0–12 years old, we investigated various food allergy‐related exposures associated with health‐related quality of life using a food allergy‐specific questionnaire among children allergic to the staple foods cows milk, hens egg and/or wheat, and contextualised worse food allergy‐associated health‐related quality of life using a generic questionnaire versus controls.

Anaphylaxis to foods in a population of adolescents: incidence, characteristics and associated risks

Information about severe reactions to foods in adolescence is limited.

The influence of childhood asthma on puberty and height in Swedish adolescents.

Evidence relating to the effect of asthma on puberty or height is inconclusive. We aimed to examine whether the exposure of childhood asthma, including timing and phenotypes, and inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) use is either cross‐sectionally or longitudinally associated with the outcomes of pubertal staging or height.

Socioeconomic evaluation of well-characterized allergy to staple foods in adults

The aim of the present study was to evaluate if total, direct, indirect, and intangible costs differ between a cohort of adults with well‐characterized allergy to staple foods (‘cases’) and controls.

Weight status and determinants of health in Manitoba children and youth.

PURPOSE Because of the tremendous increase in overweight and obesity in Canadian children and youth in recent decades, we examined associations among health determinants, healthy living characteristics, and overweight and obesity in Manitoba children and youth. METHODS Using descriptive statistics and logistic regression, we identified factors associated with measured overweight and obesity in a sample of 1651 Manitoba children and youth aged two to 17 years from the 2004 Canadian Community Health Survey 2.2-Nutrition. RESULTS Thirty-one percent of the children and youth were overweight or obese. Males aged 12 to 17 or from food-insecure homes were more likely to be overweight or obese than were younger males or males from food-secure households. Females from households with higher parental education were less likely to be overweight or obese than were those from households with lower parental education. Female youth who were sedentary for at least three hours daily were more likely to be overweight or obese than were less sedentary female youth. A trend toward significance with overweight or obesity in youth was noted with levels of daily fruit and vegetable consumption and regular physical activity. CONCLUSIONS Overweight and obesity in Manitoba children and youth are associated with socio-economic and demographic characteristics, and with food and activity behaviours. These findings can inform health and nutrition policy and practice by indicating health inequities that require particular attention.

“Asthma Isn’t an Excuse, It’s Just a Condition”: Youths’ Perceptions of Physical Activity and Screen Time

Objective. During puberty, physical activity patterns begin to decline, while sedentary time increases. These changes may be confounded by asthma. The purpose of this study was to gain insight into youths’ perceptions of screen time and physical activity by asthma status. Methods. Four interviews and seven focus groups with boys only or girls only were conducted with 15- to 16-year-old youth enrolled in either of two asthma-focused cohorts in Manitoba, Canada. Using a semi-structured interview guide, youth were asked about their perceptions of physical activity and screen time such as texting, watching television, electronic games, and Internet chatting and about their perceptions of the influence that asthma has on these behaviors. Data were analyzed using thematic coding. Results. Two themes were common to youth with asthma and without asthma: (1) sports are an integral part of youths’ lives and (2) screen time is important to youth. Two themes were identified among youth with asthma only: (1) physical activity used to be more difficult and (2) being active and living with asthma. Youth with asthma described physical activity as neither a hindrance to activity nor an excuse for inactivity, although asthma may still present some challenges. They also acknowledged their reliance on screen time for communication and for entertainment. Conclusions. Youth with asthma believe that physical activity has become increasingly easier as they become older and that being active with asthma, despite its challenges, is a key part of their lives.