Reading for pleasure in childhood and adolescent healthy behaviours: Longitudinal associations using the Millennium Cohort Study

Change in clusters of lifestyle behaviours from childhood to adolescence: a longitudinal analysis

This study aimed to identify changes in clusters of lifestyle behaviours (physical activity, screen time and diet) between the ages of 7 and 14 years, and to examine socio-demographic determinants of changes. Longitudinal analyses were performed on a sample of 9339 children from the UK Millennium Cohort Study (MCS) who had complete data on behaviours of interest at age 7 (wave 4) and 14 years (wave 6). Joint Correspondence Analysis (JCA) and k-means cluster analysis were used to identify clusters of lifestyle behaviours at both time waves. Multinomial logistic regressions were used to examine the associations between socio-economic variables and changes in cluster membership. Analyses were conducted separately for boys and girls. Clusters of behaviours at age 7 and 14 years were identified as healthy, mixed or unhealthy respectively. Compared to girls, a higher proportion of boys remained in the healthier cluster over time (19.1% vs. 13.1%) or became healthier (26.4% vs. 9.36%). A higher proportion of girls changed to an unhealthier cluster (57.2% vs. 33.9%). Indicators of lower socio-economic status, such as low family income, low parental education, and not living with both parents at age 7 were associated with unhealthier changes in cluster membership. Conclusion Lifestyle behaviours cluster in children and are susceptible to change over a 7-year period, with a high proportion of boys becoming healthier and a higher proportion of girls became unhealthier. Indicators of socio-economic status appear to be important in determining changes in clusters. What is Known: • Poor lifestyle behaviours (i.e. unhealthy dietary habits, low physical activity, and sedentary behaviours) tend to cluster in children and adolescents. What is New: • Lifestyle behaviours cluster in children and are susceptible to changes between childhood and adolescence. Changes occur differently in boys and girls. Indicators of low socio-economic status are associated with unhealthier changes in behavioural clusters.

The Changing Relationship Between Hobby Engagement and Substance Use in Young People: Latent Growth Modelling of the Add Health Cohort

Cross-sectional and some longitudinal evidence suggests doing hobbies can reduce substance use, but findings have been inconsistent, and whether associations differ across adolescence remains unclear. This study included 7454 Add Health participants (50% female, 77% White, age mean=14.95 and SD = 1.56). Participants were split into three groups, according to whether they were early (aged 11-14 at baseline), mid (aged 15-16), or late (aged 17-20) adolescents at baseline. The trajectories of binge drinking, marijuana, and tobacco use were analysed in latent growth models across Waves 1-5 (1994-2018). Concurrent associations between substance use and hobby engagement were tested at Waves 1-3 separately in the three age groups. Doing hobbies more frequently was associated with lower odds of binge drinking and marijuana and tobacco use in early adolescence. Although there was initially a similar protective association in mid and late adolescence, this had reversed by Wave 3 for binge drinking and marijuana use, when participants were young adults. This change in the association could be a result of differing social contexts, changes in peer influence, or an indication that creative hobbies are particularly beneficial. It could explain previous inconsistent findings and demonstrates the importance of considering developmental differences when investigating engagement in hobbies.

Internal developmental assets and substance use among Hispanic adolescents. A cross-sectional study

AIMS

To determine the associations between internal assets (planning and decision-making, interpersonal competence and commitment to learning) and substance use (tobacco, alcohol, binge drinking, marijuana use and other drugs).

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study was conducted in four countries (Chile, Mexico, Spain and Peru).

METHODS

Adolescents aged 12-18 self-completed a multi-purpose questionnaire between 2016 and 2019. Multiple logistic regressions and structural equation models were performed to analyse the association between internal assets (planning and decision-making, interpersonal competence, and commitment to learning) and substance use.

RESULTS

The results indicate that planning and decision-making and commitment to learning are conducive to the prevention of substance use. On the contrary, interpersonal competence was not associated with substance use.

CONCLUSION

The present study shows that planning and decision-making and commitment to learning can be relevant factors in explaining substance use during adolescence. Internal assets can be an important aspect to include in health promotion interventions with children, youth and families to prevent substance use. These findings may be useful for researchers, schools, paediatric nurse practitioners, and health professionals in general to design health programs focused on children and adolescents. Furthermore, the Developmental Assets framework has been proved as a suitable frame of reference for paediatric nurse practitioners to assess and develop child and adolescent positive development and design health promotion interventions to prevent substance use.

Associations between neighbourhood deprivation and engagement in arts, culture and heritage: evidence from two nationally-representative samples

BACKGROUND

Previous research has shown the benefits of arts and cultural engagement for physical, mental and social wellbeing. This engagement is socially and geographically patterned. Yet it remains unclear whether place-based attributes are associated with engagement behaviour independent of individual factors. Therefore, the aim of this cross-sectional study was to robustly disentangle associations between geographical deprivation and arts engagement from the individual socio-demographic factors that tend to correlate with residential locations.

METHODS

Two different samples drawn from two representative surveys of adults living in England were compared - Understanding Society Wave 2 (2010/12) (N = 14,782) and Taking Part survey (2010/11) (N = 4575). Propensity score matching (PSM) was applied to investigate the association between neighbourhood deprivation (20% most deprived vs 20% least deprived) and arts engagement (arts participation, cultural attendance and museums and heritage engagement).

RESULTS

Higher levels of neighbourhood deprivation were associated with lower arts, culture and heritage engagement independent of individuals' demographic backgrounds, socio-economic characteristics and regional locations. When exploring subcategories of deprivation, similar results were obtained across deprivation domains. Results were also consistent when using more distinct categories of deprivation (i.e. 10% most deprived vs 10% least deprived) and when comparing people living in the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods with those living in the 40% medium-deprived areas.

CONCLUSION

This study is the first to apply a robust PSM technique to examine the association between neighbourhood deprivation and arts engagement using two nationally-representative samples. Results show that neighbourhood deprivation may act as a barrier that could prevent people from engaging in the arts, which in turn may exacerbate social and health inequalities. This highlights the importance of place-based schemes that focus on increasing individual motivation and capacity to engage in arts and cultural activities, especially in areas of high deprivation.

Nature relatedness as a potential factor to promote physical activity and reduce sedentary behavior in Ecuadorian children

Background

Nature relatedness can be associated with health-related outcomes. This study aims to evaluate the associations of nature relatedness with physical activity and sedentary behavior.

Methods

A cross-sectional study involving 9–12 year old children living in Cuenca, Ecuador, was conducted between October 2018 and March 2019. Questionnaires were used to evaluate physical activity (PAQ-C), out-of-school sedentary behavior, nature relatedness and wellbeing. Associations of nature relatedness with physical activity, and sedentary behavior were evaluated using linear regression models or tobit regressions adjusted by age, sex, school type, wellbeing, and body mass index z-score.

Results

A total of 1028 children were surveyed (average age:10.4±1.22 years, 52% female.). Nature relatedness was positively associated with physical activity (β = 0.07; CI 95%: 0.05–0.09; p < 0.001) and non-screen-related sedentary leisure (β = 3.77 minutes; CI 95%: 0.76–6.68; p < 0.05); it was negatively associated with screen time (β = -5.59 minutes; CI 95%: -10.53–0.65; p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Findings suggest that nature relatedness is associated with physical activity and some sedentary behaviors among Ecuadorian school-age children. The promotion of nature relatedness has the potential to improve health.

Do socio-demographic factors predict children's engagement in arts and culture? Comparisons of in-school and out-of-school participation in the Taking Part Survey

There is evidence on the health, social and developmental benefits of arts and cultural participation for young people. While there is a known social gradient across adult arts participation where socially advantaged individuals are more likely to engage in the arts, it remains unclear whether socio-economic factors also affect child participation either in school or out of school. This study analysed cross-sectional data from 1,986 children aged 11-15 in the Taking Part Survey interviewed from 2015-2018. It focused on three aspects of children's participation: (i) performing arts activities, (i) arts, crafts and design activities, and (iii) cultural and heritage engagement. Results show a social gradient across all three activities for out-of-school engagement, but not for in-school engagement. Arts and cultural activities provided by schools are therefore important to ensuring universal access to the arts amongst young people.

Longitudinal associations between reading for pleasure and child maladjustment: Results from a propensity score matching analysis

Reading for pleasure has been shown to have benefits for academic attainment and the development of empathy. Yet, whether reading for pleasure is linked with other aspects of children's development remains unclear. Objective. This study examines the association between reading for pleasure and children's psychological and behavioural adjustment at the onset of adolescence. Method. We analysed data from 8936 participants in the Millennium Cohort Study, Sweeps 4 (age 7) and 5 (age 11), and used propensity score matching methods to match children who read frequently with children with similar individual, social, familial, and behavioural characteristics who read less often. Results. Daily reading for pleasure at age 7 was associated with lower levels of hyperactivity/inattention and better prosocial behaviour at age 11. These results for hyperactivity/inattention were replicated when analysing data specifically from children with a history of hyperactivity/inattention at age 7. Results also show that daily reading for pleasure was associated with lower levels of emotional problems. Results were robust to a range of sensitivity analyses. Conclusions. Daily reading for pleasure in childhood is independently associated with better behavioural adjustment at the onset of adolescence. Future studies could explore the potential benefit of interventions to encourage reading.

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Reading for pleasure at age 7 is associated with strengths and difficulties at age 11.

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This association is seen in analyses that control confounding with matched samples.

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Reading is associated with later lower levels of hyperactivity/inattention.

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Reading is related to better prosocial behaviour.

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Reading is associated with lower levels of emotional problems.