Prediction of BMI at age 11 in a longitudinal sample of the Ulm Birth Cohort Study

Citizens' perception towards landfill exposure and its associated health effects: a PLS-SEM based modeling approach

Around 90% of municipal solid waste in India is treated improperly at open dumps and landfills, posing a severe threat to public health. Landfills are an annoyance whose presence causes uncertainty, stress, and dissatisfaction in neighboring residential areas. This research investigates the perceived impact of exposure to landfills on health in terms of environmental quality, general living status, and defensiveness. To meet the current study's objective, "Case of exposed population" to landfill, i.e., 384 participants dwelling near 1 km of the dump site in Siliguri municipality, West Bengal, India, were considered using a purposive sample approach. The present study adopted Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) approach to prove the hypothesis related to the residential perception of landfills and their impact on health. The findings reveal that all three constructs, namely environmental quality (β = .997, t = 19.607, and ρ < 0.001), general life status (β = .116, t = 2.475 and ρ < 0.05), and people's defensive attitude (β = .150, t = 2.526 and ρ < 0.001), significantly affect the health condition of those exposed to a landfill site. The results suggest that by understanding the impact of landfills on resident health, policymakers and bureaucrats can promote reliable and effective measures linked to sustainable solid waste disposal facilities. The administration must create a policy to protect citizens who live near landfills by improving the ambient environment, establishing health management facilities, and raising awareness through public participation.

Self-reported weight loss attempts and weight-related stress in childhood: Heightening the risk of obesity in early adolescence

OBJECTIVE

Weight loss attempts occur as early as childhood. The impacts of weight loss attempts and weight-related stress on the occurrence of obesity during childhood remain unknown. We aimed to: (a) assess the prevalence of self-reported weight loss attempts and weight-related stress in 8-10 year-old children and (b) determine associations with adiposity 2 years later.

METHOD

Data were collected from a cohort study of 564 Canadian children aged 8-10 years, having one or both biological parents with obesity (Quebec Adipose and Lifestyle Investigation in Youth cohort). Self-reported weight loss attempts and weight-related stress were assessed at baseline in the child's questionnaire. Adiposity was measured at baseline and 2 years later using body mass index z-scores (zBMI), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), and percentage of body fat (%BF) obtained from dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Linear and logistic regression analyses were used while adjusting for potential confounders.

RESULTS

Forty-eight percent of children reported previous weight loss attempts and 20% reported weight-related stress. Self-reported weight loss attempts and weight-related stress were associated with higher zBMI, WHtR, and %BF 2 years later in adjusted models, although estimates were attenuated when including baseline adiposity measures. Self-reported weight loss attempts, but not weight-related stress, increased the risk of becoming overweight among children who were normal weight at baseline.

DISCUSSION

Weight loss attempts are prevalent in children with parental obesity. Children reporting weight loss attempts and weight-related stress tend to have higher adiposity 2 years later and are more likely to become overweight.

Mental health and experience of being bullied in 12-year-old children with overweight and obesity

AIM

The aim was to study the association between weight, mental health and experience of being bullied in 12-year-old children. Additional aim was to investigate the impact of childhood psychosocial risk factors for overweight and obesity at age 12.

METHODS

Study participants were members of a Swedish prospective cohort study. A total of 573 children were followed from pregnancy to age 12. IOTF-BMI at 12 years of age was used to categorise normal weight, overweight and obesity. Mothers, children and teachers filled out questionnaires on child mental health and experience of being bullied at age 12.

RESULTS

In bivariate analysis, girls with obesity reported significantly more behavioural problems than normal weight and overweight peers; however, no significant differences in mental health was noted between different weight categories when controlling for gender, experience of life events and socio-economic factors. Overweight and obesity were associated with experience of being bullied after controlling for gender, experience of life events and socio-economic factors (OR = 2.05, 95% CI = 1.08-3.91).

CONCLUSION

Children with overweight and obesity are at increased risk of being bullied compared with normal weight peers. No significant differences in mental health were noted between children with obesity, overweight and normal weight in multivariate analysis.