Joint association of screen time and physical activity with anthropometric measures in Iranian children and adolescents: the weight disorders survey of the CASPIAN-IV study

BACKGROUND

This study aims to assess the joint association of screen time (ST) and physical activity (PA) with anthropometric indices among Iranian children and adolescents.

METHODS

In this national study, 23,183 school students, aged 6-18 years, were studied. By using a multi-stage cluster sampling method, they were selected from rural and urban areas of 30 provinces of Iran. ST and PA were assessed by self-administered validated questionnaires. Height, weight, hip and waist circumferences (WC) were measured according to standard protocols, and body mass index (BMI) was calculated. ST of <2 h per day was categorized as "low" and ≥2 h per day as "high". PA levels were obtained by a 7-day recall of sports or activities that made participants sweat or make their legs feel tired, or games that made them breathe heavily. Using this questionnaire, the score of 1-1.9 was categorized as "low" and scores between 2 and 5 as "high" PA. Logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the joint association of PA and ST categories with odds of anthropometric measures.

RESULTS

In both genders, those students categorized as "Low PA & High ST" had the highest levels of BMI z-scores (boys: 0.15±1.12, girls: 0.17±1.08), WC (boys: 69.93±13.89 cm, girls: 67.30±11.26 cm), and hip circumference (boys: 82.41±13.90 cm, girls: 84.05±13.7 cm), as well as the highest prevalence of overweight (boys: 15.32%, girls: 14.04%) (p<0.001 in all comparisons). In linear multivariate model, students with "High PA & High ST" had significant increased levels of z-scores for BMI, WC and hip circumference (p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The current findings underscore the importance of reducing ST along with increasing PA for prevention and control of excess weight in children and adolescents.

Lifestyle advice provision to teenage and young adult cancer patients: the perspective of health professionals in the UK

PURPOSE

Health professionals are an important source of information for teenage and young adult (TYA) cancer patients. However, little is known about health professionals' provision of lifestyle advice to young people with cancer who are in their care.

METHODS

An online survey was distributed to health professionals within the UK who identified themselves as working with TYA cancer patients. Health professional awareness of lifestyle guidance, provision of lifestyle advice to young people and views on lifestyle information format and delivery were explored.

RESULTS

Ninety-five health professionals (44% nurses; 28% allied health professionals; 17% physicians) completed the survey. The majority (72%) of respondents were aware of some lifestyle guidance for cancer patients. However, less than half of TYA health professionals (46%) were able to successfully recall the source of the guidelines and less than a third reported proving specific advice to the majority of their patients on weight management, smoking, alcohol consumption and sun safety. Many health professionals (38%) felt that they were not the right person to provide advice and cited lack of resources as a key barrier to advice provision. The majority (95%) reported being interested in a resource containing relevant lifestyle information that could be given to young people with cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

TYA health professionals' awareness of lifestyle guidance and provision of advice regarding health behaviour is sub-optimal. Clear and comprehensive guidance written specifically for TYA health professionals could overcome the reported barriers and improve professionals' confidence in addressing and providing advice on lifestyle to young people with cancer.