Ecological study of the association between socioeconomic inequality and food deserts and swamps around schools in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

BACKGROUND

Previous research suggests that unhealthy community food environments around schools contribute to unhealthy eating habits and negative health outcomes among the youth. However, little is known about how socioeconomic inequalities in those community food environments are associated with food deserts and food swamps across schools' neighborhoods.

METHODS

An ecological study was carried out in all 3,159 public and private schools in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Three measures of socioeconomic inequality were evaluated: per capita income, segregation index and deprivation index. The community school food environment was analyzed by metrics of food swamps and food deserts.

RESULTS

Food deserts and food swamps were simultaneously more prevalent in neighborhoods of the lowest income, high deprivation, and high segregation. Spatial socioeconomic disparities at the neighborhoods of schools were associated with food deserts and food swamps in Rio de Janeiro.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results point to a spatial socioeconomic inequality of establishments that sell food around schools in a Brazilian metropolis, indicating that the areas of greatest deprivation of food services are also the areas with the worst socioeconomic characteristics.

Failure to achieve proteic goals in non-critical patients increases risk for death: Old discussion, ongoing problem

OBJECTIVES

Providing adequate nutritional support for hospitalized patients continues to be a challenge. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of energy and protein provision with in-hospital mortality in non-critically ill patients.

METHODS

A retrospective study (2014-2016) was performed with all patients >18 y of age who were admitted to medical and surgical clinic wards and given exclusive enteral therapy. The mean of energy and protein was estimated per day and per kilogram of body mass from the enteral prescription data, over the entire period of hospitalization. A prescription mean was considered hypocaloric or hypoproteic at <20 kcal · kg · d^-1 or <0.8 g · kg · d^-1, respectively.

RESULTS

Of the 240 patients, 58.3% were >60 y of age and 60% were men. The frequencies of in-hospital mortality (19.2%) and malnutrition (78.8%) were high. The means of protein (0.75 g· kg· d^-1) and energy (17.60 kcal · kg · d^-1) were below the general recommendations and 37.8% did not reach a mean of 20 kcal · kg · d^-1 during the entire hospitalization period. Hypocaloric (hazard ratio [HR], 5.78; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.59-21.04) and hypoproteic nutrition (HR, 3.69; 95% CI, 1.25-10.93) were predictors of all-cause in-hospital mortality in adjusted multivariate models. However, when we adjusted the hypoprotein nutrition by energy (non-protein calories to nitrogen ratio), hypoprotein nutrition seems to maintain the increased risk for death (HR, 3.15; 95% CI, 1.04-9.53).

CONCLUSIONS

Hypoproteic nutrition appears to be more significant than hypocaloric nutrition in predicting all-cause in-hospital mortality. Protocols should be implemented to ensure that target caloric and protein levels are reached as quickly as possible to optimize patient survival.

Association between perceived neighbourhood characteristics, physical activity and diet quality: results of the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil)

BACKGROUND

The study explores associations between perceived neighbourhood characteristics, physical activity and diet quality, which in Latin America and Brazil have been scarcely studied and with inconsistent results.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 14,749 individuals who participated in the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (Estudo Longitudinal de Saúde do Adulto, ELSA-Brasil) baseline. The study included current and retired civil servants, aged between 35 and 74 years, from universities and research institutes in six Brazilian states. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) long form was used to characterize physical activity during leisure time and commuting; additional questions assessed how often fruit and vegetables were consumed, as a proxy for diet quality. Neighbourhood characteristics were evaluated by the "Walking Environment" and "Availability of Healthy Foods" scales originally used in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). Associations were examined using multinomial logistic regression.

RESULTS

Perceiving a more walkable neighbourhood was positively associated with engaging in leisure time physical activity and doing so for longer weekly. Compared with those who saw their neighbourhood as less walkable, those who perceived it as more walkable had 1.69 (95 % CI 1.57-1.83) and 1.39 (1.28-1.52) greater odds of engaging in leisure time physical activity for more than 150 min/week or up to 150 min/week (vs. none), respectively. Perceiving a more walkable neighbourhood was also positively associated with transport-related physical activity. The same pattern was observed for diet: compared with participants who perceived healthy foods as less available in their neighbourhood, those who saw them as more available had odds 1.48 greater (1.31-1.66) of eating fruits, and 1.47 greater (1.30-1.66) of eating vegetables, more than once per day.

CONCLUSIONS

Perceived walkability and neighbourhood availability of healthy food were independently associated with the practice of physical activity and diet quality, respectively, underlining the importance of neighbourhood-level public policies to changing and maintaining health-related habits.

Validade de indicadores de atividade física e comportamento sedentário da Pesquisa Nacional de Saúde do Escolar entre adolescentes do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

Analisou-se a validade relativa dos indicadores de atividade física do questionário utilizado na Pesquisa Nacional de Saúde do Escolar (PeNSE) entre adolescentes da cidade do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. Foram estudados 174 alunos. Avaliaram-se os seguintes indicadores referentes ao tempo semanal acumulado com a prática de atividade física: ATIVO-300MIN (acumulou 300 minutos ou mais); ATIVO-150MIN (acumulou 150 minutos ou mais); INATIVO (não praticou atividade física). Também foram estudados os indicadores de comportamento sedentário referentes ao tempo diário despendido assistindo TV, jogando videogame e usando computador. Foram comparados os resultados do questionário e dos três recordatórios de 24 horas. Os resultados de ATIVO-300MIN, ATIVO-150MIN e INATIVO gerados pela PeNSE apresentaram alta acurácia. Esses indicadores tiveram melhor desempenho que os de comportamento sedentário, tanto em relação às estimativas de frequência quanto em relação à sensibilidade, especificidade e índice de acurácia. Os indicadores de atividade física da PeNSE apresentaram validade relativa satisfatória.

Validade relativa de indicadores de práticas alimentares da Pesquisa Nacional de Saúde do Escolar entre adolescentes do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

Avaliou-se a validade relativa dos indicadores de práticas alimentares do questionário utilizado na Pesquisa Nacional de Saúde do Escolar (PeNSE) entre adolescentes da cidade do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. Foram estudados 174 alunos. Foram avaliados os indicadores: a ingestão regular (≥ 5 vezes/semana) dos alimentos marcadores de alimentação saudável, marcadores de alimentação não saudável e as rotinas alimentares: realizar refeição com responsável (REFEIÇÃO), realizar o desjejum (DESJEJUM) e comer enquanto estuda ou assiste à TV. Foram comparados os resultados do questionário e dos três recordatórios de 24 horas. Para todos os marcadores de alimentação saudável, não houve diferença na proporção de ingestão regular de acordo com os dois métodos. As frequências geradas pelo questionário foram superiores para os indicadores salgadinhos de pacote e biscoitos salgados e mais baixas para embutidos e REFEIÇÃO. Os indicadores de consumo regular de marcadores de alimentação saudável e aquele referente a DESJEJUM foram os que apresentaram maior acurácia. Os indicadores de práticas alimentares utilizados pela PeNSE apresentaram validade satisfatória.

Time trend in breast-feeding in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Southeastern Brazil: 1996-2006

OBJECTIVE

To analyze time trend in breast-feeding (BF) and exclusive breast-feeding (EBF).

METHODS

Data from a monitoring system, based on surveys conducted during the National Immunization Campaign in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Southeastern Brazil, in 1996, 1998, 2000, 2003 and 2006, were analyzed. Study population was comprised of 19,044 children younger than one year of age, who were present in vaccination stations. A probability cluster sample (vaccination stations), self-weighted and representative of the population of children younger than 12 months of age (<12), was studied for each year. A structured questionnaire with closed questions about the child's diet at the moment of the study and maternal sociodemographic characteristics was applied. The BF and EBF indicators proposed by the World Health Organization were adopted.

RESULTS

BF<12 increased from 61.3% to 73.4% between 1996 and 2006. Similar trend was observed in all age groups analyzed. EBF in children <4 and <6 months of age (EBF<6) increased from 18.8% to 42.4% and from 13.8% to 33.3%, respectively. Improvements in BF>6 and EBF<6 were found in all categories of all maternal sociodemographic variables. For EBF<6, the disadvantage observed in women with a lower level of education in 1996 and in women who worked in 1998 was not completely overcome by 2006.

CONCLUSIONS

BF and EBF increased in the period studied, independently from child age group and maternal socio-demographic characteristics. The differences found among women in distinct sociodemographic situations were not completely overcome.

Vigilância de fatores de risco para doenças não transmissíveis entre adolescentes: a experiência da cidade do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

Este trabalho apresenta métodos e resultados da implantação de sistema de vigilância de fatores de risco para doenças não transmissíveis entre adolescentes. Uma amostra (n = 1.699) probabilística de alunos de oitava série do ensino fundamental da rede pública municipal de ensino do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, respondeu a questionário autopreenchido anônimo sobre consumo alimentar, atividade física, atividades sedentárias de lazer e consumo de cigarro. Estimativas de prevalência dos fatores de risco foram calculadas para o total da amostra e segundo sexo. Taxas de não resposta variaram de 0,2% a 13,4%. Foram observados: baixo consumo de frutas (45,8%) e hortaliças (20% e 16,5% para saladas e legumes cozidos), consumo freqüente de refrigerantes (36,7%), balas e doces (46,7%), grande quantidade de horas alocadas em frente à TV, computador ou videogame (71,7% alocam pelo menos 4h/dia nestas atividades), baixa freqüência de prática regular de atividade física (40%) e prevalência de 6,4% de fumantes. Meninas apresentaram menores índices de atividade física e maiores de consumo de cigarro. O sistema testado mostrou-se factível e indicou prevalências relevantes de fatores de risco para doenças não transmissíveis.

Effectiveness of daily and weekly iron supplementation in the prevention of anemia in infants

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effectiveness of universal prophylactic targeting with iron sulfate on daily or weekly basis in the prevention of anemia in infants.

METHODS

Randomized clinical field trial with children between ages six and 12 months seen at primary health care units in the municipality of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, between 2004 and 2005. Three concurrent cohorts were compared: daily group (n=150; 12.5mg Fe/day); weekly group (n=147; 25mg Fe/week) and control group. The intervention consisted of universal supplementation with iron sulfate for 24 weeks, combined with educational adherence-promoting measures.

OUTCOME

mean serum hemoglobin concentration, distribution and prevalence of anemia (Hb<110.0 g/l) at age 12 months. Effectiveness was evaluated considering both intent to treat and adherence to protocol, using multiple regression analysis (linear and Poisson).

RESULTS

Groups were homogeneous in terms of descriptive variables. The intervention was implemented successfully, with high adhesion to protocol in both groups, and no statistical difference between them. After adjustment, only the daily regimen showed a protective effect. Adherence analysis demonstrated an evident dose-response effect on mean Hb and prevalence of anemia only for the daily regimen. No protective effect was detected for the weekly regimen.

CONCLUSIONS

Universal supplementation with iron sulfate from six to 12 months of age was effective in increasing serum Hb and decreasing risk of anemia only when administered on a daily basis.