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Objective: We explore how parental health and stress shape the rearing of preteen children in the rural Ozark Mountains. Background: Identifying concerns that impact preteen parents' health and stress levels may facilitate understanding ways to promote resilience and happiness for families in underserved rural communities. Methods: Using an interpretive phenomenological approach grounded in Lazarus's stress and coping paradigm, the current qualitative study used semistructured interviews with 20 White parents in the rural area of the Ozark Mountains who had at least one child born between 2008–2011. Results: Study participants' stories revealed that stressors related to parenting preteen children were rooted in stress from mental health or indirectly tied to social roles, such as occupational stress or financial constraints. Conclusion: Interventions and tools need to be developed that are specific to the culture of rural areas and that focus on families as an essential part of developing resilience and happiness and mitigating the adverse effects of stress. Implications: Interventions focused on families need to include diverse social factors that impact family resilience and happiness and include education to increase health literacy, family supports related to improving connections between parents and their preteen children, family tax credits to reduce hardships for parents, a tool for screening parents for stress, and expansion of telehealth opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores messages about foods in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, the first book of J. K. Rowling's popular Harry Potter series. This book is widely read by today's youth, and as such, the food‐related content may help shape their expectations about what foods are desirable. Of interest was how frequently nutrient‐dense and nutrient‐poor foods are depicted, and with what associated affect, whether positive, neutral, or negative. All mentions of foods and beverages in the book were identified, counted, and coded into broader categories such as sweets, vegetables, and alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages. Each food reference was coded for affect. The food category most frequently depicted, and most often with positive affect, was sweets. Other foods, such as vegetables, were depicted less frequently and less often with positive affect. The implications of these food messages to preadolescents' and adolescents' health are considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anaerobic characteristics of preadolescent asthmatic and nonasthmatic males were measured using the accumulated oxygen deficit (AOD) on 10 asthmatics (mean age = 10.9 years) and 10 nonasthmatics (mean age = 11.1 years). Subjects ran to exhaustion at speeds that were 110%and 130% of their VO2 peak. Mean AOD values for 110% and 130% were 53.23 ± 4.02 and 50.60 ± 2.81 ml · kg-1, respectively, for the asthmatic children's and 51.59 ± 2.66 and 47.04 ± 3.44 ml · kg-1, respectively, for the nonasthmatic children. There were no statistically significant differences in anaerobic characteristics measured by AOD values (p > .05) between intensities and groups. FEV1 data revealed that there was no bronchoconstriction occurring in either group under either of the test intensity conditions for up to 15 min postexercise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This content analysis, grounded in social cognitive theory, examined the nutritional quality of food, the outcomes associated with consuming food, the characters who reference food, and the context of food on narrative tween (9-14 year olds) television programs shown on Disney, Disney XD, Nickelodeon, Teen Nick, and Cartoon Network in the 2004-2013 seasons. Nutritious foods were portrayed more frequently than non-nutritious foods, and the outcomes of consuming food were mostly neutral, followed by positive, and then negative outcomes. Attractive characters most frequently experienced positive outcomes for consuming nutritious foods, whereas average-looking characters most frequently experienced negative outcomes for consuming nutritious food. Significant two-way interactions were found for nutritional quality with both food purpose and food occasion. Results are discussed in light of the healthful messages portrayed on tween television and the potential for modeling effects among tweens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effects of different levels of habitual physical activity (PA) assessed by pedometry on bone turnover markers of preadolescent girls according to a cross-sectional experimental design. Sixty prepubertal girls of similar chronological age, bone age, maturity level, and nutritional status were assigned to a low PA (LPA; n = 25), a moderate PA (MPA; n = 17), or a high PA (HPA; n = 18) group. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry was used to measure areal bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC) of the lumbar spine (L2-L4) and dominant hip (femoral neck and trochanter). Blood was collected for the measurement of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), bone-specific ALP (BSAP), procollagen type I N-terminal propeptide (PINP), C-terminal telopeptide of collagen I (CTX), parathyroid hormone (PTH), osteocalcin, thyroid-stimulating hormone, estradiol, testosterone, luteinizing hormone, and follicle-stimulating hormone concentrations. ANOVA revealed that the HPA group (18,695 ± 1244 steps per day) had a lower daily energy intake and body mass than the MPA group (10,774 ± 521 steps per day) and the LPA group (7633 ± 1099 steps per day). The HPA group had higher (P < 0.05) lumbar and hip BMD and hip BMC than the LPA group and higher (P < 0.05) lumbar BMD than the MPA group. The MPA group had higher (P < 0.05) hip BMC than the LPA group. The HPA group had greater (P < 0.05) values of BSAP, PINP, and ALP and lower (P < 0.05) values of PTH and CTX than the LPA group but not the MPA group. A partial correlation analysis (adjusted for body mass index) revealed a positive correlation of steps per day with BMD and BSAP concentration and a negative correlation with PTH and CTX concentration. In conclusion, PA increases BMD and BMC of premenarcheal girls by favoring bone formation over bone resorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to examine whether parenting moderated the association between maternal depressive symptoms and initial levels and growth of preadolescent internalizing and externalizing symptoms. This study used a community sample of preadolescent children (N = 214; 8–12 years old at Time 1), measuring maternal depressive symptoms and parenting at Time 1, and preadolescent internalizing and externalizing symptoms at each year for 3 years. After modeling latent growth curves of internalizing and externalizing symptoms, growth factors were conditioned on maternal depressive symptoms, positive (acceptance and consistent discipline) and negative (rejection and physical punishment) parenting, and the interactions of depression and parenting. Maternal rejection moderated the relation of maternal depression with internalizing symptoms, such that high rejection exacerbated the effects of maternal depressive symptoms on initial levels of preadolescent internalizing problems. There were no significant interactions predicting externalizing problems. The findings highlight how specific parenting behaviors may alter the way in which maternal depressive symptoms confer risk for behavior problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of acute aerobic exercise on executive function (EF) and executive control network (ECN) in preadolescent children, and further explored the neural basis of acute aerobic exercise on EF in these children. We used a within-subjects design with a counterbalanced order. Nine healthy, right-handed children were scanned with resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging and performed an EF task both in baseline session and exercise session. The exercise session was consisted of 30 minutes of aerobic exercise on a bicycle ergometer at 60% of their estimated maximum heart rate. Compared with the baseline session, acute aerobic exercise benefitted performance in the EF task, increased the functional connectivity between right dorsolateral prefrontal and left cerebellum, further, the increment of functional connectivity was negatively correlated with the EF' s behavioral performance change. These findings suggest that acute aerobic exercise enhances children's EF, and the neural basis may be related to functional connectivity changes in the ECN elicited by acute aerobic exercise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To establish correlation of anthropometric characteristics with aerobic capacity in pre adolescent population. Methodology: A total of 200 pre adolescent children; male and female were selected. Result: Significant findings were obtained. Conclusion: The present study supports the importance of physical activity in the schools which results in overall improvement in children development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Numerous studies have linked obesity and overweight with physical, psychological and social symptoms, but few of them have examined the presence of somatic symptoms in children or adolescents with obesity or overweight. Objective To examine somatic symptoms in preadolescents from 10 to 1 2 years old depending on their weight category (normal weight and overweight/obesity), as well as other variables related to the disease (times that preadolescents had been sick, had gone to the doctor or had been absent to class for having a disease in the last month, and existence of diseases in the members of their family). Method A cross-sectional study was carried out with 668 pre-adolescents; 301 of them showed normal weight and 367 showed overweight or obesity. They completed the Children's Somatization Inventory that examines gastrointestinal symptoms, pseudoneurological symptoms, and pain. A multivariate analysis of the variance was performed to analyse the data. Results No significant differences in gastrointestinal symptoms, pseudoneurological symptoms and pain in function of the weight category were found. Differences were only significant in function of gender, showing girls more gastrointestinal symptoms than boys (F [1,666] = 8.71; p = .003). When examining each somatic symptom, differences were found depending on the weight category, showing participants with overweight or obesity more fatigue (χ² = 5.35; p < .05), breathing problems (χ² = 7.51 ;p < .01), seizures (χ² = 4.12; p < .05), and poor digestion (χ² = 4.89; p < .05). The percentage of participants with overweight or obesity who had a sick relative was higher comparing to those with normal weight (χ² = 2.47; p < .01). Discussion and conclusion Overall, the results highlight the importance of examining physical and psychological symptoms in pre-adolescents with overweight or obesity to develop a successful intervention focused not only on the weight reduction but also in the improvement of their quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a stratified random sample of 1307 sixth grade primary school children and their parents in Shenzhen, China, this paper examined the association between a child's self-rated health (SRH) and economic, environmental and social resources accessible from his/her home, neighborhood, and school. As parents value access to quality primary schools in making housing choices, both an aggregated (by school) and individual (by child) approaches were adopted in analysis. It was found a child's SRH was positively associated with his/her perceived neighborhood safety aggregated at a school level, perceived school safety higher than average, engagement in discussion with parents and activities with friends, and self-reported happiness, but negatively associated with perceived neighborhood environmental hazards. The analysis suggests environmental and social factors in neighborhoods and schools are forces equalizing child subjective health and thus a community health approach deserves attention from policy-makers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A brief commentary on an article published in the journal arguing in favor of mandatory Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination in the U.S. is presented which amplifies the original article's points concerning the individual health benefits and public health benefits of the HPV vaccine. It also discusses parental responsibilities and rights concerning the health of their children and medical policies in the U.S.

Growing evidence suggests that aerobic fitness benefits the brain and cognition during childhood. The present study is the first to explore cortical brain structure of higher fit and lower fit 9- and 10-year-old children, and how aerobic fitness and cortical thickness relate to academic achievement. We demonstrate that higher fit children (>70th percentile VO2max) showed decreased gray matter thickness in superior frontal cortex, superior temporal areas, and lateral occipital cortex, coupled with better mathematics achievement, compared to lower fit children (<30th percentile VO2max). Furthermore, cortical gray matter thinning in anterior and superior frontal areas was associated with superior arithmetic performance. Together, these data add to our knowledge of the biological markers of school achievement, particularly mathematics achievement, and raise the possibility that individual differences in aerobic fitness play an important role in cortical gray matter thinning during brain maturation. The establishment of predictors of academic performance is key to helping educators focus on interventions to maximize learning and success across the lifespan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The type and the amount of dietary fat have a significant influence on the metabolic pathways involved in the development of obesity, metabolic syndrome, diabetes type 2 and cardiovascular diseases. However, it is unknown to what extent this modulation is achieved through DNA methylation. We assessed the effects of cholesterol intake, the proportion of energy intake derived from fat, the ratio of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) to saturated fatty acids (SFA), the ratio of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) to SFA, and the ratio of MUFA+PUFA to SFA on genome-wide DNA methylation patterns in normal-weight and obese children. We determined the genome-wide methylation profile in the blood of 69 Greek preadolescents (∼10 years old) as well as their dietary intake for two consecutive weekdays and one weekend day. The methylation levels of one CpG island shore and four sites were significantly correlated with total fat intake. The methylation levels of 2 islands, 11 island shores and 16 sites were significantly correlated with PUFA/SFA; of 9 islands, 26 island shores and 158 sites with MUFA/SFA; and of 10 islands, 40 island shores and 130 sites with (MUFA+PUFA)/SFA. We found significant gene enrichment in 34 pathways for PUFA/SFA, including the leptin pathway, and a significant enrichment in 5 pathways for (MUFA+PUFA)/SFA. Our results suggest that specific changes in DNA methylation may have an important role in the mechanisms involved in the physiological responses to different types of dietary fat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A universal vaccination program among preadolescents was implemented in Catalonia, Spain, during the period of 1999-2013 and its effectiveness has been clearly demonstrated by an overall significant attack rate reduction. However, reductions were not constant over time, and increases were again observed in 2002-2009 due to the occurrence of huge outbreaks. In the following years, in the absence of large outbreaks, the attack rate decreased again to very low levels. However, an increase of symptomatic cases in the < 5 age group has recently been observed. This is an unexpected observation since children younger than 6 are mostly asymptomatic. Such a long vaccination campaign offers the opportunity to analyze not only the effectiveness of vaccination, but also the influence of the circulating genotypes on the incidence of hepatitis A among the different age groups. This study has revealed the emergence of genotype IC during a foodborne outbreak, the short-lived circulation of vaccine-escape variants isolated during an outbreak among the men-having-sex-with-men group, and the association of genotype IIIA with the increase of symptomatic cases among the very young. From a public health perspective, two conclusions may be drawn: vaccination is better at an early age, and the vaccination schedule must be complete and include all recommended vaccine doses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between anthropometric parameters and serum lipid concentrations in both preadolescent and adolescent girls and boys. Materials & Methods: Basic lipid status parameters were determined in fasting venous blood from 186 preadolescents and adolescents. Atherogenic indices were calculated. Results: Two-way analysis of variance showed significant interactions between age and BMI subgroups in girls at the level of HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C), LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C), non-HDL-C, total cholesterol/HDL-C and LDL-C/HDL-C. Ordinal regression analysis showed that increasing age in both genders reduced the probability of higher HDL-C concentrations. Conclusion: Age was an independent predictor for lower HDL-C concentration in both genders. BMI was the most significant independent predictor for most lipid parameters in girls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ObjectiveTo develop a child- and adolescent-appropriate physical activity frequency questionnaire (PAFQ) in Tunisia, North Africa.DesignA PAFQ was developed from a physical activity (PA) inventory that comprised major activity components (at home, preparing meals, school time, transport, non-sport leisure, sports, prayer and sleeping time). Then, type and duration of each activity undertaken during the past week were estimated. Total energy expenditure (TEE) estimated by the PAFQ was compared with data derived from two criterion methods: heart-rate monitoring (HRM) and a 24 h PA recall (24h-R), both collected during a 3 d period including one weekday and two weekend days.SettingTwo elementary schools and two high schools of the most developed and urbanized area, Greater Tunis.SubjectsOne hundred and forty-two volunteer children and adolescents aged 10–19 years.ResultsThe PAFQ strongly was correlated with both HRM (r = 0·70; 95 % CI 0·62, 0·76) and 24h-R (r = 0·81; 95 % CI 0·77, 0·84). It featured acceptable agreement with both criterion measures, slightly underestimating TEE compared with 24h-R (−2·8 %, mean of individual differences −272·7 kJ/d; 95 % CI −490·6, −57·4 kJ/d) and moderately overestimating it compared with HRM (+11·3 %, mean of individual differences +1106·2 kJ/d; 95 % CI 845·8, 1366·6 kJ/d). Reliability ranged from moderate to good (weighted kappa coefficients from 0·47 to 0·78 and intra-class correlation coefficients between 0·79 and 0·86 for energy expenditure by PA categories), indicating strong agreement between the two assessments.ConclusionsThis PAFQ could be useful in the description and surveillance of PA patterns or for the evaluation of population-based interventions directed at promoting PA in Tunisian children and adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] A path model from technology use through exercise and eating habits to ill-being was tested. [•] Unhealthy eating predicted ill-being for children and preteens. [•] Reduced physical activity predicted ill-being for preteens and teens. [•] More technology use predicted ill-being after factoring out junk food and exercise for all ages. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this research, pre-adolescent children of two city schools were randomly assigned to three conditions of a systematic yoga intervention, a non-yogic intervention and a time lagged comparison group intervention. Three assessments at baseline, three months and six months were done on a sample of 178 school children of class fifth and sixth. The outcome variables were anthropometric, cognitive, personality variables and self reported class room behaviours. Various directional hypotheses based on review of literature were tested. In particular, to understand the short term and long term effects of yoga intervention on children, repeated measures analysis and discriminant function analysis was used, which is discussed in the present paper. Results reveal that the effect of yoga interventions emerge only at long term, where the yoga group is clearly ahead of the non-yogic and time -lagged group on a cluster of factors termed as 'positive health'. Implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Streptococcus pneumoniae is the major cause of death for pneumonia in the world, responsible 800,000 deaths annually among children and elderly. Most pneumonia caused by pneumococci are healthcare associated, while the remaining are community acquired. Airborne infections are frequent in dental healthcare settings, but data regarding the risk for pneumococci transmission are lacking. Aim. To estimate S. pneumoniae carriage rate among adolescent dental patients, in order to investigate the risk for pneumococci acquisition and spread in dental healthcare settings. Material and methods. 199 children aged 10-12 years attending the paediatric dentistry section of a dental hospital in Rome underwent oropharyngeal swab samples. Pneumococci were presumptively identified with cultural methods (growth on selective media, alpha haemolysis, bile solubility). Routine exposure to passive smoking, use of antibiotics, recent respiratory tract infections (RTIs) were anamnaestically investigated. Unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and individual probability to carry S. pneumoniae were assessed with logistic regression analysis. Results. Overall S. pneumoniae carriage rate was 11.6% (95% conidence interval, 95CI, 7.2-16.0%). RTIs were significantly associated with carriage (adjusted OR, 3.3; 95CI, 1.3-8.7), exposure to passive smoking (OR, 2.0; 95CI, 0.8-4.9), male gender (OR, 3.2; 95CI, 0.6-17.1) were marginally associated (0.05

Background: The relationship between dysregulation of cardiovascular autonomic functions and development of the hypertension has been well established in adults. Apart from the genes and environmental factors, obesity, sedentary lifestyle and dietary habits are the important contributors of increasing prevalence of hypertension even in youngsters. Studies on adults revealed that the vegetarian diet appears to be low in factors positively related to blood pressure when compared with non vegetarian diet. Aims & Objective: This study was designed to find the impact of vegetarian and non - vegetarian diet on blood pressure regulation in early part of the life, like preadolescent boys. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted on 100 vegetarian and 87 Non-vegetarian pre-adolescent boys from Mangalore aged between 9-13 years. The parameters studied were BMI and Blood Pressure (Basal Supine, and hand dynamometer stress test).Values obtained were analyzed by paired and unpaired 't' test and P value <0.05 was considered as significant. Results: The results showed that basal systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were increased in nonvegetarians. Both SBP and DBP increased significantly in both the groups during handgrip dynamometer test. But on analysis of these changes in SBP and DBP, only change in DBP was significantly more in vegetarians. Conclusion: Diet regulates blood pressure by influencing the autonomic activity as early as pre adolescent age group. Increased sympathetic tone at rest and a borderline response to handgrip dynamometer stress test in non vegetarians may act as a predisposing factor for the future development of cardiovascular disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The first phase of major neuronal rearrangements in the brain takes place during the prenatal period. While the brain continues maturation throughout childhood, a critical second phase of synaptic overproduction and elimination takes place during the preadolescent period. Despite the importance of this developmental phase, few studies have evaluated neural changes taking place during this period. In this study, MRI diffusion tensor imaging data from a normative sample of 126 preadolescent children (59 girls and 67 boys) between the ages of 6 and 10years were analyzed in order to characterize age-relationships in the white matter microstructure. Tract Based Spatial Statistics (TBSS) method was used for whole brain analysis of white matter tracts without a priori assumption about the location of age associated differences. Our results demonstrate significant age-associated differences in most of the major fiber tracts bilaterally and along the whole body of the tracts. In contrast, developmental differences in the cingulum at the level of the parahippocampal region were only observed in the right hemisphere. We suggest that these age-relationships with a widespread distribution seen during the preadolescent years maybe relevant for the implementation of cognitive and social behaviors needed for a normal development into adulthood. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Introduction: Television viewing is considered to be a risk factor for overweight in children because of its association with reduced physical activity and increased calorie intake. Objective: The aim of the present study is to examine whether eating styles affect the relationship between television viewing (TV-viewing) and snacking. Method: In a sample of 962 pre-adolescents, self- reported television viewing and snacking were assessed in relation to dietary restraint, external eating and emotional eating, as measured with the child version of the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire. With regression analyses we assessed the possible moderating role of emotional, external and restrained eating on the relation between TV-viewing and snacking. In all analyses we controlled for age, sex, BMI and the possible confounding effects of the other eating styles. Results: Emotional eating, and not dietary restraint or external eating, moderated the relationship between TV-viewing and snacking. Conclusion: TV-viewing seems to be more strongly related to snacking in children with higher levels of emotional eating. TV-viewing may also be a risk factor for the development of emotional eating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The present study was initiated with the main objective to assess the changes of body composition as related to age, gender during pre-adolescence (9-12 years). Methods: The study was conducted on 450 pre-adolescents of 9-12 years. Results: Skin-fold thickness was higher in girls than boys indicating higher fat content in girls. Age and gender related differences in body composition indicated that body stat 1500 analyser (BSA) fat mass (% and kg) decreased with an increase in age whereas it was decreased when derived from skin-fold thickness (SFT) in both the genders. BSA and SFT fat free mass (% and kg) increased with an increase in age significantly in boys and girls. Mean fat free mass (% and kg) and water (% and kg) were significantly higher in boys than girls. The mean fat (% and kg) was significantly higher in girls than boys. Body composition as related to weight indicated that the lean body mass was significantly higher in the subjects who had maximum weight than the subjects with minimum weight. BSA fat mass and fat free mass were significantly differed from SFT fat mass and SFT fat free mass indicating BSA was not suitable to assess body composition during pre-adolescence (9-12 years). Conclusions: Significant age related and gender related differences in body composition exist in the pre-adolescent period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To examine the association of critical parenting behaviors with preadolescent reported depressive symptoms, self-efficacy, and self-care behaviors in youth with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Method A total of 84 youth with T1D, ages 9–11 years, completed the Diabetes Family Behavior Checklist, Child Depression Inventory, Self-Efficacy for Diabetes scale, and Self-Care Inventory during a baseline assessment for a randomized controlled trial of an intervention to promote adherence. Results Preadolescents who reported more critical parenting behaviors reported more depressive symptoms and lower self-efficacy. The relationship between critical parenting and self-efficacy was partially mediated by depressive symptoms. In a second model, depressive symptoms were associated with lower self-efficacy and fewer self-care behaviors. The relationship between depressive symptoms and self-care was fully mediated by self-efficacy. Conclusions Critical parenting behaviors are associated with preadolescents’ psychological well-being, which has implications for self-care. Clinical implications include decreasing critical parenting behaviors and monitoring preadolescents with T1D for depressive symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Previous research has suggested that school-based pregnancy prevention programs that provide sexual education and related forms of support and foster life skill development are effective in improving preadolescents' attitudes toward abstinence and contraception. However, there has been limited research on the cost-effectiveness of such programs. This study used an economic approach to estimate the short- and long-term cost-effectiveness of a school-based pregnancy prevention education program by controlling for various influential factors, including predisposing, enabling, and reinforcing factors. The results of this study indicate that school-based health education intervention improves preadolescents' attitudes toward abstinence and pregnancy avoidance through contraceptive use. The findings also indicate that the program is cost-efficient and demonstrate its net benefits based on its long-term impact. The findings demonstrate that spending US$1000 on school-based health education intervention fosters the prevention of 13.67 unintended pregnancies among preadolescents. Sexual abstinence helps society avoid the associated public welfare, socioeconomic, and medical/health-care costs of such pregnancies. The implication of this study is that these school-based health education programs should be widely implemented in high-risk neighborhoods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Epidemiological studies indicate that parental smoking increases the risk for smoking in children. However, the underlying mechanisms by which parental smoking increases the risk for smoking are not known. The aim of these studies was to investigate if preadolescent tobacco smoke exposure, postnatal days 21–35, affects the rewarding effects of nicotine and nicotine withdrawal in adult rats. The rewarding effects of nicotine were investigated with the conditioned place preference procedure. Nicotine withdrawal was investigated with the conditioned place aversion procedure and intracranial self-stimulation (ICSS). Elevations in brain reward thresholds in the ICSS paradigm reflect a dysphoric state. Plasma nicotine and cotinine levels in the preadolescent rats immediately after smoke exposure were 188ng/ml and 716ng/ml, respectively. Preadolescent tobacco smoke exposure led to the development of nicotine dependence as indicated by an increased number of mecamylamine-precipitated somatic withdrawal signs in the preadolescent tobacco smoke exposed rats compared to the control rats. Nicotine induced a similar place preference in adult rats that had been exposed to tobacco smoke or air during preadolescence. Furthermore, mecamylamine induced place aversion in nicotine dependent rats but there was no effect of preadolescent tobacco smoke exposure. Finally, preadolescent tobacco smoke exposure did not affect the elevations in brain reward thresholds associated with precipitated or spontaneous nicotine withdrawal. These studies indicate that passive exposure to tobacco smoke during preadolescence leads to the development of nicotine dependence but preadolescent tobacco smoke exposure does not seem to affect the rewarding effects of nicotine or nicotine withdrawal in adulthood. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background Childhood obesity is rising rapidly in many countries. Preadolescents appear to be at particularly high risk. This study estimated the prevalence of overweight and obesity in preadolescent schoolchildren in Galicia, Spain. Methods The heights and weights of a random sample of 2305 Galician schoolchildren aged 10–12 years were measured using calibrated standardized scales and measures. Overweight and obesity were identified using the criteria of the International Obesity Task Force. Results The prevalences of obesity and overweight were respectively 9.2% and 31.0% among boys, 8.6% and 28.8% among girls and 8.9% and 29.9% overall. Taking boys and girls together, the combined prevalence of overweight and obesity fell significantly with increasing age. Overweight was more prevalent in rural than urban areas (30.7% vs. 28.4%), as also was obesity (9.8% vs. 7.2%). Conclusions Our study evidences the emergence of the obesity epidemic among preadolescents in Galicia, especially in rural areas. Both overweight and obesity in this age group are more prevalent in Galicia than in other areas of Spain or most other Western nations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Community-based prevention marketing (CBPM) is a program planning framework that blends community-organizing principles with a social marketing mind-set to design, implement, and evaluate public health interventions. A community coalition used CBPM to create a physical activity promotion program for tweens (youth 9–13 years of age) called VERB™ Summer Scorecard. Based on the national VERB™ media campaign, the program offered opportunities for tweens to try new types of physical activity during the summer months. METHODS: The VERB™ Summer Scorecard was implemented and monitored between 2004 and 2007 using the 9-step CBPM framework. Program performance was assessed through in-depth interviews and a school-based survey of youth. RESULTS: The CBPM process and principles used by school and community personnel to promote physical activity among tweens are presented. Observed declines may become less steep if school officials adopt a marketing mind-set to encourage youth physical activity: deemphasizing health benefits but promoting activity as something fun that fosters spending time with friends while trying and mastering new skills. CONCLUSIONS: Community-based programs can augment and provide continuity to school-based prevention programs to increase physical activity among tweens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Asthma is a serious problem for low-income preteens living in disadvantaged communities. Among the chronic diseases of childhood and adolescence, asthma has the highest prevalence and related health care use. School-based asthma interventions have proven successful for older and younger students, but results have not been demonstrated for those in middle school. METHODS: This randomized controlled study screened students 10–13 years of age in 19 middle schools in low-income communities in Detroit, Michigan. Of the 6872 students who were screened, 1292 students were identified with asthma. Schools were matched and randomly assigned to Program 1 or 2 or control. Baseline, 12, and 24 months data were collected by telephone (parents), at school (students) and from school system records. Measures were the students' asthma symptoms, quality of life, academic performance, self-regulation, and asthma management practices. Data were analyzed using multiple imputation with sequential regression analysis. Mixed models and Poisson regressions were used to develop final models. RESULTS: Neither program produced significant change in asthma symptoms or quality of life. One produced improved school grades (p = .02). The other enhanced self-regulation (p = .01) at 24 months. Both slowed the decline in self-regulation in undiagnosed preteens at 12 months and increased self-regulation at 24 months (p = .04; p = .003). CONCLUSION: Programs had effects on academic performance and self-regulation capacities of students. More developmentally focused interventions may be needed for students at this transitional stage. Disruptive factors in the schools may have reduced both program impact and the potential for outcome assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to implement a program designed to promote diabetes prevention activities among preadolescents in a rural southern setting using a day camp intervention. Participants in the study were eleven youth from a rural Alabama county who participated in a week-long half-day camp administered by local and community volunteers. Change scores were used to compare pre- to post- to follow-up measures for camp participant responses. Program results consistently demonstrated that the day camp was theoretically sound and that program activities positively impacted behavioral antecedents. This study demonstrated the feasibility of conducting a diabetes prevention day camp in a rural environment. Insights from this intervention can assist planners in rural environments to tailor similar initiatives in rural settings. Given the complicated nature of behavior change, a day camp approach of this length does not modify the behaviors of participants. Behavior changes may take considerably longer to initiate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To identify aspects of family behavior associated with glycemic control in youth with type 1 diabetes mellitus during the transition to adolescence, the authors studied 121 9- to 14-year-olds (M = 12.1 yrs) and their parents, who completed the Diabetes Family Conflict Scale (DFCS) and the Diabetes Family Responsibility Questionnaire (DFRQ). From the DFRQ, the authors derived 2 dyadic variables, frequency of agreement (exact parent and child concurrence about who was responsible for a task) and frequency of discordance (opposite parent and child reports about responsibility). The authors divided the cohort into Younger (n = 57,M = 10.6 yrs) and Older (n = 64, M = 13.5 yrs) groups. Family conflict was significantly related to glycemic control in the entire cohort and in both the Younger and Older groups. However, only in the Younger group was Agreement related to glycemic control, with higher Agreement associated with better glycemic control. Findings suggest that Agreement about sharing of diabetes responsibilities may be an important target for family-based interventions aiming to optimize glycemic control in preteen youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2007, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) launched a new campaign for parents to promote three important vaccines for 11- and 12-year-old children: MCV4, which protects against meningococcal disease; Tdap, which protects against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis; and the HPV4 vaccine, which protects women against the types of human papillomavirus most commonly associated with cervical cancer and genital warts. The CDC is adapting these campaign materials for Korean Americans, who face significant barriers to accessing health information and experience high rates of cervical cancer. As part of this process, the CDC conducted focus groups with Korean American parents to understand their knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about preteen vaccination and to test adapted campaign materials. Although participants had limited awareness of the need for preteen vaccines, once they learned of CDC recommendations, they were willing to consider vaccinating their children to keep them healthy. Findings suggest that this willingness can be bolstered by advice from physicians, schools, and government agencies. Participants found the information provided in the materials to be useful and credible and preferred receiving this information in a direct and factual manner. Materials designed and formatted similar to what might be produced in Korea are most appealing to this audience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Youth development research has found that children become more engaged and benefit more from being incorporated as decision makers. Thus participation helps promote development and encourages engagement. Based in theories of engagement and free-choice learning, the current research focused on a program combining sport/physical activity, life skills, and mentoring while promoting healthy life choices for preadolescent girls of color The coinvestigators, all women, conducted two 2-hr visits per week for two 12-week periods with a group of 8 girls at a community recreation center in Hartford, Connecticut, including lessons in nutrition and life skills and participation in a sport/physical activity. Five of the girls completed every stage of data collection, including participant journals and four individual interviews with each participant and her parents, over the course of the 24 weeks. The co-investigators also kept journals throughout the program. The results reflected the following themes: self-esteem/self-worth, accountability/responsibility for self connections to community and a sense of belonging, knowledge and acquisition of health/life skills, application of those skills, and planning and recognizing one's own influence on self and others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The present study examined the degree to which the P300 component of the visual brain event-related potential and associated task performance deficits often observed in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are attributable to comorbid childhood disruptive disorders using a community sample of 11-year olds from the Minnesota Twin Family Study. Subjects were divided into “ADHD-pure” (ADHD without oppositional defiant disorder, ODD, or conduct disorder, CD), “ADHD-comorbid” (ADHD with ODD or CD), and comparison (no childhood disruptive disorder) groups using DSM-III-R diagnoses. Results showed that ADHD-comorbid but not ADHD-pure subjects displayed significant P3 amplitude reduction and poorer task performance compared to controls. No group effects for P3 latency or reaction time were seen. Although ADHD-comorbid children had marginally more ADHD symptoms compared to ADHD-pure children, this did not account for their reduced P3, suggesting that the observed neurobehavioral deficits reflected the effects of co-occurring childhood disruptive disorders. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study examined cardiac and arterial differences between overweight and normal-weight preadolescent children. Twenty children (10.2 ± 0.4 years of age) classified as overweight, on the basis of age-appropriate body mass index (BMI) cutoffs, were compared with 43 normal-weight controls. Height, mass, and body surface area were measured. Relative body fat and lean body mass were estimated from skinfold thickness. Each child’s weekly physical activity metabolic equivalent (PAME) was calculated using a standardized questionnaire, and his or her sexual maturation was self-assessed using the Tanner scale. Peak aerobic power was assessed using a cycle ergometer and normalized to lean body mass. Mean arterial pressure was calculated from systolic and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) measurements taken with a Finapres. Cardiac dimensions were measured, using Μ-mode 2-dimensional echocardiography, and normalized to body surface area and height2.7. Left carotid artery pulse pressure (CaPP) was assessed with applanation tomometry. Overweight boys and girls had a higher left ventricular mass (LVM) and LVMHT2.7 than normal-weight boys and girls. CaPP was signficantly lower in the overweight than in the normal-weight groups, whereas PAME and relative peak aerobic power were significantly higher in the boys than the girls. Although overweight children had significantly higher stroke volumes and cardiac outputs than normal-weight children, ejection fraction was similar in the weight groups. Adjusted LVMHT2.7 was associated with cardiac volume measurements, BMI, and DBP in normal-weight children, whereas in the overweight children LVMHT2.7 did not significantly correlate with any variable. In conclusion, we found that cardiovascular adaptations can be seen in prepubescent overweight children as young as 10 years of age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Data on associations between the parent-child relationship, eating behavior, and body weight in a community-based sample of preadolescent children are presented. The aim of our study was to replicate the finding from clinical samples that families of overweight children demonstrate adverse characteristics of the parent-child relationship. Methods A community-based sample of 373 fourth-grade students was given self-report questionnaires on the perceived parent-child relationship and on eating behavior, and each child's height and weight was measured. Results No meaningful associations between children's body weight and the parent-child relationship were apparent. Deviant eating behavior was strongly linked to an adverse parent-child relationship irrespective of children's body weight. Conclusions It is suggested that previous findings from clinical samples of overweight children cannot simply be generalized to the population of overweight children and that deviant eating behavior, not overweight itself, is linked to an adverse parent-child relationship in preadolescent children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This cross-sectional pilot study investigated the relationship between weight status using body mass index (BMI) and percent body fat in preadolescent boys and examined grouping of boys based on BMI and percent body fat. Height and weight were measured to calculate BMI in 50 white 8- to 10-year-old preadolescent boys. Percent body fat was measured using air-displacement plethysmography. Boys were grouped based on their BMI status into an average BMI group and a high BMI group and based on their percent body fat into a lower percent body fat group and an upper percent body fat group. Boys'' participation on sports teams and in recreational classes or lessons and boys'' sedentary activity was reported by their mothers. Boys in the upper percent body fat group participated in more hours of sedentary activity than boys in the lower percent body fat group (P<0.05). Although percent body fat was significantly correlated with BMI (r=0.74, P<0.0001), a significant difference was found in the classification of boys into groups (χ2=13.52, P<0.0001). Six of the 25 boys in the high BMI group were also classified in the lower percent body fat group, and six of the 25 boys in the average BMI group were also classified in the upper percent body fat group, indicating that six boys from each group were mislabeled. Practitioners should use BMI as a screening tool and recognize its limitations for assessing adiposity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Purpose: A study was conducted that examined factors that lead children who stutter at around age 8 years to persist in the disorder when they reach age 12 years. Method: Seventy-six children were verified to be stuttering at initial assessment. When they reached 12 years of age, they were classified as persistent or recovered. A range of measures was taken at the 2 age points, and measures were examined by recovery group. Results: Although the tendency for more males than females to stutter was confirmed, the reasons for this tendency are not apparent for these speakers. Different patterns in speech were observed: Severity ratings of the recovered speakers dropped by age 12+. The severity ratings for the persistent speakers remained high at 12+, and dysfluency types tended to change from whole words to part words. Persistent and recovered speakers differed on temperamental performance at around age 8 years and performed differently on sensory and motor tasks at age 12+ years. Conclusions: Stuttering in late childhood affects mainly males. The later a child attends clinic, the longer he or she will stutter. Speech patterns of children who persist diverge from those who recover or who are fluent. As speakers persist, there are temperamental, sensory, and motor changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an increasing prevalence of overweight in preadolescents that predicts physical problems over the lifespan. Physical inactivity has been implicated as an associated factor, with African American youth being at an increased risk. Based on social cognitive theory, and proposed correlates of physical activity in youth, changes over 12 weeks in measures of self-appraisal (general self, physical appearance, physical self-concept, exercise barriers self-efficacy) and mood (tension, vigor), and their relations with voluntary physical activity changes, were assessed within an after-school care physical activity intervention. Participants were volunteers recruited from children already registered for a 12-week segment of YMCA after-school care. The treatment group consisted of 146 African American preadolescents with the control group comprised of 123 African American preadolescents who were scheduled to receive the program during the next sequence that it was offered. Results indicated the intervention group reported significantly more positive self-appraisals, reduced tension, and enhanced vigor. Bivariate and multiple regression analyses indicated that when each of the 4 self-appraisal and 2 mood factors were simultaneously entered into a regression equation, 36% of the variance in voluntary physical activity was explained. Findings support the treatment's association with theoretically based correlates of physical activity in the present sample, and suggest directions for physical activity interventions for youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The amount and type of physical activity (PA) appropriate in youth for optimal health is still being discussed. The purpose of this study on 12-year-old preadolescents is to evaluate the association of two PA patterns, corresponding to different exercise intensities, with some health-related indexes. PA was evaluated by triaxial accelerometry in 67 student subjects, who were successively classified according to 1) their usual participation or not in moderately intense (>4 metabolic equivalents, METs) activities (either in daily life or in leisure activities) for at least 210 mm a week (4 M210); and 2) the habitual practice or not of more intense activities (>6 METs) for at least 60 mm a week (6 M60). Health-related indexes consisted of cardiopulmonary (maximum oxygen uptake, VO2max), muscular (lower limb strength) fitness parameters and vagal-related indexes of heart rate (HR)variability (HRV), such as the HF/(LF+HF) ratio (where HF and LF stand for high and low frequency power). HR was recorded in the supine position after 15 mm of quiet rest, and HRV indexes were calculated in 5-mm segments. Energy expenditure due to PA was not significantly associated with any health-related index. Reaching 4 M210 was associated with both higher estimated VO2max (p<0.05) and higher muscular strength indexes (p<0.05) but not with enhanced HRV indexes. Subjects who reached 6 M60 had higher estimated VO2max (p < 0.05) and higher HF/(LF+HF) (p < 0.05). Our results show that regular moderately intense activities are sufficient to influence physical fitness but suggest that more intense activities are necessary to observe more favorable HRV vagal-related indexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Examine the role of food spending behaviors and perceptions on fruit and vegetable intake among preadolescent children and their parents. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Metropolitan city. Participants: Five hundred fifty-five parent/child dyads participating in the PARADE study. More than 50% of participants were African American and nearly 40% of households were low income. Variables Measured: Body mass index calculated from child anthropometric data and parents' self-reported height and weight. Adult and child fruit and vegetable intake, annual household income, and food purchase behavior and perceptions obtained from parent questionnaire. Analysis: Analysis of variance used to identify differences in means at P<.05 level. Results: No statistically significant differences in fruit and vegetable intake by income status were observed. Children in households spending the least per week on groceries consumed fewer daily fruits and vegetables. Perceptions of cost of fruits and vegetables were also found to be significantly associated with fruit and vegetable intake among children and parents. Conclusions and Implications: Public health efforts to raise awareness of the relatively low cost of fruits and vegetables should be continued. These efforts may be complemented with policy strategies that make fruits and vegetables more viable options for low-income households. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endogenous blinks—those occurring without apparent provocation—are regulated in adults with respect to the presentation, cognitive loading, and response demands of stimuli. This investigation determined the extent to which similar regulatory and response-related relationships were evident in preadolescents during a visual continuous performance task (CPT). As in adults, increased blink incidence on task, longer blink deferral following stimuli with greater cognitive loading, and blink-facilitated motor responses to imperative stimuli were observed. Reaction times significantly decreased when the button press (BP) occurred near (±200 ms) blink onset and increased across the task period on blink-free but not blink-associated trials. More blinks occurred before motor responses in females, and a reaction time (RT) advantage for males on blink-free trials was maintained across blink-associated conditions. From these results, an interpretation is developed arguing that endogenous blinks are a meaningful and integral component of sensory-motor processing, indexing times of facilitated attentional and motor response capability. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study aims to identify the relationship between the degree of uncertainty in the preadolescent's chronic condition and family distress. In-home interviews were conducted with 99 mothers and 86 fathers of 99 preadolescents with chronic physical health impairments. Preadolescents were divided into separate groups, first based on the predictability of their symptoms and next, based on the degree of certainty in their life expectancy. Using analysis of covariance, sex-stratified comparisons were made between the predictability groups and then between the life expectancy groups and four subscales of the Impact on Family Scale. Fathers and mothers of preadolescents with uncertain life expectancies reported significantly greater family/social disruption, emotional strain, and financial burden than parents of preadolescents with normal life expectancies. Unpredictability of symptoms was significantly associated with greater emotional strain for mothers and greater family/social disruption for fathers. Uncertain life expectancy and unpredictable symptoms were associated with significantly more family distress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the measurement of regular physical activity among preadolescent children. Review of literature on physical fitness testing; Importance of physical activity; Methods of measuring physical activity; Tips on how pedometers can help students become more active.

ABSTRACT. Participation in organized sports provides an opportunity for young people to increase their physical activity and develop physical and social skills. However, when the demands and expectations of organized sports exceed the maturation and readiness of the participant, the positive aspects of participation can be negated. The nature of parental or adult involvement can also influence the degree to which participation in organized sports is a positive experience for preadolescents. This updates a previous policy statement on athletics for preadolescents and incorporates guidelines for sports participation for preschool children. Recommendations are offered on how pediatricians can help determine a child's readiness to participate, how risks can be minimized, and how child-oriented goals can be maximized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unlabelled: A 1-y follow-up of fifty 8-y-old Swedish girls was performed to assess changes in eating attitudes and dieting behaviour. Individual structured interviews using the Children's Eating Attitudes Test (ChEAT) and Body Image silhouettes were used. The question, "Have you ever tried to lose weight?" was employed to discriminate dieters from non-dieters. Dieting behaviours according to the ChEAT increased over the follow-up period.Conclusion: Discrimination between dieters and non-dieters on the basis of a single question is highly unstable. A classification based on repeated assessment appears to be more promising. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the relationships of anthropometric and cardiovascular variables to one-mile run performance in 12-year-old boys. Contribution of physiologic cardiovascular fitness to run performance; Relative importance of maximum stroke volume, heart rate and arteriovenous oxygen difference in determining endurance capacity of children.

Assesses adherence to medical regimens in pre-adolescents with spina bifida, with mother, father, teacher and health professional report, using the Parent-Report of Medical Adherence in Spina Bifida Scale (PROMASB). Psychometric properties of PROMASB; Correlations between respondents; Comparisons of scale scores across respondents; Parents' attributions for adherence difficulties.

We present a case of solitary lytic skull metastasis from a follicular thyroid carcinoma in a child. Salient clinical features, radiological findings, and histological distinctions of the metastatic skull tumor are described. Excision of the skull tumor followed by total thyroidectomy and [sup 131] I-radioablation therapy has resulted in good short-term outcome. This is the first published report of a metastatic skull lesion from a follicular thyroid carcinoma in a child. Such a malignant lesion can radiologically mimic a benign skull tumor and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a solitary lytic skull lesion with a sclerotic margin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract. Primary type V hyperlipoproteinemia was identified in two preadolescent children. The propositus (kindred N) was a 10-year-old girl with severely creamy plasma, lipemia retinalis, hypertriglyceridemia (triglyceride level. 6,800 mg/100 ml), and hypercholesterolemia (cholesterol level, 490 mg/100 ml). Her parents and an 8-year-old sister all had endogenous hypertriglyceridemia (type IV hyperlipoproteinemia). In kindred A, an 11-year-old boy had triglyceride levels as high as 1,100 mg/100 ml and recurrent abdominal pain. His father had type V hyperlipoproteinemia; his mother was normal. All three of his older teenage siblings had type IV hyperlipoproteinemia. The enzymatic activities of lipoprotein lipase (LPL), hepatic triglyceride lipase (HTL), and histaminase (H) were studied in postheparin plasma. The LPL level was low in the children and both parents in kindred N. LPL level in kindred A was normal, except for one child with type IV hyperlipoproteinemia. HTL level was normal to above normal in both kindreds. Most patients had a normal H level, but one parent (kindred N) had no preheparin H and very low levels of postheparin H. There was a strong correlation (r = 0.58, significant at < 1% level) between the release of LPL and H but not between HTL and H (r = 0,22). The mean (+/- 1 S.D.) levels of the enzymes were as follows: LPL, 2.8 +/- 0.7 micro mol/ml/hr in kindred N and 5.4 +/- 2.2 micro mol/ml/hr in kindred A; H, 13.4 +/- 6.8 units/ml in kindred N and 22.0 +/- 11.9 units/ml in kindred A; and HTL, 18.0 +/- 7.1 micro mol/ml/hr in kindred N and 14.9 +/- 6.3 micro mol/ml/hr in kindred A. The enzymatic activities of kindreds N and A were significantly different for LPI, (P < .001) and H (.025 < P < .05) but not... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]