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Background: Eczema (atopic dermatitis) is a major global public health issue with high prevalence and morbidity. Our goal was to evaluate eczema prevalence over time, using standardized methodology. Methods: The Global Asthma Network (GAN) Phase I study is an international collaborative study arising from the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Children (ISAAC). Using surveys, we assessed eczema prevalence, severity, and lifetime prevalence, in global centres participating in GAN Phase I (2015–2020) and one/ both of ISAAC Phase I (1993–1995) and Phase III (2001–2003). We fitted linear mixed models to estimate 10‐yearly prevalence trends, by age group, income, and region. Results: We analysed GAN Phase I data from 27 centres in 14 countries involving 74,361 adolescents aged 13–14 and 47,907 children aged 6–7 (response rate 90%, 79%). A median of 6% of children and adolescents had symptoms of current eczema, with 1.1% and 0.6% in adolescents and children, respectively, reporting symptoms of severe eczema. Over 27 years, after adjusting for world region and income, we estimated small overall 10‐year increases in current eczema prevalence (adolescents: 0.98%, 95% CI 0.04%–1.92%; children: 1.21%, 95% CI 0.18%–2.24%), and severe eczema (adolescents: 0.26%, 95% CI 0.06%–0.46%; children: 0.23%, 95% CI 0.02%–0.45%) with larger increases in lifetime prevalence (adolescents: 2.71%, 95% CI 1.10%–4.32%; children: 3.91%, 95% CI 2.07%–5.75%). There was substantial heterogeneity in 10‐year change between centres (standard deviations 2.40%, 0.58%, and 3.04%), and strong evidence that some of this heterogeneity was explained by region and income level, with increases in some outcomes in high‐income children and middle‐income adolescents. Conclusions: There is substantial variation in changes in eczema prevalence over time by income and region. Understanding reasons for increases in some regions and decreases in others will help inform prevention strategies. more...

El objetivo principal de este artículo es señalar los valores sociales presentes en los spots de bebidas emitidos por televisión, en España, durante el año 2006. Se estudian los valores sociales que transmiten los anuncios al margen de su función comercial. En total, se han analizado 191 spots; para los que se detallan los valores atribuidos al producto y al consumidor. La salud, la juventud, la importancia de las relaciones sociales o de construirse una personalidad genuina son algunos de los principales valores e ideales transmitidos a través de los spots sometidos a estudio. more...

This article explains the worry about children obesity and the accusation that many sectors exert on advertising. Furthermore, it tries to develop a theoric framework in order to set out the researches, which have been done, about food children’s advertising and its connection with obesity. In adittion to this, the article talks about other researches which prove the restricted influence advertising exerts on children as regards food consumption and the factors which are necessary to affirm that there are direct causes to provoke obesity. The purpose of this essay is to analyze what type of product category exerts more advertising pressure and what kind of messages are used. This analysis will expound if children’s advertising is really surrounded by non healthy products or, however, by advisable ones in a child’s diet. Finally, it will also expound which communicative subjects are found in this kind of products.Resumen: El presente artículo, contextualizado bajo la preocupación de la obesidad infantil y la acusación que desde numerosos sectores se ejerce sobre la publicidad, ha pretendido desarrollar un marco teórico donde se expusieran las investigaciones que sobre el binomio publicidad infantil de alimentos – obesidad se han realizado; así como aquellas donde se dejaba evidencia de la limitada influencia que la misma podía realizar sobre el menor en lo concerniente a consumo de alimentos, y los numerosos factores necesarios para poder hablar de causantes directos de la problemática de la obesidad. El objetivo sobre el que subyace el trabajo trata de analizar los tipos de productos que más presión publicitaria ejercen así como los mensajes sobre los que versa su estrategia comunicativa para así poder observar si realmente la publicidad infantil está copada por productos poco saludables o recomendables en la dieta del menor y observar qué tipo de temática comunicativa impregna este tipo de productos. more...

Current economic crisis together with the Internet revolution has had direct impacts on the franchise sector of Spain: in particular on its unique communication network. The aim of this research is to analyse how Spanish franchise companies have adapted to these changes through its corporate communications management. We want to determine whether the management of communications is ideal to the growth and consolidation of companies in the market. Corporate communications plans and organizational structures were analyzed to verify whether or not information technology (i.e. the use of the Internet) is maximized: the communications aspect being a critical area of company growth. We found that most franchise companies surveyed had adapted well to the changes in information technology, despite economic challenges. The Internet as a communications tool has been limited to its utility as a "bulletin board" for information. The marketing advantage of Internet communication, or its use as an avenue for customer exchange and exchange of goods and services has yet to be maximized. Future research may look into the details of how companies are able to maximize the communications-marketing advantage that Online/Internet can contribute to the franchise sector. more...

Atopic Eczema (AE) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that affects children and adults, and alters quality of life with a high morbidity rate and severe economic burden. The objective of the present work was to analyse specific atmospheric pollutants (O3, NO, PM10 and SO2) affecting the prevalence of diagnosed AE and its symptoms among 6-7-year-old schoolchildren. The participants included 21311 schoolchildren aged 6-7 years from 8 Spanish regions, whose parents completed the ISAAC Phase III questionnaire to ascertain AE diagnosis and symptoms. The mean levels (µg/m3) of O3, NO, PM10 (particles 10 micrometers or less in diameter) and SO2 were determined in each geographical area participating in this study. According to these mean levels, three levels of exposure to each pollutant were considered: level 1 (percentiles 0-25); level 2 (percentiles 26-74); level 3 (percentiles 75-100). Exposure to O3 was associated with increased prevalence of rashes (exposure level 2, Odds Ratio (OR): 1.22, 95% Confidence Interval (95%CI): 1.02-1.45; level 3 OR: 1.33, 95%CI:1.10-1.61) and diagnosed AE (level 2, OR: 1.27, 95%CI: 1.17-1.39; level 3 OR: 1.27, 95%CI:1.15-1.41). An association was found between the level of NO and a drop in the prevalence of diagnosed AE (exposure level 2, OR: 0.88, 95%CI: 0.81-0.95; level 3 OR: 0.85, 95%CI:0.74-0.97). There was also an association between the highest exposure level to PM10 and a reduced prevalence of rashes (level 3 OR: 0.42, 95%CI: 0.22-0.81) and diagnosed AE (level 3OR: 0.53, 95%CI: 0.38-0.75). Future studies into exposure to O3 and its relationship with allergic diseases may be conducted in order to prevent this association. more...

Los resultados de una prospección arqueológica sistemática efectuada en el Lomo de Arico (Arico, Tenerife) han permitido identificar una serie de yacimientos arqueológicos cuya distribución plantea un nuevo modelo de ocupación para esta zona de la isla de Tenerife. A partir del análisis de las evidencias documentadas, se infiere la existencia de un patrón de racionalidad que explica la presencia de asentamientos permanentes en una zona que, tradicionalmente, había sido interpretada como un área de trashumancia permanente. The conclusive report was carried out in Lomo de Arico (Arico, Tenerife) by means of a systematic archaeological prospecting. It has allowed to identify archaeological site suite which distribution leads to believe about a new occupation model in this area of Tenerife’s Island. Working on the archaeology record we have inferred a pattern of rationality which explains the existence of permanent settlement in an area that, traditionally, had been interpreted as one of transhumance. more...

The objective of this study was to know the prevalence and severity of bronchial asthma in 13-14 year old children living in Bilbao, a seacoast industrial town in the North of Spain.A sample of 13-14 year old children living in Bilbao was studied. Random sampling amongst school centers was done. Fifty-eight centers were included and a total of 3,578 children between 13-14 years old were studied. The International Study of Asthma and allergy in Children (ISAAC) written and video questionnaires were used. Statistical analysis included bar diagrams, qualitative variable frequencies and the Chi 2 test to study the contrast and the association between variables. The statistical significance level was 95%. The relative risk according to sex was obtained.The questionnaires that were valid (3,213) represented 89% of the selected sample. The accumulated asthma prevalence was 18.9%. The actual asthma prevalence (asthma during the last year) was 11.9%. Severe asthma was present in 11.9% of the children. Asthma had been previously diagnosed in 16.3% of the children. The relative risk of being diagnosed was 1.39 for males.These figures are similar to those obtained in other populations with the same geographic and climate characteristics. more...

The prevalence of atopic dermatitis (AD), a chronic skin disease, has increased substantially in recent decades, and different factors have been implicated in its etiology. Although dietary habits are being investigated, few conclusive findings have been reported. Nevertheless, increased consumption of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and a diet poor in antioxidants have been related to AD.The objectives of this study were to investigate the association between AD, the intake of different foods, and the effect of a Mediterranean diet among Spanish schoolchildren aged 6 to 7.We performed a cross-sectional study with 20 106 schoolchildren aged 6-7 years from 10 different areas of Spain. The participation rate was 76.50%. The prevalence of AD was assessed using the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood questionnaire and the criteria of the Spanish Academy of Dermatology. To calculate the Mediterranean diet score, we classified food into 2 groups: Mediterranean food, including fruit, seafood, vegetables, pulses, cereals, pasta, rice, and potatoes; and non-Mediterranean food, including meat, milk, and fast food.Milk was negatively associated with AD. Butter and nuts also were negatively associated, although statistical significance was only reached when these foods were consumed 3 or more times a week.We found no association between the Mediterranean diet score and AD and a positive association between AD and obesity. more...

Atopic Eczema (AE) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that affects children and adults, and alters quality of life. Previous studies have suggested several socio-demographic and environmental factors related to the prevalence of AE and other allergic diseases, including acetaminophen use. In the present study, we report the rates of isolated AE, AE associated with asthma and AE associated with rhinitis among 13- to 14-year-old Spanish adolescents and the level of association of these conditions with the use of acetaminophen. We analyzed Spanish data from a cross-sectional Phase 3 study within ISAAC. A total of 28,717 adolescents completed the Phase 3 written questionnaire by answering questions for acetaminophen use and on asthma, rhinitis and AE symptoms. We observed an association between acetaminophen use and AE among the adolescents who had used acetaminophen in the previous month. Furthermore, the prevalence rate increased with the number of allergic processes: for AE alone, the adjusted Prevalence Ratio (aPR) was 1.81 and for AE associated with rhinitis or with asthma, aPRs were 2.20 and 3.03, respectively. We conclude that acetaminophen use in childhood may be an important factor associated with development and/or maintenance of AE and other allergic diseases. more...