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This article discusses two separate studies that examine the relationship between socioeconomic circumstances, health-related behaviors, and pediatric infections. The first study, conducted in Uppsala Region, Sweden, found that pregnancy smoking, excess weight during pregnancy, and low breastfeeding mediate a significant portion of the association between disadvantaged socioeconomic circumstances and pediatric infectious diseases. The second study, also conducted in Uppsala Region, found that children born to mothers with lower levels of education were more likely to be hospitalized for overall, respiratory, and enteric infections. The association between maternal education and infections decreased when health-related behaviors, such as pregnancy smoking and low exclusive breastfeeding, were taken into account. Both studies suggest that public health policies targeting these health-related behaviors could help reduce inequalities in pediatric infections. The article also discusses the use of multiple imputation as a method for dealing with missing data in epidemiological and clinical research, highlighting its potential benefits and challenges. The article was published in the British Medical Journal and is available for download from the Carilion Clinic website. [Extracted from the article]

Aim: We evaluated the effect on body mass index standard deviation score (BMI‐SDS) of a combined treatment (Web‐COP) for children with obesity, including a web‐based component targeting their parents. Methods: This randomised controlled trial recruited children 5–12 years of age with obesity (International Obesity Task Force BMI [IOTF‐BMI] ≥30 kg/m2) from school health care and outpatient paediatric clinics in in Northern Sweden from 1 June 2019 to 21 June 2020. The children were randomised to Web‐COP, an intervention with group sessions and a 12‐week web‐based component, or standard care. The primary outcome was the change in IOTF BMI‐SDS after 6 months. Results: In total, 75 children (33 girls), mean age 9.5 years, were randomised, and 65/75 (87%) children and their parents completed the study, 35/39 (90%) in the Web‐COP intervention and 30/36 (83%) in the standard care group. BMI‐SDS at 6 months was changed from 3.08 to 2.81 in the intervention group compared to an increase from 3.07 to 3.16 in the standard care group, representing a significant difference between groups (p < 0.001). In the intervention group, 14/30 (47%) reduced their BMI‐SDS ≥0.25, compared to none in the standard care group. Conclusion: The parent‐focused intervention significantly improved BMI‐SDS in children with obesity as compared to children in standard care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

My suggestion to Sweden (and other high-income countries) is to adapt the registration to more usable and clinically relevant criteria so that both those that fulfil the WHO definition and those that fulfil "almost exclusive breastfeeding" allowing these tiny little tastes of foods can be visible. Abbreviations BHVQ Svenska barnhälsovårdsregistret (The Swedish Child Health Services Register) ESPGHAN European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology Hepatology and Nutrition WHO World Health Organization In January this year, one of our most dedicated breastfeeding champions and researcher on human milk and lactation, professor emeritus Lars Åke "Nenne" Hanson, passed away. Sweden, until 2004, used a definition for full breastfeeding that allowed tiny tastes and taste meals as long as they did not replace a full breast-meal (almost exclusive breastfeeding in the table). [Extracted from the article]

Aim: Several countries, such as Norway and Sweden, have not implemented universal varicella vaccination. We present data for Norway and Sweden that were generated by a paediatric multi‐country Phase III study over a 10‐year period. This assessed the efficacy, antibody persistence and safety of two varicella vaccines containing the same Oka strain. Methods: This was an observer‐blind, controlled trial conducted in 10 European countries. Children aged 12–22 months (n = 5803) were randomised 3:3:1 and vaccinated between 1 September 2005 and 10 May 2006. The two‐dose group received two tetravalent measles‐mumps‐rubella‐varicella vaccine doses. The one‐dose group received one monovalent varicella vaccine dose after a measles‐mumps‐rubella vaccine dose. Control group participants received two measles‐mumps‐rubella vaccine doses. Main study outcomes were vaccine efficacy against confirmed varicella cases and incidence of adverse events. Results: Vaccine efficacy in the two‐dose group was ≥92.1% in both Norwegian and Swedish children compared to 72.3% in Norway and 58.0% in Sweden in the one‐dose group. Incidences of adverse events and serious adverse events were similar in the Norwegian and Swedish study populations. Conclusion: Consistent with overall study results, high efficacy against varicella and acceptable safety profiles of the two varicella vaccines were observed in Norwegian and Swedish populations. These findings highlight the benefits of varicella vaccines, particularly when administered as a two‐dose schedule. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]