bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Parental Perception of childhood obesity
Authors: Van Wyk A 
Published: October 2022

Abstract

Background and aims
Childhood obesity rate continues to grow in the UK with children from deprived backgrounds being at greater risk. While a large part of the literature focuses on the determinants of child obesity less is known about the factors that can lead a parent to misclassify their child’s weight status. The aim of this study was to investigate parental perception of their child’s weight status, compared to their measured weight.

Methods
Height, weight, and waist circumference were measured for 232 school children enrolled in Year 2 and Year 5 during the academic year 2019-2020 from ten schools in Barnet Council, London, UK. In addition, data were collected from parents on their child’s weight status and perception, health beliefs, eating habits, exercise habits, family anthropometric and health information. Information from 110 mothers and 17 fathers was retrieved. The WHO growth charts were used to classify the children’s BAZ scores.

Results
Results show that 46% of the parents classified their child’s weight status incorrectly, they either overestimated or underestimated their child’s body weight and/or shape. Specifically, 52% of parents of overweight/obese children reported their children as normal weight. Factors associated with parents’ child weight status misclassification child’s age (p = .771), ethnicity (p = .445), parents’ education (p = .227), and marital status (p = 0.07).

Conclusions
Parental perception of child’s weight status has important implications in terms of changes in household eating behaviours and attitudes. Understanding the key factors affecting parental perception is of paramount importance when developing interventions and policies aimed at tackling child obesity.

Key messages
• Parents classify their children’s weight status incorrectly, making it hard for policy change to be effective.
• Policy change can only happen if parents play an active role in understanding and perceiving if their child is overweight or obese.
Self-reported physical and emotional health among left behind children in Lithuania. A pilot study
Authors: Racaite J , Antia K , Winkler V , Dambrauskaite E , Tracevskyte I , Lesinskiene S , Surkiene G 
Published: October 2022

Abstract

Background
Left behind children (LBC) are children living with caregivers, while their parents work abroad. In recent decades Lithuania had lost ¼ of its population due to emigration, but the prevalence of LBC and their health needs are not sufficiently studied. The aim of study was to evaluate the association between self-reported health, emotional and behavioural difficulties between LBC and non-LBC.

Methods
The cross-sectional study was approved by the Biomedical Research Ethics Committee, No. 2021/11-1378-861. In March 2022, this pilot study collected data from adolescents aged 12-17 years at three randomly selected schools from the migration affected regions. Parents and children provided informed consent to participate in pilot study. Self-reported measures collected from the participants: Strengths, and Difficulties Questionnaire (Goodman, 2005) and a questionnaire on demographics and on the health situation. Chi2 tests and logistic regression were calculated by using Stata (version 15.1).

Results
The sample consisted of 127 children (mean age 15.2, SD 1.27; 54 boys, 72 girls) including 39 LBC. Mostly fathers left to work abroad (n = 36), but majority of children (n = 36) regularly communicated remotely with their migrated parents. Binary logistic regression results show that LBC children tend to evaluate their health as ‘poor, ‘bad', or ‘very bad’ (OR 2,33; 95CI [1,02-5,33]). There were no differences for emotional and behavioural problems. Preliminary results from multiple regression model showed that children with self-reported emotional/behavioural difficulties (OR 3,06; 95CI [1,12-7,84]), females (OR 4,99;95CI [1,55-16,13]) and LBC (OR 2,44; 95CI 0,95-6,25]) more likely evaluate their health as ‘poor', ‘bad’ or ‘very bad’ (likelihood-ratio test=23,72; model p &lt; 0.001).

Conclusions
This pilot study found negative association between parental migration and children’s self-reported health. However, a more comprehensive study with a larger sample size is needed.

Key messages
• Pilot study suggests negative association between parents migration and children’s self-reported health.
• More comprehensive study in bigger sample for the emotional/behavioural/communication difficulties between left behind children needs to be done.
Performance evaluation drives organizational change: a case-study from Tuscan Teaching Hospitals
Authors: Ferrari A , Bonciani M , Vainieri M 
Published: October 2022

Abstract

The 1985 WHO recommendation on caesarean-section (CS) stated that CS rates over 10-15% might be clinically unnecessary. The Performance Evaluation System of Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies systematically monitors the regional health performance of Tuscany, ITALY. CS rates in Pisa Teaching Hospital (TH) were the highest in Tuscany before 2018 (almost 30%), but then started to decrease, reaching the lowest values in Tuscany, around the WHO threshold (15%). We aimed to assess and demonstrate such performance improvement in Pisa TH, taking the other two THs of Tuscany as comparators. Our outcomes were NTSV CS rates (nulliparous, term pregnancy, singleton, vertex), total CS rates, Robson Class 1 CS rates, NTSV episiotomy rates, and operative delivery rates, computed annually from 2016 to 2020 in the three THs of Tuscany. We obtained data from regional administrative databases. We performed difference-in-differences to compare the average change from the pre- (2016-2017) to the post-period (2018-2020) in the outcomes between Pisa TH and the other two THs, assuming that Pisa TH implemented organizational changes at the end of 2017 to improve the hospital performance on CS. Comparing Pisa TH with the other two THs, we found a significant pre-to-post reduction in NTSV CS rates (p &lt; 0.001), total CS rates (p = 0.016), Robson Class 1 CS rates (p = 0.039), and episiotomy rates (p = 0.059), while no significant change emerged for operative deliveries. As a result, after 2017, Pisa TH reached significantly lower NTSV CS rates (p &lt; 0.001) and Robson Class 1 CS rates (p = 0.027) and non-significantly higher total CS rates and episiotomy rates compared to the other two THs. This case study proved beyond a mere descriptive assessment that a statistically significant performance improvement in CS and episiotomy rates occurred in Pisa TH after 2017 following organizational changes. Comparison with the pre-period trend and the other two THs of Tuscany made these findings robust and reliable.

Key messages
• The Performance Evaluation System allowed to benchmark the performance of Tuscan THs, revealing the worst practice of Pisa TH on CS, and fostering organizational changes to be explored qualitatively.
• Such organizational changes improved hospital performance on CS rates and on the maternity pathway in general, eventually making Pisa TH the best performer on CS in Tuscany.
Support perceived by foreign-origin women in Finnish maternity care: a comparison of two surveys
Authors: Schmidt A , Chen A , Klemetti R 
Published: October 2022

Abstract

Background
Evidence suggests that foreign-origin women are at risk of poorer pregnancy outcomes, both worldwide and in Finland. This study examined if foreign-origin women felt adequately supported by healthcare providers during their perinatal care in Finland.

Methods
Foreign-origin women who gave birth in Finland within the last 3 years were recruited via snowball method as part of the MOM Survey (MS). Data were also extracted from birthing parents’ responses to the 2020 national FinChildren Survey (FC), which consisted of data from parents in Finland with 3-6-month-old babies. Only responses submitted to MS from women born outside of Finland (n = 291) and responses submitted to FC by women born in Finland (n = 7984) were analyzed. Reported levels of adequate support from each group were compared using an independent sample proportion t-test. Data were then pooled and analyzed via binomial logistic regression.

Results
MS respondents were older, more highly educated, and reported a higher proportion of single parenthood. 70.9% of MS respondents reported receiving adequate support regarding general well-being during pregnancy, compared to 90.2% of FC respondents (p &lt; 0.001). Statistically significant differences (p &lt; 0.001) were also seen in levels of support for parenthood (MS 74.3%, FC 92.8%), depression (MS 68.1%, FC 94.7%), fear of childbirth (MS 81.5%, FC 91.7%), and preparing for childbirth (MS 65.0%, FC 80.6%). After adjusting for age, education, and relationship status, FC mothers were still 4 to 9 times more likely to report receiving adequate support in these areas as compared to their MS counterparts.

Conclusions
Women born outside of Finland were significantly more likely to report receiving inadequate support in multiple aspects of their perinatal care when compared to Finnish-born women. This held true even after adjusting for demographic differences. More research is needed to better understand this phenomenon and to ensure equitable care in the future.

Key messages
• Minority populations continue to grow in Finland, a country often seen as a global leader in maternal care. Supporting these populations is imperative to ensure quality maternal healthcare for all.
• Our observation that foreign-origin women felt less supported during pregnancy suggests that new care models or strategies may be needed to address their unique needs in peripartum care.
Parents’ perceptions of barriers & facilitators for adhering to advice from community health nurses
Authors: Carlsson RR , Brautsch LAS , Kierkegaard L , Bonnesen CT 
Published: October 2022

Abstract

Background
Childhood obesity is a global health problem and infancy is an important window of opportunity for promoting healthy weight development. In Denmark, community health nurses cover most families with a new-born child leaving a huge potential for promoting healthy weight development. This study examines parents’ perceptions of barriers and facilitators for adhering to advice from the health nurse regarding healthy weight development of their child.

Methods
Sixteen interviews with parents (children aged 0- 2 years) living in Denmark were conducted. Parents were strategically sampled representing variations across child age, family socioeconomic position, ethnicity, and geography. All interviews were based on a semi-structured interview guide, recorded, and transcribed verbatim and analysed using a thematic analysis.

Findings
Parents generally experience visits from their health nurse positively. Health nurses are emphasized as a confident and trustful relation and the key informant about children's’ health. Variations in how parents adhere to advice favouring healthy weight development of their child were found. Generally, parents adopted a positive attitude towards the health nurse, also when she addressed behaviour or practice of the parents, but parents expressed the importance of doing so in a non-stigmatising or finger pointing manner. The degree to which parents follow the advice from their health nurse depend on cultural background, advice from family and friends, and use of online information.

Conclusions
Parents generally have a confident and trustful relation to the health nurse, and she constitutes the key informant on child health. This leaves a potential for the structure of Danish health nurses for future interventions promoting healthy weight development. Adaptation of the future intervention program to the needs of parents will increase the chances of developing a relevant, successful, and sustainable intervention.

Key messages
• Health nurses are emphasized as a trustful relation and the key informant about children’s’ health, but parents expressed the importance of addressing behaviours in a non-stigmatising manner.
• Adapting information gained from parents in development of the trial will increase the chances of a relevant, successful, and sustainable intervention promoting healthy child weight development.
Empowering pregnant women to improve diet quality: a RCT among pregnant women in the Netherlands
Authors: van Lonkhuijzen RM , Wagemakers A , de Vries JHM 
Published: October 2022

Abstract

Objective
A healthy diet during pregnancy is crucial for the health of both mother and child, but pregnant women often do not meet the nutritional requirements. Empowering pregnant women to improve their diet quality could play a significant role in improving maternal nutrition and health. However, empowerment has been rarely used in nutritional interventions. Based on research and input from stakeholders, we developed Power 4 a Healthy Pregnancy (P4HP). P4HP consists of four additional consults by the midwife or dietician to discuss nutrition with the pregnant women from an empowerment perspective. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of P4HP on diet quality, empowerment, and health of pregnant women.

Methods
A cluster randomized controlled trial started in January 2022 in 14 Dutch midwifery practices, with a total of 175 pregnant women in both the control and intervention groups (N = 350). Women in the intervention group follow P4HP in addition to their usual birth care. Measurements are carried out at the beginning and end of pregnancy. Diet quality is measured using the Dutch Healthy Diet index 2015, specifically adapted for pregnancy. Empowerment is assessed using the Pregnancy-Related Empowerment Scale, Sense of Coherence (SOC) using the SOC-3 scale, Self-Rated Health using a General Self-Rated Health question, and Quality of Life using a Visual Analogue Scale. Results will be analyzed using Linear Mixed Models to analyze the treatment effect of clustered data.

Results
Baseline results of 100 pregnant women indicate that they do not meet the Dutch dietary guidelines. We hypothesize that P4HP will lead to improvements in diet quality, empowerment, and health among the intervention group compared to the control group.

Conclusions
Our findings will show the effect of P4HP on pregnant women’s diet quality, empowerment, and health. We expect to present our preliminary results during the congress.

Key messages
• Our findings will show the effect of four additional nutritional consultations from an empowerment perspective on pregnant women’s diet quality, empowerment and health.
• Empowering pregnant women to improve their diet quality could play a significant role in improving maternal nutrition and health.
Germany vs. Austria: country-specific differences in becoming parents during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Preiß J , Florea C , Angerer M , Schabus M 
Published: October 2022

Abstract

Background
Becoming parents can be a big challenge, but how is this experience affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and its measures?

Methods
Between 18.05.2021 and 01.07.2021, we conducted an online-survey to gain insight into becoming parents during the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany and Austria. The sample mentioned in this report consists of biological mothers living in Austria (n = 952) and Germany (n = 1012) who gave birth between the 16th of March 2020 (the beginning of the first lockdown in Austria) and the time of completion of the study. The mothers’ current stress levels were assessed with the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and postnatal depression symptoms were quantified with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Furthermore, we included questions to measure perceived social support and pandemic-related stress.

Results
Current stress levels (U = 555677.50, z = 5.90, p &lt; .001) and postnatal depression symptoms (U = 546354.00, z = 5.15, p &lt; .001) were significantly higher in the German sample as compared to the Austrian sample. Yet, Austrian mothers reported higher social support as compared to the German mothers (U = 387834.00, z = -7.48, p &lt; .001). Furthermore, we found higher levels of perceived social support to be associated with lower current stress levels (rs = -.40, p &lt; .001). On average, perceived stress was moderately high in both samples (MGermany = 18.58, SDGermany = 6.60; MAustria = 16.76, SDAustria = 6.57).

Conclusions
Stress levels and depression symptoms seem to be high and prevalent due to the pandemic and it is highly indicated to take action such as supporting families in need and emphasising social support in order to reduce mental health problems of parents as well as their children in the aftermath of the pandemic.

Key messages
• Findings underpin the protective role of social support against psychological distress in new parents and show the high strain at current.
• Action needs to be taken in order to support parents and children at risk.
Evaluation of an integrated physical activity program for pregnant women: WELL-DONE! Study
Authors: Marini S , Masini A , Caravita I , Zannoner A , Scognamiglio F , Coa AA , Rescigno I , Sicari G , Castagna G , Dallolio L 
Published: October 2022

Abstract

Background
Regular practice of physical activity (PA) during pregnancy has benefits for maternal and fetal health. Therefore, pregnant women (PW) should practice at least 150 minutes of moderate PA per week following the WHO guidelines. The aim of the study is to evaluate the effect of an adapted physical activity (APA) intervention for PW, to be included in childbirth preparation classes (CPCs) in terms of levels of PA, quality of life, physical performance, self-efficacy, sleep quality and anxious-depressive states.

Methods
The WELL-DONE! Study is a quasi-experimental study conducted with pregnant women at St. Orsola hospital, Bologna. We compared an experimental group (EG) with a control group (CG). EG attended 1hour/week session of APA during the usual CPCs for a 6 weeks period, while the CG received a one hour lesson about PA recommendation in pregnancy. The pre-post evaluation was carried out through questionnaires and motor tests, to which PW were subjected at baseline (T0), after the intervention (T1) and 3 months after delivery (T2). We used the Pregnancy Physical Activity Questionnaire (PPAQ) to collect data regarding PA levels and sedentary behavior.

Results
A sample of 50 pregnant women aged between 29-46 (mean age=35.44±3.99) was involved in the study (39 CG, 11 EG). After the intervention, PPAQ sedentary activity score was reduced in the EG group (-10.20±24.12) while remaining similar in the CG (0.58±22.65) without statistically significant differences between groups.

Conclusions
Preliminary results of the study show a reduced sedentary time in PW, highlighting a positive trend in the EG. This data underlines that incorporating APA in the CPCs can be an effective and safe strategy. Nevertheless, further analysis must be needed to find out if this trend can be observed in light PA, in the moderate and vigorous one.

Key messages
• Physical activity during pregnancy is a valuable tool for improving both mother and child well-being.
• Physical activity interventions, implemented in CPCs, seem useful in order to raise awareness about PA importance and reduce sedentarism in PW.
Potential association between working memory and physical fitness status: the BRAVE study
Authors: Masini A , Sanmarchi F , Ricci M , Longo G , De Gioia ER , Zannoner A , Tessari A , Ceciliani A , Dallolio L 
Published: October 2022

Abstract

Introduction
The World Health Organization launched a global action plan targeted to obtain a 15% relative reduction in the global prevalence of physical inactivity in adolescents by 2030 also promoting school-based PA interventions and programs in school. Active Breaks (ABs) are a school-based intervention consisting of short bursts (5-15 minutes) of Pa led by teachers or peer. Many researches investigated the implementation of ABs into primary school setting as a strategy to reduce sedentary behaviour, improve cognitive and physical function. However, this kind of intervention has not extended to secondary school, especially in Italian context. For this reason we started the BRAVE study to evaluate the potential effect of implementing ABs in secondary school. The study is currently in the administration phase of ABs to adolescents The preliminary analysis aims to underline a potential association between working memory performance (WM) and physical fitness status among secondary school students at baseline.

Methods
In March 2022 we conducted baseline assessment in a secondary school in Valsamoggia (Bologna, Italy). Working memory was evaluated using backward digit span while physical fitness status was assessed using three different fitness test: standing long-jump (SLJ), six minute Cooper Test (6MCT) and Shuttle run test (SR).

Results
A total of n = 125 adolescent, mean age 12.79±0.89, were enrolled in the study. After performing a regression analysis we found that WM is significantly associated only with age of student (b = 0.2, 95%CI 0.25, 0.11 p = 0.02). A trend also emerged between WM performance and SLJ but with no statistically significant differences (b = 0.160, 95%CI 0.03, 0.02, p = 0.09). The 6MCT and HT have no relevant associations with WM score.

Conclusions
These preliminary results suggest that age is associated with cognitive performance but no positive association were found between WM score and physical fitness status excepted for a small trend with SLJ test.

Key messages
• Age is related to WM in adolescent students.
• ABs interventions could represent a valid strategy to encourage movement, improve cognitive and physical fitness performance.
Invisible mother-daughter heredity
Authors: Capitani E , Lorenzini C , Baragatti E , Alaimo L , Messina G , Nante N 
Published: October 2022

Abstract

Background
The type of maternal caregiving impacts children’s growth and can lead to heritable changes in gene expression. When women become mothers, they adopt parents’ behaviours similar to those received in the family of origin. The study investigates if a birth’s social and cultural content can be seen as heredity transmitted from mother to daughter.

Materials and methods
A retrospective study was conducted on a group of mothers recruited across Italy through the social network Facebook. The study was carried out using a questionnaire administered from July to September 2021. The survey consisted of 21 questions. The analysis was carried out using STATA 14.

Results
Our sample consisted of 6051 mothers; the mean age was 37.7 years. Womens born by spontaneous birth has 2.1 times higher risk of having a spontaneous birth for their first child. Those born by operative labour have 2.7 times higher risk of having an operative delivery for their first child. Finally, those born by caesarean section are 2.3 times more likely to have a caesarean section for their first child. On the other hand, those born by preterm labour have 1.8 times higher risk of delivering their first child preterm. Those who were breastfed have 2 times higher risk of breastfeeding their first child. Women who have been told their birth is an extraordinary event are 2 times more likely to consider the birth of their first child as a problematic but still extraordinary event. Those who received a description of childbirth from their mother as a problematic event are twice as likely to consider the birth of their first child as a traumatic event overall.

Conclusions
The results show that transmission, written in the psyche, in preverbal and in internalisations derived from the relationship with one’s mother, is true and strongly present. Also, the ways of one’s own birth are so strong as to have repercussions on the daughter’s own and subsequently also on her children.

Key messages
• The unconscious objects, which are projected onto the children, can also take the form of both physical and psychic somatisations, which are repeated cyclically between generations.
• The way in which birth is cared for and the quality of care provided at this unique time in a woman’s life will leave an imprint not only on the woman herself, but also on future generations.