Prevention of Eating Disorders (EDs): longitudinal study in preadolescent girls

Antioxidant effectiveness of sicilian red wines in comparison with french red wines.

PREVENTION OF ATHEROSCLEROSIS:DIETARY HABITIS AND NUTRITIONAL EDUCATION IN SCHOOLCHILDREN

Validation and reproducibility of dietary assessment methods in adolescents: a systematic literature review.

AbstractObjectiveThe aim of the present work was to determine what dietary assessment method can provide a valid and accurate estimate of nutrient intake by comparison with the gold standard.DesignA MEDLINE, EMBASE, ISI Web of Science, Cochrane and related references literature review was conducted on dietary assessment methods for adolescents reporting the validity and/or reproducibility values. A study quality assessment on the retrieved FFQ was carried out according to two different scoring systems, judging respectively the quality of FFQ nutrition information and of FFQ validation and calibration.SettingThe present review considered adolescents attending high schools and recruited in ho…

Effectiveness of a Physical Education Program on the Motor and Pre-literacy Skills of Preschoolers From the Training-To-Health Project: A Focus on Weight Status

Many studies reported a positive relationship between motor skills, cognitive functions, and school performance in school-age children; however, little is known in preschool children. The aim of the present study was to demonstrate the effectiveness of a physical education program (PEP) on locomotor, object control skills, and pre-literacy cognitive functions in a wide population of preschoolers and verify whether weight status could influence these abilities. In the context of the Training-to-Health Project, a sample of 1,029 preschoolers was recruited in kindergartens from the urban area of Palermo (Italy). Their gross motor and pre-literacy skills were tested before (PRE) and after (POST…

Factors associated with the subjective health complaints among adolescents: Results from the ASSO Project

Objectives. Subjective health complaints (e.g. headache and feeling low) are common among adolescents. The objective of this study was to identify the factors associated with the subjective health of adolescents from a population-based point of view. Material and methods. A sample of 712 students was recruited within the web-based Project ASSO (Adolescents and Surveillance System for the Obesity prevention), funded by the Italian Ministry of Health and piloted in Palermo. A 0-100 quantitative score (arbitrarily named "psychosomatic malaise index") based on the frequency of occurrence of seven subjective health complaints was created and used as outcome; socio-demographic characteristics, me…

Design, implementation, and evaluation of the adolescents and surveillance system for the obesity prevention project

Abstract The Adolescents Surveillance System for Obesity prevention (ASSO) Project aimed at developing standardized and web-based tools for collecting data on adolescents’ obesity and its potential determinants. This has been implemented and piloted in the local area of Palermo city, Italy. The aim of the present study is to provide an overview of the Project's design, implementation, and evaluation, highlighting all the aspects for a potential scale-up of the surveillance system on the whole national territory and abroad, as a sustainable and effective source of data. The overall structure and management, the ASSO-toolkit, the ASSO-NutFit software, and all developed and used procedures for…

Southern Italian teenagers

Italy comprises a high proportion of people who never exercised. Low physical activity levels in adolescents is a risk factor for several disorders. The aim of this cohort epidemiological study was to compare physical fitness profiles between boys and girls with regard to age and gender and to identify health and fitness-related markers that contribute to the make-up of Southern Italian teenagers. Eight hundred eleven teenagers were assessed for anthropometric measurements and completed the 5 ASSO-fitness tests battery. Data were analyzed with a 2-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) for repeated measures to compare the effect of both age and gender on the fitness components. The boys' anthropo…

Profiles of Physical Fitness Risk Behaviours in School Adolescents from the ASSO Project: A Latent Class Analysis

The aim of the present investigation was to describe profiles of adolescents&rsquo

"Prevalence of owerweight and obesity in children form some school of Palermo"

Study on the polyphenolic contents in oils from olea europea (var. nocellara del Belice, Sicily) plants: comparison between traditional and organic cultivation

Percentile values of the standing broad jump in children and adolescents aged 6-18 years old

The standing broad jump (SBJ) is a valid, reliable and feasible field-based test, which can evaluate explosive strength of the lower limbs and physical fitness. This study aimed to provide normative data for the SBJ for male and female children and adolescents and describe differences in performance between age groups and genders. A total number of 2140 children and adolescents, sampled in seven European nations have been included for analysis. The SBJ was performed to derive percentile values for gender and each age group. In general, males have greater jumping performance compared to females. Data demonstrate a linear increase in the jumping distance for both males and females until adole…

Antioxidant capacity and total phenolics of Sicilian wines from different varieties and vintage year

"Prevention of eating disorders(eds) in preadolescent girls form some schools of Palermo: self-esteem, body dissatisfaction and drive for thinness"

The Development of Motor and Pre-literacy Skills by a Physical Education Program in Preschool Children: A Non-randomized Pilot Trial

It is known in the literature that fundamental motor skill acquisition is strongly associated with the development of neuromotor, cognitive, social, and emotional aspects in childhood. Unfortunately, in Italy, the physical education teacher is not included in the school’s core personnel, and it is very hard to find a specific physical education program (PEP) that could improve preschool children’s motor and cognitive status. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the quotient of gross motor development (QGMD) and pre-literacy skills concerning visual analysis and spatial orientation abilities changed after 16 weeks of PEP (2 h/week) in preschool children. We conducted a school-bas…

The nutritional requirements of infants. Towards EU alignment of reference values: the EURRECA network

This paper presents a review of the current knowledge regarding the macro- and micronutrient requirements of infants and discusses issues related to these requirements during the first year of life. The paper also reviews the current reference values used in European countries and the methodological approaches used to derive them by a sample of seven European and international authoritative committees from which background scientific reports are available. Throughout the paper, the main issues contributing to disparities in micronutrient reference values for infants are highlighted. The identification of these issues in relation to the specific physiological aspects of infants is important …

Field-based tests for the assessment of physical fitness in children and adolescents practicing sport: a systematic review within the ESA program

High levels of physical fitness (PF) can positively affect both health and cognitive function, thus monitoring its levels in youth can help increase health and quality of life in adult populations later on. This systematic review aims to identify PF field-based tests used in young European populations practicing sport to find tools that are adequate for the considered target involving a new battery within the Enriched Sport Activities (ESA) project. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement was followed. In the 83 identified articles, the main tests used were: vertical/horizontal jumps (for muscular strength/power); push-ups, running at maximu…

Correlation between substance “P” and enzymatic activity of lysosomal Cathepsin A in rat peritoneal mast-cells, in physiologic conditions

Prevalence of overweight ad obesity in children from some schools of Palermo

Additional file 1: of Combined effect of different factors on weight status and cardiometabolic risk in Italian adolescents

Sampling procedure (DOCX 88 kb)

Determinants of European parents' decision on the vaccination of their children against measles, mumps and rubella: A systematic review and meta-analysis

ABSTRACT Low measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) immunization levels in European children highlight the importance of identifying determinants of parental vaccine uptake to implement policies for increasing vaccine compliance. The aim of this paper is to identify the main factors associated with partial and full MMR vaccination uptake in European parents, and combine the different studies to obtain overall quantitative measures. This activity is included within the ESCULAPIO project, funded by the Italian Ministry of Health. ORs and CIs were extracted, sources of heterogeneity explored and publication bias assessed. Forty-five papers were retrieved for the qualitative study, 26 of which were i…

METHODOLOGICAL ASPECTS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE LIFESTYLE SURVEILLANCE TOOLKIT IN THE ASSO PROJECT

Following the presentation of the ASSO Project, as discussed in the previous issue of JSSL (Tabacchi G. 2011; 1-3: 267-269 ), one of the first objectives of the study is to develop helpful and efficient tools to create a webbased software for the collection of data on adolescent lifestyles. Different methods have been developed and used throughout Europe to collect information on adolescent lifestyles. In order to select the best methods to be used in the ASSO project, a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) on the most valid dietary and physical activity/fitness assessment methods used in the target population has been perfomed. After the SLR and a meta-analysis of the retrieved studies, diff…

Overview of methods used to evaluate the adequacy of nutrient intakes for individuals and populations

The objective of the present paper is to review the methods of measuring micronutrient intake adequacy for individuals and for populations in order to ascertain best practice. A systematic review was conducted to locate studies on the methodological aspects of measuring nutrient adequacy. The results showed that for individuals, qualitative methods (to find probability of adequacy) and quantitative methods (to find confidence of adequacy) have been proposed for micronutrients where there is enough data to set an average nutrient requirement (ANR). If micronutrients do not have ANR, an adequate intake (AI) is often defined and can be used to assess adequacy, provided the distribution of dail…

Validity and Internal Consistency of the Preschool-FLAT, a New Tool for the Assessment of Food Literacy in Young Children from the Training-To-Health Project

Background: The importance of assessing “food literacy” since youth has been highlighted and, to this purpose, valid and consistent instruments are needed. This study aimed to assess the validity and internal consistency of the preschool-FLAT (Food Literacy Assessment Tool). Methods. 505 children from 21 kindergartens, recruited within the Training-to-Health Project in Palermo (Italy), underwent oral sessions and activities on food-related aspects. Their knowledge/skills were recorded in the preschool-FLAT. The following scale measures were assessed: Content validity; internal consistency (Chronbach’s alpha coefficients); construct validity (Structural Equation Modeling&md…

Alcohol consumption and hormonal alterations related to muscle hypertrophy: a review

Detrimental effects of acute and chronic alcohol (ethanol) consumption on human physiology are well documented in the literature. These adversely influence neural, metabolic, cardiovascular, and thermoregulatory functions. However, the side effects of ethanol consumption on hormonal fluctuations and subsequent related skeletal muscle alterations have received less attention and as such are not entirely understood. The focus of this review is to identify the side effects of ethanol consumption on the major hormones related to muscle metabolism and clarify how the hormonal profiles are altered by such consumption.

Relationship between diet in the first year of life, social factors and body weight in preadolescent schoolchildren in Palermo

A review of the literature and a new classification of the early determinants of childhood obesity: from pregnancy to the first years of life

Abstract From as early on as the development of the fetus, the risk of obesity can be evaluated. At the beginning of life, nutritional intake in man is controlled by innate biological systems and internal signals; and later on, the learning processes determine cognitive structures about food and nutrition, strongly influencing eating habits. It is important to identify all the factors that have an influence on childhood obesity and intervene with prevention programs. In this review, the databases “Pubmed" and “The Cochrane Library" were consulted to provide a review of recent literature (1982-2007) concerning childhood obesity. A particular importance is given to the influence exerted by th…

The effects of a calisthenics training intervention on posture, strength and body composition

BACKGROUND: Calisthenics was a term used to define a generic set of body weight exercises. Such term is now used to define a world wide spread discipline based on body weight and gymnastics exercises.OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to administer a calisthenics training protocol and evaluate its effects on posture, strength and body composition in untrained individuals.METHODS: Twenty-eight male participants (24.2 +/- 4.2 years; 67.0 +/- 8.3 Kg; 173.3 +/- 5.2 cm) were divided into two groups, a Calisthenics based intervention group (SG) and a control group (CG). The SG exercised for 8 weeks. Each participant underwent a body composition analysis, a postural assessment, a handgrip test, …

Hospitalisation of children aged 0-59 months with rotavirus gastro-enteritis before the introduction of routine vaccination (Sicily 2003-2012).

Background: Recent evidence demonstrates that rotavirus vaccination is the best strategy for reducing rotavirus gastro-enteritis (RVGE) in young children. Aims: This study describes the epidemiology of RVGE hospitalisation of Sicilian children before universal rotavirus vaccination was introduced into the regional immunisation programme in January 2013. Methods: An observational study was undertaken by analyzing data obtained from the Regional Hospital Discharge database, including hospitalisation from 2003 to 2012 of subjects aged 0-59 months who lived in Sicily. Children discharged with the rotavirus-specific ICD-9-CM code of 008·61 on first or any diagnosis stage were considered to be RV…

Strategies and actions of multi-purpose health communication on vaccine preventable infectious diseases in order to increase vaccination coverage in the population: The ESCULAPIO project.

The ESCULAPIO Project aims at increasing awareness on vaccine preventable infectious diseases (VPID) and vaccinations in different target populations and to spread the culture of prevention. Information/training interventions on VPID have been developed and health promotion activities for the general population, students and their parents, teachers and health care workers (HCWs) were set up. In Tuscany, educational courses on VPID in high schools were organized and students were stimulated to prepare informative materials on VPID for lower grade school pupils. In Liguria, an educational card game (named 'Vaccine at the Fair') was presented to children of primary schools. Stands in shopping …

Comparative validity of the ASSO - Food Frequency Questionnaire for the web-based assessment of food and nutrients intake in adolescents

Background : A new web-based food frequency questionnaire (the ASSO–FFQ) was developed within the ASSO Project funded by the Italian Ministry of Health. Objective : The aim of the present study is to assess the validity of the ASSO–FFQ at food groups, energy, and nutrients level. Design and subjects : The validation study compared the ASSO–FFQ against a weighted food record (WFR) measuring foods, beverages and supplements intake, compiled during the week following the ASSO–FFQ administration. Ninety-two subjects aged 14–17, recruited from secondary schools in Palermo (Italy), completed the ASSO–FFQ and WFR. The intake of 24 food groups, energy, and 52 nutrients were taken as main outcomes. …

Nutritional counselling in overweight and obese children of some schools from Palermo.

Extra-virgin olive oils of the Mediterranean basin: Nocellara del Belice, (Sicily) and Koroneiki (Crete)

European fitness landscape for children and adolescents: updated reference values, fitness maps and country rankings based on nearly 8 million test results from 34 countries gathered by the FitBack network

Objectives (1) To develop reference values for health-related fitness in European children and adolescents aged 6–18 years that are the foundation for the web-based, open-access and multilanguage fitness platform (FitBack); (2) to provide comparisons across European countries. Methods This study builds on a previous large fitness reference study in European youth by (1) widening the age demographic, (2) identifying the most recent and representative country-level data and (3) including national data from existing fitness surveillance and monitoring systems. We used the Assessing Levels of PHysical Activity and fitness at population level (ALPHA) test battery as it comprises tests with the h…

"Prevention of atherosclerosis: dietary habits and nutritional education in schoolchildren."

Qualitative analysis of determinants of measles, mumps, rubella vaccine uptake in European parents

Background Parental concerns about measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination negatively influence decision to vaccinate their children, this leading to the recently reported vaccine coverage drop in Europe. The ESCULAPIO project, funded by the Italian National Centre for Disease Prevention and Control of the Ministry of Health (CCM), is investigating the main factors underlying decisions on vaccinations, in order to implement targeted campaigns and plan effective strategies. Methods A systematic literature review was carried out on studies describing the determinants underlying MMR vaccination uptake in European parents. Results A total of 45 studies were included in the analysis. The mo…

Prevention of atherosclerosis: dietary habitus and nutritional education in schoolchildren

A systematic review to determine reliability and usefulness of the field-based test batteries for the assessment of physical fitness in adolescents - The ASSO Project.

The aim of the present review is to investigate the main field-based tests, used alone or included in sport or fitness batteries, for the assessment of health- and skill-related physical fitness components in adolescents. Different scientific databases were searched through using the selected key words related to physical fitness and its components for adolescence. The search focused on original articles and reviews/meta-analyses using valid, reproducible and feasible tests that fit within the school environment. A total of 100 scientific manuscripts were included in the qualitative synthesis. The present systematic review pointed out 5 fitness tests that well adapt to the evaluation of the…

A WEB-BASED SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM ON ADOLESCENTS’ LIFESTYLES AND OBESITY PREVENTION: ASSO-FTB PRELIMINARY FINDINGS. THE ASSO PROJECT.

The ASSO Project (Adolescents and Surveillance System for Obesity prevention), financed by the Italian Ministry of Health, aims to develop a surveillance system structured on adolescents lifestyles. It is a prospective study with online data collection, simultaneous descriptive data analysis and real time report. The ASSO-Toolkit is made of questionnaires, forms and a fitness test battery. The aims of this study is to evaluate the predictive validity, the criterion validity and the reliability of ASSO-FTB, in other words to assess how well the system operates to meet its objectives. The ASSO-FTB consists of 20mSRT (Shuttle Run Test) to estimate cardiorespiratory fitness, the handgrip streng…

Dietary habits and food consumptions

Schoolchildren obesity, food consumptions, socio–cultural level and nutritional education in Sicily during the last 15 years

Dietary calcium intake and evaluation of some influencing factors, in preadolescent schoolchildren from Palermo, for the prevention of osteoporosis

How to find information on national food and nutrient consumption surveys across Europe: systematic literature review and questionnaires to selected country experts are both good strategies

The present research was conducted within the framework of the EURopean micronutrient RECommendations Aligned project. In order to identify the best practice in assessing nutrient intakes, a search strategy for collecting data from national food consumption surveys/studies in Europe was developed. Systematic literature searches were carried out on twenty-eight European and the four European Free Trade Association countries. A questionnaire was also sent to two to five experts in each country. Systematic reviews using PubMed yielded 12 703 abstracts that were reduced to 200 studies using inclusion and exclusion criteria. Similarly, a search of ministry web sites yielded 3033 hits, and subseq…

Cognitive and Physical Activity-Related Aspects of Children Associated to the Performance of the Crunning Movement

The aim of this investigation was to identify possible related factors associated to the performance of the crunning test in European children and adolescents. A total number of 559 children and adolescents (age range 6&ndash

The development of motor skills by a physical education programme in preschool children: a preschool-based controlled trial

Purpose: Unlike other European countries, Italian kindergartens do not include the physical education teacher in the school organic personnel. This is frequently associated with the lack of opportunities to perform physical education by preschool children. The aim of this study was to analyse the effects of a specific physical education program (PEP) on the quotient of gross motor development (QGMD) in preschool children. Methods: We conducted a school-based non-randomised controlled trial. It involved 119 children, clustered in a control group (CG, n = 29, age 52.1 ± 8.65 months; height 1.1 ± 0.07 m, body weight 19.2 ± 5.55 kg, body mass index (BMI) 16.9 ± 3.16) and an intervention group (…

La Promozione della Salute nelle scuole: misure antropometriche in un campione di una popolazione scolastica di un Comune Siciliano.

Retraction: Alcohol consumption and hormonal alterations related to muscle hypertrophy: a review

Detrimental effects of acute and chronic alcohol (ethanol) consumption on human physiology are well documented in the literature. These adversely influence neural, metabolic, cardiovascular, and thermoregulatory functions. However, the side effects of ethanol consumption on hormonal fluctuations and subsequent related skeletal muscle alterations have received less attention and as such are not entirely understood. The focus of this review is to identify the side effects of ethanol consumption on the major hormones related to muscle metabolism and clarify how the hormonal profiles are altered by such consumption.

Trends in childhood obesity, food habits, life styles and knowledge over three years: results from a longitudinal study

Systematic review and meta-analysis of determinants associated with HPV vaccination uptake in Europe

Abstract Background Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines are the most important strategy to prevent HPV-related cancers and benign lesions. However, low immunization levels observed in several countries requires a deeper analysis of determinants associated with HPV vaccination uptake. Aim of the research is to identify the main determinants associated with HPV vaccination uptake among European adolescents, through a systematic literature review and meta-analysis. Methods The research was conducted on electronic databases including PubMed/MEDLINE and SCOPUS, identifying 1147 studies. Original articles published between 2000 and 2018 were retrieved, with restriction criteria applied to the Eur…

Information sources and knowledge on vaccination in a population from southern Italy: The ESCULAPIO project

Vaccine knowledge of the general population is shaped by different information sources and strongly influences vaccination attitudes and uptake. The CCM-Italian Ministry of Health ESCULAPIO project attempted to identify the role of such information sources, in order to address adequate strategies to improve information on vaccines and vaccine preventable diseases. In the present study, data on 632 adults from Southern Italy regarding information sources were collected, and their perceived and actual knowledge on vaccinations were compared and analyzed in relation to socio-demographic characteristics and information sources. The main reported reference sources were general practitioners (GPs…

Adolescence Surveillance System for Obesity Prevention (ASSO) in Europe

Adolescents' obesity is a major concern in our modern life that could lead to significant increase in the rate of obese future generations and consequently in the health budget. The ASSO (Adolescence Surveillance System for Obesity prevention) project in Italy is tackling this new pandemic using the new e-technology through a multi facets monitoring system on life style including food consumptions, meal patterns and habits, alcohol, smoking, physical activity, fitness and sedentariness, and biological/genetic, and socio-cultural/environmental characteristics of adolescents. The project has been recently piloted in the South of the country. This chapter summarizes the design and structure of…

DIETARY HABITS, LIFE STYLES, FOOD CONSUMPTION

How does the quality of surveys for nutrient intake adequacy assessment compare across Europe? A scoring system to rate the quality of data in such surveys

Research was conducted within the EURopean micronutrient RECommendations Aligned (EURRECA) Network of Excellence, to find the best practice in assessing nutrient intakes. Objectives include: to search for and use data on individual nutrient intake adequacy (NIA) assessment collected in twenty-eight European countries and the four European Free Trade Association countries; to design and test innovative tools for data quality analysis. The information was obtained using the method described by Blanquer et al. in the present issue. The best-practice criteria were devised to select the most appropriate survey in each country. Then a survey quality scoring system was developed in consultation wi…

Risk factors for eating disorders and correlation with the body mass index, in preadolescent girls from some schools of Palermo

Effects of an intervention of nutrition and health on weight status and physical activity of sicilian schoolchildren.

Effects of a Physical Activity Intervention on Physical Fitness of schoolchildren: The Enriched Sport Activity Program

Background: Physical fitness in youth is a predictor of health in adulthood. The main objective of the present study was to understand if an enriched sport activity program could increase physical fitness in a population of schoolchildren. Methods: In a sample of 672 children aged 10.0 &plusmn

Dietary assessment methods in surveillance systems targeted to adolescents: A review of the literature

Abstract Aims The present paper aims to identify ongoing multinational surveillance systems (SURSYSs) assessing diet and nutrition targeted to adolescents, including European surveys involving multiple countries and similar initiatives conducted in non-European countries with developed economies, and to describe the dietary assessment methods used. Data synthesis A total of 13 SURSYSs conducted in Europe, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand were identified. Dietary assessment methods commonly used include 24-h recalls (24H-Rs) and questionnaires or interviews. Food frequency questionnaires (FFQs) are used in combination with 24H-Rs in six SURSYSs: only FFQs are used in four SURSYSs; 24H-…

Prevalence of overweight and obesity in children from some schools of Palermo

Interrelationship Between Age, Gender, and Weight Status on Motor Coordination in Italian Children and Early Adolescents Aged 6–13 Years Old

Although numerous evidences reported a negative correlation between motor coordination (MC) and overweight/obesity in children and adolescents, the interrelationship between age, gender, and weight status is still debatable. Hence, the aim of this cross-sectional study was to examine the association between MC and weight status according to age and gender across childhood and early adolescence in a large sample of Italian elementary and middle school students. A number of 1961 Italian school students (1,026 boys, 935 girls) was stratified in three consecutive age groups (6–7, 8–10, and 11–13 years) and four weight status categories (underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obese) accordi…

A meta-analysis of the validity of FFQ targeted to adolescents.

AbstractObjectiveThe present work is aimed at meta-analysing validity studies of FFQ for adolescents, to investigate their overall accuracy and variables that can affect it negatively.DesignA meta-analysis of sixteen original articles was performed within the ASSO Project (Adolescents and Surveillance System in the Obesity prevention).SettingThe articles assessed the validity of FFQ for adolescents, compared with food records or 24 h recalls, with regard to energy and nutrient intakes.SubjectsPearson’s or Spearman’s correlation coefficients, means/standard deviations, kappa agreement, percentiles and mean differences/limits of agreement (Bland–Altman method) were extracted. Pooled estimates…

RELAZIONE TRA ECCESSO DI PESO, ATTIVITÀ FISICA E PATOLOGIE CARDIOVASCOLARI IN GENITORI E FIGLI: INDAGINE NELLE SCUOLE DEL PALERMITANO

How is the adequacy of micronutrient intake assessed across Europe? A systematic literature review.

EURopean micronutrient RECommendations Aligned is a network of excellence funded by the European commission, and established to address the problem of differences between countries in micronutrient recommendations as well as to understand how nutritional information including requirements and adequacy of intake is processed among different population groups. The aims of the present paper were to review the methods used for the adequacy assessment of the intake of six micronutrients of public health concern (vitamin A, folate, vitamin B12, Fe, Zn and iodine) in non-European and European nutrition surveys carried out on the apparently healthy population and to compare in particular the adequa…

Combined effect of different factors on weight status and cardiometabolic risk in Italian adolescents

Background The observed increase in body weight and cardiometabolic risk (CR) in youth from developed countries contributes to the global burden of chronic diseases in adult age. The aim of this work is to provide a patterning of the associations between different factors and the weight status and CR of the subjects involved in the Italian ministerial ASSO project. Methods This study involved 919 students from high schools in Palermo. Weight, height and waist circumference were collected by trained teachers; weight status was estimated by the BMI cut-offs for adolescents and CR through the waist-to-height ratio. Questionnaires were administered through the web-based ASSO-NutFit software. Ch…

Preliminary study on food habitus and consumpitions in adult subjects attendine general medicine outpatientients

"Relazione fra stato ponderale e rischio cardiovascolare in soggetti obesi e in sovrappeso, in età scolare, previa analisi di composizione corporea"

An Exploratory Analysis of Factors Associated with Health-Related Physical Fitness in Adolescents. The ASSO Project

Monitoring physical fitness (fitness) and identifying, since the beginning, possible determinants in youth could be useful to preserve health and avoid morbidities in adulthood. The main objective of this study is to provide details on the fitness levels of a sample of adolescents living in the Southern area of Italy and describe its associations with biological/genetic, socio-cultural/environmental, and lifestyle (physical activity/sedentariness, alcohol/smoking, meal patterns/habits) factors. The study was conducted within the Adolescence Surveillance System for Obesity Prevention (ASSO) project, funded by the Italian Ministry of Health and examining adolescents&rsquo

Preadolescent obesity in schoolchildren from Palermo: analysis of some correlated factors

The phenolic compounds of olive oil: structure, biological activity and beneficial effects on human health

AbstractThe Mediterranean diet is rich in vegetables, cereals, fruit, fish, milk, wine and olive oil and has salutary biological functions. Epidemiological studies have shown a lower incidence of atherosclerosis, cardiovascular diseases and certain kinds of cancer in the Mediterranean area. Olive oil is the main source of fat, and the Mediterranean diet's healthy effects can in particular be attributed not only to the high relationship between unsaturated and saturated fatty acids in olive oil but also to the antioxidant property of its phenolic compounds. The main phenolic compounds, hydroxytyrosol and oleuropein, which give extra-virgin olive oil its bitter, pungent taste, have powerful a…

How does economic status influence the fitness level in young healthy students? The Asso Project

An Interaction Path of Mothers’ and Preschoolers’ Food-and Physical Activity-Related Aspects in Disadvantaged Sicilian Urban Areas

Background: The relationship between mothers and their children’s lifestyle is still unclear, especially in disadvantaged areas. Consequently, the study aims to identify a path explaining the extent to which maternal eating habits and physical activity (PA) level predict food-related aspects, PA practice and Quotient of Gross Motor Development (QGMD) in preschoolers from disadvantaged urban areas. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a total of 79 dyads of mothers and children were recruited from kindergartens. Information related to family socio-demographic aspects, mothers’ and children’s dietary intake frequencies and PA/sedentariness, mothers’ weight and height, mothers’ perception o…

Sedentariness and weight status related to SES and family characteristics in Italian adults: exploring geographic variability through multilevel models

Aim: In this study, our aim was to assess the prevalence of sedentariness and overweight/obesity, two modifiable risk factors for non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and to investigate the geographic variability in their association with socio-economic status (SES) and family characteristics in Italian adults. Methods: The Multipurpose Survey on Health Conditions and the Recourse to Health Services (MSHC), 2012/2013 edition, conducted by the National Institute of Statistics was used as data source. The sample for this study included 99,479 interviewed people aged 18 and over, which are representative of about 50 million persons. For the scope of this analysis, data were considered as individ…

Prevention of Eating Disorders (EDs) in preadolescents girls from some schools of Palermo: self-esteem, body dissatisfaction and drive for thinness.

Nutritional counselling in overweight and obese children of some school from Palermo

SICILIAN OLIVE OIL ANTIOXIDANT AND PREVENTION OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES

capacity and total phenolics of sicilian wines from different varieties and vintage year

A METHODOLOGY DEVELOPMENT FOR A WEB-BASED SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM OF ADOLESCENT FOOD HABITS AND LIFESTYLES – THE ASSO PROJECT

ASSO Project (Adolescents Surveillance System and Obesity prevention) is a study financed by the Italian Ministry of Health, aimed at developing an innovative web-based system for a standardized collection of data on food consumptions, lifestyles and body size in the adolescents attending high schools. One of the main objectives of the project is to develop user-friendly and cost-effective tools to create a web-based software. A Systematic Literature Review (SLR) on the most valid dietary and physical activity/fitness assessment methods used in the target population has been perfomed. The implementation of the software is being done by using JAVA and the data archive system is based on MySQ…

Food literacy predictors and associations with physical and emergent literacy in pre-schoolers: results from the Training-to-Health Project

AbstractObjective:Food literacy (FL) is a crucial need encompassing basic literacy and fundamental movement skills. The present study aimed to investigate the FL level in pre-schoolers and to evaluate the effect of potential predictors and the associations with gross motor and emergent literacy skills.Design:Cross-sectional study conducted within the Training-to-Health Project.Setting:Kindergartens (n 21) in the Palermo City Council, Italy.Participants:Pre-school children aged 3–6 years (n 921) followed education sessions on nutritional topics, practical activities and compiled prearranged sheets. FL was assessed by the five-domain toolkit ‘preschool-FLAT’; gross motor and emergent literacy…

"Dietary calcium intake and evaluation of some influencing factors, in preadolescent schoolchildren form Palermo, for the prevention of dsteoporosis"

The web-based ASSO-food frequency questionnaire for adolescents: relative and absolute reproducibility assessment

Background A new food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) has been recently developed within the Italian Adolescents and Surveillance System for the Obesity prevention (ASSO) Project; it was found to be appropriate for ranking adolescents in food and nutrient levels of intake. The aim of this study was to assess the relative and absolute reproducibility of the ASSO-FFQ for 24 food groups, energy and 52 nutrients. Methods A test-retest study was performed on two ASSO-FFQs administered one month apart of each other to 185 adolescents, aged 14–17 and attending secondary schools in Palermo (Italy). Wilcoxon test assessed differences in median daily intakes between the two FFQs. Agreement was evaluate…