Association of bullying victimization with overweight and obesity among adolescents from 41 low‐ and middle‐income countries

Background: Data on the association between overweight/obesity and bullying victimization among adolescents are scarce from low- and middle-income countries. Objectives: We assessed the associations between overweight/obesity and bullying victimization in 41 low- and middle-income countries. Methods: Cross-sectional data from the Global School-based Student Health Survey were analysed. Data on past 30-day bullying victimization (including type) and body mass index based on measured weight and height were collected. The 2007 WHO Child Growth reference was used to define overweight and obesity. Multivariable logistic regression (multinomial and binary) and meta-analyses based on country-wise …

Do Older People with Diabetes Meet the Recommended Weekly Physical Activity Targets? an Analysis of Objective Physical Activity Data

Appropriate management of diabetes mellitus (DM) includes following a healthy lifestyle, in which reaching physical activity (PA) recommendations is an important factor. Despite this, it remains unclear whether people with DM meet the recommended PA targets. We therefore aimed to investigate the proportion of older adults with DM (type 1 and 2) engaging in the recommended amount of PA per week in a cross-sectional study. PA levels were objectively measured using the GT1M ActiGraph accelerometer for seven consecutive days, and the cut-off of 150 min of moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) was used. To assess the relationship between not meeting the recommendation for, and the significant factors a…

Pet ownership and symptoms of depression: a prospective study of older adults

Abstract Background This paper aims to examine associations between pet ownership and symptoms of depression in a large, population-based sample of older adults. Specifically, we tested whether: (i) people who report more depressive symptoms are more likely to own a pet; (ii) pet ownership protects against an increase in depressive symptoms over time; (iii) associations differ by symptom type. Methods Data were drawn from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, a longitudinal panel study of men and women aged 50 and older (n = 7,617, 52.5% female). Pet ownership (dog/cat/other/none) was self-reported in 2010/11. Depressive symptoms were assessed in 2010/11 and 2016/17 using the 8-item cen…

Health behaviours and mental and physical health status in older adults with a history of homelessness:a cross-sectional population-based study in England

Objectives: This study compared (1) levels of engagement in lifestyle risk behaviours and (2) mental and physical health status in individuals who have previously been homeless to those of individuals who have not. Design: Cross-sectional. Participants: Data were from participants (n=6931) of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Measures: Participants reported whether they had ever been homeless. We used regression models to analyse associations between homelessness and (1) cigarette smoking, daily alcohol consumption and physical inactivity, adjusting for sociodemographic covariates (age, sex, ethnicity, highest level of education, marital status and household non-pension wealth) and …

Consumption of Fish and ω-3 Fatty Acids and Cancer Risk: An Umbrella Review of Meta-Analyses of Observational Studies

Multiple studies have suggested that ω-3 fatty acid intake may have a protective effect on cancer risk; however, its true association with cancer risk remains controversial. We performed an umbrella review of meta-analyses to summarize and evaluate the evidence for the association between ω-3 fatty acid intake and cancer outcomes. We searched PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews from inception to December 1, 2018. We included meta-analyses of observational studies that examined associations between intake of fish or ω-3 fatty acid and cancer risk (gastrointestinal, liver, breast, gynecologic, prostate, brain, lung, and skin) and determined the level of evidence of…

Associations between sexual activity and weight status: Findings from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing.

Objective To investigate the association between weight status and sexual activity in middle-aged and older adults. Methods Cross-sectional analysis on Wave 6 (2012/13) of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Data were from 2,200 men and 2,737 women aged ≥50 years (mean 68.2 years). The explanatory variable was weight status, defined as normal-weight (BMI: ≤24.9), overweight (BMI: 25.0–29.9) or obese (BMI: ≥30) based on objective measurements of height and weight. Outcome variables were any self-reported sexual activity in the last year (yes/no) and, if yes, frequency of sexual intercourse in the last month. Covariates included a range of sociodemographic, lifestyle, and health-related…

Prospective associations of cardiovascular disease with physical performance and disability

Background: Literature regarding cardiovascular disease (CVD) and incident physical performance limitations and disability in older people is equivocal. Aims: This study aimed to investigate whether CVD is longitudinally associated with incident physical performance limitations and disability in a large population-based sample. Methods: This was an 8‑year prospective study using data collected as part of the Osteoarthritis Initiative. Participants were community-dwelling adults with knee osteoarthritis or at high risk for this condition. Diagnosed CVD was self-reported. Physical performance was assessed with measures of chair stand time and gait speed, whereas disability was assessed with t…

Participation in Physical Activity is Associated with Sexual Activity in Older English Adults.

Physical activity (PA) is a potential modifiable correlate of the age-related decline in sexual function, but no studies have explicitly tested this. This study aimed to examine associations between PA, television viewing (TV) time and sexual activity, problems, and concerns. Data were from 7,038 men and women aged &ge

Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitor Use and Incident Frailty: A Longitudinal Cohort Study

Introduction: Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) may have several pleiotropic effects, but the literature regarding a possible relationship between ACEI use and frailty is limited. We investigated whether ACEI use is associated with lower risk of frailty in a cohort of North American individuals. Methods: Data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative, a cohort study with 8 years of follow-up including community-dwelling adults with knee osteoarthritis or at high risk for this condition, were analyzed. ACEI use was defined through self-reported information and confirmed by a trained interviewer. Frailty was defined using the Study of Osteoporotic Fracture (SOF) index as the presence o…

Sociodemographic and behavioural correlates of lifetime number of sexual partners: findings from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing.

BackgroundNo current data are available on correlates of lifetime sexual partners at older ages. This study aimed to explore correlates of the lifetime number of sexual partners in a sample of older adults.MethodData were from 3054 men and 3867 women aged ≥50 years participating in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Participants reported their lifetime number of sexual partners and a range of sociodemographic characteristics and health behaviours. Multivariable multinomial logistic regression was used to examine correlates of lifetime number of sexual partners, with analyses performed separately for men and women and weighted for non-response.ResultsYounger age, being separated/divor…

The relationship between chronic diseases and number of sexual partners: an exploratory analysis

BackgroundWe investigated sex-specific associations between lifetime number of sexual partners and several health outcomes in a large sample of older adults in England.MethodsWe used cross-sectional data from 2537 men and 3185 women aged ≥50 years participating in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Participants reported the number of sexual partners they had had in their lifetime. Outcomes were self-rated health and self-reported limiting long-standing illness, cancer, coronary heart disease, and stroke. We used logistic regression to analyse associations between lifetime number of sexual partners and health outcomes, adjusted for relevant sociodemographic and health-related covariat…

Syndemic effects of HIV risk behaviours: results from the NHANES study

Abstract The aim of the present study is to use the syndemic framework to investigate the risk of contracting HIV in the US population. Cross-sectional analyses are from The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. We extracted and aggregated data on HIV antibody test, socio-demographic characteristics, alcohol use, drug use, depression, sexual behaviours and sexually transmitted diseases from cycle 2009–2010 to 2015–2016. We carried out weighted regression among young adults (20–39 years) and adults (40–59 years) separately. In total, 5230 men and 5794 women aged 20–59 years were included in the present analyses. In total, 0.8% men and 0.2% women were tested HIV-positive. Each inc…

Cross-sectional associations between angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor use and cancer diagnosis in US adults

The objective of the present study was to investigate the association between angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor use and cancer incidence (overall, and breast, prostate, and colorectal cancers specifically) in a large representative sample of US adults. Cross-sectional data on cancer diagnosis, timing of cancer diagnosis, ACE inhibitor use, and other characteristics were extracted from 49 512 adults aged ≥ 20 years participating in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999–2016). Multivariable-logistic and propensity score matching (PSM) regressions examined the relationship between pre-diagnosis use of ACE inhibitors and diagnosis of all cancers, and breast, pro…

Sexual activity and cognitive decline in older age: a prospective cohort study

Background: To explore the association between sexual activity and change in cognitive function over 4 years in a representative sample of older adults in England. Methods: Data were from 1963 men and 2513 women participating in Wave 6 (2012/2013) and Wave 8 (2016/2017) of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Participants reported whether or not they had engaged in any sexual activity in the last year. Cognitive function was assessed with tests of immediate and delayed recall. Adjusted general linear models were used to test associations between sexual activity and changes in cognitive function. Results: Men who were sexually active at baseline had better preservation in immediate (0.1…

Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection and Diverse Physical Health Outcomes: An Umbrella Review of Meta-analyses of Observational Studies.

Abstract Background Our aim was to assess both the credibility and strength of evidence arising from systematic reviews with meta-analyses of observational studies and physical health outcomes associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) but not acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Methods We performed an umbrella review of observational studies. Evidence was graded as convincing, highly suggestive, suggestive, weak, or nonsignificant. Results From 3413 studies returned, 20 were included, covering 55 health outcomes. Median number of participants was 18 743 (range 403–225 000 000). Overall, 45 (81.8%) of the 55 unique outcomes reported nominally significant summary results (P < .05). O…

Association between cannabis use and sexual behavior among adolescents aged 12-15 years in 21 low- and middle-income countries.

Abstract Aims To investigate the relationship between cannabis use and two sexual behaviors (ever had sex, multiple partners) in a large representative sample of adolescents aged 12–15 years from 21 low- and-middle income countries. Methods Data from 84,867 adolescents aged 12–15 years participating in the Global School-based Student Health Survey were analyzed. Participants reported lifetime frequency of cannabis use (analyzed as 0, 1–2, 3–19 or ≥ 20 times), whether they had ever had sexual intercourse (yes/no) and, if yes, their lifetime number of sexual partners. We used multivariable logistic regression to analyze associations, adjusting for a range of relevant covariates. Results 12.7%…

Food Insecurity Is Associated with Mild Cognitive Impairment among Middle-Aged and Older Adults in South Africa:Findings from a Nationally Representative Survey

There are no studies on the association between food insecurity and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Thus, cross-sectional, community-based data on individuals aged &ge

Declines in Sexual Activity and Function Predict Incident Health Problems in Older Adults: Prospective Findings from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing

The objective of this study was to investigate cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between declines in sexual activity and function and health outcomes in a large population-based sample of older adults. Data were from 2577 men and 3195 women aged ≥ 50 years participating in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Past-year changes in sexual desire, frequency of sexual activity, and ability to have an erection (men)/become sexually aroused (women) were assessed at baseline by self-completion questionnaire. Health outcomes (self-rated health, limiting long-standing illness, doctor-diagnosed diseases of the vascular system, and cancer) were self-reported at baseline (2012/2013) an…

Is Active Transport and Leisure-Time Physical Activity Associated With Inflammatory Markers in US Adults? A Cross-Sectional Analyses From NHANES.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the association between levels of active transport and leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) with C-reactive protein, white blood cell count, body mass index, waist circumference, and lipids in a large representative sample of adults residing in the United States. METHODS: Cross-sectional data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Adjusted multinomial logistic regressions were carried out to quantify associations between levels of self-reported active transport (or LTPA) and quintiles of anthropometric measures and serum markers. RESULTS: A total of 3248 adults were included. For serum inflammatory biomarkers, the authors observed a lower like…

Sleep Quality, Duration, and Associated Sexual Function at Older Age: Findings from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing

Abstract Introduction One factor that may plausibly be associated with sexual dysfunction is sleep disturbance. Like sexual problems, complaints of sleep disturbance increase with age and are commonly reported by older adults. Aims To examine associations between sleep quality, duration, and a range of sexual problems in a large, representative sample of older adults. Methods Data were from 2,568 men and 1,376 women (age ≥50 years) participating in Wave 6 of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (2012–2013). Sleep quality, duration, and problems with erectile function, sexual arousal, and orgasmic experience were self-reported; associations were examined using logistic regression models.…

Decline in sexuality and wellbeing in older adults: A population-based study

Background: Age-related declines in sexuality and increase in mental health complications have been well documented. However, whether these two phenomena are related has not been explored. The present study therefore aimed to investigate associations between a decline in sexuality and markers of mental health and wellbeing. Method: Data were collected in 2012/13 from 2614 men and 3217 women participating in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, a population-representative panel study of older adults (≥ 50 years). Past-year declines in sexual desire, frequency of sexual activities, and sexual function were self-reported. Three markers of wellbeing (depressive symptoms, quality of life an…

Social isolation and physical activity mediate associations between free bus travel and wellbeing among older adults in England

Background: Aims of this study were: (i) to examine relationships between free bus travel and wellbeing, and (ii) to assess the extent to which these associations can be explained by two key potential mediators: social isolation and physical activity. Methods: Data were from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (n = 5861). Linear regression models tested associations between (i) concessionary bus pass (CBP) ownership and (ii) frequency of CBP use and three measures of wellbeing (quality of life, life satisfaction, depressive symptoms), adjusting for age, sex, marital status, socioeconomic status and limiting long-standing illness. Mediation analyses tested the role of (i) social isolati…

Sexual behavior and suicide attempts among adolescents aged 12–15 years from 38 countries: A global perspective

BACKGROUND: The aim was to investigate the relationship between sexual behaviors and suicide attempts by using data from 38 countries from four World Health Organization regions. METHODS: Cross-sectional data from 116,820 adolescents aged 12-15 years participating in the Global School-based Student Health Survey 2009-2016 were analyzed. Data on sexual behaviors were collected: (i) ever having had intercourse; among those who reported having had intercourse, (ii) multiple (≥2) lifetime sexual partners and (iii) condom use in last sexual intercourse and past 12-month suicide attempts were self-reported. Associations were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: The prevalenc…

Chocolate Consumption and Indicators of Adiposity in US Adults.

International audience; Purpose: The purpose of this research is to investigate the association between consumption of chocolate and measures of adiposity in a large, representative sample of US adults. Methods: Cross-sectional data from 13,626 nondiabetic adults (≥20 years) participating in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey study were aggregated using 5 study cycles from 2005-2006 through 2013-2014. Chocolate consumption was determined based on 2 24-hour dietary recalls. Body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference were objectively measured. We used multivariable linear regression to test associations of 1) any chocolate consumption (yes/no), and 2) the total amount of …

Dietary Protein Intake and Falls in Older People: Longitudinal Analyses From the Osteoarthritis Initiative.

Objectives: Literature regarding dietary protein intake and risk of falls is limited to a few studies with relatively small sample sizes and short follow-ups, which have reported contrasting findings. Thus, we investigated whether dietary protein intake is associated with risk of falls in a large cohort of North American adults. Design: Data were drawn from the Osteoarthritis Initiative, a cohort study, with 8 years of follow-up. Setting and participants: Community-dwelling adults with knee osteoarthritis or at high risk for this condition. Methods: Dietary protein intake was recorded using the Block Brief 2000 food frequency questionnaire and categorized using gender-specific quartiles (Q)…

Well-Being Among Older Gay and Bisexual Men and Women in England: A Cross-sectional Population Study

Objectives: Lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) older people present an under-represented population in research, with limited research citing higher prevelance of depression, loneliness, rejection, and overall poorer health and well-being outcomes. Our study compares well-being, defined as quality of life, life satisfaction, sexual satisfaction, and depression, among LGB people with their heterosexual peers'. Design: Cross-sectional population study using data from the English Longitudinal Study of Aging (ELSA), a representative panel study of older adults aged 50 and older. Setting and Participants: Data were from ELSA wave 6, collected 2012-2013. A total of 5691 participants were included i…

Body Mass Index May Explain Some (But Not All) of the Association Between Declines in Sexual Activity and Incident Health Problems in Older Adults: Reply to Mullie (2019).

The Lancet Psychiatry Commission: a blueprint for protecting physical health in people with mental illness.

The poor physical health of people with mental illness is a multifaceted, transdiagnostic, and global problem. People with mental illness have an increased risk of physical disease, as well as reduced access to adequate health care. As a result, physical health disparities are observed across the entire spectrum of mental illnesses in low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries. The high rate of physical comorbidity, which often has poor clinical management, drastically reduces life expectancy for people with mental illness, and also increases the personal, social, and economic burden of mental illness across the lifespan. This Commission summarises advances in understanding on the…

A meta-review of “lifestyle psychiatry”: the role of exercise, smoking, diet and sleep in the prevention and treatment of mental disorders

There is increasing academic and clinical interest in how "lifestyle factors" traditionally associated with physical health may also relate to mental health and psychological well-being. In response, international and national health bodies are producing guidelines to address health behaviors in the prevention and treatment of mental illness. However, the current evidence for the causal role of lifestyle factors in the onset and prognosis of mental disorders is unclear. We performed a systematic meta-review of the top-tier evidence examining how physical activity, sleep, dietary patterns and tobacco smoking impact on the risk and treatment outcomes across a range of mental disorders. Result…

The Association Between Physical Activity and Cataracts Among 17,777 People Aged 15-69 Years Residing in Spain.

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to assess the association between levels of physical activity (PA) and the presence of cataracts in people aged 15–69 years residing in Spain. Methods: Cross-sectional data from the Spanish National Health Survey 2017 were analysed (n = 17,777 ≥ 15 years; 52% females; self-weighting sample). The International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) short form was used to measure PA. Total PA MET-minutes/week were calculated, and participants were divided into two categories: 1) Less than 600 MET-minutes/week. 2) At least 600 MET-minutes/week, equivalent to meeting current PA recommendations. Cataracts were self-reported in response to the question “H…

Is there a relationship between chocolate consumption and symptoms of depression? A cross-sectional survey of 13,626 US adults

Objective: To examine associations between chocolate consumption and depressive symptoms in a large, representative sample of US adults. Methods: The data were from 13,626 adults (≥20 years) participating in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2007–08 and 2013–14. Daily chocolate consumption was derived from two 24-hr dietary recalls. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), with scores ≥10 indicating the presence of clinically relevant symptoms. We used multivariable logistic regression to test associations of chocolate consumption (no chocolate, non-dark chocolate, dark chocolate) and amount of chocolate consumption (grams/…

The association of grip strength with depressive symptoms and cortisol in hair: A cross-sectional study of older adults

Background: Low handgrip strength has been shown to be associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms. One area of mental health that is understudied in relation to grip strength is chronic stress, which can exist independently to depression, or as a comorbidity or precursor to this condition. The present study examined cross-sectional associations between grip strength, an established marker of physical function, and (a) depressive symptoms and (b) chronic stress utilizing hair cortisol concentrations, while accounting for multiple pertinent confounding variables. Method: Data were used from wave 6 (2012/13) of the English Longitudinal Study of Aging, a panel study of older (≥50 year…