Conclusions School-level clustering of BMI persists into young adulthood. Possible explanations include the salience of school environments in establishing behaviours and trajectories, the selection of adult social networks that resemble adolescent networks and reinforce previous behaviours, and characteristics of school catchment areas associated with BMI. To read the full article, log in using your NHS Athens
Conclusions Our results demonstrate that changes in median BMI over time do not reflect changes in the distribution of BMI. Failing to understand the distribution of body weight in the population will hamper our projections of future patterns, as well as our ability to design effective public health strategies. To read the full article, log in using your NHS Athens
Results Retirees who had two group memberships prior to retirement had a 2% risk of death in the first 6 years of retirement if they maintained membership in two groups, a 5% risk if they lost one group and a 12% risk if they lost both groups. Furthermore, for every group membership that participants lost in the year following retirement, their experienced quality of life 6 years later was approximately 10% lower. These relationships are robust when controlling for key sociodemographic variables (age, gender, relationship status and socioeconomic status prior to retirement). A comparison with a matched control group confirmed that these effects were specific to those undergoing the transition to retirement. The effect of social group memberships on mortality was comparable to that of physical exercise.
People who feel older than their peers are more likely to be hospitalized as they age, regardless of their actual age or other demographic factors, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.
“How old you feel matters. Previous research has shown it can affect your well-being and other health-related factors, and now we know it can predict your likelihood of ending up in the hospital,” said the study’s lead author, Yannick Stephan, PhD, of the University of Montpellier in France. The research, which comprised more than 10,000 adults across the U.S., was published in the journal Health Psychology®.
Many workplace wellness programmes seek to encourage participation by providing financial incentives, either by rewarding workers who achieve certain goals or penalising them for failing to do so. Nevertheless, most workplace activity programmes to date have not proved effective, especially in motivating the most sedentary workers to increase their level of physical activity. To read the full article, log in using your NHS Athens
People with 20% less fitness compared to the average, had smaller brains by the equivalent of one additional year of ageing. A similar effect was seen for higher blood pressure or heart rate in response to exercise.
However, we don't know the importance of the brain size differences measured and as this was only done once, it is not clear whether the size had actually changed.
So we cannot be sure fitness levels directly caused the differences in brain size. But the research does add to the growing evidence that physical fitness and better mental capacity in older age go hand-in-hand.
Two £25 vouchers are up for grabs in the library’s ‘Making the Most of Information’ survey.
To take part, just visit http://goo.gl/AdN4ok by Friday 19th February.
"No safe way to suntan, new NICE guidance warns," BBC News reports. The guidelines, produced by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), also stresses the benefits of moderate sun exposure.
This will help prevent vitamin D deficiency; which is more common in the UK than many people realise. It is estimated that around one in five adults and older children (aged between 11 and 18) have low vitamin D status. The figure is around one in seven for younger children.
Restricting teenagers’ access to e-cigarettes could help prevent them taking up smoking in the future, say US researchers. To read the full article, log in using your NHS Athens
Smoking bans have been implemented in a variety of settings, as well as being part of policy in many jurisdictions to protect the public and employees from the harmful effects of secondhand smoke (SHS). They also offer the potential to influence social norms and the smoking behaviour of those populations they affect. Since the first version of this review in 2010, more countries have introduced national smoking legislation banning indoor smoking.
A group of researchers wanted to understand whether stress and unhappiness really does have a direct biological effect on mortality. They sought to explore two alternative explanations:
That both unhappiness and increased mortality share a common risk factor in the form of poor health
That unhappy people simply make lifestyle choices which increase their risk of mortality, rather than a direct biological effect.
Last month the UK Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) published new guidelines for alcohol consumption. These are the first new guidelines since 1995 and are based on the latest evidence on the effects of alcohol consumption on health.
The guidelines provide recommendations for weekly drinking limits, single drinking episodes and recommendations for pregnant women, drawing heavily on the Sheffield Alcohol Policy Model, which uses the most up to date evidence on both the short- and long-term risks of alcohol.
Since we launched Dry January our campaign has been evaluated to check that it works in the long term, not just for January. There is now a growing body of evidence that having just one month off from alcohol has health benefits and a positive impact on alcohol consumption. To read the full article, log in using your NHS Athens
Building on the agenda set out in the Five Year Forward View, NHS England is launching today a new three year programme to support social movements in health and care.
Working initially with six new care model vanguards across England, this programme will develop, test and spread effective ways of mobilising people in social movements that improve health and care outcomes and show a positive return on investment.
The headline refers to a review of the effects of smoking bans in 21 countries, including England and Scotland. This found fewer admissions to hospitals for heart attacks and strokes following smoking bans. However, the bans didn't appear to encourage more people to stop smoking.
Some studies included in the review found a bigger reduction in heart attacks and strokes among non-smokers – who are no longer exposed to smoke in public places – than smokers, who are still exposed to their own smoke.
The interrelatedness of the concepts of emotional eating and body size recognition is poorly understood; however, both factors significantly impact weight management. Nurses can be instrumental in developing more effective weight management interventions as a critical step in helping to ameliorate the public health burden of obesity. Login using your SSSFT NHS OpenAthens for full text. SSOTP - request a copy of the article from the library - www.sssft.nhs.uk/library
This bulletin presents the latest figures for alcohol-related deaths in the UK, its four constituent countries and regions of England. Comparisons are made between 2014, the latest year, and previously published data from 1994 onwards.
A systematic search and critical appraisal of interdisciplinary literature was conducted to evaluate the evidence for practicing mindfulness to treat job burnout and to explore implications for occupational therapy practitioners. Library Services do not currently have access to this journal through this site, but you can request a copy of the article online and we will get a copy to you: http://bit.ly/1Xyazai
Older people who drink have been shown to have better health than those who do not. This might suggest that moderate drinking is beneficial for health, or, as considered here, that older people modify their drinking as their health deteriorates. The relationship between how often older adults drink and their health is considered for two heath states: self-rated health (SRH) and depressive symptoms. Open Access Article
Investigating socioeconomic variation in physical activity (PA) and sedentary time is important as it may represent a pathway by which socioeconomic position (SEP) leads to ill health. Findings on the association between children's SEP and objectively assessed PA and/or sedentary time are mixed, and few studies have included international samples. Open Access Article
There is a variety of ways that people can be supported to make better choices. Councils are demonstrating this through the way they are making use of behavioural insights to improve health. From exploiting digital technologies to stressing social norms in a bid to encourage people to make lifestyle changes, local authorities have started using behavioural insights to make a difference to people's lives.
Commentary on:
de Souza RJ, Mente A, Maroleanu A, et al. Intake of saturated and trans unsaturated fatty acids and risk of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes: systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. BMJ 2015;351:h3978.
Context
What is the relationship between saturated or trans fats in our food and cardiovascular risk? To find out we must examine the totality of interventional and observational evidence and all appropriate outcomes. The WHO Nutrition Guidance Advisory Group (WHO NUGAG) recently commissioned systematic reviews of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) which examined effects of modifying saturated or trans fat intakes on mortality or cardiovascular health and controlled trials on lipid outcomes (updates of these published reviews are due to be published), as well as this systematic review of observational data (reported by de Souza and colleagues). To read the full article, log in using your NHS Athens
Commentary on:
Imamura F, O'Connor L, Ye Z, et al. Consumption of sugar sweetened beverages, artificially sweetened beverages, and fruit juice and incidence of type 2 diabetes: systematic review, meta-analysis, and estimation of population attributable fraction. BMJ 2015;351:h3576.
Context
Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), artificially-sweetened beverages (ASBs) and fruit juices (FJs) are widely consumed globally and while SSBs have been extensively examined through observational studies and trials, the health effects of ASBs and FJs remain unclear. Imamura and colleagues have carried out the most comprehensive meta-analysis yet on the effects of SSB, ASB and FJ consumption on type 2 diabetes (T2D). To read the full article, log in using your NHS Athens
Commentary on:
Balk EM, Earley A, Raman G, et al. Combined diet and physical activity promotion programs to prevent type 2 diabetes among persons at increased risk: a systematic review for the community preventive services task force. Ann Intern Med 2015;163:437–51.
Context
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a significant and growing medical problem affecting close to 400 million people worldwide1 and almost 10% of the US population2 while imposing a major financial burden on society.3 Furthermore, an estimated 37% of the US adult population is at risk of T2DM, making primary prevention of T2DM a critical public health objective. Large clinical trials have shown that combined diet and physical activity promotion programmes … To read the full article, log in using your NHS Athens
Making Every Contact Count (MECC) is an approach to behaviour change that utilises day to day interactions that organisations and individuals have with other people to support them in making positive changes to their physical and mental health and wellbeing. MECC enables the opportunistic delivery of consistent and concise healthy lifestyle information and enables individuals to engage in conversations about their health at scale across organisations and populations.
In a recent head-to-head BMJ article (Hamilton & Gilmore, 2016), Ian Hamilton and Ian Gilmore debate the claim that ‘Dry January’ may be doing more harm than good; just because the campaign is popular, this does not necessarily mean that taking a month off alcohol is a good thing. Ian Hamilton claims we do not know enough about such campaigns and is concerned that it has not been rigorously evaluated, whereas Ian Gilmore highlights that it provides an opportunity to reflect on one’s drinking behaviour, and points out evidence that is suggestive of beneficial effects on health and wellbeing.
Women who smoke, or who are exposed to second-hand smoke, are more likely to experience fertility problems and earlier menopause than women who have never smoked, say US researchers. To read the full article, log in using your NHS Athens
This quality standard covers ways of preventing adults (aged 18 and over) becoming overweight or obese and the provision of lifestyle weight management programmes for adults who are overweight or obese. Although local definitions vary, these programmes are usually tier 2 interventions covering lifestyle interventions that may include weight management programmes, courses or clubs, and form one part of a comprehensive approach to preventing and treating obesity.
Public Health England (PHE) North West (NW) host a quarterly forum to bring together stakeholders in the provision of education, training and employment support to recovering alcohol and drug users.
Given the compelling argument, and clear aim to increase physical activity, what is required are methods and tangible actions to achieve this goal. Global experts reviewed the evidence for the most effective ways to increase population levels of physical activity and produced a guide to investments that work. This has provided a north star for many individuals, organisations, communities and countries aiming to increase physical activity levels. However, there is still a need for examples of how these investments have been implemented and evaluated. Here we offer Scotland's experiences. To read the full article, log in using your NHS Athens
The researchers looked at how many people took part in the programme. While the uptake was initially relatively low (5.8%), this increased to about a third of those eligible in 2012-13.
It is also encouraging that some of the more vulnerable groups – those who are older and those in the most deprived social group – were most likely to attend the checks.
A proportion of those identified as being at high risk of heart disease in the checks started statins (19.3%) or high blood pressure treatment (8.8%). Extrapolating this data, the researchers estimated that NHS Health Checks prevented around 2,500 cases of major cardiovascular events such as stroke and heart attack over the course of five years.
However, there are inherent limitations to what the study can tell us. For example, it was not possible to directly assess whether all new prescriptions, treatments and lifestyle changes after the checks were as a direct result of the checks.
The findings of this study are of interest and further our understanding of a possible mechanism by which obesity and high-calorie diets may be associated with the development of bowel cancer. However, caution should be taken in transferring these results to people, as we are not biologically identical to mice.
It is also not possible to say at this stage whether, as the researchers suggest, providing a drug that activates the GUCY2C receptor could be effective in the treatment of bowel cancer in humans. However, the study does provide a route for further research in the area.
Looking at the anti-constipation drug linaclotide, known to increase the production of guanylin, would seem an obvious first step.
Background Many problems concentrate in deprived neighbourhoods, among which is poor health. One possible way to address these health problems is to invest in the green space in deprived neighbourhoods. The number of evaluations of the public health impact of actual changes in neighbourhood green space is still limited. This study investigated the impact of real-life changes in the quality or quantity of green space in severely deprived neighbourhoods on physical activity and perceived general health. To read the full article, log in using your NHS Athens
Background Compared to children and adults, little is known about changes in adolescent health over time. This study profiles the health of preadolescents in two distinct time periods, 1980 and 2012. To read the full article, log in using your NHS Athens
Background Studies on the effects of school smoking policies are inconclusive and there is no research on whether the effects of school policies vary by educational level. We examined the association between school smoking policies and smoking behaviour among adolescents aged 14–17 years in Europe and assessed educational inequalities in these associations. To read the full article, log in using your NHS Athens
Background Several cross-sectional studies have demonstrated associations between diet quality, including fruit and vegetable consumption, and mental health. However, research examining these associations longitudinally, while accounting for related lifestyle factors (eg, smoking, physical activity) is scarce. To read the full article, log in using your NHS Athens
Objective Type I and II diabetes are associated with a greater relative risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in women than in men. Sex differences in adiposity storage may explain these findings. Open Access Article
Objective To assess the effectiveness of 2 interventions in improving the physical activity and well-being of secondary school children. Open Access Article
Objectives To examine the relative contribution of childhood experience, measured by childhood violence and childhood happiness, and adult well-being on adult eating preferences and behaviours, independent of proximal factors such as current deprivation. Open Access Article
Objectives In general populations, the adverse effects of smoking on coronary risk have been demonstrated to be greater in women than in men; whether this is true for individuals with diabetes is unclear. Open Access Article
ABSTRACT FROM: Bartels SJ, Pratt SI, Aschbrenner KA, et al. Pragmatic replication trial of health promotion coaching for obesity in serious mental illness and maintenance of outcomes. Am J Psychiatry 2015;172:344–52. To read the full commentary, log in using your NHS OpenAthens details
Improving transport infrastructure to support walking and cycling on the journey to and from work – active commuting – could help to promote physical activity and improve population health.
New proposed guidelines on alcohol, drawn up by the Chief Medical Officers of the UK, have been published today.
The expert group that produced the guidelines looked at the body of new evidence about the potential harms of alcohol that has emerged since the previous guidelines were published in 1995.
There are three main issues on which revised or new guidance is given:
guidance on regular drinking;
guidance on single drinking sessions;
guidance on drinking in pregnancy
Overall, the results of this study support current UK guidelines to limit the amount of sugar we consume to no more than 30g a day for adults (roughly seven sugar cubes). Sugary drinks have no health benefits.
Blog post. As long as you don't become obsessive and defensive about it, there's a wealth of evidence to show that having a passion in life is good for you psychologically – people with a so-called "harmonious passion" (but not so much those with an "obsessive passion") tend to be happier, to enjoy more positive emotions and be more satisfied with life, as compared with people who don't have a passion. As we look ahead to the new year, a study published in the Journal of Happiness Studies poses a simple question: given how beneficial it is to have one harmonious passion, what's the effect of having two?
Commentary on:
Brose LS, Hitchman SC, Brown J, et al. Is the use of electronic cigarettes while smoking associated with smoking cessation attempts, cessation and reduced cigarette consumption? A survey with a 1-year follow-up. Addiction 2015;110:1160–8.
Implications for practice and research
Daily e-cigarette users are more likely to reduce and attempt to quit tobacco smoking than non-users, but are no more likely to report abstinence.
Improved measurement of e-cigarette use in future observational studies will improve our understanding of the relationship between e-cigarettes and smoking cessation.
Context
In the UK, peak increases in e-cigarette usage from 2013 to 20141 correspond broadly with a national increase in cessation of tobacco.2 An important question is whether e-cigarette use may cause a reduction in smoking. Brose and colleagues sought to address a key element of this question: whether … To read the full article, log in using your NHS Athens
Commentary on:
Haas JS, Linder JA, Park ER, et al. Proactive tobacco cessation outreach to smokers of low socioeconomic status: a randomised clinical trial. JAMA Intern Med 2015;175:218–26.
Implications for practice and research
Interactive technology can be used to engage low socioeconomic smokers in effective tobacco treatment outside of the traditional clinical setting.
Nurses should encourage all smokers to use evidence-based cessation strategies, including telephone-based counselling and pharmacotherapy.
More research is needed to address social and contextual factors impacting tobacco use. To read the full article, log in using your NHS Athens
Commentary on:
Laws R, Campbell KJ, van der Pligt P, et al. Obesity prevention in early life: an opportunity to better support the role of Maternal and Child Health Nurses in Australia. BMC Nurs 2015;14:26.
Implications for practice and research
Maternal and Child Health (MCH) nurses are in an ideal position to promote healthy lifestyle behaviours in early life.
While nurses regularly provide support on healthy infant feeding practices, additional training and educational materials are needed to promote active play and limited screen use in children.
Future research should assess the efficacy of integrating obesity prevention practices into MCH nursing on children's growth trajectories using a design that balances scientific rigour and real-world application. To read the full article, log in using your NHS Athens
A recent study looked at 857 UK adults taking part in the challenge. Around two-thirds of the sample successfully gave up drinking for one month.
Compared with those who failed to abstain, those who were successful were, unsurprisingly, more likely to drink less, have lower dependence scores, and be more able to refuse alcohol to start with.
Both successful abstainers and those who did not succeed in the challenge also had increased powers of abstinence and reduced consumption patterns up to six months later, albeit to a slightly lesser extent in those who did not succeed. So, in this sample at least, it seems taking part in the challenge brought benefits.
The important limitation of the long-term sample data was that it represented only about a quarter of those taking part in Dry January originally signed up by the researchers.
Health experts react angrily as it emerges that ministerial intervention was behind removal of a NICE recommendation to introduce a minimum unit price for alcohol. Jonathan Gornall reports. To read the full article, log in using your NHS Athens
Highlights of this bulletin include:
Health Matters – tackling antimicrobial resistance
scientists use DNA technology to diagnose cases of TB faster
London deal paves way to transform healthcare across the capital
PHE urges students to get the MenACWY vaccination
adult heroin user recovery remains a challenge in England
more healthcare professionals urged to take up flu vaccine
screening reports launched at stakeholder conference
scarlet fever: beginning of a new season
This was a large prospective cohort study from Sweden, which was carried out in young adult males who were then followed for a period of around 29 years.
The study found that lower levels of aerobic fitness were associated with risk of early death, but that this risk of death was greater for those with a high BMI, even if they had a high level of aerobic fitness.
This study has a number of strengths and limitations. The limitations are that a large number of participants had missing smoking data and therefore it was not possible to control for the confounding effect of smoking.
The lower fitness level group with a BMI of 35 or more had a much smaller population than the other groups in the analysis. As the confidence interval is very wide, we cannot be completely certain that they are at increased risk of death.
The study population on the whole is not generalisable, as the study included only young men, meaning that the findings cannot be applied to women or older adults.
Many people with obesity eat because of emotional triggers, say researchers, and understanding the reasons could enhance Login using your SSSFT NHS Athens for full text. SSOTP - request a copy of the article from the library http://www.sssft.nhs.uk/library behavioural weight loss treatments.
Background
Electronic cigarettes (EC) are electronic devices that produce a smoke-like aerosol (commonly referred to as vapour) that the user inhales. This vapour typically contains nicotine without most of the toxins smokers inhale with cigarette smoke. ECs have become popular with smokers who want to reduce the risks of smoking. This review aimed to find out whether ECs help smokers stop or cut down on their smoking, and whether it is safe to use ECs to do this.
Key results
Combined results from two studies, involving over 600 people, showed that using an EC containing nicotine increased the chances of stopping smoking long-term compared to using an EC without nicotine. Using an EC with nicotine also helped more smokers reduce the amount they smoked by at least half compared to using an EC without nicotine. We could not determine if EC was better than a nicotine patch in helping people stop smoking because the number of participants in the study was low. More studies are needed to evaluate this effect. This study showed that people who used EC were more likely to cut down the amount they smoked by at least half than people using a patch. The other studies were of lower quality, but they supported these findings. There was no evidence that using EC at the same time as using regular cigarettes made people less likely to quit smoking. None of the studies found that smokers who used EC short-term (for 2 years or less) had an increased health risk compared to smokers who did not use EC.
Quality of the evidence
The quality of the evidence overall is low because it is based on only a small number of studies. More studies of EC are needed. Some are already underway.
Commentary on:
Yang HJ, Chen KM, Chen MD, et al. Applying the transtheoretical model to promote functional fitness of community older adults participating in elastic band exercises. J Adv Nurs 2015;71:2338–49.
Implications for practice and research
Elastic band exercises are effective in enhancing physical performance of elderly.
Considering the individual stage of readiness to change fitness behaviour might be an important factor of success during exercise interventions.
More tightly controlled studies are needed to verify whether the inclusion of stage-specific strategies is superior to a traditional exercise programme. To read the full article, log in using your NHS Athens
BPS Blog post. Generally speaking, being in a bad mood isn't just no fun, it also isn't good for you – people who feel negative emotions like anger, anxiety and sadness a lot of the time tend to have poorer social lives and suffer worse physical health in the long run, suggesting that dark moods take a toll. But a new study published in Emotion shows how this isn't a uniform truth. Bad moods don't have an adverse effect on everyone to the same degree. The crucial difference seems to be how much people see that there can be value, meaning and even satisfaction in bad moods – those who appreciate this tend to suffer fewer ill effects from the supposedly darker sides of their psyche.
Objective: To determine the effectiveness of neck and shoulder stretching exercises for relief neck pain among office workers. Conclusion: A regular stretching exercise program performed for four weeks can decrease neck and shoulder pain and improve neck function and quality of life for office workers who have chronic moderate-to-severe neck or shoulder pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] To read the full article, log in using your NHS Athens
Open access. Quality-Adjusted Life Years (QALYs) are often used to make judgements about the relative cost-effectiveness of competing interventions and require an understanding of the relationship between health and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) when measured in utility terms. There is a dearth of information in the literature concerning how childhood overweight is associated with quality of life when this is measured using utilities. This study explores how weight is associated with utility-based HRQOL in 5–6 year olds and examines the psychometric properties of a newly developed pediatric utility measure – the CHU9D instrument.
'The results of this study are interesting, but should be treated with caution. The study only compared 13 healthy weight men with 10 overweight or obese men in the first part of the study, and just six men having weight loss surgery. These are very small numbers.
Similarly, we don't yet know whether the genetic changes identified in the overweight men will make their children more or less likely to be obese themselves, as this was not investigated in the study.'
To test the total consumption model claiming that alcohol-related ill health can best be diminished by a policy of severe restrictions and high price. Library Services do not currently have access to this journal, but you can request a copy of the article online and we will try to get a copy to you: http://bit.ly/1Xyazai
We're currently making some changes in the background of our email updates to solve some problems we've been having recently. During our testing phase this may automatically generate some alerts, which will show below, but you can ignore these! If all goes according to plan we will be resuming normal service in the next week…