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Biomedical subjects

A M Toschke

Publications and source records attributed to A M Toschke.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

[Television in a child's bedroom--a possible risk factor for expressive language impairment in 5- and 6-year-old children].

OBJECTIVE: There are a number of established risk factors for expressive language-impairment. Does reading aloud with children reduce the risk? Are extensive TV viewing and a TV set in the child's bedroom associated with an increased risk in preschool kids? PATIENTS AND METHODS: Testing for expressive language impairment was carried out as part of the school entrance health examinations in four Bavarian districts. Testing included: correct use of the plural, comparative/superlative forms, syntax, verb flexion and use of articles (a maximum of 5 mistakes could be made). Parents were asked to answer a questionnaire on a number of biographic, sociodemographic and lifestyle factors potentially related to expressive language impairment. RESULTS: The participation rate in the 4 districts was 88.3 % on average. Complete data were acquired for 3234 children. The prevalence for expressive language impairment (more than one mistake) was 12.2 (95 % CI: 11.3-13.2 %). Children who did not speak German predominantly at home were more often affected than children of German nationality: 44.4 % (95 % CI: 32.3-54.6 %) versus 9.9 % (95 % CI: 8.9 %-10.8 %). Logistic regression analyses identified only a TV set in the child's bedroom as an independent risk factor for expressive language impairment: OR 1.82 (95 % CI: 1.15-2.88). CONCLUSIONS: Possession of an own TV in a child's bedroom appears to be an important, independent risk factor for expressive language impairment in preschool children.

Child↗
PubMed2005

The obesity epidemic in young men is not confined to low social classes--a time series of 18-year-old German men at medical examination for military service with different educational attainment.

OBJECTIVE: Obesity prevalence is increasing worldwide and obesity is associated with low education. To assess if the overall increase of obesity prevalence is due to increasing obesity prevalence among low educated strata only. DESIGN: Data on n=1,883,783 males in their 19th year of life seen at physical examinations due to general conscription in Germany from 1989 to 1998. MEASUREMENTS: Stature and weight were measured in underpants and obesity defined as body mass index > 30 kg/m(2). RESULTS: From 1989 to 1998 an increase of body mass index values >70th percentile was observed. Overall obesity prevalence increased from 3.4% (95% CI 3.3-3.5) to 5.7% (95% CI 5.6-5.8). During the whole observation period, the prevalence of obesity was inversely related to educational level. The increase of obesity prevalence, however, was unrelated to educational level: for education less than 10 y from 4.9% (95% CI 4.7-5.0) to 7.7% (95% CI 7.5-7.9), for education of 10 y from 2.6% (95% CI 2.5-2.7) to 5.3% (95% CI 5.1-5.5) and for education of more than 10 y from 1.6% (95% CI 1.4-1.8) to 3.4% (95%CI 3.2-3.5). CONCLUSION: Prevalence of obesity increased among recruits of all educational levels, suggesting that preventive measures against obesity have to target all educational levels.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

[Current problems in determining children's nutritional needs].

Meeting children's nutritional needs is of fundamental importance for their immediate and later health, well-being, and performance. Age-adapted reference values of nutrient intake form the basis for analysis of the current situation and for policy planning, but for many nutrients they cannot be precisely defined due to inadequate scientific data. Therefore, such values are often extrapolated from adult reference values based on age-adapted mean body weight or body surface data, although such extrapolation does not reflect age-related physiological changes. There are considerable differences between various expert recommendations, in part also due to differences in definitions and underlying concepts for deriving reference values. Improvements and international harmonization are urgently needed. Nutritional needs of many children and adolescents are not adequately met at present. A particularly obvious indication is the epidemic-like increase of pediatric overweight and obesity, which could result in markedly increased prevalences of later metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. Contributing to increasing childhood obesity are low physical activity, changing eating culture and behavior, frequent consumption of high-fat foods with high energy density, and increasing portion sizes. Changes are urgently needed and might be achievable with close collaboration between scientists, public institutions, and industry.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Early intrauterine exposure to tobacco-inhaled products and obesity.

An association between maternal smoking during pregnancy and offspring obesity has been reported. This study assessed the impact of maternal smoking during the first trimester. Data on 4,974 German children aged 5-6 years were obtained at school entry health examinations in 2001-2002 in Bavaria. Obesity was defined by body mass index using International Obesity Task Force cutpoints. Prevalence of obesity was 1.9% (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.5, 2.4) in offspring of never smokers, 4.5% (95% CI: 2.9, 6.7) for maternal smoking during the first trimester only, and 5.9% (95% CI: 3.8, 8.7) for maternal smoking throughout pregnancy. Unadjusted odds ratios were higher for maternal smoking throughout pregnancy (odds ratio = 3.23, 95% CI: 2.00, 5.21) compared with the first trimester only (odds ratio = 2.41, 95% CI: 1.49, 3.91). Adjusted odds ratios were similar: 1.70 (95% CI: 1.02, 2.87) for maternal smoking throughout pregnancy and 2.22 (95% CI: 1.33, 3.69) for maternal smoking in the first trimester only. When modeled together, no statistically significant difference in obesity risk was found between maternal smoking in the first trimester compared with throughout pregnancy. The effect of intrauterine tobacco exposure on childhood obesity may depend largely on cigarette smoking during the first trimester, whereas the additional impact of smoking throughout pregnancy might be due to confounding by sociodemographics. Women should be encouraged to quit smoking prior to conception.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Reduced risk for overweight and obesity in 5- and 6-y-old children by duration of sleep--a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the relationship between sleep duration and adiposity in 5- and 6-y-old Bavarian children. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SUBJECTS: A total of 6862 German children aged 5-6 y participating in the obligatory health examination in Bavaria, southern Germany. MEASUREMENTS: Routine data were collected on the height and weight of children at the time of school entry in six public health offices in 1999 and in another two in 2000. Body fat mass was estimated by BIA performed in three of those offices. An extensive questionnaire was given to all children's parents in order to assess risk factors for overweight and obesity. The main outcome measures were overweight, defined by a body mass index (BMI) above the 90th centile and obesity, defined by a BMI above the 97th centile for the German children in Bavaria. Excessive body fat was defined as fat mass above the 90th centile for all German children seen in this survey. The main exposure was usual sleeping hours on week days. RESULTS: The prevalence of obesity decreased by duration of sleep: < or =10 h, 5.4% (95% CI 4.1-7.0), 10.5-11.0 h, 2.8% (95% CI 2.3-3.3), and > or =11.5 h, 2.1% (95% CI 1.5-2.9). Similar relations were found with the prevalence of overweight and excessive body fat. These effects could not be explained by confounding due to a wide range of constitutional, sociodemographic and lifestyle factors. The adjusted odds ratio for obesity were: for sleeping 10.5-11.0 h, 0.52 (95% CI 0.34-0.78) and 0.46 (95% CI 0.28-0.75) for sleeping 11.5 h. CONCLUSION: The effect of sleep duration on obesity in children reflects a higher body fat composition and appears to be independent of other risk factors for childhood obesity.

Adipose Tissue↗