Biomedical subjects

Pernille Due

Publications and source records attributed to Pernille Due.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2007

[Trends in vigorous physical activity versus physical inactivity among 11-15 year olds from 1988 to 2002].

INTRODUCTION: The increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents suggests a need to study the development in main predictors of obesity, like eating habits and physical activity. The objective was to describe self-reported vigorous physical activity versus physical inactivity among children and adolescents over a period of 14 years, 1988-2002. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study population was the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study among nationally representative samples of 11, 13 and 15 year old students in 1988, 1991, 1994, 1998, and 2002. The data collection used the standardised HBSC questionnaire which included items about vigorous physical activity (VPA) outside school hours per week. We defined physically inactivity as 0 hours of VPA per week and high activity as at least 7 hours of VPA per week. RESULTS: The prevalence of high activity was higher among boys than girls and increased by age. The prevalence of physically inactive students increased from 1988 to 2002, especially among the 15 year olds. The proportion of students with high activity decreased from 1988 to 2002, especially among the 15 year olds. CONCLUSION: A large proportion of children and adolescents do not comply with the national recommendations that children should be physically active at least 60 minutes per day. The physical activity level decreased from 1988 to 2002. There is a need for extraordinary efforts to increase physical activity among children and adolescents.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2006

Determinants of fruit and vegetable intake among 11-year-old schoolchildren in a country of traditionally low fruit and vegetable consumption.

BACKGROUND: Fruit and vegetable consumption is traditionally low in Iceland. The results of the Pro Children cross-Europe survey showed that the consumption was lowest among children in Iceland. The aim of this study was to identify determinants of fruit and vegetable intake among 11-year-old schoolchildren in Iceland. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was performed in Iceland in the autumn of 2003 as a part of the Pro Children cross-Europe survey. The survey was designed to provide information on actual consumption levels of vegetables and fruits by 11-year-old school children and to assess potential determinants of consumption patterns. A total of 1235 Icelandic children (89%) from 32 randomly chosen schools participated. Hierarchical regression analyses were performed to determine the explained variance of the children's fruit and vegetable intake. In these analyses socio-demographic background variables were entered as a first block, perceived physical-environmental variables as a second block, perceived socio-environmental variables as a third block and personal variables as a fourth block. RESULTS: 64% of the children ate fruit less than once a day, and 61% ate vegetables less than once a day. Respectively, 31% and 39% of the variance in children's fruit and vegetable intake was explained by the determinants studied. About 7% and 13% of the variance in fruit and vegetable intake was explained by the perceived physical-environmental determinants, mainly by availability at home. About 18% and 16% of the variance in fruit and vegetable intake was explained by the personal determinants. For both fruit and vegetable intake, the significant personal determinants were preferences, liking, knowledge of recommendations and self-efficacy. CONCLUSION: Interventions to increase fruit and vegetable intake among children should aim at both environmental factors such as greater availability of fruit and vegetables, and personal factors as self-efficacy and knowledge levels concerning nutrition.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2006

Determinants of fruit and vegetable consumption among children and adolescents: a review of the literature. Part I: Quantitative studies.

BACKGROUND: In order to more effectively promote fruit and vegetable intake among children and adolescents, insight into determinants of intake is necessary. We conducted a review of the literature for potential determinants of fruit and vegetable intake in children and adolescents. METHODS: Papers were identified from Medline and PsycINFO by using all combinations of the search terms: "fruit(s) or vegetable(s)" and "children or adolescents". Quantitative research examining determinants of fruit and/or vegetable intake among children and adolescents aged 6-18 years were included. The selection and review process was conducted according to a four-step protocol resulting in information on country, population, design, methodology, theoretical basis, instrument used for measuring intake, statistical analysis, included independent variables, and effect sizes. RESULTS: Ninety-eight papers were included. A large number of potential determinants have been studied among children and adolescents. However, for many presumed determinants convincing evidence is lacking, mostly because of paucity of studies. The determinants best supported by evidence are: age, gender, socio-economic position, preferences, parental intake, and home availability/accessibility. Girls and younger children tend to have a higher or more frequent intake than boys and older children. Socio-economic position, preferences, parental intake, and home availability/accessibility are all consistently positively associated with intake. CONCLUSION: The determinants most consistently supported by evidence are gender, age, socio-economic position, preferences, parental intake and home availability/accessibility. There is a need for internationally comparative, longitudinal, theory-based and multi-level studies taking both personal and environmental factors into account. This paper is published as part of the special Pro Children series in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity. Please see [http://www.ijbnpa.org/content/3/1/26] for the relevant editorial.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2006

School-related risk factors for drunkenness among adolescents: risk factors differ between socio-economic groups.

PURPOSE: To examine, separately for boys and girls, whether socio-economic differences in drunkenness exist in adolescence, whether the level of exposure to school-related risk factors differ between socio-economic groups, and whether the relative contribution of school-related risk factors to drunkenness differ between socio-economic groups. METHODS: The study population was a random sample of 1453 Danish 15-year-old students. The outcome measure was drunkenness 10 times or more, as a lifetime measure. Predictor variables comprised five aspects of well-being at school. Socio-economic position (SEP) was measured by parental occupation. RESULTS: Among girls, exposures to school-related risk factors were more prevalent in lower socio-economic groups. Poor school satisfaction was associated with drunkenness among girls from high SEP, odds ratio (OR) = 2.98 (0.73-12.16). Among boys from high SEP autonomy in decision-making was associated with drunkenness, OR = 2.74 (1.06-7.08), whereas poor school satisfaction was associated with drunkenness among boys from intermediate SEP, OR = 2.26 (0.98-5.22). Weak Parental Support in school-related matters, OR = 3.92 (1.16-13.24), and disliking school, OR = 9.12 (1.77-47.09), were associated with drunkenness among boys from low SEP. These associations were also seen among girls although not significant. CONCLUSION: We found that well-being at school had socially differential impact on drunkenness in adolescence.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed2006

The measurement of change in functional ability: dealing with attrition and the floor/ceiling effect.

The purpose was to describe four-year change in functional ability among older persons and the relationship to sex, age, and other background factors. The baseline study, performed in 1986, is based on a random sample of older persons (n=1261). Follow-up data were collected four-years later (n=912). The analyses of change in functional ability were based on the assumption that the categories reflected an underlying latent continuous dimension. The change in functional ability, DeltaFA, was calculated by a logistic model for paired observations and applied in parallel analyses with and without inclusion of the dead to deal with the attrition problem. Fifty percent had no change in functional ability, 37% had declined and 13% improved. Models including the dead showed more functional decline with increasing age but this was not the case when the dead were excluded. Functional change was not related to sex, functional ability at baseline, relative wealth, social network, self-rated health, and life-satisfaction. Inclusion of the dead in statistical models for the study of change in functional ability reduced the attrition problem. A logistic model for paired observations of functional ability at two points in time reduced the problem related to the floor/ceiling problem.

Aged↗

PubMed2006

[The obesity epidemic in Denmark].

In the last 25-30 years, there has been a marked increase in the prevalence of obesity within almost all age groups of the Danish population. The largest increase has been documented in studies based on objective data from total populations, and the latest data show the increase as continuing. The Danish studies show heterogeneity in the development of the obesity epidemic within various birth cohorts over time. This indicates a need for further etiological research, not only into behavioural factors but also into early life factors that may explain some of this pattern.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2006

Influence of marital history over two and three generations on early death. A longitudinal study of Danish men born in 1953.

BACKGROUND: This study examined the effects of marital status over two and three generations on last generation's mortality, and tested the hypothesis of an effect of the latest status (proximity effect) as well as the hypothesis of an accumulative effect. METHODS: The study population covers a random sample of all boys born in the the metropolitan area of Copenhagen with complete data from interviews and registers on two and three generation's marital status, socioeconomic position variables, and last generation's admission to psychiatric hospital, n = 2614. Among these 105 deaths occurred. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate the effect of marital status on mortality. RESULTS: Never married sons showed a considerably increased mortality compared with their married counterparts in the adjusted analyses. Mother's marital status at childbirth was also associated with increased mortality among the sons. There was no independent effect of maternal grandparent's experience of divorce on third generation's mortality. Son's marital status was the strongest marital status predictor of mortality. Accumulation of both two and three generations' marital status was significantly associated with mortality risk in a dose-response pattern. All analyses were adjusted for socioeconomic position variables and mental health. CONCLUSIONS: These results support the proximity hypothesis as son's marital status was the strongest predictor of mortality, and suggest an accumulative effect as each of the three non-married generations added to an increased mortality risk.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

School connectedness and daily smoking among boys and girls: the influence of parental smoking norms.

BACKGROUND: The objective was to test whether an association between school connectedness and smoking exists among Danish school children, and if so, to examine whether parental smoking attitude and parental smoking behaviour influenced this association. METHODS: Data were collected by the Danish contribution to the cross-national study Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children (HBSC) 1998. Analyses were performed on questionnaire-based data from 1537 students at grade nine from a random sample of schools in Denmark. RESULTS: An independent inverse association was found between school connectedness and smoking among both boys and girls. Parents' attitude to their children's smoking significantly modified this association among boys. Among girls the modifying effect was less marked. Neither among boys nor girls did parental smoking behaviour significantly modify the association between school connectedness and smoking, although a modifying tendency was observed among girls. CONCLUSIONS: The smoking behaviour of Danish adolescents may be influenced by complicated interactions of varying sets of experienced smoking norms, and any research project or preventive programme focusing on the influence of school life on adolescent smoking behaviour needs to consider the family smoking norms. Additionally, the results stress the important role of gender by indicating that the smoking behaviour of girls may be more sensitive to restricting social influences than the smoking behaviour of boys.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

Personal, social and environmental factors regarding fruit and vegetable intake among schoolchildren in nine European countries.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Children in Europe are consuming less fruit and vegetables than recommended. Knowledge about the potential determinants of fruit and vegetable intake is vital to understand discrepancies in intake and to guide interventions. The aim of the present study was to assess personal, social and environmental factors regarding fruit and vegetable intake among 11- to 12-year-old children in Europe. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was undertaken, with nationally or regionally representative samples of in total 13,305 children (mean age 11.4 years) from nine European countries. Pupils in the classroom completed a self-administered questionnaire measuring fruit and vegetable intake and personal, social and environmental factors during one school lesson. Age-adjusted covariance analyses were carried out by gender, for the full sample and for each country separately. Proportions responding positively to the constructs are presented. RESULTS: Overall, European children held a positive attitude towards fruit and vegetable intake. For some constructs, large between-country differences were found. Children had a more positive attitude towards fruit than towards vegetables, and girls were on average more positive than boys. The children perceived their social environment as supportive towards fruit and vegetable intake. They reported good to very good availability of fruit and vegetables at home. However, availability at school and during leisure time activities seemed to be low, both for fruit and for vegetables. CONCLUSION: A large majority of the children reported positively to the personal and social factors regarding fruit and vegetable intake. As regards availability of fruit and vegetables at school and leisure time, and accessibility of fruit and vegetables at home, there is room for improvement.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

Bullying and symptoms among school-aged children: international comparative cross sectional study in 28 countries.

BACKGROUND: There have been no large-scale international comparisons on bullying and health among adolescents. This study examined the association between bullying and physical and psychological symptoms among adolescents in 28 countries. METHODS: This international cross-sectional survey included 123,227 students 11, 13 and 15 years of age from a nationally representative sample of schools in 28 countries in Europe and North America in 1997-98. The main outcome measures were physical and psychological symptoms. RESULTS: The proportion of students being bullied varied enormously across countries. The lowest prevalence was observed among girls in Sweden (6.3%, 95% CI: 5.2-7.4), the highest among boys in Lithuania (41.4%, 95% CI 39.4-43.5). The risk of high symptom load increased with increasing exposure to bullying in all countries. In pooled analyses, with sex stratified multilevel logistic models adjusted for age, family affluence and country the odds ratios for symptoms among students who were bullied weekly ranged from 1.83 (95% CI 1.70-1.97) to 2.11 (95% CI 1.95-2.29) for physical symptoms (headache, stomach ache, backache, dizziness) and from 1.67 (95% CI 1.55-1.78) to 7.47 (95% CI 6.87-8.13) for psychological symptoms (bad temper, feeling nervous, feeling low, difficulties in getting to sleep, morning tiredness, feeling left out, loneliness, helplessness). CONCLUSION: There was a consistent, strong and graded association between bullying and each of 12 physical and psychological symptoms among adolescents in all 28 countries.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

The contribution of childhood and adult socioeconomic position to adult obesity and smoking behaviour: an international comparison.

BACKGROUND: Our objective was to investigate the contribution of childhood and adult socioeconomic position (SEP) to adult obesity and smoking behaviour, in particular to establish the role of childhood circumstances across different studies in Europe and the US. METHODS: Seven population-based surveys in six Western countries (Britain, Denmark, Finland, Netherlands, Sweden, US) were examined, with participants aged 30-50 yr and born between 1910 and 1960. Adult smoking was analysed using three outcomes (ever, current, or ex-) and adult obesity was defined as body mass index (kg/m(2)) > or =30. RESULTS: A strong effect of adult social position was observed for smoking outcomes and obesity. For example, manual SEP in adulthood increased the risk of ever smoking (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 1.47-2.00 for men; 0.94-1.81 for women), and obesity (adjusted OR 1.06-2.24 for men, 1.21-3.26 for women). In most studies, childhood position was not associated with ever-smoking. For current smoking, manual childhood position was associated among women (adjusted OR 1.09-1.54), but no consistent pattern was seen for men. For ex-smoking, manual childhood origins lowered the chance of quitting among women (adjusted OR 0.64-0.81) except in the US (OR = 1.17); among men this association was seen in fewer studies (adjusted OR 0.74-1.09). For obesity, manual origins increased the risk for women (adjusted OR 0.96-2.50); effects were weaker among men but mostly in the same direction (adjusted OR 0.79-1.42). CONCLUSIONS: As expected, adult SEP was an important influence on smoking behaviour and obesity. In addition, factors related to disadvantaged social origins appeared to increase the risk of obesity and reduce the probability of quitting smoking in adulthood, particularly in women.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Body mass index and overweight in adolescents in 13 European countries, Israel, and the United States.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the body mass index (BMI) (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters) and the prevalence of BMI at or above the 85th centile and 95th centile (overweight) in adolescents. DESIGN: Cross-sectional, nationally representative school-based surveys in 1997-1998 by means of identical data collection methods. SETTING: Austria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Flemish Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Lithuania, Ireland, Israel, Portugal, Slovakia, Sweden, and the United States. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 29 242 boys and girls, aged 13 and 15 years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The BMI, BMI at or above the 85th centile, and BMI at or above the 95th centile (overweight) from self-reported height and weight. RESULTS: The highest prevalence of overweight was found in the United States and the lowest in Lithuania. On the basis of the study reference standard, the prevalence of overweight (percentage) in the United States was 12.6% in 13-year-old boys, 10.8% in 13-year-old girls, 13.9% in 15-year-old boys, and 15.1% in 15-year-old girls, all significantly increased. Prevalence of overweight in Lithuania was significantly below the expected 5%, with 1.8% in 13-year-old boys, 2.6% in 13-year-old girls, 0.8% in 15-year-old boys, and 2.1% in 15-year-old girls. Relative rankings among countries were similar for BMI at or above the 85th centile, although there were less dramatic differences at this level. CONCLUSIONS: The highest prevalences of overweight were found in the United States, Ireland, Greece, and Portugal.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2004

Development in self-rated health among older people as determinant of social relations.

AIM: The purpose of this study was to analyse whether development in self-rated health (SRH) over four years was associated with the structure of and satisfaction with social relations, at four and eight years follow-up, among elderly women and men. METHODS: A longitudinal questionnaire-based study was undertaken of non-institutionalized Danes, aged 70-95 years, with baseline in 1986. The response rate at baseline was 69%, n= 1,231. First follow-up was carried out in 1990, with 91% of eligible individuals participating (n=911). Second follow-up took place in 1994, where 83% of eligible individuals participated (n= 542). The association was studied between development in SRH from 1986 to 1990 and social relations in 1990 and in 1994. RESULTS: A sustained poor SRH predicted low contact frequency OR= 1.7 (1.1-2.6), small contact diversity OR= 1.6 (1.0-2.6) and low contact satisfaction OR=3.4 (2.3-5.2) in the two-point analyses. Furthermore, a deterioration in SRH predicted poor contact satisfaction OR=2.8 (1.7-4.5). All analyses were adjusted for age, gender, mental health, functional ability, cohabitation status, and a measure of social relations at baseline. Results for the three-point analyses were similar to those for the two-point analyses. The associations were weaker for contact satisfaction OR=2.8 (1.7-4.7), but stronger for contact frequency OR=2.5 (1.4-4.4) and diversity OR=2.1 (1.2-3.6). CONCLUSION: Sustained poor SRH and, to some degree, deterioration in SRH were predictors of poor social relations after four and eight years.

Aged↗

PubMed2004

Social class variation in medicine use among adolescents.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about social determinants of adolescents' medicine use. The objective was to analyse the association between the family's social class and adolescents' use of medicine for headache, stomachache, difficulties in getting to sleep, and nervousness. METHODS: Cross-sectional study of 11-, 13- and 15-year-olds, a Danish contribution to the WHO international collaborative study Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) 1998. The study population comprised students from a national random sample of schools who answered a standardized questionnaire in the classroom, participation rate 88%, n=5,205. RESULTS: Logistic regression analyses showed that medicine use for all four symptoms increased by decreasing social class, controlled for age and prevalence of the specific symptom for which the medicine was taken. Adjusted OR (95% CI) for medicine use among students from lower social classes were: medicine for headache 1.35 (1.11-1.65), medicine for stomachache 1.41 (1.08-1.84), medicine for difficulties in getting to sleep 2.00 (1.30-3.08), and medicine for nervousness 3.22 (1.87-5.56). CONCLUSION: Symptom-adjusted medicine use in a representative sample of Danish adolescents showed a clear and graded increase with decreasing social class. Policies to reduce social inequality in health should address medicine use as well.

Abdominal Pain↗

PubMed2004

The impact of structural and functional characteristics of social relations as determinants of functional decline.

OBJECTIVES: This study examines whether aspects of social relations at baseline are related to functional decline at 5-year follow-up among nondisabled old men and women. METHODS: The investigation is based on baseline and follow-up data on 651 nondisabled 75-year-old persons in Jyväskylä (Finland) and Glostrup (Denmark). The analyses are performed separately for men and women. Possible selection problems were considered by using three outcome measures: first, functional decline among the survivors (n = 425); second, functional decline, including death, assuming that death is part of a general decline pattern (n = 565); and third, mortality (n = 651). Social relations were measured at baseline by several items focusing on the structure and function of the social network. RESULTS: In men, no weekly telephone contact was related to functional decline and mortality. Among women, less than weekly telephone contact, no membership in a retirement club, and not sewing for others were significantly related to functional decline and mortality. The associations were stronger when the dead were included in the outcome measure. DISCUSSION: The results point to the importance of social relations in the prevention of functional decline in older adults.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMed2004

Revitalising the Metropolit 1953 Danish male birth cohort: background, aims and design.

Recent research indicates that factors operating during childhood are related to adult health. Thus, longitudinal studies with information on subsequent phases may be key to understanding later health outcomes. The main objective of this paper is to describe the history and design of a Danish birth cohort, and its revitalisation. In 1965, information from birth certificates for 11 591 of a total of 12 270 males born in 1953 in the Metropolitan area of Copenhagen, Denmark were traced. These boys were the study population of a sociological investigation conducted with the aim of describing social mobility. At age 12 years, 9537 of these cohort members completed a questionnaire in school, which included cognitive measures and information on social aspirations and leisure time activities. In 1966 educational performance tests were administered for these boys and, in 1968, mothers of 2890 cohort members were interviewed regarding family social backgrounds. With the establishment of the Civil Registration System (CRS) in 1968, it was possible to identify 11 532 cohort members. In 2002 we began the process of revitalising this study with the aim of investigating the influence of early life factors on later health. We succeeded in ascertaining the vital status of all subjects in the CRS. This showed that 863 subjects had died between 1968 and 2002. Linkages to the Register of Causes of Death, the National Hospital Register, Psychiatric Central Register and Danish Cancer Registry have been completed. In total, 7969 cohort members had been hospitalised for any somatic illness and, according to the Psychiatric Central Register, 1382 men had been admitted to a psychiatric hospital or ward. In the Cancer Registry we found 363 of our study participants. Analyses exploring the influence of social conditions in early life, birth dimensions, and childhood cognition on adult health experience are at various stages of completion. A questionnaire-based postal follow-up survey is planned. Thus, the Metropolit study provides an important opportunity to examine the processes by which factors that operate over the life course influence adult health.

Birth Weight↗

PubMed2003

Tracking drinking behaviour from age 15-19 years.

AIMS: The aim of this paper was to assess (1) changes in drinking behaviour over time among Danish adolescents and (2) use of which alcoholic beverages and what drinking patterns would have the strongest predictive effect on later alcohol consumption. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS: The population was a random sample of 15-year-olds (baseline 1990, response rate 86%, n= 847) with a first follow-up 4 years later (response rate 85%, n= 729). MEASUREMENTS: Alcohol intake was assessed by experience of drunkenness, quantity and frequency of consumption. Thresholds recommended by the Danish National Board of Health were used to discriminate high from low intake. FINDINGS: At 19 years of age at least 80% drank alcohol monthly, and 24% of the men and 11% of the women had an alcohol intake above the recommended national limits, i.e. 21 weekly units of alcohol for men and 14 for women. Consumption of alcoholic beverages at age 15 increased the risk of drinking alcohol weekly at the age of 19 [odds ratio (OR)-values from 1.11 to 3.53]. Drunkenness among the 15-year-old boys and the use of spirits of the 15-year-old girls showed the strongest predictive relationship with excessive consumption at age 19 [OR = 2.44, confidence interval (CI): 1.38-4.29, respectively, OR = 1.97, CI: 1.15-3.38]. CONCLUSIONS: Alcohol consumption as early as the age of 15 predicted weekly alcohol consumption and alcohol intake exceeding the recommended amount 4 years later. Young teenagers' high alcohol consumption was not just a passing phenomenon. It was a behaviour that tracked into young adulthood, leaving the adolescents at increased risk of being long-term, large-scale consumers.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

Self-reported medicine use among 11- to 15-year-old girls and boys in Denmark 1988-1998.

AIMS: To describe the self-reported medicine use for common health complaints among 11-15-year-olds in Denmark during a ten year period, 1988-1998. The paper focuses on medicine for headache, stomach ache, cough, cold, nervousness, and difficulties in getting to sleep. METHODS: Four cross-sectional surveys of 11-15-year-old students in random samples of schools in Denmark, conducted in 1988 (n=1671), 1991 (n=1860), 1994 (n=4046) and 1998 (n=5205). The surveys were similar with regard to sampling and data collection. Data were collected by self-administered questionnaires in the classroom. RESULTS: A large proportion of 11-15-year-olds reported medicine use during the past month. It was most common to take medicines for headache (used by 55% of 15-year-old girls and 36% of 15-year-old boys in 1998) and stomach ache (33% among 15-year-old girls in 1998). Pain reliever use was higher among girls than boys and this sex difference increased with age. There was an upward trend in reported medicine use from 1988 to 1998, in particular regarding medicine for stomach-ache among 13- and 15-year-old girls. A large proportion of girls were frequent users of medicine for headache, stomach-ache, and sleeping difficulties. CONCLUSION: A high proportion of 11-15-year-old girls and boys reported medicine use in relation to common health complaints. The proportion of users increased during the past decade. It is suggested that more information about medicine be built into health education programs in the future.

Adolescent↗