The association between weight loss behaviors and body weight perception in Chinese adolescents: 2007-2022.

BACKGROUND: Weight misperceptions are common in children and adolescents, which is related to the engagement of weight loss behaviors. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between body weight perception and weight loss behaviors of lower-calorie diets and increased levels of physical activity (PA). METHODS: The Ningbo Youth Risk Behavior Survey was conducted from 2007 to 2022. A multistage, stratified cluster sampling procedure was utilized to draw target adolescents aged 12 to 18 years participating in each survey wave (2007, 2012, 2017, 2022). Data of anthropometry, weight perception, and weight loss behaviors were collected through self-administered questionnaires. A binary generalized linear model was used to examine associations between body weight perception and weight loss behaviors of lower calorie diets and increased levels of PA. RESULTS: The sample sizes for each survey wave were 777, 885, 1588 and 2638. The prevalence of overweight (OW)/obesity (OB), self-perception of OW/OB and overestimated perception increased from 7.6%, 27.0% and 29.1% in 2007 to 16.3%, 39.9% and 41.4% in 2022, respectively. Adolescents that perceived themselves as OW/OB had higher odds of lower-calorie diets (OR: 4.2, 3.3-5.4) and increased level of PA (OR: 3.8, 2.9-5.0), whereas adolescents that perceived themselves as underweight had lower odds of lower-calorie diets (OR: 0.371, 0.253-0.542) and increased levels of PA (OR: 0.381, 0.295-0.559). CONCLUSION: OW, self-perception of OW/OB and overestimated perception were prevalent in Chinese adolescents. Self-perception of OW/OB was positively associated with lower-calorie diets and increased levels of PA. The results can support public health specialists to promote health education of body perception and improve self-esteem in Chinese children and adolescents.

Isotemporal Substitution Effects of Daily Time Use on Cardiorespiratory Fitness of Children in the OptiChild Study: A Mediation Analysis with Diet Quality.

(1) Background: Although daily time-use is associated with diet quality and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) in children, their interdependence remains unexplored. This study first examined the associations between reallocating daily movement time and diet quality and CRF, and second the mediating role of diet quality in the relationship between daily time-use and CRF. (2) Methods: This study included 1131 Chinese children (aged 8 to 10 years; median [interquartile range]: 8.5 [8.3, 8.8]) at baseline (September 2022) and 1268 children at the 9-month follow-up (June 2023) from the OptiChild study. Daily durations of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), sleep, and sedentary behavior (e.g., screen time) were self-reported or proxy-reported by parents. Diet quality was assessed via the Diet Quality Questionnaire (DQQ), which uses a 24 h dietary recall and is categorized according to the Global Dietary Recommendations (GDR) score and Food Group Diversity Score (FGDS). The CRF was measured using VO2max after the 20 m shuttle run test. Longitudinal associations between daily time-use, diet quality, and CRF were calculated using isotemporal substitution models. Mediation analyses were used to determine whether diet quality mediated the associations between daily time-use and CRF. (3) Results: Reallocation of 30 min from screen time to MVPA resulted in significant improvements in the GDR score (ß baseline = 0.11, p = 0.024; ß follow-up = 0.26, p < 0.001), FGDS (ß baseline = 0.11, p = 0.006; ß follow-up = 0.19, p < 0.001), and CRF (ß baseline = 0.40, p < 0.001; ß follow-up = 0.26, p = 0.001). Diet quality partially mediated the associations between MVPA, screen time, and CRF. Substituting 30 min of screen time for MVPA led to diet quality mediating a proportion of the association with CRF (GDR score: 11.4%, FGDS: 6.6%). (4) Conclusions: These findings underscore the importance of optimizing daily time-use of MVPA and screen time and improving diet quality to promote physical fitness in school-aged children.

Associations between insufficient sleep, skipping breakfast and depressive symptoms in children and adolescents: A school-based cross-sectional study in China.

OBJECTIVE: Insufficient sleep and skipping breakfast are increasingly prevalent among children and adolescents. Both behaviors are associated with the onset of depression. This study aims to examine the independent and joint associations of these two behaviors with depressive symptoms, and investigate whether these associations varied by age or sex. METHODS: The Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) was used to evaluate the depressive symptoms. This cross-sectional study including 11,887 students aged 11-19 years using a stratified cluster, multistage sampling method in Ningbo, China. Multiple logistic regressions were conducted to evaluate the independent and joint association between insufficient sleep, skipping breakfast and depressive symptoms. Sensitivity analyses and stratified analyses by age and sex were performed using the same modelling strategies. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of depressive symptoms was 15.27%. Skipping breakfast (Odds Ratio (OR) = 2.557, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 2.236-2.925) and insufficient sleep (OR = 1.547, 95%CI = 1.390-1.723) was independently associated with depressive symptoms. Compared to students with "sufficient sleep and breakfast every day", the OR was 4.385 (95%CI = 3.649-5.271) for those with "insufficient sleep and skipping breakfast". Meanwhile, the joint association was moderated by age group, with a more apparent association observed in the 11-15-year-old group compared to the 16-19-year-old group. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicated that insufficient sleep and skipping breakfast were independently and jointly associated with depressive symptoms. Insufficient sleep and skipping breakfast could be considered as two of the predictors of depression.

PAX6 gene promoter methylation is correlated with myopia in Chinese adolescents: a pilot sutdy.

PURPOSE: A large number of epidemiological studies have shown that myopia is a complex disease involving genetic, environmental, and behavioral factors. The purpose of this study was to explore the role of PAX6 gene methylation in myopia in Chinese adolescents. METHODS: Eighty junior high school students were divided into four groups based on their vision test results: mild myopia, moderate myopia, severe myopia, and non-myopia control. The methylation level of PAX6 gene promoter was detected by bisulfate pyrosequencing. RESULTS: The methylation level of PAX6 gene in myopia group (8.06% ± 1.43%) was slightly but significantly higher than that in non-myopia controls (7.26% ± 1.17%). In addition, PAX6 gene methylation levels presented a decreasing pattern along with the aggravation of myopia. Post-hoc analysis indicated significant inter-group differences for the mild myopia group and other groups (All p < .05). In the subgroup analysis by gender, the methylation level of PAX6 gene promoter in girls was higher than that in boys (p = .023). The ROC curves showed a high accuracy of PAX6 gene methylation to predict mild myopia (AUC (95% CI) = 0.828 (0.709-0.947), p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: The methylation of PAX6 gene might play a role in the onset and progression of myopia in Chinese adolescents. And this could potentially explore the potential molecular mechanisms of juvenile myopia in the future.

Association between Dietary Behavior and Overweight and Obesity among Chinese Students: A Cross-Sectional Study.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the prevalence of overweight and obesity among Ningbo students and explore the association between students' dietary behavior and overweight and obesity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 7299 students were recruited, including 3755 males and 3544 females. A questionnaire on student health status and influencing factors was used to investigate dietary behavior. Logistic regression analysis investigated the relationship between dietary behavior and overweight and obesity. Age, gender, area, grade, sleep duration, and physical activity were adjusted in the multivariate regression models. RESULTS: This study revealed that the prevalence of overweight and obesity in Ningbo students was 16.14% and 9.88%, respectively. The logistic regression analysis results showed that regular consumption of sugary beverages was associated with a higher risk of being overweight (OR = 1.256, 95% CI: 1.023-1.542, p = 0.029). The research indicated that skipping breakfast was considered a risk factor for obesity (OR = 2.102, 95% CI: 1.087-4.065, p = 0.027). After adjusting for age, gender, area, and grade and continuing to adjust for sleep duration and physical activity, the results showed that consuming fried food at least once a day increased the risk of obesity (OR = 1.494, 95% CI: 1.050-2.125, p = 0.026; OR = 1.516, 95% CI: 1.065-2.158, p = 0.021, respectively). This study found that the frequency of breakfast and the consumption of fried food, fresh vegetables, and fruits were not significantly associated with being overweight (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study indicated that dietary behavior was related to overweight and obesity among Ningbo students. Further studies and more government support are required to confirm this study's findings and address the current overweight/obesity problems.

Chronotype is associated with eating behaviors, physical activity and overweight in school-aged children.

BACKGROUND: A later chronotype has been found to be associated with unhealthy habits and diseases, such as an unhealthy diet and metabolic syndrome in adults. Little is known about the association between chronotype, eating habits, physical activity and obesity. Thus, this study aimed to explore the relationships between chronotype, eating behaviors, physical activity, and overweight in Chinese school-aged children. METHODS: Data from this study was based on 952 schoolchildren (10-12 y) from six primary schools that participated in China. Anthropometric measurements of height and body weight were performed. Information about sleeping habits, dietary behaviors, and other lifestyle behaviors was gathered using a self-administered questionnaire. Multiple linear regression analysis or multivariable logistic regression model was performed to assess the associations between chronotype, eating behaviors, physical activity, and overweight. RESULTS: Nearly 70% (69.9%) of the participants had a self-reported morning chronotype. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed chronotype score was positively associated with physical activities (all P values < 0.001) and sleep duration (all P values < 0.001) and negatively associated with BMI, meal time, eating jet lag and social jet lag (all P values < 0.001). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that compared to morning types, non-morning types individuals were more likely to be overweight (OR = 1.593, P value < 0.05), and had more frequent consumption of fast food (OR = 1.616, P value < 0.05), but less frequent consumption of milk (OR = 0.716, P value < 0.05), less time taking part in moderate (OR = 1.356, P value < 0.05) or muscle strengthening (OR = 1.393, 1.877, P value < 0.05) physical activity. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that early chronotype children are more active, have healthier dietary habits, get more sleep, have shorter social jet lag, and are less likely to be overweight than non-early chronotype children. Our findings suggest that later chronotype may be a potential indicator in the early detection of overweight, unhealthy eating, and physical inactivity behaviors. Chronotype has been found to have an important impact on individual's health. In the present study, we conducted a cross-sectional study to investigate the association between chronotype, eating behaviors, physical activity, and overweight in school-aged children. The findings showed that children with early chronotype is associated with more active, healthier dietary behaviors, longer sleep duration, short social jet lag, and a lower risk of overweight.

Sleep duration is associated with depressive symptoms in Chinese adolescents.

BACKGROUND: Depressive symptoms have become one of the most common mental health problems in adolescents. Identifying potential factors associated with adolescent depressive symptoms could be practical and essential for early intervention programs. The association between sleep duration and depressive symptoms in adolescents is inconsistent and needs further exploration. METHODS: A total of 7330 participants aged 10-19 years were included in this study. Sleep duration was categorized into <7 h, 7-8 h, 8-9 h, and ≥ 9 h per day. The Chinese version of the Center for Epidemiology Scale for Depression was used to assess depressive symptoms. Binary logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the association between sleep duration and the risk of depressive symptoms. Restrictive cubic spline analyses were conducted to evaluate the dose-response relationship between sleep duration and depressive symptoms. RESULTS: Thirty-four percent of the participants suffered from depressive symptoms. The prevalence of depressive symptoms in adolescents with sleep durations of <7 h, 7-8 h, 8-9 h, and ≥9 h per day was 52.66 %, 37.80 %, 27.55 %, and 20.49 %, respectively. After adjusting for potential covariates, long sleep duration was significantly associated with a decreased risk of depressive symptoms in adolescents. A nonlinear relationship between sleep duration and depressive symptoms was identified. CONCLUSIONS: Long sleep duration is independently associated with a decreased risk of depressive symptoms in Chinese adolescents.

Myopia in elementary school students in Eastern China during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: Myopia is an increasingly serious public concern, particularly among primary school students. The prevalence of myopia and its influencing factors in primary school pupils in Eastern China during the COVID-19 pandemic had not been explored. Methods: A randomly clustered sampling method was performed, and selected pupils from grade 1 to grade 3 in 15 primary schools in the Fenghua District of Zhejiang Province were included and given myopia screening and uniform questionnaire survey 1 year later. Results: A total of 4,213 students completed the myopia screening and questionnaire survey. Myopia was diagnosed in 1,356 pupils, with a myopia incidence of 32.19%. The spherical equivalent (SE) refraction of the included pupils decreased on average by 0.50 ± 2.15 D 1 year later. The myopia rate was positively correlated with the increase of grade, in which the myopia rate among grade 3 students was the highest at 39.69%. The myopia rate among female students was higher than that among male students. Students residing in urban areas had a higher myopia rate than in rural areas. Maintaining an near work distance ≥33 cm was a significant protective factor (OR = 0.84, 95% CI: 0.74-0.96). Students with two myopic parents had a higher risk of myopia (OR = 1.61, 95% CI: 1.34-1.92). Conclusion: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the myopia rate among early primary school students in Eastern China was high. More attention and implementation of interventions from health and education departments, such as training the development of good eye behavior, should be considered to strengthen the intervention of myopia in primary school students.

The association between sleep duration and risk of myopia in Chinese school-aged children: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Myopia is one of the most commonly diagnosed refractive disorders worldwide. Identifying risk factors for myopia at an early age may help to characterize children who would benefit most from individualized lifestyle advice and early interventions. The influence of sleep duration on myopia risk remains controversial and thus needs to be evaluated. METHODS: A population-based cross-sectional study of Chinese school-aged children was conducted. Information on sleep duration was derived. The association between sleep duration and myopia risk was investigated by logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Myopia prevalence among 9530 Chinese school-aged children was 75.4% and decreased from 84.9%, 76.5%, 65.8%, to 61.3% along with the extension of sleep duration. Univariate logistic regression found longer sleep duration of 8-9 h (OR = 0.58, 95% CI: 0.51-0.66), 9-10 h (OR = 0.34, 95% CI: 0.30-0.39), and ≥ 10 h (OR = 0.28, 95% CI: 0.24-0.33) were protective factors for myopia in all participants (P for trend < 0.001). In the multivariate analyses, sleep duration was inversely associated with the risk of myopia, and a dose-effect relationship was observed when the analysis was split by age category. CONCLUSIONS: Long sleep duration was associated with decreased risk of myopia in Chinese school-aged children.

Independent and Joint Associations of BMI and Waist Circumference With the Onset of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Chinese Adults: Prospective Data Linkage Study.

BACKGROUND: General obesity and abdominal obesity, typically measured by BMI and waist circumference (WC), respectively, are associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, the magnitude of the association of these two obesity indicators and their joint association with the onset of T2DM remain controversial. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between these two obesity indicators and T2DM among the Chinese population to contribute scientific evidence for appropriate T2DM interventions. METHODS: A cohort of 3001 eligible participants was selected from the Ningbo Adult Chronic Disease Surveillance Project running since 2015. Based on BMI, individuals were categorized into groups of underweight or normal, overweight, and obesity. Based on WC, individuals were categorized in groups of normal, precentral obesity, and central obesity. Follow-up was performed by linking data of the baseline data set with the diabetes registry data set and the vital registry data set (both from the Ningbo Municipal Integrated Noncommunicable Disease Collaborative Management System), mainly using the participants' identity numbers. Follow-up was completed when a participant was diagnosed with T2DM. The associations were estimated with multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression. RESULTS: In the cohort, 90 of 3001 participants developed T2DM (incidence density: 6.483/1000 person-years) with a median 4.72 years of follow-up. After controlling for age, sex, hypertension, dyslipidemia, smoking status, and family history of diabetes, the multivariate adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) across underweight/normal, overweight, and obesity BMI categories were 1.000, 1.653 (95% CI 1.030-2.654), and 2.375 (95% CI 1.261-4.473), respectively. The multivariate adjusted HRs across the normal, precentral obesity, and central obesity WC categories were 1.000, 1.215 (95% CI 0.689-2.142), and 1.663 (95% CI 1.016-2.723), respectively. Compared with the reference group (normal WC with an underweight/normal BMI), the multivariate adjusted HR for participants with both central obesity according to WC and obesity according to BMI was 2.489 (95% CI 1.284-4.825). CONCLUSIONS: Both elevated BMI and WC at baseline increased the risk of T2DM. Compared with WC, BMI as an obesity indicator was more strongly associated with the onset of T2DM.

Non-communicable Disease-Related Sustainable Development Goals for 66 Belt and Road Initiative Countries.

BACKGROUND: Since 2015, the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) has measured progress in achieving health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) annually worldwide. Little is known about the status and attainment of indicators of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) by 65 countries from the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) proposed by China in 2013. METHODS: Data from GBDs were used to estimate 24 NCD-related SDG indicators in BRI countries from 1990 to 2017. Each indicator was scored from 0 to 100 to compare multiple indicators over the study period. The natural log of the annual change in each location and year and weighted annual rates of change were used to generate projections for 2030. National-level estimates were determined by socio-demographic index (SDI) quintiles in BRI countries with more than 1 million inhabitants. RESULTS: In 2017, the median overall score of NCD-related SDG index for the 66 BRI countries was 60 points, ranging from 29 points in Afghanistan to 84 points in Israel. More than 80% of countries achieved the SDG 2030 maternal mortality (MM) rate target in 2017, and the national skilled birth attendance rate was above 99% in more than 59% countries. However, none of the BRI countries achieved the goal for children's overweight, modern methods of contraception, and universal health coverage. It was predicted that 80.4% of NCD-related SDG targets would be achieved in these countries by 2030. The overall score of NCD-related SDG index were positively associated with SDI quintiles. CONCLUSION: For many indicators, the achieved progress in many countries is less than the annual rate necessary to meet SDG targets, indicating that substantial efforts need to be made in the coming years. Progress should be accelerated through collaborations between countries, implementation of NCD prevention and control strategies, and monitoring of inequalities in NCD-related SDGs within populations.

Effect of changes in body mass index and waist-to-height ratio on blood pressure in 11- to 13-year-old children: a prospective population study.

BACKGROUND: Existing evidence about associations between change in body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) change and high blood pressure are relatively limited. AIMS: We aimed to investigate the associations of general overweight (based on BMI) and abdominal obesity (based on WHtR) change with high blood pressure in Chinese children. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A school-based cohort study in Ningbo region (China) was conducted among children with baseline evaluations in October 2016 with follow-up two years later. A total of 1432 children aged 11-13 years participated in this study. RESULTS: Our results showed that a change from normal BMI or WHtR to overweight or abdominal obesity in children was associated with high blood pressure (adjusted odds ratio (AOR), 2.62; p<0.05 or AOR, 2.79; p<0.05, respectively). In addition, an increased risk of high blood pressure was observed in children who maintained overweight or abdominal obesity (AOR, 1.67; p<0.05 or AOR, 1.69; p<0.05, respectively), but not in children who experienced remission to non-excess weight. Interestingly, children who increased BMI or WHtR had greater impact on SBP than on DBP. CONCLUSION: The 2-year longitudinal study indicated that general overweight or abdominal obesity can predict the risk factor of high blood pressure in children. However, children who remitted to non-excess weight did not exhibit an increased risk of high blood pressure.

Self-reported eating speed is associated with overweight among Chinese schoolchildren: a cross-sectional survey.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to examine the association between eating speed and overweight in Chinese schoolchildren. METHODS: In all, 664 schoolchildren (10-12 years) from three primary schools participated in this study in China. Their height and body weight were measured. Information about eating speed and other lifestyle behaviors were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Multivariable logistic regression model was used to estimate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) for overweight. RESULTS: Data from 629 students were analyzed. 26.2% of participants reported they were eating fast. The prevalence of overweight (including obesity) was 22.9%, and the mean of sleep duration was 9.69 (SD = 0.63) hours (Table 1). In the multiple linear regression analysis, slower eating speed was independently associated with lower BMI (B = - 0.70, 95% CI - 1.26 to - 0.14) and TG (B = - 0.16, 95% CI - 0.28 to - 0.04). In addition, participants who ate fast were more likely to be overweight (OR 1.81, 95% CI 1.19-2.75) after adjusting for potential confounding factors. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that eating fast is associated with overweight among Chinese school children. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Cross-section descriptive study, Level V.

Dinner-to-bed time is independently associated with overweight/obesity in Chinese school-aged children.

PURPOSE: Little is known about the association between dinner-to-bed time and obesity. Thus, this study was aimed to assess the relationships between dinner-to-bed and overweight/obesity in Chinese school-aged children in Ningbo, China. METHODS: Data of this study were based on 1667 schoolchildren (14-15 years) from 14 primary schools participated in this study in China. Anthropometric measurement of height, body weight and waist circumference (WC) was performed. Information about meal duration and other lifestyle behaviors was collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Multivariable logistic regression model was performed to assess the association between dinner-to-bed time and overweight/obesity. Restricted cubic spline regression was drawn to evaluate the shape of the relation between dinner-bed-time and the odds of overweight. RESULTS: Among the study participants, the prevalence of overweight was 17.6%, and the mean of dinner-to-bed time was 4.26 (0.93) h. In the logistic regression analysis, participants who had dinner-to-bed time less than 3 h or 3.01 ~ ≦ 4.00 h are more likely to be overweight (OR = 1.94, 95% CI 1.10-3.42; OR = 1.65, 95% CI 1.03-2.65, respectively) or characterised by abdominal obesity (OR = 3.03, 95% CI 1.86-4.95; OR = 2.61, 95% CI 1.73-3.92, respectively) compared with dinner-to-bed time more than 5 h. In addition, long dinner-to-bed time was associated with lower risks of overweight (OR = 0.83, 95% CI 0.70-0.97) and abdominal obesity (OR = 0.63, 95% CI 0.54-0.73). The cubic spline regression analysis showed that the association between dinner-to-bed time and overweight/abdominal obesity seems to be a linear. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that short dinner-to-bed time is associated with an increased likelihood of being overweight or characterised by abdominal obesity among Chinese school-aged children. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level V; cross-section descriptive study.

Impact of Elevated Systolic Blood Pressure Levels on Mortality and Life Expectancy in Southeast Chinese Residents.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to analyse the impact of elevated systolic blood pressure (SBP) levels on mortality and life expectancy among ≥25 yr adults in the municipality of Ningbo, China. METHODS: The death cause data were collected from the Internet-based Comprehensive Chronic Disease Surveillance System in Zhejiang Province in 2015, and SBP level data were obtained from the Ningbo Adult Chronic Disease Surveillance survey. According to the comparative risk assessment theory, the population attributable fraction (PAF) of elevated SBP levels by gender and urban-rural regions has been calculated. The deaths and life expectancy loss due to elevated SBP levels were estimated. RESULTS: In 2015, the average SBP level among ≥25 yr adults in Ningbo was 129.01 ± 17.73 mmHg, which was higher in men (131.67 ± 16.89 mmHg) than in women (126.24 ± 18.15 mmHg) and was higher among adults in rural regions (130.55 ± 18.75 mmHg) than among adults in urban regions (127.15 ± 16.19 mmHg). A total of 6181 deaths were attributed to elevated SBP levels among adults in Ningbo. The PAF of deaths caused by elevated SBP levels among adults was 16.14%, which was higher in women (18.73%) than in men (14.31%). The overall loss of life expectancy caused by elevated SBP levels among adults was 1.76 yr, which was higher in women (1.99 yr) than in men (1.53 yr) and was higher in rural regions (1.91 yr) than in urban regions (1.49 yr). CONCLUSION: Elevated SBP levels had a serious impact on the death and life expectancy loss of residents in Ningbo.

Association between alcohol consumption and metabolic syndrome among Chinese adults.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in Chinese adults living in Ningbo and to examine the association between alcohol consumption and MetS and its medical components. DESIGN: A representative survey in Ningbo was conducted in 2015 covering socio-demography. A FFQ together with additional questionnaires was used to collect information on alcohol consumption, diet, demography, lifestyle and medical information. Multivariable logistic regression and generalised linear models were used to examine the association between alcohol consumption and both MetS and its medical components, respectively. SETTING: Ningbo, China. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 2853 adults ≥ 20 years (44 % men) in this final analysis. RESULTS: The prevalence of frequent alcohol drinkers and MetS was 29·9 % and 28·0 %, respectively. Significantly higher prevalence of MetS and mean values of medical components were found in the group of frequent alcohol drinkers with an exception for HDL-cholesterol, compared with less or non-alcohol drinkers. Frequent alcohol consumption was associated with higher odds of developing MetS and positively associated with medical components excepting waist circumference. CONCLUSIONS: Frequent alcohol consumption contributed to a higher prevalence of MetS and unfavourable influence on MetS and its medical components among Chinese adults. A public health intervention on alcohol restriction is necessary for the prevention and control of the ongoing epidemic MetS.

Skipping breakfast and physical fitness among school-aged adolescents.

OBJECTIVES: This study explored the relationship between skipping breakfast and physical fitness in a group of school-aged adolescents in China. METHODS: This cross-sectional study from the Chinese National Surveillance on Students' Constitution and Health (CNSSCH) survey in Ningbo, China, used a standardized questionnaire to assess the frequency of breakfast consumption. Physical fitness was measured through standing long jump, 50-m sprint, 1,000 (or 800)-m run, and vital capacity tests. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to investigate the relationship between the frequency of breakfast consumption and physical fitness. RESULTS: Our study included a total of 1,849 school-aged adolescents (aged 15.53±1.80 years). Among boys, non-breakfast-skippers had good scores for 50-m sprints, 1,000-m run, and vital capacity tests when compared with breakfast skippers (all p<0.05). Among girls, non-breakfast-skippers had a good scores for the standing long jump test compared with breakfast skippers (p=0.003). The multiple linear regression model showed that not skipping breakfast was positively associated with vital capacity (ß=-173.78, p=0.004) and inversely associated with 50-m sprint (ß=-0.12, p=0.018) and 1,000-m run times (ß=-8.08, p=0.001) in boys. CONCLUSION: The results of this cross-sectional study revealed that skipping breakfast might be associated with lower physical fitness in Chinese adolescents aged 13-18 years, especially boys. Breakfast consumption should be promoted among Chinese school-aged boys.

Sleep and suicidality in school-aged adolescents: A prospective study with 2-year follow-up.

Current evidence about the association between sleep and suicide are conflicting. This study aimed to investigate the association between sleep duration and quality with suicidal behaviors in a group of school-aged adolescents in China. The baseline survey was conducted among Chinese adolescents aged 12-13 years in October 2016. All participants were asked to complete a self-administered questionnaire. After 2 years follow-up, a total of 1513 adolescents completed the follow-up. The multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that shorter sleep duration (<8 h per night) in baseline was associated with an increased likelihood of suicidality in boys [suicidal ideation, adjusted odds ratio (OR)=2.18, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.97 to 3.98; suicide planning, OR=2.47, 95% CI=1.22 to 5.01; suicide attempt, OR=2.97, 95% CI=1.39 to 6.38]. Similarly, poor sleep quality [Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) ≧ 5] was associated with an increased likelihood of suicidal ideation and suicide planning in boys (OR=2.14, 95% CI=1.15 to 3.99 and OR=2.47, 95% CI=1.16 to 5.25, respectively). This study indicates that school-aged boys are more likely to experience suicidality in exposure to short sleep or poor sleep quality.

Sleep duration and overweight in Chinese adolescents: a prospective longitudinal study with 2-year follow-up.

PURPOSE: This prospectively designed study aimed to investigate the association between sleep duration and overweight in a cohort of Chinese adolescents. METHODS: A school-based cohort study with a 2-year follow-up was conducted among Chinese adolescents in Ningbo region (China). For the baseline study, 1901 school-aged Chinese children aged 12-13 years were recruited. Finally, 1510 adolescents were successfully reinterviewed in October 2018. Participants were asked to complete a self-administered questionnaire, and their heights and weights were directly measured. RESULTS: Overweight adolescents had shorter sleep duration or later bedtimes than non-overweight children in baseline (P < 0.05). In the multivariable linear regression analysis, sleep duration was marginally significantly correlated with body mass index (BMI) at baseline and significantly correlated with this parameter at a 2-year follow-up (ß = - 0.23, 95% confidence interval (CI): - 0.51 to 0.04, P < 0.1; ß = - 0.27, 95% CI: - 0.42 to - 0.11, P < 0.05, respectively). After adjusting for potential confounders, the multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed associations of a longer sleep duration at baseline with a reduced likelihood of participants being overweight both at baseline and at follow-up (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 0.81, 95% CI: 0.66 to 1.00, P = 0.05; AOR = 0.43, 95% CI:0.24 to 0.76, P < 0.05, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Shorter sleep was associated with an increased likelihood of being overweight in Chinese adolescents, while a 1-h decrease in sleep per night led to a more than 50% increase in the overweight risk at the 2-year follow-up.

Skipping breakfast and physical fitness among school-aged adolescents

OBJECTIVES: This study explored the relationship between skipping breakfast and physical fitness in a group of school-aged adolescents in China. METHODS: This cross-sectional study from the Chinese National Surveillance on Students' Constitution and Health (CNSSCH) survey in Ningbo, China, used a standardized questionnaire to assess the frequency of breakfast consumption. Physical fitness was measured through standing long jump, 50-m sprint, 1,000 (or 800)-m run, and vital capacity tests. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to investigate the relationship between the frequency of breakfast consumption and physical fitness. RESULTS: Our study included a total of 1,849 school-aged adolescents (aged 15.53±1.80 years). Among boys, non-breakfast-skippers had good scores for 50-m sprints, 1,000-m run, and vital capacity tests when compared with breakfast skippers (all p<0.05). Among girls, non-breakfast-skippers had a good scores for the standing long jump test compared with breakfast skippers (p=0.003). The multiple linear regression model showed that not skipping breakfast was positively associated with vital capacity (β=-173.78, p=0.004) and inversely associated with 50-m sprint (β=-0.12, p=0.018) and 1,000-m run times (β=-8.08, p=0.001) in boys. CONCLUSION: The results of this cross-sectional study revealed that skipping breakfast might be associated with lower physical fitness in Chinese adolescents aged 13-18 years, especially boys. Breakfast consumption should be promoted among Chinese school-aged boys.