Association between food insecurity and major depressive episodes amid Covid-19 pandemic: results of four consecutive epidemiological surveys from southern Brazil.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the association between household food insecurity (FI) and major depressive episodes (MDE) amid Covid-19 pandemic in Brazil. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study carried out with data from four consecutive population-based studies. SETTING: The study was conducted between May and June 2020, in Bagé, a Brazilian southern city. Household FI was measured using the short-form version of the Brazilian Food Insecurity Scale. Utilising the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, we used two different approaches to define MDE: the cut-off point of ≥ 9 and the diagnostic criteria proposed by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR). Association between FI and MDE was analysed using crude and adjusted Poisson regression models. PARTICIPANTS: 1550 adults (≥ 20 years old). RESULTS: The prevalence of household FI was 29·4 % (95 % CI 25·0, 34·4). MDE prevalence varied from 4·4 % (95 % CI 3·1, 6·0), when we used the DSM-IV-TR criteria to define this condition, to 9·6 % (95 % CI 7·3, 12·5) of the sample, when we used the cut-off point of ≥ 9 as definition. The prevalence of MDE was more than two times higher in those individuals living with FI, independent of the criteria adopted to define the outcome. Adjustment for potential confounders did not change the association's magnitude. CONCLUSIONS: Household FI has been positively associated with MDE amid Covid-19 pandemic, independent of socio-demographic characteristics of participants. Actions are needed to warrant basic living conditions to avoid FI and hunger and its consequences for the Brazilian population, especially those consequences linked to mental health disorders.

Alcohol Consumption and Smoking During Covid-19 Pandemic: Association with Sociodemographic, Behavioral, and Mental Health Characteristics.

The Covid-19 pandemic is related to increased alcohol consumption and smoking. These behaviors may be related to several sociodemographic, behavioral and mental health factors. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess the association between alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking with sociodemographic, behavioral and mental health characteristics. This study used data from two population-based studies conducted in two cities from Southern Brazil amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Individuals aged 18 years or older were included and selected using a multistage sampling procedure. Alcohol consumption and smoking and changes in such consumption during the Covid-19 pandemic were evaluated. Sociodemographic, behavioral, pandemic-related, and mental health variables were also included. A hierarchical model was used to conduct the adjusted analyses, and Poisson regression with robust adjustment was used for variance. A total of 2170 individuals were studied. The prevalence of alcohol consumption and smoking were 9.3% and 14.2%, respectively. The rates of increase in alcohol consumption and smoking during the Covid-pandemic were about 20% and 30%, respectively. They were higher among those with depressive symptoms, feeling of sadness and self-reported stress. Those with poor diet quality had higher prevalence of alcohol consumption (PR: 1.82) and were 1.58 times more likely to smoke. The findings may help stakeholders in health and political systems to better understand the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic and develop strategies to mitigate these consequences in Brazil and elsewhere.

Prematurity and body composition at 6, 18, and 30 years of age: Pelotas (Brazil) 2004, 1993, and 1982 birth cohorts.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to investigate the association between preterm birth and body composition at 6, 18, and 30 years of age using data from three population-based birth cohort studies. METHODS: Gestational age (GA), defined by the date of the last menstrual period (categorized in ≤33, 34-36, and ≥ 37 weeks), was gathered in the first 24-h after delivery for all live births occurring in the city of Pelotas, Brazil, in 2004, 1993 and 1982. Body composition was assessed by air-displacement plethysmography. Outcomes included fat mass (FM, kg), percent FM (%FM), FM index (FMI, kg/m2), fat-free mass (FFM, kg); percent FFM (%FFM), FFM index (FFMI, kg/m2), body mass index (BMI, kg/m2 at 18 years in the 1993 cohort and 30 years in the 1982 cohort), and BMI Z-score (at 6 years in the 2004 cohort). We further explored the association of birth weight for GA with body composition indicators and BMI. Crude and adjusted linear regressions provided beta coefficients with 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). RESULTS: A total of 3036, 3027, and 3369 participants, respectively, from the 2004, 1993, and 1982 cohorts were analyzed. At 6 years, preterm boys (born at 34-36 weeks) presented lower adjusted mean of FM (ß = - 0.80 kg, - 1.45;-0.16, p = 0.046), %FM (ß = - 2.39%, - 3.90;-0.88, p = 0.008), FMI (ß = - 0.70 kg/m2, - 1.13;-0.27, p = 0.004) as well as lower FFM (ß = - 0.4 kg, - 0.77; - 0.12, p = 0.010) and FFMI (ß = - 0.3 kg/m2, - 0.46;-0.10, p < 0.001), and BMI Z-score (ß = - 0.69,; - 0.99;-0.40, p < 0.001); but higher %FFM (ß = 2.4%, 0.87;-3.90, p = 0.008), when compared to boys born at term (≥37). At 30 years, FM (15.7 kg, 0.25;31.1, p = 0.102) was higher among males born at ≤33 weeks. No association was observed for females from the three cohorts and for 18-year-old males. The association of birth weight for GA with body composition and BMI was not significant in any cohort. At 6 years, SGA boys had lower FFMI than boys AGA. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that preterm birth is associated with decreased body fat and fat-free mass in childhood but higher fat mass in adulthood. Nevertheless, results were only significant for males. SGA boys also showed lower FFMI.

Intergenerational breastfeeding practices among parents and children: 1993 Pelotas (Brazil) birth cohort.

The objective of this study was to investigate intergenerational breastfeeding practices according to parental sex and age at delivery in the 1993 Pelotas (Brazil) birth cohort study. This is a prospective birth cohort study, and at the 22-year follow-up, a substudy with all children of the cohort members who had become parents was conducted (93Cohort-II). First generation breastfeeding data were collected at 3 months and 4-year-old follow-ups. In the 93Cohort-II, parents answered a questionnaire about their children's breastfeeding practices. Adjusted Tobit and Poisson regression models with robust variance were applied to estimate the association between predominant parental breastfeeding duration and exclusive breastfeeding duration of the children at 3 and 6 months. Out of 3,810 cohort participants, 955 (25%) had delivered at least one live-born infant, and 1,222 children were assessed. Fifty-four percent of parents were ≤19 years old. Direct effects of predominant parental breastfeeding duration on exclusive breastfeeding duration of their children were only observed when data were stratified by parental age: children born to parents aged ≥20 years old and who were predominantly breastfed for at least 3 months presented higher exclusive breastfeeding duration and higher prevalence of being exclusively breastfed for at least 3 months. When analyses were stratified by mothers and fathers, the result remained significant only among mothers. Longer predominant breastfeeding duration in the first generation was associated with longer exclusive breastfeeding duration in the second generation, but only among older mothers. Education and social support surrounding breastfeeding should be intensified among fathers and younger parents to create a positive environment supportive of breastfeeding.

Temporal trends in behavioral risk and protective factors and their association with mortality rates: results from Brazil and Argentina.

BACKGROUND: Despite available information on trends in behavioral factors for Brazil and Argentina, little is known about the association of these trends with mortality. Understanding this association is important to avoid early deaths. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate temporal trends in behavioral risk and protective factors in Brazil and Argentina, and to assess their association with overall and cause-specific mortality rates. METHODS: Ecological study with data from two population surveys from Brazil and Argentina. Weighted prevalence of tobacco smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, fruit and vegetable consumption and physical activity for the 27 Brazilian state capitals and for the 23 Argentinean provinces were used as behavioral factors. Information on overall mortality as well as cardiovascular diseases and cancer mortality for the year 2015 was collected from national mortality banks of both countries. Estimated prevalence rates were used to describe trends in behavioral factors from 2006 to 2014 in Brazil, and from 2005 to 2013 in Argentina, while Pearson's correlation and linear regression models were used to assess their association with overall and cause-specific mortality rates. RESULTS: Brazil presented improvements in behavioral risk and protective factors: sharp decrease in tobacco smoking prevalence (from 15 to 9%), increase in regular fruit and vegetable consumption (from 28 to 36%), and increase in physical activity (45 to 51%). In Argentina, results were more disappointing: small reduction in tobacco smoking (from 55 to 50%) and decrease in physical activity (from 55 to 45%). In both countries, excessive alcohol consumption remained stable, with increase only among women. The association between behavioral factors and mortality showed that in those Brazilian capitals with higher prevalence of regular consumption of fruits and vegetables, there were lower overall mortality rates. Stratification by gender revealed that significant results were only found among women. CONCLUSION: Prevalence of regular consumption of fruits and vegetables increased in Brazilian capitals and was associated with lower overall mortality rate, suggesting a positive impact of Brazilian policies to improve dietary intake patterns on its population's mortality. Approaches focusing on behavioral factors are especially needed in Argentina to reach similar results of those seen in Brazil.

Effects of dietary intake patterns from 1 to 4 years on BMI z-score and body shape at age of 6 years: a prospective birth cohort study from Brazil.

PURPOSE: To assess the association between dietary intake patterns from 1 to 4 years and BMI and body shape at age of 6 years. METHODS: This longitudinal study was based on 3374 Brazilian children from the 2004 Pelotas Birth Cohort Study. We used previously described dietary patterns from 1 to 4 years as the main exposure. We defined body shape using scores for corpulence (a recently described body shape component measured by Photonic Scanner), and trunk and gynoid fat mass percentage from DXA. We run linear regression models to evaluate the associations between dietary patterns from 1 to 4 years and BMI and body shape at 6 years. RESULTS: Several apparent associations between dietary patterns and BMI or body shape were explained by sociodemographic factors. High adherence to snacks (positive loadings to coffee, bread and cookies) at 4 years predicted lower BMI, but higher gynoid fat mass percentage at 6 years, while higher adherence to staple at 2 years (positive loadings to rice and beans) predicted higher trunk fat mass and lower gynoid fat mass. Finally, higher scores on milks at 1 year (positive loading to breast milk) predicted higher gynoid fat mass at 6 years. CONCLUSION: There were inconsistent associations between dietary patterns in infancy and early childhood and BMI and body shape at 6 years. In adjusted analyses, higher adherence to breast milk at 1 year and to snacks at 4 years appeared to be beneficial for body shape, associated with lower BMI, but higher peripheral fat.

Caesarean section and adiposity at 6, 18 and 30 years of age: results from three Pelotas (Brazil) birth cohorts.

BACKGROUND: Association between caesarian section (C-section) and obesity is controversial and mostly based on body mass index (BMI), which has inherent limitations. Using direct estimates of body fat mass, we aimed to assess the association between C-section and adiposity using fat mass index and BMI z-score in three birth cohort studies from Pelotas, Brazil. METHODS: We measured weight, height and fat mass (using dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)) at ages 6, 18 and 30 years among participants in the 2004, 1993 and 1982 population-based Pelotas Birth Cohort Studies, respectively. We used multiple linear regression analysis to examine the crude and adjusted association between C-section and the body composition indicators. We also modelled height as an outcome to explore the presence of residual confounding. RESULTS: We observed that fat mass index and BMI z-score were strongly and positively associated with C-section in the crude analysis. However, when we adjusted for socioeconomic characteristics, maternal BMI, parity, age and smoking during pregnancy, effect estimates were attenuated towards the null, except for 30-year-old women. In those women from the 1982 cohort, C-section remained associated with fat mass index (ß = 0.82; CI95% 0.32;1.32) and BMI z-score (ß = 0.15; CI95% 0.03;0.28), even after adjusting for all potential confounders, suggesting an increase in fat mass index and BMI at 30 years among those born by C-section. CONCLUSION: We found no consistent association of C-section with fat mass index measured by DXA and BMI z-score in individuals aged 6, 18 and 30 years, except for women in the latter group, which might be explained by residual confounding. Confounding by socioeconomic and maternal characteristics accounted for all the other associations.

Dietary intake patterns of children aged 6 years and their association with socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, early feeding practices and body mass index.

BACKGROUND: Dietary intake patterns of children from the 2004 Pelotas birth cohort study have been described at 12, 24 and 48 months of age, but there is no information about dietary patterns of these children at 6 years. Then, we aimed to identify and describe dietary intake patterns of children aged 6 years as well as to assess their association with socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, early feeding practices and BMI z-score at 6 years. METHODS: We used principal components analysis to identify dietary intake patterns of 3,427 children from the 2004 Pelotas (Brazil) birth cohort study. We used multiple linear regression models to evaluate whether socioeconomic and demographic characteristics (socioeconomic position, mother's age at birth, and child's sex and skin colour), early feeding practices (exclusive breastfeeding duration and age of introduction of complementary foods), and BMI z-score at 6 years were associated with dietary intake patterns. RESULTS: We identified seven dietary components of children's dietary intake patterns, namely: fruits and vegetables, snacks and treats, coffee and bread, milk, cheese and processed meats, rice and beans and carbohydrates. Dietary patterns were socially patterned, since six dietary components were associated with socioeconomic position. Moreover, high intake of snacks and treats and less fruits and vegetables were associated with children born to teenage mothers, with those exclusively breastfed for less than one month, and with those who started on complementary feeding before 4 months. Finally, overweight and obese children at 6 years presented lower intake of four out of seven dietary components, but we need to be cautious in interpretation due to limitations on food consumption reporting and due to possible reverse causality. CONCLUSION: Dietary intake patterns in children are strongly influenced by socioeconomic characteristics. Other factors such as younger maternal age at birth, and both early weaning and early introduction of complementary feeding appear to be related with 'unhealthier' patterns. Overweight and obese children presented lower intake of four out of seven dietary components, but further studies would be interesting to understand the longitudinal effect of children's feeding practices on BMI and adiposity.

Standardized phase angle: relationship with functionality, muscle mass and postoperative outcomes in surgical cancer patients.

To evaluate the association of standardized phase angle (SPA) with nutritional status, functional parameters, and postoperative outcomes in surgical cancer patients. This prospective study includes 59 cancer patients from Pelotas (Brazil) admitted for elective cancer surgery. We obtained the phase angle through Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) and standardized it according to the population's reference values. We estimated the muscle mass using BIA for later calculation of the Skeletal Muscle Index (SMI) and performed handgrip strength (HGS) and gait speed (GS) tests. We used the Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA) to assess the nutritional status. Postoperative complications and duration of hospital stay were evaluated as the outcomes. The prevalence of malnutrition in the sample was 28.8%, according to ASG-PPP. SPA was statistically lower in patients with malnutrition, with lower HGS and reduced GS. For postoperative outcomes, patients with severe complications and those with prolonged hospitalization also had lower SPA values. The greater the number of functional alterations in patients, the lower the SPA value, mainly when associated with reduced muscle mass assessed by BIA, suggesting that muscle mass reduction plays an important role in the association between functional alterations and phase angle in patients with cancer. According to the parameters used in this study, low SPA value was associated with impaired nutritional and functional status and negative outcomes in the analyzed sample.

Association between job lost and mental health outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic and the role of food insecurity as mediator of this relationship.

This study aimed to evaluate the association between employment status and mental health, considering food insecurity as a mediator of this relation. A cross-sectional population-based study was conducted with adults (≥ 18 and < 60 years) during the COVID-19 outbreak in two cities from Southern Brazil. Employment status was categorized into working, not working, and lost job. The mental health outcomes evaluated were depressive symptoms, perceived stress, and sadness. Food insecurity was identified by the short-form version of the Brazilian Food Insecurity Scale. Adjusted analyses using Poisson regression were performed to assess the association between employment status and mental health. Mediation analysis was performed to investigate the direct and indirect effects of employment status on mental health outcomes. In total, 1,492 adults were analyzed. The not working status was associated with 53% and 74% higher odds of perceived stress and of sadness, respectively. Being dismissed during the pandemic increased the odds of depressive symptoms, perceived stress, and sadness by 68%, 123%, and 128%, respectively. Mediation analyses showed that food insecurity was an important mediator of the association between employment status and depressive symptoms and sadness, but not of perceived stress. The complexity of these results highlights economic and nutritional aspects involved in mental health outcomes.

Low Physical Performance Could Be Associated with Adverse Health Outcomes over Time: Results from a Cohort of Older Adults.

A few studies on physical performance (PP) decline among community-dwelling older adults have simultaneously evaluated various outcomes in Brazil. This longitudinal cohort study aimed to verify the association between PP and health outcomes (negative health self-perception-NHSP; consultations with health professionals; disability; falls; and hospitalization) in older Brazilians (N = 476, 68 ± 6.7 years). PP assessments included Gait Speed (GS) and Timed Up and Go (TUG) tests, and changes were evaluated over time (2014 to 2019-2020). The association between the PP and the outcomes was estimated using Poisson's regression with robust variance. The physical tests were not associated with NSPH or with the number of consultations with health professionals. However, after adjustment (economic level, diet quality, physical activity, multimorbidity, depression, polypharmacy, and BMI), low PP at baseline (TUG and GS) was associated with disability at follow-up. A low TUG performance at baseline was also associated with subsequent falls (PR = 1.57, p = 0.007). A decline in GS was associated with hospitalization (PR = 1.86, p = 0.033). PP was associated with disability, falls, and hospitalization over a five- to six-year period in older Brazilians. Regular PP assessments should be conducted and low PP should be used as an indicator of the need for preventative measures to avoid poor health outcomes.

Phase angle, physical quality of life and functionality in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

INTRODUCTION: Nutritional deficiency, especially malnutrition, is frequent in cancer patients and is associated with changes in body composition, such as low muscle mass. Phase angle (PhA) has been used as a prognostic indicator and may be related to nutritional status, functionality, and quality of life in these patients. The objectives of this study were to assess the effect of chemotherapy treatment on PhA values, comparing the PhA variation before and after treatment, and to evaluate the PhA correlation, as a muscle mass surrogate, with the physical domain of quality of life, functionality, and nutritional risk in a sample of patients with cancer. METHODS: A longitudinal study was conducted in patients with cancer undergoing chemotherapy for the first time. All patients aged 18 years or older, newly diagnosed, and undergoing chemotherapy for the first time were included. To analyze the difference in the PhA means according to the different classification variables, the t-test - or ANOVA - was used. The variation of the final and initial PhA was evaluated through the linear regression test. RESULTS: A total of 175 patients were analyzed, of which 66.3% were female. The mean PhA of the initial assessment was significantly higher when compared to the final assessment of the patients PhA (p = 0.018). In both the initial and final assessments, PhA was correlated with the physical domain (r = 0.29; p < 0.001 and r = 0.19; p = 0.021) and with the functionality score (r = - 0.32; p < 0.001 and r = - 0.30; p < 0.001) and total PG-SGA (r = - 0.31; p < 0.001 and r = - 0.23; p = 0.006). CONCLUSION: PhA can be considered a predictor of physical quality of life and functionality in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy treatment.

Maternal determinants of dietary patterns in infancy and early childhood in the Growing up in New Zealand cohort.

Given the importance of diet in early life, assessing children's diet is crucial to guide interventions. Using data from a nationally generalizable New Zealand (NZ) birth cohort we examined children's dietary patterns at 9- (n = 6259), 24- (n = 6292), and 54-months (n = 6131), and their association with maternal sociodemographic and health behaviours. At each time-point, children's dietary patterns were identified using principal components analysis. We then used multivariate linear regression to examine associations between each pattern and maternal variables. At 9-, 24- and 54-months, two dietary patterns were identified, explaining 36.4%, 35.3% and 33.6% of children's intake variability, respectively. Refined high in sugar, salt and fat dietary pattern, at all time-points, was characterized by high positive loadings in white/refined breads and cereals, and items with high sugar, sodium, and fat content. At 24-months, Refined high in sugar, salt and fat also included a high positive loading with protein food groups. Fruit and vegetables dietary pattern, at all time-points, had high positive loadings for fruits and vegetables (with type varying across time-points). Fruit and vegetables also included high loading in whole grain options of breads and cereals at 24-months and the protein food group was part of this dietary pattern at 9- and 54-months. Children's scores on the Refined high in sugar, salt and fat pattern had strong associations with maternal smoking habits, education level, ethnicity, and maternal scores in the "Junk" and "Traditional/White bread" dietary patterns (constructed from an antenatal interview). Children's scores on the Fruit and vegetables pattern had strong associations with the maternal scores in the dietary pattern "Health Conscious". Interventions to improve diet in early life in NZ need to be responsive to ethnicity and suitable for people of all education levels. Interventions that improve maternal health behaviours may also improve children's diet.

Household food insecurity before and during COVID-19 pandemic and its association with perceived stress: population-based studies.

The growing prevalence of food insecurity observed in the last years, has been favored by the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to mental health issues, such as stress. We aim to analyze the prevalence of household food insecurity before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and its association with perceived stress. We analyzed data from two population-based studies conducted in 2019 and 2020-2021 in the municipality of Criciúma, State of Santa Catarina, Southern Brazil. Food insecurity and perceived stress were assessed with the Brazilian Food Insecurity Scale and the Perceived Stress Scale. The covariables were sex, age, skin color, schooling level, income, job status, marital status, household crowding, overweight, and diet quality. Crude and adjusted associations between food insecurity and perceived stress were assessed using Poisson regression. A total of 1,683 adult individuals were assessed. Prevalence of food insecurity was 25.8% in 2019, decreasing to 21.6% in 2020. Prevalence of perceived stress was about 38% for both years. Before the pandemic, food insecurity increased the prevalence of perceived stress by 29% (PR = 1.29; 95%CI: 1.02; 1.63), but no association was found during COVID-19. We found a worrying prevalence of food insecurity before and after de pandemic, nonetheless food insecurity and perceived stress were associated only in 2019. An assessment of these aspects after COVID-19 is needed to ensure basic life rights for all.

Changes in Physical Performance among Community-Dwelling Older Adults in Six Years.

Changes in physical performance (PP) occur with aging, and understanding the magnitude of these changes over time is important. This study evaluated changes in Gait Speed (GS) and Timed Up and Go (TUG) performance and their association with related factors among community-dwelling older adults over a period of five to six years. A cohort study of 476 older adults with baseline assessment conducted in 2014 and reassessment in 2019-2020 was carried out. Associations between PP changes over time and sociodemographic, behavioral, and health variables were evaluated using mixed linear models. Approximately 68% of the participants declined PP; 20% had no relevant change in GS and 9% in TUG time (sustained PP); 12% increased GS, and 23% decreased TUG time (improved PP). Being male (p = 0.023), living without a partner/separated (p = 0.035), higher education (p = 0.019), and alcohol consumption in the prior month (p = 0.045) were associated with decreased GS, while older age (p < 0.001), having lower socioeconomic status (p < 0.004), physical inactivity (p = 0.017), and being overweight (p = 0.007) were associated with increased TUG time. PP declined for most participants. Factors most strongly associated with PP decline are non-modifiable. The high prevalence of PP decline over time signals the importance of including physical tests in yearly health assessments.

[Influence of sleep and chrononutrition on hypertension and diabetes: a population-based study]. / Influência do sono e da crononutrição na hipertensão e diabetes: um estudo de base populacional.

The objective is to evaluate the influence of sleep and chrononutrition on hypertension and diabetes in the adult population (18 years or older) in a municipality in Southern Brazil. This is a population-based cross-sectional study, developed in Criciúma, State of Santa Catarina, in 2019. The exposure variables were sleep duration and quality, and two of the main aspects of chrononutrition, the number of daily meals and the presence of breakfast. The outcomes studied were diabetes mellitus and systemic arterial hypertension. Crude and adjusted Poisson regression with robust variance was used to evaluate the associations between exposures and outcomes. For all analyses, the effect of the sample design was considered, and the significance level adopted was 5%. In total, 820 patients were evaluated. The prevalence of diabetes and hypertension was of 19.9% and 44.1%, respectively. Individuals with worse sleep quality had a higher prevalence of 33% for diabetes and 17% for hypertension, compared to those with good quality of sleep. Those who had four or more meals per day had a 16% lower prevalence of hypertension, when compared to those who had less than four meals. We concluded that the quality of sleep and the number of daily meals, a feeding behavior related to chrononutrition, were related to hypertension and diabetes. These results highlight the importance of public health actions that address new strategies for coping with these diseases focused on sleep quality and chrononutrition.

O objetivo foi avaliar a influência do sono e da crononutrição na hipertensão e diabetes na população adulta (18 anos ou mais) em um município do Sul do Brasil. Trata-se de um estudo transversal de base populacional, desenvolvido em Criciúma, Santa Catarina, em 2019. As variáveis de exposição foram duração e qualidade do sono, e dois dos principais aspectos da crononutrição, o número de refeições diárias e a realização do café da manhã. Os desfechos estudados foram diabetes mellitus e hipertensão arterial sistêmica. Regressão de Poisson bruta e ajustada com variância robusta foi utilizada para avaliar as associações entre as exposições e os desfechos. Para todas as análises, considerou-se o efeito do desenho amostral, e o nível de significância utilizado foi de 5%. Foram estudados 820 indivíduos. As prevalências de diabetes e hipertensão foram 19,9% e 44,1%, respectivamente. Indivíduos com pior qualidade do sono tiveram prevalência 33% maior de diabetes e 17% maior de hipertensão, comparados àqueles com boa qualidade do sono. Os que realizaram quatro ou mais refeições ao dia apresentaram prevalência 16% menor de hipertensão quando comparados aos que fizeram menos de quatro refeições. Conclui-se que a qualidade do sono e o número de refeições diárias, um comportamento alimentar relacionado à crononutrição, estiveram relacionados à hipertensão e ao diabetes. Tais resultados destacam a importância de ações de saúde pública que abordem novas estratégias para o enfrentamento dessas doenças, voltadas à qualidade do sono e à crononutrição.

El objetivo fue evaluar la influencia del sueño y la crononutrición sobre la hipertensión arterial y la diabetes en la población adulta (18 años o más) en un municipio del Sur de Brasil. Se trata de un estudio transversal de base poblacional, desarrollado en Criciúma, Santa Catarina, en el 2019. Las variables de exposición fueron la duración y la calidad del sueño, y dos de los principales aspectos de la crononutrición, el número de comidas diarias y el consumo de desayuno. Los desenlaces estudiados fueron la diabetes mellitus e la hipertensión arterial sistémica. Se utilizó la regresión de Poisson cruda y ajustada con varianza robusta para evaluar las asociaciones entre las exposiciones y los desenlaces. Para todos los análisis, se consideró el efecto del diseño de la muestra y el nivel de significación utilizado fue del 5%. Se estudiaron 820 individuos. Las prevalencias de diabetes e hipertensión fueron de 19,9% y del 44,1%, respectivamente. Las personas con peor calidad del sueño tuvieron una prevalencia de diabetes un 33% mayor y una prevalencia de hipertensión un 17% mayor, en comparación con las personas con una buena calidad del sueño. Los que efectuaron cuatro o más comidas al día presentaron una prevalencia de hipertensión un 16% menor en comparación con los que efectuaron menos de cuatro comidas. Se concluye que la calidad del sueño y el número de comidas diarias, una conducta alimentaria relacionada con la crononutrición, están relacionados con la hipertensión arterial y la diabetes. Estos resultados destacan la importancia de acciones de salud pública que aborden nuevas estrategias de enfrentamiento a estas enfermedades, centradas en la calidad del sueño y en la crononutrición.

Relationship between sleep duration and quality and mental health before and during COVID-19 pandemic: Results of population-based studies in Brazil.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the association between sleep duration and quality and mental health before and amid the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Data from two population-based cross-sectional studies conducted in 2019 and 2020 with adults in Criciúma, Southern Brazil. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) was used to screen major depressive episodes, while the perceived stress scale was used to assess perceived stress. Sleep was evaluated through self-reported duration and quality. Crude and adjusted Poisson regression models were used to assess the association between sleep and mental health disorders. RESULTS: A total of 820 (in 2019) and 863 subjects (in 2020) were assessed. Sleep quality presented significant associations with depression and stress in both years, and the magnitude of the association with depression increased amid COVID-19 pandemic. In individuals with poor/very poor sleep quality, the risk of depression in 2019 was 2.14 (95%IC 1.48;3.09) higher when compared to those with good/very good sleep quality. This risk increased to 2.26 (95%IC 1.49;3.40) in 2020. The risk of stress was 1.90 (95%IC 1.42;2.55) in 2019 and 1.66 (95%IC1.34;2.07) in 2020. The sleep duration was not associated with mental health disorders in the adjusted analyses. CONCLUSION: The results provide important evidence that sleep quality can influence mental health of adults. The COVID-19 pandemic seems to have had a considerable impact on this association.

Sugar sweetened beverages intake and risk of obesity and cardiometabolic diseases in longitudinal studies: A systematic review and meta-analysis with 1.5 million individuals.

BACKGROUND: Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) are associated with adverse outcomes in adults and understanding the strength, consistency and biological gradient of the association between SSB consumption and health-related outcomes is important. We aimed to examine longitudinal associations between sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) intake and obesity and cardiometabolic diseases (type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease and stroke) in adults. METHODS: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis searching for articles published until December 2021 in the Pubmed, Lilacs, Web of Science, Cochrane, Embase, and Scopus databases (PROSPERO CRD42021234206). RESULTS: After screening of more than 18 thousand titles and abstracts, 27 longitudinal studies were included in the review with all of them presenting medium or high methodological quality. None of the selected studies were from low-income countries and only three were conducted in middle-income countries. Type 2 diabetes was the most investigated disease - outcome in 15 out of 27 studies. Around 80% of the studies enrolled more than 10,000 individuals in the sample, and almost half of them followed the subjects for less than 10 years. A total of 1.5 million individuals were included in the pooled analyses, and results indicated that SSB intake increased the risk of type 2 diabetes (RR = 1.20; 95% C.I. 1.13-1.28), obesity (RR = 1.17; 95% C.I. 1.10-1.25), coronary heart disease (RR = 1.15; 9% C.I. 1.06-1.25), and stroke (RR = 1.10; 9% C.I. 1.01-1.19) in adults after adjustment for all potential confounders. CONCLUSION: Our systematic review and meta-analysis demonstrated that consumption of SSB intake appears to increase the risk obesity and cardiometabolic diseases, being the strongest evidence for type 2 diabetes. Actions are needed to be taken to reduce the SSB intake and its consequences worldwide.

[Inequalities in risk behaviors for chronic noncommunicable diseases: Vigitel, 2019]. / Desigualdades nos comportamentos de risco para doenças crônicas não transmissíveis: Vigitel, 2019.

This study analyzes the economic, racial, and geographic inequalities in risk behaviors for chronic non-communicable diseases of Brazilian adults. This is a cross-sectional study conducted with data from the 2019 Vigitel (Risk and Protective Factors Surveillance System for Chronic Noncomunicable Diseases Through Telephone Interview). The analyzed risk behaviors were smoking, alcohol abuse, physical inactivity, overweight, regular consumption of soft drinks or artificial juice drinks, and non-regular consumption of fruits, legumes, and vegetables. Inequalities in risk behaviors were assessed considering Brazilian's schooling level and their dwelling region, via the slope index of inequality (SII). Equiplots graphs were also built to better illustrate the inequalities. Stata svy command was used for all analyses due to the complexity of the sampling process. In total, 52,395 patients were evaluated. Significant inequalities in risk behaviors for chronic non-communicable diseases were observed: most risk behaviors were concentrated in those with low schooling. Smoking and soft drinks consumption were more observed in the Southern region of Brazil. Public policies are necessary to reduce the inequalities found, allowing for improvement in health indicators of the Brazilian population.

O objetivo foi analisar as desigualdades econômica, racial e geográfica nos comportamentos de risco para doenças crônicas não transmissíveis dos adultos brasileiros. Estudo transversal realizado com os dados do Vigitel (Vigilância de Fatores de Risco e Proteção para Doenças Crônicas por Inquérito Telefônico) de 2019. Os comportamentos de risco analisados foram tabagismo, consumo abusivo de álcool, inatividade física, excesso de peso, consumo regular de refrigerante ou suco artificial e consumo não regular de frutas, legumes e verduras. As desigualdades nos comportamentos de risco foram avaliadas considerando escolaridade e macrorregião de moradia dos brasileiros, por meio do índice de desigualdade absoluta (slope index of inequality - SII). Gráficos equiplots também foram construídos para melhor ilustrar as desigualdades. Para todas as análises, foi utilizado o comando svy do Stata devido à complexidade do processo amostral. Foram avaliados 52.395 indivíduos. Desigualdades importantes nos comportamentos de risco para doenças crônicas não transmissíveis foram observadas: ter baixa escolaridade concentrou a grande maioria dos comportamentos de risco. Tabagismo e consumo de refrigerante foram mais observados na Macrorregião Sul do país. São necessárias políticas públicas que visem reduzir as desigualdades encontradas, permitindo a melhoria nos indicadores de saúde da população brasileira.

El objetivo fue analizar las desigualdades económicas, raciales y geográficas en los comportamientos de riesgo sobre las enfermedades crónicas no transmisibles entre los adultos brasileños. Estudio transversal, realizado con los datos de Vigitel (Vigilancia de Factores de Riesgo y Protección para Enfermedades Crónicas No Transmisibles por Entrevista Telefónica) 2019. Los comportamientos de riesgo analizados fueron el tabaquismo, el abuso del alcohol, la inactividad física, el sobrepeso, el consumo habitual de refrescos o zumos artificiales y el consumo no habitual de frutas, verduras y legumbres. Las desigualdades en los comportamientos de riesgo se evaluaron teniendo en cuenta la educación y el macrorregión de residencia de los brasileños, mediante el índice de inequidad absoluto (slope index of inequality - SII). También se construyeron gráficos equiplot para ilustrar mejor las desigualdades. Para todos los análisis, se utilizó el comando svy de Stata debido a la complejidad del proceso de muestreo. Se evaluó a un total de 52.395 personas. Se observaron importantes desigualdades en los comportamientos de riesgo para las enfermedades crónicas no transmisibles: tener un bajo nivel educativo concentró la gran mayoría de los comportamientos de riesgo. El tabaquismo y el consumo de refrescos se observaron más en la región Sur del país. Se necesitan políticas públicas para reducir las desigualdades encontradas, permitiendo la mejora de los indicadores de salud de la población brasileña.

Inequalities in Physical Activity During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Report on 4 Consecutive Population-Based Surveys in Southern Brazil.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to investigate inequalities in leisure-time physical activity (PA) practice amid the COVID-19 pandemic in a southern Brazilian city. METHODS: Four repeated population-based surveys were carried out. PA was collected using a questionnaire proposed by the authors and an adapted version of the leisure-time section of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. The sociodemographic variables were sex, age, skin color, and education level. The participants also answered questions regarding social distancing measures compliance. Descriptive analyses based on proportions and their respective P values for categorical variables were presented. The chi-square test for heterogeneity and linear trend was used. RESULTS: The sample is composed of 1556 individuals (66.1% female). Overall, between rounds 1 and 2, PA prevalence declined, followed by a gradual increase thereafter. PA practice during the pandemic was higher among men, individuals with higher education level, and individuals with white skin color in all rounds. In rounds 2, 3, and 4, PA was lower among individuals who were practicing more social distancing. CONCLUSION: To tackle the PA inequalities, policymakers and stakeholders need to confront disparities, defending greater availability of public policies that are attentive to inequalities, especially regarding gender, skin color, and educational level, to promote PA as a human right.