Clustering of smoking, alcohol consumption and weight gain in pregnancy: prevalence, care preferences and associated factors.

BACKGROUND: Smoking, alcohol consumption and weight gain outside recommendations during pregnancy are preventable health risk factors associated with poorer health outcomes for mother and infant. Clustering of these risk factors further increases the risk and severity of outcomes. Limited research has explored the characteristics of pregnant women that are associated with clustering of these risks and women's preferences for receiving support. This paper aimed to determine: (i) the prevalence of clustered preventable risk factors; (ii) associations between maternal characteristics and presence of clustered risk factors; and (iii) women's preferences for receiving care for clustered risk factors. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was undertaken with women who had recently given birth in public maternity services in New South Wales, Australia. Descriptive statistics were used to assess prevalence of clustered risk factors and care preferences. Associations between the presence of clustered risk factors and maternal characteristics were assessed using multiple regression analyses. RESULTS: Of the 514 women who completed the survey, 52% reported one preventable health risk factor and 10% and 2% reported two or three. For women with two or more risk factors, the most common combination was alcohol consumption and gestational weight gain outside of recommendations (50%, n = 30). One characteristic had an association with the presence of clustered risk factors. Most women (77%, n = 46) with clustered risk factors indicated they wanted support for these health risks. Preferences for support addressing some or all risk factors, and whether the support was sequential or simultaneous, were not associated with particular risk factor combinations. CONCLUSIONS: Around one in eight women reported clustered preventable risk factors during pregnancy, most of whom would like support to address these risks. There was only one association between maternal characteristics and clustered risk factors. This suggests a need for antenatal care that is women-centred and caters for a diverse profile of clustered risks and varied preferences for care.

A cross-sectional study to determine the energy density and nutritional quality of primary-school children's lunchboxes.

OBJECTIVE: The present study describes the energy content of primary-school children's lunchboxes and the proportion of lunchbox foods considered discretionary. Subgroup analyses by sex, socio-economic status, age and weight status were undertaken. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study was conducted. Mean kilojoule content, number of items and categorisation of foods and drinks in lunchboxes as 'everyday' (healthy) or discretionary (sometimes) foods were assessed via a valid and reliable lunchbox observational audit. SETTING: Twelve Catholic primary schools (Kindergarten-Grade 6) located in the Hunter region of New South Wales, Australia. PARTICIPANTS: Kindergarten to Grade 6 primary-school students. RESULTS: In total, 2143 children (57 %) had parental consent to have their lunchboxes observed. School lunchboxes contained a mean of 2748 kJ, of which 61·2 % of energy was from foods consistent with the Australian Dietary Guidelines and 38·8 % of energy was discretionary foods. The proportion of lunchboxes containing only healthy foods was 12 %. Children in Kindergarten-Grade 2 packed more servings of 'everyday' foods (3·32 v. 2·98, P < 0·01) compared with children in Grades 3-6. Children in Grades 3-6 had a higher percentage of energy from discretionary foods (39·1 v. 33·8 %, P < 0·01) compared with children in Kindergarten-Grade 2 and children from the most socio-economically disadvantaged areas had significantly higher total kilojoules in the school lunchbox compared with the least disadvantaged students (2842 v. 2544 kJ, P = 0·03). CONCLUSIONS: Foods packed within school lunchboxes may contribute to energy imbalance. The development of school policies and population-based strategies to support parents overcome barriers to packing healthy lunchboxes are warranted.

A randomized controlled trial to assess the potential efficacy, feasibility and acceptability of an m-health intervention targeting parents of school aged children to improve the nutritional quality of foods packed in the lunchbox 'SWAP IT'.

BACKGROUND: Scalable interventions that improve the nutritional quality of foods in children's lunchboxes have considerable potential to improve child public health nutrition. This study assessed the potential efficacy, feasibility and acceptability of an m-health intervention, 'SWAP IT', to improve the energy and nutritional quality of foods packed in children's lunchboxes. METHODS: The study employed a 2X2 factorial cluster randomized-controlled trial design. Twelve primary schools in New South Wales, Australia were randomly allocated to one of four groups: (i) no intervention;(ii) physical activity intervention only;(iii) lunchbox intervention only; or(iv) physical activity and lunchbox intervention combined. The two intervention strategies were evaluated separately. This paper focuses on the effects of the lunchbox intervention only. The lunchbox intervention comprised four strategies: 1) school nutrition guidelines; 2) lunchbox lessons; 3) information pushed to parents via a school-communication app and 4) parent resources addressing barriers to packing healthy lunchboxes. Outcome measures were taken at baseline and immediately post-intervention (10 weeks) and included measures of effectiveness (mean energy (kJ) packed in lunchboxes, total energy and percentage energy from recommended foods consistent with Australian Dietary Guidelines), feasibility (of delivering intervention to schools, parent app engagement and behaviour change) and acceptability to school staff and parents. Linear mixed models were used to assess intervention efficacy. RESULTS: Of the 1915 lunchbox observations, at follow-up there was no significant differences between intervention and control group in mean energy of foods packed within lunchboxes (- 118.39 kJ, CI = -307.08, 70.30, p = 0.22). There was a significant increase favouring the intervention in the secondary outcome of mean lunchbox energy from recommended foods (79.21 kJ, CI = 1.99, 156.43, p = 0.04), and a non-significant increase in percentage of lunchbox energy from recommended foods in intervention schools (4.57%, CI = -0.52, 9.66, p = 0.08). The views of the messages pushed via the app ranged from 387 to 1550 views per week (mean views =1025 per week). A large proportion (71%) of parents reported awareness of the intervention, making healthier swaps in the lunchbox (55%), and pushed content was helpful (84%). CONCLUSION: The study is the first RCT to assess the potential of a multi-component m-health lunchbox intervention. The intervention was feasible, acceptable and potentially effective in improving the nutritional quality of foods packed within children's lunchboxes. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN: ACTRN12616001228471 .

Breastfeeding practices and associations with pregnancy, maternal and infant characteristics in Australia: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Exclusive breastfeeding to six months of age is a major global public health priority. Several characteristics are known to be associated with early cessation of breastfeeding, however, limited evidence exists regarding whether women's reported reasons for cessation are associated with maternal, pregnancy and infant characteristics. The aims of this study were to: i) describe women's reported intention to breastfeed and their subsequent breastfeeding practices; ii) describe women's reported reasons for breastfeeding cessation prior to the infant being five months of age; and iii) examine associations between these factors and maternal, pregnancy and infant characteristics. METHODS: Telephone and online surveys were conducted between October 2019 and April 2020 with 536 women who had given birth in the previous eight to 21 weeks at four public maternity services in Australia. RESULTS: The majority of women intended to (94%), and did, initiate (95%) breastfeeding. At the time the survey was conducted, 57% of women were exclusively breastfeeding. Women who: had less than University level education, had a pre-pregnancy BMI in the overweight or obese category, and who smoked tobacco at the time of the survey had lower odds of exclusively breastfeeding. The most common self-reported reasons for breastfeeding cessation were breastfeeding challenges (47%) and low milk supply (40%). Women aged 26-35 years and 36 + years had greater odds of reporting breastfeeding cessation due to low milk supply (OR = 2.92, 95% CI: 1.11, 7.66; OR = 5.57, 95% CI: 1.70, 18.29) compared to women aged 18-25 years. While women who had completed a TAFE certificate or diploma had lower odds of reporting this as a reason for breastfeeding cessation (OR = 0.28; 95% CI: 0.11, 0.73) compared to women who had University level education. There were no other significant associations found between characteristics and reasons for ceasing breastfeeding. CONCLUSIONS: The most common reasons for breastfeeding cessation may be modifiable through the provision of breastfeeding support in the early postpartum period, with such support being tailored to women's age and level of education. Such support should aim to increase women's self-efficacy in breastfeeding, and be provided from the antenatal period and throughout the first six months postpartum.

An RCT to Facilitate Implementation of School Practices Known to Increase Physical Activity.

INTRODUCTION: Although comprehensive school-based physical activity interventions are efficacious when tested under research conditions, they often require adaptation in order for implementation at scale. This paper reports the effectiveness of an adapted efficacious school-based intervention in improving children's moderate to vigorous physical activity. The impact of strategies to support program implementation was also assessed. DESIGN: A cluster RCT of low socioeconomic elementary schools in New South Wales, Australia. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: Consenting schools were randomized (25 intervention, 21 control) using a computerized random number function. Follow-up measures were taken at 6 months post-randomization (May-August 2015) by blinded research assistants. The multicomponent school-based intervention, based on an efficacious school-based physical activity program (Supporting Children's Outcomes using Rewards, Exercise and Skills), consisted of four physical activity strategies and seven implementation support strategies. The intervention was adapted for scalability and delivery by a local health service over 6 months. The primary outcome was accelerometer assessed, student mean daily minutes spent in moderate to vigorous physical activity. Physical education lesson quality and other school physical activity practices were also assessed. RESULTS: Participants (n=1,139, 49% male) were third- through sixth-grade students at follow-up (May-August 2015). Valid wear time and analysis of data were provided for 989 (86%) participants (571 intervention, 568 control). At 6-month follow-up, there were no significant effects in overall daily minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity between groups (1.96 minutes, 95% CI= -3.49, 7.41, p=0.48). However, adjusted difference in mean minutes of overall vigorous physical activity (2.19, 95% CI=0.06, 4.32, p=0.04); mean minutes of school day moderate to vigorous physical activity (2.90, 95% CI=0.06, 5.85, p=0.05); and mean minutes of school day vigorous physical activity (1.81, 95% CI=0.78, 2.83, p≤0.01) were significantly different in favor of the intervention group. Physical education lesson quality and school physical activity practices were significantly different favoring the intervention group (analyzed October 2015-January 2016). CONCLUSIONS: The modified intervention was not effective in increasing children's overall daily minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity, when adapted for implementation at scale. However, the intervention did improve daily minutes of vigorous physical activity and school day moderate to vigorous physical activity, lesson quality, and school physical activity practices. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12615000437561.