Insulin resistance phenotype is associated with vascular risk phenotype at the end of the second decade of life: a population-based study.

We hypothesize that early events of diabetes and cardiovascular disease continuums would be ongoing and associated in adolescents. We investigated the association between the Insulin Resistance Phenotype and the Vascular Risk Phenotype at the end of the second decade of life and indirect pathways from social vulnerability, alcohol consumption, and body fat mass. It is a population-based study in the RPS cohort of 18-19 years (n = 2,515), São Luís, Brazil. The theoretical model analyzed the association between Insulin Resistance Phenotype and Vascular Risk Phenotype by sex, using structural equation modeling (SEM). The Insulin Resistance Phenotype was a latent variable deduced from the correlations of Triglyceride to HDL ratio, Triglyceride Glycemic index, and VLDL; the Vascular Risk Phenotype was deduced from Systolic Blood Pressure, Diastolic Blood Pressure, and Pulse Wave Velocity. The Insulin Resistance Phenotype was directly associated with the Vascular Risk Phenotype in males (standardized coefficient SC = 0.183; p < 0.001) and females (SC = 0.152; p < 0.001). The Insulin Resistance Phenotype was an indirect pathway in the association of alcohol consumption and higher values of fat mass index with the Vascular Risk Phenotype. VLDL presented the highest factor loading, appearing as a marker of insulin resistance linked to cardiovascular risk in young people. Lower values of socioeconomic status, harmful use of alcohol, and high body fat values were also associated with higher values of the two phenotypes. The association of the Insulin Resistance Phenotype with the Vascular Risk Phenotype suggests common pathophysiological mechanisms present in early events in the continuums of diabetes and cardiovascular disease in adolescence.

The consumption of culinary preparations and ultra-processed food is associated with handgrip strength in teenagers.

BACKGROUND: A nutrient-poor and hypocaloric diet may be associated with lower handgrip strength (HGS), whereas a high-quality or balanced diet may be associated with higher HGS. However, no study has used the NOVA system for classifying food by their degree of processing. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the association between food consumption according to the degree of food processing and HGS in Brazilian teenagers. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included teenagers aged 18 and 19 years old from the 1997/98 São Luís' birth cohort, Maranhão, Brazil. HGS (kilogram-force) was measured via a Jamar Plus + dynamometer. Food consumption was assessed using a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire. The energy intake of culinary preparations (unprocessed or minimally processed food and processed culinary ingredients), processed, and ultra-processed foods was evaluated in percentages and categorized in tertiles. The associations between each food group intake and HGS was estimated via crude and adjusted linear regression models. A directed acyclic graph was used to identify confounding factors. RESULTS: We evaluated 2,433 teenagers, 52.1% of which were girls. For boys, adjusted analysis showed an association between the highest HGS and the 3rd tertile of culinary preparation consumption (ß: 1.95; 95%CI: 0.80; 3.10) and between the lowest HGS and the 3rd tertile of ultra-processed food consumption (ß: -2.25; 95%CI: -3.40; -1.10). Among girls, the consumption of culinary preparations in the 3rd tertile was associated with higher HGS (ß: 0.76; 95%CI: 0.05; 1.46). CONCLUSIONS: Higher consumption of culinary preparations and lower consumption of ultra-processed foods can contribute to reduce the chance of lower HGS in adult life. Interventions to promote the development and preservation of muscle strength should include dietary recommendations.

Association between violence and depression during pregnancy with perinatal outcomes: a moderated mediation analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the direct, indirect, and total effects of violence during pregnancy on perinatal outcomes, and to evaluate the effect of violence as a moderator of the mediated relationship of depression with perinatal outcomes. METHODS: Data was collected from the prenatal study and follow-ups of the BRISA cohort, São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil. The perinatal outcomes investigated were: birth weight (BW), intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and gestational age (GA). Violence against women was evaluated using the World Health Organization Violence against Women instrument (Violence during pregnancy - regardless of the type of violence; Physical violence during pregnancy; Psychological violence during pregnancy). Depressive symptoms during pregnancy were evaluated as a mediating variable. Moderated mediation analysis was performed to estimate the effects of violence and depression on perinatal outcomes. RESULTS: Three types of violence analyzed by depression had an indirect effect in BW and GA. None of the types of violence showed an association with IUGR. All types of violence analyzed showed a moderated mediation effect with BW and GA. Only among women who experienced violence were birth weight and gestational age lower the higher the values of depressive symptoms. CONCLUSION: Violence and depression are only associated with lower BW and GA when they occur simultaneously.

Preterm birth and postpartum depression within 6 months after childbirth in a Brazilian cohort.

Preterm birth (PTB) and postpartum depression (PPD) are important public health issues, and although literature mainly supports the association between them, some reviews have highlighted methodological limitations in the studies in this field, restricting the interpretation of such finding. This study aimed at assessing the association between PTB and PPD, by comparing groups of preterm and full-term mothers in two Brazilian cities with contrasting sociodemographic indicators. This prospective convenience cohort study assessed 1421 women during pregnancy, at childbirth, and in the postpartum period. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) was administrated to assess PPD within 6 months after delivery and women were considered probably depressed if scores were EDPS ≥ 12. PTB was defined as the delivery before 37 completed weeks of pregnancy. A multivariate Poisson regression was used to estimate relative risk for PPD in mothers of preterm infants, and the final analysis models were adjusted for psychosocial variables, selected according to the directed acyclic graph (DAG) approach. Frequencies of PPD were not significantly different in mothers of preterm and full-term infants, in neither city. In the final adjusted model, PTB was not associated with PPD. The association between PTB and PPD was not confirmed in two large samples from two Brazilian cities with contrasting socioeconomic profile. However, maternal health during pregnancy plays an important role in predicting PPD. Prenatal care should promote maternal mental health as an effort towards decreasing unfavored outcomes for mothers, infants, and families.

Associations between child and adolescent marriage and reproductive outcomes in Brazil, Ecuador, the United States and Canada.

BACKGROUND: Although marriage is associated with favourable reproductive outcomes among adult women, it is not known whether the marriage advantage applies to girls (< 18 years). The contribution of girl child marriage (< 18 years) to perinatal health is understudied in the Americas. METHODS: National singleton birth registrations were used to estimate the prevalence of girl child marriage among mothers in Brazil (2011-2018, N = 23,117,661), Ecuador (2014-2018, N = 1,519,168), the USA (2014-2018, N = 18,618,283) and Canada (2008-2018, N = 3,907,610). The joint associations between marital status and maternal age groups (< 18, 18-19 and 20-24 years) with preterm birth (< 37 weeks), small-for-gestational age (SGA < 10 percentile) and repeat birth were assessed with logistic regression. RESULTS: The proportion of births to < 18-year-old mothers was 9.9% in Ecuador, 8.9% in Brazil, 1.5% in the United States and 0.9% in Canada, and marriage prevalence among < 18-year-old mothers was 3.0%, 4.8%, 3.7% and 1.7%, respectively. In fully-adjusted models, marriage was associated with lower odds of preterm birth and SGA among 20-24-year-old mothers in the four countries. Compared to unmarried 20-24-year-old women, married and unmarried < 18-year-old girls had higher odds of preterm birth in the four countries, and slightly higher odds of SGA in Brazil and Ecuador but not in the USA and Canada. In comparisons within age groups, the odds of repeat birth among < 18-year-old married mothers exceeded that of their unmarried counterparts in Ecuador [AOR: 1.99, 95%CI: 1.82, 2.18], the USA [AOR: 2.96, 95%CI: 2.79, 3.14], and Canada [AOR: 2.17, 95%CI: 1.67, 2.82], although minimally in Brazil [AOR: 1.09, 95%CI: 1.07, 1.11]. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of births to < 18-year-old mothers varies considerably in the Americas. Girl child marriage was differentially associated with perinatal health indicators across countries, suggesting context-specific mechanisms.

Association between sleep duration and cardiometabolic factors in adolescents.

BACKGROUND: The sleep reduction can change healthy people's hemodynamic control and cardiovascular regulation through increased inflammatory response and altered endothelial function. The objective the study to analyze the association between sleep duration and cardiometabolic risk factors in adolescents in the birth cohort of São Luís (1997/98). METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study with adolescents participating in the birth cohort of São Luís (1997/98). Sleep duration was evaluated using accelerometer data (Actigraph wGT3X-BT). Glycemia, systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) and triglycerides were considered cardiometabolic factors. The Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG) was used to identify the minimum set of adjustment for confounding. RESULTS: Out of 1,268 adolescents, 50.3% of them were male. The prevalence of sleep duration of less than 6 h per day was 31.1%. The mean glycemia value was 91.8 mg/dL (± 15.9), DBP was 71.3 mmHg (± 7.5), SBP was 114.9 mmHg (± 12.3), HDL was 48.5 mg/dL (± 11.6), LDL was 89.0 mg/dL (± 25.7), the total cholesterol was 156.0 mg/dL (± 31.1), and triglycerides was 93.6 mg/dL (± 47.2). The crude analysis showed an association between sleep duration and SBP and LDL-c. In the adjusted analysis, the associations did not remain. CONCLUSION: Our study showed no association between sleep duration and cardiometabolic outcomes in adolescents.

High sugar content and body mass index: modelling pathways around the first 1000 d of life, BRISA cohort.

OBJECTIVE: Few studies are focused on sugar consumption around the first 1000 d of life. Thus, this work modelled the pathways linking the consumption of sugary drinks in pregnancy and maternal pre-gestational BMI to early child's exposure to products with high sugar content and to BMI z-score in the second year of life. DESIGN: BRISA cohort, São Luís, Brazil was used from the baseline to the follow-up at the second year of life. SETTING: A theoretical model was constructed to analyse associations between variables from prenatal period (socio-economic status, age, frequency of sugary drinks consumption during pregnancy and pre-gestational BMI), birth weight, exclusive breast-feeding and two outcomes: higher calories from products with added sugar as a percentage of the total daily energy intake and BMI z-score at follow-up at the first 2 years of life, using structural equation modelling. PARTICIPANTS: Data of pregnant women (n 1136) and their offspring. RESULTS: Higher pre-gestational BMI (standardised coefficient (SC) = 0·100; P = 0·008) and higher frequency of sugary drinks consumption during pregnancy (SC = 0·134; P < 0·001) resulted in high percentage of daily calories from products with added sugar in the second year of child, although no yet effect was observed on offspring weight at that time. CONCLUSIONS: Maternal obesity and sugary drinks consumption in pregnancy increased the risk of early exposure (before to 2 years) and high exposure of child to added sugar, showing perpetuation of the unhealthy dietary behaviours in the first 1000 d of life.

Higher sugar intake is associated with periodontal disease in adolescents.

OBJECTIVES: Analyze the association between higher added sugar exposure and periodontal disease in adolescents (18-19 years old). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study nested to RPS Cohorts Consortium, São Luís, Brazil (n = 2515). The exposure was percentage of daily calories from added sugar (≥ 10%), estimated from a quantitative food frequency. The outcome was periodontal disease estimated by the number of teeth affected by bleeding on probing, periodontal probing depth ≥ 4 mm, and clinical attachment level ≥ 4 mm at the same site. A theoretical model was depicted in a directed acyclic graph to identify the minimal sufficient adjustment set: household income, adolescent's educational level, sex, alcohol use, and smoking. Periodontal disease was categorized into < 2 teeth affected, 2 to 3 teeth affected, and ≥ 4 teeth affected to estimate prevalence ratios (PR) by multinomial logistic regression. To test for consistency, means ratio (MR) were estimated using zero-inflated Poisson. RESULTS: High sugar intake was associated with ≥ 4 teeth affected by periodontal disease (PR = 1.42; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.03-1.94; p = 0.030); consistency Poisson analysis reinforced these results (MR = 1.15; 95% CI = 1.03-1.29; p = 0.011). CONCLUSION: High level of added sugar intake was associated with greater extent of periodontal disease in adolescents. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: High sugar intake was associated with periodontal disease in adolescents, supporting the integrated hypothesis of dental caries and periodontal disease and giving impetus to future clinical investigation on the effect of restriction of added sugar consumption in periodontal parameters, which potentially may change traditional treatment protocols of periodontal disease.

Maternal smoking during pregnancy and offspring overweight: is there a dose-response relationship? An individual patient data meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: A number of meta-analyses suggest an association between any maternal smoking in pregnancy and offspring overweight obesity. Whether there is a dose-response relationship across number of cigarettes and whether this differs by sex remains unclear. SUBJECT/METHODS: Studies reporting number of cigarettes smoked during pregnancy and offspring BMI published up to May 2015 were searched. An individual patient data meta-analysis of association between the number of cigarettes smoked during pregnancy and offspring overweight (defined according to the International Obesity Task Force reference) was computed using a generalized additive mixed model with non-linear effects and adjustment for confounders (maternal weight status, breastfeeding, and maternal education) and stratification for sex. RESULTS: Of 26 identified studies, 16 authors provided data on a total of 238,340 mother-child-pairs. A linear positive association was observed between the number of cigarettes smoked and offspring overweight for up to 15 cigarettes per day with an OR increase per cigarette of 1.03, 95% CI = [1.02-1.03]. The OR flattened with higher cigarette use. Associations were similar in males and females. Sensitivity analyses supported these results. CONCLUSIONS: A linear dose-response relationship of maternal smoking was observed in the range of 1-15 cigarettes per day equally in boys and girls with no further risk increase for doses above 15 cigarettes.

Postpartum depression screening by telephone: a good alternative for public health and research.

This study verified the reliability and validity of the Edinburg Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS) administered by telephone interviews. In a cross-sectional study of a cohort from Brazil (BRISA), the EPDS was administered by telephone to 1,083 women within 12 months postpartum, and 257 (23.7 %) participants had an EPDS score ≥10. At 67 ± 48 days after their telephone interview, 199 (EPDS ≥10 = 96; EPDS <10 = 103) participants were interviewed face-to-face using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID) and completed the EPDS again by self-report. In 90 participants, the diagnosis of major depressive episode was confirmed by the SCID (EPDS ≥10 = 65; EPDS <10 = 25). The Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.861. The Spearman's correlation between the EPDS administered by telephone and the self-reported EPDS was 0.69 (p < 0.001). The receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve for the EPDS administered by telephone was 0.78 (95 % confidence interval (CI) = 0.72 to 0.84). Scores ≥10 showed a sensitivity of 72.2 %, a specificity of 71.6 %, and a positive predictive value of 67.7 %. The application of the EPDS by telephone is a suitable alternative for clinical practice and research and represents a method to optimize the diagnosis of postpartum depression.

Inadequate prenatal care utilization and associated factors in São Luís, Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Over the last decades there has been a reduction of social inequalities in Brazil, as well as a strong expansion of health services, including prenatal care. The objective of the present study was to estimate the rate of inadequate prenatal care utilization and its associated factors in São Luís, Brazil, in 2010 and to determine whether there was a reduction of inequity in prenatal care use by comparing the present data to those obtained from a previous cohort started in 1997/98. METHODS: Data from the BRISA (Brazilian birth cohort studies of Ribeirão Preto and São Luís) population-based cohort, which started in 2010 (5067 women), were used. The outcome variable was the inadequate utilization of prenatal care, classified according to the recommendations of the Brazilian Ministry of Health. The explanatory variables were organized into three hierarchical levels based on the Andersen's behavioral model of the use of health services: predisposing, enabling and need factors. RESULTS: Only 2.0% of the women did not attend at least one prenatal care visit. The rate of inadequate prenatal care utilization was 36.7%. Despite an improved adequacy of prenatal care use from 47.3% in 1997/98 to 58.2% in 2010, social inequality persisted: both low maternal schooling (prevalence ratio (PR) = 2.78; 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 2.23-3.47 for 0 to 4 years of study) and low family income, less than 0.5 monthly minimum wage per capita (PR = 1.37; 95% CI 1.22-1. 54), continued to be associated with higher rates of inadequate prenatal care utilization. Racial disparity regarding adequate utilization of prenatal services was detected, with black (PR = 1.19; 95% CI 1.04-1.36) and mulatto (PR = 1.14; 95% CI 1.02-1.26) women showing higher rates of inadequate use. On the other hand, women covered by the FHP - Family Health Program (PR = 0.92; 95% CI 0.85-0.98) showed a lower rate of inadequate prenatal care utilization. CONCLUSIONS: Despite strong expansion of health services and expressive improvements in adequate prenatal care use and social indicators, inequalities in prenatal care use still persist. The FHP seems to be effective in reducing inadequate prenatal care utilization.

Low birth weight in São Luís, northeastern Brazil: trends and associated factors.

BACKGROUND: To analyze trends in LBW (low birth weight) rate using birth registry data and identify factors associated with LBW in São Luís comparing two birth cohorts separated by a 12-year interval. METHODS: 2,426 births were included in 1997/98 and 5,040 in 2010. The dependent variable was LBW (<2,500 g). Multiple logistic regression was performed to determine the association of independent variables with LBW. Data were also obtained from SINASC (Brazilian National Birth Registry) to analyze stillbirth and LBW rates trends from 1996 to 2010, using 3-year moving averages. RESULTS: LBW, intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and preterm birth rates did not differ between the two cohorts. Despite this, birth registry data showed increasing LBW rate up to 2001, coinciding with decreasing stillbirth rate. Both stillbirth and LBW rates decreased thereafter. A significant reduction was observed in the percentage of teenage mothers, mothers with up to 4 years of education, family income up to one minimum wage and mothers who did not attend prenatal care. There was an increase in maternal age ≥35 years and schooling ≥12 years. The variables associated with LBW in 1997/98 were young maternal age (<18 years), maternal smoking during pregnancy and primiparity. Variables that remained in the adjusted model in 2010 were female gender, income <3 minimum wages, lack of prenatal care, maternal smoking during pregnancy and primiparity. CONCLUSIONS: Although LBW rate did not differ between the two cohorts, this apparent stability masked an increase up to 2001 and a decrease thereafter. The rise in LBW rate paralleled reduction in the stillbirth rate, suggesting improvement in obstetrical and newborn care. Maternal, socioeconomic and demographic factors associated with LBW differed between the two cohorts, except for smoking during pregnancy and parity that were significantly associated with LBW in both cohorts.

Psychological violence against pregnant women in a prenatal care cohort: rates and associated factors in São Luís, Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Violence against pregnant women has been associated with gestational and perinatal disorders. Psychological violence is the type least investigated and its associated factors have been little studied. The present study was conducted in order to estimate prevalence rates and analyze the factors associated with exclusive and recurrent psychological violence in the municipality of São Luís, Brazil. METHODS: Data regarding 982 pregnant women, aged from 14 to 45 years, interviewed in 2010 and 2011 in a prenatal cohort were used. A self-applied questionnaire was used to screen for violence. Pregnant women submitted to physical and sexual violence were excluded from the analysis of factors associated with exclusive psychological violence. Prevalence ratios and 95% confidence intervals were estimated by a Poisson regression model with a hierarchical approach at three levels. At level 1 of the theoretical-conceptual model, we analyzed demographic and socioeconomic characteristics and variables that express gender inequalities; at level 2, we analyzed social support received by the women, and at level 3, the life experiences of the pregnant women. RESULTS: Prevalence rate of exclusive psychological violence was 41.6% and of recurrent violence was 32.6%. Exclusive psychological violence was associated with pregnant women's age of 14 to 18 years (PR: 1.32 95% CI: 1.04 - 1.70), pregnant women's schooling superior to that of her intimate partner (PR: 1.54 95% CI: 1.09 - 2.16), inadequate social affective support/positive social interaction (PR: 1.34 95% CI: 1.11 - 1.62), use of illicit drugs by the pregnant women (PR: 1.80 95% CI: 1.16 - 2.81) and having had six or more intimate partners in life (PR: 1.52 95% CI: 1.18 - 1.96). Recurrent exclusive psychological violence was associated with inadequate social affective support/positive social interaction (PR: 1.47 95% CI: 1.15 - 1.87), use of illicit drugs by the pregnant women (PR: 2,28 95% CI: 1,40 - 3,71) and having had six or more intimate partners in life (PR: 1.47 95% CI: 1.06 - 2.03). CONCLUSIONS: Psychological violence was a common phenomenon in this population of pregnant women that was associated with gender inequalities, inadequate social support and illicit drug use and should be routinely investigated during prenatal visits at health care services.

A protocol to identify non-classical risk factors for preterm births: the Brazilian Ribeirão Preto and São Luís prenatal cohort (BRISA).

BACKGROUND: Preterm birth is the main cause of morbidity and mortality during the perinatal period. Classical risk factors are held responsible for only 1/3 of preterm births and no current intervention has produced an appreciable reduction of this event. It is necessary to explore new hypotheses and mechanisms of causality by using an integrated approach, collaboration among research groups and less fragmented theoretical-methodological approaches in order to detect new risk factors and to formulate more effective intervention strategies. METHODS: The study will be conducted on a convenience cohort of Brazilian pregnant women recruited at public and private prenatal health services. A total of 1500 pregnant women in São Luís, and 1500 in Ribeirão Preto, will be invited for an interview and for the collection of biological specimens from the 22nd to the 25th week of gestational age (GA). At the time of delivery they will be reinterviewed. GA will be determined using an algorithm based on two criteria: date of last menstruation (DLM) and obstetric ultrasound (OUS) performed at less than 20 weeks of GA. Illicit drug consumption during pregnancy will be determined using a self-applied questionnaire and the following instruments will be used: perceived stress scale, Beck anxiety scale, screening for depression of the Center of Epidemiological Studies (CES-D), experiences of racial discrimination, social network and social support scale of the Medical Outcomes Study and violence (Abuse Assessment Screening and violence questionnaire of the WHO). Bacterial vaginosis, urinary tract infection and periodontal disease will also be identified. Neuroendocrine, immunoinflammatory and medical intervention hypotheses will be tested. The occurrence of elective cesarean section in the absence of labor will be used as a marker of medical intervention. CONCLUSION: Psychosocial, genetic and infectious mechanisms will be selected, since there are indications that they influence preterm birth (PTB). The studies will be conducted in two Brazilian cities with discrepant socioeconomic conditions. The expectation is to identify risk factors for PTB having a greater predictive power than classically studied factors. The final objective is to propose more effective interventions for the reduction of PTB, which, after being tested, might subsidize health policies.

Intimate partner violence during pregnancy and time to return to sexual activity after childbirth: analysis of the BRISA prenatal cohort.

This study aimed to analyze whether there is an association between intimate partner violence during pregnancy and time to return to sexual activity after childbirth in the BRISA cohort in São Luís, Maranhão State, Brazil, between 2010 and 2013. This is a longitudinal study conducted with 665 women. Intimate partner violence during pregnancy was measured using an instrument created and validated by the World Health Organization to measure violence against women. Time to return to sexual activity after childbirth was investigated using a structured questionnaire. Logistic regression models were used to analyze whether there is an association between intimate partner violence during pregnancy and time to return to sexual activity after childbirth. The prevalence of violence by an intimate partner during pregnancy was 24.06%. The prevalence of women who returned to sexual activity within 3 months after childbirth was 67.96%. When analyzing the association between exposure and outcome, no association was found in the crude model (OR = 0.88; 95%CI: 0.60-1.30), nor in the adjusted model (OR = 1.00; 95%CI: 0.61-1.63). The study results highlight the importance of providing comprehensive care to women, considering both physical and psychological aspects, since violence has a significant impact on several aspects of women's lives.

Prenatal care and human rights: Addressing the gap between medical and legal frameworks and the experience of women in Brazil.

Access to quality and affordable healthcare is central to the fulfilment of women's reproductive and sexual health needs and rights. For this reason, the World Health Organization declared access to appropriate healthcare services during pregnancy and childbirth a fundamental women's right. Prenatal care is a recognized human right to women's health in Brazil, as declared by the 1988 Constitution and many Brazilian policies. However, implementing the rights to health in Brazil presents a fundamental performance gap between legal rights and their delivery concerning reproductive health. Through extensive fieldwork including focus groups, interviews with women and participate observation in two municipalities in northeastern Brazil, this article addresses these issues and explores women's lived experience of access to and their fulfilment of the right to health regarding prenatal healthcare. We offer and account of the experience of women regarding what they identified as barriers that trample their right to health, that is: a) limited personnel and medical equipment as a perception of neglect; b) timely delivery of services: time matters for perception and experience of rights; c) misinformation as a barrier to the exercise of health rights; and d) socioeconomic barriers. These barriers particularly affect the right of women in rural communities, with lower socioeconomic levels and education, as well as brown and black women, from an intersectionality perspective, who are already at greater health risk and inadequate prenatal care. As such, we argue there is a performance gap between what the normative and legal frameworks encourage the health system to do and what the system actually provides in terms of access, equality, respect and continuity of treatment amongst certain groups in society whose right to health are denied while their health risks increase.

Obesity, Insulin Resistance, Caries, and Periodontitis: Syndemic Framework.

(1) Background: To investigate the grouping of obesity and insulin resistance with caries and periodontitis from a syndemic perspective through pathways of socioeconomic inequalities, smoking, alcohol, and high sugar consumption in adolescence. (2) Methods: The population-based RPS Cohort study, São Luís, Brazil, in ages 18-19 years (n = 2515) was used. The outcomes were the grouping of pbesity and Insulin Resistance Phenotype (latent variable formed by Triglycerides/HDL ratio, TyG index, and VLDL) and the Chronic Oral Disease Burden (latent variable comprising caries, bleeding on probing, probing depth ≥ 4 mm, clinical attachment level ≥ 3 mm, and visible plaque index ≥ 15%). Socioeconomic Inequalities influencing the Behavioral Risk Factors (latent variable formed by added sugar, smoking, and alcohol) were analyzed using structural equation modeling. (3) Results: Socioeconomic Inequalities were associated with the Chronic Oral Disease Burden [Standardized Coefficient (SC) = 0.222, p < 0.001]. Behavioral Risk Factors were associated with increased Chronic Oral Disease Burden (SC = 0.103; p = 0.013). Obesity was associated with the Insulin Resistance Phenotype (SC = 0.072; p < 0.001) and the Chronic Oral Disease Burden (SC = 0.066; p = 0.005). The Insulin Resistance Phenotype and the Chronic Oral Disease Burden were associated (SC = 0.053; p = 0.032). (4) Conclusion: The grouping of obesity and early events of diabetes with caries and periodontitis call for a syndemic approach in adolescence.

Sugar-Sweetened Beverages and Allergy Traits at Second Year of Life: BRISA Cohort Study.

Sugar-Sweetened Beverage (SSBs) consumption has risen in early life and it is plausible that it might increase children's risk of allergies. In this paper, we analyzed the association of SSB consumption with allergies in children's second year of life. This study analyzed data from a São Luís BRISA prenatal cohort in the follow-up of children (n = 1144) in their second year of life. Allergy Traits were a latent variable deduced from medical diagnoses of allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, and food allergies. SSBs were investigated as a percentage of daily calories based on 24 h recalls, including industrialized fruit juices, soft drinks, and ready-made chocolate milk. Other variables analyzed were socioeconomic status, age, body mass index z-score, episodes of diarrhea, and breastfeeding. Our finds were that higher consumption of daily calories from SSBs was associated with higher Allergy Trait values (SC = 0.174; p = 0.025); older age (SC = -0.181; p = 0.030) was associated with lower Allergy Trait values; and episodes of diarrhea were correlated with Allergy Traits (SC = 0.287; p = 0.015). SSB exposure was associated with Allergy Traits in children's second year of life; thus, abstaining from these beverages may also confer additional advantages in curtailing allergic diseases during early childhood.

Birth weight and bone mineral density at 18-19 years: birth cohort 1997-1998.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the association between birth weight and bone mineral density (BMD) in adolescence. METHODS: A birth cohort study in São Luís, Maranhão, using data from two moments: at birth and at 18-19 years. Exposure was the birth weight in grams, continuously analyzed. The outcome was BMD, using the Z-score index (whole body) measured by double X-ray densitometry (Dexa). A theoretical model was constructed in acyclic graphs to identify the minimum set of adjustment variables - household income, the mother knowing how to read and write at the time of birth, prenatal care, tobacco use during pregnancy, and parity - to evaluate the association between birth weight and bone mineral density in adolescence. Multiple linear regression was used in Stata 14.0 software. A 5% significance level was adopted. RESULTS: From 2,112 adolescents, 8.2% had low birth weight and 2.8% had a low BMD for their age. The mean full-body Z-score was 0.19 (± 1.00). The highest birth weight was directly and linearly associated with BMD values in adolescence (Coef.: 0.10; 95%CI: 0.02-0.18), even after adjustment for the variables household income (Coef.: -0.33; 95%CI: -0.66-0.33) and the mother knowing how to read and write (Coef.: 0.23%; 95%CI: 0.03-0.43). CONCLUSION: Although after adjusting the variables the association attenuated, birth weight positively and linearly relates to BMD in adolescence.

Assessment of the Brazilian Version of the Epworth Sleepiness Scale Using Item Response Theory: A Psychometric Study.

There seems to be a consensus that adolescents worldwide are not getting enough sleep. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) in adolescents using the item response theory. A psychometric study was conducted with 2206 adolescents aged 18 and 19 years in the city of São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil. The dimensionality of the ESS was assessed by principal component analysis. A Samejima's graded response model (SGRM) was fitted to it. The findings of this study showed a good internal consistency and the unidimensionality of the ESS. Considering the latent trait continuum, we obtained three levels, with anchor items. For the item 'Sitting still in a public place', the adolescents presented a small possibility of dozing in level 1, and a medium and great possibility in level 2. The item 'Sitting around talking to someone' presented small, medium, and great possibilities of dozing in level 3. The ESS with five items showed satisfactory psychometric properties. In addition, the results from the SGRM showed that adolescents with high levels of sleepiness are likely to nod off or sleep sitting up while talking to someone. This study allows us to understand excessive daytime sleepiness in adolescents.