The influence of somatic maturity on the relationship between the triglyceride/high-density lipoprotein ratio and vascular health in children and adolescents with dyslipidemia.

INTRODUCTION: Both the triglyceride to HDL cholesterol (TG/HDL) ratio and timing of pubertal maturation have been identified as independent contributors to the development of atherosclerosis. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of our study was to determine the relationship between the TG/HDL ratio and measures of vascular health in children and adolescents with dyslipidemia stratified by somatic maturity. We hypothesized that somatic maturity would have a significant interaction with TG/HDL ratio and vascular health. METHODS: This was a longitudinal analysis of 120 children and adolescents (age 8-14 years) with dyslipidemia recruited from a pediatric preventive cardiology clinic. At baseline and each follow-up visit, a non-fasting serum lipid panel was collected and vascular health (carotid artery intima--media thickness, pulse wave velocity, augmentation index) was assessed. Peak height velocity (PHV) was calculated at each visit, and participants were stratified into groups by maturity offset (pre-PHV, mid-PHV, post-PHV). A mixed model design permitted baseline and follow-up visits to be classified as discrete data points. RESULTS: Of the n = 235 data points (pre-PHV = 23%, mid-PHV = 19%, and post-PHV = 58%), we identified no significant interaction between TG/HDL ratio, maturity offset, and measures of vascular structure or function. There was also no significant relationship found between TG/HDL and maturity group. Within the mid-pubertal group, there was weak relationship found between TG/HDL and augmentation index. CONCLUSION: Despite the well-described relationship between early pubertal maturation and development of cardiovascular risk factors in adulthood, we found that vascular damage resulting from an elevated TG/HDL ratio is not independently associated with somatic maturity.

Trends in Sunscreen Use Among US Middle and High School Students, 2007-2019.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this project is to analyze trends in sunscreen usage among middle and high school students from the Centers of Disease Control's National Youth Risk Behavior Surveys (YRBS) from the years 2007 to 2019. METHODS: Data from the 2007-2019 National YRBS were analyzed. YRBS is a cross-sectional survey of health risk behaviors among middle and high school students (grades 6-12) in the United States. Students were asked questions regarding sunscreen usage and demographic information, including age, race/ethnicity, and gender. RESULTS: From 2007 to 2019, the average mean sunscreen usage for all students increased by 4% between every consecutive year studied. Mean sunscreen usage among all racial groups studied, other than Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders, increased. Females were 92.7% more likely to use sunscreen than males each year. The mean sunscreen usage decreased by 5% with an increase in a student's age. CONCLUSIONS: Though overall sunscreen use in adolescents increased over the time period from 2007 to 2019, sunscreen use still remains limited due to a variety of factors possibly including cost, tanning, and different socio-cultural perceptions of sunscreen.

Factors Influencing Contraceptive Use Among Sexually Active U.S. Middle and High School Students, 2015 to 2019.

Objective The objective of this study is to see whether factors including the age of first sexual intercourse, sexual orientation, age at the time of survey administration, race/ethnicity, and sex affect condom and other types of contraceptive usage among United States middle and high school students. Methods We analyzed data from the Centers for Disease Control's Youth Risk Behavior Surveys from the years 2015 to 2019. Students were asked questions about condom and specific type of contraceptive use (e.g. birth control pills, intrauterine device/implant, shot/patch/ring, withdrawal), age of first sexual intercourse, and sexual orientation, as well as demographic questions. Using a logistic regression model, we tested the linear effects on condom and contraception investigated variables. Results Differing sexual orientations had a significant relationship with both condom and contraceptive usage, with those who identified as lesbian or gay being least likely to use contraception as opposed to those who identified as straight, bisexual, or unsure. Female participants were 31.6% less likely to use contraception overall and 41.7% less likely to use condoms in comparison to male participants. With a one-year increase in the age of first sexual intercourse, contraceptive use overall increased by 23% and condom use specifically increased by 17%. With a one-year increase in a participant's age at the time of survey administration, contraceptive use decreased by 7.4% and condom use decreased by 21%. Between the years 2015 to 2019, there was an average decrease of 5.3% in the usage of condoms. Conclusion We found significant differences in contraceptive and/or condom usage between students of different sexual orientations, sex, age of first sexual intercourse, age at the time of survey administration, and between different years studied. These differences could be attributed to differences in sex education, cultural background, and availability of resources. Further investigations should be conducted to delineate these differences.