Associations between body mass index and episodic memory for recent eating, mindful eating, and cognitive distraction: A cross-sectional study.

Objectives: Eating while distracted has been associated with a higher body mass index (BMI), whereas mindful eating and episodic memory for recent eating have shown the opposite pattern. This pre-registered, global study (https://osf.io/rdjzk) compared the relative association between these variables (and four "positive controls": restraint, disinhibition, emotional eating, plate clearing) and self-reported BMI. The timing of data collection (April-May 2020) during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic enabled an investigation of the impact of stay-at-home restrictions imposed on the UK population on the measures of eating behavior. Methods: An online survey was completed, including: (i) demographic data (e.g., self-reported BMI), (ii) Likert ratings assessing episodic memory for recent eating, mindful eating, cognitive distraction, restrained eating, emotional eating, disinhibition and plate clearing over the last 12 months and the last 7 days (during the first UK COVID-19 lockdown), and (iii) the Mindful Eating Questionnaire (MEQ). Results: A large adult sample participated (N = 846; mean (SD) age = 33.0 (14.3) years; mean (SD) BMI = 24.6 (5.6) kg/m2). Mindful eating (MEQ-total score) was associated with a lower self-reported BMI (ß = -0.12; 95% CI = -0.20, -0.04; p = 0.004), whereas disinhibited eating was associated with a higher self-reported BMI (ß = 0.30; 95% CI = 0.21, 0.38; p < 0.001). In UK participants (n = 520), consistent changes in eating behavior during lockdown were not found. For those that did experience change, decreases were reported in; emotional eating, disinhibited eating, focusing on taste during a meal (a measure of mindful eating), and using a smart phone while eating. Conclusions: These findings provide evidence in a large global sample for associations between BMI and (i) mindful eating, and (ii) disinhibited eating. Future research should evaluate whether mindful eating demonstrates a prospective association with body weight and should consider mechanisms of action.

Trajectories of child free sugars intake and dental caries - a population-based birth cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the association between trajectories of free sugars intake during the first five years of life and dental caries experience at five years. METHODS: Data from the SMILE population-based prospective birth cohort study, collected at one, two and five years old, were used. A 3-days dietary diary and food frequency questionnaire were used to estimate free sugars intake (FSI) in grams. The primary outcomes were dental caries prevalence and experience (dmfs). The Group-Based Trajectory Modelling method was used to characterize three FSI trajectories ('Low and increasing'; 'Moderate and increasing'; and 'High and increasing'), which were the main exposures. Multivariable regression models were generated to compute adjusted prevalence ratios (APR) and rate ratios (ARR) for the exposure, controlling for socioeconomic factors. RESULTS: The prevalence of caries was 23.3%, with a mean dmfs of 1.4, and a median of 3.0 among those who had caries. There were clear gradients of caries prevalence and experience by the FSI trajectories. The 'High and increasing' had an APR of 2.13 (95%CI 1.23-3.70) and ARR of 2.77 (95%CI 1.45-5.32) against the 'Low and increasing'. The 'Moderate and increasing' group had intermediate estimates. A quarter of the caries cases could have been prevented if the whole study sample had been in the 'Low and increasing' FSI trajectory. CONCLUSION: A sustained, high trajectory of FSI from a young age was positively associated with child dental caries. Measures to minimise consumption of free sugars must commence early in life. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The study has provided high level evidence to inform clinicians' decisions in promoting a healthy dietary pattern for young children.

Group-based trajectories of maternal intake of sugar-sweetened beverage and offspring oral health from a prospective birth cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the trajectory of maternal intake of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) during the first five years of their child's life and its effect on the child's dental caries at five years-of-age. METHODS: This is an ongoing prospective population-based birth cohort study in Adelaide, Australia. Mothers completed questionnaires on their SSB intake, socioeconomic factors and health behaviors at the birth of their child and at the ages of one, two and five years. Child dental caries measured as decayed, missing, or filled tooth surfaces was collected by oral examination. Maternal SSB intake was used to estimate the trajectory of SSB intake. The trajectories then became the main exposure of the study. Dental caries at age five years were the primary outcomes. Adjusted mean- and prevalence-ratios were estimated for dental caries, controlling for confounders. RESULTS: 879 children had dental examinations at five years-of-age. Group-based trajectory modeling identified three trajectories of maternal SSB intake: 'Stable low' (40.8%), 'Moderate but increasing' (13.6%), and 'High early' trajectory (45.6%). Multivariable regression analysis found children of mothers in the 'High early' and 'Moderate but increasing' groups to have greater experience of dental caries (MR: 1.37 (95%CI 1.01-1.67), and 1.24 (95%CI 0.96-1.60) than those in the 'Stable low' trajectory, respectively. CONCLUSION: Maternal consumption of SSB during pregnancy and in the early postnatal period influenced their offspring's oral health. It is important to create a low-sugar environment from early childhood. The results suggest that health promotion activities need to be delivered to expecting women or soon after childbirth.

How full am I? The effect of rating fullness during eating on food intake, eating speed and relationship with satiety responsiveness.

Modifying eating behaviours may be an effective strategy to limit excess food intake, such as eating slower and mindfully. We hypothesized that regularly rating fullness whilst eating a standard meal in one course would increase post-meal satiety and reduce intake in a subsequent course during the same sitting. A between-subjects design was employed (n = 65; 75% female; mean age = 26.7 (s.d. = 9.5); mean body mass index = 22.4 (s.d. = 3.3)), with three conditions of within-meal visual-analogue-scale ratings: 'Fullness' (rated fullness); 'Taste' (rated pleasantness of taste of food); 'Control' (rated comfort of room). Fasted participants ate a pasta meal (327 kcal) followed by cookies ad libitum. Appetite ratings were measured at baseline, following each course and for 3-h post-meal. Satiety responsiveness was measured using the Adult Eating Behaviour Questionnaire, Intuitive Eating Scale and by calculating the satiety quotient of the pasta course alone and the whole meal. The primary outcomes were fullness ratings post-pasta course [mean (s.d.): Fullness = 67.1 (21.9); Taste = 64.4 (13.7); Control = 60.2 (21.5)] and cookie intake [mean kcal (s.d.): Fullness = 249 (236); Taste = 279 (231); Control = 255 (208)]. Eating speed was included as a secondary, control outcome [mean (s.d.): Fullness = 59.3 (9.0); Taste = 59.2 (17.7); Control = 60.7 (19.6)]. No evidence for a difference in outcomes was identified between conditions (p > 0.05). Future work could involve testing the impact of rating fullness during multiple meals over a longer period. Secondly, this study explored whether levels of satiety responsiveness influenced the impact of the manipulation on outcomes; however only weak evidence for a relationship with eating speed was found. Finally, only a weak relationship was found between the satiety responsiveness measures, suggesting that different aspects of the underlying construct are being captured.

Educational Attainment of Children Born with Unilateral Cleft Lip and Palate in the United Kingdom.

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated association between functional outcomes in children born with unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) and educational attainment. DESIGN: Cleft Care UK (CCUK) was a United Kingdom (UK) wide cross-sectional study. SETTING: UK Cleft Teams (data collected from all UK sites providing centralized cleft services). PATIENTS, PARTICIPANTS: Five-year olds born with nonsyndromic UCLP (n = 268). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): National tests for educational attainment Key Stage 1 (KS1) undertaken by children at age 7 were linked to CCUK data to describe differences in educational attainment. Associations between functional outcomes and KS1 results were evaluated using regression analysis. We adjusted for birth month, gender, and an area-based measure of socioeconomic status. RESULTS: Data were available for 205 children with UCLP. These children scored lower than national average (NA) scores across all subject areas, with a 0.62 lower score observed in the Average Point Score (APS; P = .01). There was association between being in a lower category for a cleft related outcomes and poorer KS1 results, with a trend for poorer attainment with higher numbers of poor functional outcomes. Those with 3 or more poor outcomes had a -2.26 (-3.55 to -0.97) lower APS compared to those with 0 to 1 poor outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Children born with UCLP have poorer educational attainment at age 7 across all subject areas though differences were modest. Children with poor functional outcomes at age 5 had worse educational outcomes age 7. Improvements in functional outcomes could enhance educational outcomes.

Study of Mothers' and Infants' Life Events Affecting Oral Health (SMILE) birth cohort study: cohort profile.

PURPOSE: The long-term goal of the Study of Mothers' and Infants' Life Events Affecting Oral Health (SMILE) birth cohort study is to identify and evaluate the relative importance and timing of critical factors that shape the oral health of young children. It will then evaluate those factors in their inter-relationship with socioeconomic influences. PARTICIPANTS: SMILE is a single-centre study conducted in Adelaide, Australia. All newborns at the main three public hospitals between July 2013 and August 2014 were eligible for inclusion. The final recruited sample at birth was 2181 mother/infant dyads. Participants were followed up with questionnaires when the child was 3 and 6 months of age, and 1, 2 and 5 years of age. Oral epidemiological examinations and anthropometric assessments were conducted at age 2 and 5 years. FINDINGS TO DATE: SMILE has contributed comprehensive data on dietary patterns of young children. Intakes of free sugars, core and discretionary foods and drinks have been detailed. There was a sharp increase in free sugars intake with age. Determinants of dietary patterns, oral health status and body weight during the first 5 years of life have been evaluated. Socioeconomic characteristics such as maternal education and household income and area-level socioeconomic profile influenced dietary patterns and oral health behaviours and status. FUTURE PLAN: Funding has been obtained to conduct oral epidemiological examinations and anthropometric assessments at age 7-8 years. Plans are being developed to follow the cohort into adolescent years.

HPV driven squamous cell head and neck cancer of unknown primary is likely to be HPV driven squamous cell oropharyngeal cancer.

OBJECTIVES: To compare risk factors and survival in people with oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) and cancer unknown primary (CUP). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We recruited 5511 people with head and neck cancer between 2011 and 2014. We collected data on age, gender, smoking, sexual behaviour, treatment intent, stage, co-morbidity, p16 protein overexpression and biological samples. We assessed human papillomavirus (HPV) status using serological response and p16 immunohistochemistry. We followed up participants to identify those who had died. We used Cox proportional hazards regression models to estimate survival and adjust for confounders. RESULTS: Of the 4843 people with squamous cell cancer 196 had CUP - a prevalence of 4.0% (95% CI 3.5% to 4.6%). Of those people with OPC and CUP 69% (1150/1668) and 60% (106/178) respectively had HPV driven tumours. People with HPV driven tumours were likely to be younger, male, non-smokers, with higher stage disease, a history of oral sex and less co-morbidity. People with HPV negative CUP and HPV driven CUP had the survival of people with a stage II/III HPV negative OPC and a stage I/II HPV driven OPC respectively. The adjusted hazard ratio for HPV driven OPC and CUP compared with HPV negative OPC and CUP was 0.46 (95% CI 0.35 to 0.59) and 0.34 (95% CI 0.14 to 0.82) respectively. CONCLUSION: HPV driven CUP is likely to be HPV driven OPC. Identifying effective methods of detecting occult OPC could improve CUP management and allow the detection of early lesions in high risk groups.

Factors associated with early postoperative feeding: An observational study in a colorectal surgery population.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Early post-operative feeding is recommended within enhanced recovery after surgery programmes. This study aimed to describe post-operative feeding patterns and associated factors among patients following colorectal surgery, using a post-hoc analysis of observational data from a previous RCT on chewing gum after surgery. METHODS: Data from 301 participants (59% male, median age 67 years) were included. Amounts of meals consumed on post-operative days (POD) 1-5 were recorded as: none, a quarter, half, three-quarters, all. 'Early' consumers were those who ate ≥a quarter of a meal on POD1. 'Early' tolerance was the consumption of at least half of three meals on POD1 or 2 without vomiting. Exploration of selected peri-operative factors with early feeding and tolerance were assessed using logistic regression. RESULTS: 222 people (73.8%) consumed solid food early, and 109 people (36.2%) tolerated solid food early. Several factors were associated with postoperative feeding: provision of pre-operative bowel preparation was associated with delayed consumption [odds ratio (OR) 0.34, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.14-0.83] and tolerance (OR 0.35, 95% CI 0.16-0.81) of food; and laparoscopic/laparoscopic assisted (vs. open/converted to open surgery) was associated with early tolerance of food (OR 1.99, 95% CI 1.17-3.39). CONCLUSIONS: While three-quarters of the study population ate solid food early, only one-third tolerated solid food early. Findings suggest that bowel preparation and surgery type are factors warranting further investigation in future studies to improve uptake of early post-operative feeding.

Disease trajectories, place and mode of death in people with head and neck cancer: Findings from the 'Head and Neck 5000' population-based prospective clinical cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Few large studies describe initial disease trajectories and subsequent mortality in people with head and neck cancer. This is a necessary first step to identify the need for palliative care and associated services. AIM: To analyse data from the Head and Neck 5000 study to present mortality, place and mode of death within 12 months of diagnosis. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. PARTICIPANTS: In total, 5402 people with a new diagnosis of head and neck cancer were recruited from 76 cancer centres in the United Kingdom between April 2011 and December 2014. RESULTS: Initially, 161/5402 (3%) and 5241/5402 (97%) of participants were treated with 'non-curative' and 'curative' intent, respectively. Within 12 months, 109/161 (68%) in the 'non-curative' group died compared with 482/5241 (9%) in the 'curative' group. Catastrophic bleed was the terminal event for 10.4% and 9.8% of people in 'non-curative' and 'curative' groups, respectively; terminal airway obstruction was recorded for 7.5% and 6.3% of people in the same corresponding groups. Similar proportions of people in both groups died in a hospice (22.9% 'non-curative'; 23.5% 'curative') and 45.7% of the 'curative' group died in hospital. CONCLUSION: In addition to those with incurable head and neck cancer, there is a small but significant 'curative' subgroup of people who may have palliative needs shortly following diagnosis. Given the high mortality, risk of acute catastrophic event and frequent hospital death, clarifying the level and timing of palliative care services engagement would help provide assurance as to whether palliative care needs are being met.

Changes in oral health behaviours between childhood and adolescence: Findings from a UK cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: Oral health is an important part of general health and well-being. Health behaviours may change throughout a person's life, but the stage from childhood to adolescence is critical because influences from peers increase while those from parents and other family members decrease. The objective of this study was to identify changes in oral health behaviours between childhood and adolescence, and investigate whether changes differed by sex. METHODS: This study used data on 1860 participants from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) who completed dental questionnaires at ages 7.5, 10.5 and 17.5 years. Associations between age and oral health behaviours were assessed using random effects logistic regression models. Males and females were analysed together or separately, depending on evidence for sex-age interactions. RESULTS: At age 7.5, 83% brushed their teeth frequently, 98% visited the dentist frequently and 90% drank fizzy drinks. The percentage who brushed their teeth at least twice a day decreased with age for males (odds ratio 0.96 [95% confidence interval 0.94, 0.99] per year of age) and increased with age for females (1.03 [1.01, 1.06]). Electric toothbrush usage decreased with age, with a slightly larger decrease in females (0.82 [0.80, 0.85]) than in males (0.87 [0.84, 0.90]). The percentage visiting the dentist at least once a year decreased with age (0.77 [0.73, 0.81]); the decrease was greatest between the older ages. Fizzy drink and juice consumption increased with age (1.38 [1.23, 1.57] and 1.33 [1.24, 1.44] respectively), whereas there was no change in water consumption (1.00 [0.91, 1.09]); these data were available only for the younger two ages. CONCLUSIONS: Unfavourable changes in oral health behaviours, some of which were sex-specific, have been demonstrated in this cohort. Hence, childhood to adulthood may be an important intervening time to prevent early deterioration of oral health.

Gut microbiome analysis by post: Evaluation of the optimal method to collect stool samples from infants within a national cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Understanding the role of the gut microbiome is pivotal for the future development of therapies for the prevention and management of autoimmune conditions such as type 1 diabetes when sampling during early life may be particularly important. The current standard methods for collecting gut microbiome samples for research is to extract fresh samples or freeze samples immediately after collection. This is often impractical however for population-based studies. The aim of this study was to determine the optimal method for the stabilization of stool bacterial DNA obtained from nappies and transported by post in ambient conditions to the research centre for a national birth cohort study. METHODS: Four methods to collect samples were compared to immediate freezing of samples: 1) collecting faeces onto a swab which was immediately frozen, 2) using a commercially available kit with stabilisation solution (OMNIgene•GUT kit) at ambient temperature, 3) collecting onto a swab and 4) collecting into a sterile plain tube. Samples 3) and 4) were returned to the laboratory by post at ambient temperatures. A Bland Altman analysis was used to assess the agreement between the different methods and the frozen standard. RESULTS: Stool samples were collected by parents. For samples transported in ambient conditions, the limits of agreement showed that the OMNIgene•GUT kit had the narrowest 95% limits of agreement with the frozen standard as measured by the number of operational taxonomic units and the Shannon diversity index. CONCLUSIONS: All methods assessed for preserving samples collected from nappies at a distance and delivered by post for gut microbiome analysis showed variation / disagreement from the frozen standard. Overall, the OMNIgene•GUT kit preserved the samples with minimal changes compared to other methods and was practical for parents to use.

Outcome Measures in UCLP: The Modified 5-Year-Olds'-Index-Development and Reliability.

OBJECTIVE: Can we reliably discriminate severity within the existing categories of the 5-Year-Olds' Index? DESIGN: Retrospective method comparison and development study. SETTING: School of Oral and Dental Science, University of Bristol. METHODS: Dental study models of 5-year-olds with unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) were collected from the archives of 2 national cleft surveys (n = 351). One hundred randomly selected models were ranked to construct the modified 5-Year-Olds' Index and also scored using a visual analogue scale (VAS). Reliability testing was performed on 51 study models. Visual analogue scale scores were used to aid statistical analysis and investigate the reliability of a VAS for outcome measurement. The modified 5-Year-Olds' Index was then applied to 198 study models of 5-year-olds with UCLP. RESULTS: The modified 5-Year-Olds' Index showed excellent intra and interexaminer agreement (intraclass correlation > 0.94) and good discrimination of severity. When applied to the Cleft Care UK participants (n = 198), the modified 5-Year-Olds' Index showed good discrimination of severity within the better categories (groups 1-3) of the 5-Year-Olds' Index. Visual analogue Scale scores resulted in unacceptable variation between measurements. CONCLUSIONS: The new modified 5-Year-Olds' Index is a reliable method of assessing outcomes at 5 years of age and showed improved discriminatory power between the "better" outcome categories than the original 5-Year-Olds' Index. A VAS was found to be unsuitable for assessing outcome at 5 years of age for children with UCLP.

Objective Measurement of Physical Activity in Adults With Newly Diagnosed Type 1 Diabetes and Healthy Individuals.

Aims: Physical activity (PA) has many benefits in type 1 diabetes mellitus (type 1 DM). However, PA levels in people with type 1 DM have not previously been measured accurately. We aimed to compare objectively measured PA in adults recently diagnosed with type 1 DM and healthy adults. Methods: Accelerometer data from 65 healthy adults [mean (SD) age 31 (13), 29% men] were compared with data from 50 people with type 1 DM [mean (SD) age 33 (10), 64% men], time since diagnosis <3months, HbA1c 76 ± 25 mmol/mol) in the EXTOD (Exercise for Type 1 Diabetes) pilot study. Briefly, EXTOD investigated the feasibility of recruiting recently diagnosed adults with type 1 DM into a yearlong exercise intervention. Multiple-regression models were used to investigate the association between diabetes status and activity outcomes. Results: Adults recently diagnosed with type 1 DM spent on average a quarter less time in moderate-to-vigorous-physical-activity (MVPA) per day than healthy adults [after adjusting for confounders, predicted values: type 1 DM adults: [mean (SD)] 37.4 mins/day (9.1) Healthy adults: 52.9 mins/day (11.0)]. No difference in MVPA between the groups was seen at the weekend, but adults with type 1 DM spent more time in light physical activity (LPA), and less time in sedentary behavior. Time spent in sedentary or LPA during weekdays did not differ between groups. Summary: Adults recently diagnosed with type 1 DM do less MVPA. Health care workers should encourage these people to engage in more PA. Further studies are needed to assess PA in people with type 1 DM of longer duration.

Using neuroimaging to investigate the impact of Mandolean® training in young people with obesity: a pilot randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Slowing eating rate using the Mandolean® previously helped obese adolescents to self-select smaller portion sizes, with no reduction in satiety, and enhanced ghrelin suppression. The objective of this pilot, randomised trial was to investigate the neural response to food cues following Mandolean® training using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), and measures of ghrelin, PYY, glucose and self-reported appetite. METHOD: Twenty-four obese adolescents (11-18 years; BMI ≥ 95th centile) were randomised (but stratified by age and gender) to receive six-months of standard care in an obesity clinic, or standard care plus short-term Mandolean® training. Two fMRI sessions were conducted: at baseline and post-intervention. These sessions were structured as an oral glucose tolerance test, with food cue-reactivity fMRI, cannulation for blood samples, and appetite ratings taken at baseline, 30 (no fMRI), 60 and 90 min post-glucose. As this was a pilot trial, a conservative approach to the statistical analysis of the behavioural data used Cliff's delta as a non-parametric measure of effect size between groups. fMRI data was analysed using non-parametric permutation analysis (RANDOMISE, FSL). RESULTS: Following Mandolean® training: (i) relatively less activation was seen in brain regions associated with food cue reactivity after glucose consumption compared to standard care group; (ii) 22% reduction in self-selected portion size was found with no reduction in post-meal satiety. However, usage of the Mandolean® by the young people involved was variable and considerably less than planned at the outset (on average, 28 meals with the Mandolean® over six-months). CONCLUSION: This pilot trial provides preliminary evidence that Mandolean® training may be associated with changes in how food cues in the environment are processed, supporting previous studies showing a reduction in portion size with no reduction in satiety. In this regard, the study supports targeting eating behaviour in weight-management interventions in young people. However, given the variable usage of the Mandolean® during the trial, further work is required to design more engaging interventions reducing eating speed. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN, ISRCTN84202126 , retrospectively registered 22/02/2018.

What factors influence recruitment to a birth cohort of infants with Down's syndrome?

OBJECTIVE: To understand how to maximise recruitment of young infants with Down's syndrome (DS) into research through qualitative interviews with parents and care providers. In complex neonatal and genetic conditions such as DS, frequently diagnosed after birth, parents may go through a period of adaptation. These factors need consideration when overcoming barriers to recruitment. PARTICIPANTS AND DESIGN: Participants, who were drawn from health professionals and volunteers working with families experiencing DS, were recruited using a purposive sampling strategy. Semistructured telephone interviews were completed with nine paediatricians, three research nurses and six family support workers. Five of those interviewed had a child with DS. The interviews were transcribed and analysed thematically. RESULTS: A positive decision to take part in a 'from-birth' cohort study depends on factors such as the child's overall health, parent demographics (educational background and ethnicity), medical interactions that take place with the families (communication) and study logistics. The data suggest that recruitment methods need to take all these factors into consideration. Multiple recruitment methods should be considered including face to face, through parent and support groups, websites and social media. There also needs to be flexibility in the research timings to fit around the needs of the child and parents. CONCLUSION: Researchers need to be aware of the variable responses elicited by families to a diagnosis of DS for their baby and be sensitive to the child's current medical status. This does not preclude recruitment into studies, but to maximise uptake good communication and flexibility is essential.

Overweight and obesity in children aged 3-13 years in urban Cameroon: a cross-sectional study of prevalence and association with socio-economic status.

BACKGROUND: Childhood overweight/obesity is increasing rapidly in developing countries. There is a need to provide more evidence on its burden in sub-Saharan Africa, and to identify associated factors in order to set preventive measures. We aimed to determine the prevalence of overweight/obesity and assess its association with the socioeconomic status in nursery and primary school children in urban Cameroon. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, we included by multi-staged cluster random sampling 1343 children from high (HSES, n = 673) and low (LSES, n = 670) socioeconomic status schools in Douala. Parent/child demographic data were collected, and children's anthropometric parameters were measured using validated methods. The World Health Organization body mass index-for-age reference curves were used. RESULTS: The prevalence of overweight/obesity was 12.5% (13.2% in girls, 11.8% in boys). The risk of overweight/obesity was 2.40 (95% CI 1.70, 3.40) higher in HSES children compared to LSES after adjusting for age and gender. However this association was attenuated to 1.18 (95% CI 0.59, 2.35) once adjustment had been made for a range of potential confounders. CONCLUSIONS: Overweight/obesity is relatively common in sub-Saharan African children and prevalence is associated with HSES. However, this association may be mediated by sweet drink consumption, passive means of travel to school and not doing sport at school. We suggest that these potentially modifiable behaviors may be effective targets for obesity prevention. Further studies should specifically focus on unhealthy behaviors that mediate overweight/obesity as well as other non communicable diseases in children.

Perceptions of team members working in cleft services in the United kingdom: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Cleft care provision in the United Kingdom has been centralized over the past 15 years to improve outcomes for children born with cleft lip and palate. However, to date, there have been no investigations to examine how well these multidisciplinary teams are performing. METHODS: In this pilot study, a cross-sectional questionnaire surveyed members of all health care specialties working to provide cleft care in 11 services across the United Kingdom. Team members were asked to complete the Team Work Assessment (TWA) to investigate perceptions of team working in cleft services. The TWA comprises 55 items measuring seven constructs: team foundation, function, performance and skills, team climate and atmosphere, team leadership, and team identity; individual constructs were also aggregated to provide an overall TWA score. Items were measured using five-point Likert-type scales and were converted into percentage agreement for analysis. RESULTS: Responses were received from members of every cleft team. Ninety-nine of 138 cleft team questionnaires (71.7%) were returned and analyzed. The median (interquartile range) percentage of maximum possible score across teams was 75.5% (70.8, 88.2) for the sum of all items. Team performance and team identity were viewed most positively, with 82.0% (75.0, 88.2) and 88.4% (82.2, 91.4), respectively. Team foundation and leadership were viewed least positively with 79.0% (72.6, 84.6) and 76.6% (70.6, 85.4), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Cleft team members perceive that their teams work well, but there are variations in response according to construct.

The tracking of active travel and its relationship with body composition in UK adolescents.

BACKGROUND: To examine the tracking of active travel through adolescence, and its association with body mass index (BMI) and fat mass at age 17 in a UK cohort. METHODS: We analysed data collected from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). The analyses include all participants with self-reported travel mode to school at ages 12, 14 and 16 years, and measured height, weight and body composition at age 17 (n=2,026). Tracking coefficients were calculated for individual travel behaviours (including walking and cycling) through adolescence using Generalised Estimating Equations. Linear regression analyses examined associations between travel pattern (consistently passive, consistently active, active at two time points or active at one time point), BMI, and DXA-measured fat mass (expressed as internally derived standard deviation scores) at 17 years. Analyses were adjusted for height (where appropriate), sex, age, parental social class, and maternal education with interaction terms to assess sex differences. RESULTS: There was substantial tracking in active travel through adolescence, with 38.5% of males and 32.3% of females consistently walking or cycling to school. In males, a consistently or predominantly active travel pattern was associated with a lower BMI SD score at age 17 (consistently active: adjusted ß=-0.23; 95% CI -0.40, -0.06; active at two time points: adjusted ß-0.30; 95% CI -0.50, -0.10) compared to those with a consistently passive pattern. No associations were seen in females. CONCLUSIONS: Maintenance of active travel behaviours throughout adolescence may help to protect against the development of excess BMI in males. In addition to encouraging the adoption of active travel to school, public health messages should aim to prevent drop out from active travel to promote good health in youth.

Centralization of services for children born with orofacial clefts in the United kingdom: a cross-sectional survey.

Objective : To examine current provision of cleft lip and/or palate services in the U.K. and compliance with recommendations made by the Clinical Standards Advisory Group (CSAG) in 1998. Design : Cross-sectional questionnaire survey. Setting : All 11 services within the U.K. providing care for children born with a cleft lip and palate. Participants : Members from each healthcare specialty in each U.K. cleft team. Interventions : Self-administered postal questionnaires enquired about the provision of cleft services. Data were collected about the overall cleft service, team coordination, hearing, orthodontics, pediatric dentistry, primary cleft surgery, psychology, restorative dentistry, secondary surgery, specialist cleft nursing, and speech and language therapy. Results : Questionnaires were returned from members of 130/150 cleft teams (87%) and these showed that U.K. cleft services have been restructured to 11 centralized services with 17 primary operative sites and 61 peripheral sites. All services provide care through a multidisciplinary (MDT) model, but the composition of each team varies. Primary cleft surgery and orthodontics were the only specialties that were represented in all cleft teams. Specialties may be represented in a team but their attendance at MDT clinics is variable. Only one team met all of the CSAG recommendations. Conclusions : Our survey shows that cleft services have centralized over the last 10 years, and an MDT model of care has been adopted. Further research is needed to show how this has influenced outcomes and to see whether some models of centralized care are associated with better outcomes.