Socioeconomic disparities in diet and physical activity in children: evidence from well-child visit electronic health records in the Canary Islands, Spain.

BACKGROUND: Diet and physical activity (PA) in childhood are heavily influenced by the living environment. While diet quality follows a socioeconomic pattern, limited evidence is available in relation to PA in children. We assessed the effect of socioeconomic status at the individual (SES) and neighbourhood (NSES) levels on diet and PA among children from the general population of the Canary Islands, Spain. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, patients aged 6-14 years from the Canary Health Service in 2018 were included (n=89 953). Diet and PA surveys from the electronic health records of the well-child visit programme were used. A healthy habits (HH) score was defined to assess the level of adherence to the dietary and leisure time PA guidelines. We modelled the association between the HH score, SES and NSES using a stepwise multilevel linear regression analysis, differentiating between specific and general contextual observational effects. RESULTS: A strong positive association between SES and the HH score was found, as children living in more affluent families were more likely to follow a healthy diet and being physically active. Differences in the HH score between geographical areas were of minor relevance (variance partition coefficient=1.8%) and the general contextual effects were not substantially mediated by NSES (proportional change in variance=3.5%). However, the HH score was significantly lower in children from areas with a higher percentage of annual incomes below the €18 000 threshold. CONCLUSION: HH followed a socioeconomic gradient at the individual and the neighbourhood level. In the study population, the geographical component of the inequalities found were low.

The Economic Impact of the SARS-COV-2 (COVID-19) Pandemic in Spain.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has hit both the Spanish economy and the population's health hard. The result is an unprecedented economic and social crisis due to uncertainty about the remedy and the socioeconomic effects on people's lives. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of the macroeconomic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 using key indicators of the Spanish economy for the 17 Autonomous Communities (ACs) of the country. National statistics were examined in the search for impacts or anomalies occurring since the beginning of the pandemic. To estimate the strength of the impact on each of the indicators analyzed, we used Bayesian structural time series. We also calculated the correlation between the rate of GDP decline during 2020 and the cumulative incidence of COVID-19 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the ACs. RESULTS: In 2020, the cumulative impact on the gross domestic product was of -11.41% (95% credible interval: -13.46; -9.29). The indicator for business turnover changed by -9.37% (-12.71; -6.07). The Spanish employment market was strongly affected; our estimates showed a cumulative increase of 11.9% (4.27; 19.45) in the rate of unemployment during 2020. The worst indicators were recorded in the ACs most economically dependent on the services sector. There was no statistical association between the incidence of COVID-19 in 2020 and the fall in GDP in the ACs. CONCLUSIONS: Our estimates portray a dramatic situation in Spain, where the COVID-19 crisis has had more serious economic and health consequences than in other European countries. The productive system in Spain is too dependent on sectors vulnerable to the pandemic, and it is necessary to design and implement profound changes through the European Next Generation program.

When Industrial Policies Conflict With Population Health: Potential Impact of Removing Food Subsidies on Obesity Rates.

OBJECTIVES: To model the potential impact on obesity of removing butter, cheese, and sugar subsidies in the Canary Islands. METHODS: A simulation model was applied based on a local data set of subsidies and retail prices (2007-2016), data on own-price elasticity estimates, and representative nutritional and health surveys. We estimated marginal obesity prevalence and population attributable fraction to assess the potential impact of the butter, cheese, and sugar subsidies intervention. RESULTS: The intervention was predicted to avoid 10 363 obese adults over the study period, because of the reduction of the obesity prevalence by -0.7 percentage points. Overall, the predicted effect was largest in elderly and male groups, although females with a low socioeconomic status experienced the greatest decrease in the prevalence. The population attributable fraction predicted that 4.0% of population with obesity were attributable to the existence of these subsidies. CONCLUSIONS: This analysis provides policy makers with the predicted impact on obesity of the butter, cheese, and sugar subsidies disposal, enabling them to incorporate this health impact into decision making across policy areas in the economic and health field. This study aims to model the potential impact on obesity of removing industrial subsidies for butter, cheese and sugar in the Canary Islands.

Impact of sandstorm and carnival celebrations on SARS-CoV-2 spreading in Tenerife and Gran Canaria (Canary Islands, Spain).

OBJECTIVE: We address the hypothesis that the extraordinary sandstorm occurred on 22-24 February 2020 might have a role in the different cumulated incidence of COVID-19 cases between the islands of Tenerife and Gran Canaria, since it obliged to reduce significantly air traffic and forced to suspend all major carnival street events in all most locations. METHOD: We performed a retrospective analysis of COVID-19 cases as to 1 April 2020 according to symptoms onset, weather-related data and Carnival events in Tenerife and Gran Canaria. RESULTS: The sandstorm occurred on February 22-24, 2020, forced air traffic to close, reducing the influx of tourists to the Canary Islands and suspending carnival events in most places, except in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Cumulated incidence as to 1 April was 132.81/100,000 in Tenerife, and 56.04/100,000 in Gran Canaria. CONCLUSIONS: The suspension of Carnival events due to the sandstorm in the Canary Islands contributed to reduce differently the SARS-CoV-2 spread in Tenerife and Gran Canaria.

Impact of sandstorm and carnival celebrations on SARS-CoV-2 spreading in Tenerife and Gran Canaria (Canary Islands, Spain) / Impacto de una tormenta de arena y de los carnavales en la diseminación del SARS-CoV-2 en Tenerife y Gran Canaria (Islas Canarias, España)

OBJECTIVE: We address the hypothesis that the extraordinary sandstorm occurred on 22-24 February 2020 might have a role in the different cumulated incidence of COVID-19 cases between the islands of Tenerife and Gran Canaria, since it obliged to reduce significantly air traffic and forced to suspend all major carnival street events in all most locations. METHOD: We performed a retrospective analysis of COVID-19 cases as to 1 April 2020 according to symptoms onset, weather-related data and Carnival events in Tenerife and Gran Canaria. RESULTS: The sandstorm occurred on February 22-24, 2020, forced air traffic to close, reducing the influx of tourists to the Canary Islands and suspending carnival events in most places, except in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Cumulated incidence as to 1 April was 132.81/100,000 in Tenerife, and 56.04/100,000 in Gran Canaria. CONCLUSIONS: The suspension of Carnival events due to the sandstorm in the Canary Islands contributed to reduce differently the SARS-CoV-2 spread in Tenerife and Gran Canaria

OBJETIVO: Investigar la hipótesis de que la extraordinaria tormenta de arena ocurrida el 22-24 de febrero de 2020 pudo tener un papel en la diferente incidencia acumulada de casos de COVID-19 entre las islas de Tenerife y Gran Canaria, en cuanto conllevó una reducción significativa del tráfico aéreo y la cancelación de las mayores celebraciones del carnaval en muchas poblaciones. MÉTODO: Se realiza un análisis retrospectivo de los casos de COVID-19 hasta el 1 abril de 2020 según fecha de inicio de los síntomas, de los datos climáticos y de las celebraciones de carnaval en Tenerife y Gran Canaria. RESULTADOS: La tormenta de arena ocurrida el 22-24 de febrero de 2020 obligó a cerrar el tráfico aéreo, reduciendo la llegada de turistas a Canarias, y a suspender las celebraciones de los carnavales en muchas poblaciones, excepto en Santa Cruz de Tenerife. El 1 abril de 2020, la incidencia acumulada de casos era de 132,81/100.000 en Tenerife y de 56,04/100.000 en Gran Canaria. CONCLUSIONES: La cancelación de las celebraciones de carnaval debido a la tempestad de arena en las Islas Canarias parece que contribuyó de manera diferente a la reducción de la incidencia del SARS-CoV-2 en Tenerife y Gran Canaria

Effect of Tourism Pressure on the Mediterranean Diet Pattern.

Despite proposed conceptual frameworks of eating behaviors, little is known about environmental factors contributing to changes in food habits. Few studies have reported the external influence of tourism on the inhabitants' eating patterns. The present study aimed to investigate whether tourism pressure affects Canary Islands inhabitants' adherence to the Mediterranean diet pattern. Data were obtained from a health and lifestyle population-based survey conducted in 2009 and 2015. From the reported intake frequency, a Mediterranean diet score was defined (0 to 11 points). Tourist overnight stays, which were stratified by nationality and area of destination, were used as a proxy variable to measure tourism pressure. A multilevel linear regression analysis by restricted maximum likelihood estimation was performed to examine the relationship between tourism pressure and the Mediterranean diet score. A significant negative association between the Mediterranean diet score and British tourism pressure was observed (ß = -0.0064, p = 0.010), whereas German tourism pressure increased inhabitants' adherence (ß = 0.0092, p = 0.042). The socioeconomic level of tourists seems to play a role in differences in the tourism pressure effect by nationality. Further investigation of other highly touristic destinations is needed to confirm these findings that could contribute to a shift in tourism and public health nutrition policies.