Nursing Students' Self-rated Nurse Professional Competence at the End of an International Collaborative Education Program and Follow-up 1 Year Later.

BACKGROUND: International collaborative programs and student active learning are encouraged; yet, little is known about them. PURPOSE: To compare nursing students' self-rated nurse professional competence (NPC) and general self-efficacy between those enrolled in an international collaborative program, which focused on student active learning, and those enrolled in a traditional lecture-based program at the end of graduation and 1 year later. METHODS: This prospective comparative study distributed a questionnaire to 137 nursing students enrolled in the 2 bachelor-level programs at a university in southeastern China. RESULTS: At the end of graduation, students enrolled in the international collaborative program reported higher scores for NPC factors, medical and technical care and general self-efficacy, than those enrolled in the traditional lecture-based program. One year later, they reported higher scores for total NPC, value-based nursing care, medical and technical care, care pedagogics, documentation and administration of nursing care, and general self-efficacy than others. CONCLUSION: This study found that the nursing students enrolled in the international collaborative program reported higher self-rated competence.

'Life with a device': the octogenarians' experiences with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator-a qualitative study.

AIMS: Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) treatment has expanded due to its effectiveness. However, there are concerns about complications, and use in the most elderly has been questioned. There is scarce data on qualitative aspects regarding experiences of living with an ICD among patients above the age of 80 years. The aim of this study was to explore octogenarians' experience, knowledge, and attitude of living with an ICD. METHOD AND RESULTS: We used semi-structured interviews to collect data from 20 patients, aged 80-89 years (90% men). The data were then structured and analysed through deductive thematic analysis network approach using the ATLAS.ti v.8.4 software. The framework of the analysis was based on the Successful Aging Theory. Three main themes emerged regarding the patients' experiences: Life goes on; Their Health, The Janus-Faced Device; Their attitudes, and Mind the gap; Their knowledge. None of the octogenarians regretted receiving their ICD, instead, they presented with feelings such as gratitude towards the device. However, a lack of knowledge about the devices was expressed, which can be a risk for potential complications, in turn causing suffering and unnecessary concerns. CONCLUSION: Overall, the ICD did not pose a threat towards successful ageing. It was mainly considered a life-saving device. However, the lack of knowledge might hinder informed choices close to death and contribute to ethical dilemmas when deactivation of the ICD is a reasonable option.

Physical activity in women attending a dissonance-based intervention after Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass: A 2-year follow-up of a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The majority of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) patients are not sufficiently physically active post-surgery, yet little support from the Swedish healthcare system is offered. We investigated if a dissonance-based group intervention, aiming to increase health-related quality of life after surgery, had any effect on patients' physical activity two years post-RYGB. METHODS: Women undergoing RYGB surgery were recruited from five Swedish hospitals and randomized to intervention or control group (standard post-surgery care). The dissonance-based intervention was conducted three months post-RYGB and consisted of four group sessions, each with a specific topic, of which one addressed physical activity. ActiGraph GT3X+ accelerometers were used to measure physical activity at pre-RYGB, one- and two-years post-surgery. RESULTS: At pre-RYGB, 259 women were recruited and randomized (intervention n = 156 and control n = 103). Participants had a mean age of 44.7 years (SD 10.3) and pre-RYGB body mass index of 40.8 (SD 4.5) kg/m2. At two-years follow-up, 99 participants (63.5%) in intervention group and 68 (66.0%) in control group had valid accelerometer-measurements. Pre- to post-surgery increases were seen in all physical activity outcomes, but no statistically significant differences between the groups were observed at the two-years follow-up, and intervention effects were poor (d = 0.02-0.35). CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this is the first dissonance-based intervention targeting women undergoing RYGB surgery. At two-years follow-up, we did not observe any differences in physical activity levels between the intervention group and control group. Trial registration number: ISRCTN16417174.

An exploratory analysis of work engagement among women with and without disordered eating.

BACKGROUND: Around 10% of the female population is estimated to have a subclinical eating disorder. Many of these women are of working age. Previous research has shown associations between unhealthy eating behaviors and occupational stress or burnout. However, no previous study has explored the association between disordered eating and work engagement, a positive, fulfilling, affective-cognitive state of mind which has been positioned as the conceptual opposite of burnout. Thus, that was the aim of the present study. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, a sample of 701 Swedish women completed the 9-item Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES-9) and the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q). They were divided into a Healthy Eating (HE) and a Disordered Eating (DE) group based on their EDE-Q scores. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to test the association between disordered eating and work engagement. The Kruskal Wallis test was used to assess the associations between educational level, marital status and age group, and work engagement. RESULTS: Neither the UWES scores nor the EDE-Q scores were found to have a normal distribution. Non-parametric testing showed that the DE group reported significantly lower work engagement than the HE group (p = 0.016). There were no significant associations between education, marital status or age (independent variables) and work engagement (dependent variable) (p = 0.826, 0.309, and 0.349, respectively). CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that work engagement may play a role in disordered eating, and that there is a need for future research to consider the workplace environment as a potential source for altering disordered eating behaviors.

Accelerometer-measured versus self-reported physical activity levels in women before and up to 48 months after Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass.

BACKGROUND: Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (RYGB) patients overestimate their time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) to a greater extent post-surgery than pre-surgery. However, there is no data on discrepancy between self-reported and accelerometer-measured MVPA beyond nine months post-RYGB. The aim was to investigate how the duration of MVPA (main outcome) differs when comparing a self-administered questionnaire to accelerometer-data from pre-surgery and up to 48 months post-RYGB. METHODS: Twenty-six (38%) RYGB-treated women with complete data from the original cohort (N = 69) were included. Participants were recruited from five Swedish hospitals. Mean pre-surgery BMI was 38.9 (standard deviation (SD) = 3.4) kg/m2 and mean age 39.9 (SD = 6.5) years. MVPA was subjectively measured by a self-administered questionnaire and objectively measured by the ActiGraph GT3X+ accelerometer at 3 months pre-RYGB and 9- and 48 months post-RYGB. Means and SD were calculated at 3 months pre- and 9- and 48 months post-RYGB. We calculated the P-values of the differences with Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test. For correlations between the self-administered questionnaire and the accelerometers, Spearman's rank correlation was used. RESULTS: Participants significantly overestimated (i.e. self-reported more time spent in MVPA compared to accelerometry) their MVPA in a higher degree post- compared to pre-RYGB surgery. Compared to pre-surgery, self-reported MVPA increased with 46.9 and 36.5% from pre- to 9- and 48 months, respectively, whereas changes were a 6.1% increase and 3.5% decrease with accelerometers. Correlations between self-reported and accelerometer-measured MVPA-assessments were poor at all measurement points (r = 0.21-0.42) and only significant at 48 months post-RYGB (P = 0.032). CONCLUSIONS: The discrepancy between self-reported and objectively assessed MVPA within the same individual is greater up to 48 months post-RYGB compared to before surgery. To help bariatric patients understand and hopefully increase their physical activity behaviors post-surgery, objective measures of physical activity should be used.

Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the 9-Item Utrecht Work Engagement Scale in a Multi-Occupational Female Sample: A Cross-Sectional Study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to use exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to investigate the factorial structure of the 9-item Utrecht work engagement scale (UWES-9) in a multi-occupational female sample. METHODS: A total of 702 women, originally recruited as a general population of 7-15-year-old girls in 1995 for a longitudinal study, completed the UWES-9. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was performed on half the sample, and CFA on the other half. RESULTS: Exploratory factor analysis showed that a one-factor structure best fit the data. CFA with three different models (one-factor, two-factor, and three-factor) was then conducted. Goodness-of-fit statistics showed poor fit for all three models, with RMSEA never going lower than 0.166. CONCLUSION: Despite indication from exploratory factor analysis (EFA) that a one-factor structure seemed to fit the data, we were unable to find good model fit for a one-, two-, or three-factor model using CFA. As previous studies have also failed to reach conclusive results on the optimal factor structure for the UWES-9, further research is needed in order to disentangle the possible effects of gender, nationality and occupation on work engagement.

One-year follow-up of a dissonance-based intervention on quality of life, wellbeing, and physical activity after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) peaks around 1 year after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery, and thereafter, in many patients, slowly deteriorates. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to test early effects (study endpoint 2 years) of a dissonance-based group intervention on HRQoL (primary outcome) and wellbeing among women who underwent RYGB: a 1-year follow-up of the WELL-GBP trial. SETTING: Women were recruited from 5 different hospitals in Sweden pre-RYGB surgery. Participants were randomized to intervention or a control group (regular care). METHODS: The intervention consisted of 4 group sessions, 2 to 3 months post-surgery, comprising the following 4 different topics: (1) physical activity, (2) eating behavior, (3) social relationships, and (4) intimate relationships. Participants answered questionnaires about HRQoL (SF-36, Short-Form Health Survey), social adjustment, body esteem, eating behavior, and wore an accelerometer for 7 days at pre- and 1 year post-RYGB. RESULTS: Two hundred fifty-nine women were recruited and 203 (78%) completed 1-year follow-up measurements. Mean body mass index pre-surgery was 40.8 (standard deviation = 4.5), mean age 44.7 (standard deviation = 10.3) years, and 61 of 120 women in the intervention group received the intervention according to protocol (≥3 group sessions). We observed no difference between the intervention and the control group at 1-year post-RYGB surgery. All scales improved in both groups from pre- to 1 year post-surgery. CONCLUSIONS: We did not observe any 1-year early effects on HRQoL from a dissonance-based group intervention among female RYGB patients. Future studies may investigate long-term effects of the intervention.

Meeting physical activity recommendations is associated with health-related quality of life in women before and after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery.

PURPOSE: Meeting physical activity (PA) recommendations is positively associated with health-related quality of life (HRQoL), but it is still unclear whether PA (specifically objectively measured) is associated with HRQoL in bariatric surgery candidates, both before and after surgery. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine the cross-sectional association between meeting objectively measured PA recommendations and HRQoL before and after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery. METHODS: Sixty-six women undergoing RYGB with pre-surgery and 62 women with post-surgery valid PA and HRQoL data were included from the control group of a RCT study aiming at improving HRQoL and PA post-RYGB surgery. Measures before and 12 months after RYGB included the Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) and objectively measured PA, sedentary time (ST), and step counts with GT3X+ accelerometers. Multiple linear regression models were used to analyze the associations between PA and HRQoL. RESULTS: Participants who engaged in more than 150 min of moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA)/week (PA recommendations) had considerably higher SF-36 scores (HRQoL) than those who did not, both pre and 12-month post-surgery, with greatest difference in the subscale bodily pain, 15.5 (p = 0.021) higher score (higher scores means less pain) pre-surgery and a 19.7 (p = 0.004) higher score post-surgery. Higher LPA and step counts and lower ST also showed positive associations in some of the subscales of SF-36. CONCLUSIONS: Meeting the PA recommendations and overall engaging in more PA was associated with higher HRQoL, pre-, and post-RYGB surgery, highlighting the importance of PA both pre- and post-surgery.

'The only chance of a normal weight life': A qualitative analysis of online forum discussions about bariatric surgery.

BACKGROUND: The only effective weight loss treatment for severe obesity is bariatric surgery, with Roux-en-Y gastric bypass being the most common method. Patients often have unrealistic expectations of surgery and expect a "miracle cure" even though the procedure requires major lifelong lifestyle changes. Most patients access information about the procedure online, and come into contact with others who have had the surgery. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to describe shared values, feelings, and thoughts among visitors to a web-based forum for those undergoing bariatric surgery. METHODS: In this cross-sectional observation study using qualitative contents analysis, the material consisted of an online discussion forum thread about bariatric surgery, with 498 posts. These were saved in a document, read and re-read. Through coding of meaningful units of text, themes were established. RESULTS: Four themes were constructed during data analysis: a) A new life-anticipating dramatic changes of body and mind; b) Negotiating the system and playing the waiting game; c) A means to an end-managing the pre-operative diet; and d) Managing the attitudes of others. Posters described the process of bariatric surgery as a journey, riddled with roadblocks, setbacks and trials, but also with joy and expectations of a new life. CONCLUSION: Professionals who encounter this group should be aware of their need for support throughout the process, and investigate the possibility of both pre- and postoperative support groups, either online or face-to-face. The results also show that the posters on the forum had very high, and often unrealistic, expectations on how the surgery would change their lives. It is important for those who encounter this group before surgery to be aware of this tendency and to take measures to ensure that patients undergo the surgery with realistic expectations.

Change in Children's Self-Concept, Body-Esteem, and Eating Attitudes Before and 4 Years After Maternal RYGB.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of the present study was to look at longitudinal changes in children's self-concept, body-esteem, and eating attitudes before and 4 years after maternal RYGB surgery. METHODS: Sixty-nine women and 81 appurtenant children were recruited from RYGB waiting lists at 5 hospitals in Sweden. Families were visited at home pre-surgery, 9 months, and 4 years post-maternal RYGB to measure BMI. Furthermore, all participating family members completed questionnaires. Mothers' questionnaires measured eating behavior, depression, anxiety, and sleep quality, and children's questionnaires measured body-esteem, self-concept, and eating attitudes. RESULTS: Thirty-five/sixty-nine mothers and 43/81 children participated in all 3 measurements. Mothers reduced their BMI from pre-surgery (39.2) to 9 months (27.0) and 4 years post-surgery (27.4). Children's prevalence of overweight/obesity was lower 9 months post-surgery (48.8%) but at the same levels again 4 years post-surgery (58.1%), compared to pre-surgery (58.1%). The same rebound pattern was seen among children's eating attitudes, mothers' symptoms of depression and anxiety, and sleep quality. We found no correlations between mothers' BMI or eating behavior and children's BMI or eating behavior. CONCLUSION: Children's prevalence of overweight/obesity and eating attitudes improves soon after their mothers' RYGB, but then return to pre-surgery levels at 4 years post-surgery, as do mothers' sleep quality and symptoms of depression and anxiety, even though their weight loss was maintained.

A dissonance-based intervention for women post roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery aiming at improving quality of life and physical activity 24 months after surgery: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery is the most common bariatric procedure in Sweden and results in substantial weight loss. Approximately one year post-surgery weight regain for these patient are common, followed by a decrease in health related quality of life (HRQoL) and physical activity (PA). Our aim is to investigate the effects of a dissonance-based intervention on HRQoL, PA and other health-related behaviors in female RYGB patients 24 months after surgery. We are not aware of any previous RCT that has investigated the effects of a similar intervention targeting health behaviors after RYGB. METHODS: The ongoing RCT, the "WELL-GBP"-trial (wellbeing after gastric bypass), is a dissonance-based intervention for female RYGB patients conducted at five hospitals in Sweden. The participants are randomized to either control group receiving usual follow-up care, or to receive an intervention consisting of four group sessions three months post-surgery during which a modified version of the Stice dissonance-based intervention model is used. The sessions are held at the hospitals, and topics discussed are PA, eating behavior, social and intimate relationships. All participants are asked to complete questionnaires measuring HRQoL and other health-related behaviors and wear an accelerometer for seven days before surgery and at six months, one year and two years after surgery. The intention to treat and per protocol analysis will focus on differences between the intervention and control group from pre-surgery assessments to follow-up assessments at 24 months after RYGB. Patients' baseline characteristics are presented in this protocol paper. DISCUSSION: A total of 259 RYGB female patients has been enrolled in the "WELL-GBP"-trial, of which 156 women have been randomized to receive the intervention and 103 women to control group. The trial is conducted within a Swedish health care setting where female RYGB patients from diverse geographical areas are represented. Our results may, therefore, be representative for female RYGB patients in the country as a whole. If the intervention is effective, implementation within the Swedish health care system is possible within the near future. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial was registered on February 23th 2015 with registration number ISRCTN16417174 .

An eHealth program versus a standard care supervised health program and associated health outcomes in individuals with mobility disability: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Young adults with mobility disability (MD) are less likely to engage in regular physical activity (PA) compared with their able-bodied peers and inactive adults with a MD are more likely to report one or more chronic diseases compared to those who are physically active. Despite the vast amount of research published in the field of PA interventions over the past decades, little attention has been focused on interventions aiming to increase PA among individuals with MD. Thus, we propose to compare the effects of an eHealth program compared to a usual care supervised health program on levels of PA and other health behaviors. METHODS: The current intervention will use a randomized controlled trial (RCT) design with two treatment groups (an eHealth program and a usual care supervised health program) in young adults with newly acquired MD. In total, 110 young adults (aged 18-40 years) with a MD, acquired within the past 3 years, will be recruited to participate in a 12-week intervention. The primary study outcome is accelerometer-measured time spent in moderate to vigorous PA. Secondary outcomes includes health-related quality of life, depression, stress, fitness, body composition, diet, musculoskeletal pain, motivation to exercise and work ability. DISCUSSION: There is a lack of RCTs investigating effective ways to increase levels of PA in young adults with MD. Increased levels of PA among this physically inactive population have the potential to substantially improve health-related outcomes, possibly more so than in the general population. The trial will put strong emphasis on optimizing exercise adherence and investigating feasibility in the two treatment programs. The Ethical Review Board (EPN) at Karolinska Institutet has approved the study (2017/1206-31/1). TRIAL REGISTRATION: International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN), reference number ISRCTN22387524 . Prospectively registered February 4, 2018.

Four years' follow-up changes of physical activity and sedentary time in women undergoing roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery and appurtenant children.

BACKGROUND: Objectively measured levels of physical activity (PA) in patients undergoing Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (RYGB) surgery remain essentially unchanged from before to one year after surgery. Effects from RYGB on objectively measured levels of PA among women undergoing RYGB and appurtenant children beyond one year post-surgery are unknown. The aim of the present study was to objectively assess longitudinal changes in PA and sedentary time (ST), among women undergoing RYGB and appurtenant children, from three months before to nine and 48 months after maternal surgery. METHODS: Thirty women undergoing RYGB and 40 children provided anthropometric measures during home visits and valid accelerometer assessed (Actigraph GT3X+) PA data, three months before and nine and 48 months after maternal RYGB surgery. RESULTS: Women undergoing RYGB decreased time spent in moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA) with 2.0 min/day (p = 0.65) and increased ST with 14.4 min/day (p = 0.35), whereas their children decreased time spent in MVPA with 13.2 min/day (p = 0.04) and increased ST with 110.5 min/day (p < 0.001), from three months before to 48 months after maternal surgery. Twenty, 27 and 33% of women, and 60, 68 and 35% of children reached current PA guidelines three months before and nine and 48 months after maternal RYGB, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Objectively measured PA in women remains unchanged, while appurtenant children decrease time spent in MVPA and increase ST, from three months before through nine and 48 months after maternal RYGB. The majority of both women undergoing RYGB and children are insufficiently active 48 months after maternal RYGB.

No effects of increased alcohol availability during adolescence on alcohol-related morbidity and mortality during four decades: a natural experiment.

BACKGROUND: A strict high legal age limit for alcohol purchases decreases adolescents' access to alcohol, but little is known about long-term health effects. The aim was to estimate the effect of increased alcohol availability during adolescence on alcohol-related morbidity and mortality. METHODS: A nationwide register-based study using data from a natural experiment setting. In two regions of Sweden, strong beer (4.5%-5.6% alcohol by volume) became temporarily available for purchase in grocery stores for individuals 16 years or older (instead of 21) in 1967/1968. The intervention group was defined as all individuals living in the intervention area when they were 14-20 years old (n=72 110). The remaining Swedish counties excluding bordering counties, without the policy change, were used as the control group (n=456 224). The outcomes of alcohol-related morbidity and mortality were collected from the Hospital Discharge Register and Cause of Death Register, in which average follow-up times were 38 years and 41 years, respectively. HRs with 95% CIs were obtained by Cox regression analysis. RESULTS: In the fully adjusted model, no clear evidence of an association between increased alcohol availability during adolescence and alcohol-related morbidity (HR: 0.99, 95% CI 0.96 to 1.02) or mortality (HR: 1.02, 95% CI 0.95 to 1.10) was found. CONCLUSION: The initial elevated risk of alcohol-related morbidity and mortality later in life among adolescents exposed to increased access to strong beer in Sweden vanished when a regional measure population density of locality was included in the model, which is important to consider in future research.

Associations Between Swedish Mothers' and 3- and 5-Year-Old Children's Food Intake.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate associations between mothers' and children's food intake. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. Background variables collected through self-reports and from the register of the total population. Mothers recorded their own and their children's food intake in a diary during 2 4-day periods. SETTING: Eight counties in mid Sweden. PARTICIPANTS: Three- and 5-year-old children and their mothers were randomly selected from the register of the total population. A total of 2,045 families were invited, 355 of whom accepted. Mothers who accepted were older and to a larger extent born in Sweden. The final sample of mother-child pairs with complete food records was 189. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Mothers' and children's food intake (16 food items). ANALYSIS: Spearman rank-order correlation with 95% confidence intervals (2-sided). Moderation was investigated using generalized estimation equations with robust variance. RESULTS: The strongest correlations between mothers' and children's food intake were found for pizza and oily fish (r = .70-.80). The weakest correlations were found for sugared drinks and fruit and berries (r = .24-.26). Children's age moderated the relationship between mothers' and children's intake of savoury snacks, as did place of residence for pizza intake. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: There were substantial correlations between children's and mothers' intake of various foods. Modeling of mothers' intake might be more effective in influencing young children's intake of certain foods, whereas other strategies, such as encouraging parents to influence food availability (eg, gatekeeping), might be more useful for some foods.

Differential methylation in inflammation and type 2 diabetes genes in siblings born before and after maternal bariatric surgery.

OBJECTIVE: Siblings born before (BMS) and after (AMS) maternal biliopancreatic diversion (BPD) show differences in the methylome. The objective was to use a sibling-pair design to examine the effects from interpregnancy weight loss as a consequence of maternal bariatric surgery, other than BPD, on the methylome comparing BMS and AMS. METHODS: Women with at least one child born before and one after bariatric surgery were identified in Swedish national registers. Whole blood samples from BMS (N = 31) and AMS (N = 31) siblings were collected for epigenetic methylation analysis while maternal information was collected from antenatal medical records. RESULTS: In total 3,074 genes, with corresponding 23,449 CpG methylation sites, were differently methylated and associated with an overrepresentation of differently methylated CpG sites in genes involved with insulin receptor signaling, type 2 diabetes signaling, and leptin signaling in obesity, while the most significant differently methylated genes were HLA-DQA1, HLA-DQB1, and TSPAN18, when comparing BMS and AMS siblings. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that maternal bariatric surgery, with subsequent weight loss between pregnancies, is associated with alterations in the methylome of genes involved in insulin receptor signaling, type 2 diabetes signaling, and leptin signaling in obesity in a comparison of BMS and AMS siblings.

Accelerometer-Measured Versus Self-Reported Physical Activity Levels and Sedentary Behavior in Women Before and 9 Months After Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass.

BACKGROUND: Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) patients report significant pre- to post-surgery increases in physical activity (PA). Conversely, objectively assessed PA does not increase after RYGB. The aim of the study was to compare self-reported and accelerometer-measured changes in moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) and exercise from pre- to post-surgery, in women undergoing RYGB. METHODS: Forty-three women with an average pre-surgery body mass index of 39.2 kg/m2 (SD 3.1) were recruited at Swedish hospitals. PA was measured by the Actigraph GT3X+ and by a previously validated short PA questionnaire, at home visits 3 months before and 9 months after surgery, thus limiting seasonal effects. RESULTS: Self-reported time spent in exercise increased with 75 % and time spent in MVPA increased with 51 %, whereas accelerometer-assessed time spent in exercise increased with 0.9 % and time spent in MVPA increased with 2.1 %, from before to after surgery. Correlations comparing accelerometers with the questionnaire were 0.35 (P = 0.02) for MVPA and 0.13 (P = 0.4) for exercise before RYGB and 0.52 (P ≤ 0.001) for MVPA and 0.12 (P = 0.4) for exercise after RYGB. CONCLUSIONS: Pre- to post-RYGB surgery increases in self-reported PA were not confirmed by accelerometer-measured PA. Thus, health care workers should use objective measures of PA in patients undergoing RYGB, in order to assess whether patients achieve sufficient levels of PA.

Women undergoing Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass surgery: Family resemblance in pre- to postsurgery physical activity and sedentary behavior in children and spouses.

BACKGROUND: Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (RYGB) surgery among women often greatly decreases their body size. It may also change their spouses', children's, and their own physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB) patterns. OBJECTIVES: The aim was objectively to measure and compare pre- to postsurgery changes in different PA intensities and SB in children and spouses 3 months before and 9 months after maternal RYGB. METHODS: Recruitment from RYGB waiting lists at 5 Swedish hospitals generated a study population of 56 women, with 75 children aged 7-14 years, and 33 spouses. PA was measured over one week using tri-axial Actigraph GT3 X+accelerometers, and anthropometric measures were taken at home visits 3 months before and 9 months after maternal surgery. RESULTS: Mean time spent on moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA) by children pre- and postsurgery was 76.3 (SD 40.6) and 65.3 (SD 31.5) min/d, respectively, by spouses 31.2 (SD 18.0) and 33.6 (SD 18.1), and by the women 32.9 (SD 23.4.0) and 34.3 (SD 28.6). Mean time spent sedentary by children pre- and postsurgery was 320.7 (SD 143.4) and 374.4 (SD 123.3) min/d, respectively, by spouses 423.7 (SD 141.5) and 472.1 (SD 145.9), and by the women 425.5 (SD 138.2) and 420.0 (SD 127.8). CONCLUSIONS: Between 3 months before and 9 months after RYGB, objective measurements showed a significant decrease in MVPA and an increase in SB among children, but no differences were observed for spouses or women. Interventions may be needed to promote PA within the family after mothers' RYGB surgery.

Children's weight status, body esteem, and self-concept after maternal gastric bypass surgery.

BACKGROUND: There is little research on the effects of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery on the patients' offspring's weight and psychosocial well-being. The present study investigates how children are affected in terms of weight status, body esteem, and self-concept after maternal RYGB. METHODS: Sixty-nine women and their families were recruited from RYGB waiting lists at 5 Swedish hospitals. Data was collected during home visits 3 months before and 12 months after RYGB. Anthropometrical measures were taken, and the children completed the Body Esteem Scale (BES) and the Beck Self-Concept Inventory (BYI-S). RESULTS: Prevalence or relative risk in weight status between the time points were explored using Poisson regression models (General Estimating Equations). We found stronger statistical evidence for a decreased risk of overweight (RR = .85, 57.0% versus 48.6%, P = .048), than for obesity (RR = .87, 18.2% versus 15.9%, P = .447). The boys' body esteem increased slightly, whilst the girls' did not. There were no significant differences in mean BYI-S scores. CONCLUSIONS: The reasons behind the statistically significant decrease in overweight but not obesity risk in children after maternal RYGB may be caused by insufficient statistical power to detect changes in obesity risk alone. Body esteem seems to be slightly positively affected in boys 9 months after maternal RYGB. Longer follow-up times and larger samples would be useful in future research.

Changes in BMI and psychosocial functioning in partners of women who undergo gastric bypass surgery for obesity.

BACKGROUND: There is very little research exploring the effects of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery (RYGB) on the patient's partner. The aim of the present study was to investigate longitudinally whether male partners of female RYGB patients were affected in terms of BMI, sleep quality, body dissatisfaction, depression, and anxiety. METHODS: Thirty-seven women, with partners who were willing to participate, were recruited from RYGB waiting lists at five Swedish hospitals. Data collection took place during two home visits, 3 months before and 9 months after RYGB surgery. Anthropometrical data were documented, and both women and men completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Karolinska Sleep Questionnaire (KSQ). The men also completed the Male Body Dissatisfaction Scale (MBDS). RESULTS: The men's BMI changes between the two time points that were analysed using general estimating equation (GEE) regression. Their BMI decreased significantly (ß = -0.9, p = 0.004). The change was more pronounced in the 26 men who had a baseline BMI of ≥25 (ß = -1.4, p < 0.001). Fixed-effects regression showed a statistically significant association between the men's weight loss and that of the women (ß = 0.3, p = 0.004). There were no significant changes in the men's HADS, KSQ, or MBDS scores. CONCLUSIONS: Overweight/obese male partners of RYGB patients also lose weight during the first 9 months post-operatively. However, symptoms of body dissatisfaction, anxiety, and depression remain unchanged, as does self-reported sleep quality.