Signage Interventions for Stair Climbing at Work: More than 700,000 Reasons for Caution.

Increased stair climbing reduces cardiovascular disease risk. While signage interventions for workplace stair climbing offer a low-cost tool to improve population health, inconsistent effects of intervention occur. Pedestrian movement within the built environment has major effects on stair use, independent of any health initiative. This paper used pooled data from UK and Spanish workplaces to test the effects of signage interventions when pedestrian movement was controlled for in analyses. Automated counters measured stair and elevator usage at the ground floor throughout the working day. Signage interventions employed previously successful campaigns. In the UK, minute-by-minute stair/elevator choices measured effects of momentary pedestrian traffic at the choice-point (n = 426,605). In Spain, aggregated pedestrian traffic every 30 min measured effects for 'busyness' of the building (n = 293,300). Intervention effects on stair descent (3 of 4 analyses) were more frequent than effects on stair climbing, the behavior with proven health benefits (1 of 4 analyses). Any intervention effects were of small magnitude relative to the influence of pedestrian movement. Failure to control for pedestrian movement compromises any estimate for signage effectiveness. These pooled data provide limited evidence that signage interventions for stair climbing at work will enhance population health.

[Urinary iodide assessment of the adult population in Catalonia]. / Estudio de la yoduria en la población adulta de Cataluña.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: In 1983 goitre prevalence in Catalonia (Spain) was 21% and average urinary iodine (UI) 88.5 microg/l (SD 47.5). Surveys carried out in the nineties, after a campaign promoting the use of iodized salt, showed a significant improvement in UI. In the framework of Catalan Health Examination (2002), the assessment of iodine deficiency was included. The aim of this study was to determine UI and its distribution among a representative sample of population aged 18-74 in Catalonia. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: A sample of 2,100 people were stratified in accordance with the eight Catalan health areas (CHA). A questionnaire was prepared and urinary samples were collected for iodine testing. RESULTS: 1,115 urinary samples were collected (in 7 of the 8 CHA). Median UI was 147 microg/l and average UI 182.8 (SD 140). UI < 50 microg/l was found in 5% (95% CI, 3.8-6.5) of the sample. No difference in average UI was found between sexes. In fertile women (< 45 years) the 25th percentile of UI was 98 microg/l. Among CHA, average UI ranges from 141 to 159 microg/l. No difference in social class, education or employment was found in average UI. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show a significant improvement in iodine level of the Catalan population. Average UI is within the levels recommended by the WHO. However, it must be taken into account that 25% of fertile women have UI < 98 microg/l. This implies a risk in the event of pregnancy.