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Lessons Learned From 10 Years of Preschool Intervention for Health Promotion: JACC State-of-the-Art Review.
Santos-Beneit, G, Fernández-Jiménez, R, de Cos-Gandoy, A, Rodríguez, C, Carral, V, Bodega, P, de Miguel, M, Orrit, X, Haro, D, Peñalvo, JL, et al
Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 2022;(3):283-298
Abstract
Implementing a health promotion program for children is a complex endeavor. In this review, we outline the key lessons learned over 10 years of experience in implementing the SI! Program (Salud Integral-Comprehensive Health) for cardiovascular health promotion in preschool settings in 3 countries: Colombia (Bogotá), Spain (Madrid), and the United States (Harlem, New York). By matching rigorous efficacy studies with implementation science, we can help bridge the divide between science and educational practice. Achieving sustained lifestyle changes in preschool children through health promotion programs is likely to require the integration of several factors: 1) multidisciplinary teams; 2) multidimensional educational programs; 3) multilevel interventions; 4) local program coordination and community engagement; and 5) scientific evaluation through randomized controlled trials. Implementation of effective health promotion interventions early in life may induce long-lasting healthy behaviors that could help to curb the cardiovascular disease epidemic.
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Front-Of-Pack Nutrition Labelling: A Position Statement of the European Academy of Paediatrics and the European Childhood Obesity Group.
Dereń, K, Dembiński, Ł, Wyszyńska, J, Mazur, A, Weghuber, D, Łuszczki, E, Hadjipanayis, A, Koletzko, B
Annals of nutrition & metabolism. 2021;(1):23-28
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Due to the growing risk of obesity and related diseases in the population of children, effective preventive measures are of great importance. Front-of-pack (FOP) nutrition labelling may contribute to health promotion by increasing consumer awareness on the nutritional qualities of packaged foods and purchasing decisions, and it may stimulate food providers to improve the composition of products. SUMMARY Appropriate labelling should enable customers to make healthy choices quickly and intuitively. Key Messages: The European Academy of Paediatrics and the European Childhood Obesity Group makes an appeal to European Union legislators to immediately introduce a mandatory, uniform, and interpretative FOP nutrition labelling system.
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South Africa's Health Promotion Levy: Excise tax findings and equity potential.
Hofman, KJ, Stacey, N, Swart, EC, Popkin, BM, Ng, SW
Obesity reviews : an official journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity. 2021;(9):e13301
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Abstract
In 2016, the South African government proposed a 20% sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) tax. Protracted consultations with beverage manufacturers and the sugar industry followed. This resulted in a lower sugar-based beverage tax, the Health Promotion Levy (HPL), of approximately 10% coming into effect in April 2018. We provide a synthesis of findings until April 2021. Studies show that despite the lower rate, purchases of unhealthy SSBs and sugar intake consumption from SSBs fell. There were greater reductions in SSB purchases among both lower socioeconomic groups and in subpopulations with higher SSB consumption. These subpopulations bear larger burdens from obesity and related diseases, suggesting that this policy improves health equity. The current COVID-19 pandemic has impacted food and nutritional security. Increased pandemic mortality among people with obesity, diabetes, and hypertension highlight the importance of intersectoral public health disease-prevention policies like the HPL, which should be strengthened.
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Effects of Nutritional Interventions on Cardiovascular Disease Health Outcomes in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians: A Scoping Review.
Porykali, B, Davies, A, Brooks, C, Melville, H, Allman-Farinelli, M, Coombes, J
Nutrients. 2021;(11)
Abstract
Nutrition interventions can support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). This review examines nutritional interventions aiming to improve CVD outcomes and appraises peer-reviewed interventions using an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Quality Appraisal Tool. Five electronic databases and grey literature were searched, applying no time limit. Two reviewers completed the screening, data extraction and quality assessment independently. The study quality was assessed using the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute and the Centre of Research Excellence in Aboriginal Chronic Disease Knowledge Translation and Exchange Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Quality Appraisal Tool (QAT). Twenty-one nutrition programs were included in this review. Twelve reported on anthropometric measurements, ten on biochemical and/or hematological measurements and sixteen on other outcome domains. Most programs reported improvements in measurable CVD risk factors, including reduced body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), weight, blood pressure and improved lipid profiles. Most programs performed well at community engagement and capacity strengthening, but many lacked the inclusion of Indigenous research paradigms, governance and strengths-based approaches. This review highlights the need for contemporary nutrition programs aimed at improving cardiovascular health outcomes to include additional key cultural components.
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Implementing movement at the workplace: Approaches to increase physical activity and reduce sedentary behavior in the context of work.
Pronk, NP
Progress in cardiovascular diseases. 2021;:17-21
Abstract
The purpose of this article is to highlight approaches to increase movement, physical activity (PA), and cardiorespiratory fitness, and reduce sedentary behavior (SB) in the context of the workplace. A deliberate strategy that will enable the successful promotion of movement at the workplace includes a business plan and rationale, an organizing framework, prioritization of interventions that are known to generate outcomes, and alignment of programmatic solutions with strong program design principles. Recommended principles of design include leadership, relevance, partnership, comprehensiveness, implementation, engagement, communications, being data-driven, and compliance. Specific evidence-based intervention examples are presented in the context of a socio-ecological framework including the individual, group, communications environment, physical environment, and policy domains. Increased movement at the workplace, as a result of promoting PA and reducing SB, generates important health outcomes across physical, mental, social, and economic domains and these benefits extend across the individual and organizational levels.
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Promoting Fruit and Vegetable Consumption for Childhood Obesity Prevention.
Folkvord, F, Naderer, B, Coates, A, Boyland, E
Nutrients. 2021;(1)
Abstract
Currently, food marketing for unhealthy foods is omnipresent. Foods high in fat, salt, and sugar (HFSS) are advertised intensively on several media platforms, including digital platforms that are increasingly used by children, such as social media, and can be bought almost everywhere. This could contribute to the obesity epidemic that we are facing. As the majority of children and adolescents do not eat the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables (F&V), which leads to chronic diseases, we need to change the obesogenic environment to a healthogenic environment. Reducing the marketing of energy-dense snacks to children and increasing the promotion of healthier foods, such as fruits and vegetables, may be an effective and necessary instrument to improve the dietary intake of children and reduce the risk of their experiencing some chronic diseases later in life. With this focused narrative review, we provide an overview of how children and adolescents react to food promotions and how food promotional efforts might be a useful tool to increase the attractiveness of fruit and vegetables. This review therefore contributes to the question of how changing the advertising and media environment of children and adolescents could help create a world where the healthy choice is the easier choice, which would reduce childhood obesity and improve children's health, as well as to make the food system more sustainable.
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Municipal strategies and meeting minutes' descriptions of the promotion of children's mental health: a document analysis.
Savolainen, O, Turunen, H, Sormunen, M
Scandinavian journal of public health. 2021;(5):519-528
Abstract
AIMS: Little is known about how municipal strategies, programmes and plans pay attention to the promotion of children's mental health and whether it is discussed and reported in the municipal councils, boards and committees. The purpose of this study was to examine how municipalities in one Finnish region promote mental health, with a focus on the promotion of children's mental health. METHODS Document analysis was used as a research method. Documents were selected for a one-year period (2018) from three municipalities of the North Savo region. Analysed documents (n=269) were municipal strategies, programmes and plans, as well as meeting minutes of municipal councils, boards and committees. Eight domains of the structural indicators of mental health were used as an analysis frame. RESULTS In total, 1169 mentions related to the structural indicators of mental health were found in the documents. In strategies, programmes and plans, parenting-related mentions were found most often. Regarding the minutes, the issues discussed and reported about the wellbeing of children focused on practical issues, such as the construction of day care buildings. CONCLUSIONS Document analysis indicated that mental health promotion involved mostly the society and environment and not as much the age and setting. There was a lack of mentions regarding preschool experiences and family support/childcare and the promotion of mental health through schools and education, especially in the meeting minutes of municipal councils, boards and committees.
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Bernardino Ramazzini's De Morbis Artificum Diatriba on Workers' Health-the Birth of a New Discipline.
Franco, G
Journal of UOEH. 2021;(3):341-348
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This paper provides a picture of the observations made over three hundred years ago by Bernardino Ramazzini (1633-1714) in light of current topical issues ranging from health problems related to work and lifestyle habits to the current burdensome COVID-19 pandemic. The main aspects of his work consist of descriptions of disorders linked to environmental risks, suggestions for measures for risk protection, and recommendations for healthy living. This paper focuses on Ramazzini's most relevant achievements by (1) analyzing the episodes that stimulated the composition of his main work and highlighting some observations on which current epidemiological and toxicological studies are based; (2) reviewing his work showing not only the systematic descriptions of work-related illnesses caused by occupational factors but also his sound etiological and physiopathological contributions to the field of occupational lung diseases, breast cancer, and environmental disorders; and (3) remarking on his main observations in the fields of risk prevention and health promotion, also in the light of some highly topical issues related to unhealthy lifestyle habits and the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Physical activity and nutrition guidelines to help with the fight against COVID-19.
Khoramipour, K, Basereh, A, Hekmatikar, AA, Castell, L, Ruhee, RT, Suzuki, K
Journal of sports sciences. 2021;(1):101-107
Abstract
As the world is witnessing the epidemic of coronavirus disease 2019, emerging genetics and clinical pieces of evidence suggest a similar immunopathology to those of severe acute respiratory syndrome and Middle East respiratory syndrome. Staying at home to prevent the spread of the virus and consequently being largely inactive is associated with unintended consequences. These can actually enhance the infection risk and exacerbate poor health conditions including impaired immune function. Physical activity is a feasible way of improving health, particularly physical and mental health in a time of social isolation. However, people with certain health conditions in these circumstances may need a special physical activity programme in addition to any exercise they may already be performing via online programmes. This review aims to provide practical guidelines during the COVID-19 quarantine period. We suggest performing aerobic, resistance training, respiratory muscle training and yoga in the healthy, and in those with upper respiratory tract illness, patients with lower respiratory tract illness should be restricted to respiratory muscle training and yoga. In addition, vitamins D and C, omega-3 fatty acids, and regular consumption of fruit and vegetables might be considered as nutritional aids to support the immune system in those affected by COVID-19.
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Global Public Health Guidelines on Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior for People Living With Chronic Conditions: A Call to Action.
Dempsey, PC, Friedenreich, CM, Leitzmann, MF, Buman, MP, Lambert, E, Willumsen, J, Bull, F
Journal of physical activity & health. 2021;(1):76-85
Abstract
BACKGROUND In 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) released global guidelines on physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior, for the first time providing population-based recommendations for people living with selected chronic conditions. This article briefly presents the guidelines, related processes and evidence, and, importantly, considers how they may be used to support research, practice, and policy. METHODS A brief overview of the scope, agreed methods, selected chronic conditions (adults living with cancer, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and human immunodeficiency virus), and appraisal of systematic review evidence on PA/sedentary behavior is provided. Methods were consistent with World Health Organization protocols for developing guidelines. RESULTS Moderate to high certainty evidence (varying by chronic condition and outcome examined) supported that PA can reduce the risk of disease progression or premature mortality and improve physical function and quality of life in adults living with chronic conditions. Direct evidence on sedentary behavior was lacking; however, evidence extrapolated from adult populations was considered applicable, safe, and likely beneficial (low certainty due to indirectness). CONCLUSIONS Clinical and public health professionals and policy makers should promote the World Health Organization 2020 global guidelines and develop and implement services and programs to increase PA and limit sedentary behavior in adults living with chronic conditions.