Frequency of family dinner and adolescent body weight status: evidence from the national longitudinal survey of youth, 1997

Objective: To explore associations between overweight status and the frequency of family dinners (FFD) for adolescents and how those associations differ across race and ethnicity. Research Methods and Procedures: A sample of 5014 respondents between 12 and 15 years of age from the 1997 wave of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 (NLSY97) was used. BMI was calculated using self‐reported height and weight; 13.3% of respondents qualified as overweight, 16.4% qualified as at‐risk‐of‐overweight, and 1.9% qualified as underweight. The remainder were normal weight. FFD was defined as the number of times respondents had dinner with their families in a typical week in the past year. Multinomial logistic regression models were estimated separately for non‐Hispanic whites vs. blacks and Hispanics for odds of belonging to the other weight categories compared with normal weight. A supplementary longitudinal analysis estimated the odds of change in overweight status between 1997 and 2000. Results: In 1997, the FFD distribution was as follows: 0, 8.3%; 1 or 2, 7.3%; 3 or 4, 13.4%; 5 or 6, 28.1%; 7, 42%. For whites, higher FFD was associated with reduced odds of being overweight in 1997, reduced odds of becoming overweight, and increased odds of ceasing to be overweight by 2000. No such associations were found for blacks and Hispanics. Discussion: Reasons for racial and ethnic differences in the relationship between FFD and overweight may include differences in the types and portions of food consumed at family meals. More research is needed to verify this.     

Adolescent Self-Organization and Adult Smoking and Drinking over Fifty Years of Follow-Up: The British 1946 Birth Cohort

Variations in markers of adolescent self-organization predict a range of economic and health-related outcomes in general population studies. Using a population-based birth cohort study we investigated associations between adolescent self-organization and two common factors over adulthood influencing health, smoking and alcohol consumption. The MRC National Survey of Health and Development (the British 1946 birth cohort) was used to test associations between a dimensional measure of adolescent self-organization derived from teacher ratings, and summary longitudinal measures of smoking and alcohol consumption over the ensuing five decades. Multinomial regression models were adjusted for sex, adolescent emotional and conduct problems, occupational social class of origin, childhood cognition, educational attainment and adult occupational social class. With all covariates adjusted, higher adolescent self-organization was associated with fewer smoking pack years, although not with quitting; there was no association with alcohol consumption across adulthood (none or heavy compared with light to moderate). Adolescent self-organization appears to be protective against smoking, but not against heavy alcohol consumption. Interpretation of this differential effect should be embedded in an understanding of the social and sociodemographic context in which these health behaviours occur over time.     

Longitudinal associations between key dietary behaviors and weight gain over time: transitions through the adolescent years

Previous studies have yielded inconsistent results when documenting the association between key dietary factors and adolescent weight change over time. The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which changes in adolescent sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB), diet soda, breakfast, and fast-food consumption were associated with changes in BMI and percent body fat (PBF). This study analyzed data from a sample of 693 Minnesota adolescents followed over 2 years. Random coefficient models were used to examine the relationship between dietary intake and BMI and PBF and to separate cross-sectional and longitudinal associations. Adjusting for total physical activity, total energy intake, puberty, race, socioeconomic status, and age, cross-sectional findings indicated that for both males and females, breakfast consumption was significantly and inversely associated with BMI and PBF, and diet soda intake was significantly and positively associated with BMI and PBF among females. In longitudinal analyses, however, there were fewer significant associations. Among males there was evidence of a significant longitudinal association between SSB consumption and PBF; after adjustment for energy intake, an increase of one serving of SSB per day was associated with an increase of 0.7 units of PBF among males. This study adds to previous research through its methodological strengths, including adjustment for physical activity and energy intake assessed using state-of-the-art methods (i.e., accelerometers and 24-h dietary recalls), as well as its evaluation of both BMI and PBF. Additional research is needed to better understand the complex constellation of factors that contribute to adolescent weight gain over time.     

Positive Maternal Attitude to the Family Eating Together Decreases the Risk of Adolescent Overweight

Objectives: To determine whether maternal attitude towards the family regularly eating together and maternal report of how often the family eat together are associated with adolescent offspring overweight. Research Methods and Procedures: A cross‐sectional mother‐child‐linked analysis was carried out using 14‐year follow‐up data from a population‐based prospective birth cohort of 3795 children (52% males) who were participants in the Mater‐University study of pregnancy, Brisbane, Australia. Maternal reports on family eating pattern reported at age 14 were used. Results: The prevalence of overweight at age 14 was 24.1% (95% confidence interval (CI), 22.3, 26.1) for males and 27.1% (CI, 25.1, 29.2) for females. The majority of mothers (78%) reported that the family ate together at least once a day, but only 43% reported that they felt that family eating together was important. The offspring of women who felt that the family eating together was not important had increased odds of being overweight at age 14 (odds ratio, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.05, 1.53) in age‐ and sex‐adjusted models. Adjustment for potential confounding factors had no substantive effect on the association. There was no association between maternal reports of how often the family actually did eat together and overweight at age 14 in the offspring. Discussion: These findings suggest that maternal attitude towards family eating patterns, but not maternal report of how often the family do eat together, are associated with childhood overweight status. Maternal attitude towards family eating (as opposed to a report of actual frequency at one time‐point) may reflect broader maternal influences (beyond family eating pattern) on their child's diet and eating patterns over a long time course.     

Family Dinner and Adolescent Overweight

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine both cross‐sectional and longitudinal associations between frequency of family dinner and overweight status in a large sample of 9‐ to 14‐year‐old children. Research Methods and Procedures: We studied a cohort of 7784 girls and 6647 boys, 9 to 14 years of age at baseline in 1996, participating in the Growing Up Today Study. From annual mailed surveys, we calculated BMI from self‐reported height and weight and assessed frequency of family dinner over the previous year. We defined “overweight” as age‐ and sex‐specific BMI >85th percentile. We performed multiple logistic regression analyses; the longitudinal analyses assessed the association of previous year family dinner consumption with 1‐year incidence of becoming overweight, using prospective data from 1996 through 1999. Results: At baseline in 1996, 16% of participants had family dinner “never or some days,” 40% on “most days,” and 44% “every day.” Across these categories, overweight prevalence for girls was 19.4%, 16.6%, and 16.7% and for boys was 24.6%, 23.3%, and 22.7%, respectively. In cross‐sectional analyses, adjusting for potential confounders, the odds of being overweight was 0.85 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.76, 0.96] among children who ate family dinner on “most days” or “every day” compared with those who ate family dinner “never or some days.” In longitudinal multivariate models, the odds ratios between previous year frequency of eating family dinner and 1‐year incidence of becoming overweight were 0.95 (95% CI: 0.78, 1.16) and 1.04 (95% CI: 0.85, 1.27) for children who ate family dinner on “most days” and “every day,” respectively, compared with those who ate family dinner “never or some days.” Discussion: The frequency of eating family dinner was inversely associated with overweight prevalence at baseline but not with likelihood of becoming overweight in longitudinal analyses.     

Meal Frequency and Childhood Obesity

Objective: Previous studies have demonstrated an inverse association between meal frequency and the prevalence of obesity in adulthood. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between meal frequency and childhood obesity. Research Methods and Procedures: Stature and weight of 4370 German children ages 5 to 6 years were determined in six Bavarian (Germany) public health offices during the obligatory school entry health examination in 2001/2002. An extensive questionnaire on risk factors for obesity was answered by their parents. Obesity was defined according to sex‐ and age‐specific BMI cut‐off points proposed by the International Obesity Task Force. The main exposure was daily meal frequency. Results: The prevalence of obesity decreased by number of daily meals: three or fewer meals, 4.2% [95% confidence interval (CI), 2.8 to 6.1]; four meals, 2.8% (95% CI, 2.1 to 3.7); and 5 or more meals, 1.7% (95% CI, 1.2 to 2.4). These effects could not be explained by confounding due to a wide range of constitutional, sociodemographic, and lifestyle factors. The adjusted odds ratios for obesity were 0.73 (95% CI, 0.44 to 1.21) for four meals and 0.51 (95% CI, 0.29 to 0.89) for five or more meals. Additional analyses pointed to a higher energy intake in nibblers compared with gorgers. Discussion: A protective effect of an increased daily meal frequency on obesity in children was observed and appeared to be independent of other risk factors for childhood obesity. A modulation of the response of hormones such as insulin might be instrumental.     

Overweight in Childhood,Adolescence and Adulthood and Cardiovascular Risk in Later Life: Pooled Analysis of Three British Birth Cohorts

Background

Overweight and obesity in adulthood are established risk factors for adverse cardiovascular outcomes, but the contribution of overweight in childhood to later cardiovascular risk is less clear. Evidence for a direct effect of childhood overweight would highlight early life as an important target for cardiovascular disease prevention. The aim of this study was to assess whether overweight and obesity in childhood and adolescence contribute to excess cardiovascular risk in adults.

Methods and findings

Data from three British birth cohorts, born in 1946, 1958 and 1970, were pooled for analysis (n = 11,447). Individuals were categorised, based on body mass index (BMI), as being of normal weight or overweight/obese in childhood, adolescence and adulthood. Eight patterns of overweight were defined according to weight status at these three stages. Logistic regression models were fitted to assess the associations of patterns of overweight with self-reported type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and coronary heart disease (CHD) in adulthood (34–53 years). Compared to cohort members who were never overweight, those who were obese in adulthood had increased risk of all outcomes. For type 2 diabetes, the odds ratio was higher for obese adults who were also overweight or obese in childhood and adolescence (OR 12.6; 95% CI 6.6 to 24.0) than for those who were obese in adulthood only (OR 5.5; 95% CI 3.4 to 8.8). There was no such effect of child or adolescent overweight on hypertension. For CHD, there was weak evidence of increased risk among those with overweight in childhood. The main limitations of this study concern the use of self-reported outcomes and the generalisability of findings to contemporary child populations.

Conclusions

Type 2 diabetes and to a lesser extent CHD risk may be affected by overweight at all stages of life, while hypertension risk is associated more strongly with weight status in adulthood.     

Effects of testosterone upon feeding in male mice.

Food intake and pattern of feeding were recorded in intact and castrate male mice. Intact adults are larger and eat more than pre-pubertal castrates, due to rapid growth at puberty. Castration in adulthood has little effect upon food intake, but feeding becomes concentrated into large, infrequent meals. The change in meal size appears primary and is reversed by testosterone. During rapid growth at puberty, both meal size and frequency are high. It is suggested that testosterone affects feeding in two ways. Rapid weight gain at puberty leads to high meal size and frequency, but in adulthood meal size is depressed. Meal size in adults is further depressed by stimuli from females, and it is argued in this case that testosterone affects a general mechanism for altering feeding when other activities have a high priority.     

The Influence of Physical Activity,Socioeconomic Status,and Ethnicity on the Weight Status of Adolescents

Objective: This study examined the effects of physical activity, television viewing, video game play, socioeconomic status (SES), and ethnicity on body mass index (BMI). Research Methods and Procedures: The sample was 2389 adolescents, 10 to 16 years of age (12.7 ± 1.0 years); 1240 (52%) females and 1149 (48%) males; 77% white and 23% African American; from rural (77%) and urban (23%) settings. BMI and skinfolds were directly assessed. All other data were obtained from questionnaires. Results: Watching television on non‐school days was related to being overweight (p < 0.005). However, when BMI analyses were adjusted for ethnicity and SES, there were no significant effects of television viewing on BMI (p > 0.061). Increased hours of video game play enhanced the risk of being overweight for both genders when analyses were adjusted for ethnicity and SES (p < 0.019). In males, participation in as little as one high‐intensity physical activity 3 to 5 days a week decreased the ethnic‐ and SES‐adjusted relative risk of being overweight (RR = 0.646; CI: 0.427 to 0.977). For females, the ethnic‐ and SES‐adjusted relative risk for being overweight was not significantly altered by physical activity. The logistic analyses further indicated the influence of low SES and African American ethnicity overshadowed any direct effect of television or videos. Discussion: Because weight status of male adolescents appears to be more related to exercise habits than to television or video game habits, increased participation in high‐intensity exercise appears to be important. For females, neither videos nor exercise habits appear to be related to risk of being overweight. However, ethnicity and SES may be important factors that can influence body weight status, while television viewing may be of some importance. Thus, programs to reduce obesity in female adolescent should focus their efforts in lower SES communities.     

Association between family divorce and children's BMI and meal patterns: the GENDAI Study

The aim of this work was to explore the associations between family factors, including divorce, and children's overweight as well as eating and physical activity patterns in a population-based sample of healthy school-aged children. In this cross-sectional study, 1,138 children (53% girls; age: 11.2 +/- 0.7 years) from elementary schools in the Attica region participated. Their parents provided sociodemographic information, including their marital status. Overweight status classification was based on weight and height measurements and BMI evaluation. Children completed a physical activity checklist and a questionnaire on meal patterns and eating behaviors. The Eating Style score was calculated: the higher the score, the more frequent a child was engaged in less-structured feeding practices promoting food intake for reasons other than hunger. Analysis revealed significant association between family divorce and children's overweight: compared with children of married parents, those of divorced had significantly higher BMI levels (20.0 +/- 3.6 kg/m(2) vs. 21.3 +/- 3.4 kg/m(2), respectively, P = 0.007). Controlling for socioeconomic and physical activity factors, divorce remains a significant predictor of a higher BMI, along with older age, higher father's and mother's BMI, less children in the family, and more minutes of daily screen time. Children who had experienced a divorce in their family also reported higher Eating Style score, even after adjusting for potential confounders. In conclusion, in this sample of fifth and sixth graders, unfavorable family circumstances have been associated with children's overweight, as well as with aspects of their eating behavior, namely eating style in relation to conditions around food consumption and hunger, independent of other socioeconomic factors.     

The Role of Adolescent Behaviors in the Female–Male Disparity in Obesity Incidence in US Black and White Young Adults

In the United States, black women are at much greater risk for obesity than black men. We explored whether adolescent behaviors (family dinners, hours of television, playing sports with mother, playing sports with father, bouts of physical activity) were associated with gender disparity in 6‐year obesity incidence in young adulthood. We used data from the nationally representative National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health to examine adolescent behaviors in nonimmigrant black (n = 1,503) and white (n = 4,452) youths in 1994–95 (aged 11–19 years) and 1995–96 (aged 12–20). We assessed gender disparity in obesity incidence (female incidence minus male incidence) during young adulthood (2001–02; aged 18–26). Standardized gender disparities were calculated using race‐ and gender‐stratified, covariate‐adjusted logistic regression models in which males and females were set to the same distributions of adolescent behaviors. In adolescence, black females reported less leisure‐time physical activity and lower likelihood of playing sports with either parent compared with black males. Setting adolescent behaviors equal for black males and females did not reduce the estimated gender disparity in obesity incidence (nonstandardized: 9.8 percentage points (95% confidence interval (CI): 4.5, 15.1); fully standardized: 10.2 percentage points (5.2, 15.2)). There was little gender disparity in whites before or after adjustments. To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine to what extent behavioral differences during adolescence might account for gender disparity in obesity incidence in black young adults. Male‐female differences in these adolescent behaviors did not appear to underlie the gender gap in young adult obesity.     

Socioeconomic position at different stages of the life course and its influence on body weight and weight gain in adulthood: a longitudinal study with 13-year follow-up

Socioeconomic inequalities in body weight have been demonstrated in numerous cross-sectional studies; however, little research has investigated these inequalities from a life course and longitudinal perspective. We examined the association between child- and adulthood socioeconomic position (SEP) and BMI and overweight/obesity in 1991 (baseline) and changes in BMI and the prevalence of overweight and obesity between 1991 and 2004. Data from the 1991 and 2004 waves of the longitudinal Dutch GLOBE study were used. Participants (n = 1,465) were aged 40-60 years at baseline. BMI was calculated from self-reported height and weight collected by postal questionnaire. Retrospective recall of father's occupation was used as childhood socioeconomic indicator, and adulthood SEP was measured by the occupation of the main income earner of the household. The findings showed that among women, childhood SEP exerted a greater influence on body weight than SEP in adulthood: at baseline, women from disadvantaged backgrounds in childhood had a higher BMI and were more likely to be overweight or obese, and they gained significantly more weight between baseline and follow-up. In contrast, adult SEP had a greater impact than childhood circumstances on men's body weight: those from disadvantaged households had a higher mean BMI and were more likely to be overweight or obese at baseline, and they gained significantly more weight between 1991 and 2004. The findings suggest that exposure to disadvantaged circumstances at critically important periods of the life course is associated with body weight and weight gain in adulthood. Importantly, these etiologically relevant periods differ for men and women, suggesting gender-specific pathways to socioeconomic inequalities in body weight in adulthood.     

Infection of the malaria mosquito Anopheles gambiae with the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae reduces blood feeding and fecundity

The entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae is being considered as a biocontrol agent against adult African malaria vectors. In addition to causing significant mortality, this pathogen is known to cause reductions in feeding and fecundity in a range of insects. In the present study we investigated whether infection with M. anisopliae affected blood feeding and fecundity of adult female malaria vectors Anopheles gambiae Giles sensu stricto. Mosquitoes were contaminated with either a low or a moderately high dose of oil-formulated conidia of M. anisopliae, and offered a single human blood meal 48, 72, or 96 h later to assess feeding propensity and individual blood meal size. In a second experiment, individual fungus-infected females were offered a blood meal every third day (to a total of 8 gonotrophic cycles), and allowed to oviposit after each cycle in order to quantify feeding propensity and fecundity. Infected females took smaller blood meals and displayed reduced feeding propensity. It was found that mosquitoes, inoculated with a moderately high dose of fungal conidia, exhibited reduced appetite related to increasing fungal growth. Of the fungus-infected females, the proportion of mosquitoes taking the second blood meal was reduced with 51%. This was further reduced to 35.3% by the 4th blood meal. During 8 feeding opportunities, the average number of blood meals taken by uninfected females was 4.39, against 3.40 (low dose), and 2.07 (high dose) blood meals for the fungus-infected females. Moreover, infected females produced fewer eggs per gonotrophic cycle and had a lower life-time fecundity. Epidemiological models show that both blood feeding and fecundity are among the most important factors affecting the likelihood of a mosquito transmitting malaria, which suggests that this fungus may have potential as biocontrol agent for vector-borne disease control.     

Genes implicated in serotonergic and dopaminergic functioning predict BMI categories

Objective: This study addressed the hypothesis that variation in genes associated with dopamine function (SLC6A3, DRD2, DRD4), serotonin function (SLC6A4, and regulation of monoamine levels (MAOA) may be predictive of BMI categories (obese and overweight + obese) in young adulthood and of changes in BMI as adolescents transition into young adulthood. Interactions with gender and race/ethnicity were also examined. Methods and Procedures: Participants were a subsample of individuals from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), a nationally representative sample of adolescents followed from 1995 to 2002. The sample analyzed included a subset of 1,584 unrelated individuals with genotype data. Multiple logistic regressions were conducted to evaluate the associations between genotypes and obesity (BMI > 29.9) or overweight + obese combined (BMI ≥ 25) with normal weight (BMI = 18.5–24.9) as a referent. Linear regression models were used to examine change in BMI from adolescence to young adulthood. Results: Significant associations were found between SLC6A4 5HTTLPR and categories of BMI, and between MAOA promoter variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) among men and categories of BMI. Stratified analyses revealed that the association between these two genes and excess BMI was significant for men overall and for white and Hispanic men specifically. Linear regression models indicated a significant effect of SLC6A4 5HTTLPR on change in BMI from adolescence to young adulthood. Discussion: Our findings lend further support to the involvement of genes implicated in dopamine and serotonin regulation on energy balance.     

The effect of sugar meals and body size on fecundity and longevity of female Aedes communis(Diptera: Culicidae)

Abstract. Starved females of Aedes communis (DeGeer) had significantly shorter mean lifespans than females with access to one blood meal and/or sugar meals. For the starving females, lifespan was significantly correlated with wing length. This correlation was not found in sugar- and/or blood-fed females. Fructose and sucrose had similar effects on mosquito lifespan. The 25% and 50% (w/w) solutions of each, increased mean lifespans to 37.8 ± 7.2 and 34.9 ± 9.1 days, respectively. A 10% solution, of either sugar, was significantly inferior, mean lifespan 23.2 ± 10.2 days. The initial sugar meal was very important for female longevity. Subsequent meals aided in ovarian development. One sugar meal, one blood meal, and several sugar meals during oogenesis was found to be the optimal diet for the female mosquitoes in this study.     

Family mealtimes: A contextual approach to understanding childhood obesity

There has been a growing interest in the role that shared family mealtimes may play in promoting the health and well-being of children. Families that regularly eat their main meal together four or more times a week are more likely to have children who do better in school, are of average weight, less likely to use drugs and alcohol at an early age, and consume more fruits and vegetables. The mere fact that families eat together does not address the process by which shared family mealtimes may protect children from unhealthy weight gain. Just as there is no simple explanation for the rising rates of obesity, the link between shared family mealtimes and childhood obesity is a complex one including socioeconomic and cultural context. In this paper, we provide an overview of how shared family mealtimes are embedded in a socio-cultural context that may either support or derail healthy eating patterns for children and youth. Evidence from an observational study of 200 family mealtimes demonstrates the complex interplay between socio-economic factors, family mealtime behaviors, and child obesity status. Families who had a child of healthy weight spent more time engaged with each other during the meal, expressed more positive communication, and considered mealtimes more important and meaningful than families who had a child who was overweight or obese. Using a cumulative risk model, it was found that the combination of family level and neighborhood risk factors predicted child overweight status. Recommendations are made for future research directions and policies directed toward families living in diverse economic circumstances.     

Eating Frequency is Associated With Energy Intake but Not Obesity in Midlife Women

Midlife women tend to gain weight with age, thus increasing risk of chronic disease. The purpose of this study was to examine associations between overweight/obesity and behavioral factors, including eating frequency, in a cross‐sectional national sample of midlife women (n = 1,099) (mean age = 49.7 years, and BMI = 27.7 kg/m²). Eating behaviors and food and nutrient intakes were based on a mailed 1‐day food record. BMI was calculated from self‐reported height and weight, and level of physical activity was assessed by self‐reported questionnaire. After exclusion of low‐energy reporters (32% of sample), eating frequency was not associated with overweight/obesity (P > 0.05) and was not different between BMI groups (normal, 5.21 ± 1.79; overweight, 5.16 ± 1.74; obese, 5.12 ± 1.68, P = 0.769). Adjusted logistic regression showed that eating frequency, snacking frequency, breakfast consumption, eating after 10 pm and consuming meals with children or other adults were not significantly associated with overweight/obesity. Total energy intake increased as eating frequency increased in all BMI groups, however, obese women had greater energy intake compared to normal weight women who consumed the same number of meals and snacks. Intake of fruit and vegetables, whole grains, dietary fiber, dairy, and added sugars also increased as eating frequency increased. While eating frequency was not associated with overweight/obesity, it was associated with energy intake. Thus, addressing total energy intake rather than eating frequency may be more appropriate to prevent weight gain among midlife women.     

Marriage,gender and obesity in later life

A large body of literature argues that marriage promotes health and increases longevity. But do these benefits extend to maintaining a healthy body weight, as the economic theory of health investment suggests they should? They do not. Using the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), I find that entry into marriage among both men and women aged 51–70 is associated with weight gain and exit from marriage with weight loss. I evaluate three additional theories with respect to the cross-sectional and longitudinal variation in the data. First, it may be that a broader set of shared risk factors (such as social obligations regarding meals) raises body mass for married couples. However, the shared risk factor model predicts that the intra-couple correlation should increase with respect to marital duration. Instead, it declines. Second, scholars have recently promoted a “crisis” model of marriage in which marital transitions, not marital status, determine differences in body mass. The crisis model is consistent with short-term effects seen for divorce, but not for the persistent weight gains associated with marriage or the persistent weight loss following widowhood. And transition models, in general, cannot explain significant cross-sectional differences across marital states in a population that is no longer experiencing many transitions, nor can it account for the prominent gender differences (in late middle-age, the heaviest group is unmarried women and the lightest are unmarried men). Third, I argue that pressures of the marriage market, in combination with gendered preferences regarding partner BMI, can account for all the longitudinal and cross-sectional patterns found in the data.     

Hematologic and blood biochemical variables of captive chimpanzees: cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses

Hematologic and blood biochemical variables are of great importance in medical and veterinary practice. In addition, these analytes may have significance as potential biomarkers of aging. Previous reports on normative values of these variables in the chimpanzees are based on cross-sectional studies that did not include individuals of advanced age. To address this omission, we performed cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses of hematologic and blood biochemical data collected from chimpanzees over a 9-year period. One-hundred forty-six females and 106 males of ages representing the entire life span of the species were studied. We derived normative cross-sectional values of 14 commonly measured hematologic and 20 blood biochemical variables, which should provide a useful reference for clinical blood studies in chimpanzees. In addition, we found in a cross-sectional regression analysis of our data that most analytes varied significantly between males and females, and that they varied markedly with age. Most variables had year-to-year consistency within the same individuals, as indicated by statistically significant intra-year correlation coefficients. Finally, we performed a longitudinal analysis of the analytes in chimpanzees by calculating the slopes and intercepts of the best-fitting trend line for each individual. The resulting slopes were analyzed by sex and by decade of age of subjects to determine whether trends were consistent. Consistent trends detected in the longitudinal analysis were usually restricted to the first decade of life, and thus represented maturational processes. The overall lack of within-animal trends covering all or most of the period from early adulthood through old age in this 9-year study suggests that a longer period of follow-up than used here may be required to document senescence-related changes.     

Adverse childhood experiences,adult depression,and suicidal ideation in rural Uganda: A cross-sectional,population-based study

BackgroundDepression is recognized globally as a leading cause of disability. Early-life adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been shown to have robust associations with poor mental health during adulthood. These effects may be cumulative, whereby a greater number of ACEs are progressively associated with worse outcomes. This study aimed to estimate the associations between ACEs and adult depression and suicidal ideation in a cross-sectional, population-based study of adults in Uganda.Methods and findingsBetween 2016 and 2018, research assistants visited the homes of 1,626 adult residents of Nyakabare Parish, a rural area in southwestern Uganda. ACEs were assessed using a modified version of the Adverse Childhood Experiences-International Questionnaire, and depression symptom severity and suicidal ideation were assessed using the Hopkins Symptom Checklist for Depression (HSCL-D). We applied a validated algorithm to determine major depressive disorder diagnoses. Overall, 1,458 participants (90%) had experienced at least one ACE, 159 participants (10%) met criteria for major depressive disorder, and 28 participants (1.7%) reported suicidal ideation. We fitted regression models to estimate the associations between cumulative number of ACEs and depression symptom severity (linear regression model) and major depressive disorder and suicidal ideation (Poisson regression models). In multivariable regression models adjusted for age, sex, primary school completion, marital status, self-reported HIV status, and household asset wealth, the cumulative number of ACEs was associated with greater depression symptom severity (b = 0.050; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.039–0.061, p < 0.001) and increased risk for major depressive disorder (adjusted relative risk [ARR] = 1.190; 95% CI, 1.109–1.276; p < 0.001) and suicidal ideation (ARR = 1.146; 95% CI, 1.001–1.311; p = 0.048). We assessed the robustness of our findings by probing for nonlinearities and conducting analyses stratified by age. The limitations of the study include the reliance on retrospective self-report as well as the focus on ACEs that occurred within the household.ConclusionsIn this whole-population, cross-sectional study of adults in rural Uganda, the cumulative number of ACEs had statistically significant associations with depression symptom severity, major depressive disorder, and suicidal ideation. These findings highlight the importance of developing and implementing policies and programs that safeguard children, promote mental health, and prevent trajectories toward psychosocial disability.

In a cross-sectional, population based study of adults in rural Uganda, Emily Satinsky and colleagues investigate adverse childhood experiences and associations with depression and suicidal ideation.