Organized youth sport as a predictor of physical activity in adulthood.

The aim of this study was to examine whether early and sustained organized youth sport during childhood and adolescence predicts the frequency of leisure-time physical activity (PA) at age 23 years. A 10-year longitudinal study of 630 adolescents was conducted. Data were collected from these participants eight times from the ages of 13 to 23 years and were analyzed by analysis of variance and regression. There was a high degree of consistency in participation in organized youth sport in terms of reporting to be a member of a sports club, especially from age 13 to 16 years. The correlation coefficients tended to be higher among males and decreased over time both in females and males. The age at becoming a member in organized sport and duration of participation in organized youth sports during adolescence predicted 9% of the variance of young adult PA. The correlations were higher in males than in females, but these differences were not significant. Organized youth sports during childhood and adolescence was positively related to frequency of leisure-time PA in young adulthood. Joining organized youth sports at an early age and continuing through adolescence appear to increase the likelihood for a physically active lifestyle in young adulthood.

The smoking-room as psychiatric patients' sanctuary: a place for resistance.

This article investigates the significance of the smoking-room for psychiatric patients: for their everyday interactions, activities and perceptions of what is meaningful, also for their positioning as agents concerning their own and fellow patients' illnesses and problems. A social constructionist perspective is used as well as concepts anchored in a phenomenology of architecture and local place. This article is a part of ethnographic study of the daily life within a psychiatric ward using participant observation and conversations and interviews with psychiatric inpatient and staff in a psychiatric hospital. Important themes from our analysis were 'smoking-room as patients''panopticon', 'smoking-room as the patients' sanctuary' and 'patient-led treatment'. We discuss these themes within a framework of seeing the smoking-room as an arena for patient and staff resistance. Patients' resistance is analysed as attempts to maintain their civil status identity and feelings of dignity in an otherwise powerless situation.

School-related stress and psychosomatic symptoms among school adolescents.

Associations between psychosomatic symptoms and school-induced stress, and personal and social resources were analyzed among 862 Norwegian adolescents ages 13-15 years participating in the WHO project, "Health Promoting Schools." Stress-related factors were represented by the average of scores of 3-12 items. Both in combined and separate analyses of each psychosomatic symptom, increasing school distress, the most direct measure of stress experience, was associated with increased risk. A similar relationship was found with school alienation, though not significant for all symptoms. Social support from the teacher decreased the risk among girls, whereas social support from other pupils reduced the risk among both genders, but in particular among boys. No consistent associations were seen between psychosomatic complaints and general or school-related self-efficacy or decision control. In some analyses, however, these factors seemed to modify the association with school distress or school alienation.

Two-year longitudinal study of alcohol expectancies and drinking among Norwegian adolescents.

AIMS: The potential importance of alcohol outcome expectancies in the initiation and maintenance of drinking has been supported by studies showing that these expectancies are present before drinking begins, and that they predict drinking both cross-sectionally and longitudinally. Although initiation of drinking behavior may be influenced by expectancy, subsequent drinking experience may modify expectations. We used structural modeling techniques to investigate the relative influence of expectancy and drinking in a three-wave longitudinal study of Norwegian adolescents. DESIGN: Survey incorporating self-administered questionnaires. SETTING: Twenty-two schools in Hordaland County on the west coast of Norway. PARTICIPANTS: Nine hundred and twenty-four seventh-grade students; 45.7% female. MEASUREMENTS: Alcohol use (frequency, quantity, drunkenness); the Norwegian version of the Alcohol Expectancy Questionnaire for adolescents. FINDINGS: Among students who were already drinkers upon entry into the study, expectations of positive social effects of alcohol predicted drinking longitudinally. Among those who began drinking during the study, these social expectancies predicted drinking initiation, but drinking also influenced subsequent expectancy in the early stages of drinking. CONCLUSIONS: These results support a reciprocal relationship of drinking to positive expectancy, highlighting the importance both of expectancies on influencing drinking, and of early drinking experiences on the development of positive expectancies.

Social Influences and Leisure-time Physical Activity Levels in Young People: A Twelve-year Follow-up Study.

This study describes the associations between social factors and leisure-time physical activity levels in young people. Important concepts from Bandura's social learning theory and Bourdieu's theory of social position and lifestyles were used as theoretical frameworks. Baseline data were collected from a sample of 827 students (11-14 years old) and their parents in 1979. In 1991, the same students, now aged 23 to 26 years, participated in a follow-up ( N = 514, 62.2 percent of baseline). At the follow-up, females were significantly more physically active if highly educated. The only statistically significant factor associated with males' activity levels was activity levels at baseline. Males were more physically active than females at baseline, but in young adulthood there was no significant gender difference. There was an interaction between gender and education in that highly educated females exercised significantly more than less educated females. This was not the case for males.

Noncoital sexual interactions and problem behaviour among young adolescents: the Norwegian Longitudinal Health Behaviour Study.

This paper focuses on whether early onset of noncoital sexual interactions is best considered in the same paradigm as adolescent problem behaviour. Among adolescents (n = 927) followed longitudinally from age 13 to 15, the interrelationships between noncoital sexual interactions and various problem and conventional behaviours were examined. Early onset of noncoital sexual interactions was related to problem behaviour, and the higher ordered the noncoital sexual interaction was, the more strongly it correlated with measures of problem behaviour. This study provides support for the usefulness of the notion of an underlying factor of proneness to problem behaviours, which is relevant when studying developmental change in terms of accumulation of early noncoital sexual experience. It is suggested that in the construction of countermeasures to prevent the negative consequences of early sexual activities among adolescents, it may be useful to target broader correlates of behaviour.

Predicting 13-year-olds' drinking using parents' self-reported alcohol use and restrictiveness compared with offspring's perception.

This study examined whether offspring's perception of parental frequency of alcohol use and restrictiveness towards offspring's alcohol use could be used as a substitute for parental self-reports. Offspring's perception were compared with parents' self-reported alcohol use and restrictiveness in ability to predict offspring's own alcohol use. Respondents were 924 offspring, 642 fathers and 729 mothers. Correlations between fathers' and mothers' self-reported frequency of drinking alcohol and offspring's report of parental frequency of drinking alcohol ranged from 0.55 to 0.70. Fathers' and mothers' self-reported alcohol use and restrictiveness explained less than two per cent of the variance in their offspring's alcohol use in regression analyses, while offspring's perception of parental drinking frequency and restrictiveness explained about eight per cent of the variance in offspring's alcohol use. These results represent a challenge to studies of young adolescents which interpret offspring's reports of parents' alcohol use as a surrogate measure of parents' self-reported alcohol use.

Change and secular trends in physical activity patterns in young adults: a seven-year longitudinal follow-up in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study (CARDIA).

Levels and changes in self-reported physical activity over a 7-year period were examined to determine tracking and to estimate the proportion of total cohort change attributable to secular trends. A population-based sample of 2,328 men and 2,787 women aged 18-30 years at baseline (52% black and 48% white) from Birmingham, Alabama, Chicago, Illinois, Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Oakland, California, were examined four times between 1985-1986 and 1992-1993. The intraclass correlation for up to four measures was 0.57 for the entire sample, varying between 0.57 for white men and 0.42 for black women, indicating a moderate tendency for tracking. The energy expenditure in physical activity at each examination was greatest in black men and, compared with black men, about 5% less in white men, 30% less in white women, and 50% less in black women. The total cohort decrease in mean physical activity was approximately 30% in each race-sex group. The secular trend accounted for 38% of the total cohort change in black men, 43% in black women, 52% in white men, and 81% in white women. Physical activity declined sharply during the early years of adulthood, partly because of secular trend. Young adults are therefore an important target group for physical activity promotion programs to reverse individual and populationwide declines prior to middle age.

Do adolescents and parents report each other's physical activity accurately?

In research concerning socialization into sports there is a need to assess children's reports of parental physical activity. Reports by young adolescents and their parents of each other's leisure-time physical activity and related issues were compared with self-reported measures. A total of 755 family units in western Norway, consisting of 755 13-year-olds, mean age 13.3 +/- 0.3 years (425 boys, 330 girls, 644 fathers and 732 mothers) completed a self-administered physical activity questionnaire. Pearson's between self-reports by parents and the reports by their children varied between 0.56 (P < 0.001) and 0.07 (nonsignificant). Pearson's r between off-springs' self-reported physical activity and reports by their parents varied between 0.41 and 0.55 (P < 0.001). The results support cautious use of young adolescents' reports of parental physical activity.

Physical activity in young black and white women. The CARDIA Study.

Total physical activity scores, based on level of participation in 13 types of activities for 2658 black and white women aged 18 to 30 years were examined in relation to demographic, health behavior, psychosocial, and obesity data to compare levels of physical activity and determine reasons for disparities between blacks and whites. Black women had lower scores than white women--geometric mean of 178 (95% confidence interval (CI): 167, 189) versus 318 (95% CI: 305, 332). After controlling for age and education, physical activity was associated with physical activity level before high school, life events score, John Henryism, and competitiveness in both groups. In white women only, it was associated with alcohol intake and need to excel, and negatively associated with number of children, number of cigarettes smoked, and fatness. Race remained a predictor of physical activity after controlling for each variable. Relationships between physical activity and age, education, cigarette smoking, and life events differed significantly by race. Black women had lower physical activity levels than white women, which may contribute to higher rates of obesity and coronary heart disease. Racial differences in physical activity remain largely unexplained by the factors examined.

Perception of physical education classes among young adolescents: do physical education classes provide equal opportunities to all students?

From a public health perspective, physical activity in children and adolescents is seen as important for disease prevention and health promotion. Physical activity patterns are learned through socialization processes where one of the influential sources is the school through physical education classes. The purpose of the present study was (1) to examine young adolescents' general perception of physical education classes, and (2) to explore the relationship between these perceptions and students' social resources, gender and level of leisure time physical activity and self-evaluated competence in physical education. A total of 895 seventh graders (13 year olds) were surveyed in Norway concerning their perception of physical education classes. Indicators of social resources were chosen from the arenas of family, friends and school. The main finding was that a majority of students liked physical education classes. Physical education classes seemed, however, not to offer the less socially resourceful minority the same opportunities for positive experience with physical activity as the resourceful majority. Boys' general perception of physical education classes seemed to be more positive than girls' and physically active students perceived physical education classes more favorably than less physically active students.

Parental and peer influences on leisure-time physical activity in young adolescents.

Influence from parents and friends on adolescents' self-reported level of leisure-time physical activity was examined through measures of (a) perceived leisure-time physical activity of parents and best friend, (b) perceived direct support for physical activity from parents and friends, (c) direct help from parents in exercising vigorously, and (d) perceived value of physical activity of parents and friends. The present analysis included 904 students in western Norway (M age 13.3 years, SD 0.3) who took part in a health behavior survey, which included questions regarding physical activity. Students completed a confidential questionnaire at school. All four measures of influence were positively related to students' activity levels. None of the examined measures was clearly stronger than the other. Parental and peer physical activity level and parental and peer support for physical activity seem to influence the reported physical activity level of the respondents. The findings indicate that, by serving as models and supporters, significant others have an important impact in promoting physical activity in young adolescents.

The Nordic countries: perspectives in school health.

Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden constitute a geographical and cultural entity referred to as the Nordic countries. These countries all enjoy a high standard of living, and the health of their children can be characterized as good in comparison to that of earlier generations and that of many other nations. In the Nordic countries, school health services constitute a compulsory component of school systems and are free to all students. During the past decade, the World Health Organization's "Health for All by the Year 2000" goals were adopted, including goals for Nordic school health programs. However, school health programs are a neglected area compared to the emphasis placed on other health services. Reasons to improve health education and health services provided within the school setting in the Nordic countries are presented. Several interpersonal, intrapersonal, and organizational barriers to a more active health promotion effort also are identified.

Long-term treatment with slow-release frusemide compared with thiazide treatment in arterial hypertension.

The effect of 30 mg/day slow-release frusemide given orally for 12 months was studied in 64 patients previously treated with thiazides for mild to moderate essential hypertension. Frusemide had a significant antihypertensive effect (P less than 0.001), and compared to thiazides significantly reduced fasting serum glucose (P less than 0.015), haemoglobin A1c (P less than 0.025), albumin (P less than 0.025) and serum calcium (P less than 0.025), and significantly increased serum sodium and chloride concentrations (P less than 0.0001). There was also a non-significant trend for frusemide to reduce serum total cholesterol, triglycerides and urate, and to increase serum potassium. Frusemide was well tolerated in all but three patients. It is concluded that slow-release frusemide has a comparable antihypertensive effect to that of thiazide diuretics, but has fewer metabolic side-effects, and should be used in-preference to thiazides for the treatment of arterial hypertension when a diuretic is indicated.

The antithrombotic effect of heparin in deep venous thrombosis: relation to four heparin assays.

In a prospective study, 280 patients with phlebographically proven deep venous thrombosis received intravenous heparin infusion; 224 of the patients were subjected to control phlebography after 5-8 days of treatment. Females above 70 years showed least phlebographic improvement despite similar heparin dosage and heparin activity. Heparin activity in daily drawn blood samples was determined by four different assays. Chromogenic substrate (CS) assay (Coatest heparin), activated partial thromboplastin time (Cephotest), and thrombin time with recalcified plasma (CaTT) showed weak but significant correlations with thrombus resolution judged by phlebography (p = 0.004, 0.003 and 0.018, respectively). A linear prediction equation showed that the phlebographic result was about equally influenced by the mean dose and by the result of any of the three heparin assays. Thrombin time with citrated plasma showed no correlation. CS assay and CaTT showed significantly lower mean heparin activity in patients with (n = 13) than without clinically diagnosed pulmonary embolism (p = 0.012 and 0.001, respectively).

Left anterior hemiblock in acute myocardial infarction. Incidence and clinical significance in relation to the presence of bundle branch block and to the absence of intraventricular conduction defects.

The incidence of intraventricular conduction defects was examined retrospectively in 449 consecutive patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The incidence of left anterior hemiblock (LAH), right bundle branch block (RBBB), left bundle branch block (LBBB) and RBBB+LAH was 12.2, 4.2, 3.8 and 2.5%, respectively. At least 24 patients (5.8%) developed LAH as a result of the AMI. LAH was present in 20% (33/164) of patients with anterior infarction, in 14% (18/131) of those with infarction of undetermined localization, and in 3% (4/143) of patients with diaphragm infarction. The incidence of complete atrioventricular (AV) block in patients with LAH was 6% and in patients with no intraventicular conduction defects 7%. In patients with RBBB, RBBB+LAH and LBBB, the incidence of complete AV block was 37, 45 and 18%, respectively. Severe pump failure occurred with the same low incidence in patients with LAH as in patients without intraventricular conduction defects, but was much more common in patients with complete bundle branch block (BBB). The mortality rate for patients with LAH was 22% and for patients with no intraventricular conduction defects 21%. In patients with RBBB, RBBB+LAH and LBBB, the mortality rates were 53, 55 and 53%, respectively. Patients with complete BBB had a higher age and a higher incidence of previous AMI than the others. Compared to patients with no intraventricular conduction defects, the presence of LAH did not increase the mortality rate, or the risk of developing severe heart failure or complete AV block, in contrast to the serious prognosis in patients with complete BBB.