Resting metabolic rate, pulmonary functions, and body composition parameters in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

PURPOSE: Several studies of school-aged children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have found a higher prevalence of overweight/obesity compared with the general population. However, the scientific literature contains insufficient evidence to establish clear conclusions on pulmonary functions, resting metabolic rate (RMR), and body composition in children with ADHD. This study therefore investigates the pulmonary functions tests (PFTs), RMR, and body composition parameters in children with ADHD and evaluates their quality of life. METHODS: Forty children with ADHD and 40 healthy controls participated in the study. The children's parents completed Conners' parent rating scale (CPRS) and the pediatric quality of life (PedsQL), and their teachers completed Conners' Teacher rating scale (CTRS). The child participants also completed the PedsQL. RMR, PFTs, and body composition parameters were investigated. RESULTS: No significant differences in age, gender, and socioeconomic level were found. All CPRS subscales, except anxiety and psychosomatic conditions, were significantly different (p < 0.05). According to the CTRS, inattentiveness, hyperactivity, and conduct problems were significantly higher in the ADHD group. The results showed that the ADHD group's quality of life is worse than the control group. Body mass index, body composition parameters, RMR, and PFTs were not statistically different between the children with ADHD and the healthy controls. CONCLUSIONS: Further studies with complex designs are needed to confirm the results.

Association between elimination disorders and abusive maternal attitudes.

OBJECTIVE: Enuresis and encopresis, both conditions are very distressful to children and their family members and it is responsible for significant social and psychological consequences in children and adolescents. The present study aims to determine the rate of abusive maternal attitudes towards children and adolescents with elimination disorders (EDs) and to investigate the maternal psychological and socio-cultural factors associated with abusive parenting attitudes. METHOD: N = 180 children with ED were included in the study. Family Assessment Device (FAD), and Symptom Check List (SCL-90-R) were administered to mothers. RESULTS: Our results indicated that prevalence of abusive maternal attitudes in our sample was 73.8%. Children and adolescents with ED who live with low-educated parents (p = 0.008), low socio economic status (p = 0.014), and in cases with living in a large or divorced family (p = 0.014), disorganized or chaotic families can be considered a population at risk (p < 0.05), since it is more likely that they suffer more severe abusive maternal attitudes. CONCLUSION: Present study showed high rates of abusive parenting attitudes in cases of EDs in a sample of Turkish children and adolescents. Further research on the etiological and therapeutic importance of the family in the case of ED referred to a psychiatry clinic should be carried out.

Problematic Internet use was more common in Turkish adolescents with major depressive disorders than controls.

AIM: This study compared problematic Internet use (PIU) rates in 12- to 18-year-olds with major depressive disorder (MDD) and healthy controls and explored potential links between PIU and suicide among patients with MDD. METHODS: The study sample consisted of 120 patients with MDD (62.5% girls) and 100 controls (58% girls) with a mean age of 15. Suicide ideation and suicide attempts were evaluated, and sociodemographic data were collected. In addition, the Children's Depression Inventory, Young Internet Addiction Test and Suicide Probability Scale were applied. RESULTS: The results showed that PIU rates were significantly higher in the MDD cases than the controls (p < 0.001). The analysis of covariance results showed that there was no relationship between potential suicide and the Young Internet Addiction Test score in MDD cases. However, the hopelessness subscale scores of the MDD patients with PIU were significantly higher than the scores of those without PIU. CONCLUSION: Our results show that PIU was higher in adolescents with MDD and hopelessness was more prevalent among MDD patients with PIU, but no links with potential suicide were found. As this study was a cross-sectional one, it did not allow us to infer a causality relationship between PIU and MDD.

Complementary and alternative medicine use in patients with mental disorders in Turkey.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use and the associated socio-demographic factors among patients with mental disorders in the Turkish community. METHODS: One thousand and twenty-seven patients with a diagnosis of mental disorders who were attending psychiatric outpatient clinics in five Turkish cities were interviewed. A survey questionnaire, which included questions on socio-demographic characteristics and CAM use, was administered face-to-face by psychiatrists. RESULTS: 22.2% of patients with mental disorders were using some form of CAM in the Turkish community. CAM and medication concurrent users had a higher level of education and income compared to CAM users only or medicine users only (p < 0.001). The most common type of CAM used was herbal therapy (n = 146, 64%). CONCLUSION: Use of CAM by patients with mental disorders should be investigated and taken into account by psychiatrists.

Association analyses of depression, anxiety, and physical fitness parameters in Turkish obese adults.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the associations among depression, anxiety, aerobic exercise capacity, body fat percentage, sum of skinfolds, abdomen circumference, and waist to hip ratio on the basis of body mass index (BMI) in adults. METHODS: The subjects of the study were 60 obese participants (30 women, 30 men) with BMIs over 30 kg/m{2}and 60 healthy controls (30 women, 30 men) with BMIs of 18-25 kg/m{2}. Body fat percentage was calculated from the skinfold thicknesses using the formula. Body circumference measurements were performed using a tape measure. Maximal aerobic capacity (VO(2)max) was determined by Astrand submaximal exercise protocol. Two self-reported questionnaires, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), were administered to all participants. RESULTS: BMI, body fat percentage, sum of skinfolds, abdomen circumference, and waist to hip ratio were found to be higher in obese groups as compared to the controls, while VO(2)max (ml/kg/min) values were lower in both genders. In males, BAI scores and mild-level anxiety percentage values were higher in the obese group than in the control group. There was no significant difference for BDI scores and levels between the obese and control groups in both genders. There was also no significant difference in BAI scores and levels between the obese and control groups in women. CONCLUSION: The fact that physical fitness being found poor in obese shows the existence of a condition that might constitute an increased tendency for obesity-related disorders. In addition, it was suggested that, in Turkey, attitudes toward obesity change depending on gender.