The Scale of Intoxications with New Psychoactive Substances over the Period 2014-2020-Characteristics of the Trends and Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Example of Lódz Province, Poland.

Legal highs are new psychoactive substances (NPSs) which pose a high risk for human health, and the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has changed peoples' behaviours, including the demand for NPS. The aim of the study was to assess both the frequency of intoxication with NPS in Lódz province over the period 2014−2020, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on developing this trend. An analysis was carried out of data on intoxications in Lódz province in the years 2014−2020 reported by hospitals. The medical interventions rate (MI) per 100,000 people in the population was calculated. The frequency of intoxications was compared taking sociodemographic variables into account, and the effect of seasonal influence on intoxications was calculated using the Holt−Winter multiplicative seasonal method. In the period considered, there were 7175 acute NPS poisonings in the Lódz province and 25,495 in Poland. The averaged MI rate between 2014−2020 was 9.45 for Poland and 38.53 for the Lódz province, and the lowest value was found during the COVID pandemic in the year 2020 (respectively, 2.1 vs. 16.94). NPS users were mainly young men of 19−24 years old from a big city. Most cases were registered at weekends and in summer months. The majority of intoxications were caused by unidentified psychoactive substances of legal highs (chi2 = 513.98, p < 0.05). The actual number of NPS-related poisonings in the Lódz province in 2020 was lower than the value extrapolated from trend analysis of data between 2014−2019. NPS use in Poland decreased during the pandemic. It should be noted that a decrease in the number of drug-related incidents can have more than one reason, e.g., preventive programs, increased awareness, or changes in the law. This paper advocates that, in addition to monitoring NPS-related intoxications, there is further investigation into the social, cultural, and behavioural determinants of NPS to facilitate targeted prevention programmes and the development of new medical treatments.

Risk factors of excessive body mass in children and adolescents in Lódz

Background: Obesity and cardiovascular disease and metabolic disorders are an increasingly common problem worldwide, also in the developmental age population. Inhibiting this process requires identifying risk factors that can be modified. Objective: The aim of the study was to identify the conditions of the occurrence of overweight and obesity in the Lodz youth at school age. Materials and methods: The survey was conducted in 2008-2012 among school students attending primary and secondary schools in the four districts of Lodz (city in Poland). The study involved 622 students aged 12-18: 309 girls (49.7%) and 313 boys (50.3%). The BMI index was calculated based on anthropometric measurements (mass, body height) and was interpreted on the basis of centile charts of Lodz children (overweight ≥ 85-95 centile; obese ≥ 95 centile). Youth health behaviors were analyzed based on a questionnaire of an original interview modeled on the HBSC (Health Behavior in School-aged Children) study. The obtained results were subjected to statistical analysis (single- and multi-factorial logistic regression analysis). Results: An excess of body weight was found in 23.5% of the examined youth. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, the factors significantly affecting the occurrence of overweight or obesity were: non-eating dinner (daily or sometimes, OR = 1.98); not eating fruit and vegetables every day (OR = 1.57), multi-hour passive relaxation time (use of TV, Internet, OR = 3.08) and low physical activity (OR = 1.76). Conclusions: Intensive promotion of a healthy lifestyle - increasing the awareness and knowledge of schoolchildren, encouraging proper eating habits and active leisure activities - can significantly affect the reduction of obesity risk factors. Health education is required at school for children, as well as for parents and teachers.

Dietary Vitamin C, E and ß-Carotene Intake Does Not Significantly Affect Plasma or Salivary Antioxidant Indices and Salivary C-Reactive Protein in Older Subjects.

It is not clear whether habitual dietary intake influences the antioxidant or inflammatory status. The aim of the present study was to assess the impact of antioxidative vitamins C, E, and ß-carotene obtained from daily food rations on plasma and salivary Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC), uric acid and salivary C-reactive protein (CRP). The study involved 80 older subjects (66.9 ± 4.3 years), divided into two groups: group 1 (n = 43) with lower and group 2 (n = 37) with higher combined vitamins C, E and ß-carotene intake. A 24-h dietary recall was obtained from each individual. TAC was assessed simultaneously with two methods in plasma (Ferric Reducing Ability of Plasma-FRAP, 2.2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-DPPH) and in saliva (FRAS and DPPHS test). Lower vitamin C intake corresponded to higher FRAS. There were no other correlations between vitamins C, E or ß-carotene intake and antioxidant indices. Salivary CRP was not related to any antioxidant indices. FRAS was decreased in group 2 (p < 0.01) but no other group differences for salivary or for plasma antioxidant parameters and salivary CRP were found. Habitual, not extra supplemented dietary intake does not significantly affect plasma or salivary TAC and salivary CRP.