International Journal of Child Health and Nutrition

45-55

Authors: Cassandra S. Diep, Alicia Beltran, Tzu- An Chen, Debbe Thompson, Teresia O Connor, Sheryl Hughes Sheryl Hughes, Janice Baranowski, Tom Baranowski

Parents may positively influence children’s vegetable consumption through effective vegetable parenting practices (VPP). Research has demonstrated three dimensions of effective VPP: Effective Responsiveness, Structure, and Non-Directive Control, but there is limited research investigating each separately. This study presents the modeling of Effective Responsive, Structure, and Non-Directive Control VPP using constructs from the Model of Goal Directed Vegetable Parenting Practices (MGDVPP). Parents (n=307) completed a survey on demographics, MGDVPP constructs, and effective VPP. Block regression modeling tested three models: one for each dimension of effective VPP as the dependent variable. Independent variables included validated subscales representing MGDVPP constructs: Intention, Desire, Perceived Barriers, Autonomy, Relatedness, Self-Efficacy, Habit, Anticipated Emotions, Perceived Behavioral Control, Attitudes, and Norms. Participants were racially diverse, and a majority was female, of higher socioeconomic status, and with a male child. Effective Responsive VPP was positively related to a Habit subscale. Effective Structure VPP was positively related to a Barrier, two Habit, and an Attitude subscales. Effective Non-Directive Control VPP was positively related to being a high school or GED graduate, having younger children, a Habit, and two Intentions subscales, and negatively related to an Intentions and a Perceived Behavioral Control subscales. The adjusted R2 for the Effective Responsive, Structure, and Non-Directive Control VPP models were 0.432, 0.310, and 0.515, respectively. This was the first study to relate constructs from a theoretical model to effective VPP dimensions. Research is needed to longitudinally assess the MGDVPP and test its utility in vegetable-related interventions

63-74

Authors: Ambika Mathur, Aarti Kamat, Blythe Philp, Jennifer Tabb, Ronald Thomas, Prashant Mahajan, John Caldwell, Deepak Kamat

Background:Although parenteral sedation is often required in MRI studies in children, it is stressful and increases the cost of healthcare. Objectives: We evaluated the impact of music interventions in children receiving parenteral sedation for MRI studies on total number of doses of sedation medications, sedation time, levels of cortisol and cytokines, sedation success, adverse events, parental satisfaction, and cost savings. Methods: We conducted a prospective open unblinded four-arm clinical evaluation of interventions on 471 children 1-12 years of age undergoing MRI and receiving parenteral sedation. Children were assigned to active music therapy (AMT), facilitated music listening (FML), and as comparison another intervention (child life intervention or CLI), or no intervention (NI); measures included number of doses of sedation medications, time of sedation, sedation success, adverse events, parental satisfaction, and salivary levels of the stress hormone cortisol and pro-inflammatory cytokines, before and after intervention.Results: The total number of sedation doses, total sedation time, and levels of salivary cortisol and cytokines did not differ between the four groups. One FMLA choice, Wee Sing Animal Songs, resulted in significant decrease in total sedation time and reduction of associated costs. Conclusions: The use of one type of FML led to decreased total sedation time in children. This is an important finding since FML is an inexpensive non-invasive intervention which could be of significant time and cost saving benefits.

79-85

Authors: Bruno Faria, Maria Arlete Meil Schimith Escrivão, Paulo Cesar Koch Nogueira

Background: Weight excess has become a public health problem worldwide, reaching about 200 million children, of whom 40 to 50 million are obese. Obesity in childhood is associated with increased blood pressure (BP), high triglycerides, low HDL-cholesterol and abnormal glucose metabolism. Visceral fat is a stronger predictor of metabolic dysfunction and cardiovascular risk than total body adiposity. Assessment of neck circumference (NC) is an easy method, which can serve as screening to identify individuals with weight excess. Our study aim was to examine associations between NC with BP values, lipid profile, blood glucose and fasting insulin in obese adolescents and verify the reproducibility of measurements of NC. Methods: 82 adolescents aged 10 to 17 years were included in the study, being 43 (22 boys and 21 girls) with obesity and 39 with normal weight (20 boys and 19 girls). Results: Significant associations were observed between NC and BMI, BP, HDL cholesterol, insulin and HOMA-IR. Disagreement between both observers for NC was observed in 5.2% of the sample, only concerning obese individuals. Conclusion: Our findings strengthen the knowledge about the potential value of NC as a tool for identifying patients at risk for hypertension, insulin resistance, and obesity. However as with the waist circumference it may be flawed in obese individuals