1.
Influences on physical activity and screen time amongst postpartum women with heightened depressive symptoms: a qualitative study.
Apostolopoulos, M, Hnatiuk, JA, Maple, JL, Olander, EK, Brennan, L, van der Pligt, P, Teychenne, M
BMC pregnancy and childbirth. 2021;21(1):376
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Plain language summary
Women who have just had a baby are more susceptible to depression, however they are less likely to participate in activities which will benefit their mental health such as exercise and more likely to engage in screen time. The influence of screen time in these women is poorly understood and this study aimed to help clarify this. The results showed that feelings of depression and amount of screen time were completely distinct from one another in women who had just had a baby. The amount of screen time was determined by individual and social factors. It was concluded that strategies which target behaviour change are likely to be more successful in influencing physical activity in women who have just had a baby and are experiencing depression.
Abstract
BACKGROUND Postpartum women are at higher risk of depression compared to the general population. Despite the mental health benefits an active lifestyle can provide, postpartum women engage in low physical activity and high screen time. Very little research has investigated the social ecological (i.e. individual, social and physical environmental) influences on physical activity and screen time amongst postpartum women, particularly amongst those with depressive symptoms. Therefore, this study sought to examine the influences on physical activity and screen time amongst postpartum women with heightened depressive symptoms. METHODS 20 mothers (3-9 months postpartum) participating in the Mums on the Move pilot randomised controlled trial who reported being insufficiently active and experiencing heightened depressive symptoms participated in semi-structured telephone interviews exploring their perceptions of the key influences on their physical activity and screen time across various levels of the social ecological model. Strategies for promoting physical activity and reducing screen time were explored with participants. Thematic analyses were undertaken to construct key themes from the qualitative data. RESULTS Findings showed that postpartum women with depressive symptoms reported individual (i.e. sleep quality, being housebound, single income), social (i.e. childcare, social support from partner and friends) and physical environmental (i.e. weather, safety in the local neighbourhood) influences on physical activity. Postpartum women reported individual (i.e. screen use out of habit and addiction, enjoyment) and social (i.e. positive role modelling, social isolation) influences on screen-time, but no key themes targeting the physical environmental influences were identified for screen time. Strategies suggested by women to increase physical activity included mother's physical activity groups, home-based physical activity programs and awareness-raising. Strategies to reduce screen time included the use of screen time tracker apps, increasing social connections and awareness-raising. CONCLUSIONS Amongst postpartum women with heightened depressive symptoms, influences on physical activity encompassed all constructs of the social ecological model. However, screen time was only perceived to be influenced by individual and social factors. Intervention strategies targeting predominantly individual and social factors may be particularly important for this high-risk group. These findings could assist in developing targeted physical activity and screen time interventions for this cohort.
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Serum cytokine pattern in young children with screening detected coeliac disease.
Björck, S, Lindehammer, SR, Fex, M, Agardh, D
Clinical and experimental immunology. 2015;179(2):230-5
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Coeliac disease (CD) is an autoimmune disorder characterised by inflammation in the small bowel after ingesting gluten. Many patients may be asymptomatic and clinically silent, prolonging their diagnosis and treatment. This may put them at risk for long-term complications due to chronic systemic inflammation. Circulating cytokines indicate inflammatory activity in the body and have been shown to be elevated in patients with CD. The aim of this study was to measure the levels of serum cytokines in 26 3-year-old children with CD, both at the time of diagnosis and after starting a gluten-free diet. The findings of this study showed that young children with CD demonstrated elevated levels of serum cytokines at the time of diagnosis. After maintaining a gluten-free diet, many cytokine levels decreased. Based on this study, the authors’ conclude that systemic inflammation due to undiagnosed disease in young children may contribute to long-term complications associated with chronic inflammation, and should be accounted for when screening for the disease.
Abstract
Coeliac disease is an autoimmune disease characterized by inflammation localized to the small bowel, but less is known about systemic signs of inflammation. The aim was to measure cytokines of the T helper 1 (Th1) and T helper 2 (Th2) cell patterns in children with screening-detected coeliac disease before and after treatment with a gluten-free diet. Serum samples selected before and after the start of a gluten-free diet from 26 3-year-old children diagnosed with biopsy-proven coeliac disease and from 52 matched controls were assayed in an multiplex enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the 10 cytokines: interferon (IFN)-γ, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12p70, IL-13 and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α. Among Th1 cytokines, IFN-γ and IL-12p70 were elevated significantly in children with coeliac disease compared to controls (P < 0.001 and P = 0.001, respectively). Similar findings were demonstrated for the Th2 cytokines IL-5 (P < 0.001), IL-10 (P = 0.001) and IL-13 (P = 0.002). No difference in cytokine levels between the two groups was found for TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4 and IL-8. After gluten-free diet, levels of IL-5, IL-12 and IL-10 decreased significantly (P < 0.001, P = 0.002 and P = 0.007) and IFN-γ levels were reduced (P = 0.059). Young children with coeliac disease detected by screening demonstrate elevated levels of serum cytokines at time of diagnosis. A prolonged systemic inflammation may, in turn, contribute to long-term complications known to be associated with untreated coeliac disease.