To investigate ways in which young people's attitudes about, and motivation for, exercise vary with the levels of exercise they take, a self-completed questionnaire was given to 382 children aged 14-15 in two secondary schools in Devon. It was found that the high exercisers (defined by those in the highest quartile) had attitudes to exercise which were more favourable, received more encouragement to exercise and encouraged others to exercise more. The majority of low exercisers had positive beliefs about the value of exercise although approximately half in boys and one-third in girls were satisfied with the amount and kind of exercise they undertook. Low-exercising boys and girls at all exercise levels preferred their exercise to be noncompetitive. The majority of both sexes accepted that their future health depended on their current behaviour and, in girls, strength of this belief was directly related to exercise level. It may be concluded that advice to young people and physical education programmes in schools should take account of the attitudes and beliefs about exercise held by pupils of all physical abilities.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1993

Accutracker II (version 30/23) ambulatory blood pressure monitor: clinical validation using the British Hypertension Society and Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation standards.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the Accutracker II (version 30/23) ambulatory blood pressure monitor by nationally agreed protocols in order to resolve previous conflicting assessments, and to examine the feasibility of combining these protocols into one study. DESIGN: The protocols of the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) and the British Hypertension Society (BHS) were used simultaneously. SUBJECTS: Five normotensive subjects were used to assess interobserver variation; 30 subjects took part in the field evaluation and 85 in the laboratory evaluation. The latter subjects were selected to cover a wide range of blood pressures and differences in arm circumference. OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Classification of device accuracy according to the criteria of the BHS and AAMI protocols. RESULTS: Among 255 observations the mean +/- SD difference between blood pressure measurements by the Accutracker II and the observers was -2.2 +/- 0.8/-3.5 +/- 0.9 mmHg. There was a small but statistically significant difference between one device and the other two, but all three fulfilled the BHS criteria of 95% of measurements falling within 3 mmHg before and after use. In 30 24-h recordings > 80% of the programmed inflations produced valid recordings. Editing criteria accounted for the majority (55%) of invalid readings; weak Korotkoff sounds, imperfect electrocardiogram signals or movement artefact accounted for the remainder. CONCLUSIONS: Version 30/23 of the Accutracker II fulfilled the AAMI criteria; using the BHS system, it was graded A for systolic and C for diastolic blood pressure. Although both protocols were readily combined into one study, they do not assess exactly the same aspects of blood pressure measurement. Previous conflicting evaluations could be due to differences in applying the protocols or may result from modifications in production models. Posture may affect the rating given by the BHS protocol. Until there is general international agreement on the method used to validate ambulatory blood pressure monitors, simultaneous use of both the BHS and AAMI protocols is recommended. In future assessments or investigational use of any similar instruments the model used should be described precisely.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1992

Drinking amongst medical patients: levels of risk and models of change.

Results are reported of a study in which 547 general hospital medical in-patients were screened, using a computer-administered questionnaire, for alcohol consumption, problems and concerns. Of males, 22.5% were classified as 'risk drinkers', of women 6.5%. Rates of risk were particularly high amongst younger male patients. It was concluded that certain screening questionnaire items were more useful than others in the general hospital context, and that standard questionnaires developed for other populations should not automatically be used in general hospitals. Comparisons with items relating to other health behaviours suggested that the medical profession, the general public and the patients themselves might be relatively insensitive to the risks associated with heavy drinking in comparison to those associated with smoking, weight and lack of exercise. Data from initial screening and from 75% of patients who were asked to repeat the questionnaire six months later, were used to test certain assumptions of a model of change based in part upon that of Prochaska & DiClemente (1986). Results suggested that processes of change were more complex than the model supposed.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1991

The peak oxygen uptake of British children with reference to age, sex and sexual maturity.

The purposes of this study were to provide baseline data on the peak oxygen consumption (VO2) of British children, aged 11-16 years and to examine the peak VO2 of children in relation to their pubertal stage of development. The peak VO2 of 226 boys and 194 girls was determined during either treadmill running or cycle ergometry. The sexual maturity of 320 of the children was estimated using Tanner's indices. Peak VO2 increased with chronological age in both sexes and from about the age of 12 years boys exhibited significantly higher (P less than 0.05) values than girls. Boys' peak VO2 in relation to body mass was consistent over the age range studied and was superior (P less than 0.05) to girls' values at all ages. It appears that mass-related peak VO2 is independent of sexual maturity in both sexes. The more mature boys demonstrated a significantly higher (P less than 0.05) peak VO2 (1.min-1) than the less mature boys on both ergometers. The more mature girls demonstrated significantly higher (P less than 0.05) peak VO2 (1.min-1) than the less mature girls only on the cycle ergometer. On both ergometers the differences between the peak VO2 of the girls and boys were more pronounced in the mature children whether expressed in relation to body mass or not. Comparison of the results with earlier data drawn from smaller samples failed to provide evidence to suggest that British children's peak VO2 has declined in recent years. No study with which to compare our maturity peak VO2 data appears to be available.

Age Factors↗

PubMed1991

Lipids in British schoolchildren.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1991

Psychiatric and neurological effects of chronic solvent abuse.

This study is a review of the psychiatric and neurological effects of solvent inhalation on a group of 22 patients with chronic histories of solvent abuse, primarily toluene-based solvents. The findings suggest that the chronic inhalation of toluene-based adhesives can produce a paranoid psychosis which may persist. Other findings were a high incidence of temporal lobe epilepsy and decrease in IQ. We suggest that the psychiatric and neurological sequelae of chronic solvent abuse are serious and potentially irreversible. Toluene is felt to be a major factor in the morbidity associated with chronic solvent abuse, and attention is drawn to the necessity for educational programs in this area. The burden caused by the resulting psychiatric problems resulting from solvent abuse may have implications for health care budgets.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1990

Patterns of physical activity among 11 to 16 year old British children.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the patterns of physical activity among British schoolchildren aged 11 to 16 and to assess whether the children experience the intensity and duration of physical activity that are believed to stress the cardiopulmonary system appropriately. DESIGN: Cross sectional study of a sample of children drawn from a larger survey of coronary risk factors in children. Continuous monitoring of heart rate for 12 hour periods on three school days and one Saturday. SETTING: Two communities in Devon. SUBJECTS: 266 Children (163 girls, 103 boys) aged 11 to 16 randomly selected from a sample of 707 children. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Percentage of time and number of sustained periods in which heart rate was greater than 139 beats/min. Anthropometric measures and external assessment of sexual maturity with Tanner's indices. RESULTS: The boys had heart rates greater than 139 beats/min for a significantly higher percentage of time than the girls (p less than 0.01) during the weekday (6.2% v 4.3%) and the Saturday (5.6% v 2.6%). The boys had significantly more five and 10 minute periods with heart rates greater than 139 beats/min than the girls during the Saturday and weekdays and more 20 minute periods during the weekdays. 84 Girls and 37 boys had no 10 minute period with a heart rate greater than 139 beats/min during the three weekdays and 112 girls and 65 boys had no such 10 minute period during the Saturday. No significant relation was detected in either sex between the amount or habitual physical activity (heart rate) and skinfold thickness or maturity group. CONCLUSIONS: British children have surprisingly low levels of habitual physical activity, and many children seldom undertake the volume of physical activity believed to benefit the cardiopulmonary system. Boys are more active than girls. The pubertal stage of development or body fatness, or both, do not seem to be sensitive indicators of physical activity in either girls or boys.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1990

Estimation of coronary risk factors in British schoolchildren: a preliminary report.

Surveys from several countries have identified the presence of risk factors known to be associated with coronary heart disease in children. Data on the distribution of coronary risk factor variables in British children are scarce. This study was therefore designed to test the feasibility of collecting coronary risk factor data from British children and to conduct a preliminary examination of the problem. One hundred and seven children (mean age 12.8 yr) had their height, weight, triceps skinfold and blood pressure checked. Blood samples for cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol analysis were obtained from 93 children. Peak VO2 was determined on 48 children, 76 children had their daily activity monitored and 59 children's stage of sexual maturity was assessed. The boys' peak VO2 was significantly higher than the girls, whether expressed in l.min-1 (p less than 0.05) or ml.kg.-1min-1 (p less than 0.01). No other significant differences (p greater than 0.05) between the sexes were detected. The results indicate that children have relatively high serum cholesterol levels (boys 4.58 +/- 0.79; girls 4.72 +/- 0.80 mmol.l-1). The willingness and enthusiasm of the children, parents and schools to take part in the study clearly demonstrated the feasibility of a large scale study being successfully pursued in the United Kingdom.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1990