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PubMed2002

Women's sleep: longitudinal changes and secular trends in a 24-year perspective. Results of the population study of women in Gothenburg, Sweden.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: To present observational data on the frequency of sleep problems, sleep duration, and sleep medication in an urban female population. DESIGN: A prospective population study, initiated in 1968-69, with follow-ups in 1974-75, 1980-81, and 1992-93. SETTING: Göteborg, Sweden, with around 445,000 inhabitants. PARTICIPANTS: 1462 women born in 1908, 1914, 1918, 1922, 1930, and 205 women born in 1942 and 1954, a representative selection of women of the respective age in the general population. INTERVENTIONS: NA. MEASUREMENTS: Reported number of hours slept per night, sleep problems, use of sleeping pills, and sleep satisfaction. RESULTS: The frequency of sleep problems increased with age, as did consultations for sleep problems and the use of sleep medication, while no major differences in these parameters could be discerned in a 24-year secular trend analysis of 38- and 50-year-old women, except a lower sleeping pill use in 50-year-old women in 1992-93. An interesting finding was also that the significant reduction of the proportion of 38-year-old women sleeping more than 8 hours per night between 1968-69 and 1980-81 was not accompanied by a secular deterioration in sleep satisfaction in that age group. CONCLUSIONS: Sleep duration decreased by approximately 0.4 hours per night between the ages of 38 and 66. The frequency of sleep problems increased by around 30% between the ages of 38 and 84. The use of sleeping pills also increased, except in the 50-year-old cohort.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Secular gains in fluid intelligence: evidence from the Culture-Fair intelligence test.

There is no doubt about the reality of the secular increase in cognitive test scores. However, there is disagreement about a key issue: does the observed increase reflect a genuine upward trend in intelligence? Evidence from the Raven test is clear, although there are some doubts about its adequacy as a fine-grained measure of fluid intelligence. Evidence from the so-called 'method of correlated vectors' is much less clear. When a crystallized battery is considered, the results leave little doubt: the increase does not reflect gains in general intelligence. However, when a fluid battery is analysed, the increase does reflect gains in general intelligence. The present study uses one of the best available measures of fluid intelligence (the Culture-Fair intelligence test) to provide new evidence for the secular increase in fluid intelligence, beyond the findings from the Raven test and the method of correlated vectors. A total of 4498 Spanish high school students and high school graduates were tested within a time interval of 20 and 23 years, respectively. The results show that there is a clear upward trend in intelligence. Moreover, students show an average increase equivalent to 6 IQ points, while graduates show an average increase of 4 IQ points. Therefore, more selected people (graduates) show a smaller increase than less selected people (students). Some implications are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Secular trend in size at birth of Vietnamese newborns during the last 2 decades (1980-2000).

The aim of the study was to investigate the secular changes in size at birth of Vietnamese newborns, and to determine the relationship between size at birth of the infants and nutritional status of their parents. Length, weight, mid upper arm circumference and head circumference of 586 newborns from the two maternity houses Hoan Kiem and Hai Ba Trung in Hanoi, Vietnam were measured. Information on socioeconomic conditions, health status, weight, and height of the parents were also obtained. There was a significant increase of birth weight (190 g,P=0.008; T-test) and length (1.3 cm, P=0.001; T-test) of Vietnamese newborns compared to those of newborns of the 1980's (1980-1984). There was a positive secular trend in parent's height and weight after a period of one and a half decades (height and weight increase of mothers: 2.6 kg and 1.9 cm, respectively; height and weight increase of fathers: 4.5 kg and 1.6 cm, respectively). The data showed that the birth weight of infants in the Capital of Vietnam have caught up with those of infants from richer societies in the Northern hemisphere.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Career plans for male-dominated occupations among female seniors in religious and secular high schools.

This study investigated the hypothesis that the religious beliefs of young women significantly affect their career planning. All female seniors (N = 315) in one public religious and two public secular high schools in Israel responded to inventories examining their (1) orientation to homemaking or career, (2) interest in male-dominated occupations, and (3) preference for male-dominated occupations. Results from regression analyses indicated that young women from the secular schools, as compared to those from the religious school, expressed greater interest in and preference for male-dominated occupations. In addition, religious orientation, more than other background variables, had predictive power for interest in and preference for male-dominated occupations.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Secular trend in stature and age at menarche among Punjabi Aroras residing in New Delhi, India.

The study was conducted on Punjabi Arora girls (n = 159) and their mothers to see the phenomenon of secular trend in stature and age at menarche. An increase in stature and decrease in age at menarche was reported when the data of daughters was compared with that of their mothers thereby indicating secular trend in these two parameters. Better living conditions, improved nutrition and medical facilities, changes in environmental and socio-economic factors may account for increase in stature and early biological maturation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

[Secular trends of hypospadias in Chinese perinatals].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the secular trends in the prevalence rate of hypospadias in Chinese perinatals and explore its possible influencing factors. METHODS: Data were taken from Chinese Birth Defects Monitoring Network, a hospital-based congenital anomalies registry system. All live or still births at or beyond 28 weeks of gestation were assessed within 7 days after delivery in the period from 1987 to 2001. RESULTS: 1999 cases of hypospadias were identified among 3,769,464 male births, the crude prevalence rate being 5.30 per 10,000 births. And an increasing secular trend was observed both in urban and rural areas. In recent years, an increase in rate of hypospadias was found in coastal provinces and inland provinces, but not in remote border provinces. Faster increase was seen in urban areas and coastal areas, compared with that in rural areas and inland areas respectively. CONCLUSION: The prevalence rates of hypospadias in Chinese perinatals from 1987 to 2001 showed an upward tendency.

China↗
PubMed1992

The compression of morbidity hypothesis: promise and pitfalls of using record-linked data bases to assess secular trends in morbidity and mortality.

Individuals who are 65 years of age and older have exhibited unprecedented declines in mortality over the past few decades in the United States. Whether this increased survival has been accompanied by delays in the onset of disease or greater age-specific morbidity remains unanswered because of a paucity of reliable information on secular trends in age-specific disease incidence and survival. The Rochester Epidemiology Project (REP) is one of a few existing medical record linkage systems that offer promise of providing some of the necessary information. Several examples are presented that illustrate the potential of medical record-linked data bases for examining secular trends in the association between age at onset of disease and age at death.

Age Factors↗
PubMed2005

Secular trends and contemporary differences in physique and health-related fitness levels of 11-12 year-old South Korean and New Zealand children.

Physique and physical fitness levels of 343 South Korean and 260 New Zealand 11-12-year-old schoolchildren were measured between 2000 and 2001 and added to previous data to investigate secular trends and contemporary patterns in these health-related variables. Secular trend data suggest that South Korean children are growing taller at a faster rate but are also increasing in body mass faster than New Zealand children. Contemporary South Korean children had significantly higher sit and reach and broad jump scores compared to New Zealand children, however aerobic fitness was similar between the cohorts except for 11-year-old New Zealand girls who took significantly longer to complete the 550-m run. Contemporary South Korean and New Zealand children's physiques are similar at present but if current trends continue South Korean children will become more obese than their New Zealand counterparts. An increase in South Korean children's fat mass will also have a detrimental effect on their currently superior fitness levels and overall health.

Anthropometry↗
PubMed2006

Secular birth weight changes in liveborn infants before, during, and after 1991-1995 homeland war in Croatia.

AIM: To assess secular trends in birth weights of liveborn infants in Croatia from 1983 to 2003. METHODS: Of a total of 959,591 liveborn infants in the study period, 384,367 were born in the prewar (1983-1989), 226,226 during the war (1991-1995), and 348 998 in the postwar (1996-2003) period. The birth weight of liveborn infants was assessed by 500 g weight groups on the basis of data provided by the Croatian National Institute of Public Health. RESULTS: The gradual and significant increase in the share of infants with birth weight > or =3500 g (<0.001) was paralleled by a reduction in the share of infants with birth weights 2500-3449 g (P<0.001) and <2500 g (P<0.05) in the study period. There was a positive trend in the proportion of 4000-4499 g, > or =4500 g (P<0.001 for both), and 500-999 g (P=0.002) birth weight groups and negative trend in 1000-1499 g, 2500-2999 g, and 3000-3499 g weight groups (P<0.001 for all). During the war period, the proportion of liveborn infants in the 2500-3499 g weight group decreased in comparison with prewar proportion; this trend continued in the postwar period (P<0.001 for both). In the war period, the proportion of liveborn infants with birth weights of 2000-2499 g was significantly larger (P<0.001) and that of > or =4500 g significantly smaller in comparison with the prewar and postwar proportions (P<0.001 for both). CONCLUSION: Positive secular changes in infant birth weights observed in the prewar and postwar period contrasted negative changes during the war period in Croatia. This finding may suggest the association between war suffering and stress and changes in birth weights of newborns.

Birth Weight↗
PubMed1991

[Secular trend as a factor of craniofacial morphological changes].

The study was carried out in two age-matched groups of patients from two different periods of time. The aim of the study was to determine whether any craniofacial system alterations attributable to the influence of secular trend had occurred during a defined period of time. Four basic craniofacial variables, from which the craniofacial indices were derived, were measured. The findings were statistically processed by the basic parameter evaluation and testing of differences of arithmetical means of the same variables between the two study groups. The results showed the following alterations to have occurred during a 13-year period due to the secular trend effects: cranial indices decreased, mostly by a significant cranial length increase (g-op); and facial indices decreased, mostly by a facial height decrease (n-gn).

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

[Growth in head circumference: parent-child correlation and secular trend].

Head circumference is an important growth parameter; it is closely related to brain development in normal infants. Therefore regular meticulous measurements of head circumference can give diagnostic hints of abnormal brain growth, i. e., reduced growth as in severe malnutrition or accelerated as in hydrocephalus, for example. The results presented here are based on the Bonn Longitudinal Study on growth and development; 150 infants (65 preterm and 85 full-term) were measured regularly from birth. Head circumference of the parents was also measured. For the full term infants the highest correlation was found between mother and daughter (r = 0.75), in the preterm infants the highest correlation was seen between mother and son (r = 0.65). In the Bonn Longitudinal Study and in a recent additional Bonn Study no positive secular trend of head circumference was observed which agrees with results of others. Interestingly enough, growth of head circumference behaves completely differently from that of height in the Bonn Study, where a positive secular trend was observed.

Cephalometry↗
PubMed1990

[Secular trend of physical development and its significance for pediatric practice].

A review is given on the secular trend of the somatic development, on its part-phenomena and on the mutual interest of the human biology as well as the pediatric practice. The author presents two example of a positive secular trend in Hungary concerning the growth of height and the maturation in girls, respectively. This last one, however, shows also a negative tendency in the last decades.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Secular trend of growth in Malaysian children.

Over the past hundred years in industrialised countries and recently in some developing countries, children have been getting larger and growing to maturity more rapidly. This paper compares the growth of Malaysian children with similar socioeconomic backgrounds but born about twelve years apart. Data were obtained from records of 227 children born between 1968 and 1973 and 238 children born between 1980 and 1985. The children were followed-up regularly at the University Hospital Child Health Clinic in Kuala Lumpur for a variable period from birth to five years of age. Measurements for their weight, length and head circumference were taken at each visit. There is a directional indication that boys and girls of the 1980-1985 cohort are taller, heavier and have bigger head circumferences from birth to five years of age and the difference widens as the child grows older. This study clearly shows that a positive secular trend has taken place in the last decade, reflecting an improvement of living conditions with time. The factors involved in the positive secular trend are manifold and the most important is probably nutrition.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1990

[Secular acceleration in psychological and somatic trends. A review].

This is a review about the secular acceleration of psychic an somatic development over the last two decades. Based on empirical studies published in this field, the final tendency of this trend in growth and puberty, its continuance in sexual behaviour and mental capacity, as the possible consequences for personality development are discussed. The secular trend is interpreted as an effect of modification limited for genetic and ecological reasons.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

[The current status of secular acceleration].

The present paper is based upon the results of anthropological examinations of Jena schoolchildren. It gives a statement on the extent and the present level of secular changes in selected characteristics. Over long periods of time a becoming slimmer of today's population of Jena schoolchildren is documented. The secular acceleration in Jena probands has lasted up to the present time (although in part with reduced intensity).

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Secular trends in body mass index among Danish young men.

Body mass index (weight/height 2; kg/m2) of 38,132 Danish young men, representing approximately 10 percent of those undergoing mandatory draft board examination was analyzed with regard to secular changes through the birth cohorts 1939-58 in the Greater Copenhagen area and a western provincial region, and through the cohorts 1947-58 in two other provincial areas. The 25th, 50th, and 75th percentiles of body mass index remained essentially unchanged over time. The prevalence of obesity (body mass index greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2) showed a steep increase in birth cohorts beginning in the early 1940s and a levelling off thereafter. The secular increase in prevalence of obesity without similar trends in median body mass index strongly suggest the existence of environmental causes of obesity to which the study population was increasingly exposed. The changes may have occurred either in specific causes of obesity or, most likely, in more general environmental conditions causing obesity only together with genetic predisposition, for which there is growing evidence.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

AIDS-related secular trends in cancer in Los Angeles County men: a comparison by marital status.

Data from the population-based cancer registry for Los Angeles County, an area with high risk of AIDS, were used to evaluate secular trends of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS), non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and other possibly AIDS-related cancers in men aged 18 to 54. Marital status was used as a surrogate for homosexual behavior to compare the proportional incidence rates for the pre-AIDS era, 1972 to 1979, to those for 1980 to 1982 and 1983 to 1985. Both absolute incidence and proportional incidence of KS continue to increase sharply, although in absolute numbers, KS is making a smaller contribution to the total number of AIDS cases as the Los Angeles County epidemic progresses. For never-married men the proportional incidence rate of KS in 1983 to 1985 was nearly 100-fold greater than that of 1972 to 1979 and 7-fold greater than that of 1980 to 1982. High-grade lymphomas show statistically significant secular increases in both never-married and ever-married men, but only the rates of Burkitt's lymphomas have increased to a greater extent in never-married men. A small but significant increase of central nervous system lymphomas is seen in both marital status groups. There is no evidence of any AIDS-related increases in Hodgkin's disease, leukemia, testicular cancer, anal cancer, liver cancer, oral cancer, multiple myeloma, or malignant melanoma. As of 1985, cancer, as a manifestation of AIDS, is still apparently limited to KS and high-grade lymphomas (particularly Burkitt's) in Los Angeles County.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗