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PubMed1991

Secular trend in body mass index in the adult population of three communities from the upper mid-western part of the USA: the Minnesota Heart Health Program.

Secular trend in body mass index (BMI) over 7 years (1980-1987) was examined in the upper mid-western part of the USA using annual cross-sectional data collected by the Minnesota Heart Health Program. Significant secular increase in BMI adjusted for age and education was found in both men (0.08 kg/m2/year, P less than 0.02) and women (0.19 kg/m2/year, P less than 0.0001). In women, the secular increase occurred throughout the distribution of body weights but the change in the upper end was two to three times greater than that in the other parts of the distribution. In men, most of the increase in BMI occurred in the upper end of the distribution. Prevalence of obesity (defined as BMI greater than or equal to 85th percentile at year 1: men, 30.16 kg/m2; women, 29.94 kg/m2) increased by 0.6 percent/year (P = 0.1) in men and by 1.0 percent/year (P = 0.002) in women. The results indicate that body weight is increasing in upper mid-western adults, probably largely as a result of already overweight individuals becoming more obese. The secular increase in BMI was not accompanied by systemic change in reported food intake and exercise, and could not be explained by decreased prevalence of smoking. Large increases in body weight, especially among those who are already overweight, may have a significant public health impact.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Adult stature in southern African Negroes--further evidence on the absence of a positive secular trend.

The continuing search for data bearing on secular changes of adult stature in disadvantaged or Third-World communities led to the analysis of two sets of data. One was unpublished but was kindly made available by Professor H.C. Seftel, and was based on a study of 5,018 adult and sub-adult male black subjects living in Johannesburg. The other dealt with black miners and the relevant data on adult and sub-adult stature had been published by Dr J.G.D. Laing. Both sets of results were analysed by the method of age-ranking of the cross-sectional data and correcting them, where applicable, for 'personal shrinkage' after 30 years of age. The former results proved suitable for the analysis and the reduced data showed clear evidence that the Johannesburg population concerned had not been subject to a secular trend towards increased adult mean stature over the period c. 1919 - c. 1950. This is a further example, over and above those already adduced from studies in Asia, Africa, Meso- and South America, that many of the world's agrarian and pastoral communities have shown an absent or even a negative secular trend, during some of the time that First-World populations have shown a positive secular trend. The data for black miners proved to be too heterogeneous for this approach to be applied validly to them.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

[Effect of secular acceleration on the human brain weight and its changes during aging].

The presented examinations on humans are based on 26 publications regarding the secular acceleration and 16 regarding the brain weight (each of the latter containing at least 500 values). The secular acceleration of the body length was only insignificant up to 1800 AD (about 1 mm per 100). From 1800 to 1900, the size of the length increased steadily and reached finally a size of 1 to 1.2 mm/a which is probably unchanged at present. This behaviour can be observed in every country in which such data were sampled. A positive correlation between brain size and body length can be found in a sample of about 11,000 values. An increase of 10 cm body-length corresponds to an increase of 59 g in brain weight, respectively 10 g brain weight are equal to 1.7 cm body-length. 21,300 values of 15 transversal examinations regarding brain weight and age compare the brains of the older and smaller generation having primarily smaller brains with those of the younger generation having primarily larger brains. Therefore the observed diminution of the brain weight during ageing is partly fictitious. With the help of correlation between brain weight and body length on the one hand and the secular acceleration of the body length on the other hand it is possible to correct the fictitious part of this diminishing. The result can state that the real diminution of the brain begins around the 60th year of age. However, it is probable that a high individual variability concerning time and speed exists. At present, the ideas regarding the sources of the secular acceleration are highly speculative.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

Ageing and secular changes in adult stature of Jat-Sikh and Bania females of Punjab (India).

Stature, sitting height and subischial length in a cross-sectional sample of 502 Jat-Sikh and 510 Bania females of Punjab ranging in age from 20 to 80 years, have been studied. It has been possible to separate out statural decrease due to ageing from secular effects by taking into consideration the subischial length, which is least affected by ageing. The rate of loss in stature obtained due to ageing is 0.0997 +/- 0.012 cm/yr in Jat-Sikh females and 0.127 +/- 0.012 cm/yr in Bania females. After adjusting the stature for ageing, the secular estimate obtained is 0.051 +/- 0.022 cm/yr in Jat-Sikh and 0.047 +/- 0.021 cm/yr in Bania females. The ageing and secular estimates obtained per year in both the communities are significantly different from zero at 5% level. The ageing estimate obtained per year is more in Bania females, whereas the secular estimate per year is larger in Jat-Sikh females, although non-significant.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Psychosocial factors among members of religious and secular kibbutzim.

Mortality in 11 secular kibbutzim between 1970 and 1985 was nearly twice that of 11 matched religious kibbutzim. A cross-sectional study was undertaken in 1991 in 10 of these settlements, 5 religious and 5 secular, to determine whether differences in risk factors could explain the unequal survival. These comprised physical, physiologic and biochemical measurements, health-relevant behaviors and psychosocial variables. This report addresses the psychosocial aspect of the study, which included assessment of sense of coherence, hostility, satisfaction with self, work-related stress, social supports and social contacts using self-administered questionnaires. The response rate among the sample of men and women, aged 35-64 years, was 76% (437 respondents, 208 men and 229 women). Analysis of variance and logistic regression (the latter comparing the upper or lower fourths of the distribution vs. the rest) were used. Religious kibbutz members reported a higher sense of coherence (odds ratio = 1.58, 95% CI 1.02 to 2.46) and a lower level of hostility (odds ratio = 0.49, 95% CI 0.33 to 0.75) than their secular counterparts. Findings for satisfaction with self and work-related stress were inconsistent; there were significant interactions between religious affiliation, sex and age. Younger women reported less satisfaction with self and higher work-related stress than the other age-sex groups in both types of kibbutz. There was no difference in social support or frequency of social contact between religious and secular kibbutzim. Voluntary work was more frequent among the religious kibbutzim. The findings are consistent with an interpretation that Jewish religious observance may enhance the formation of certain protective personality characteristics. Membership in a cohesive religious kibbutz community may increase host resistance to stressors and thereby promote overall well-being and a positive health status. This could reflect an interplay of individual and collective attributes of religion.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed2005

Christian bioethics, secular bioethics, and the claim to cultural authority.

Though the papers in this volume for the most part address the question, "What is Christian about Christian Bioethics", this paper addresses instead a closely related question, "How would a Christian approach to bioethics differ from the kind of secular academic bioethics that has emerged as such an important field in the contemporary university?" While it is generally assumed that a secular bioethics rooted in moral philosophy will be more culturally authoritative than an approach to bioethics grounded in the contingent particularities of a religious tradition, I will give reasons for rejecting this assumption. By examining the history of the recent revival of academic bioethics as well as the state of the contemporary moral philosophy on which it is based I will suggest that secular bioethics suffers from many of the same liabilities as a carefully articulated Christian bioethics. At the end of the paper I will turn briefly to examine the question of how, in light of this discussion, a Christian bioethics might best be pursued.

Bioethics↗
PubMed2006

Secular humanism and "scientific psychiatry".

The Council for Secular Humanism identifies Secular Humanism as a "way of thinking and living" committed to rejecting authoritarian beliefs and embracing "individual freedom and responsibility ... and cooperation." The paradigmatic practices of psychiatry are civil commitment and insanity defense, that is, depriving innocent persons of liberty and excusing guilty persons of their crimes: the consequences of both are confinement in institutions ostensibly devoted to the treatment of mental diseases. Black's Law Dictionary states: "Every confinement of the person is an 'imprisonment,' whether it be in a common prison, or in private house, or in the stocks, or even by forcibly detaining one in the public streets." Accordingly, I maintain that Secular Humanism is incompatible with the principles and practices of psychiatry.

Behavior Control↗
PubMed2000

Secular trends in height among children during 2 decades: The Bogalusa Heart Study.

OBJECTIVE: To examine trends in height among 5- to 17-year-old children between 1973 and 1992. DESIGN: A panel design consisting of 7 cross-sectional surveys. PARTICIPANTS: All schoolchildren residing in Bogalusa, La, were eligible. A total of 24 070 examinations were performed. RESULTS: During the study period, the mean height of schoolchildren increased by 0.70 cm per decade independently of race, sex, and age. Trends were most pronounced among preadolescents, blacks, and boys, with 9- to 12-year-old black boys showing a height increase of 1.8 cm per decade. We observed a decrease in the number of relatively short children (<10th percentile of height) and an increase in the number of tall children (>90th percentile of height). Because a secular trend was not seen among the 15- to 17-year-old children, our findings likely reflect an acceleration of maturation. CONCLUSIONS: It has generally been assumed that secular increases in height among schoolchildren in the United States ceased by the mid-1900s. Our findings, which may be due to various environmental factors, demonstrate that care must be taken when using nonconcurrent reference data to assess the growth of children. Additional study is needed to determine if these secular trends are continuing and to examine possible explanations and consequences of these trends.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Secular change in craniofacial morphology.

Five craniofacial variables (glabella-occipital length, basion-bregma height, maximum cranial breadth, nasion-prosthion height, and bizygomatic breadth) were used to examine secular change in morphology from the mid-19(th) century to the 1970s. The 19(th) century data were obtained from the Terry and Hamann-Todd anatomical collections, and the 20(th) century data were obtained from the forensic anthropology databank. Data were available for Blacks and Whites of both sexes. Secular change was evaluated by regressing cranial variables on year of birth. Two analyses were conducted, one using the original variables and one using size and shape. Size is defined as the geometric mean of the cranial variables, and shape is the ratio of each variable to size. The results show remarkable changes in the size and shape of the cranial vault. Vault height increases in all groups in both absolute and relative terms. The vault also becomes longer and narrower, but these changes are less pronounced. Face changes are less than the vault changes, but to the extent that they occur, the face becomes narrower and higher. Overall cranial vault size has increased, but shape changes are greater than size changes. The magnitude of secular change in vault height exceeds that for long bones over a comparable time period, but follows a similar course, which suggests that vault height and bone length respond to the same forces. Changes in vault dimensions must occur by early childhood because of the early development of the vault. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 12:327-338, 2000. Copyright 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1976

Finding from Asia, Australia, Europe, and North Amercia on secular change in mean height of children, youths, and young adults.

Studies conducted during the past century in Australia, Canada, Japan, Norway and the United States indicate that the magnitude of secular increase in mean height rose with advancing age from childhood to mid-adolescence. Comparisons for a period approximating two-thirds of a century yield average increases in mean height of 12.2 cm for female youths age 12 years, and 12.5 cm for male youths age 14 years; for the same calendar span, the amount of secular increase in mean height declines from mid-adolescence to early adulthood. Comparisons of Belgian females, spanning a period approximating 130 years, yield increases in mean height of 18.1 cm at age 12 years, 11.9 cm at age 16 years, and 3.7 cm in early adulthood. For a period of 90 years, increases obtained on United States White males are 14.8 cm at age 14 years, 8.8 cm at age 17 years, and 5.3 cm in early adulthood. These and other displayed findings show clearly that the search for causes of secular change should take particular account of a phenomenon widespread among human populations, i.e., the phenomenon of childhood and early adolescent growth in body height proceeding at a faster pace in recent decades than about a century ago.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

A general secular equation for cooperative binding of n-mer ligands to a one-dimensional lattice.

The binding of n-mer ligands to a one-dimensional lattice involving many ligand species and complex multiple-binding mechanisms is studied. We show that, when derived using the sequence-generating function method of Lifson, the secular equation of any binding system with a finite number of "elementary units" can be expressed in a matrix determinant form that is very symmetric and easy to construct. In other words, for any binding system whose elementary units are known, the secular equation of the system can be obtained readily without going through the formal derivation of the equation. We also show that the "determinant" secular equation obtained using the present procedure can be employed directly to the calculation of binding isotherms.

Algorithms↗
PubMed1987

Secular rates and correlates for gastroschisis in California (1968-1977).

This study reports on an epidemiological investigation of gastroschisis using birth certificate data from California for the period of 1968-1977. Gastroschisis has been reported to be on the increase in a number of countries. The distribution of the 166 California gastroschisis cases reported during this time period indicated a clear upward secular trend (P less than .001) with the rate per 1,000 increasing from .006 in 1968 to .089 by 1977. This secular trend was observed in every maternal age group and for gravidity level 1. Gastroschisis also occurred more frequently among younger mothers (P less than .001) and low gravidity mothers (P less than .001). Omphalocele, another eventration defect, was also examined but did not display an upward secular trend.

Abdominal Muscles↗
PubMed1991

A modified cohort method for secular trend analysis: heart disease mortality in the USA 1914-1963 and follow-up to 1983.

The principles behind the analysis of secular trends of cause-specific mortality rates by 'current' and 'cohort' methods were subjected to theoretical examination. A more general method, named here the 'midpoint' method, was found for which the 'current' and 'cohort' methods are special types of limiting cases. It is shown that the span of time over which the causes of disease act, and the period of life, whether early or late, in which they are predominantly concentrated will determine which of these three methods is appropriate for each specific cause of death. For 'cumulative' diseases (of which atherosclerosis and hypertension are thought to be examples), defined as diseases which accumulate slowly over the greater part of a lifetime under the influence of etiologic factors that are widely dispersed in time, the data favor the 'midpoint' method as the most appropriate one of the three. Secular trends in diseases of the heart in the USA from 1914 - 1963 were examined in 1968 by this method, thus generating predictions about the trends to be expected after 1963. Although no definitive conclusion could be reached at that time, the probabilities then favored the hypothesis that the etiologic forces which contribute to heart disease mortality reached a peak around 1930 or earlier, and that the subsequent decline had not yet given evidence of ending. Predictions of secular declines in mortality rates attributed to diseases of the heart made in 1968 are compared here with the subsequent 20 years of experience by specific age-race-sex groups. Validation of the midpoint cohort method of analysis is claimed. The peak in heart disease mortality that occurred in 1968 is seen as a temporary fluctuation within the grand pattern of 20th Century USA.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Height, weight and BMI of schoolchildren in Jena, Germany--are the secular changes levelling off?

The secular trend of body height, weight and body mass index (BMI) in 7- to 14-year-old Jena schoolchildren measured in 1975, 1985, 1995 and 2001 is examined. Between 1975 and 1995, a positive trend both in height and weight is observed. In the decade 1985-1995, which includes the time of German reunification, weight shows considerably greater increases than height, resulting in an increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity. The changes in living conditions after reunification cause no remarkable intensification of the secular trend in height. After 1995, the increase in height of boys decelerates, while among girls even a decrease occurs. Girls' weight remains approximately constant between 1995 and 2001 whereas weight among boys continues to increase. The levelling off of the secular increases in height at the end of the twentieth century may be attributed to a possible stabilisation of living conditions.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Lessons from large population studies on timing and tempo of puberty (secular trends and relation to body size): the European trend.

Ever since the publication of the first textbook on human growth by Johann Augustin Stoeller in 1729, temporal changes (or secular trends) in growth and pubertal maturation have been observed throughout the world. Data covering the longest time span are often reported from European populations. For example, in Norway and Denmark the age at menarche has fallen rapidly since the 19th century, by up to 12 months per decade. These changes have broadly paralleled increases in adult height in most European countries over the last century, with rates of around 10-30mm per decade. These secular trends are influenced by background ethnic, geographical and socio-economic factors, and clearly nutritional changes have an important role as reflected by positive correlations between age at puberty onset or age at menarche and childhood body size. Changes in height, pubertal maturation, and childhood body size have all also been related to rate of weight gain in infancy, and there is growing evidence to suggest that this early postnatal period may represent an early window of susceptibility to long-term 'programming' of various outcomes in humans. There is debate as to whether the secular trends in pubertal maturation are continuing or have reached their limit. Even where temporal changes are overall clearly significant, they are most marked in the more nutritionally deprived sub-groups. Whether over-nutrition and increasing childhood obesity will continue to lead earlier puberty is uncertain. The confirmation of an estimated advance in the age at menarche of 6-12 months per 100 years will require a long-term perspective on behalf of current investigators, and new consideration of methodological approaches in an age of increasing recognition of children's rights for privacy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Religion and survival in a secular region. A twenty year follow-up of 734 Danish adults born in 1914.

The aim of the study was to analyse associations of religiosity and mortality in a secular region. The sample consisted of 734 Danish, community dwelling elderly persons, living in a secular culture, and all aged 70 when primary data were collected. Secondary data consisted of a 20 year follow-up on vital status or exact age of death. The study was designed to be highly comparable to studies conducted in more religious environments in order to compare results. Three variables of religion were investigated in relation to survival: importance of affiliation, church attendance and listening to religious media. Relative hazards (RH) of dying were controlled in models including gender, education, medical and mental health, social relations, help given and received, and health behaviour. The results showed significant and positive associations between claiming religious affiliation important and survival (relative hazard of dying=RH .70; 95% CI .58-.85) and church attendance and survival (RH .73; 95% CI .64-.87). Results decreased and only stayed significant regarding church attendance when controlled for covariates. Nearly all significant effects were seen in women, but not in men. The effect size of the full sample is less than in more religious environments in United States samples. Although the positive overall RHs are comparable to those of other studies, the mediating variables and pathways of effects seem dissimilar in this sample from a secular environment. Receiving and especially giving help to others are suggested as variables of explanatory value.

Aged↗
PubMed2002

Secular trends in mortality by stroke subtype in the 20th century: a retrospective analysis.

BACKGROUND: Since both cerebral infarction and coronary heart disease are caused by atherosclerosis, they would be expected to have similar secular trends in mortality. Because differential diagnosis of stroke subtype on routine death certificates is inaccurate, we aimed to estimate secular trends in cerebral infarct and haemorrhage throughout the 20th century, for England and Wales, with data from autopsy studies. METHODS: We calculated the ratio of cerebral infarct to cerebral haemorrhage from all available sources of autopsy data from the 20th century. These data were used to estimate the ratio of cerebral infarct to haemorrhage for every year, and hence to estimate rates of cerebral infarct and cerebral haemorrhage from the total stroke mortality rate, obtained from the UK Office for National Statistics. FINDINGS: Data about stroke subtypes from autopsies were available from 1932 to 1999. The ratio of cerebral infarct to cerebral haemorrhage increased fourfold from 0.5 in the 1930s to 2.0 by the 1990s; most of the increase took place between the 1930s and the 1970s. Estimated secular trends suggested that there was a steady fall in mortality from cerebral haemorrhage throughout the 20th century, whereas mortality from cerebral infarct increased to a peak in the 1970s and then fell. Trends in estimated cerebral infarct mortality closely matched those for coronary heart disease mortality. INTERPRETATION: The closely related trends in cerebral infarct and coronary heart disease suggest common causes, but the very different trend in cerebral haemorrhage shows that its cause probably differs importantly from these conditions.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Secular change in psychosocial risks: the case of teenage motherhood.

BACKGROUND: Many social and demographic correlates of psychiatric disorder have shown marked secular changes in recent decades. This study was designed to explore some of the implications of these trends, focusing on the illustrative case of teenage motherhood. METHOD: Prospective data from two British birth cohort studies (the 1946 and 1958 cohorts) were used to examine the social, educational and behavioural precursors of teenage versus older age at motherhood, and the implications of teenage motherhood for women's later marital and social circumstances and risks of psychiatric morbidity, in samples born 12 years apart. RESULTS: Educational and social disadvantage were associated with similarly increased risks of teenage motherhood in both cohorts, but the findings suggested an additional association with teacher-rated adolescent conduct problems in the more recent sample. Rates of teacher-rated emotional problems were not elevated among teenage mothers in either cohort. In adult life, teenage motherhood was associated with a range of adverse social outcomes, including partnership breakdowns, large family size, and poorer housing conditions. Relative risks of these adult adversities were similar for teenage mothers in the two cohorts, but absolute levels of adversity were higher in the more recent sample, reflecting general secular changes in many of the indicators involved. In the later, but not the earlier, cohort, teenage motherhood was also associated with increased risks for psychiatric morbidity in adulthood. CONCLUSIONS: The findings underline the importance of taking account of secular trends in examining the impact of psychosocial risks.

Adolescent↗