Longitudinal association of neighborhood variables with body mass index in dutch school-age children: The KOALA birth cohort study

Changes in the neighborhood environment may explain part of the rapid increase in childhood overweight and obesity during the last decades. To date few theory-driven rather than data-driven studies have explored longitudinal associations between multiple neighborhood characteristics and child body weight development. We aimed to assess the...

Breastfeeding duration related to practised contraception in the Netherlands

Aim: The aim of this study was to gain insight into contraception practised and related to breastfeeding duration. Methods: Mothers with infants up to 6 months received a questionnaire on infant feeding (breast or formula feeding) and contraception (hormonal or non-hormonal methods). Estimates of the time interval between resuming contraception...

The Effect of Preconception Counselling on Lifestyle and Other Behaviour Before and During Pregnancy

Background: Recent studies suggest that the basis for adverse pregnancy outcomes is often established early in pregnancy, during organogenesis. It is therefore important to take preventive action as early as possible, preferably before pregnancy. Because most adverse pregnancy outcomes occur in women who are unaware of being at risk, we...

Exposure to tobacco smoke and infant crying

Aim: To examine the association of excessive infant crying with maternal smoking during and after pregnancy, paternal smoking, and smoking by other people in the living environment of the infant. Methods: We collected data on infant crying and smoking in a Dutch national sample of 5845 infants aged 0-3 mo (response 62.8%). We defined excessive...

Infant milk feeding practices in the Netherlands and associated factors

Aim: The aim of the study was to describe infant feeding practices and associated factors, and to explore mothers' main reasons for starting and stopping breastfeeding. Methods: We performed a national inquiry into milk feeding practices among 9133 Dutch infants aged <7 mo by means of a questionnaire. Results: 78% of mothers initiated...

Infantile colics: Maternal smoking as potential risk factor

The association of maternal smoking and type of feeding with colic was assessed in 3345 children aged 1-6 months (96% response). The prevalence of colic was twofold higher among infants of smoking mothers, but less among breastfed infants. Maternal smoking as a potential risk factor for infantile crying needs further study. Chemicals/CAS:...

Maternal smoking during lactation: Relation to growth during the first year of life in a Dutch birth cohort

A recent article by Little et al. (Am J Epidemiol 1994;140:544-54) reported that infants in Seattle, Washington, who were breastfed by mothers who smoked gained more weight than either infants who were breastfed by mothers who did not smoke or infants who were bottle-fed by mothers who smoked. In this study, the authors aimed to verify this...

Behavioral determinants of mothers' safety measures to prevent injuries of pre-school children.

Home-related injuries are a major threat to pre-school children in the western world. In this study the behavioral determinants of 18 parental safety measures were assessed. To select behavioral determinants, the Attitude-Social influence-Self-efficacy/barriers model was used with the inclusion of variables from the Health Belief Model and the...

Adequate mothering by partially isolated rhesus monkeys after observation of maternal care

13 laboratory-born female monkeys were allowed to remain with their mothers for about 4 mo and were subsequently singly caged in rooms where they were able to see other monkeys. Ss that did not see mothers caring for their infants neglected their own firstborn. In contrast, Ss that were allowed to observe separately caged mother–infant pairs...