- Taylor, Rachael, Zagami, Alessandro, Gibson, William, Black, Deborah, Watson, Shaun, Halmagyi, Michael G., Welgampola, Miriam
- Authors: Taylor, Rachael , Zagami, Alessandro , Gibson, William , Black, Deborah , Watson, Shaun , Halmagyi, Michael G. , Welgampola, Miriam
- Date: 2012
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Cephalalgia Vol. 32, no. 3 (2012), p. 213-225
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: OBJECTIVES: It can be difficult to distinguish vestibular migraine (VM) from Meniere's disease (MD) in its early stages. Using vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials (VEMPs), we sought to identify test parameters that would help discriminate between these two vestibular disorders. METHODS: We first recorded ocular and cervical VEMPs (oVEMP/cVEMP) to air-conducted clicks and bone-conducted vibration in 30 control participants, 30 participants with clinically definite VM and 30 participants with clinically probable VM. Results were compared with a group of 60 MD patients from a previous study. oVEMPs and cVEMPs were then recorded at octave frequencies of 250 Hz to 2000 Hz in 20 controls and 20 participants each with clinically definite VM and MD. Inter-aural amplitude asymmetry ratios and amplitude frequency ratios were compared between groups. RESULTS: For click, tendon-hammer-tap and minishaker-tap VEMPs, there were no significant differences in reflex amplitudes or symmetry between controls, definite VM and probable VM. Compared with MD patients, participants with VM had significantly fewer reflex abnormalities for click-cVEMP, click-oVEMPs and minitap-cVEMPs. The ratio of cVEMP amplitude generated by tone bursts at a frequency of 0.5 kHz to that generated by 1 kHz was significantly lower for MD affected ears than for VM or controls ears. cVEMP asymmetry ratios for 0.5 kHz tone bursts were significantly higher for MD than VM. CONCLUSIONS: The 0.5/1 kHz frequency ratio, 0.5 kHz asymmetry ratio and caloric test combined, separated MD from VM with a sensitivity of 90.0% and specificity of 70.0%.
Efficacy of a compulsory homework programme for increasing physical activity and improving nutrition in children: A cluster randomised controlled trial
- Duncan, Scott, Stewart, Tom, McPhee, Julia, Borotkanics, Robert, Prendergast, Kate, Zinn, Caryn, Meredith-Jones, Kim, Taylor, Rachael, McLachlan, Claire, Schofield, Grant
- Authors: Duncan, Scott , Stewart, Tom , McPhee, Julia , Borotkanics, Robert , Prendergast, Kate , Zinn, Caryn , Meredith-Jones, Kim , Taylor, Rachael , McLachlan, Claire , Schofield, Grant
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity Vol. 16, no. 1 (2019), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Background: Most physical activity interventions in children focus on the school setting; however, children typically engage in more sedentary activities and spend more time eating when at home. The primary aim of this cluster randomised controlled trial was to investigate the effects of a compulsory, health-related homework programme on physical activity, dietary patterns, and body size in primary school-aged children. Methods: A total of 675 children aged 7-10 years from 16 New Zealand primary schools participated in the Healthy Homework study. Schools were randomised into intervention and control groups (1:1 allocation). Intervention schools implemented an 8-week applied homework and in-class teaching module designed to increase physical activity and improve dietary patterns. Physical activity was the primary outcome measure, and was assessed using two sealed pedometers that monitored school- and home-based activity separately. Secondary outcome measures included screen-based sedentary time and selected dietary patterns assessed via parental proxy questionnaire. In addition, height, weight, and waist circumference were measured to obtain body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR). All measurements were taken at baseline (T0), immediately post-intervention (T1), and 6-months post-intervention (T2). Changes in outcome measures over time were estimated using generalised linear mixed models (GLMMs) that adjusted for fixed (group, age, sex, group x time) and random (subjects nested within schools) effects. Intervention effects were also quantified using GLMMs adjusted for baseline values. Results: Significant intervention effects were observed for weekday physical activity at home (T1 [P < 0.001] and T2 [P = 0.019]), weekend physical activity (T1 [P < 0.001] and T2 [P < 0.001]), BMI (T2 only [P = 0.020]) and fruit consumption (T1 only [P = 0.036]). Additional analyses revealed that the greatest improvements in physical activity occurred in children from the most socioeconomically deprived schools. No consistent effects on sedentary time, WHtR, or other dietary patterns were observed. Conclusions: A compulsory health-related homework programme resulted in substantial and consistent increases in children's physical activity - particularly outside of school and on weekends - with limited effects on body size and fruit consumption. Overall, our findings support the integration of compulsory home-focused strategies for improving health behaviours into primary education curricula. Trial registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, ACTRN12618000590268. Registered 17 April 2018. © 2019 The Author(s).
- Authors: Duncan, Scott , Stewart, Tom , McPhee, Julia , Borotkanics, Robert , Prendergast, Kate , Zinn, Caryn , Meredith-Jones, Kim , Taylor, Rachael , McLachlan, Claire , Schofield, Grant
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity Vol. 16, no. 1 (2019), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Background: Most physical activity interventions in children focus on the school setting; however, children typically engage in more sedentary activities and spend more time eating when at home. The primary aim of this cluster randomised controlled trial was to investigate the effects of a compulsory, health-related homework programme on physical activity, dietary patterns, and body size in primary school-aged children. Methods: A total of 675 children aged 7-10 years from 16 New Zealand primary schools participated in the Healthy Homework study. Schools were randomised into intervention and control groups (1:1 allocation). Intervention schools implemented an 8-week applied homework and in-class teaching module designed to increase physical activity and improve dietary patterns. Physical activity was the primary outcome measure, and was assessed using two sealed pedometers that monitored school- and home-based activity separately. Secondary outcome measures included screen-based sedentary time and selected dietary patterns assessed via parental proxy questionnaire. In addition, height, weight, and waist circumference were measured to obtain body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR). All measurements were taken at baseline (T0), immediately post-intervention (T1), and 6-months post-intervention (T2). Changes in outcome measures over time were estimated using generalised linear mixed models (GLMMs) that adjusted for fixed (group, age, sex, group x time) and random (subjects nested within schools) effects. Intervention effects were also quantified using GLMMs adjusted for baseline values. Results: Significant intervention effects were observed for weekday physical activity at home (T1 [P < 0.001] and T2 [P = 0.019]), weekend physical activity (T1 [P < 0.001] and T2 [P < 0.001]), BMI (T2 only [P = 0.020]) and fruit consumption (T1 only [P = 0.036]). Additional analyses revealed that the greatest improvements in physical activity occurred in children from the most socioeconomically deprived schools. No consistent effects on sedentary time, WHtR, or other dietary patterns were observed. Conclusions: A compulsory health-related homework programme resulted in substantial and consistent increases in children's physical activity - particularly outside of school and on weekends - with limited effects on body size and fruit consumption. Overall, our findings support the integration of compulsory home-focused strategies for improving health behaviours into primary education curricula. Trial registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, ACTRN12618000590268. Registered 17 April 2018. © 2019 The Author(s).
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