Is the prevalence of overweight and obesity declining among 4-year-old Swedish children?

Aim: To investigate the trend in overweight and obesity prevalence among 4-year-old Swedish children.

Methods: Height and weight data registered at the regular health check up at the child health centres in the county of Västerbotten during the years 2007/2008 (2225 boys and 2156 girls) were analysed and compared with data from 2002/2003 (2231 boys and 2176 girls). Overweight and obesity were estimated using the International Obesity Task Force cut-off values (ISO BMI).

Does vitamin D intake during infancy promote the development of atopic allergy?

The active metabolite of vitamin D, 1,25-(OH)2D3, has immunomodulatory properties in addition to its more established action on bone and calcium metabolism. Recently vitamin D has been proposed as one of several environmental factors responsible for the increase in atopic diseases during the last decades. The objective of this study was to determine whether the estimated dose of dietary vitamin D3 during the first year of life is associated with atopic diseases up to the age of 6 years.

Obesity in 4-year-old children more prevalent in girls and in municipalities with a low socioeconomic level.

Aim: To provide updated prevalence data of BMI and obesity in 4-year-old Swedish children, also exploring socioeconomic differences.

Subjects: A total of 4407 children born 1998-1999 (2231 boys and 2176 girls) in the county of Västerbotten, Sweden.

Methods: Overweight and obesity was estimated using the International Obesity Task Force cutoff values (ISO BMI).

EMLA cream and oral glucose for immunization pain in 3-month-old infants.

Unlabelled: The objective of this study is to determine whether use of lidocaine-prilocaine 5% cream (EMLA) and oral glucose decreases pain associated with diphteria-pertussis-tetanus (DPT) immunization in 3-month-old infants.

Design: randomized, double-blind, controlled trial in outpatient paediatric practice in northern Sweden. EMLA or placebo was applied to the infant's lateral region of the right thigh and covered with an occlusive dressing 1h before the immunization.

An incident case-control study of first unprovoked afebrile seizures in children: a population-based study of pre- and perinatal risk factors.

Purpose: The aim of this prospective incident community-based study was to assess the influence of pre- and perinatal risk factors in children in whom an unprovoked afebrile epileptic seizure later developed.

Methods: From November 1, 1985, until June 30, 1987, 75 children aged 0-15 years with a first unprovoked afebrile seizure were identified. After exclusion of cases with neonatal seizures (n = 14), two controls per case were selected from the same province in northern Sweden matched by age and sex.