Mental health and sociodemographic characteristics among Icelanders, data from a cross-sectional study in Iceland.

Background: Mental health challenges are on the rise worldwide. In Iceland, little is known about the sociodemographic factors associated with poor mental health. This study aimed to investigate symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress, and psychiatric medication for mental disorders in a nationally representative sample in Iceland and to explore its associations with sociodemographic factors.

[Hypertension Management in Primary Care in the Capital Area of Iceland].

Introduction: High blood pressure (HT) is one of the main risk factors for cardiovascular diseases which in 2010 caused one third of all mortality in the world. Untreated, HT can cause stroke, myocardial infarction, heart failure, dementia, kidney failure, atherosclerosis and eye diseases. The main aim of this study was to find out how HT is treated in primary care in the capital area of Iceland.

[Changes in prescriptions on opioids in primary health care during the years 2008-2017].

Introduction: In recent decades there has been a notable increase in the prescription of opioids in western countries. With this rise in use of opioids the risk of side effects, opioid abuse and deaths linked to opioids have become more apparent. The increase in opioid prescription may partly stem from a change in attitude in relation to pain management.

How primary healthcare in Iceland swiftly changed its strategy in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objective: To describe how the primary healthcare (PHC) in Iceland changed its strategy to handle the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design: Descriptive observational study.

Setting: Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland.

[Vitamin D status of Icelandic children and youngsters: Longitudinal study].

Objective: Vitamin D plays a key role for children's growth and physical developement, not only by promoting bone health but also by its influence on extraskeletal systems. The Icelandic Directorate of Health recommends a vitamin D concentration in blood of at least 50 nmol/l. The object of this study was to evaluate the vitamin D status of Icelandic children and youngsters at four different ages, and furthermore to evaluate changes in vitamin D concentrations over time and connection to parathyroid hormone status (S-PTH).

Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations in 16-year-old Icelandic adolescent and its association with bone mineral density.

Objective: The aim of the study was to assess the potential association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and whole-body bone mineral density (BMD) among 16-year-old adolescents and to study the prevalence of 25(OH)D insufficiency, defined as concentration under 50 nmol/l.

Design: A cross-sectional study.

Setting: Reykjavik, Iceland, latitude 64°08'N.

[Prescribing physical activity after labour, for women diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus].

Background: The prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) has been rapidly increasing in Iceland and 19% of women who gave birth at Landspítali - University hospital in 2018 were diagnosed with GDM. Women who develop GDM in pregnancy have an increased risk of recurrence in future pregnancies, as well as an increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes mellitus later in life. Obesity and a sedentary lifestyle are known risk factors for the development of GDM.

[The relationship between serum vitamin D levels and cardiovascular risk factors among Icelandic children].

Objective: To determine the relationship between serum vitamin D levels and known cardiometabolic risk factors among healthy Icelandic children as well as study these connections independent of body mass index (BMI).

Methods: We assessed the relationship between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D, adiposity measured as BMI and 7 cardiometabolic risk factors (high blood pressure, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, blood glucose and serum insulin). Subjects were 7-year old school children in six randomly selected elementary schools in Reykjavik, Iceland, in the autumn of 2006.

Helicobacter pylori infection in Icelandic children.

Objective: The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection is decreasing in the western world. The seroprevalence among 25-50-year-old Icelandic adults was recently shown to be 30-40%. Information on the seroprevalence in Nordic children is limited.

Vitamin D status of Icelandic children and its influence on bone accrual.

The importance of vitamin D for children's bone health has been well established, but the effects of less severe deficiency are not fully known. The main objective of this study was to assess the vitamin D status of Icelandic children at the age of 7, and again at 9 years of age, and the association of vitamin D status with bone mineral content and bone accrual over 2 years. We invited 321 children to participate in this study, and 267 (83 %) took part; 211 (79 %) underwent a DXA scan and 164 were again scanned 2 years later; 159 (60 %) vitamin D samples were measured and 119 (75 %) were measured again 2 years later.

Result of school-based intervention on cardiovascular risk factors.

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of a two-year school-based intervention, consisting of integrated and replicable physical activity and nutritional education on weight, fat percentage, cardiovascular risk factors, and blood pressure.

Design And Setting: Six elementary schools in Reykjavik were randomly assigned to be either intervention (n = 3) or control (n = 3) schools. Seven-year-old children in the second grade in these schools were invited to participate (n = 321); 268 (83%) underwent some or all of the measurements.

Insufficient autumn vitamin D intake and low vitamin D status in 7-year-old Icelandic children.

Objective: The aim was to investigate autumn vitamin D intake and status in 7-year-old Icelanders, fitting BMI and cardiorespiratory fitness as predictors.

Design: Three-day food records and fasting blood samples were collected evenly from September to November, and cardiorespiratory fitness was measured with an ergometer bike. Food and nutrient intakes were calculated, and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (s-25(OH)D) and serum parathyroid hormone were analysed.

Fat mass increase in 7-year-old children: more bone area but lower bone mineral density.

The main aims of this study were, to evaluate what effect a change in fat mass (FM) and lean body mass (LBM) has on bone parameters over 2 years' time, in 7-year-old school children and to see what effect fitness had on bone parameters in these children. A repeated-measures design study was conducted where children born in 1999 from six elementary schools in Reykjavik, Iceland were measured twice. All children attending second grade in these six schools were invited to participate.

Limited effects of a 2-year school-based physical activity intervention on body composition and cardiorespiratory fitness in 7-year-old children.

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of a 2-year cluster-randomized physical activity and dietary intervention program among 7-year-old (at baseline) elementary school participants on body composition and objectively measured cardiorespiratory fitness. Three pairs of schools were selected and matched, then randomly selected as either an intervention (n = 151) or control school (n = 170). None of the effect sizes of body composition were statistically significant.

Factors associated with bone mineral density and content in 7-year-old children.

Objective: To evaluate the bone status of 7-year-old school children in Reykjavik, Iceland, and to see if gender, height, lean body mass and fat mass is associated with bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC) in the lumbar vertebrae and hip.

Study Design: A cross-sectional study of a sample of 7-year-old school children.

Setting: Six elementary schools in Reykjavik, Iceland.

Association of BMI and fasting insulin with cardiovascular disease risk factors in seven-year-old Icelandic children.

Objective: . To look at overweight and common cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, and associations with body mass index (BMI) and fasting insulin in seven-year-old schoolchildren in Reykjavik, Iceland.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study of seven-year-old schoolchildren.