In our study, we attempted to identify systematically the use of Internet applications in the German population in order to derive risk factors for problematic use. In a representative survey of the German population, we queried 1,401 women and 1,111 men between the ages of 14 and 94 years by specific questions and standardized questionnaires on depression, anxiety (HADS), and depersonalization (CDS-2). The majority of the German population (55%) used the Internet in their leisure time. Users were younger and had a higher socioeconomic status (education, employment, income). Leisure-time use included e-mail and information search, as well as shopping. Chatting, online communities, games and sex were domains of young, mostly male adults. Overall, 9.3% reported at least one negative consequence of Internet use, especially neglect of recreational activities and problems with family/partner, work or education, and health. Problematic use was associated with longer average daily online times, avoidance of negative emotions, preference for certain applications (gaming, gambling, online sex) and an increased rate of depersonalization. The extent of Internet use per se is not sufficient as an addiction criterion and other negative consequences; rather, specific adverse consequences need to be identified. If the Internet is used excessively to cope with negative affect states and alternative means of coping (e.g., social support, health-promoting behavior) are diminished, a vicious cycle may ensue with increasing stress and reliance on the reinforcing properties of certain online activities that may finally lead to addictive behavior.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2010.0199 | DOI Listing |
Nutr J
January 2025
Paediatrics, Nutrition and Development Research Unit, Universitat Rovira i Virgili. Reus, Tarragona, Spain.
Background & Aim: Metabolic and cardiovascular health outcomes are strongly influenced by diet. Dietary habits established in early childhood may persist into adulthood. This study aimed to examine the association between dietary patterns at both 2 and 8 years of age, explaining the maximum variability of high- and low-quality fats, sugars, and fibre, and cardiometabolic markers at age 8 years.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBMC Pediatr
January 2025
Chair for Institutional Economics and Health Policy, Department of Philosophy, Politics and Economics, Witten/Herdecke University, Witten, Germany.
Background: In children and adolescents, the prevalence of chronic diseases, e.g., obesity, asthma, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), has increased in the last decades.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSci Rep
January 2025
Department of Consultation-Liaison-Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland.
Illness perceptions (IP), as measured by the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (BIPQ), and adverse childhood experiences (ACE) have been shown to affect the physical and psychological well-being in different patient populations. However, little is known about IP and ACE in patients with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD). Our objectives were to investigate the dimensional structure and to evaluate correlates of the BIPQ in ICD patients.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMed Clin (Barc)
January 2025
Servicio de Endocrinología y Nutrición, Hospital i Institut de Recerca Germans Trias i Pujol, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, España. Electronic address:
In recent decades, the diagnosis of thyroid cancer, especially the papillary type, has increased significantly due to the use of imaging techniques such as ultrasound. For this reason, it is essential to rationalize diagnosis and treatment, since the behavior of thyroid cancer varies from slow-progressing tumors to highly aggressive ones. The application of risk assessment systems for ultrasound images and the optimization of cytology incorporating molecular studies allows cases to be stratified in order to select therapy on an individual basis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNeurology
February 2025
School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
Background And Objectives: Lipid metabolism in older adults is affected by various factors including biological aging, functional decline, reduced physiologic reserve, and nutrient intake. The dysregulation of lipid metabolism could adversely affect brain health. This study investigated the association between year-to-year intraindividual lipid variability and subsequent risk of cognitive decline and dementia in community-dwelling older adults.
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