Intraindividual sleep variations; Phisical activity, diet, CVD and Cancer; Early Microbiome and siblings

How much sleeps vary from night-to-night? 

Age, gender, and racial/ethnic identity all significantly influence how much and how effectively we typically sleep. 

There is an increase in studying the significance of intraindividual variability (IIV) in sleep from night to night. A recent study compared racial/ethnic, age and gender groups.  

Younger adults had more diary and actigraphy sleep duration variability.  

Gender differences were inconsistent.

White and non-Hispanic/Latin adults had lower IIV scores for sleep efficiency and duration. The quality of sleep varies greatly from night to night, even among healthy sleepers. 

Similar to mean sleep, intraindividual variability in sleep may vary depending on demographic factors. Results from this study is hoped to define the normative levels of sleep IIV in healthy sleepers.

Physical activity, diet quality and all-cause cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality

Independent and interactive associations of physical activity and diet with all-cause, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and physical activity, diet and adiposity-related (PDAR) cancer mortality were examined.

A study involving 346 627 individuals is based on the UK Biobank data with linkage to the National Health Service death records to 30 April 2020. 

The associations between exposures (self-reported total moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA), vigorous-intensity physical activity (VPA) and a diet quality index (score ranged 0-3)) and outcomes (all-cause, CVD and PDAR cancer mortality) were measured.

Although not reaching statistical significance, being in the best dietary category (diet quality index=2-3) was associated with a reduction in PDAR cancer mortality. 

No additive or multiplicative interactions between physical activity categories and dietary quality was found. 

The lowest risk combinations consistently included the higher levels of physical activity and the highest diet quality score.

Airway and gut microbiota in early life is influenced by age of older siblings

Growing up with siblings has been linked to numerous health outcomes and is also an important determinant for the developing microbiota. Nonetheless, research into the role of having siblings on the developing microbiota has mainly been incidental. 

The effects of having siblings on airway and gut microbiota were measured using 4497 hypopharyngeal and fecal samples taken from 686 children in the COPSAC2010 cohort (Danish mother-child population based longitudinal clinical), starting at 1 week of age and continuing until 6 years of age. 

Having siblings is one of the most important factors influencing a child's developing microbiota, and the specific effects may explain previously established associations between siblings and asthma and infectious diseases. 

As such, siblings should be considered in all studies involving the developing microbiota, with emphasis on the age gap to the closest older sibling rather than the number of siblings. 

A longitudinal evaluation of free will related cognitions in obsessive-compulsive disorder

Sixty OCD outpatients were assessed for their beliefs in and experiences of free will at baseline and after one year of treatment.

OCD sufferers frequently feel forced to engage in (compulsive) actions, which calls into question their beliefs and experiences about free choice. 

Older individuals or those with a greater severity of symptoms seem to have a perception of decreased free will. 

In addition, patients with a longer duration of illness tend to have a lower strength of belief in determinism. 

Finally, the experience of being the owner of the compulsions, along with the baseline severity of symptoms, can be a predictor of a worse outcome in the OCD sample.