Little is known about the factors which might influence the adherence to a Mediterranean diet in non-Mediterranean European countries. Thus, the main purpose of this study was to determine the associations between socioeconomic, psychological, and physical factors on a Mediterranean diet. In this cross-sectional study, participants were 14–18-year-old adolescents (N = 3071) from two non-Mediterranean countries: Lithuania (N = 1863) and Serbia (N = 1208). The dependent variable was Mediterranean diet, and was assessed with the Mediterranean Diet Quality Index for children and adolescents questionnaire. Independent variables were gender, body-mass index, self-rated health, socioeconomic status, psychological distress, physical activity, and sedentary behavior. The associations between dependent and independent variables were analyzed by using logistic regression. Results showed that higher adherence to a Mediterranean diet was associated with higher self-rated health, socioeconomic status, and physical activity, yet low adherence to a Mediterranean diet was associated with being female, having higher body-mass index, psychological distress, and sedentary behavior. Our findings suggest that future studies need to explore associations between lifestyle habits—especially in target populations, such as primary and secondary school students.

This surveillance system should be regularly implemented throughout Europe, providing comparable data on rates of overweight/obesity in primary schools that might drive prudent actions to reverse the pandemic trend of childhood obesity.

Objectives(1) To develop reference values for health-related fitness in European children and adolescents aged 6–18 years that are the foundation for the web-based, open-access and multilanguage fitness platform (FitBack); (2) to provide comparisons across European countries.MethodsThis study builds on a previous large fitness reference study in European youth by (1) widening the age demographic, (2) identifying the most recent and representative country-level data and (3) including national data from existing fitness surveillance and monitoring systems. We used the Assessing Levels of PHysical Activity and fitness at population level (ALPHA) test battery as it comprises tests with the highest test–retest reliability, criterion/construct validity and health-related predictive validity: the 20 m shuttle run (cardiorespiratory fitness); handgrip strength and standing long jump (muscular strength); and body height, body mass, body mass index and waist circumference (anthropometry). Percentile values were obtained using the generalised additive models for location, scale and shape method.ResultsA total of 7 966 693 test results from 34 countries (106 datasets) were used to develop sex-specific and age-specific percentile values. In addition, country-level rankings based on mean percentiles are provided for each fitness test, as well as an overall fitness ranking. Finally, an interactive fitness platform, including individual and group reporting and European fitness maps, is provided and freely available online (www.fitbackeurope.eu).ConclusionThis study discusses the major implications of fitness assessment in youth from health, educational and sport perspectives, and how the FitBack reference values and interactive web-based platform contribute to it. Fitness testing can be conducted in school and/or sport settings, and the interpreted results be integrated in the healthcare systems across Europe.

Environmental context The electrochemical detection of many sulfur compounds in natural waters is based on the deposition of a HgS layer at the Hg electrode. In samples containing metal ions in excess of sulfide species, electrochemical exchange reactions between the HgS and the metal ion produce metal-sulfide voltammetric peaks. These peaks can easily be misinterpreted as dissolved sulfide species, and hence do not reflect the bulk state of the solution. Abstract Cyclic voltammetry on a Hg electrode was used to investigate the influence of metal ion (Zn, Cd, Cu, Fe, Pb, Co) on HgS deposition–dissolution in seawater conditions. Due to the exchange of electrons between Hg2+ from a HgS layer and free metal (M2+) from the solution (HgSlayer + M2+ + 2e– ↔ MSlayer + Hg0), the Hg electrode becomes the site for surface metal sulfide (MS) formation. The exchange reaction is reversible, and the surface-formed MS layer reduces at a more negative potential than HgS (MSlayer + 2e– + H+ → M0 + HS). The potentials of both electrode reactions, and the formation and reduction of the MS layer, are determined by the MS solubility product. In solutions containing excess of the free metal ions in comparison to the free sulfide, the exchange reaction produces MS voltammetric peaks, which can be misrepresented for the dissolved sulfide species. This research indirectly confirmed that the FeS electrochemical signal, usually recorded in an iron- and sulfide-rich environment at ~–1.1V v. Ag/AgCl, is not due to FeS reduction. The connection between the studied MS reduction peak potentials and the solubility products shows that the FeS layer formed by an electrochemical exchange reaction with HgS should be reduced at the Hg surface ~100mV more negative than free Fe2+.

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