We investigate the presence of a socioeconomic status (SES) gradient in children's health and noncognitive skill development, and its evolution with child age using cohort data from the Czech Republic. We show that family SES are positively associated with better child health. These effects start to emerge at age 3 and are persistent for all subsequent ages. We find a modest strengthening of the gradient as the children grow older. Similarly, at the lowest distribution of average family income, children lag in their noncognitive skills. We find evidence that children enter school with substantial differences in noncognitive skill endowments based on family SES. This correlation persists when controlling for poor health at birth, the roles of specific and chronic health problems, housing conditions, and partner characteristics. Maternal health status explains some of the association between family income and child noncognitive skills. We account for the endogeniety of SES and non-linearities in measures.

• MeSH
• dítě MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• novorozenec MeSH
• předškolní dítě MeSH
• příjem * MeSH
• socioekonomické faktory MeSH
• společenská třída MeSH
• zdraví dítěte * MeSH
• zdravotní stav MeSH
• Check Tag
• dítě MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• novorozenec MeSH
• předškolní dítě MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika MeSH

Fee equalization in health care brings under a unique tariff several medical treatments, coded under different Diagnosis Related Groups (DRGs). The aim is to improve healthcare quality and efficiency by discouraging unnecessary, but better-paid, treatments. We evaluate its effectiveness on childbirth procedures to reduce overuse of c-sections by equalizing the DRGs for vaginal and cesarean deliveries. Using data from Italy and a difference-in-differences approach, we show that setting an equal fee decreased c-sections by 2.6%. This improved the appropriateness of medical decisions, with more low-risk mothers delivering naturally and no significant changes in the incidence of complications for vaginal deliveries. Our analysis supports the effectiveness of fee equalization in avoiding c-sections, but highlights the marginal role of financial incentives in driving c-section overuse. The observed drop was only temporary and in about a year the use of c-sections went back to the initial level. We found a greater reduction in lower quality, more capacity-constrained hospitals. Moreover, the effect is driven by districts where the availability of Ob-Gyn specialists is higher and where women are predominant in the gender composition of Ob-Gyn specialists.

• MeSH
• císařský řez * MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• poskytování zdravotní péče * MeSH
• těhotenství MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• těhotenství MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Itálie MeSH

Height is one of the most sensitive indicators of well-being because it combines the external influences of nutrition, economic wealth, health care, social equality, and other important socio-economic factors. The aim of this ecological study was to compare actual values of male and female height from 152 populations (except sub-Saharan Africa) with the mean supply of 47 food items from the FAOSTAT database (1995-2013) and mean values of seven socio-economic indicators (1995-2013). This comparison shows that economic wealth at the country level is only a mediocre correlate of physical growth because it is only loosely associated with the quality of nutrition and it does not reflect the social distribution of wealth. In a multiple regression model, the best predictors of stature are protein sources of the best and worst quality, and total fertility (which critically influences the amount of resources expended per child). In summary, these findings indicate that irrespective of crude economic statistics, the choice of specific nutrient sources and small family size are crucial factors determining the optimal physical development of children. Based on our data, we also believe that current international dietary recommendations regarding protein intake and protein quality would deserve serious re-evaluation.

• MeSH
• celosvětové zdraví * MeSH
• dieta MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• nutriční stav fyziologie   MeSH
• socioekonomické faktory * MeSH
• tělesná výška fyziologie   MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

This paper examines the impacts of extremely hot and cold days on mortality in Russia, using a 25-year regional panel data. Unlike other studies, the sequence of those extreme days is also taken into account, that is, the impacts of both single and consecutive (i.e. heat waves and cold spells) extreme days are estimated simultaneously. We demonstrate the importance of accounting for the sequence of extreme days. We also disentangle the impacts of those extremes by age and gender. The findings suggest that single hot days increase mortality, while single cold days do not affect mortality. On the other hand, both consecutive hot and consecutive cold days increase mortality in females and males for all age groups, although males are affected more severely. Overall, consecutive days with extreme temperatures impose considerable costs to society in terms of years of life lost. Thus, ignoring the sequences of extreme days that are likely to increase in the future because of climate change may have critical implications for mitigation policies.

• MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• mortalita trendy   MeSH
• nízká teplota škodlivé účinky   MeSH
• počasí * MeSH
• postup MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• sexuální faktory MeSH
• věkové faktory MeSH
• vysoká teplota škodlivé účinky   MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Rusko MeSH

We analyse the link between diet diversity, (which is a proxy of diet quality) and health outcomes measured by body-mass index (BMI) in a representative sample of Kosovar adults using household expenditure micro-data. Building on a household model of health production we devise a two-stage empirical strategy to estimate the determinants of diet diversity and its effect on BMI. Economic factors and demographic characteristics play an important role in the choice of balanced diets. Results from the BMI analysis support the hypothesis that diet diversity is associated with optimal BMI. One standard deviation increase in diet diversity leads to 2.3% increase in BMI of the underweight individuals and to 1.5% reduction in BMI of the obese individuals. The findings have important implications for food security policies aiming at enhancing the public health in Kosovo.

• MeSH
• dieta * MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• ekonometrické modely MeSH
• hubenost epidemiologie   MeSH
• index tělesné hmotnosti * MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• obezita epidemiologie   MeSH
• senioři nad 80 let MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• socioekonomické faktory * MeSH
• zdravotní stav MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• senioři nad 80 let MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Kosovo epidemiologie   MeSH

The purpose of this study is to explore the main correlates of male height in 105 countries in Europe & overseas, Asia, North Africa and Oceania. Actual data on male height are compared with the average consumption of 28 protein sources (FAOSTAT, 1993-2009) and seven socioeconomic indicators (according to the World Bank, the CIA World Factbook and the United Nations). This comparison identified three fundamental types of diets based on rice, wheat and milk, respectively. The consumption of rice dominates in tropical Asia, where it is accompanied by very low total protein and energy intake, and one of the shortest statures in the world (∼162-168cm). Wheat prevails in Muslim countries in North Africa and the Near East, which is where we also observe the highest plant protein consumption in the world and moderately tall statures that do not exceed 174cm. In taller nations, the intake of protein and energy no longer fundamentally rises, but the consumption of plant proteins markedly decreases at the expense of animal proteins, especially those from dairy. Their highest consumption rates can be found in Northern and Central Europe, with the global peak of male height in the Netherlands (184cm). In general, when only the complete data from 72 countries were considered, the consumption of protein from the five most correlated foods (r=0.85) and the human development index (r=0.84) are most strongly associated with tall statures. A notable finding is the low consumption of the most correlated proteins in Muslim oil superpowers and highly developed countries of East Asia, which could explain their lagging behind Europe in terms of physical stature.

• MeSH
• antropometrie MeSH
• celosvětové zdraví * MeSH
• dětská úmrtnost trendy   MeSH
• dieta statistika a číselné údaje   MeSH
• dietní proteiny * MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• haplotypy MeSH
• hrubý domácí produkt statistika a číselné údaje   MeSH
• kojenec MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• městské obyvatelstvo statistika a číselné údaje   MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• mléko MeSH
• novorozenec MeSH
• porodnost MeSH
• předškolní dítě MeSH
• pšenice MeSH
• rozvojové země statistika a číselné údaje   MeSH
• rýže (rod) MeSH
• socioekonomické faktory MeSH
• tělesná výška * MeSH
• výdaje na zdravotnictví statistika a číselné údaje   MeSH
• vyspělé země statistika a číselné údaje   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• dospělí MeSH
• kojenec MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• mladý dospělý MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• novorozenec MeSH
• předškolní dítě MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

The aim of this study was to identify the most important variables determining current differences in physical stature in Europe and some of its overseas offshoots such as Australia, New Zealand and USA. We collected data on the height of young men from 45 countries and compared them with long-term averages of food consumption from the FAOSTAT database, various development indicators compiled by the World Bank and the CIA World Factbook, and frequencies of several genetic markers. Our analysis demonstrates that the most important factor explaining current differences in stature among nations of European origin is the level of nutrition, especially the ratio between the intake of high-quality proteins from milk products, pork meat and fish, and low-quality proteins from wheat. Possible genetic factors such as the distribution of Y haplogroup I-M170, combined frequencies of Y haplogroups I-M170 and R1b-U106, or the phenotypic distribution of lactose tolerance emerge as comparably important, but the available data are more limited. Moderately significant positive correlations were also found with GDP per capita, health expenditure and partly with the level of urbanization that influences male stature in Western Europe. In contrast, male height correlated inversely with children's mortality and social inequality (Gini index). These results could inspire social and nutritional guidelines that would lead to the optimization of physical growth in children and maximization of the genetic potential, both at the individual and national level.

• MeSH
• běloši MeSH
• celosvětové zdraví MeSH
• dětská úmrtnost MeSH
• dieta statistika a číselné údaje   MeSH
• dítě MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• genetické markery MeSH
• genotyp * MeSH
• guanosindifosfát MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• nutriční stav * MeSH
• socioekonomické faktory MeSH
• tělesná výška genetika   fyziologie   MeSH
• tělesné váhy a míry MeSH
• výdaje na zdravotnictví MeSH
• Check Tag
• dítě MeSH
• dospělí MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

The Czech Republic has undergone rapid political, social, and economic transformation since the late 1980s. While obesity rates among children and adolescents in the Czech Republic have been previously relatively low, this has changed in recent years. Across the past 50 years, body weight, body mass index (BMI)-for-age, and adiposity rebound (AR) (the time when a child reaches the lowest BMI before their BMI gradually begins to increase until adulthood) occurs earlier. The most dramatic changes have been observed among school-aged children, where BMI values have increased at the 50th, 90th, and 97th percentiles. In contrast, adolescent girls appear to be thinner than in the past. The analyses of weight-for-height percentiles indicated that the 50th percentile of the body weight among boys and girls remained similar in nearly all age categories across the past 50 years. Although the growth pattern of children at the 50th percentile has not changed, the 10th and 90th percentiles have expanded. Our findings suggest that the secular trend of increased height, accelerated growth, and earlier maturation is responsible for Czech children experiencing adiposity rebound at earlier ages compared to the past.

• MeSH
• adipozita MeSH
• časové faktory MeSH
• dítě MeSH
• financování organizované MeSH
• index tělesné hmotnosti MeSH
• kojenec MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• nadváha epidemiologie   MeSH
• novorozenec MeSH
• nutriční podpora MeSH
• nutriční stav MeSH
• obezita epidemiologie   MeSH
• percepce MeSH
• pohybová aktivita MeSH
• předškolní dítě MeSH
• představa o vlastním těle MeSH
• prevalence MeSH
• tělesná hmotnost MeSH
• tělesná výška MeSH
• zdravotnické přehledy MeSH
• Check Tag
• dítě MeSH
• kojenec MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• novorozenec MeSH
• předškolní dítě MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika MeSH

The trend of increasing height can be interpreted as a reflection of the unfolding progress of civilization. Height changes among children and adolescents are good markers of this trend. We analyze the secular trend in the heights of children and adolescents in the Czech Republic on the basis of data from anthropological surveys. The earliest height data pertain to Czech youths who attended the Military Schools in Austria in 1800-1809. Data also exist for 1895 and continue in 1951 and at 10-year intervals thereafter. Growth curves were obtained for separate age groups by fitting mean values via third-order polynomial smoothing splines. Between 1951 and 2001, the mean heights of boys and girls aged 2.5 years increased by 2.7 and 3 cm, respectively. Since 1895, the mean height of 13-year-old boys has increased by 19.4 cm, and the mean height of girls has increased by 18.3 cm.

• MeSH
• antropologie fyzická dějiny   MeSH
• dějiny 19. století MeSH
• dějiny 20. století MeSH
• dítě MeSH
• financování organizované MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• sběr dat MeSH
• tělesná výška MeSH
• Check Tag
• dějiny 19. století MeSH
• dějiny 20. století MeSH
• dítě MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mladiství MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• historické články MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika MeSH

• MeSH
• dějiny MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• ozbrojené síly dějiny   statistika a číselné údaje   MeSH
• tělesná výška MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH