Background: The Nature Step to Respiratory Health was the overarching theme of the 12th General Meeting of the Global Alliance against Chronic Respiratory Diseases (GARD) in Helsinki, August 2018.... Show moreBackground: The Nature Step to Respiratory Health was the overarching theme of the 12th General Meeting of the Global Alliance against Chronic Respiratory Diseases (GARD) in Helsinki, August 2018. New approaches are needed to improve respiratory health and reduce premature mortality of chronic diseases by 30% till 2030 (UN Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs). Planetary health is defined as the health of human civilization and the state of the natural systems on which it depends. Planetary health and human health are interconnected, and both need to be considered by individuals and governments while addressing several SDGs.Results: The concept of the Nature Step has evolved from innovative research indicating, how changed lifestyle in urban surroundings reduces contact with biodiverse environments, impoverishes microbiota, affects immune regulation and increases risk of NCDs. The Nature Step calls for strengthening connections to nature. Physical activity in natural environments should be promoted, use of fresh vegetables, fruits and water increased, and consumption of sugary drinks, tobacco and alcohol restricted. Nature relatedness should be part of everyday life and especially emphasized in the care of children and the elderly. Taking "nature" to modern cities in a controlled way is possible but a challenge for urban planning, nature conservation, housing, traffic arrangements, energy production, and importantly for supplying and distributing food. Actions against the well-known respiratory risk factors, air pollution and smoking, should be taken simultaneously.Conclusions: In Finland and elsewhere in Europe, successful programmes have been implemented to reduce the burden of respiratory disorders and other NCDs. Unhealthy behaviour can be changed by well-coordinated actions involving all stakeholders. The growing public health concern caused by NCDs in urban surroundings cannot be solved by health care alone; a multidisciplinary approach is mandatory. Show less
The aim of this thesis was to clarify which aspects of depression and anxiety are related to an increased metabolic risk, and which factors contribute to these associations. Taken together, our... Show moreThe aim of this thesis was to clarify which aspects of depression and anxiety are related to an increased metabolic risk, and which factors contribute to these associations. Taken together, our findings indicate that people with more severe symptoms of depression and anxiety are at particular risk of progressive dyslipidemia and (abdominal) obesity. The higher rates of smoking and systemic inflammation among people with depression or anxiety partially accounted for their adverse metabolic profile. Dysregulations of the autonomic nervous system partly explained why users of tricyclic antidepressants displayed an increased risk of dyslipidemia and (abdominal) obesity as well, and also of hypertension. These important findings shed light on useful avenues for future research, and on preventive and therapeutic insights and directions. Show less
Background As maintenance of lifestyle change and risk factor modification following completion of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) has been shown to be notoriously difficult, we developed a brief self... Show moreBackground As maintenance of lifestyle change and risk factor modification following completion of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) has been shown to be notoriously difficult, we developed a brief self-regulation lifestyle program for post-CR patients. Design Randomized-controlled trial. Method Following completion of CR 210 patients were randomized to receive either a lifestyle maintenance program (n=112) or standard care (n=98). The program was based on self-regulation principles and consisted of a motivational interview, 7 group sessions and home assignments. Risk factors and health behaviors were assessed at baseline (end of CR), and 6 and 15 months thereafter. Results ANCOVAs showed a significant effect of the lifestyle program after 6 months on blood pressure, waist circumference and exercise behavior, only the latter of which remained significant at follow-up (15 months). Mediation analysis demonstrated that the treatment effect on exercise behavior could be explained by an effect on self-regulation skills. Furthermore, the lifestyle intervention program was associated with a 12% reduction in self-reported cardiac hospital admission rates. In addition, patients in the intervention group had significantly fewer uncontrolled risk factors as compared to the control group. However, there was only a long-term beneficial intervention effect on obesity and physical inactivity, but not on other individual risk factors (increased waist circumference, raised blood pressure, raised TC/HDLC-ratio and smoking). Conclusion This trial indicates that a relatively brief, theory-based lifestyle program is capable of inciting and maintaining improvements in exercise adherence. It is suggested that patients may need ongoing attention and guidance, for example in the form of (internet-based) booster sessions, as long-term consolidation of changes is arduous. Show less
