Objective: We aimed to explore the impact of using virtual reality technology to intervene in and encourage the developmental behavior areas of cognition, imitation, and social interaction in children with autism spectrum disorder.Methods: Forty-four children with autism spectrum disorder were divided randomly into an intervention group and a control group, with each group consisting of 22 participants. Incorporating conventional rehabilitation strategies, virtual reality technology was used with the intervention group to conduct rehabilitation training in areas including cognition, imitation, and social interaction. The control group was provided conventional/routine clinical rehabilitation training. The children's cognitive development was evaluated before and 3 months after intervention.Results: After intervention, the developmental abilities of both groups of children in the areas of cognition, imitation, and social interaction were improved over their abilities measured before the intervention (P < 0.05). However, post-intervention score differences between the two groups demonstrated that the intervention group levels were better than the control group levels only in the areas of cognition and social interaction (P < 0.05).Conclusion: Combining virtual reality with conventional rehabilitation training improved the cognitive and social development of children with autism spectrum disorder and supported the goal of improving the rehabilitation effect.

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) use is becoming increasingly common, especially among adolescents and young adults, and there is little evidence on the impact of e-cigarettes use on never-smokers. With a meta-analysis method, we explore the association between e-cigarettes use and smoking intention that predicts future cigarette smoking. Studies were identified by searching three databases up to January 2016. The meta-analysis results were presented as pooled odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) calculated by a fixed-effects model. A total of six studies (91,051 participants, including 1452 with ever e-cigarettes use) were included in this meta-analysis study. We found that never-smoking adolescents and young adults who used e-cigarettes have more than 2 times increased odds of intention to cigarette smoking (OR = 2.21, 95% CI: 1.86–2.61) compared to those who never used, with low evidence of between-study heterogeneity (p = 0.28, I² = 20.1%). Among never-smoking adolescents and young adults, e-cigarettes use was associated with increased smoking intention.

Evidence indicates that breakfast consumption is associated with a cluster of health-related behaviors, yet studies in mainland China are scarce. This study is conducted to describe the frequency of breakfast consumption among Chinese adolescents and examine its associations with other dietary, physical activity, sedentary, sleep, cigarette-smoking, and alcohol-drinking behaviors. Breakfast consumption and other health-related behaviors data was collected via a self-administered questionnaire in a cross-sectional study in Zhejiang Province, China. A total of 19,542 school-aged adolescents were recruited in this survey. The associations between breakfast consumption and other health-related behaviors were examined using logistic regression models. A significantly higher prevalence of daily breakfast consumption was found among students who were younger (p for trend <0.001), from urban schools (p < 0.001), and academic high schools (p < 0.001). More frequent vegetable and milk consumption, greater physical activity, and longer sleep duration were positively associated with daily breakfast consumption, while soft drinks and fast food consumption, computer use, cigarette-smoking and alcohol-drinking behaviors were inversely associated. The prevalence of irregular breakfast consumption was relatively high among Chinese adolescents in Zhejiang Province. Daily breakfast consumption was associated with a constellation of health-related behaviors.

The incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has been increasing globally over the past two decades in children and adolescents. There are currently a dearth of comprehensive population-based estimates of T2DM incidence and time trends in Chinese youth. A population-based diabetes registry system in 30 representative districts in Zhejiang has been established for diabetes surveillance. All newly cases diagnosed by physicians in local hospitals and wards were registered using the registry system through web services and direct network report. The data were primarily abstracted from medical records in hospitals and wards. Annual incidence rates and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) by age groups and sex were calculated per 100 000 person-years. Poisson regression models were applied to assess the effects of diagnosis year, age groups, sex and residence area on T2DM incidence and to examine the average annual percentage change in incidence. There were 392 newly diagnosed cases of T2DM (210 boys and 182 girls) over the study period. The mean annual age-standardized incidence was 1.96/100 000 person-years (95% CIs: 1.85–2.08). No statistically significant difference in incidence was found between boys and girls. However, the risk for T2DM was 1.49 times higher in urban area than in rural area. Besides, the mean annual incidence in youth increased with age. The age-standardized incidence was about 5 times higher in 2013 than in 2007. Steep rising incidence was observed, with an average annual increase of 26.6% in youth aged 10–19 years. The incidence of T2DM in children and adolescents was low in Zhejiang relative to other countries, whereas it increased markedly over the study period. Preventive strategies for T2DM are necessary in pediatric population.

Background: Evidence on the interrelations between cigarette smoking and a cluster of lifestyle behaviors is scarce for the Chinese youth population. This study is conducted to identify the associations between cigarette smoking and multiple health-related behaviors in a Chinese sample of...