Auckland University of Technology

About: Auckland University of Technology is a education organization based out in Auckland, New Zealand. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Context (language use). The organization has 4116 authors who have published 13461 publications receiving 353076 citations. The organization is also known as: AUT & AUT University.

Non-surgical interventions for paediatric pes planus

Abstract: Background Paediatric pes planus ('flat feet') is a common childhood condition with a reported prevalence of 14%. Flat feet can result in pain and altered gait. No optimal strategy for non-surgical management of paediatric flat feet has been identified. Objectives To assess the effectiveness of non-surgical interventions for treatment of paediatric pes planus (flat feet). Search methods We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (The Cochrane Library), MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Index to Theses, and Dissertation Abstracts (up to June 2009). Selection criteria All randomised and quasi-randomised trials of non-surgical interventions for paediatric pes planus were identified. The primary outcomes were pain reduction and adverse events; secondary outcomes included disability involving the foot, goniometric measurements, quality of life and patient comfort. Data collection and analysis Two authors independently extracted data and assessed the risk of bias of included trials. Main results Three trials involving 305 children were included in this review. Due to clinical heterogeneity, data were not pooled. All trials had potential for bias. Data from one trial (40 children with juvenile arthritis and foot pain) indicated that use of custom-made orthoses compared with supportive shoes alone resulted in significantly greater reduction in pain intensity (mean difference (MD) -1.5 points on a 10-point visual analogue scale (VAS), 95% CI -2.8 to -0.2; number need to treat to benefit (NNTB) 3, 95% CI 2 to 23), and reduction in disability (measured using the disability subscale of the Foot Function Index on a 100mm scale (MD -18.65mm, 95% CI -34.42 to -2.68mm). The second trial of seven to 11 year old children with bilateral flat feet (n = 178) found no difference in the number of participants with foot pain between custom-made orthoses, prefabricated orthoses and the control group who received no treatment. A third trial of one to five year olds with bilateral flat feet (n=129) did not report pain at baseline but reported the subjective impression of pain reduction after wearing shoes. No adverse effects were reported in the three trials. Authors' conclusions The evidence from randomised controlled trials is currently too limited to draw definitive conclusions about the use of non-surgical interventions for paediatric pes planus. Future high quality trials are warranted in this field. Only limited interventions commonly used in practice have been studied and there is much debate over the treatment of symptomatic and asymptomatic pes planus

Accuracy of body mass index (BMI) thresholds for predicting excess body fat in girls from five ethnicities.

Abstract: The association between body mass index (BMI) and body fat in young people differs among ethnic groups. Consequently, BMI thresholds for defining childhood overweight may not represent an equivalent level of adiposity in multiethnic populations. The objectives of this study were to characterise the relationships between BMI and percentage body fat (%BF) and to determine the appropriateness of universal BMI standards for predicting excess fatness in girls from five ethnic groups. The BMI and %BF of 1,676 European, Maori, Pacific Island, East Asian, and South Asian girls aged 5-16 years were determined using anthropometric and bioimpedance measurements. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were prepared to assess the sensitivity and specificity of the International Obesity Taskforce (IOTF) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) BMI thresholds for detecting %BF >85th percentile. Compared with European girls, South and East Asians averaged 4.2% and 1.3% more %BF at a fixed BMI and age, whereas Pacific Islanders averaged 1.8% less %BF. Areas under the ROC curves ranged from 89.9% to 92.4%, suggesting that BMI is an acceptable screening tool for identifying excess adiposity. However, the IOTF and CDC thresholds showed low sensitivity for predicting excess %BF in South and East Asian girls, with low specificity in Pacific Island and Maori girls. The development of an ethnic-specific definition of overweight improved diagnostic performance. We conclude that BMI can be an acceptable proxy measure of excess fatness in girls from diverse ethnicities, especially when ethnic-specific BMI reference points are implemented.

Knotted strands: Working lives of Indian women migrants in New Zealand

Abstract: While the burgeoning field of ethnic identity has been fuelled by the changing demographics of nations, such scholarship has given more concentration to general life contexts with much quantitative research done in America and Europe, and more recently in Australia. In this context the Indian Diaspora and ethnic identity have been studied, but there is a dearth of research on ethnic identity and Indians in New Zealand. This article draws on evidence from qualitative interviews with ethnic minority Indian women in New Zealand to illustrate ethnic identity negotiation. Three strands of experience were explored: 1) entry into the world of work; 2) staying in the world of work; and 3) the impact of work experiences on ethnic identity. The evidence indicates the difficulties encountered in entering the workforce and in sustaining work, creating knotted strands in the lives of the women. It seems to take approximately two years to start integrating experiences and coming to terms with life in the new country as...

Muscle activation during low- versus high-load resistance training in well-trained men

Abstract: Purpose It has been hypothesized that lifting light loads to muscular failure will activate the full spectrum of MUs and thus bring about muscular adaptations similar to high-load training. The purpose of this study was to investigate EMG activity during low- versus high-load training during performance of a multi-joint exercise by well-trained subjects.