Jorjani Biomedicine Journal

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Background and objectives: Osteoporosis, a current silent epidemic, is of high importance due to its high prevalence and complications among women. It is a preventable disease whose high-risk population includes young girls. This study investigated the impacts of a health belief model-based education program about osteoporosis prevention on physical activity of junior high school students in in Kalaleh (Iran) during 2012.

Method: The present experimental study was conducted on 140 female students of the second-grade of junior high school in Kalaleh. The subjects were selected and allocated to the case and control groups (n = 70 each) using multistage random sampling. Data were collected through standard questionnaires on the application of health belief model in osteoporosis and physical activity. The collected data were analyzed with independent and paired t-tests in SPSS 16 version.

Results: There were no significant differences between the case and control groups in terms of household size and parents’ demographic characteristics. Before the intervention, the two groups had no significant differences in the mean scores of awareness and the health belief model constructs. However, the intervention could significantly increase the case group’s scores (P < 0.001). In addition, two months after the intervention, the mean scores of physical activity significantly increased in the case group (P < 0.001).

Conclusion: The health belief model-based education program was efficient in increasing the students’ awareness which in turn created a favorable attitude toward physical activity among the participants.

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Background and objectives: High consumption of trans fatty acids is associated with increased risks cardiovascular diseases, insulin resistance, lipid disorders, diabetes, and possibly cancer. Therefore, most developed countries produce food products with trans fatty acid content of 0%-2% to support the consumers. This study sought to determine the amount of fatty acids in meat products and kebabs served in restaurants of Kermanshah, Iran.

Methods: In order to determine the percentage of fatty acids, 69 samples were randomly taken from 14 kinds of meat products and kebabs served in restaurants of Kermanshah. To extract the 14 types of fatty acids, Folch and methylation methods were applied based on the guidelines of the American Oil Chemists’ Society (AOCS). A gas chromatograph equipped with an ion-flame sensor and a 100 m capillary column was used to measure trans fatty acids.

Results: While the highest level of trans fatty acids was found in loghmeh-kebab (2.3%), the lowest level was detected in breaded shrimp (0.1%) and chicken schnitzel (0.13%). Palmitic acid (C16:0) was the most common saturated fatty acid in restaurant kebabs and had the highest amount in loghmeh-kebabs (in convenience foods). Unsaturated fatty acids had the lowest concentration in restaurant kebabs (39.8-49.44%). Their levels in convenience foods varied from 49.99% in loghmeh-kebab to 76.11% in sausages. Among all unsaturated fatty acids, oleic acid (C 18:1c) and linoleic acid (C 18:2c) had the highest concentrations in the studied samples.

Conclusion: Loghmeh-kebab had the highest tans and saturated fatty acid contents among all the evaluated meat products. It can thus be a threat to the consumers’ health. Careful monitoring of food products in terms of fatty acid types, use of food labeling, and education to change consumption pattern in the country are recommended for public health promotion.

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  Abstract

  Background and objectives: Depression is the most common cause of disability caused by diseases in the world. Having physical activity is a solution for reducing depression. This study was conducted to determine the causes of depression and its related factors.

  Methods: In this descriptive-analytical study, 266 female students participated in the study selected by random stratified sampling. The data were collected with demographic questionnaires, the Beck Depression Inventory, and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and the body composition was measured with the body analyzer machine and entered into the SPSS software. To examine the effect of physical activity on depression, a logistic regression model was used with adjusting the effect of the likely confounding variables.

  Results: The mean age of the participants was 22.15 ± 2.4. According to the Beck Depression Inventory, 24.8% (66 individuals) suffered from depression and 69.5% (185 individuals) were healthy and 5.6% (15 persons) were missing from study. The results did not show a significant difference between depression and being local or nonlocal, BMI and the income level. But there was a significant difference between the healthy and the depressed group with regard to physical activity ( P=0.03). Physical activity at recommended levels showed an inverse relationship with depression of students so that students who have the recommended levels of physical activity get the 44% lower chance to be in the depressed group against students who have been low level of physical activity (OR=0.56, 95% CI:0.31-0.99, P=0.046).

  Conclusion: Due to the effect of physical activity on reducing depression, providing sport facilities, recommending people to increase their physical activity and culture making in the society can serve as constructive solutions to improving the psychological health and preventing depression in the society.

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Background and objectives:

Almost 130 million infants are born each year, more than 8 million of whom

die before their first year of life. In the developing countries, two thirds of these deaths occur in the first month

of their life. Reduced infant mortality is among the Millennium Development indicators, and this rate is high

in Kalaleh city. This study aimed to identify the most common causes of infant death, so that the avoidable

deaths be prevented by offering intervention plans.

Methods:

information was collected with the designed form. The data were, then, coded and entered into the SPSS 17

software, and analyzed using independent statistical chi-square test.

In this study, all causes of infant death in Kalaleh city during 2003-2013 were investigated. The

Results:

prematurity (47.42%), congenital abnormalities (22.42%), and disasters and accidents (9.79%). 82.73%

of the infants weighed below 2500 g. 60% of the prematurity deaths occurred to primigravid women. There

388 infant deaths accounted for 83% of under-5 mortality. The most common causes of death include

was a statistically significant relationship between primigravity and prematurity infant death with a 95% confidence

(P=0.003). 74.74% of the infant deaths occurred in the first week, and 58.96% in the first 24 hours.

Conclusion:

As 38.4% of the infant deaths occurred in the first pregnancy, and 60% of prematurity deaths

happened to primigravid women, and there was a relationship between primigravity and prematurity infant

deaths, the importance of the particular care of these mothers comes into sight. Planning for teaching the im

of caring the primigravid mothers and making their families more sensitive about the significance of

portance

caring these mothers can be effective in reducing premature infant mortality.

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Background & Objective: Head lice infestation is a common disease in all ages with a worldwide distribution with considerable frequency in community centers such as schools. This study was aimed to determine the prevalence of head lice infestation and it›s affecting factors in the rural school students of Kalaleh, in the academic year 92-93. Method: This study was a cross sectional, descriptive-analytic approach. The studied population consisted of 2500 students in rural schools of Kalaleh, studying in the academic year 1392-93. Data were collected via direct observation of experts and the checklist of Pediculosis. Data were then entered into and analyzed using SPSS version 17. Results: 157 of students (6.28%) had head lice with the highest frequency among the girls with 147 people. There was a statistically significant relationship between the place of residence, occupation, education level of parents, family size, education level, existence of a shower in homes, frequency of showering and brushing, a history of head lice infestation, the presence or absence of school health teachers and hair size (P<0.05). Conclusion: Pediculosis is still a public health problem in communities with poor life and health facilities. High prevalence of this issue among school students may be linked to factors such as lack of health educators in school and lack of adequate attention to personal hygiene.

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Background & Objective: Obesity is a public health problem in modern societies which is more prevalent among women compared to men. This study was conducted to aim the prevalence of obesity and the related factors in women of Kermanshah.

Materials and Methods: In the present cross-sectional study, 687 women aging 25-65 years were enrolled using multi staged cluster sampling method from 6 regions of Kermanshah city. Data collection tools were a demographic questionnaire, Food Frequency (FFQ) and physical activity questionnaires. General Obesity was defined as BMI≥30 kg/m2 and abdominal obesity was defined as waste hip ratio (WHR) over 0.85cm. All data were analyzed using correlation coefficient, Logistic regression-test and x² by SPSS software.

Results: Overweight and obesity was observed in 39.4% and 21.9 % of women respectively. 57.5% of studied subjects suffered from abdominal obesity. The odds ratios for obesity among illiterate (OR=1.882, P=0.05), low socioeconomic status (OR=1.867, P=0.002), and having more than four pregnancies (OR=1.875, P=0.01) were higher than other women. Odds ratio of fatty liver (OR: 3.818) and diabetes (OR: 3.077) was higher among obese subjects than normal individuals. (P=0.02).There was a positive correlation between obesity and marital status, number of pregnancies, family population size and unhealthy dietary habits (P<0.001). Moreover, there was a negative relationship between obesity and education level, employment and high socioeconomic status (P<0.001).

Conclusions: Regarding the side effects of obesity and overweight, lifestyle modification and increasing nutritional knowledge among women using appropriate methods is highly recommended.