Association between breakfast intake with anthropometric measurements, blood pressure and food consumption behaviors among Iranian children and adolescents: the CASPIAN-IV study

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to assess the association between breakfast intake with anthropometric measurements and blood pressure among Iranian children and adolescents. The second goal is to investigate the correction of breakfast consumption with other food consumption behaviors.

RESEARCH METHODS & PROCEDURES

In this national survey, 13,486 children and adolescents, aged 6-18 years, were selected by multistage, cluster sampling method from rural and urban areas of 31 provinces of Iran (2011-2012). Physical measurements included height, weight, waist circumference, and blood pressure. Food habits were assessed by self-reported questionnaire. Breakfast frequency was defined as skippers (eating breakfast 0-2 days/week), semi-skippers (eating breakfast 3-4 days/week) and non-skippers (eating breakfast 5-7 days/week). The data were analyzed by the STATA package.

RESULTS

Of the participants, 18.9%, 13.2% and 67.9%, were breakfast skippers, semi-skippers and non-skippers respectively. The prevalence of overweight and obesity among breakfast skippers were higher than non-skippers counterparts (P-value < 0.001). The percentage rates of abdominal obesity among breakfast skippers and non-skippers group were 22.6% (CI 95%: 21-24.3) and 17.9% (CI 95%: 17-18.6), respectively. Blood pressure did not significantly differ between non-skippers students and breakfast skippers (P-value = 0.1). Non-skipping adolescents ate more fresh fruits, dried fruits, vegetables and drank milk more frequently compared with breakfast skipper; while the skippers showed a higher intake of salty snack, soft drinks, packed fruit juice and fast foods (all P-value < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Regular breakfast consumption is significantly associated with lower body fatness and healthier dietary habits but that further study, using controlled intervention trials, is required to test whether this represents a causal relationship.

Life expectancy at birth in rural areas based on corrected data of the Iranian vital horoscope

BACKGROUND

Life expectancy at birth as an alternative summary measure of mortality represents number of years which a newborn will be alive based on the current age specific death rates. As it summarizes death rates across all age range in a given population is the most common summary measure of mortality. The aim of this study was to correct death rates for underreport and estimate life expectancy at birth in rural population of Iran in 2008. In addition, this study aimed to assess the Vital Horoscope system's data quality.

METHODS

Data were obtained from all Health Houses in Iranian villages in 2008. In order to adjust over 5 years old death rates for underreport, we used Brass Growth Balance method. Since this method is not applicable to under 5 years old, we used child mortality rates projected based on the Iranian Demographic and Health survey 2000 to correct death rates.

RESULTS

Adjusted life expectancy at birth for males was 71.5 year and for females was 74.4 year. Completeness of the death data was 88% for males and 79% for females. Adjusted child (under 5) mortality rate by sex in males and females was 25.9 and 23.8 per 1000 live births respectively. Adult mortality for males was 167.2 and 98.3 for females per 1000.

CONCLUSION

Data based on Vital Horoscope system are a suitable source to estimate life expectancy and other mortality statistics. Also has an acceptable completeness on death registration. Further studies to investigate accuracy of data from the Vital Horoscope system are suggested.

Rationale, methods and first results of the Iranian national programme for prevention of chronic diseases from childhood: CASPIAN Study

The CASPIAN Study aims to implement a school-based surveillance system for prevention of noncommunicable diseases from childhood in the Islamic Republic of Iran. The baseline survey was conducted from November 2003 to May 2004 in 23 provinces among 21,111 school students aged 6-18 years and their parents. The data collected included: birth weight and current anthropometric measurements; dietary and exercise habits; family history of chronic diseases; and knowledge about prevention. Fasting blood sugar and lipid profile were assessed in a subsample of 4811 students.

The role of sodium cromolyn in treatment of paraquat-induced pulmonary fibrosis in rat

Paraquat is a non-selective herbicide which is widely used in agriculture. It has potential of producing pulmonary fibrosis. In this study the therapeutic effect of different doses of sodium cromolyn on the development of paraquat-induced pulmonary fibrosis was investigated. In order to produce lung fibrosis, rats were given single oral dose of paraquat (40 mg kg(-1)). Two groups of animals were nebulised with 6 or 8 mg day(-1) cromolyn (divided into two doses per day) 5 days prior and 2 weeks after paraquat treatment. Control animals were given equivalent volume of normal saline and treated with cromolyn similar to the test groups. Rats were killed at the end of treatment course and lung tissues were tested histologically and biochemically. Histological examination of paraquat-treated animals showed marked infiltration of inflammatory cells in the alveolar spaces, septal thickening and fibrosis. Lesions were evident in many places of sections. Sodium cromolyn could markedly reduce such damages in lung tissue. Lung weight, hydroxyproline and collagen content of lung tissues were elevated significantly (P < 0.05) in paraquat group compared with control group. In cromolyn-treated groups such factors were near to control value and were significantly lower than paraquat group (P < 0.05). Results of this study indicate that sodium cromolyn can decrease the fibrogenic effect of paraquat on lung. Such effect may be due to the stabilising of mast cells and inhibition of inflammatory mediators by sodium cromolyn.