Smoking, Adolescents and Health: Isfahan Healthy Heart Programme-Heart Health Promotion from Childhood

To evaluate the effect of some environmental factors on smoking, and to assess some health hazards of smoking in adolescents, this cross-sectional study was performed among 1950 students, ages11-18, selected by multi-stage random sampling from three cities in Iran. According to self-administered questionnaires, 12.9% of boys and 4% of girls reported to be smoker (OR=3.34, 95%CI: 2.33, 4.77, p<0.001). The mean values of total-and LDL-cholesterol were higher in smokers and their HDL-C was lower than non-smokers (163.33± 33.83, 90.73± 31 and 46.7± 12.24 vs.156± 29.53, 85±26.5 and 49.4±13.7 mg/dl, respectively, p<0.05). The mean systolic and diastolic blood pressures were higher in smokers than non-smokers (110.7± 14.5, 67.6± 11.55 vs. 104.9± 14.3, 63.2± 10.8 mmHg, respectively, p<0.05). The smokers had higher BMI than non-smokers (20.34 ±3.84 vs.19.55 ± 3.66, p<0.05). The mean food consumption frequency was lower for fruits and vegetables and higher for fat/salty snacks and fast foods in smokers than non-smokers. Logistic regression analysis showed significant association between sex, age, the number of family members and number of smokers in the family and smoking in students. The findings of this study have implications for future tobacco prevention strategies through community-based interventions. Asia Pac JPublic Health 2004; 16(1): 15-22.

The accuracy of dental panoramic radiography as an indicator of chronological age in Iranian individuals

Growth rate is dependent on genetic and environmental factors and varies between the sexes, between individuals of the same population and between populations themselves. There is strong concern over the dental and bone testing procedures conducted to determine the age of young individuals for legal reasons. Inaccurate results would lead authorities to imprison some children in adult prisons, which are unsafe and inappropriate for minors. This study was designed to determine the relationship between dental age, the age from dental panoramic radiography, skeletal age and chronological age in patients referring to dental clinics of Yazd, Iran, for third molar surgery. The sample for the study consisted of 58 subjects between 15-25 years of age. The results indicated that estimating the age by examination of extracted lower wisdom teeth was most accurate. However, as use of this method i.e. extraction of tooth or dental surgery is not possible in normal individuals. Estimating the age from dental panoramic radiography showed high accuracy when applied to the patients.