ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The correlates of body image perception among an ethnically diverse group of adolescent females attending secondary school in Trinidad were investigated. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was carried out among adolescent females from selected secondary schools in Trinidad. Participants completed a self-administered questionnaire consisting of sociodemographic items and standardized psychometric instruments. RESULTS: Two hundred and fifty-one students participated in the survey with an ethnic composition as follows: Indo-Trinidadian (35.9), Afro-Trinidadian (28.7), Indo-Afro mixed Trinidadian (21.9) and other (13.5). The results suggest that 2.4of the participants reported having a medical diagnosis for an eating disorder Indo-Trinidadians had significantly greater body dissatisfaction than Indo-Afro-mixed Trinidadians but not more than Afro-Trinidadians (p = 0.04). Also, a significantly higher proportion of Indo-Trinidadians engaged in binge eating behaviour compared to the other ethnic groups (p < 0.001). Afro-Trinidadians were more likely to use vomiting as a mean of weight control compared to Indo- and Indo-Afro-mixed Trinidadian (p < 0. 05). Fifty-one per cent of participants had a negative body image perception. Altered body image perception was associated with a significant higher mean Body Shape Questionnaire BSQ 16 score (p < 0.001) and increased likelihood of reporting being diagnosed with an eating disorder (OR = 2.03, 95CI: 1.78, 2.31; p = 0.01) compared to non-altered body image state. Eating Attitude Test (EAT-26) score was positively correlated with Drive-for-Thinness (p < 0.001) and BSQ16 (p < 0.001) scores and inversely correlated with the Rosenberg self-esteem score (p = 0.012). CONCLUSION: In this group of adolescents, there are ethnic differences in the level of concern over body image and associated eating, and weight-related behaviour.
Subject(s)
Humans , Female , Adolescent , Self Concept , Health Behavior , Feeding and Eating Disorders , Ethnicity , Body Image , Schools , Body Weight , Demography , Nutritional Status , Cross-Sectional Studies , Sex Factors , Health Surveys , Psychometrics , Surveys and Questionnaires , Trinidad and TobagoABSTRACT
Diabetes mellitus is a major cause of morbidity in Trinidad and Tobago. Screening programmes are not incorporated in the health sector and the population at risk remains unaware of the benefits of screening. We investigated the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes mellitus in office workers with one risk factor. Participants were randomly selected from the urban corporate sector in Port of Spain. Fasting capillary blood glucose and the American Diabetes Association (ADA) questionnaire for major diabetes risk factors were used to assess risk. Student pharmacists approached 482 persons, of whom 317 consented to participate (66 response rate). There were 101 (32) men and 216 (68) women, 37 (39) were of African ancestry and 28 each were of East Indian and mixed ancestry. Family history was positive in 54. Thirty per cent (95) of the volunteers were at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes mellitus (41 men; 54 women). Based on the ADA questionnaire, 82 (78) of volunteers were at high risk for developing Type 2 diabetes mellitus. The ADA risk test and Impaired Fasting Glucose were both positive in 13 (14) volunteers. In subjects at risk, Body Mass Index (BMI) was > 25 kg/m2 in 74 (78) and the waist/hip ratio was 0.85. Approximately 30 of office staff was at risk of developing diabetes mellitus. The ADA questionnaire is a useful non-invasive measure which pharmacists can use to assess risk for Type 2 diabetes mellitus. The glucometer can be used for risk assessment providing that it is associated with a quality assurance programme and that diagnosis is confirmed with laboratory testing
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Adult , Middle Aged , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 , Risk Assessment/methods , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 , Body Constitution , Risk Factors , Blood Glucose/analysis , Glucose Intolerance , Surveys and Questionnaires , Glucose Tolerance Test , Trinidad and Tobago/epidemiology , Body Mass IndexABSTRACT
PURPOSE: A single blind prospective randomised study to determine the effect of Viscoat retained in the eye on intraocular pressure (IOP) after phacoemulsification. METHODS: 82 patients were randomly selected to receive either Viscoat, a viscoelastic composed of 3% sodium hyaluronate (mol wt 500,000 daltons), and 4% chondroitin sulfate (mol wt 25,000 daltons) or Provisc, a viscoelastic compound composed of 1% sodium hyaluronate (mol wt 4,00,000 daltons) during phacoemulsification. In those patients receiving Viscoat the viscoelastic in the anterior chamber only was removed, whereas in those receiving Provisc attempts were made to remove the material entirely. The IOP was measured on the first postoperative day, 16-20 hours after surgery. RESULTS: The mean postoperative IOP in the Viscoat group was 22.37 +/- 9.0 mmHg and in the Provisc group was 19.67 +/- 6.95 mmHg. Five patients in the Viscoat group had pressure elevations above 30 mmHg as opposed to three in the Provisc group. CONCLUSIONS: The two viscoelastics cause equivalent pressure elevations postoperatively. In the Viscoat group there were five patients with IOPs above 30 mmHg. We recommend that Viscoat should be aspirated from both the anterior chamber and the capsular bag following routine phacoemulsification.