Comparing the effects of home-based exercise rehabilitation and center-based cardiac rehabilitation on lipid profiles of the patients with coronaryartery disease

Although participation in centre-based cardiac rehabilitation [CR] is known to reduce morbidity and mortality but the participation rates of coronary artery patients are low. Therefore, establishing alternative programs in this regard is important, and it seems that home-based exercise rehabilitation is one of the predominant alternatives. This study aimed to compare the effects of the home-based exercise rehabilitation and centre-based CR on lipid profiles of patients with coronary artery disease. This semi-experimental study was conducted on 40 patients [mean age, 59 +/- 6.28 years] in Isfahan cardiovascular research center in 2014. The participants were voluntarily divided into 3 groups: home-based exercise rehabilitation, centre-based CR and control. Triglycerides, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein [HDL-C] and low-density lipoprotein [LDL-C] were measured at baseline and after 2 months of CR. After 2 months of CR, levels of total cholesterol, LDL-C, HDL-C and the ratio of LDL/HDL and cholesterol/HDL were significantly improved in both experimental groups. No significant difference was observed between the home-based exercise and centre-based CR programs in all indices. Both home-based exercise rehabilitation and centre-based CR can improve the lipid profiles in patients with coronary artery disease. Thus, it can be a modern approach to increase the participation of patients, reduce the costs and the current restrictions in our country to fulfill the patients' needs

[Relationship between major dietary patterns and stunting in Tehrani school children]

This study was conducted to determine the relationship between stunting and major dietary patterns among the first-grade pupils in Tehran in 2008. In this case-control study, children's height [n=3147] was measured in 5 areas of Tehran by expeienced nutritionists using standard protocols. Children with a height lower than the 5th percentile of height for age of the CDC2000 standard were considered as stunted [n = 86, the case group]. Control children were selected randomly from among healthy, non-stunted children with the same age and sex [n=308]. Data on demographic characteristics, socio-economic status, birth weight and length, and duration of breast feeding were collected using standard questionnaires. In addition, two 24-hour dietary recall questionnaires were completed for each subject on 2 cosecutive days by interviewing their mothers. Factor analysis was used to identify major dietary patterns. Logistic regression models were adjusted for sex, mother's age and education, father's education, birth weight, family size, and energy intake. There were significant differences between the stunted children and their control group with regard to sex, birth weight, age of mother, and parents' education of [P<0.05]. Based on the 24-hour dietary recalls, the mean consumptions of dairy products [308 +/- 167 g/day] and dried fruits and nuts [2.58 +/- 9 g/day] in the case group were significantly lower than the respective control values [7.15 +/- 26 and 382 +/- 232 g/day, respectively; p<0.05]. However, consumption of the fat and oils group in the case group [37.85 +/- 29 g/day] was higher than in the control group [30.94 +/- 22 g/day; P< 0.05]. Three dietary patterns were identified using factor analysis: dietary pattern 1, high in bread, potatoes, fats, eggs, relish, other vegetables, sugar, and soft drinks; dietary pattern 2, high in leafy vegetables, fast foods, nuts, other cereals, fruits, legumes, and offal; and dietary pattern 3, high in biscuits and cakes, chicken, dairy products, fruits, etc. Dietary patterns 1 and 2 were not significantly associated with stunting, while children in the third quartile of dietary pattern 3 had a lower risk for stunting as compared to those in the first quartile of that dietary pattern [p<0.05]. It seems that following dietary patterns high in protein [e.g., dairy and meat products] and carbohydrate [e.g., fruits and biscuits/cakes] may reduce the risk of stunting in children

[Shares of energy and nutrients intakes from subsidized food items in Iranian households in diffferent socio-economic status]

This study was conducted to determine the shares of energy and nutrients intakes from subsidized food items in meeting nutritional requirements of Iranian urban and rural households in different socio-economic [SES] groups. The data collected in the Comprehensive Study on Household Food Consumption Patterns and Nutritional Status of I.R. Iran during 2001-2003 were used in this study. Households were selected by systematic cluster sampling in urban and rural areas and their SES was assessed through in-depth interviews. Assessment of food consumption patterns was done using three consecutive 24-hour diet recalls by trained nutritionists. To determine subsidized food items consumption in the households direct weighing and purchasing tables of major food items [rice, oil, and sugar] and 2-day records were used. In the data file, subsidized and non-subsidized food item subgroups were separated from each other and the shares of each subgroup in supplying energy and nutrients intake in the households were determined. From among the socio-economic variables, some were extracted by factor analysis as indicators of SES based on factor loading. Factor analysis detected 3 significant components for SES. These factors could explain 70% of the variance in SES. The population was divided into three categories [tertiles] according to the factors extracted. The first, second and third tertiles were considered as low, medium and high socio-economic groups, respectively. Finally, the shares of subsidized food items in supplying energy and macronutriets in the 3 categories were estimated. Of the 7158 households studied, 2496 [34.9%] were rural and 4662 [65.1%] urban. The highest consumption of bread was seen in the low SES groups, while the energy, carbohydrate, and protein supplied by bread was low in the high SES groups. The daily per capita consumption of hydrogenated and liquid oils was 82 and 3.6 grams in urban and rural areas, respectively. In spite of increasing non-subsidized liquid oil proportion in urban areas [2.6, 3.0, and 4.1 gram/person/day in the low, medium and high SES tertiles, respectively], consumption of hydrogenated and total oils decreased with increasing SES in both urban and rural areas. The data also showed that in cities, with increasing the SES level the proportions of non-subsidized rice and sugar increased and that of hydrogenated [subsidized] fat decreased. Shares of dietary energy obtained from bread [42.3 +/- 0.5, 37.4 +/- 0.5, and 33.0 +/- 0.5 grams in rural, and 36.4 +/- 0.4, 30.0 +/- 0.3, and 26.4 +/- 0.3 grams in urban, areas in low, moderate and high SES groups, respectively] and hydrogenated subsidized oil were higher, and that from sugar was lower, in low SES groups, as compared to moderate and high SES groups in both rural and urban areas. Finally, in the high SES groups the shares of energy from non-subsidized and total rice, as well as from non-subsidized liquid oil, were higher. In IR Iran, higher SES groups receive lower proportions of their dietary fat, rice and sugar from subsidized food items. In contrast, in the lower SES it is the subsidized food items that supply most of the energy, carbohydrates and proteins

[Snack of students in secondary schools and their buffet conditions in Tehran: a qualitative study]

School buffets are considered as important facilities in providing snacks for students. In addition, the consumption of junk and unhealthy foods in the snacks is prevalent. This qualitative study was carried out to identify the views and performance of students concerning having breakfast as well as snacks and assessing school buffets in Tehran in 2006. 240 students from 12 secondary schools in district 4 of Tehran were selected by purposive sampling method. 24 focus group discussion sessions, each lasted 60 minutes with 8-10 students were held and recorded for each group. All session notes were compared and controlled by recorded files for identifying the main themes to be encoded, classified and analyzed. More than half of the students ate snacks to reduce lack of energy and satisfy hunger. About 50% of girls took cake, waffle and milk while some boys ate fruits, sandwich and cake. Most students believed that buffet is necessary at school and considered its condition from moderate to bad. More than half of them stated that the snacks and foods in buffets were invariable, expensive, unhealthy and nonnutritive. With respect to undesirable snack patterns of students, improving the condition of school buffets to have more nutritious foods is a significant step in altering eating habits of them

Assessment of anthropometric status of adolescents in public guidance schools in East Tehran, 2006

Adolescence is a critical period of growth and development. Inadequate nutrition during adolescence may increase the incidence of non-communicable diseases in adulthood. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of underweight, at-risk-of overweight, overweight, and stunting in adolescents, as part of a project entitled "Nutrition and health education intervention program to improve the school buffets and nutritional behaviors of guidance school students". A descriptive, cross-sectional study was carried out on 780 students from 12 public guidance schools in East Tehran. Schools were chosen based on their population size and students' gender in north, south, east, west and central areas of the zone 4. Samples were selected using the systematical random method in each grade. A questionnaire was completed about demographic characteristics for each subject. Weight and height were measured and body mass index [BMI] was calculated. The Percentiles of underweight [/= 95[th]] were determined, and stunting was calculated based on height for age [