ABSTRACT
The prevalence of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease [NAFLD], as one of the health problems, and its complications are increasing. Inadequate physical activity and obesity are the determinants of the incidence of NAFLD. This study aimed to compare physical activity and Body Mass Index [BMI] in both groups of patients with and without NAFLD in Tehran. In this cross-sectional study, 170 outpatients aged 20 to 55 who referred to Taleghani Hospital of Tehran for sonography participated. They were selected using convenience sampling method. Using completing the questionnaires through systematic interviews with individuals, socio-demographic characteristics, complain and the level of physical activity were assessed. Anthropometric measurements and ultrasound were also performed. Data were analyzed using descriptive methods for descriptive data analysis, T-test and Chi-square tests to compare of the means between groups and to determine the relationship between variables. Most patients with NAFLD [60%] had intense level of physical activity and only a small percentage of them [11.3%] had low level of physical activity. While in the group of patients with NAFLD, most people [36.7%] had moderate level of physical activity and 28.9% had low level physical activity. The difference between the level of physical activity in the two groups was significant [p=0.001]. The mean [SD] BMI of patients with NAFLD was higher than patients without NAFLD [32.8[6.6] vs. 24.4[3]] [p<0.001]. Considering the prevalence of obesity and inadequate physical activity in patients with NAFLD, life style change recommended through designing and implementation of educational interventions to increase their knowledge and improve attitude, also physical activity interventions as option with diet to improve clinical status
ABSTRACT
It is obvious that, because of the lack of resources, we should devote our limited resources to priorities in order to reach an acceptable level of health. The objective of this study was to research priority setting for Pediatric Surgery Research Center; with the participation of all stakeholders. This is a Health System Research [HSR] project in order to apply governance and leadership issues with the participation of 41 people including faculty members in Pediatric Surgery Research Center, Shahid Beheshti Medical University and the other pediatric specialists and health system stakeholders as well as the people associated with health system inside and outside the university. This was performed in 2010 using the Council on Health Research for Development [COHRED] model with little change. Based on the model, at first the stakeholders were identified and the field situation of Pediatric Surgery was analyzed. Then, research areas and titles were specified and research priorities were set out by giving scores according to the criteria. The seven obtained research areas in priority order are included pediatric trauma, pediatric cancers, pediatric urology diseases, undescended testicles in children, developmental genetics and congenital defects, emergency in children and application of laparoscopic surgery in children. Because each of the research areas is composed of multiple subareas, we managed to finally specify 43 research subareas as research priorities. These subareas included epidemiology, risk factors, prevention, screening, diagnosis and treatment. They also included follow-up, complications, knowledge and attitudes of parents, quality of life, economy aspects and data bank for further research. In this project, research priorities were set out for Pediatric Surgery Research Center of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, with the participation of all the stakeholders based on the recommended model of WHO [COHRED]. It seems that the reliability of the priorities is in moderate level, but there is certain validity in obtaining the best content in terms of the study conditions