Ideation of Body Image and its Relevance to Health

Globalization and urbanization have greatly affected one's life style, perception, rate of acceptance as well as eating habits. In the present era human beings have many concerns about their development, about size and shape of body, skin condition, attractiveness and approval by their friends. Body image is a multifaceted psychological construct that includes subjective attitudinal and perceptual experiences about one‟s body, particularly its appearance. The impact of globalization on body image and health are simultaneously positive and negative varying according to factors such as geographical location, gender, age, ethnic origin, education level, and socioeconomic status. In childhood, the influential beings are caretakers and with increasing age social factors and peers have greater influence. Media plays profound role on body image. There are evidences to support that body image concerns and dissatisfaction are serious problem and it is linked to nutritional status. Besides several primary prevention strategies psychotherapeutic, exercise and health based educational interventions are needed to overcome negative body image. There is an urgent need to move from traditional research to translational research and finally to transformative research transformative research in context of body image.

Fast Food Consumption Pattern among Female Research Scholars of a Central University

Background: Fast food culture is a vigorously uprising trend among the youngster’s engaged in higher education as well. Objectives: To assess fast food consumption among female research scholars of a central university and to identify influencing factors for the prevailing situation. Material and Method: For this cross sectional study 282 female research scholars of Banaras Hindu University were selected through multistage sampling. They were interviewed with pre-designed and pretested proforma about socio– demographic characteristics and consumption of fast foods. Results: Out of 282 subjects, 69.5% subjects consumed fast food daily whereas in case of 12.4% subjects this was 3-4 days per week. Fast food consumption was significantly influenced by area of residence, type of family, religion, caste, family size, source of income and socio-economic status. Consumption of fast food on daily basis was more in subjects from, urban area (77.8%), nuclear family (71.1%), family size 3 (81.9%), source of income other than service and business (73.0%) and SES I (74.9%). As per logistic model higher AORs were for urban area (4.77; 95% CI : 2.28-10.0); OBC caste (3.02; 95%, CI 1.45-6.27), and when total family member were 3 (3.51; 95%; CI 1.34-9.22). Conclusion: Fast food consumption was considerably high by female research scholars and area of residence, caste and family size were its significant predictors.

Treatment Seeking in Reproductive Age Women with RTIs/STIs : A Community based Cross-sectional Study.

The socio-cultural and economic contexts in developing countries influence the epidemiology or STls and helps in making them an important public health priority. This study was carried out to explore the health care seeking pathway of the women suffering from RTls/STls. influence or major socio-demographic variables on treatment seeking pattern. This cross sectional study was carried out comprising or eight hundred reproductive age (15-49 years) women selected following a multistage sampling procedure. The information pertaining to health seeking behaviour were collected from them using a pre-designed pretested interview schedule. Quantum of RTls/STls in the study group was estimated and symptomatics were asked specially about time lag between appearance of symptoms and seeking acre; reason for not seeking care; outcome of treatment they have taken if any. Out of total 359 subjects with symptoms of RTls/STls only about one-third (37.3%) had sought treatment. Only a few (4.5%) had sought treatment within 1 month of appearance of symptoms. Considering it to be physiological about half of the subjects (45.3%) did not seek treatment. The treatment seeking pattern was highly associated with the level of education (p=0.000). Reluctance in seeking treatment, delay in its initiation, prelerencc for unqualified practitioners in first consultation and significant association between education and treatment seeking pattern emphasize BCC and service provision for control and prevention of RTls/STls.

Prevalence and spectrum of hypertension in a rural area.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The objective of the study was to find the prevalence and spectrum of hypertension in a rural area of Varanasi, India. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a cross sectional study carried on 3600 subjects > or = 30 years of age and residents of three villages around Varanasi. The period of study was from April 2002 to January 2003. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of hypertension 13.6%.As much as 25.05% of the total subjects were in the category of High Normal. Among the hypertensives 80.5% had Stage 1 hypertension. With advancing age the prevalence of hypertension increased significantly. CONCLUSION: It is alarming to note that 1/4th of the study subjects had blood pressure in the range of High Normal and are a potential risk group. Of the hypertensive, 80% had Stage 1 hypertension which can be prevented and normalised by adopting lifestyle modification.

Energy balance of adolescent girls in rural area of Varanasi.

Although several studies have been undertaken on dietary intake of adolescent girls, studies on their energy expenditure and thereby energy balance are few. In order to explore these aspects, this community based cross-sectional study was done on 270 adolescent girls of a rural area of Varanasi, selected by adopting appropriate sampling technique. Nutritional status of study subjects was assessed on the basis of BMI. Their energy intake was computed by 24 hours recall oral questionnaire method. Estimation of energy expenditure was based on physical activity which was noted by 24 hours activity recall questionnaire method. Average energy intake (1609.42 +/- 528.87 kcal/day) of the study subjects was less than their mean energy expenditure (1896.19 kcal/day). Their energy expenditure was significantly influenced by several factors (e.g. age, caste, type of family, etc.) As much as 69.63%, subjects were in negative energy balance. Majority of subjects belonging to lower (79.37%) and middle (75.19%) SES were in the negative energy balance. Negative energy balance has been significantly less in subjects belonging to high SES, having main occupation of the family as business and high per capita income groups with respect to their corresponding subcategories. In all 68.52% study subjects had BMI < 18.5 kg/m2. Majority (91.11%) of adolescent girls had rate of energy expenditure > 1.4. Under nutrition was significantly (p<0.05) more in subjects with rate of energy expenditure > 1.4 (i.e. 70.33%) than in subjects with rate of energy expenditure < or = 1.4.

Nutritional status of adolescent girls of a slum community of Varanasi.

In order to assess nutritional status of adolescent girls of a slum community of Varanasi and factors influencing them, this study was carried out on 70 girls belonging to the age group 13 to 18 years. The study subjects were selected from Sunderpur, an urban community of Varanasi, by adopting appropriate sampling methodology. The approach adopted for the study was a cross sectional one. The tools in the study were pre-designed and pre-tested schedule, weighing scale, steel anthoropometric rod and measuring tape. The techniques of the study included interview method, clinical examination and anthropometry. In all, 70.0% adolescent girls had BMI < 20%; 51.43% study subjects were suffering from Chronic Energy Deficiency (CED). Stunting (Height for age alpha 90%) was present in 10% of adolescent girls. Their average Weight, Height, MAC were 83.45%, 93.08% and 82.05% of the corresponding estimated reference values. Significant association of common parameters (viz., age, caste, income, type of family, working and literacy status) with nutritional status of study subjects was not observed in this study. However, lesser undernutrition in large families (> 6) indicated role of familial support in prevention of undernutrition in adolescent girls.

Estimating true burden of disease detected by screening tests of varying validity.

Timely and accurate information on disease load is essential for planning health programs. Unfortunately, complexity, cost and need of skilled personnel limit the use of screening tools of high validity in developing countries. The disease load estimated with tools of low validity differs considerably from true disease load, particularly for diseases of extreme levels of prevalence/incidence. A tool of 70% sensitivity and specificity may yield a prevalence/incidence rate of 34% (CI: 32.23-35.67%) for a disease whose true rate is only 10.0% (CI: 8.94-11.06%). We proposed a procedure to derive the true estimate in such cases, based on the concepts of sensitivity and specificity of a diagnostic/screening test. It is applied on two sets of real data--one pertaining to incidence rate of low birth weight (LBW) and the other to prevalence rate of obesity--where multiple screening tests of varying validity were used to estimate the magnitude. Different screening tests yielded widely varying incidence/prevalence rates of LBW/obesity. The prevalence/incidence rates derived by using the proposed estimation procedure are similar and close to the true estimate obtained by screening tests considered as gold standard. Further, sample size determined on the basis of the results of a tool of low validity may be either larger or smaller than the required sample size. Estimation of true disease load enables determination of correct sample size, thus improving the precision of the estimate and, in some instances, reducing the cost of investigation.

MCH record maintenance at primary health centre level.

Scrutiny of MCH records of 1977-78 and 1988 at PHC level revealed glaring deficiencies in their maintenance e.g. missing of entries., duplicate entries etc. Extent of supervision of service records was extremely low. Record linkages could be poorly established and thus present mechanism of health care delivery could not ensure continuity of care. The level of record maintenance has almost remained same over a decade period. This can be avoided by modifying the information system, making records at the PHC level simple, action oriented with built in system of evaluation and involving community in its maintenance and utilisation.

A study on some diarrhoea related practices in urban Mirzapur.

In an operational research on the improvement of sanitation and water supply by an Indo-Dutch project at Mirzapur, UP, diarrhoeal morbidity was taken as an intermediate outcome variable for measuring the impact of the proposed intervention. In this study 350-410 under-five children were selected from 200 urban families of 3 slums and surveyed during 3 different seasons for 2 weekly recall of morbidity, treatment and feeding practices during diarrhoea. The prevalence of diarrhoea varied between 8.7% to 33%. Breast feeding was not restricted while other forms of feeding was continued in 57.1% to 66.3% of cases. Use of ORT increased significantly from 0% to 39.62% possibly as a result of health education. Reorientation of private practitioners to avoid use of unnecessary drug is suggested.