The factors associated with Body Mass Index of adults

BACKGROUND: Overweight and obesity are associated with increased mortality and morbidity. Obesity is influenced by multiple factors, both genetic and environmental factors. We investigated the relationship between socioeconomic, behavioral, dietary, reproductive factors and body mass index(BMI). METHODS: The subject were 3000 adults who had visited the Health Screening and Diagnosis Center of Yeungnam University School of Medicine from February to June, 1997. We evaluated BMI and occupation, exercise, smoking, alcohol intake, total calory intake, fat and carbohydrate intake in both gender and reproductive factors in women. Then, we analyzed the association between BMI and such variables as above. RESULTS: 1629 men and 1371 women were analyzed. The mean BMI was 23.4+/- 2.8kg/M(2) in men, 22.9+/- 3.1kg/M(2) in women. In both gender, 9.7% of our population had BMl over 27. Mean BMI increased with age. Those who were active and light smokers( 20cigarette/day) had the lowest BMI in men. But no relationship was observed between BMI and exercise, smoking in women. Heavy alcohol drinkers(> 1cup/day) had higher BMI than other group in both gender. We found significant correlation between BMI and total calory intake, calory intake to recommended calory ratio in both gender. In women, the group whose number of parity was above 3 had significantly higher BMI than the other. And age at first birth was significantly correlated with BMI in a negative direction. CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed that BMI was associated with age, smoking, alcohol, total calory intake, calory intake to recommended calory ratio, parity, age at first birth. Socioeconomic class, exercise and diet composition appeared to have little influence.

Ultrasonography and Plain Film Versus Intravenous Urography in Urinary calculi

BACKGROUND: Urography(IVU) is considered the best first investigation in patient with suspected urinary calculi, but recently ultrasonography(USG), combined with a plain film of the abdomen, has been suggested as an alternative. METHODS: We undertaken study to see if this approch can be used in emergency patients and outpatients by radiologists with different amounts of ultrasound experence. Some 192 patients with suspected urinary colic presenting to Koo Hospital Emergency Department and Youngnam Universith Hospital outward Department(IM, URO, FM) over 12-month period were studied. They had a plain abdominal film(KUB) and USG examination of the kidney, ureter, bladder following hydration and subsequently underwent IVU. Of these, 22 patients passed a stone before their IVU. The data analysis was performed on the remaining 170 patients. Urography was used as the gold standard. RESULTS: Some 170 patients subsequently underwent IVU at a mean interval of 1.8 days after the ultrasound examination. In 91 of 170 patients the IVU was positive. In 97 of 170 patients the combination of JUB plus USG was positive, leaving three false negative KUB plus USG. Thus the sensitivity of KUB plus USG was 97%, specificity was 89%, positive predictive value was 91%, and negative predictive value was 96%. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings in this study suggest that in the hydrated patient the combination of KUB plus US is a very sensitive and relative specific screening test. Because of the high negative predictive value of KUB plus US, urography is not likely to be helpful when KUB plus US are negative. Urography is indicated only if KUB plus US findings are equivocal or if intervention is necessa.ry.