ABSTRACT
Healthy eating in adolescent girls has a crucial role in normal growth and reducing the incidence of chronic disease related to nutrition in adulthood. The purpose of this study was to determine high school girl's eating behaviors in north of Tehran. In this cross-sectional study, 722 female students who were selected randomly from public high schools in four districts of Tehran participated. Demographic variables and nutritional status were evaluated using systematic interviews with them by health professionals. Anthropometric parameters were also assessed. Most girls [42.4%] had a normal BMI. The mean [SD] of daily consumption of fruits, vegetables and dairy products were 2 [1.1], 1.8 [1], 1.9 [1.07] servings, respectively. The mean [SD] of weekly intake of red meat, poultry, fish, eggs and beans were 3.08 [2], 3.15 [2.9], 0.95 [0.9], 2.6 [2.9] and 2.2 [1.2] times, respectively. The mean [SD] frequency of eating breakfast was 4.9 [2.6] times per week. 16.9% of girls never consumed fast foods. Girls who do not consume salty snacks and fast foods per week, had significantly normal BMI [p<0.05]. Low-fat milk consumption, daily consumption breakfast and non consumption of fruits were significantly associated with social status [p<0.05]. Do not eating breakfast had significant association with BMI [p<0.05]. The consumption of major food groups in this study was lower than the recommended amounts. Further research is needed to determine enabling and reinforcing factors to healthy eating behaviors. Also, improvement attitudes and empowerment of adolescent girls to adopt healthy eating behaviors can be effective
ABSTRACT
There is limited data about the performance of QuantiFERON-TB Gold [QFT-G] test in detecting latent tuberculosis infection [LTBI] in our region. We intended to determine the performance of QFT-G compared to conventional tuberculin skin test [TST] in detecting LTBI in HIV-positive individuals in Iran. This study was conducted in a HIV clinic in Tehran, Iran in April 2007. A total of 50 consecutive HIV-positive patients, not currently affected with active tuberculosis [TB], were recruited; 43 [86%] were male. The mean age was 38 +/- 7.2 years [21-53]. All had history of Bacillus Calmetta Guerin [BCG] vaccination. A TST with purified protein derivative [PPD] and whole-blood interferon-gamma release assay [IGRA] in reaction, to ESAT-6 and CFP-10 antigens was performed and measured by enzyme-linked immune-sorbent assay [ELISA]. The agreement between TST and QFT=G results were analyzed using Kappa test. A total of 36 [72%] patients had negative TST. For QFT-G, 20 [40%] tested positive, 19 [38%] tested negative, and the results in 11 cases [22%] were indeterminate. A total of 14 [28%] patients had a CD4 count of < 200 .Of the 14, TST + group, 12 had QFT-G +, only one case TST +/QFT-G-, and QFT-G was indeterminate in one TST positive case. Of the 36 patients with negative TST test, 8 [22%] had positive GFT-G and 10 [28%] yielded indeterminate results. There was no association between a positive TST and receiving highly active anti-retroviral therapy [HAART] or CD4 counts was not significant [P=0.06]. Although TST results were not significantly different in patients with CD <200 vs. CD4>200 [P=0.095], association between QFT-G results and CD4 cutoff of 200 reached statistical significance [P= 0.027]. Agreement Kappa coefficient between TST and QFT-G was 0.54 [Kappa = 0.54, 95% CI = 38.4-69.6, P < 0.001]. Detecting LTBI in HIV-positive individuals showed moderate agreement between QFT-G and LTBI in our study. Interestingly, our findings revealed that nontuberculous mycobacteria and prior BCG vaccination have minimal influence on TST results in HIV patients in Iran