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ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Socioeconomic status is a well-known risk factor for obesity. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between socioeconomic and nutritional status in the Serbian adult population. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional study on data from the 2013 National Health Survey performed in Serbia. METHODS: The study population consisted of adults aged ≥ 20 years. Face-to-face interviews and anthropometric measurements were conducted by trained staff. Associations between body mass index and sociodemographic variables were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: Out of 12,461 subjects of both sexes, 36.4% were overweight and 22.4% were obese. The prevalences of overweight and obesity differed significantly between the sexes, regarding all sociodemographic characteristics. Among women, educational attainment was associated with lower risk of being overweight (odds ratio, OR = 0.82; 95% confidence interval, CI: 0.69-0.98 for medium-level and OR = 0.77; CI: 0.62-0.97 for higher education) or obese (OR = 0.68; CI: 0.57-0.82 for medium-level and OR = 0.41; CI: 0.31-0.54 for higher education). In contrast, medium-level (OR = 1.28; CI: 1.08-1.52) and highly educated men (OR = 1.39; CI: 1.11-1.74) were more frequently overweight than were those with low education. Among men, grade I obesity was positively related to the richest wealth index group (OR = 1.27), while the opposite was true for grade II obesity among women (OR = 0.61). CONCLUSION: This study showed significant socioeconomic inequalities in nutritional status between men and women. Continuous monitoring of socioeconomic patterns relating to weight is important, especially with further exploration of the link between education and obesity.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Adult , Middle Aged , Aged , Socioeconomic Factors , Nutritional Status , Obesity/epidemiology , Cross-Sectional Studies , Interviews as Topic , Health Surveys , SerbiaABSTRACT
Background: Acne is a common problem in adolescent children and has a considerable impact on their quality of life. Aims: The purpose of this study was to assess health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among Serbian adolescents with acne, using 2 questionnaires: The Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index (CDLQI) and the Cardiff Acne Disability Index (CADI) and to provide a cross validation of 2 scales. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among the pupils of the secondary railway-technical school in Belgrade, Serbia. 478 pupils (aged 15 - 18 years) completed 2 HRQoL questionnaires: CDLQI and CADI. We used t-test for differences between mean values of CDLQI and CADI and Spearman's rho coefficient for correlation between 2 questionnaires. Results: Self-reported acne was present in 71.6% of pupils (64.3% boys and 35.7% girls). The overall mean CDLQI score (4.35 of max. 30) and the overall mean CADI score (3.57 of max. 15) were low, indicating a mild impairment of HRQoL among adolescants. There was good correlation between the 2 questionnaires (Spearman' rho = 0.66). Conclusion: The CADI and the CDLQI questionnaires represent simple and reliable instruments for the assesment of HRQoL among schoolchildren with acne. In this study, we identified 17% of boys and 18% of girls perceived their acne as a major problem. It is important to detect and treat such adolescents on time to reduce the psychosocial burden associated with acne.
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Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is associated with increased risk of carotid atherosclerosis. Aim: To estimate the frequency of MetS in patients with symptomatic carotid atherosclerotic disease, and to compare clinical, biochemical and ultrasonographic characteristics of patients with and without MetS. Material and methods: Cross-sectional study of 657 consecutive patients (412 males) with symptomatic carotid atherosclerotic disease. Carotid atherosclerosis was estimated by high resolution B-mode ultrasonography. National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) M criteria were used for estimation of MetS. Results: Metabolic syndrome was present in 55.6 percent of studied patients. Among patients with metabolic syndrome there was a significantly higher proportion of women, and mean values ofbody weight, body mass index, waist circumference, percentage of body fat, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, serum triglycerides, total cholesterol and glucose were significantly higher. Mean values of high density lipoprotein cholesterol and alcohol consumption were significantly lower in patients with MetS. No differences between patients with or without MetS, were observed for age, smoking, mean values of low density lipoprotein cholesterol, high sensitive C-reactive protein and fibrinogen, and for degree of carotidstenosis or severity of clinical manifestations. Conclusion: Half of these patients with carotid stenosis have features of the metabolic syndrome.
Antecedentes: El síndrome metabólico se asocia a un mayor riesgo de ateroesclerosis carotídea. Objetivo: Evaluar la frecuencia de síndrome metabólico en pacientes con ateroesclerosis carotídea sintomática y comparar las características clínicas, bioquímicas y ultrasonográficas en pacientes con y sin síndrome metabólico. Material y método: Estudio transversal de 657 pacientes consecutivos (412 varones) con ateroesclerosis carotídea sintomática. El síndrome metabólico fue diagnosticado de acuerdo a los criterios del National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) III. la ateroesclerosis carotídea se investigó mediante ultrasonografía de alta resolución modo B. Resultados: Se diagnosticó síndrome metabólico en 55.6 por ciento de los pacientes estudiados. Entre los sujetos portadores del síndrome había una mayor proporción de mujeres y el peso, índice de masa corporal, circunferencia de cintura, porcentaje de grasa corporal, presión arterial sistólica y diastólica y niveles séricos de triglicéridos, colesterol total y glicemia fueron mayores. los valores promedio de colesterol HDI y de consumo de alcohol fueron significativamente menores en los pacientes con síndrome metabólico. los pacientes con el síndrome consumían menos alcohol y tenían niveles de colesterol HDI más bajos. No se encontraron diferencias entre sujetos con y sin síndrome metabólico en edad, tabaquismo, lipoproteínas de baja densidad, proteína C reactiva ultrasensible, fibrinógeno, grado de estenosis carotídea o severidad de sus manifestaciones clínicas. Conclusiones: la mitad de estos pacientes con estenosis carotídea tiene un síndrome metabólico.