ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: To compare five indices of adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (MD) among adults living in the Mediterranean region. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A total of 100 healthy Lebanese adults aged between 18 and 65 years. Face-to-face interviews to collect sociodemographic and medical information, to take anthropometric measurements, and to fill a validated, culturally adapted, food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). The score for each item was calculated following the recommendations for each corresponding index. The five MD indices were Mediterranean Diet Scale (MDScale), Mediterranean Food Pattern (MFP), MD Score (MDS), Short Mediterranean Diet Questionnaire (SMDQ), and the MedDiet score. RESULTS: Significant correlations were detected between items with P-values < 0.001. Minimal agreement was seen between MDScale and MedDiet score and maximal agreement between MDS and MedDiet score. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that MDS and MedDiet scores had significant correlations with fiber and olive oil intake, main components of the MD. MDScale showed a significant correlation with waist-to-hip ratio and with total energy intake but none of the five indices was correlated to body mass index (BMI). CONCLUSIONS: The indices that showed the highest correlation with variables related to the MD are the MDScale and the MedDiet score; therefore, they can be used to assess our future study populations. Based on the current results, more than half of the study population was non-adherent to the MD and adherence to this diet did not appear to protect against being overweight (BMI ≥ 30).
Subject(s)
Adult , Humans , Body Mass Index , Diet , Diet, Mediterranean , Energy Intake , Mediterranean Region , Multivariate Analysis , Olive Oil , Overweight , Waist-Hip RatioABSTRACT
Background: The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry have recommended that the child's first dental visit should be during the child's first year of life for dental disease prevention and to decrease the invasive restorative interventions. In Lebanon, no study has been conducted to determine the age and the reasons of the first dental visit of children and who requested the first dental screening
Objectives: To assess at what age occurred the first dental visit in a group of Lebanese children visiting a private pediatric dental clinic and to explore the reasons for their first dental consultation
Materials and methods: An observational crosssectional study was conducted. During a five-year period, all children visiting the pediatric clinic were invited to participate in the study. Parents were asked about the general health status of their child, the use of antibiotics before the age of 2 years. Parents were also requested to give the dental reasons for their initial visit to a pedodontist
Results: Two hundred and twenty children [mean age 4.24 +/- 1.35 years] visited the pedodontic care office for the first time and were included in the study. All participants had visited a pediatrician before the age of 1 year. Fifty-seven [25.9%] children were referred by a dentist and 163 [74.1%] came with their parents without referral. All participants had at least one reason for the first consultation; the most common were the presence of decayed teeth [50.9%] and a dental pain perception [29.5%]
Conclusion: All participants had visited a pediatrician at an earlier age but none was referred to a pedodontist by a pediatrician for check-up or prevention. Children came upon the decision of their parents. A dental problem was the major reason which triggered the first visit. Therefore, pediatricians in Lebanon need to keep themselves updated on recommendations regarding children oral health and be encouraged to play an important role in prompting oral health and first dental visits
ABSTRACT
Bisphosphonates have been proven to be effective and safe to millions of osteoporotic and cancer patients but were associated with multiple complications. The most prevalent and well established are upper gastrointestinal discomfort for oral bisphosphonates and acute phase reactions for intravenous forms. Although rare, hypocalcaemia and renal injury could be potentially serious. Severe musculoskeletal pain and ocular events may be ignored by physicians, which delay their diagnosis and management. Recently there are growing concerns over two long-term and emerging adverse effects, which are still of unclear pathophysiology and unproven causality. Osteonecrosis of the jaw is more common in cancer sufferers who receive high doses of intravenous bisphosphonates. Atypical femoral fractures are very rare compared with osteoporotic fractures that bisphosphonates prevent. Based on current data, the association of bisphosphonates with esophageal cancer, hepatotoxicity and atrial fibrillation remains doubtful. Overall, the adverse effect profile of these drugs is still unclear. Physicians must be vigilant to bisphosphonate-reported side effects and recognize the level of evidence supporting them, to better communicate the balance between benefits and potential risks to patients
ABSTRACT
The study of the dentition is a common manner for age determination. In this article, we will discuss the pertinent methods to estimate the dental age of unknown dead or young alive people. In children, histological techniques as well as tooth eruption or calcification are appropriate to assess dental age inpostmortem. After 15 years, it becomes difficult to estimate the age, since the phenomena related to the tooth eruption or calcification is completed. Therefore, the rate of racemization and Lamendin method are pertinent to determine the age adults in postmortem. Finally, in young alive people where age determination has legal interest, the mineralization of the wisdom tooth is a fundamental criterion for evaluating dental age. The determination of age depends on physiologic, environmental, genetic and pathologic factor. Thus, the age estimation in Lebanese population might be appraised using the methods universally adopted after adjustment, to obtain an accurate evaluation
Subject(s)
Humans , Histological Techniques , Dentition , Evaluation Studies as Topic , Tooth Eruption , Child , CadaverABSTRACT
Various factors are taken into account in assessing objectively the dental status and the quality of life related to oral health, particularly in elderly. Basic socio-demographic characteristics and oral hygiene habits must be identified and screened, respectively. The dental health can be evaluated using indicators such as the ASA score or by determining the person's level of autonomy. Cognitive ability of older people must be checked prior to use oral health questionnaires. This competence can be assessed by the Mini Mental State score [MMS]. The use of Mini Nutritional Assessment [MNA] evaluates the nutritional status of patients. The aim of the article is to identify the most relevant indicators that can be used in epidemiological studies to assess the oral health of Lebanese elderly
ABSTRACT
According to the World Health Organization [WHO], oral health status represents an indicator of the physical and psychological general state of a person, especially among the elderly. Many epidemiological studies have studied oral health among the geriatric population. In Lebanon, the lack of publications related to this subject encouraged us to realize a pilot study in order to evaluate oral health status among a Lebanese geriatric sample from low socioeconomic class. This study was conducted in a volunteer associational center ["Resto du Coeur"], by the Department of ediatric and community dentistry, in collaboration with the Department of prosthodontics of the Faculty of Dental Medicine, at Saint-Joseph University, Lebanon. This activity included the oral health evaluation of 51 geriatric persons along with educational oral health promotion.The oral exam of the participants showed a high prevalence of edentulism, a poor oral hygiene as well as multiple periodontal and dental problems