ABSTRACT
Background: Tattooing has emerged as common activity among adolescents. Therefore, it is important to informed adolescents about possible health hazards associated with it. The objective of the study was to determine the prevalence of tattooing and knowledge of health risks associated with it among higher secondary students and association between knowledge on risk factors with selected socio-demographic variables.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from September to October 2015 among 1325 students studying in class XI and XII in Thoubal district of Manipur in Northeast India. A self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. Based on the obtained score, knowledge was divided into adequate and inadequate. Descriptive statistics like mean (SD) and percentages were used. Chi-square test was used for testing the significance and p<0.05 was considered as statistically significant.Results: Total of 1378 students participated in the study. Almost all the students (99.5%) have heard of tattoo but only 75 of them (5.5%) had ever tattooed. Majority (87%) of the students had inadequate knowledge. Ever tattooed was more among male students compared to female. There was significant association between adequate knowledge and male students, parents who had secondary and above education. Significant association was found among those who had adequate knowledge and risk of transmission of disease through tattooing.Conclusions: Prevalence of ever tattooed was 5.5%. Though majority of the participants had heard of tattoo but most of them had inadequate knowledge about health risk associated with tattooing.
ABSTRACT
Population aging is enduring and so are the problems of the elderly. Malnutrition in the elderly is an ominous sign leading to poor health and decreased quality of life. There is less number of studies regarding this problem among the elderly. Hence this study was done to assess the problem of malnutrition among the elderly in a semi-urban area of Manipur. Aims: To determine the prevalence of malnutrition in the elderly and to assess the association of malnutrition with some variables of interest. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a semi-urban area of Manipur from September 2010 to June 2013.Mini nutritional assessment (MNA) tool was used. Data was collected using interview method. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics and Chi square test and multivariate analysis was done. Results: There was 386 respondents and 26 (6.7%) of them were malnourished. Further, 192 (49.7%) elderly were at the risk of malnutrition. Increasing age, being single, being illiterate, having income in the lower third quartile are significantly associated with malnutrition. Being engaged in an active occupation was associated with less risk of malnutrition. Tobacco consumption in any form was significantly associated with malnutrition in females. Conclusion: Using the Mini-Nutritional Assessment to assess the nutritional status of the elderly, we found that nearly a half of them were at risk of malnutrition. Increasing age, being single, being illiterate, having income in the lower third quartile was significantly associated with malnutrition.
ABSTRACT
Background. The prevalence of overweight and obesity and their associated factors among schoolchildren in Manipur has not been studied. Methods. We did a cross-sectional study among 3356 schoolchildren of classes VIII to XII in Imphal West district, Manipur between September 2005 and August 2006. The characteristics of the respondents and related variables such as parental build, watching television, eating habits, playing of video/computer games and outdoor games, dietary pattern and knowledge of obesity were assessed using a questionnaire. Height, weight, waist circumference, hip circumference, fat percentage, fat mass and fat-free mass were measured. Body mass index (BMI) and waist–hip ratio for each student were calculated. Results. The BMI of the sampled students was lower than the corresponding WHO and International Obesity Task Force standards. Using the WHO standard, the prevalence of overweight was 4.2% and of obesity 0.8%. Using multivariate logistic regression, mother being reported to be obese (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.4–2.6), watching television for >2 hours a day (OR 2.052, 95% CI 1.191–3.536), higher family income (OR 5.844, 95% CI 2.135–15.99), not eating other type of vegetables in the past 1 week (OR 2.338, 95% CI 1.04–5.24) and waist–hip ratio (OR 7.737, 95% CI 4.429–13.51) were found to be independent predictors of a higher BMI. Mother’s literacy below class X (OR 0.6, 95% CI 0.378–0.997) and eating between major meals (OR 0.447, 95% CI 0.293–0.681) were significant predictors of a lower BMI.Conclusion. The prevalence of overweight and obesity among schoolchildren in the Imphal West district of Manipur is low. The possible reasons for this include a more traditional low-fat diet, less exposure to sedentary past-times and a greater time spent playing outdoors.