Risk of Childhood Obesity in Children With High Birth Weight in a Rural Cohort of Northern India

Objective: To compare the risk of early childhood obesity (BMI zscore of ?+2SD) among children of more than 7 years of age with a birth weight of more than 3500 g to a birth weight of 2500- 2999 g. Methods: Retrospective birth cohort study among children of 7 to 10 years of age in 22 villages of Himachal Pradesh with notexposed (birth weight: 2500 to 2999 g) and exposed (> 3500 g) group. Results: A total of 379 and 377 participants were enrolled in notexposed and exposed group, respectively. Adjusted relative risk (aRR) between exposed and high BMI (>+2SD) was 4.9 (95%CI: 1.3-17.5) adjusted for mean age, gender, mean years of schooling, consumption of butter, fruits, vegetables, and indoor playing. Conclusion: High birth weight (>3500 g) increases and normal birth weight decreases the risk of childhood obesity up to five times in rural India.

Prevalence of mental retardation in urban and rural populations of the goiter zone in Northwest India.

Background: The existence of an endemic goiter belt along the southern slopes of the Himalayas has been known for a long time. Prevalence of neonatal hypothyroidism is high and there has been little work on the prevalence of mental retardation in this part of India. Objective: The study was conducted with the aim to know the prevalence of mental retardation in the urban and rural populations of Himachal Pradesh, India and to generate a hypothesis on the differential distribution (geographical) of mental retardation. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the rural and urban areas of the district of Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, India among children of 1-10 years of age. In the first phase, the children in the age group of 1-10 years were screened for mental retardation using the Ten Questions Screen, whereas in the second phase the suspects were evaluated clinically. Results: The prevalence of mental retardation was found to be 1.71% in the study population with higher prevalence (3.3%) in the 73-120 months age group. The prevalence was higher among the males in all study populations [rural: 1.9%, urban (nonslum): 1.6%, and urban slum: 7.14%). The prevalence was similar among the urban (nonslum) (1.75%) and rural (1.11%) populations, whereas it was higher (4%) in the urban slum population. A prevalence of 2% was seen in families from the lower middle class and 1.8% among families from the lower class in the rural population, whereas a prevalence of 2% was seen among lower middle class families of urban (nonslum) areas. Conclusion: The prevalence of mental retardation was higher in our study than in other parts of the country. The study concludes with the hypothesis that the prevalence of mental retardation is differentially distributed geographically with socioeconomic factors being important predictors.

A study to evaluate adolescent health problems using focus group discussion.

Background: Adolescent health needs, behaviors and expectations are unique and routine health care services are not well geared to provide these services. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceived reproductive health problems in group of adolescents in Jammu district of J&K state in India. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted in an urban setting in Jammu. A convenient sample of 32 adolescents between 17-19 years of age participated in four focus group discussions. Participants were selected from four educational institutions selected by simple random technique. A pre-tested focus group guide was used for data collection. Male and female facilitators conducted discussions separately with young males and females. Results: Psychological distresses due to various reasons and problems regarding menstrual cycle and were reported as the commonest health problems. Conclusions: Adolescent health services are inadequate and a vailable services are not being delivered in an acceptable manner. Proper training of health care providers on youth friendly service provision is essential. A national level integrated health care program is needed for the adolescents.

Understanding pattern and trends in use of tobacco in India.

Tobacco smoking has been in vogue for hundreds of years. With the spread of tobacco to Europe and other parts of the world from the sixteenth century, tobacco smoking soon gained popularity in India. Tobacco consumption is responsible for half of all the cancers in men and a quarter of all cancers in women in India.' This is in addition to being a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases.2 3 India also has one of the highest rates of oral cancer in the world, partly attributed to high preva lence of tobacco chewing.4-7The World Health Organization predicts that tobacco deaths in India may exceed I .5 million annually by 2020. 8 It has been observed that a signi6cant rural-urban-slum-urban gradient for tobacco use among men as well as women exists in India. There are different, and opposing, trends for use of smoked tobacco (more in rural areas) and smokeless tobacco (more in urban area) among men. However it has been observed that among women, the consumption of smokeless tobacco does not vary significantly.

Inbreeding as a cause for deafness: Dadhkai study.

BACKGROUND: We report on the higher prevalence of deaf-mutes from a village in Jammu and Kashmir State of India. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study among 79 deaf mutes using pedigree analysis, audiometry, imaging and molecular analysis. RESULTS: A high rate of hereditary deafness with 79 individuals diagnosed to be suffering from non-syndrome deafness in a total population of 2452 individuals residing in the village. INTERPRETATION: Flourishing of intermarriages led to a population with high prevalence of deafness.