study of overweight and obesity among secondary school students in Dubai: knowledge, attitude, and practice

The prevalence of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents in UAE was dramatically increased in the last few years, which has major public health implications. The aim of the present study was to assess knowledge, attitude, and practice towards overweight and obesity among secondary school students in Dubai. A cross sectional study was carried out in private secondary schools in Dubai using a multistage stratified random sample technique. Self administrated questionnaire was utilized to collect data about socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge, and attitude towards obesity, perception of the students about their weight, methods, and barriers of practicing weight reduction. Results revealed that 33.5% of the students had good knowledge about obesity and its complications while 44.8% had poor level. Positive attitude towards obesity and its treatment was found among 57.0% of the students with no significant gender difference. More than half of the students [56.7%] agreed that obesity is a disease and 72.1% agreed that obesity needs treatment. Self perception of being obese was found among 58.5% of the students, and the majority [72.6%] did not practice any weight reduction before. Females had significantly higher rate of practicing weight reduction compared to males. The most common barriers against practicing weight reduction were lack of knowledge about the methods [47%], lack of time [25%], and lake of interest or support [23.2%]. Female gender and higher education of the mother were independent predictors of good knowledge about obesity, while higher education of the mother was an independent predictor for students positive attitude towards obesity. Utilization of the mass media to enhance the level of community knowledge about obesity and its complications was recommended. Health education materials should be delivered to present and future mothers. School health programs should include interventions to improve knowledge, attitude, and practice of the students towards obesity

Evaluation of renal arterial blood flow in patients with various stages of schistosomal hepatic fibrosis by duplex ultrasonography

Studies of renal perfusion when kidney function tests are still normal could be useful to understand the pathophysiology of renal impairment in schistosomal hepatic fibrosis; currently, this requires invasive methodology. Duplex Doppler ultrasonography allows noninvasive evaluation of intrarenal arterial resistances. In 40 patients with schistosomal hepatic fibrosis [10 with hepatomegaly, 10 with hepatosplenomegaly, 10 with shrunken liver and splenomegaly, and 10 with shrunken liver, splenomegaly and ascites] with normal kidney function [normal serum creatinine and urea levels] and in 20 healthy controls, we measured the intrarenal arterial resistivity index [Resistivity index = [Peak systolic velocity - Minimum diastolic velocity]/Peak systolic velocity] and the pulsatility index [Pulsatility index = [Peak systolic velocity - Minimum diastolic velocity]/ Mean velocity] by Duplex Doppler ultrasonography after visualization of interlobar, interlobular or arcuate arteries by color Doppler ultrasonography. The resistivity index and pulsatility index [calculated as the mean of three to five consecutive determinations] were significantly higher in patients with shrunken liver and splenomegaly than in controls or in patients with hepatomegaly only. Also, these indices were significantly higher in patients with shrunken liver, splenomegaly and ascites than in controls or other patients included in this study. On the basis of these results, Duplex ultrasonography is useful in pathophysiology and clinical studies in such patients

Behavior of intraocular pressure following different methods of cataract extraction

In this prospective study of 100 eyes of 97 consecutive patients, we attempted to detect differences in the course of intraocular pressure [IOP] after two main types of non-enzymatic cataract extraction: intracapsular extraction without alphachymotrypsin [30 eyes], and planned extracapsular extraction [70 eyes] with insertion of a posterior chamber intraocular lens without sodium hyaluronate [21 eyes]. IOP was measured with a non-contact applanation tonometer preoperatively and at specified intervals up to 3 months after surgery. No significant difference in IOP could be detected according to the types of cataract surgery. Transient ocular hypertension occurring within the first few postoperative days was seen in 59% of all eyes; there was no significant association with any parameter of the surgery. In contrast, a cause could often be found for the ocular hypotension that occurred in 11% of eyes in the first seven postoperative days. Late postoperative hypotension was recorded after the seventh postoperative day in 75% of all cases and persisted for an a verage of 4 weeks, a cause for this was rarely found. In 22% of all cases, IOP remained within normal limits [10 to 20 mmHg] throughout the postoperative period

Ocular findings in chronic renal failure

The ocular complications associated with chronic renal failure were studied in 100 patients. The study revealed that retinopathy was the commonest ocular finding [74 eyes], and conjunctival calcifications were the second in order of frequency [14 eyes]. Corneal calcifications were the third category [11 eyes], lenticular opacities were the fourth entity [8 eyes]. A review of literature and a comparison of the results were discussed

Keratometric changes after cataract extraction

This study includes 74 patients with senile cataract admitted to the ophthalmic department in Assiut University Hospital for cataract surgery. Preoperative evaluation of the patients were done with special attention to the cornea. Preoperative and postoperative keratometric readings were taken and the amount of the astigmatism was calculated and the axis of the astigmatism was determined by the Javal-Schiotz keratometer at one month, 2 months and 3 months after the operation. The keratometric changes in these cases were compared with the findings of other authors

Visual acuity and causes of visual failure in primary and preparatory school children in Assiut

The aim of this work is to study the visual acuity and different causes of visual impairment among school children in Assiut. A sample of 2485 children from primary and preparatory schools in rural and urban Assiut were examined. All children were tested for visual acuity. Those with visual acuity below 6/9 were further examined for alignment of eyes, ocular motility and anterior segment pathology. For selected cases, fundus examination and refraction was done. 48.65% of the examined children had visual acuity of 6/6 in the better eye and 1.37% had a visual acuity of 6/60 in the better eye. The percentage of children with visual acuity of 6/6 was highest [53.22%] at the age of 6-7 years, and lowest [44.07%] at the age of 14-15 years [P < 0.01]. The percentage of visual acuity of 6/6 in both eyes amounted to 47.73% of the number of examined children in urban and to 26.48% in rural areas [P < 0.001]. The percentage of visual acuity less than 6/60 represented 0.54% of the number of examined eyes in urban area compared to 2.14% in rural area [P < 0.001]. Refractive errors and strabismus were the main causes of diminution of vision in school children examined. Findings showed a general decrease in hypermetropia and shift to myopia with age. Other causes of diminution of vision among studied children included amblyopia [1.65%], corneal scarring [1.41%] and traumatic cataract [0.24%]

Surgical management of rodent ulcer of the eyelids

A clinical study of 34 cases of rodent ulcer of the eyelids and adjacent skin was carried-our over a period of 4 years in the ophthalmic department of Assiut University Hospital. For the treatment of these cases, variable surgical techniques were performed and their results were compared with those of others

Eye findings in some blood and reticuloendothelial diseases

Ophthalmic examination was performed over a period of one year on one-hundred patients in Assiut University Hospital diagnosed clinically and by laboratory investigations as cases of blood and reticulo-endothelial diseases. The ocular findings in these diseases were studied and their incidence was compared with that of other authors

Pattern of eye diseases in children

This work presents the pattern of eye diseases in the out-patient clinic of Assuit University Hospital among 1016 children below age of 12 years. The incidence of diseases was studied and compared with the results of other workers. Bacteriological studies were done for 120 cases of conjunctivitis to analyse the commonest causative organisms in our locality

school health study in midwestern region Saudi Arabia

A school health survey was conducted on school children boys and girls in the western region, Saudi Arabia. Results obtained revealed some retardation of growth in both sexes especially as regards the body weight. Anemia was highly prevalent being 87%. Parasitic infestation were present in 50%. Health services were lacking even for small health problems as correction of acuity of vision. Environmental sanitation was adequate in new school buildings and very unsatisfactory in old ones

influence of smoking habits, body weight, height and age on pulmonary ventilation

Forced vital capacity [FVC], forced expiratory volume in one second [FEV[1]] and maximal expiratory flow [MEF 50%] were measured in 285 male students. The age, height and weight of each subject were also recorded. The subjects were grouped according to their smoking habits. Means, standard deviations and correlation coefficient were calculated for each variable. FVC and FEV[1] were found to be increased with age during the first 22 year, thereafter, a steady decline was observed more pronounced in smokers than in non-smokers. Body weight influenced the values of FVC and FEV[1]. An increase of weight tended to be accompanied by an increase in FVC and FEV[1] in the younger, taller and lighter subjects. The influence of height on FVC and FEV[1] appeared to be dependent markedly on the weight of the subjects. MEF 50% showed considerable intersubject variability, wide variation, low correlation with other variables

Incidence and causes of defective vision below 6/60 among the patients of the out-patient clinic of Assiut University Hospital

This paper shows that incidence of blindness is very high in upper Egypt. Most of the causes for blindness could be prevented, and if it is aptly said that prevention is better than cure, it is more particularly so in ophthalmology. Preventive measures save a lot both in treatable and non treatable diseases which are the leading causes for blindness. According to Jones 1978[3] there are obstacles to work for prevention of blindness. One of these obstacles is not having the will to act, this results from ignorance: ignorance of the existence, the importance, and the dimensions of the problem