Physical activity, nutrition, and dyslipidemia in middle-aged women

Cardiovascular disease is a major cause of death throughout the world. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of overweight/obesity, central obesity, hypertension and dyslipidemia, as well as dietary factors contributing to the development of dyslipidemia among middle-aged women. The research design of the present study was a population-based cross-sectional study; anthropometric measures and blood chemistry were obtained. Physical activity was measured using the original International Physical Activity Questionnaires Long Form while food frequency questionnaire [FFQ] was used in assessing individual's habitual intake. Overall, 809 women, 30-50 years of age from fourteen active urban Primary Healthcare Centers [PHC] in Babol City, northern Iran, were obtained from 1,905 households across operational areas of 14 PHC using systematic random sampling method. The prevalence rates of women classified as overweight/obese, with central obesity, hypertension and dyslipidemia were 82.8%, 75.5%, 14.6% and 63.4%, respectively. Total physical activity did not correlate with cholesterol ratio. Soybean protein was inversely associated with cholesterol ratio [rho=-0.18, P? 0.001]. The adjusted OR for dyslipidemia in women with moderate protein intake was significantly higher than in women with high and low intake [OR=2.31; 95% CI= 1.61, 3.30]. No significant associations were found between dyslipidemia and carbohydrate, fat intake or physical activity. This study showed very high prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors among Iranian middle-aged women. A more detailed study is suggested to develop definitively recommendations for the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease for the Iranian population

Age at menarche in girls born from 1985 to 1989 in Mazandaran, Islamic Republic of Iran

This cross-sectional study was carried out on 2246 girls born between 1985 and 1989 to determine the age of menarche in Mazandaran province, northern Islamic Republic of Iran. Six cities were selected randomly and cluster sampling used to select high-school students in urban and rural areas. Students with malnutrition, anaemia and chronic infections such as tuberculosis were excluded. The mean [standard deviation] age of menarche was 12.5 [1.1] years, 95% CI: 12.45-12.55 years. The most frequent occurrence of menarche was in summer and least frequent in winter. Menarche age was significantly higher in girls living in rural areas and with fathers with lower education