Investigation of factors related to healthy eating behavior based on the developed theory of planned behavior in adolescents.

BACKGROUND: Adolescence is a complicated and sensitive period, and proper nutrition in this period of life can influence the quality and quantity of growth and maturity. The aim of the present study is to determine the factors associated with healthy eating behavior based on the developed theory of planned behavior in adolescents. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a descriptive-correlational study in which 400 female students of the first grade of high school in Bandar Anzali participated. Among the junior high schools in this city, two schools were randomly selected and sampling was done using census method. Data collection tool was Healthy Eating Behavior questionnaire based on Theory of Planned Behavior, which includes three sections of demographic information, constructs of Theory of Planned Behavior, including attitude toward behavior, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and behavioral intention, and food behavior, and food habits questionnaire. The scale was evaluated and confirmed by content validity ratio, content validity index, and alpha coefficient. P value was considered significant at less than 5%. Data analysis was performed using SPSS software 24, through linear regression and Pearson's correlation. RESULTS: As shown by linear regression analysis, the developed theory of planned behavior is able to predict 26% of the variance of healthy eating behavior, and this predictive power is related to the constructs of behavioral intention, attitude, and habits. CONCLUSIONS: In the present study, adding the variable of habits to the theory of planned behavior showed that this variable is very effective in predicting healthy eating behavior in adolescents, just like the constructs of behavioral intention and attitude. Therefore, it is suggested to carry out educational interventions based on the developed theory of planned behavior with the focus of the mentioned structures.

The distribution of pathogenic and toxigenic genes among MRSA and MSSA clinical isolates.

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is considered as a notorious nosocomial pathogen among hospitalized patients and community-dwelling subjects. Its increasing morbidity and mortality is believed to be due to antibiotic resistance. However, the data concerning molecular properties of infecting strains are few. In this study, a total of 192 S. aureus strains, including 88 (45.8%) meticillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) and 104 (54.2%) meticillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) were recovered from clinical samples. The prevalence of subtypes containing staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SSCmec), staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs), toxic shock syndrome toxin (TSST) and exfoliative toxin was assessed by PCR. Antibiotic susceptibility pattern and vancomycin resistance of each isolate were evaluated by disk diffusion method and micro-dilution method, respectively. 9 (2.3%) strains required MIC > 2 mg/l of vancomycin, which significantly increased among multi drug resistant (MDR), MRSA and SCCmec type III strains (p < 0.05). 171 (89%), 140 (72.91%), 7 (3.6), 78 (48.6%), 5 (2.6%), 151 (78.64%), 129 (67.18%), 178 (92.7%) and 15 (7.8%) of 192 isolates harbored mecA, entA, entB, entC, entD, entE, eta, etb and tsst-1 genes, respectively. 31 (16.14%), 5 (2.6%), 95 (49.48%) and 7 (3.64%) of 192 isolates carried SCCmec type I, II, III and IV, respectively. We found a significantly higher rate of MRSA and resistance to all tested antibiotics, except to penicillin G, kanamycin and linezolide among the SCCmec type III class (p < 0.05). According to our findings, MSSA isolates should be taken as seriously as MRSA strains due to the potential presence of broad spectrum virulence factor genes.