Overweight, stature, and socioeconomic status among women--cause or effect: Israel National Women's Health Interview Survey, 1998.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if short stature and overweight/obesity are predictors of low socioeconomic status (SES), measured by educational attainment. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study on a random sample carried out through telephone interviews over a period of five months (March through August 1998). SUBJECTS: A total of 1587 Jewish and Arab Israeli women--773 women age 20-44 years, and 814 women age 45-74 years. METHODS: Two cross-sectional telephone surveys were conducted; both times, telephone numbers were drawn from the population registry. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to determine significant predictors of body mass index (BMI), while controlling for population group, parity, smoking, and physical activity. RESULTS: The level of one's education and one's stature were significantly, independently associated with BMI. Low stature and obesity were indicators of low educational attainment. LIMITATIONS: The subjects of the study reported their own weight and height. The tendency to overestimate one's height and underestimate one's weight places the accuracy of data under question. However, as there is no reason to believe that the biases in the reports would vary with educational status, the results of the study remain valid. CONCLUSIONS: Obesity/overweight is directly related to the level of education and inversely to stature. Together, one's level of education and stature may be determinants of low SES. Therefore, in subpopulations with high rates of obesity and short stature, comprehensive programs should include welfare in addition to dietary measures.

Five decades of trends in anemia in Israeli infants: implications for food fortification policy.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the secular trends in the prevalence rates of iron-deficiency anemia (IDA) in infants in Israel, identify population group differences and assess the effectiveness of the 1985 Public Health directives on iron supplementation and avoidance of cow's milk in the first year of life. DESIGN: A systematic analysis of published and unpublished cross-sectional studies. METHODS: IDA rates in 1-y-old infants between 1946 and 1997 were assessed from published papers and reports. Rates for Arab infants were available from 1984. Data on routine hemoglobin tests on 1-y-old infants for Arabs and Jews separately were obtained from four health districts for the period 1987 to 1997. Analyses were done for the periods prior to and following the Public Health directives. RESULTS: The prevalence of IDA in Jewish infants declined from 68% in 1946 to 50% in 1985 at an average annual rate of -1.43%. Following the iron supplementation directives, the average annual rate of decline increased to -4.0% and reached a prevalence of about 11% in 1996. IDA rates in Arab infants declined by an annual average of -3.7%, and were consistently almost twice as high as for Jewish infants. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the contribution of the iron supplementation program to the reduction in TDA, the persistently high rates indicate inadequate iron content in the diet. This emphasizes the important role of a national food fortification program, using staple foods commonly consumed.

[Micronutrient (vitamins and minerals) supplementation for the elderly, suggested by a special committee nominated by Ministry of Health].

The elderly tend to be at a higher risk for nutritional deficiencies and in particular for micronutrient deficiencies. A committee nominated by Ministry of Health examined the relevant literature and the local recommendations as well as the recommendations from other countries and suggested a daily special micronutrient supplementation for institutionalized elderly. The preparatory will contain about half the RDA for most of the micronutrients, except for fluorine that is recommended at a lower level and biotin, vitamins D, C, B12 as well as zinc, copper and molybdenum at a level higher than half the RDA. Major elements such as calcium, are not included in the preparatory and would be supplied separately when needed. Vitamin K and iron are excluded as well. The suggested preparatory composition, mg: vitamin A, 0.450; vitamin D, 0.015; vitamin E, 10; thiamin, 0.6 Pound riboflavin, 0.7; biotin, 0.030; pantothenic acid, 3; niacin, 8; vitamin C, 60; vitamin B6, 0.8; folic acid, 0.120; vitamin B12, 0.0024; choline up to 275; zinc, 8; copper, 0.9; fluorine, 0.5; manganese, 1.2; chromium 0.020; molybdenum, 0.045; selenium, 0.030; and iodine, 0.075. Fat-soluble vitamins should be microencapsulated. Micronutrient supplementation is part of Ministry of Health balanced nutrition policy. The committees recommendations are also applicable for the free-living elderly.

[Nutrition for women's health].

Biological, environmental and social factors predispose women to cardiovascular diseases, malignancy, osteoporosis, diabetes, obesity and eating disorders. Their prevention requires that health services recognize women as a risk group and provide appropriate financial and professional resources. To develop and apply intervention programs for women, funding must be allocated for data collection, development and assessment of intervention programs and involving women in decision processes. We address the diseases and conditions in which nutrition may contribute to primary or secondary prevention of the specified diseases.