The relationship between hedonic hunger and self-stigmatisation in terms of weight and self-esteem in adult people living with obesity.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to determine the factors influencing the hedonic hunger status of overweight adults and to examine the relationship between hedonic hunger, self-stigmatisation and self-esteem in terms of weight. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted with 353 people living with obesity who applied to the Endocrine and Internal Medicine Clinic in Samsun, Turkey, between June and October 2022. The data were collected using the Personal Information Form, Power of Food Scale (PFS), Weight Self-Stigmatisation Questionnaire (WSSQ) and Self-Liking/Self-Competence Scale (SLSC) through face-to-face survey method. RESULTS: About 53.3% of the participants were ≥45 years old, 80.5% were married and 69.1% had previously followed weight loss diet. It was found that those who were aged <45 years, single, those who perceived themselves as overweight, those who had used weight loss diets before and those whose waist-hip ratio were normal had higher hedonic hunger scores (p < 0.05). A negative and significant correlation was found between PSF-Tr general dimension scores and SLSC general dimension, whereas a significant and positive correlation was observed between PSF-Tr general dimension scores and WSSQ general dimension (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: As hedonic hunger increased in adults with overweight, self-esteem decreased, and self-stigmatisation in terms of weight increased. Effective interventions are needed to cope with the hedonic hunger that contributes to obesity and to prevent the stigma and low self-esteem experienced by people living with obesity because of their excess weight.

The association between burnout of healthcare employees and quality of work-life in Northwestern Turkey.

Aim: The present study aimed to determine the factors that affect the working life quality (WLQ) of healthcare employees and to examine the association between burnout levels and WLQ. Subject and methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted with 332 healthcare employees working in Kirklareli, Northwestern Turkey. The data were collected with the e-survey, which included the Personal Information Form, Working Life Quality Questionnaire (WLQQ), and Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Form (MBI-GF). Results: A total of 54.2% of the participants, who had a mean age of 34.45±8.82, were midwives/nurses and 14.5% were physicians. It was determined that 71.1% of the participants had increased workloads, 81.6% were working outside their job descriptions during the pandemic period, and 57.8% wanted to quit their job. In the multivariate linear regression analysis, according to the adjusted models, a positive and significant association was determined between the WLQQ general dimension scores and having professional seniority of ≥10 years, and a negative association was detected with working in a secondary healthcare institution, increased workload, working outside the job description, and the desire to quit the job (p < 0.05). A positive association was detected between the WLQQ general dimension scores and the competence sub-dimension of the MBI-GF, and a significant and negative association was detected between burnout and desensitization (p < 0.05). Conclusion: WLQ scores increased as the burnout and desensitization decreased and the competence increased among the healthcare employees. In order to raise the WLQ, initiatives must be planned to improve the working conditions of healthcare employees and reduce psychosocial risks.

An investigation of anthropometric measurements of early adolescents and determination of BMI-for-age-based neck circumference and BMI-for-age-based mid-upper-arm circumference cut-off points.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: This study aimed to examine the anthropometric measurements of adolescents between the ages of 10 and 13, and to determine the BMI-for-age-based neck circumference (NC) and BMI-for-age-based mid-upper-arm circumference (MUAC) cut-off points for this age group. METHODS: This methodological study was conducted with 626 students of early adolescent age in Kirklareli in Turkey. The cut-off values of BMI-for-age-based NC and MUAC were determined by ROC analysis from severe thinness to obesity. The most suitable AUC value was evaluated according to LR(+) and LR(-) and Sensitivity and Specificity were shown. RESULTS: The frequency of severe thinness, thinness, overweight, obese among adolescents was 8.0%, 8.9%, 11.7%, and 16.3%, respectively. WHpR of 14.4% of the adolescents was ≥0.90 in boys and ≥0.85 in girls. According to WHtR, 23.8% had a value of <0.40 and, 17.8% had a value of ≥0.50. BMI-for-age-based NC cut-off points were severe thinness, thinness, overweight, obesity 25.50, 26.50, 29.50, 30.50 cm in girls, respectively; 26.50, 27.50, 30.50, 31.50 cm in boys, respectively. BMI-for-age-based MUAC cut-off points were severe thinness, thinness, overweight, obesity 19.50, 20.50, 24.50, 25.50 cm in girls, respectively; 19.50, 20.50, 25.50, 26.50 cm in boys, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Double burden of malnutrition was identified in early adolescents. The cutoff points for NC and MUAC found in this study showed good specificity to identify double burden of malnutrition in early adolescents and can be used as a reference in especially in cases of insufficient resources or isolated environments.

Association between health literacy and colorectal cancer screening behaviors in adults in Northwestern Turkey.

BACKGROUND: In this study, aimed to determine the frequency of participation in colorectal cancer (CRC) screenings, the factors affecting participation and the association between CRC screening behaviors and health literacy (HL). METHODS: This community-based cross-sectional study was carried out with 408 people residing in Kirklareli, a province in Northwestern Turkey, between August and November 2019. RESULTS: CRC screenings participation prevalence was 21.1%. Of them, 17.2% participated in fecal occult blood tests (FOBT) screenings, 7.6% participated in colonoscopy screenings, and 86.5% had inadequate or limited-problematic HL. According to the multivariate logistic regression analysis, the likelihood of not participating in CRC screenings was high in the participants who worked at a paid job (OR: 3.001, 95% CI: 1.018-8.850), who did not do any physical activity regularly (OR: 2.516, 95% CI: 1.251-5.060), who were not aware of the presence of an early diagnosis test for CRC (OR: 32.613, 95% CI: 13.338-79.742), who did not have a person having had CRC screening in their immediate environment (OR: 3.562, 95% CI: 1.752-7.240) and who had sufficient or excellent HL (OR: 3.324, 95% CI: 1.128-9.796). According to adjusted for some characteristics, there was no significant association between participation in CRC screenings and THLS-sub-dimensions and THLS-processes (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Participation in CRC screenings was low, and those with a high HL level were more likely not to participate in CRC screenings. Working status, knowledge and awareness levels affected the participation to CRC screenings. To encourage people to participate in screenings and to improve their HL, awareness-raising attempts for target groups should be increased.