Overweight and Obesity in Southern Italy: their association with social and life-style characteristics and their effect on levels of biologic markers.

BACKGROUND: In the last decades, overweight and obesity have been transformed from minor public health issues to a major threat to public health affecting the most affluent societies and also the less developed ones. OBJECTIVES: To estimate overweight-obesity prevalence in adults, their association with some social determinants and to assess the effect of these two conditions on levels of biologic and biochemical characteristics, by means of a population-based study. METHODS: A random sample of the general population of Putignano was drawn. All participants completed a general pre-coded and a Food Frequency questionnaire; anthropometric measures were taken and a venous blood sample was drawn. All subjects underwent liver ultra-sonography. Data description was done by means of tables and then Quantile Regression was performed. RESULTS: Overall prevalence of overweight and obesity were 34.5% and 16.1% respectively. Both overweight and obesity were more frequent among male, married and low socio-economic position subjects. There were increasing frequencies of normal weight with higher levels of education. Overweight and obese subjects had more frequently Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, Hypertension and altered biochemical markers. Quantile regression showed a statistically significant association of age with overweight and obesity (maximum about 64.8 yo), gender (female) and low levels of education in both overweight and obesity. More than 10 gr/day of wine intake was associated with overweight. CONCLUSIONS: The prevention and treatment of overweight/obesity on a population wide basis are needed. Population-based strategies should also improve social and physical environmental contexts for healthful lifestyles.

Overweight and Obesity in Southern Italy: their association with social and life-style characteristics and their effect on levels of biologic markers / Overweight and Obesity in Southern Italy: their association with social and life-style characteristics and their effect on levels of biologic markers.

BACKGROUND: In the last decades, overweight and obesity have been transformed from minor public health issues to a major threat to public health affecting the most affluent societies and also the less developed ones. OBJECTIVES: To estimate overweight-obesity prevalence in adults, their association with some social determinants and to assess the effect of these two conditions on levels of biologic and biochemical characteristics, by means of a population-based study. METHODS: A random sample of the general population of Putignano was drawn. All participants completed a general pre-coded and a Food Frequency questionnaire; anthropometric measures were taken and a venous blood sample was drawn. All subjects underwent liver ultra-sonography. Data description was done by means of tables and then Quantile Regression was performed. RESULTS: Overall prevalence of overweight and obesity were 34.5

respectively. Both overweight and obesity were more frequent among male, married and low socio-economic position subjects. There were increasing frequencies of normal weight with higher levels of education. Overweight and obese subjects had more frequently Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, Hypertension and altered biochemical markers. Quantile regression showed a statistically significant association of age with overweight and obesity (maximum about 64.8 yo), gender (female) and low levels of education in both overweight and obesity. More than 10 gr/day of wine intake was associated with overweight. CONCLUSIONS: The prevention and treatment of overweight/obesity on a population wide basis are needed. Population-based strategies should also improve social and physical environmental contexts for healthful lifestyles.

Overweight and Obesity in Southern Italy: their association with social and life-style characteristics and their effect on levels of biologic markers. / Overweight and Obesity in Southern Italy: their association with social and life-style characteristics and their effect on levels of biologic markers.

BACKGROUND: In the last decades, overweight and obesity have been transformed from minor public health issues to a major threat to public health affecting the most affluent societies and also the less developed ones. OBJECTIVES: To estimate overweight-obesity prevalence in adults, their association with some social determinants and to assess the effect of these two conditions on levels of biologic and biochemical characteristics, by means of a population-based study. METHODS: A random sample of the general population of Putignano was drawn. All participants completed a general pre-coded and a Food Frequency questionnaire; anthropometric measures were taken and a venous blood sample was drawn. All subjects underwent liver ultra-sonography. Data description was done by means of tables and then Quantile Regression was performed. RESULTS: Overall prevalence of overweight and obesity were 34.5

and 16.1

respectively. Both overweight and obesity were more frequent among male, married and low socio-economic position subjects. There were increasing frequencies of normal weight with higher levels of education. Overweight and obese subjects had more frequently Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, Hypertension and altered biochemical markers. Quantile regression showed a statistically significant association of age with overweight and obesity (maximum about 64.8 yo), gender (female) and low levels of education in both overweight and obesity. More than 10 gr/day of wine intake was associated with overweight. CONCLUSIONS: The prevention and treatment of overweight/obesity on a population wide basis are needed. Population-based strategies should also improve social and physical environmental contexts for healthful lifestyles.

Epidemiology of HCV infection in the general population: a survey in a southern Italian town.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to estimate the seroprevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in the general population older than 18 years of age in a southern Italian town. METHODS: The survey was conducted from July 2005 through January 2007 in Putignano, Bari, Apulia. A random 1:5 sampling from the list of records maintained by general practitioners was used. Serology for HCV, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), antibodies to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc), and genotyping for HCV were performed. RESULTS: Of a total of 2,195 serum samples tested, 58 (2.6%) were positive for anti-HCV antibodies. The prevalence increased from 1% in subjects aged <30 years to 7.7% in those aged 70 years and was similar in both males and females (3.1 vs. 2.4%, P=0.4). Approximately one-third of 58 positive subjects also showed alanine transaminase levels and 53.5% tested positive for HCV RNA by TaqMan PCR. Genotypes 2a and 1b were represented in 21 and 10 subjects, respectively. In a multivariate logistic regression analysis, age (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 1.05; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.03-1.07), blood transfusion (adjusted OR 3.3; 95% CI: 1.7-6.3), and household contact with HCV-infected individuals (adjusted OR 4.8; 95% CI: 1.8-13.1) were the independent variables predictive of HCV infection. The overall HBsAg and anti-HBc prevalence rates were 0.5 and 12%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This survey confirms that HCV infection is clearly also declining in southern Italy, especially among the elderly. HCV genotype 2a predominates, reflecting the current epidemiology of HCV in Italy. Age, blood transfusion, and household contact with HCV-infected individuals may have had a role in the spread of HCV infection.

Approach of primary care physicians to hepatitis C: an educational survey from a Southern Italian area.

OBJECTIVES: To assess knowledge, attitudes and practices towards hepatitis C of primary care physicians (PCPs) working in a Southern Italian area. METHODS: A questionnaire exploring the basic knowledge on risk factors and the management of hepatitis C virus infection was administered in two occasions to a sample of PCPs before and 2 months later the presentation of the EASL guidelines on the management of HCV infection. RESULTS: At the first survey, drug addiction, transfusion in 1982 and sexual contact with multiple partners were listed as the most common risk factors for acquiring HCV infection. As many as 27% of PCPs believed that blood transfusion after 1994 was still an important risk factor for this infection. Only 38% of PCPs would refer HCV positive subject with abnormal ALT levels to a gastroenterologist. Some points showed a definite improvement when first and second survey were compared: the more frequent use of qualitative instead of quantitative HCV-RNA testing for diagnostic purpose and the selection of IFN plus ribavirin as the regimen of choice for active disease. CONCLUSIONS: The general practice management of hepatitis C may be improved using educational activities involving directly and interactively PCPs.