ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a hepatic disorder that develops in the absence of alcohol intake. Obesity and diabetes are considered risk factors for the development of fatty liver; however, whether fatty liver is the cause or consequence of these conditions is not yet clear. Insulin resistance (IR) is found to be a common risk factor for the development of diabetes, obesity and fatty liver. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The aim and objective of this study is to determine the prevalence of undetected diabetes, dyslipidemia, and IR in subjects with NAFLD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In apparently healthy 100 subjects, with ultrasound diagnosis of fatty liver, fasting and postprandial blood sugar levels, fasting insulin levels, and fasting lipid profile were checked. IR value was estimated using homeostatic model assessment-IR formula. Appropriate statistical methods were adopted to analyze the data. RESULTS: A total of 66 subjects out of the 100 had IR. It was noted that IR significantly correlated with raised fasting blood sugar and fasting plasma insulin values. There was no significant correlation between IR and lipid profile values. CONCLUSION: The chance of developing NAFLD was high if the subjects are having IR, or vice versa. There was an increased prevalence of prediabetes and diabetes in the subjects with NAFLD. Waist circumference, rather than body mass index, was found to be a strong predictor of central adiposity and IR.
ABSTRACT
CONTEXT: Drowning is a major, but often neglected, public health problem. Drowning is the second leading cause of death from unintentional injuries, after road traffic injuries. According to the World Health Organization, 0.7% of all deaths worldwide (>500,000 deaths) each year are due to unintentional drowning. In India, very little is known about the epidemiology of drowning. There is almost no awareness or protocols to prevent drowning. OBJECTIVES: The objective is to study the prevalence, risk factors, and types of drowning among school children in the Malabar region. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional, population-based study by semistructured interview method was performed among 8433 school children of 5-15 years. STATISTICAL METHODS: The prevalence of drowning was calculated. Odds ratio was calculated and represented under 95% confidence interval. Risk factors were analyzed as frequency with percentage. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The total study population was 8433 students, comprising 4795 boys (56.86%) and 3638 (43.13%) girls. A total of 342 (4.06%) students had a history of drowning. These survivors were further interviewed. The prevalence of drowning was much higher compared to figures reported in literature. CONCLUSIONS: Contrary to the general perception, drowning is a common occurrence among children. Swimming skills have no role in the prevention of drowning. Public awareness regarding supervision of children and restricting unsupervised access of children to water bodies need to be emphasized.
