Healthy Lifestyle Practices Research Articles

Promotion of self-management for post treatment cancer survivors: evaluation of a risk-adapted visit.

The LIFE Cancer Survivorship Program at NorthShore University HealthSystem provides risk-adapted visits (RAV) facilitated by an oncology nurse during which a survivorship care plan (SCP) is provided and discussed. In this report, we describe and evaluate RAV in promoting individualized health care and self-management during survivorship transition. Patients complete a post-RAV questionnaire at their RAV and another ≥1 year after their RAV. One thousand seven hundred thirteen (1713) RAVs, majority for breast cancer, occurred from January 2007 to March 2014. One thousand six hundred fifteen (1615) "day-of" post-RAV questionnaires were completed. Respondents scaled statements as strongly agree/agree/disagree/strongly disagree. Combined strongly agree/agree ratings are 94 % felt more confident in communicating information about their treatments to other health care providers, 90 % felt more comfortable recognizing signs/symptoms to report to providers, and 98 % had a better appreciation for community programs/services. Of 488 respondents (RAV January 2007 to December 2012 n = 1366) to a questionnaire at least 1 year after the RAV, nearly 100 % found SCP useful to summarize medical information, 97 % to reinforce follow-up, 85 % to recognize symptoms of recurrence, 93 % to identify healthy lifestyle practices, 91 % to assist in identifying resources for support, 72 % discussed their SCP with their healthcare provider, and 97 % made at least one positive lifestyle change. Participation in LIFE RAV following treatment helps survivors to guide future self-care behavior. Data suggest that benefits may persist 1 year after the visit and support the feasibility of a nurse-led RAV to establish a SCP in cancer survivors. Combined provision and discussion of SCPs help survivors construct a useful understanding of their cancer experience and may promote long-term self-management.

Should we screen for childhood obesity?

In response to the public health crisis that childhood obesitypresents (1) and in line with policies in other countries(2–4), the Irish government is currently piloting a school-based programme to measure weight and height periodi-cally in all children. While this is notionally a surveillanceinitiative, overweight children will have feedback providedtotheirparents,withleafletsandonlineresourcesthatfocuson healthy lifestyle practices, while obese children will beinvited to a supervised lifestyle programme. Thus, the pro-gramme goes beyond the routine collection of population-level data to describe changes in overweight prevalence overtime and constitutes screening, not surveillance. The dis-tinctionisimportant.Therationaleforsurveillanceissoundand several such initiatives are already well establishednationally (1,5). However, the evidence base for screeningfor childhood obesity is not strong. Definitive adoption of anational screening policy should occur only after carefulconsideration of its potential benefits and harms, recogniz-ing the paucity of scientific evidence.

Physiological geroscience: targeting function to increase healthspan and achieve optimal longevity.

Most nations of the world are undergoing rapid and dramatic population ageing, which presents great socio-economic challenges, as well as opportunities, for individuals, families, governments and societies. The prevailing biomedical strategy for reducing the healthcare impact of population ageing has been 'compression of morbidity' and, more recently, to increase healthspan, both of which seek to extend the healthy period of life and delay the development of chronic diseases and disability until a brief period at the end of life. Indeed, a recently established field within biological ageing research, 'geroscience', is focused on healthspan extension. Superimposed on this background are new attitudes and demand for 'optimal longevity' - living long, but with good health and quality of life. A key obstacle to achieving optimal longevity is the progressive decline in physiological function that occurs with ageing, which causes functional limitations (e.g. reduced mobility) and increases the risk of chronic diseases, disability and mortality. Current efforts to increase healthspan centre on slowing the fundamental biological processes of ageing such as inflammation/oxidative stress, increased senescence, mitochondrial dysfunction, impaired proteostasis and reduced stress resistance. We propose that optimization of physiological function throughout the lifespan should be a major emphasis of any contemporary biomedical policy addressing global ageing. Effective strategies should delay, reduce in magnitude or abolish reductions in function with ageing (primary prevention) and/or improve function or slow further declines in older adults with already impaired function (secondary prevention). Healthy lifestyle practices featuring regular physical activity and ideal energy intake/diet composition represent first-line function-preserving strategies, with pharmacological agents, including existing and new pharmaceuticals and novel 'nutraceutical' compounds, serving as potential complementary approaches. Future research efforts should focus on defining the temporal patterns of functional declines with ageing, identifying the underlying mechanisms and modulatory factors involved, and establishing the most effective lifestyle practices and pharmacological options for maintaining function. Continuing development of effective behavioural approaches for enhancing adherence to healthy ageing practices in diverse populations, and ongoing analysis of the socio-economic costs and benefits of healthspan extension will be important supporting goals. To meet the demands created by rapid population ageing, a new emphasis in physiological geroscience is needed, which will require the collaborative, interdisciplinary efforts of investigators working throughout the translational research continuum from basic science to public health.

Contextual factors influencing health-related quality of life in African American and Latina breast cancer survivors.

This study explored the relationships between systemic- and individual-level contextual factors and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in a cohort of African American and Latina breast cancer survivors (BCS). Baseline questionnaire data of 320 BCS who participated in a HRQOL psycho-educational intervention were abstracted from the parent study. Hierarchical regression analysis tested the independent effects of contextual factors on HRQOL. HRQOL was higher in BCS who: were diagnosed at < stage 2 (b = -1.38, p < 0.05), expressed satisfaction with their health care (b = 0.20, p < 0.001), had fewer comorbidities (b = - 0.60, p < 0.001) and depressive symptoms (b = -0.30, p < 0.001), and practiced healthy diet and exercise habits (b = 0.02, p < 0.05). Demographic and cancer-related factors accounted for 14 % of the variance in HRQOL (F[6, 274] = 7.25, p < 0.001). The socio-cultural context (i.e., ethnicity, life stress, perceived social support) explained 20 % of the variance in HRQOL (FΔ[3, 271] = 27.32, p < 0.001). The health care system context contributed an additional 8 % to explaining HRQOL (FΔ[1, 270] = 34.88, p < 0.001). Health status and behavioral factors accounted for 18 % of the variance (FΔ[4, 266] = 29.55, p < 0.001). The full model explained 59 % of the variance in HRQOL (F[14, 266] = 27.76, p < 0.001). HRQOL in ethnic minority BCS is multifaceted and is significantly influenced by cancer-related, socio-cultural, health care system, health status, and behavioral contextual factors. Therefore, survivorship research and practice must address broad multi-level domains to achieve equitable and optimal breast cancer outcomes. To enhance HRQOL, survivors must be provided the know-how and support to maintain healthy lifestyle and self-management practices. Advocates must engage the care team to consider systemic factors, including life stress and community resources, to be more patient-centered.

Effectiveness of participatory adolescent strategic health action (PASHA) for lifestyle modification among adolescents

Introduction: Lifestyle modification is one of the methods to promote healthy lifestyle among adolescents. In this study, the researcher planned to develop, implement and evaluate a need based Participatory Adolescent Strategic Health Action (PASHA) for lifestyle modification among selected adolescents. Materials and Methods: An evaluative approach with Quasi experimental one group pretest post test design (time series) was adopted. Sample constituted 103 adolescents, aged 12-17 years studying in high schools and pre university colleges of Udupi district selected based on convenient sampling. Data was gathered using reliable and valid tools. Results: The mean combined preventive health lifestyle score among all adolescents increased from 75.65-81.56. Similarly the number of adolescents with healthy lifestyle score also increased from 28.2-53.4% after practicing for 180 days. Analysis of all the components of lifestyle showed that the adolescents had adopted healthy lifestyle practices in all the components of lifestyle. The number of adolescents with combined health status score also showed an increase from 31.1-54.4% after implementing PASHA practice. Analysis of reported outcome among subjects indicated that PASHA was motivating to improve their lifestyle practices. Conclusion: PASHA was found to be effective in lifestyle modification of adolescents. It is reiterated that when lifestyle modification is to be done, a strategy to improve self directedness and self efficacy should be adopted.

Treatment Adherence in Hypertensive Patients – A Cross-sectional Study

Abstract Introduction Epidemiological studies have indicated that the greatest challenge of hypertension is treatment adherence. This condition should be the primary focus of health care, particularly in chronic diseases/hypertension. The objectives of this study were to assess the treatment adherence among adults with hypertension in a Family Health Unit and characterise hypertensive patients of a Family Health Unit in Viseu, Portugal. Research Methods In a cross-sectional study we assessed 106 patients (50.9% male), mean age 58.26 ± 11.60 years and followed them up in the hypertension medical appointment in primary health care. We collected data through a questionnaire answered at the hypertension medical appointment, with questions about sociodemographic variables, Measure Treatment Adherence (MTA) scale and issues related to healthy lifestyle practices. Findings On average the hypertensive patients had this disease for 8.68±9.8 years; higher among males (p Conclusion We conclude that most hypertensive patients do not adhere properly to treatment, using the MTA scale. Studies are needed in order to understand the barriers to non-adherence in order to develop strategies to increase adherence.

Knowledge, attitude and practice regarding lifestyle modification in type 2 diabetic patients.

BackgroundThe number of persons suffering from type 2 diabetes mellitus continues to rise worldwide and causes significant morbidity and mortality, especially in the developing world. Behaviour change and adoption of healthy lifestyle habits help to prevent or slow down the complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus. However, the knowledge and practice of healthy lifestyles in many diabetic patients have been inadequate.AimThis study sought to establish the knowledge, attitude and practice regarding lifestyle modification amongst type 2 diabetic patients.SettingThe diabetic clinic of Mamelodi hospital, Pretoria, Gauteng Province, South Africa.MethodsA cross-sectional study was done using a structured questionnaire amongst 217 type 2 diabetic patients seen at the diabetic clinic of Mamelodi hospital. Baseline characteristics of the participants were obtained and their knowledge, attitude and practice regarding lifestyle modification were assessed.ResultsOf the 217 participants, 154 (71%) were obese and 15 (7%) were morbidly obese. The majority of respondents (92.2%) had poor knowledge of the benefits of exercise, weight loss and a healthy diet. What is interesting is that the majority (97.7%) demonstrated bad practices in relation to lifestyle modifications, although over four-fifths (84.3%) had a positive attitude toward healthy lifestyle modifications.ConclusionDespite the positive attitudes of respondents toward healthy lifestyle modifications, the knowledge and practice regarding lifestyle modifications amongst type 2 diabetes mellitus participants seen at Mamelodi hospital were generally poor.

A gender-based approach to developing a healthy lifestyle and healthy weight intervention for diverse Utah women

Utah women from some cultural minority groups have higher overweight/obesity rates than the overall population. We utilized a gender-based mixed methods approach to learn about the underlying social, cultural and gender issues that contribute to the increased obesity risk among these women and to inform intervention development. A literature review and analysis of Utah's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data informed the development of a focus group guide. Focus groups were conducted with five groups of women: African immigrants from Burundi and Rwanda, African Americans, American Indians/Alaskan Natives, Hispanics/Latinas, and Pacific Islanders. Six common themes emerged: (1) health is multidimensional and interventions must address health in this manner; (2) limited resources and time influence health behaviors; (3) norms about healthy weight vary, with certain communities showing more preference to heavier women; (4) women and men have important but different influences on healthy lifestyle practices within households; (5) women have an influential role on the health of families; and (6) opportunities exist within each group to improve health. Seeking insights from these five groups of women helped to identify common and distinct cultural and gender themes related to obesity, which can be used to help elucidate core obesity determinants.

Diet-microbiota-health interactions in older subjects: implications for healthy aging.

With modern medicine and an awareness of healthy lifestyle practices, people are living longer and generally healthier lives than their ancestors. These successes of modern medicine have resulted in an increasing proportion of elderly in society. Research groups around the world have investigated the contribution of gut microbial communities to human health and well-being. It was established that the microbiota composition of the human gut is modulated by lifestyle factors, especially diet. The microbiota composition and function, acting in concert with direct and indirect effects of habitual diet, is of great importance in remaining healthy and active. This is not a new concept, but until now the scale of the potential microbiota contribution was not appreciated. There are an estimated ten times more bacteria in an individual than human cells. The bacterial population is relatively stable in adults, but the age-related changes that occur later in life can have a negative impact on host health. This loss of the adult-associated microbiota correlates with measures of markers of inflammation, frailty, co-morbidity and nutritional status. This effect may be greater than that of diet or in some cases genetics alone. Collectively, the recent studies show the importance of the microbiota and associated metabolites in healthy aging and the importance of diet in its modulation.

Low-Risk Diet and Lifestyle Habits in the Primary Prevention of Myocardial Infarction in Men: A Population-Based Prospective Cohort Study

BackgroundAdherence to a combination of healthy dietary and lifestyle practices may have an impressive impact on the primary prevention of myocardial infarction (MI). ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to examine the benefit of combined low-risk diet and healthy lifestyle practices on the incidence of MI in men. MethodsThe population-based, prospective cohort of Swedish men comprised 45- to 79-year-old men who completed a detailed questionnaire on diet and lifestyle at baseline in 1997. In total, 20,721 men with no history of cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, or high cholesterol levels were followed through 2009. Low-risk behavior included 5 factors: a healthy diet (top quintile of Recommended Food Score), moderate alcohol consumption (10 to 30 g/day), no smoking, being physically active (walking/bicycling ≥40 min/day and exercising ≥1 h/week), and having no abdominal adiposity (waist circumference <95 cm). ResultsDuring 11 years of follow-up, we ascertained 1,361 incident cases of MI. The low-risk dietary choice together with moderate alcohol consumption was associated with a relative risk of 0.65 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.48 to 0.87) compared with men having 0 of 5 low-risk factors. Men having all 5 low-risk factors compared with those with 0 low-risk factors had a relative risk of 0.14 (95% CI: 0.04 to 0.43). This combination of healthy behaviors, present in 1% of the men, could prevent 79% (95% CI: 34% to 93%) of the MI events on the basis of the study population. ConclusionsAlmost 4 of 5 MIs in men may be preventable with a combined low-risk behavior.

Racial inequalities in the socioeconomic, demographic and health conditions of elderly from Maranhão State, Legal Amazon, Brazil: a population-based study

Aging with quality of life does not occur equally among the racial groups of Brazilian elderly, and few studies have analyzed this issue in the states of the Brazilian Legal Amazon. The objective of this study was to investigate racial inequalities in the socioeconomic, demographic and health conditions of elderly residents of Maranhão state, Brazil. The present work is a cross-sectional study of 450 elders aged 60 years or older included in the 2008 National Household Sample Survey. The prevalence of socioeconomic, demographic, health and habit indicators and of risk factors were estimated in white, brown and black racial categories that were self-reported by the survey participants. The chi-square test was used for comparisons (a=5%). The majority of the elderly respondents identified themselves as brown (66.4%) or white (23.3%). There were significant socioeconomic, demographic, habit and lifestyle differences among the racial groups. Most of the black and brown elderly lived alone, reported lower educational levels and were in the lowest quintile for income. These respondents were also highly dependent on the Unified Health System (Sistema Único de Saúde - SUS), exhibited low rates of screening mammograms and lower physical activity levels and had a greater proportion of smokers. However, there was no difference in the prevalence of health indicators or in the proportion of elderly by gender, age, social role in the family or the urban-rural location of the household. These results indicate the presence of racial inequalities in the socioeconomic and demographic status and in the practice of healthy habits and lifestyles among elderly from Maranhão, but suggest equity in health status. The results also suggest the complexity and challenges of interlinking race with socioeconomic aspects, and the findings reinforce the need for the implementation of public policies for these population groups.

EFFECTIVENESS OF A LIFESTYLE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM ON KNOWLEDGE AND LIFESTYLE PRACTICES AMONG ADOLESCENTS

Abstract:Increasing incidence of lifestyle disorders among Indians are largely attributed by unhealthy lifestyle practices like poor dietary pattern, inadequate physical activity, smoking, alcohol consumption and stress. Lifestyle modification programs are proved effective in behaviour modification and promotion of healthy lifestyle practices among adolescents. A school based interventional study was conducted among adolescents with the objective determine the effectiveness of the lifestyle management program in terms of gain in knowledge on lifestyle disorders and change in self-reported lifestyle practices. The study was conducted in two phases. Initially, a baseline data on the lifestyle practices and knowledge on lifestyle disorders was obtained from the adolescents, which was utilized to select the adolescents with poor and average knowledge and unhealthy practices for whom the intervention was implemented. Changes in lifestyle disorder related knowledge and lifestyle practices were tested using a structured knowledge questionnaire and lifestyle assessment scale. After two weeks of the intervention, a post-test was carried out and a significant improvement in knowledge (Z= 12.39, P = 0.001) and lifestyle practice (Z= 5.52, P = 0.001) were identified. The educational package for lifestyle modification was successful in improving the knowledge on lifestyle diseases and lifestyle practices among adolescents and thereby in prevention of lifestyle disorders.

Introduction to Nutrition Education in Training Medical and Other Health Care Professionals

Advances in science increasingly provide robust evidence documenting the centrality of good nutrition and healthy lifestyle practices in the prevention of chronic diseases to benefit all patients in the health care system. Federal policies such as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010 and the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act of 2009, as well as calls for action by professional societies, have endorsed the importance of nutrition in promoting better health outcomes. The recent report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines includes specific recommendations for diet and lifestyle changes that require fundamental knowledge and understanding of nutrition and physical activity for effective implementation (1). Physicians play a key role in the health care system both individually and as team members along with other health care professionals in the delivery of quality health care. With each patient encounter, physicians are positioned on the front lines to increase awareness and personalize the importance of adopting good nutrition and lifestyle practices for the prevention and treatment of disease. They also are very credible advocates for other health care professionals and policy makers in achieving the integration of nutrition throughout the health care system. A core tenet of this supplement issue is that deeper, more systemswide knowledge of nutrition and competency in its application are fundamental to effective team-based patient care. Although the importance of nutrition may be acknowledged, the education and training needed to effectively influence patient care within and between disciplines is lacking (reviewed in reference 2). To initiate systemswide change, the current model for nutrition education of health care professionals must be modified. This supplement issue proposes a framework developed by a multidisciplinary team of health and nutrition educators, clinicians, policy makers, and analysts designed to implement and evaluate a contemporary, synergistic nutrition education curriculum for health care professionals. It advocates for common core nutrition knowledge and practice competencies and recognizes and differentiates the unique skills and talents inherent among the broad range of relevant health care professionals. Consistent with current trends in medical education, nutrition education and training must include an appreciation for team-based, interprofessional patient care. Finally, there is a need for research to evaluate the effectiveness of innovative teaching strategies and how best to implement the new curriculum and assess its effects on patient and population health. The success of this endeavor depends on active engagement and deep commitment of all stakeholders accompanied by resources and incentives to drive this needed change. Numerous organizations and agencies have ongoing activities that advocate for changing the curriculum for health care professionals. The impetus for this supplement issue was a meeting entitled “Future Directions for Implementing Nutrition across the Continuum of Medical Education, Training, and Research,” which was convened by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, and cosponsored by the NIH Office of Disease Prevention and Division of Nutrition Research Coordination in September 2012. An important outcome of the meeting was that recommendations were made to implement nutrition across the continuum of medical and health care profession education, training, and research. Working groups met to discuss how best to effectively implement nutrition education for medical and all health care professions. This supplement issue is the result and presents our view of the needs and best practices for thoughtful and culturally sensitive change across the continuum of health care education.

Appetite for Prevention

Appetite for Prevention

Dietary, Lifestyle and Socio-Economic Correlates of Overweight, Obesity and Central Adiposity in Lebanese Children and Adolescents

The Eastern Mediterranean region is characterized by one of the highest burdens of paediatric obesity worldwide. This study aims at examining dietary, lifestyle, and socio-economic correlates of overweight, obesity, and abdominal adiposity amongst children and adolescents in Lebanon, a country of the Eastern Mediterranean basin. A nationally representative cross-sectional survey was conducted on 6–19-year-old subjects (n = 868). Socio-demographic, lifestyle, dietary, and anthropometric data (weight, height, waist circumference) were collected. Overweight and obesity were defined based on BMI z-scores. Elevated waist circumference (WC) and elevated waist to height ratio (WHtR) were used as indices of abdominal obesity. Of the study sample, 34.8% were overweight, 13.2% were obese, 14.0% had elevated WC, and 21.3% had elevated WHtR. Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that male gender, maternal employment, residence in the capital Beirut, sedentarity, and higher consumption of fast food and sugar sweetened beverages were associated with increased risk of obesity, overweight, and abdominal adiposity, while regular breakfast consumption, higher intakes of milk/dairies and added fats/oils were amongst the factors associated with decreased risk. The study’s findings call for culture-specific intervention strategies for the promotion of physical activity, healthy lifestyle, and dietary practices amongst Lebanese children and adolescents.

Implementation of a financially incentivized weight loss competition into an already established employee wellness program

Objective: To assess improvement in clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction of a financially incentivized weight loss competition adjunct to a currently established pharmacist-directed employee wellness program.&#x0D; Design: Retrospective, cohort, pilot study&#x0D; Setting: 6 independent community pharmacy chain locations, two long-term care pharmacies, and a pharmacy corporate office in northwest and central Missouri, from January 2013 to April 2013.&#x0D; Participants: 24 benefit-eligible patients employed by the self- insured pharmacy chain.&#x0D; Intervention: A financially incentivized weight loss competition focusing on healthy lifestyle practices was implemented at nine pharmacy locations over an eight week period.&#x0D; Main outcome measure(s): Change from baseline in mean total cholesterol, serum triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), weight, and body mass index (BMI). Patient satisfaction was also assessed after completion.&#x0D; Results:24 patients completed the competition. The average weight loss among all participants was 10 ± 7.3 pounds. A mean decrease in serum triglycerides was significant at 36.9 mg/dL per participant (p&#x0D; Conclusion: The implementation of a financially incentivized weight loss competition provided significant short-term weight loss to a patient population that was already enrolled in an established pharmacist-directed employee wellness program and had not shown clinical improvement prior to the intervention. Overall the patients were satisfied, felt healthier, and agreed to continue following the recommendations of the program.&#x0D; &#x0D; Type: Original Research

Tulsi - Ocimum sanctum: A herb for all reasons.

The predominant cause of global morbidity and mortality is lifestyle-related chronic diseases, many of which can be addressed through Ayurveda with its focus on healthy lifestyle practices and regular consumption of adaptogenic herbs. Of all the herbs used within Ayurveda, tulsi (Ocimum sanctum Linn) is preeminent, and scientific research is now confirming its beneficial effects. There is mounting evidence that tulsi can address physical, chemical, metabolic and psychological stress through a unique combination of pharmacological actions. Tulsi has been found to protect organs and tissues against chemical stress from industrial pollutants and heavy metals, and physical stress from prolonged physical exertion, ischemia, physical restraint and exposure to cold and excessive noise. Tulsi has also been shown to counter metabolic stress through normalization of blood glucose, blood pressure and lipid levels, and psychological stress through positive effects on memory and cognitive function and through its anxiolytic and anti-depressant properties. Tulsi's broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, which includes activity against a range of human and animal pathogens, suggests it can be used as a hand sanitizer, mouthwash and water purifier as well as in animal rearing, wound healing, the preservation of food stuffs and herbal raw materials and traveler's health. Cultivation of tulsi plants has both spiritual and practical significance that connects the grower to the creative powers of nature, and organic cultivation offers solutions for food security, rural poverty, hunger, environmental degradation and climate change. The use of tulsi in daily rituals is a testament to Ayurvedic wisdom and provides an example of ancient knowledge offering solutions to modern problems.

Extending community based health care services to counter the multi-dimensional threat of hypertension

Hypertension has been identified as an important public health concern of global distribution and as the key risk factor for most of the common cardiovascular diseases. Rationale and adequate control of hypertension is a key element in the prevention of hypertension induced-organ damage and the associated life threatening complications. An extensive search of all materials related to the topic was done in Pubmed, Medline, World Health Organization website and Google Scholar search engines. Keywords used in the search included hypertension, cardiovascular disease, public health, lifestyle modifications, and awareness. A diverse range of socio-demographic and health system related factors have been acknowledged in the causation and determining the long-term outcomes of the disease. As the natural history of hypertension is complex the strategy to combat also should be multi-pronged based on the pre-existing factors in different settings. Altogether, although some progress has been observed in the field of community awareness, blood pressure level control, and therapeutic modalities, the need is to implement sustainable and cost-effective interventions that will not only halt but also reverse the rising trend of hypertension. Community-based health education strategies, adoption of healthy dietary and lifestyle practices, and availability of effective drugs are effective measures to mitigate the overall burden of the disease.

Study of lifestyle practices of students of rural medical college, Loni

Background: Since doctors represent a significant human resource within a country, improving and preserving their health, is a form of preservation of a national resource. Doctors generally have difficulty maintaining a healthy lifestyle and good health practices. Aims & Objective: (1) To study dietary habits of the medical students. (2) To study the levels of physical activity. (3) To study the prevalence of addictive habits among the students. Materials and Methods: A cross sectional descriptive study was conducted to assess the lifestyle practices of students of RMC, Loni. Self-structured pre-tested questionnaires were given to 266 students for study purpose. Results: Out of all students that participated in study, 68 (25.56%) were from first year, 93 (34.96%) from second year and 105 (39.47%) belonging to third year. Out of all participants, only 12.78% eat fruits daily. Daily junk food consumption was seen in 24.81% students and more than half (57.14%) tend to skip meals. Out of 92.10% students who perform physical activity in their leisure time, only 31.83% exercise adequately. Conclusion: It is important to emphasize on the value of healthy lifestyles in medical colleges if the students are to value the importance of a healthy lifestyle for themselves and for their subsequent patients.

Sustainability of a Curriculum-based Intervention on Dietary Behaviours and Physical Activity among Primary School Children in Trinidad and Tobago.

Childhood obesity and poor lifestyle practices are emerging as major public health challenges in the Caribbean. Given the fact that a significant part of childhood is spent at school, curriculum-based interventions aimed at improving good dietary and physical activity patterns may provide a useful vehicle for mass inculcation of long-term healthy lifestyle practices. In this study, we evaluated the long-term impact of a brief curriculum based intervention on dietary behaviour, physical activity and knowledge level of primary schoolchildren. The study was a randomized, controlled, school-based nutrition education and physical activity intervention. One hundred students each were then randomly assigned to the intervention (IVG) and non-intervention (NIVG) groups and followed-up for 18 months. Participants in the IVG group were exposed to a curriculum consisting of six one-hour modules followed by school-based activities geared at fostering healthy behaviours. Students in the non-intervention group did not receive any modules and were subject to the information available at school on a regular basis. In multivariate regression equations controlling for age, gender, body mass index (BMI) and baseline values, intervention was associated with lower intake of fried foods and sodas (p < 0.05) and higher knowledge scores (p < 0.01) 18 months later but not significantly associated with improved physical activity or lower BMI. In this study, participants in the intervention group reported significantly lower intakes of fried foods and sodas and higher knowledge scores than participants in the control group some 18 months post-intervention independent of age, gender, BMI, ethnicity and the intakes at baseline.