Improper Habits Research Articles

The Impact of Viruddhahara on Lifestyle Disorders: An Ayurvedic Perspective

Abstract: Ayurveda, an ancient medical system, highlights the significance of Ahara (diet) in maintaining health and preventing disease. A core aspect of Ayurvedic theory is the concept of Viruddhahara, which refers to incompatible food combinations that are believed to disrupt the equilibrium of the body's Doshas, potentially leading to various health complications. This review examines the concept of Viruddhahara and its implications for contemporary lifestyle-related disorders such as hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular diseases. In the current fast-paced environment, improper eating habits and the proliferation of fast food have led to widespread consumption of Viruddhahara, contributing to metabolic disturbances and chronic conditions. Ayurveda categorizes Viruddhahara into several types, including incompatibilities based on properties, timing, and combinations. For instance, the pairing of fish with milk or the consumption of heated honey serves as examples of how such food combinations can negatively impact health. The review emphasizes the importance of adhering to dietary guidelines to prevent disturbances in Dosha and the degradation of body tissues, which are essential for preserving health. With the rising incidence of lifestyle-related disorders, it is crucial to understand the scientific underpinnings of Viruddhahara and its role in disease etiology. This research aims to enhance awareness about the adverse effects of incompatible diets and to advocate for the incorporation of Ayurvedic principles into contemporary dietary practices. By conducting a thorough review of classical Ayurvedic texts alongside modern research, this study seeks to establish a framework for integrating Ayurvedic dietary principles into modern lifestyles, offering a comprehensive approach to the prevention and management of lifestyle-related diseases.

Eating habits in recreational athletes

Aim: Physical activity (PA) is an important factor in maintaining health, and combined with a balanced diet, it forms the basis of a healthy lifestyle. A diet not aligned with proper nutritional guidelines and the intensity of PA can affect the body's functioning, hinder recovery after training, and increase the risk of injury. This study examines the PA among recreational athletes and explores their eating habits. Methods: An observational study was conducted using Metabolic Equivalent Task (MET) minutes/week to determine the level of PA. Dietary data were collected using a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). Results: The study involved 62 respondents, categorized into groups of moderately, intensively, and very intensively active recreational athletes and despite recognizing the importance of PA recreational athletes exhibited inadequate dietary habits. Higher intake of fats, cholesterol, and saturated fatty acids was observed, as well as lower intake of carbohydrates than recommended. Most vitamins and some mineral intakes exceeded recommendations. Significant differences between groups were noted only for folate and saturated fatty acid intake. Conclusion: Nutritional education by professional nutritionists is essential for recreational athletes to correct improper eating habits. The findings of this study can be applied in similar socioeconomic-cultural regions.

Attitude of Rumueme Community towards Solid Waste Management in Obio-Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State

The study focused on attitude of Rumueme Community towards solid waste management in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State. Introduction: Waste management is one of the most pressing environmental challenges faced by urban and rural areas globally. Solid waste is described as all the wastes arising from human and animal activities that are normally solid and are discarded as useless or unwanted. Methodology: The study used a descriptive survey study design with a sample size of 150 which are selected through simple random sampling techniques. A structured questionnaire were used as an instrument for data collection, while SPSS, frequency tables and simple percentage was adopted for data analysis. Result: The findings of the study indicated Rumueme Community residents’ exhibit poor attitude towards solid waste management. Another finding of the study revealed that there are associated effects of poor solid waste management, hence the effects in the study area is high. Also, the study showed that methods of controlling solid waste in Rumueme Community is inadequate and uncommendable in all ramifications. Conclusion: A good population of habitants in Rumueme Community exhibit improper habit of solid waste management and this is due to lack of knowledge on good solid waste management and its effects on human health, hence awareness on the importance of good solid waste management should be organized for the inhabitants of the study area to enhance their knowledge and attitude towards solid waste control and management.

Formulation High Energy and Rich Iron of Granola Snackbar as a Nutritional Supplementary Feeding to Prevent Malnutrition in Pregnant Women

Background: Providing supplementary feeding from local food is one strategy to address the nutritional problems of pregnant women in Indonesia. Improper eating habits of pregnant women are one of the causes of nutritional disorders, one of which is anemia and chronic lack of energy. The aim of this research was to develop and evaluate high-energy and rich-iron granola snackbars as a nutritional supplementary feeding to prevent malnutrition in pregnant women. Granola snackbars (formulas P1, P2, P3, and P4) were prepared using the same ratios of seaweed, moringa leaves, beetroot oats, nuts (peanuts, walnuts, and almonds), cornstarch, peanut butter, fish oil, salt, sugar, and water, in addition to chicken liver formulation and snakehead fish (P1: 0 gr, 75 gr), (P2: 10 gr, 65 gr), (P3: 20 gr, 55 gr), and (P4: 30 gr, 45 gr). Methods: The method employed a fully randomized design in a pure experimental setting. Proximate testing involved determining the snackbars' color, texture, taste, and aroma, as well as their energy, protein, fat, carbohydrate, and Fe contents. Organoleptic testing covered these aspects as well. Results: Formula P2 had the highest energy (521.01 kcal), and Formula P4 had the highest Fe value at 4.34%. The organoleptic test showed that the most preferred formulation was the formulation with a proportion of Formula P2. Conclusion: This study recommends using Formula P2 as a source of energy to prevent malnutrition in pregnant women and Formula P4, which has a high iron content, to improve the hemoglobin level in pregnant women.

The influence of nutrition on patients with digestive diseases

Abstract. Maintaining health, improving the quality of life is largely related to the way of eating and the quality of food consumption. The way of eating is a central life issue, because apart from the very important social activities and other recreational activities, man still has three meals daily. Diet and nutrition are of paramount importance in disease prevention and health promotion. In fact, a slight imbalance in the quantitative and/or qualitative consumption of food can and does have long-term effects on health. In order to determine how nutrition influences the lifestyle of people suffering from digestive diseases, a retrospective study was conducted at the Municipal Hospital, St. Ierah Dr. Luca,, Onești during the period 1.01.2015-31.03.2020. In this study, 1019 patients with digestive pathology (gastric ulcer, duodenal ulcer, acute haemorrhagic gastritis, gastritis, gastroduodenitis) were included. As indicated by the research, it was found that the 1019 tested patients were diagnosed with ulcers, gastritis and gastro-duodenitis. According to the research, we can conclude that improper eating habits are risk factors in triggering, maintaining, or aggravating digestive pathology.

A case study on management of resistant hypertension and reduction of serum creatinine in a Chronic Kidney Disease patient through Vajedi Basti

Kidney diseases are prevalent due to changing life style, improper eating habits, hypertension and uncontrolled diabetes. According to modern science, the treatment for chronic kidney failure is haemodialysis or kidney transplant, both are quite expensive. Ayurveda plays an important role for finding effective and safe medicines to prevent kidney failure. A 38-year-old male patient diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and uncontrolled Hypertension (HTN) on three anti-hypertensive agents attended the OPD of Sane Guruji Arogya Kendra, Malwadi, Hadapsar Pune. The patient was initially kept on oral ayurvedic treatment for ten days. Then he was subjected to Basti Karma along with Sthanik Snehana-Swedana. After this therapy which continued for 21 days, it was found that the baseline blood pressure (180/110 mmHg) came down to 140/90 mmHg in the third week and serum creatin level ratio also reduced gradually. This therapy was provided along with allopathic medication as prescribed and patient was advised to continue allopathic medicine and to monitor BP regularly. After another 180 days monitoring, the patient had normal blood pressure along with a reduction in serum creatinine levels. From the results, it is concluded that this procedure is useful in resistant hypertension (RH), reducing the creatine level and in stabilizing and maintaining the blood pressure in a long run. Further study is recommended.

Breakfast habits and knowledge: Study involving participants from Brazil and Portugal

Abstract Breakfast has been considered one of the most important meals of the day. While breakfast habits and their consequences on children’s health and performance are well documented, studies on the adult population are still lacking. The aim of this study is to observe the breakfast consumption habits of Portuguese and Brazilian adults to understand the importance attributed to this meal, which leads people to have breakfast or to skip it, and also what types of food are consumed. To achieve these objectives, a questionnaire survey was carried out in both countries, and the data were collected through the internet. A convenience sample consisting of 694 participants (380 from Brazil and 314 from Portugal) were used in this study, all were adults who gave informed consent to participate in the research. The results showed that the majority of participants consumed breakfast every day (74.4% in Brazil and 78.3% in Portugal), and they did it at home (94.4 and 94.3% for Brazilians and Portuguese, respectively). The results also showed that the reasons for consuming breakfast and skipping it are very similar in both countries. People say they do not have breakfast because they do not want to eat in the morning or they do not have time. The reasons to always have breakfast include providing energy, satiety from night fasting, preventing hunger until lunch, because they like it, or simply because it is a habit. The level of knowledge was slightly higher among Portuguese than Brazilian participants and was found to vary according to the habits of having breakfast or skipping it and also according to country, sex, BMI class, and school level. In conclusion, breakfast habits were found to be very similar in both countries’, but the knowledge was higher among the Portuguese than the Brazilian participants. Breakfast is linked to a healthy lifestyle, and individuals’ behaviours and beliefs must be taken into account to promote health and well-being, thus diminishing the burden of noncommunicable diseases related to improper eating habits and dietary patterns.

Assessment of nutrition and lifestyle of truck drivers

Introduction Man's lifestyle is of great importance for his health. Failure to comply with the rules of care for the physical and psychological sphere may be a risk factor for the development of lifestyle diseases. Drivers are a professional group that is particularly vulnerable to the influence of factors inconsistent with the principles of a healthy lifestyle, the most common of which are: improper habits and eating habits, the use of stimulants, insufficient physical activity, sedentary work, etc. Aim The aim of the study was to assess the diet and lifestyle of truck drivers. Material and methods The research tool was a questionnaire consisting of open-ended and choice questions concerning issues related to eating behaviors, regularity and frequency of eating meals, specific product groups, and health status. Based on the data provided by the drivers, the body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Results The respondents were dominated by men. Data analysis showed that some of them are overweight. Most of the respondents are characterized by proper eating habits related to the frequency and quality of the meals they eat. The most common ailments resulting from and related to the specificity of the work performed are back pain, nervousness, and sleep disorders. Conclusions There is a need to promote a healthy lifestyle among drivers, taking into account in particular the change and shaping of correct eating habits. The research can be the basis for further activities aimed at educating this professional group.

Position statement of the Polish Academy of Sciences Committee Human Nutrition Science on the principles for the nutrition of children aged 1-3 years.

The Position Statement on the principles of nutrition for children aged 1-3 years emphasizes that proper nutritionof children at this age determines their optimal psychometric development and has beneficial effects on the processnutritional programming, which reduces the risk of diet-related diseases in adulthood. Continued breastfeeding in thepost-infancy period, together with the proper introduction of complementary foods, supplies all the nutritional needs ofthe child. A varied selection of food products is important to balance out the diet of a child in the context of energy andnutrient needs. Attention should be paid to products not recommended for frequent consumption, due to the possibility ofthe early development of improper eating habits that can lead to undesirable health consequences. Due to the potential riskof deficiency, adequate intake of iron, iodine, calcium and vitamin D, as well as of n-3 PUFAs (which is often insufficient)should be provided. Adequate dietary energy and protein intake protects children against protein-energy undernutritionand is crucial for their proper growth and development. An important element in the assessment of the development ofchildren involves monitoring their nutritional status and physical development by systematically measuring their bodyweight and length/height and analyzing their weight gain. It is necessary to diagnose the causes of being underweight/overweight in children. Physical activity (such as outdoor walks, plays, and games) and healthy sleep hygiene arerecommended. Physical activity, an adequate number of hours of sleep, and the quality of sleep in early childhood mayimprove immunity, reduce the risk of excessive weight gain, and consequently reduce the risk of obesity later in life. Other issues discussed include the functioning of the digestive system as one of the determinants of the nutrition ofyoung children, basics of proper nutrition, risk of nutrient deficiencies and development of proper eating habits in earlychildhood.

Adherence to Dietary Recommendation and Its Associated Factors among People with Type 2 Diabetes: A Cross-Sectional Study in Nepal.

Introduction Intensive lifestyle modification including a healthy diet changes the diagnostic status of patient from prediabetes to nondiabetes. In type 2 diabetes, improper eating habits increase insulin resistance. This study is aimed at assessing adherence to the dietary recommendation and its associated factors among people with type 2 diabetes. Methods A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among systematically sampled type 2 diabetic patients using interview on Gandaki Medical College Teaching Hospital and Diabetes, Thyroid, and Endocrinology Care Center, Pokhara. The Perceived Dietary Adherence Questionnaire was used to assess dietary adherence. Data was entered in EpiData version 3.1 and analyzed on SPSS version 20. Logistic regression with adjusted odds ratio and the corresponding 95% confidence intervals were used to find out significance of association. Results Among 204 participants, only 15.7% of the participants had good dietary adherence. The mean age and standard deviation were 53.03 ± 11.90 years. Factors such as participants living in single family (AOR 2.7, 95% CI 1.0-7.4), participants who could afford recommended diet (AOR 2.9, 95% CI 1.0-8.3), participants having self-control on food (AOR 4.1, 95% CI 1.2-14.1), participants who were engaged in moderate to heavy physical activities (AOR 3.3, 95% CI 1.2-9.2), and participants who had adherence to medication (AOR 3.5, 95% CI 1.2-10.1) were significantly associated with adherence to dietary recommendation. Conclusions Adherence to dietary recommendation among people with type 2 diabetes was low. Factors such as family type, affordability of recommended diet, self-control on food, physical activity, and medication adherence were significantly associated with adherence to dietary recommendations among people with type 2 diabetes. These factors should be considered by nutrition counselors and clinical decision-makers in patient counseling regarding dietary adherence.

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice towards the Use of Over-the-Counter Medicines: An Online Survey among Bruneian Adults amid the COVID-19 Pandemic

Globally, self-medication has increased, where 25% of adults use OTC medicines. This research is intended to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice regarding OTC medicines among adults in Brunei Darussalam. An online cross-sectional survey was performed using a questionnaire adapted from similar research conducted among students in Brunei Darussalam. A total of 364 responses were collected, where the median age of the study participants was 23 years. The mean knowledge score was 7.3 out of 9, with most respondents (77.7%) having good knowledge of OTC medicines. Almost all (92.9%) showed a positive attitude towards OTC use. A statistically significant difference (p ≤ 0.05) was observed in attitude scores between age groups and education levels. Most of the study participants (88.2%) have practiced self-medication with OTC medicines, mainly due to their easy accessibility (79.4%). A small number practiced improper habits, such as consuming more than the recommended dose (6.0%) and not checking the expiry date (0.5%). The practice of self-medicating with OTC medicines can be advantageous when patients fully know the medications and nature of their disease. Knowledge of proper OTC medicine use among adults in Brunei Darussalam is essential to avoid improper user practices and potential health hazards associated with the misuse of medications.

Current Status and Influencing Factors of Eating Behavior in Residents at the Age of 18~60: A Cross-Sectional Study in China.

As eating behavior is important to health, this cross-sectional study was conducted to analyze the factors influencing the eating behavior related to overweight and obesity of Chinese residents aged 18~60 based on the Ecological Model of Health Behavior. The short-form of the Eating Behavior Scale (EBS-SF) was applied to evaluate eating behavior. The multivariable linear stepwise regression analysis was used to identify and analyze the influence factors, and the receiver operating characteristic curves analysis to validate the predictive capability of the EBS-SF score in differentiating overweight and obesity. A total of 8623 participants were enrolled. In the personal characteristics, male (β = −0.03), older [36–45 years (β = −0.06) or 46–60 years (β = −0.07)], higher scores of Agreeableness (β = −0.04), Conscientiousness (β = −0.14) or Openness (β = −0.03) contributed to healthy eating behavior. In the individual behaviors, those who smoked (β = 0.04), drank alcohol (β = 0.05), exercised frequently (β = 0.07), had higher PHQ-9 scores (β = 0.29) may have improper eating habits. As for the interpersonal networks, the residents who were married (β = −0.04) behaved well when eating, while those who had offspring or siblings tended to have unhealthy eating behavior. At the community level, living in Western China (β = −0.03), having a monthly household income of 6001–9000 yuan per capita (β = −0.04), having no debt (β = −0.02), being retired (β = −0.03), or having lower PSSS scores (β = −0.03) led to lower EBS-SF scores. And the EBS-SF score demonstrated a moderate-high accuracy in predicting overweight and obesity.

Over-the-Counter Medicine Attitudes and Knowledge among University and College Students in Brunei Darussalam: Findings from the First National Survey.

Over-the-counter (OTC) medicine is defined as safe and effective for the general public to use, without seeking therapy from a health professional. As primary social media and internet users, university and college students are more likely to be exposed to unverified sources of health information. This study aims to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviour of students at institutions of higher learning in Brunei with regard to the safe use of OTC medicines. A cross-sectional study was performed using a self-administered online questionnaire, adapted from the literature with additional information from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on the educational resources in understanding OTC medicine for consumers. The questionnaire consisted of 4 sections: demographic information, knowledge of OTC medicines, attitudes, and practice. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for data analysis. A total of 335 students returned a completed questionnaire. The students had a mean knowledge score of 7.1 out of 9, with more than half (53.4%) having good knowledge (knowledge score > 7), and only a small percentage (5.7%) with poor knowledge. Almost all of the students (99.7%) had a positive attitude toward OTC medicine use. Few of the students practiced improper habits in terms of OTC medicine use, such as not reading the instructions or taking more than the recommended dose. Awareness of proper OTC medicine use among students in institutions of higher learning is necessary to prevent the rise of inappropriate user practices.

Tuberculosis among resident doctors and nurses in a tertiary care hospital: A case-control study.

ABSTRACTBackground:Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the widely rampant infectious diseases worldwide. Healthcare workers (HCWs) such as Medical students and nurses are continuously exposed to this air-borne infection in hospitals and are vulnerable to the infection. Overcrowding at workplace, inadequate ventilation, lack of personal protective measures, improper eating habits, etc., further make the HCWs more susceptible to TB.Objectives:Study of sociodemographic profile of resident doctors and nurses; study of factors for occurrence of TB among HCWs in a tertiary care hospital.Materials and Methods:Case-control study conducted. Questionnaire used to collect data. Comparison was made between the TB cases and controls among HCWs to identify the epidemiological determinants of TB and derive preventive measures for the same.Results:By Chi-Square test, regularity of breakfast P < 0.001; BMI P – 0.001; total duration of exposure to TB patients P – 0.013; screening for TB P – 0.014; adequacy of sleep P – 0.029; adequacy of protein intake P – 0.035 were found to have a significant association with the occurrence of TB.Conclusion:Having regular meals at appropriate times, nutritional status, duration of exposure to TB patients, history of screening being done or not were found to have a significant association with the occurrence of TB.

Role of Dashmool Taila Janubasti in Janu Sandhigat vata

Abstract:&#x0D; Due to sedentary lifestyle and lack of exercise oseto-artritis i.e sandhigat vata is common in productive age group Sandhigata vata is a common vata predominant disorder. It begins asymptomatically in 2nd &amp; 3rd decade . 90% of all people have radiographic features in the weight-bearing joints mainly the knee joint by the age of 40. In Sandhigata vata mostly janusandhi and some other major joints i.e.hip, knee, shoulder, etc. are involved. Out of these janu sandhi is commonly involved since it is weight-bearing joint and improper habit of standing and walking. Janu Sandhigata vata is caused by 2 factors i.e. a)Avarana janya and b)Dhatu kshaya janya. In this trial dhatukshaya janya Sandhigata vata was taken ,which is also known as nirupstambhit janu Sandhigata vata i.e osteoarthritis). To overcome this problem patients take regularly take NSAIDs, analgesic drugs, and steroids to relive the pain, but do not achieve good health. As there is no cure or ideal conservative management for this disease, this study definitely have good clinical results over modern medicine.

The effect of diet and supplementation on the effectiveness cosmetology therapy in women with polycystic ovary syndrome

Diseases of the endocrine glands and disorders related to the production of hormones very often lead to skin problems. The impact of everyday diet on disorders and regulation of the hormonal balance becomes more and more noticeable. One of the most frequently diagnosed endocrinopathy in recent years, which is also reflected in the skin, is polycystic ovaries or polycystic ovary syndrome. The aim of the article was to draw attention to the relationship between improper eating habits and hormonal imbalance, which may result in skin defects. Imbalance in the secretion of androgens can lead to disturbances in the functioning of the sebaceous unit, and thus to seborrheic skin diseases or hirsutism. Appropriate pharmacotherapy, diet and supplementation should help to reduce secretion of androgens and their activity in the hair follicles and lower the circulation of free testosterone, but further research is still needed.

Risky Behaviour among Nurses in Poland: An Analysis of Nurses' Physical Condition, Mental Health, and Resilience.

Background: Nursing is a profession where staff are exposed to chronic stress. Mental resilience plays a significant role in the process of coping with these challenges. The aim of this study was to assess nurses’ mental and physical wellbeing, as well as resilience, by taking into account the occurrence of risky behaviour among nurses in Poland. Methods: A descriptive study was carried out between June 2017 and May 2018 among nurses (n = 1080) employed in primary healthcare or in training centres in Silesia, Poland. Data were obtained from a number of questionnaires. Results: Over half of the nurses (n = 735; 68%) had an average psychophysical mood level resulting from stress, and 179 (16.6%) nurses had a low psychophysical mood. Those with a lower psychophysical mood showed a greater tendency towards developing improper eating habits (r = −0.23; p < 0.001). Most nurses had an average (n = 649; 60.1%) or low (n = 255; 23.6%) level of resilience. Higher resilience levels were observed in nurses aged over 30 years (p = 0.004) and in those with additional employment (p = 0.008). High resilience was associated with a lower intensity of risky behaviour. Conclusion: Most nurses in Poland display average and low levels of resilience, which can have unfavourable consequences for their health.

Assessment of Diet Diversity and Eating Pattern of Undergraduate Students: A Pan India Study

International Journal of Medicine and Public Health,2020,10,2,58-63.DOI:10.5530/ijmedph.2020.2.13Published:June 2020Type:Original ArticleAssessment of Diet Diversity and Eating Pattern of Undergraduate Students: A Pan India StudyAbhishek Kumar, Arshad Ayub, Ria Roy, Aradhna Rai, Bhini Ameta, Ashmi Latheef, Aradhna Rani, Aysha, Ashmil Muhammad Ali, Azad, Ashtami, Aradhna Rani, Avinash Pathak, Shamshad Ahmad, and Pragya Kumar Abhishek Kumar, Arshad Ayub*, Ria Roy, Aradhna Rai, Bhini Ameta, Ashmi Latheef, Aradhna Rani, Aysha M, Ashmil Muhammad Ali, Azad AV, Ashtami KH, Aradhna Rani, Avinash Pathak, Shamshad Ahmad, Pragya Kumar Department of Community and Family Medicine, AIIMS Patna, Bihar, INDIA. Abstract:Introduction: Dietary diversity has been universally identified as a key element of high quality diets. The tendency among undergraduate students with poor dietary patterns is high, due to lack of parental supervision, incorrect knowledge regarding food habits, stress of academic, professional and social life. This study was carried out to assess the diet diversity and eating pattern of undergraduate students of various colleges in India. Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted among 3046 undergraduate students across India by filling the online questionnaire shared through social media. The data on dietary diversity was collected by asking the number of consumed food groups in previous 24hr from the total food groups described by FAO, with anthropometric measurements. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 21. Results: Mean age of participants was 20.7±1.9 years, the majority being females. About 42.2% student’s skipped breakfast 1-2 times per week and another 28.5% skipped 3 or more times. About 34.7% had poor DDS (Dietary Diversity Score) whereas 28.5% had good DDS. Higher DDS mean was found in males (3.67) than females (3.23), overall mean being 3.4. Among 869 people with good DDS, 63.1% had normal BMI and 57.1% availed their meals from mess. There is significant distribution of DDS among different regions (p=0.0007), graduation streams (p=0.0014) and source of meals (p<0.001). Conclusion: In this study, the diet diversity of about three-fourth participants was inadequate, showing their improper habit of food consumption and results also indicated their unhealthy eating pattern. Adequate dietary practice is recommended. Keywords:Anthropometric measurement, BMI, Diet diversity, Eating pattern, Undergraduate studentsView:PDF (313.29 KB)

Prevalence of overweight &amp; obesity-associated risk factors amongst medical students in South India

Obesity is defined as an excessive accumulation of body fat to an extent where health is impaired. Obesity among students is progressing towards an epidemic level. The change in lifestyle, lack of physical activity and exercise, improper eating habits and lack of awareness about obesity which has become a major problem of college students, especially among medical students. This study was conducted with the objective to estimate the prevalence of overweight &amp; obesity and associated factors. A cross-sectional study was conducted among medical students of Saveetha Medical College and Hospital (SMCH) with a sample size of 230 and a purposive sampling technique was used. Data was collected using a semi-structured questionnaire. Data were entered in Microsoft Excel and analyzed using relevant statistical tests. Prevalence of overweight and obesity was 20.4% and 2.1%, respectively and factors such as diet pattern and sleep duration are significantly associated with overweight and obesity. Measures such as motivating the students, organizing group exercise activities and making physical activity as part of the curriculum and importance of adequate sleep should be emphasized.

The Analysis of Nutritional Habits of the Third Age Students in Poznań

Abstract In recent years have seen increasing percentage of the elderly in the overall population. This has driven the attention to the lifestyle factors that influence the health and quality of life of this social group, including their nutrition and physical activity. Universities of the Third Age (U3A) are a valuable platform for the dissemination and broadening of the knowledge related to these topics. The nutritional habits of 61 U3A students in Poznań were evaluated on the basis of a modified KomPAN questionnaire. Their nutritional status was determined using the body mass index (BMI) and waist to hip ratio (WHR) indices. Nearly half of the respondents were overweight and 16% had first degree obesity. The WHR index in women was on average 0.8, while in men it was 1.01. Only 13% of the students declared regular eating, with 60% consuming 4-5 meals a day. Women were found to eat snacks between meals more often than men. It was also found that the majority of the elderly do not add salt to ready meals or sweeten beverages with sugars. Taking into account the observed nutritional problems and the occurrence of improper eating habits of the elderly, it is recommended to continue the education on the prevention of common diet-related diseased.