Jorjani Biomedicine Journal

Background and objectives: Osteoporosis, a current silent epidemic, is of high importance due to its high prevalence and complications among women. It is a preventable disease whose high-risk population includes young girls. This study investigated the impacts of a health belief model-based education program about osteoporosis prevention on physical activity of junior high school students in in Kalaleh (Iran) during 2012.

Method: The present experimental study was conducted on 140 female students of the second-grade of junior high school in Kalaleh. The subjects were selected and allocated to the case and control groups (n = 70 each) using multistage random sampling. Data were collected through standard questionnaires on the application of health belief model in osteoporosis and physical activity. The collected data were analyzed with independent and paired t-tests in SPSS 16 version.

Results: There were no significant differences between the case and control groups in terms of household size and parents’ demographic characteristics. Before the intervention, the two groups had no significant differences in the mean scores of awareness and the health belief model constructs. However, the intervention could significantly increase the case group’s scores (P < 0.001). In addition, two months after the intervention, the mean scores of physical activity significantly increased in the case group (P < 0.001).

Conclusion: The health belief model-based education program was efficient in increasing the students’ awareness which in turn created a favorable attitude toward physical activity among the participants.

Background and objectives: High consumption of trans fatty acids is associated with increased risks cardiovascular diseases, insulin resistance, lipid disorders, diabetes, and possibly cancer. Therefore, most developed countries produce food products with trans fatty acid content of 0%-2% to support the consumers. This study sought to determine the amount of fatty acids in meat products and kebabs served in restaurants of Kermanshah, Iran.

Methods: In order to determine the percentage of fatty acids, 69 samples were randomly taken from 14 kinds of meat products and kebabs served in restaurants of Kermanshah. To extract the 14 types of fatty acids, Folch and methylation methods were applied based on the guidelines of the American Oil Chemists’ Society (AOCS). A gas chromatograph equipped with an ion-flame sensor and a 100 m capillary column was used to measure trans fatty acids.

Results: While the highest level of trans fatty acids was found in loghmeh-kebab (2.3%), the lowest level was detected in breaded shrimp (0.1%) and chicken schnitzel (0.13%). Palmitic acid (C16:0) was the most common saturated fatty acid in restaurant kebabs and had the highest amount in loghmeh-kebabs (in convenience foods). Unsaturated fatty acids had the lowest concentration in restaurant kebabs (39.8-49.44%). Their levels in convenience foods varied from 49.99% in loghmeh-kebab to 76.11% in sausages. Among all unsaturated fatty acids, oleic acid (C 18:1c) and linoleic acid (C 18:2c) had the highest concentrations in the studied samples.

Conclusion: Loghmeh-kebab had the highest tans and saturated fatty acid contents among all the evaluated meat products. It can thus be a threat to the consumers’ health. Careful monitoring of food products in terms of fatty acid types, use of food labeling, and education to change consumption pattern in the country are recommended for public health promotion.

  Abstract

  Background and objectives: Depression is the most common cause of disability caused by diseases in the world. Having physical activity is a solution for reducing depression. This study was conducted to determine the causes of depression and its related factors.

  Methods: In this descriptive-analytical study, 266 female students participated in the study selected by random stratified sampling. The data were collected with demographic questionnaires, the Beck Depression Inventory, and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and the body composition was measured with the body analyzer machine and entered into the SPSS software. To examine the effect of physical activity on depression, a logistic regression model was used with adjusting the effect of the likely confounding variables.

  Results: The mean age of the participants was 22.15 ± 2.4. According to the Beck Depression Inventory, 24.8% (66 individuals) suffered from depression and 69.5% (185 individuals) were healthy and 5.6% (15 persons) were missing from study. The results did not show a significant difference between depression and being local or nonlocal, BMI and the income level. But there was a significant difference between the healthy and the depressed group with regard to physical activity ( P=0.03). Physical activity at recommended levels showed an inverse relationship with depression of students so that students who have the recommended levels of physical activity get the 44% lower chance to be in the depressed group against students who have been low level of physical activity (OR=0.56, 95% CI:0.31-0.99, P=0.046).

  Conclusion: Due to the effect of physical activity on reducing depression, providing sport facilities, recommending people to increase their physical activity and culture making in the society can serve as constructive solutions to improving the psychological health and preventing depression in the society.