Introdução - A incidência das fendas lábio – palatinas, é de 1 para cada 700 nascidos vivos na população mundial, trata-se de uma má-formação congênita que pode ocorrer devido a fatores endógenos ou exógenos. Objetivo – Relacionar o índice de massa corporal (IMC) materno com o nascimento de bebês com fendas. Métodos – Trata-se de um estudo tipo caso-controle. Foram incluídas 800 mães com idade entre 18 e 35 anos, que não apresentaram suspeita ou confirmação de diabete mellitus ou gravídica e bebês com peso entre 2.500 e 4.500 gramas nascidos entre a 37ª e a 42ª semana de gestação que não apresentaram nenhum outro tipo de deficiência que não a estudada. Para a coleta dos dados aplicou – se questionários a 400 mães de crianças normais distribuídas em quatro postos de saúde da cidade de Santo André (controles), e 400 mães de bebês com fendas labiais e/ou palatinas que estavam em tratamento no FUNCRAF, que é um centro especializado no tratamento da deformidade estudada, nesta mesma cidade (casos). Resultados - Entre os casos encontrou - se 148 (37,00%) mulheres com IMC acima de 26 e entre os controles foram 132 (33,00%). Com relação ao uso de álcool/drogas observou-se que 82 (20,50%) mulheres entre os casos e 58 (14,50%) no grupo controle eram usuárias. Duzentas e onze (52,70%) mães de bebês com fendas relataram ter histórico de má - formação na família dela ou do pai da criança. Este número foi de 103 (25,70%) no grupo controle. No grupo controle observou-se que 330 (82,50%) eram brancas ou pardas, 43 (10,75%) negras e 27 (6,70%) amarelas, entre os casos foram 294 (73,50%) brancas ou pardas, 65 (16,25%) negras e 40 (10,00%) amarelas. Conclusões - O IMC alto não esteve relacionado ao nascimento de bebês com fendas. Ter sido usuária de álcool/drogas no primeiro trimestre de gestação relacionou-se ao nascimento de crianças com a má-formação. O risco de surgimento desta deformidade foi 3,6 vezes maior quanto existiu histórico de qualquer má-formação familiar; a raça/etnia da mãe também apresentou associação com a presença de fendas, a raça branca é a menos associada seguida pela parda e negra e, finalmente pela amarela que foi a que apresenta maior associação. / Introduction – The incidence of cleft lips and palate is 1 to 700 live births in the world population, it is a congenital malformation that can happens due to endogens or exogenesis factors. Objectives – Association between maternal body mass index (BMI) and the risk of cleft lips or palate. Methods – That is a case – control study. We include 800 mothers between 18 and 35 years old without suspicious of gestational or preexisting diabetes and babies between 2,500 e 4, 000 g was born between the 37 and 42 pregnancy week without other congenital malformation that is not the studied. Some questions were asked for 400 normal children’s mothers from four health centers from Santo André (controls), and 400cleft lips or palate children’s mothers from FUNCRAF that is a health center just to treatment of this malformation, from Santo André (cases). Results – Among the cases we have 148 (37.00%) mothers with BMI above 26 and among the controls it was 132 (33.00%). About alcohol and drugs use we have 82 (20.50%) women among cases and 58 (14.50%) on control group. Two hundred eleven (52.70%) malformations children’s mothers declare to have malformation parental history against 103 (25.70%) on control group. On control group we have 330 (82.50%) white , 43 (10.75%) black and 27 (6.70%) yellow, among the cases 294 (73.50%) white, 65 (16.25%) black and 40 (10.00%) yellow. Conclusions – The increase of BMI is not likely to be a risk factor for clefts, the consumption of alcohol/drugs is a risk factor for this malformation; the risk is 3.6 times highest for clefts when there is malformation history; a racial association with clefts was observed, the white women presents the lowest association and the yellow presents the highest one.

Longer-term immigrants residing in the United States exhibit physical health decline related to higher body mass index (BMI). Theories on immigrant acculturation have been used to examine health patterns by length of stay in the United States. The purpose of this cross-sectional study, guided by the Schwartz model of acculturation, was to examine the effect of acculturation and length of stay in the United States on BMI in a sample of Haitian immigrants living in the Northeast Metropolitan area. The research question was used to examine the effects of acculturation and length of stay on BMI in the convenience sample of 116 Haitian men and women, aged 18 years and older, who had relocated to the United States for 3 years or more. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire and medical records from a participating health clinic and then analyzed by conducting a multiple linear regression. According to study results, acculturation, length of stay, age, gender, and physical activity were not significant predictors of BMI change. An ancillary analysis using the subscales of acculturation revealed similar results. This study may provide positive social change by enabling health providers to understand the beliefs, values, and practices of Haitian immigrant groups and the acculturation pattern of individuals when providing care for this population.

The aims of the studies were to assess body image perceptions, the role of stress and other possible associated psychopathologies within a non-clinical sample. The prevalence of body image concern is increasing and is widely considered as secondary to evolving socio-cultural trends. Negative self-perceptions about body image can be manifest as measurable indicators of physiological stress, or even psychopathology. This thesis describes two quantitative studies into the role and relevance of various causative factors in the development of negative body image in cohorts of volunteers drawn from the general population of the University of Bradford in West Yorkshire, UK. In Study One, subjects (n=360) completed a self-directed questionnaire that psychometrically measured satisfaction/dissatisfaction with personal appearance, queried which external sources influenced those opinions, and correlated these with demographic information. In particular, we sought to examine how a subject's opinion about their personal appearance varied with age, gender, ethnicity, mental health, relationship status, sexual orientation and Body Mass Index (BMI). Subjective views regarding personal appearance were determined by answers given to specific body image questions that revealed a subject's day-to-day appearance concerns, all preoccupations, and the extent to which these concerns resulted in distress, all social impairment. Overall, the results demonstrated that BMI values were positively correlated with personal appearance concerns. High BMI values correlated with greater dissatisfaction with personal appearance. Self ratings of appearance values were negatively correlated with BMI scores. Subjects who gave themselves high appearance ratings were relatively unaffected by media influence with regard to their image, compared to subjects rating themselves less attractive. These latter subjects also showed higher peer pressure scores in terms of both the amount of time they compared themselves to peers, and the degree to which peer comparisons affected their self-appearance ratings. Based on responses to the body image questions specifically, the entire cohort of subjects were categorised into principal clusters: those largely unaffected by any body image concerns; and those profoundly distressed by their self assessed body image. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of these findings is that the scores for this latter (n=17) group of subjects on the body image questions revealed a degree of personal distress this is almost identical to the scores expected from those people diagnosed with body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). Collectively, these results suggest that high BMI values in subjects negatively impact on self-appearance ratings, render subjects more prone to media messages that portray body image ideals, and elicit frequent comparisons with peers to validate self-image concerns. Furthermore, severely affected subjects with high BMI scores may show similar psychopathology to that of BDD sufferers. In Study Two, a small cohort of subjects (n=60) were given questionnaires and were interviewed to further investigate self-appearance ratings and mood/depressive traits. The body image questions used in Study One to assess image concerns and the magnitude of distress were repeated in Study Two. Mood and depressive state were measured using the validated Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI). In parallel, subjects completed the Derriford Appearance Scale 59 (DAS 59), which is a valid psychometric indication of an individual's perception of their appearance as 'normal' or 'disfigured', and used as a tool by plastic surgeons to inform decisions regarding the necessity for surgery to correct an individual's appearance. Physiological markers were recorded before and after exposure of subjects to a physical and a psychological stressor: these were saliva concentrations of cortisol and sIgA (an immune marker), blood glucose and blood pressure. The results of Study Two revealed no changes in scores for any of the physiological measures following stressors. BDI scores for most subjects fell within normal ranges, although females scored higher than males, but not at a pathological level. Those subjects with a history of mental illness or those who reported feeling a high degree of stress on a daily basis, or those who expressed greater self-appearance concerns, all had significantly elevated BDI values. Perhaps the most intriguing finding from Study Two, as in Study One, was that subjects again tended to fall within specific categories for body image concerns: those unaffected or minimally affected by body image concerns, and those (n=6) greatly and deleteriously affected by body image concerns. This subsection of subjects also scored very high on the DAS 59 for disfigurement. On the basis of these findings it would seem that body image concerns may be severe enough for some individuals for them to perceive themselves as actually being disfigured, or that the DAS 59 (a widely used assessment tool in plastic surgery), may not be entirely appropriate for assessment of an individual's need for surgery because it cannot distinguish between those genuinely disfigured and those merely expressing severe body image concerns.

Thesis (Masters) -- The College of Saint Elizabeth, 2009. / Typescript. Available at The College of Saint Elizabeth - Office of Graduate Programs. "October 2009"

Objetivos: Analisar o ajuste alométrico para MC e altura entre indivíduos menores de 20 anos. Métodos: Dados de indivíduos de 0-20 anos de National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES-1999-2013); Pesquisa Nacional de Saúde e Nutrição (PNSN-1989); Encuesta de Salud y Nutrición (2012); England Health Survei (2005-2014) e; Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES-1998-2014). MC e de altura foram convertidos à escala logarítmica e modelados por regressão linear em 24 grupos etários, 2 sexos e os 5 países. O β dessa regressão deu origem ao p valor que foi estimado em 2 etapas. 1) Todos os dados disponíveis nos inquéritos, excluíndo apenas os valores biologicamente implausíveis; e 2) O p foi calculado após a exclusão dos valores não esperados para idade (VNEI) de MC e altura. VNEI foi definido como casos ±2,0 DP(z) do resíduo da regressão de MC pela idade, altura pela idade e MC pela altura. Em seguida, os valores p definidos no pool de dados foram modelados por spline com 5 knots, para definição de um p internacional (ip). Após calculou-se o IA - Indice Alométrico para todos os individuos. Para análise da correlação entre os índices e a massa adiposa foram utilizadas medidas de Densiotometria (DXA), Impedância Bioelétrica (BIA), Circunferência de Cintura (CC) e Dobras Cutâneas (DC). As correlações com os indices foram estimada pelo coeficiente de Pearson(r). Em uma análise de efeitos mistos, estimou-se o coeficiente correlção intraclasses (CCI), entre os diferentes países e as diferentes fenótipos humanos para altura, MC, IMC e IA. Resultados: A exclusão de VNEI (8,5% da amostra) diminuiu a diferença do p entre os países. O p e o ip apresentoram valores próximos a 2 ao nascimento, aumentou para 3 a 3,5 (7 e 11 anos nas meninas e 8 a 12 nos meninos) e regrediu a 2 no final do crescimento. O IA apresentou r próximo de zero em relação a altura contra r proximos de 0,4 para o IMC durante a puberdade. A correlação da massa adiposa para os dois indices foi semelhante, sempre apresentando r acima de 0,85 para todas as formas de análise via DC, BIA, CC e DXA. IA apresentou menor correlação com massa muscular e densidade óssea. O CCI foi maior entre os paises e praticamente nulo entre as fenótipos humanos. A maior variação entre os paises ficou a cargo da altura, seguido da massa corporal e IMC. O IA foi a medida que se apresentou com menor variação entre os paises (3,6%) e entre fenótipos humanos (1,7%). Conclusões: A exclusão VNEI contribuiu para diminuir o efeito do estado nutricional sobre a alometria para se estimar o p valor. O ip mostrou-se uma valor promissor para uso internacional. O IA no conjunto de evidências apresenta uma vantagem em relação ao IMC, uma vez que tem correlção 0 com a altura, e uma correlação equivalente ao IMC com a massa adiposa além de apresentar o menor CCI entre fenótipos humanos e nacionalidades. A maior variação do CCI ficou a cargo do país em relação a altura, justificado pelos difentes contextos epidemiológicos. / Objectives: To analyze the allometric scalling for BM and the height under 20 years old. Methods: Individuals 0-20 years of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES-1999-2013); Pesquisa Nacional de Saúde e Nutrição (PNSN-1989); Encuesta de Salud y Nutrición (2012); England Health Survei (2005-2014) and; Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES-1998-2014). BM and height were converted to logarithmic scale and modeled by linear regression, in 24 age groups, 2 sexes and 5 countries. The β of this regression gave the estimated p value in 2 steps. 1) All data available in the surveys, excluding only those biologically implausible values; and 2) The value was obtained after the exclusion of values not expected for age (VNEA) of MC and height. VNEA was defined as ± 2.0 SD (z) cases of regression of BM by age, height by age and MC by height. Then, the values were modeled by spline in 5 knots, to define an international (ip). After were calculated the AI - Allometric Index for all individuals. The Pearson correlation (r) between the indices and the fat mass was calculated used data dorm densitometry (DXA), Bioelectrical Impedance (BIA), Waist Circumference (WC) and Skin Folds (SF). In an analysis of mixed effects, was estimated the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), between countries and ethnicities for different dimensions for BM, BMI and AI. Results: Exclusion of VNEA (8.5% of the sample) decreased the difference between countries. The p and ip presented values close to 2 at birth, increased to 3 to 3.5 (7 and 11 years in girls and 8 to 12 in boys) and recorded 2 at the end of growth. AI was close to zero in correlation with height and for BMI was r= 0.4 during puberty. The correlation of the adipose mass for the two indices was similar, always presenting r above 0.85 for all forms of analysis via DC, BIA, CC and DXA. AI presented a lower correlation with muscle mass and bone density. ICC is larger among countries and is practically zero among ethnicities. The greatest difference between the groups was the height, the BM and the BMI. AI showed the smallest difference between the countries (3.6%) and between the ethnic groups (1.7%). Conclusions: A VNEA exclusion contributed to decrease the effect of nutritional status on allometry to estimate the p value. The value ip has proved to be a promising value for international use. The IA in the body of evidence has an advantage over BMI, since it has correlation 0 with height, and a correlation equivalent to the BMI with the adipose mass besides presenting the lowest CCI between ethnicities and nationalities. The greatest variation of ICC was borne by the country in relation to height, justified by the different epidemiological contexts.

In recent time, several reports have been published about a more and more unhealthy population world wide, with increasing Body Mass Index (BMI) in welfare countries, such as Sweden. Diseases, such as obesity and diabetes, which is strongly connected to a high BMI, have increased and together with them also the medical expenses for society/state. Several initiatives have been started, in different countries, to tackle these problems and some have introduced a “sugar tax” on unhealthy products, like candy and soda, which has become a well- debated subject also in Sweden today. In this MBA master thesis, a literature study has been conducted with the goal of evaluating if an excise tax should be introduced in an efficient way on unhealthy sugar-sweetened beverages in Sweden. This case study is built on secondary data where reports and official statistics, from governments and health authorities/organizations, have been studied both for Sweden as well as from other countries. There has been a particular focus on Sweden's neighbouring countries Denmark and Finland, who has both experiences in the implementation of a “sugar tax”. Our theory is that introducing an excise tax on sugar-sweetened beverages will reduce the demand and consumption of these products, which will reduce welfare disease such as obesity and diabetes and yield a tax income for the state. However it is important to have in mind that the reduced consumption also will result in less tax income from the no longer sold goods, fewer personnel employed in the producing industries etc. The results showed that the overall sugar consumption actually has decreased in Sweden, as well as the overall consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages. However during the same time period the average calorie consumption and BMI has continued to increase resulting in a more unhealthy population that results in increased medical expenses. In conclusion an excise tax on sugar-sweetened beverages will not solve the welfare disease problems but may positively influence health. However it comes with a price also for the state from both gains and loss in tax incomes and increased administrations costs for managing the new tax. Finally it should be noted that since sugar-sweetened beverages are unhealthy products, which do not contribute to any positive health effects, sugar taxation might still be considered.

Nowadays, frequency of so called civilization diseases is raising and current life style of an industrial society brings increased number of sleep disorders. Various non-physiological and pathological phenomena, for which humans do not have and cannot have any adaptation mechanisms created, can be seen in our culture and society. The purpose of this thesis is to examine sleep habits of two groups of healthy adult persons (young adults and seniors) and determine factors having an influence on sleep quality. Three hypotheses were stated (Hypothesis No. 1: Sleep length and quality are changing throughout the life. Hypothesis No. 2: Sleep length has an influence on BMI. Hypothesis No. 3: Sleep length is dependent on a life style). Validity of these hypotheses was verified. The sample consisted of a group of young adults (76 women, 51 men) and of a group of active seniors (50 women, 40 men). Sleep behavior was investigated by a questionnaire form. Every person answered to 50 questions. Their answers were statistically processed. Basic somatic characteristics as body height, body weight and Body Mass Index were measured during the contact with respondents. Statistically significant difference (p < 0,05) in sleep behavior of young adults and seniors in weekdays and weekend was found out. Young adults were...

Fragestellung: Sowohl die Childhood Group der International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) als auch die European Childhood Obesity Group (ECOG) empfehlen den Body-mass-Index als Beurteilungskriterium für Übergewicht und Adipositas bei Kindern und Jugendlichen. Im Erwachsenenalter erfolgt die Definition von Übergewicht und Adipositas anhand fester Grenzwerte, bei der Beurteilung von Kindern und Jugendlichen müssen die alters- und geschlechtsspezifischen Veränderungen des BMI berücksichtigt werden. Methode: Unter Heranziehung von 17 bereits durchgeführten Untersuchungen aus verschiedenen Regionen Deutschlands wurden BMI-Perzentile für Kinder und Jugendliche erstellt. Die Berechnung der Perzentile basiert auf den Körperhöhen- und Körpergewichtsdaten von 17.147 Jungen und 17.275 Mädchen im Alter von 0–18 Jahren. Ergebnisse und Schlussfolgerung: Die vorgestellten Perzentile sollten als Referenz für deutsche Kinder und Jugendliche angewendet werden. Die Arbeitsgemeinschaft „Adipositas im Kindes- und Jugendalter“ (AGA) hat in ihren Leitlinien die Anwendung der hier vorgestellten 90. und 97. Perzentile zur Definition von Übergewicht und Adipositas empfohlen. / Objectives: Both the Childhood Group of the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) and the European Childhood Obesity Group (ECOG) recommend to use the body mass index (BMI = weight in kilograms/height in meter2) to evaluate overweight and obesity in children and adolescents. Whereas it is customary with adults to use fixed cut off points to define overweight and obesity, in children and adolescents age and sex specific developmental changes in BMI need to be addressed, which are due to physiological alterations of fat mass. Method: Because a national reference population for children and adolescents does not exist in Germany, a BMI reference data set was compiled. Therefore measurements of height and weight from 17 different regional studies including 17147 boys and 17275 girls aged 0 to 18 years were used. Results and conclusions: We recommend the use of the presented percentiles as reference to asses under- and overweight (obesity) in German children and adolescents. In the guidelines of the “Arbeitsgruppe Adipositas im Kindes- und Jugendalter”(AGA) the 90th and 97th BMI percentiles as calculated in this reference population are proposed as cut-off points for the definition of overweight and obesity in German children and adolescents.

Magister Chirurgiae Dentium (MChD) / Occupational hazards are common among many professions and dentistry is no exception. Occupational hazards include percutaneous injuries, inhalation of noxious chemicals, noise and musculoskeletal disorders (MSD). Despite the fact that MSD have been documented to be very prevalent among dentists in various countries, there is a paucity of literature from South Africa. Aim The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders among the dentists in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), South Africa and to identify risk factors associated with it. The study was a cross-sectional, descriptive one and questionnaires were used to elicit information regarding socio-demographic details, medical history, work history and work-related posture information from dentists based in KwaZulu-Natal. A convenience sample of all qualified dentists in this region who were registered members of the South African Dental Association (SADA) was used. Results One hundred and nine dentists responded to the questionnaire. The response rate was 31%. The majority were male; a third aged between 30 - 39 years and the ratio of females to males was 1:3. Almost all the dentists reported pain in the neck, lower back and shoulder. Less than a quarter of the dentists in KZN reported hand pain, numbness in the hands and a tingling sensation in the hands. More than three quarters reported that they had no negative effects when performing restorative work and scaling and polishing, but 3.1% reported having extreme levels of pain. The most common working position reported was the 2 0' clock position. Nearly three quarters rotated their necks while performing clinical dentistry and a third tilted their shoulders towards their dominant hand. There was no relationship between Body Mass Index (BMI) and whether respondents treated patients while seated or standing and neither was there a relationship between pain in the lower back and BMI. There was a strong association between pain in the neck while performing clinical work and the number of years in practice confounded by age. When compared to other countries the prevalence of MSD is very high. The highest occurrence was for neck, back and shoulder pain. Avoiding these injuries is critical and self-recognition is important in either preventing further injuries or in increasing severity of the condition. The findings of this study suggests that it may be valuable to include ergonomic work practice in the training of dentists and dentists should be involved in a proper exercise routine which should include stretching and weight training to prevent injuries. Regular breaks should be taken to perform stretching exercises in-between the management of patients in order to reduce the risk of MSD.

Objectives. Evaluate C-reactive protein (CRP) levels according to weight and physical activity. The study explored how changes in CRP were associated with baseline CRP, weight, and physical activity and changes in these variables. Methods. A randomized controlled study design assigned 348 individuals to the intervention or control group with measurements taken at baseline, 6 weeks, and 6 months of body weight, physical activity, and serum CRP levels. Participants attended an intensive 40-hour educational course delivered over a four-week period. Results. At baseline, CRP was negatively associated with total steps/week, and positively associated with weight, BMI, percent fat, and saturated fat at baseline. CRP significantly decreased through 6 weeks and also through 6 months for only those with high CRP at baseline. For those with high CRP at baseline, the decrease was significant for normal, overweight, and obese groups of people. Changes in weight or physical activity were not significantly associated with changes in CRP. Conclusions. Over 6 week and 6 month follow-up periods, the intervention failed to discriminate changes in CRP. Changes in CRP were only associated with baseline levels of CRP and BMI and were not associated with changes in any of the selected variables considered.