RESUMEN
In 2008, an international survey on obesity among first-graders and its risk factors was performed in Lithuania. The objective of this study was to assess physical activity of first-graders during leisure time according to family socioeconomic status. The study was performed in Siauliai region schools selected randomly in 2008. The anonymous questionnaires were distributed among 630 first-graders and filled out by 515 parents (response rate was 81.8%). It was showed that physical activity of first-graders during leisure time is insufficient. More than half of them (60.4%) did not attend sports or dancing clubs; children spent much time passively watching TV or playing on a computer. Mostly children watched TV for 2 hours on workdays (45.1%) and for 3 hours or more on weekends (41.4%). Mostly children spent about an hour per day playing on a computer: one-third of first-graders spent it on workdays; during weekends, the percentage of children spending about an hour per day playing on a computer was lower (28.5%). One-third of first-graders (36.9%) spent their leisure time outside for 3 or more hours on workdays and 87.1% on weekends independently of parents' educational level, income, and place of residence. The associations between family socioeconomic status and physical activity of children were observed. The lowest percentage of children attending sports or dancing clubs and playing computer games was seen in low-income families and families where parents had low educational level. They spent more time outside (on workdays) compared with those children whose parents had university education and high income. Fewer first-graders from families living in villages than those living in cities attended sports or dancing clubs and played on a computer, but more of them spent leisure time outside.
Asunto(s)
Conducta del Adolescente , Conducta Infantil , Ejercicio Físico , Conductas Relacionadas con la Salud , Actividades Recreativas , Obesidad/epidemiología , Padres , Adolescente , Factores de Edad , Distribución de Chi-Cuadrado , Niño , Computadores , Baile , Recolección de Datos , Interpretación Estadística de Datos , Educación , Humanos , Renta , Obesidad/prevención & control , Factores de Riesgo , Factores Socioeconómicos , Deportes , Encuestas y Cuestionarios , Televisión , Factores de Tiempo , Juegos de VideoRESUMEN
The aim of this study is to assess health behavior among families growing up the preschool children. The study was performed in 2007 in Kaunas kindergartens selected randomly. The anonymous questionnaires were filled in by 271 families. Mothers answered to the questions more frequently than fathers did. Fathers were less educated than mothers. It was estimated that preschool-age children used fresh vegetables and fruits insufficiently. Two-thirds of children ate fresh vegetables at least once a day, and only 1 of 20--3 times a day. Children ate fresh fruits more frequently than vegetables: every tenth child used them three times a day. The tendency of relation between parents' education and frequency of eating fresh vegetables and fruits was established. More frequently they were used in families where parents had university education. Physical activity of examined families was insufficient. Half of the parents have never done their morning exercises, and about half of the preschool-age children did their exercises rarely (12.5%) or never (41.4%). The majority of children exercised every day in families where fathers had incomplete secondary/secondary education. Children spend much time passively watching TV or playing with computer. Harmful habits among parents are spread widely in the families: more than one-third of fathers and every thirteenth mother smoke regularly; alcohol is used in the majority of families.
Asunto(s)
Familia , Conductas Relacionadas con la Salud , Estilo de Vida , Adulto , Consumo de Bebidas Alcohólicas , Peso Corporal , Niño , Preescolar , Recolección de Datos , Interpretación Estadística de Datos , Dieta , Educación , Ejercicio Físico , Padre , Femenino , Humanos , Lituania , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Madres , Fumar , Encuestas y Cuestionarios , Televisión , Factores de TiempoRESUMEN
UNLABELLED: Gastric cancer is one of the main health issues in Lithuania. The risk factors of the disease are related to nutrition and environment. There were no epidemiological studies on this subject in the country. The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between risk of gastric cancer and consumption of salt and salt-preserved food. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A hospital based case-control study included 379 cases with newly histologically confirmed diagnosis of gastric cancer and 1,137 controls that were cancer and gastric diseases free. Cases and controls matched by gender and age (+/-5 years). Ratio of cases and controls was 1:3. A questionnaire was used to collect information on possible risk factors of gastric cancer. The odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for gastric cancer were calculated by a conditional logistic regression. RESULTS: Cases had significantly lower education level and mostly resided in villages. After adjustments for other dietary habits and smoking, alcohol consumption, family history on cancer, education level, and residence, higher risk of gastric cancer was found for those using salt additionally to prepared meal or those who liked salty food. After controlling for other food items that were associated with gastric cancer and smoking, alcohol consumption, family history on cancer, education level, and residence, body mass index at 20 years of age, and physical activity, intake of salted meat (OR=1.85, 95% CI=1.12-3.04, 1-3 times/month vs. almost never; OR=2.21, 95% CI=1.43-3.42, > or =1-2 times/week vs. almost never), smoked meat (OR=1.79, 95% CI=1.23-2.60, > or =3-4 times/week vs. < or =1-2 times/week), smoked fish (OR=1.70, 95% CI=1.13-2.53, > or =1-2 times/week vs. < or =1-3 times/month) was significantly associated with an increased risk of gastric cancer. Consumption of salted mushrooms was found to increase the risk of gastric cancer, however, this increase was not statistically significant. In conclusion, higher risk of gastric cancer is found for people that like salty food, salt-preserved meat as well as fish.
Asunto(s)
Dieta/efectos adversos , Cloruro de Sodio/efectos adversos , Neoplasias Gástricas/etiología , Adulto , Factores de Edad , Anciano , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Consumo de Bebidas Alcohólicas/efectos adversos , Índice de Masa Corporal , Estudios de Casos y Controles , Intervalos de Confianza , Ejercicio Físico , Femenino , Humanos , Modelos Logísticos , Masculino , Estado Civil , Persona de Mediana Edad , Oportunidad Relativa , Factores de Riesgo , Población Rural , Factores Sexuales , Fumar/efectos adversos , Neoplasias Gástricas/epidemiología , Neoplasias Gástricas/genética , Encuestas y CuestionariosRESUMEN
The aim of this study was to assess the anthropometrical data and physical fitness of soldiers according to the sociodemographic characteristics during one-year compulsory military service. The height and weight of 197 soldiers were measured at the beginning and at the end of their service, and body mass index was calculated. The physical fitness was evaluated using index of ability on the basis of 2 km walking test. Conscripts from cities were taller than conscripts from rural areas. At the beginning of the service every fifth was overweight (25< or = body mass index <30 kg/m2) or obese (body mass index > or =30 kg/m2): 17.9% of conscripts from rural areas as well as 17.6% from urban were overweight and 1.9% from rural as well as 1.1% from urban areas were obese. A tendency that the weight of conscripts gradually increased with the level of education was observed. There were no significant differences in index of ability according to the level of soldiers' education as well as place of residence. During one-year service the height of soldiers did not change, however, their weight increased in average by 5.5+/-4.5 kg (p<0.01). The part of overweight persons at the end of the service increased 2.3-fold. Physical fitness of soldiers after one-year service significantly decreased compared with the beginning of the service. In order to decrease the rate of overweight soldiers and to increase their physical fitness the health promotion programs in Lithuanian Army are needed.
Asunto(s)
Antropometría , Personal Militar , Aptitud Física , Adulto , Estatura , Índice de Masa Corporal , Peso Corporal , Educación , Promoción de la Salud , Humanos , Lituania , Masculino , Población Rural , Factores de Tiempo , Población Urbana , Aumento de PesoRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: Stomach cancer is the second common cause of death in Lithuania and most countries of the world. Nevertheless, there were no reports of epidemiological studies on stomach cancer in Lithuania. Therefore, a hospital-based case-control study has been carried out in order to assess the associations between vegetables and fruits and risk of stomach cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Hospital-based case-control study included 379 cases with newly histologically confirmed diagnose of stomach cancer and 1137 controls that were free of cancer and stomach diseases. Cases and controls were matched by gender and age (+/-5 yr). Information on demographic variables, family history on cancer, life-style habits, such as diet, smoking, alcohol consumption, and physical activity was collected by a questionnaire. Conditional logistic regression was used to compute the odds ratio (OR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: After adjustment for other food items (vegetables, fruits, different types of meat, processed meat and fish, dairy and starchy products, coffee, green tea), that were related to outcome, smoking, alcohol use, family history on cancer, education level and residence, stomach cancer risk was inversely associated with consumption of raw vegetables such as cabbage (OR=0.24; 95% CI=0.10-0.57; > or =1-3 times/month vs. almost never), carrots (OR=0.42, 95% CI=0.20-0.86; 1-6 times/week vs. almost never) and garlic (OR=0.59, 95% CI=0.37-0.96; 1-6 times/week vs. almost never). Protective effect has been observed for intake of broccoli (OR=0.52, 95% CI=0.28-0.98; 1-4 times/week vs. < or =1-3 times/month). There were no statistically significant associations between stomach cancer risk and consumption of citrus or others fruits. In conclusion, higher consumption of raw vegetables such as cabbage, carrots, garlic as well as broccoli may decrease a risk of stomach cancer, whereas intake of citrus fruits has no relation with a reduced risk of the disease.
Asunto(s)
Dieta , Frutas , Neoplasias Gástricas/epidemiología , Neoplasias Gástricas/prevención & control , Verduras , Adulto , Anciano , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Estudios de Casos y Controles , Interpretación Estadística de Datos , Educación , Femenino , Humanos , Estilo de Vida , Lituania/epidemiología , Modelos Logísticos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Oportunidad Relativa , Factores de Riesgo , Población Rural , Encuestas y Cuestionarios , Población UrbanaRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: The Finbalt Health Monitor is a collaborative system for monitoring the health-related behaviour, practices and lifestyles in Estonia, Finland, Latvia and Lithuania. This system is based on nationally representative samples and self-administered mailed questionnaires. In comparing the results of national surveys, the awareness of the direction and socioeconomic patterning of the response bias is essential. METHODS: The data were gathered from the cross-sectional surveys conducted in 1998 from Estonia (n = 1362), Finland (n = 3504), Latvia (n = 2322) and Lithuania (n = 1874). An analysis was made of the prevalence of late response, completeness of information obtained from respondents and the magnitude of response bias on the prevalence estimates of health behaviour indicators. RESULTS: The response rates were comparatively high: 68% in Estonia, 70% in Finland, 77% in Latvia and 62% in Lithuania. Late response was weakly related to age, education or place of residence. The total proportion of missing information was below 10% and the sociodemographic patterning for this missing information was similar in all countries. Thus, older and less-educated respondents had more missing information on their questionnaires. Response bias of the prevalence estimates was minimal when it was calculated by using information obtained from late respondents. CONCLUSIONS: The level of nonresponse and missing information was comparable in different countries, not information on health behaviour. Therefore special efforts are needed to design a questionnaire form which appears equally relevant to all respondent groups. The follow-up mailings were an effective way to increase the total response rate, but it was unlikely that they provided an effective way to reach the 'hard core' nonrespondents.
Asunto(s)
Encuestas Epidemiológicas , Adulto , Estudios Transversales , Escolaridad , Estonia , Femenino , Finlandia , Conductas Relacionadas con la Salud , Estado de Salud , Humanos , Letonia , Lituania , Modelos Logísticos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Cooperación del PacienteRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY: To assess the opinion of Lithuanian adult population about accessibility and quality of primary health care services. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was conducted in 2001. A national random sample of 5000 Lithuanians aged 18 years and older has been taken out of the National Population Register. The questionnaires were filled in by 3514 persons (response rate--71.6%). RESULTS: Sixty-six percent of respondents reported that they have received health care at an outpatient health facility in the last 12 months. Women visited a doctor more frequently than men did; older inhabitants more frequently than younger ones. Fifty-eight percent of respondents reported they had no problem to get a health care provider they were happy with, 16.5% had a mild problem and 10.1%--severe or extreme problem. Fifty-four percent of respondents noted that they had no problem to use other health services than they usually went to, while 15.6% reported--it was a severe or extreme problem. The majority of respondents (59.5%) answered that they always got care as soon as they wanted. Patient opinion about quality of primary health care services depended on how well doctors, nurses or other health care providers communicated with them, i.e. whether patients were treated with respect and dignity, whether they were listened carefully, whether they were explained things understandably etc. Seventy-three percent of respondents reported that health care providers communicated with them well or very well. Older respondents assessed the communication with doctors better than younger did. CONCLUSION: The data of regular questioning of population could be used for the successful health care reform implementation.