RESUMEN
INTRODUCTION: Epidemiological studies point out that exposure to air pollution during pregnancy is a risk for low birth weight. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of outdoor and indoor air pollution on the occurrence of low birth weight. METHODS: The measurement of outdoor air pollutants, sulphur dioxide and black smoke was carried out daily at the Institute for Public Healthcare of Nis at two measuring locations, in Nis and Niska Banja during 2003. Subjects were 367 pregnant women, nonsmokers and who were not profesionally exposed to air pollution. Data on exposure to source of indoor air pollution (passive smoking and mode of heating) was determined on the basis of a questionnaire. Data on the characterisitics of newborns were taken from the register of Obstetrics and Gyanecology Clinic of Nis. RESULTS: We determined that exposure of pregnant women to outdoor air pollution and wood heating systems had influence on the occurence of low birth weight. Exposure to passive smoking had no influence on neonatal low birth weight. CONCLUSION: Exposure of pregnant women to outdoor and indoor air pollutants can have negative influence on the occurrence of low birth weight.
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Contaminación del Aire/efectos adversos , Recién Nacido de Bajo Peso , Femenino , Humanos , Recién Nacido , EmbarazoRESUMEN
UNLABELLED: Outdoor and indoor air pollution pollutants can be a potential cause to a lot of negative effects on the health of pregnant women and outcome of pregnancy. The objective of this paper was to estimate the influence of outdoor and indoor air pollution on the health of pregnant women and outcome of pregnancy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study subjects were the pregnant women, non-smokers, who were not professionally exposed to air pollution. They were divided into the exposed group (n = 189) and control group (n = 178) during the exposure to outdoor air pollution. The data on exposure to sources of indoor air pollution (smoke produced by burning fossil fuels and passive smoking) during pregnancy were obtained from the questionnaire. Data on health condition and outcome of pregnancy were obtained from medical records of tested pregnant women. RESULTS: The research results have shown that the frequency of anemia (OR = 6.76; 95% CI = 1.28-7.72), upper respiratory symptoms (OR = 9.53; 95% CI = 1.32-3.8) and bleeding (OR = 20.5; 95% CI = 2.03-6.97) was significantly higher in pregnant women exposed to outdoor air pollution as compared with the control group. The occurrence of upper respiratory symptoms (OR = 40.42; 95% CI = 2.96-8.91) and bleeding (OR = 53.21; 95% CI = 4.3-15.73) was significantly higher in pregnant women who had been exposed to fossil fuel smoke. Exposure to passive smoking had significant influence on the development of upper respiratory symptoms (OR = 34.58; 95% CI = 3.05-11.66).
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Contaminación del Aire/efectos adversos , Complicaciones del Embarazo/etiología , Adulto , Contaminación del Aire Interior/efectos adversos , Femenino , Humanos , Embarazo , Resultado del Embarazo , Encuestas y CuestionariosRESUMEN
BACKGROUND/AIM: Cardiovascular diseases are a leading cause of death in the majority of developed, as well as in many developing countries. The aim of this study was to determine cardiovascular risk factors in student population and to suggest possible measures for prevention. METHODS: The study was carried out during 2007-2008 at the School of Medicine, University of Nis. It included 824 students in their final year (220 males, 604 females). RESULTS: There was no significant difference in prevalence of hypertension among the male (1.81%) and female students (0%). The prevalence of obesity (Body Mass Index - BMI > 30 kg/m2) was significantly higher (p < 0.001) in the male (7.27%) than in the female population (1.32%). Abdominal obesity was also more frequently encountered (p < 0.01) in the male (9.09%) than in female population (1.32%). Every fourth student smoked cigarettes with no significant difference between the male and female students. Alcohol consumption was a significantly higher problem (p < 0.001) in the male population (18.18%) than in the female one (2.65%). Physical inactivity was more often found (p < 0.001) in the female students (65.56%), than in male ones (36.36%). By the bivariate correlation of cardiovascular risk factors, it was determined that in the male student population systolic blood pressure correlated significantly with diastolic blood pressure, BMI and waist size, whereas age correlated with sistolic blood pressure, waist size and smoking. In the female students sistolic blood pressure correlated with diastolic blood pressure, BMI and waist size; diastolic blood pressure correlated with BMI and physical inactivity; cigarette smoking correlated with alcohol consumption and age. CONCLUSION: Cardiovascular risk factors are present in the final-year students of the School of Medicine, University of Nis. It is necessary to insist on decreasing obesity prevalence, cigarette and alcohol consumption, and on increasing physical activity of students in order to prevent cardiovascular diseases.
Asunto(s)
Enfermedades Cardiovasculares/etiología , Adulto , Femenino , Humanos , Hipertensión/complicaciones , Masculino , Obesidad/complicaciones , Factores de Riesgo , Fumar/efectos adversos , Estudiantes de Medicina , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
Fortification is defined as adding of one or more essential elements to food article, regardless of whether it has been already added to food or not, in order to prevent or correct deficiency of one or more nutrients in the general population or specific population group. Food fortification with minerals and vitamins helps eliminate diseases such as goiter, rickets, beriberi, and pellagra. Significant results have been also achieved in prevention of anemia and vitamin A deficiency. The aforementioned deficiencies can be prevented and eliminated by means of appropriate and diverse nutrition and supplementation of deficient micronutrients, but on the national level, food fortification is the best solution. Two basic conditions for the application of fortification are the following: that the food article is in wide use and that it is cheap (available). The purpose of our paper was to show the results achieved by means of fortification in various countries in order to build up the basis for similar propositions in our country (Serbia and Montenegro). Owing to fortification in Asia, the number of cretinism cases has been reduced by half while sugar fortification significantly reduced the number of children with vitamin A deficiency. For more than 50 years, flour fortification with iron in order to prevent its deficiency and anemia, has been successfully applied in the United States and Canada, and as of recently in some countries of Africa and South America. The analysis of the results leads to the conclusion that food fortification has had beneficial health effects in the communities where it has been applied.