Body Mass Index, Waist Circumference, Body Fat, Fasting Blood Glucose in a Sample of Moroccan Adolescents Aged 11–17 Years

Objectives. The study aimed to assess the relationship between body fat and each of body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC), and to test the effectiveness of fat mass (FM), percent of body fat (PBF), BMI, and WC in predicting high levels of fasting blood glucose (FBG). Methods. A total of 167 adolescents aged 11–17 years were recruited from Rabat region. BMI and WC were determined using standard equipments. FM and PBF were derived from isotope dilution technique. FBG was determined by the hexokinase method. Results. Regardless of the weight status, BMI showed a strong positive correlation with FM and PBF in both genders. WC was significantly correlated with FM in boys and girls, and with PBF in different groups of girls and boys of the study sample. However, there was no significant relationship between WC and PBF in normal weight and overweight-obese groups of boys. FBG was highly correlated with FM and PBF in girls of the study sample and in overweight-obese girls. Similar significant relationship between FBG and both BMI and WC was observed in overweight-obese girls, while there was no significant association between FBG and other variables in boys and normal-weight girls. Conclusion. BMI and WC were closely associated with FM and PBF, respectively. However, the degree of these associations depends on gender and weight status. BMI may provide a better proxy estimate of overall adiposity than WC; nevertheless, both of them would appear to be a reasonable surrogate for FM and PBF as screening tools to identify adolescents at risk of developing excess body fat and high level of FBG

Body Mass Index, Waist Circumference, Body Fat, Fasting Glucose in a Sample of Moroccan Adolescents Aged 11-17 Years

Objectives. The study aimed to assess the relationship between body fat and each of body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC), and to test the effectiveness of fat mass (FM), percent of body fat (PBF), BMI, and WC in predicting high levels of fasting blood glucose (FBG). Methods. A total of 167 adolescents aged 11-17 years were recruited from Rabat region. BMI and WC were determined using standard equipments. FM and PBF were derived from isotope dilution technique. FBG was determined by the hexokinase method. Results. Regardless of the weight status, BMI showed a strong positive correlation with FM and PBF in both genders. WC was significantly correlated with FM in boys and girls, and with PBF in different groups of girls and boys of the study sample. However, there was no significant relationship between WC and PBF in normal weight and overweight-obese groups of boys. FBG was highly correlated with FM and PBF in girls of the study sample and in overweight-obese girls. Similar significant relationship between FBG and both BMI and WC was observed in overweight-obese girls, while there was no significant association between FBG and other variables in boys and normal-weight girls. Conclusion. BMI and WC were closely associated with FM and PBF, respectively. However, the degree of these associations depends on gender and weight status. BMI may provide a better proxy estimate of overall adiposity than WC; nevertheless, both of them would appear to be a reasonable surrogate for FM and PBF as screening tools to identify adolescents at risk of developing excess body fat and high level of FBG

Energy and Macronutrients Intakes among Childbearing Age Women Living in the Urban Area of Morocco: A Cross-Sectional Study

Over the last few decades, there have been significant dietary and lifestyle changes worldwide. In Morocco, these changes have led to serious nutritional disorders and increased risk of morbidity and mortality particularly among vulnerable groups such as women of childbearing age. We aimed to assess the average daily energy and macronutrient intakes and to investigate their association with socioeconomic factors and weight status among women aged 19–49 years in urban areas. A total of 542 women attending public health centers were recruited. Socioeconomic and demographic data were collected using a questionnaire. Anthropometric measurements were taken using standardized equipment. Food consumption data were obtained through the 24-hour dietary recall method, and the macronutrient composition of foods was estimated based on the Moroccan food composition table and the Nutrilog software. The average daily energy intake among the study population was 1591 kcal, composed of 56% from carbohydrates, 28% from fats, and 16% from protein. Reported energy intake by the majority of women (81.5%) was lower than recommended daily allowances for energy. There was a significant positive correlation between educational level and energy (p=0.001), carbohydrates (p=0.001), proteins (p=0.004), and fats intakes (p=0.032), respectively. A significant negative association of household size with protein intakes was also observed (p=0.034). Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats intakes tended to decrease; however, these associations were not statistically significant. Further studies and appropriate interventions are needed to address the trends in energy and macronutrients intakes in the development of policy initiatives aimed at nutrition education and chronic disease prevention among childbearing age women

Increased nutrition knowledge and adherence to the Mediterranean diet are associated with lower body mass index and better self-rated general health among university students

Background: Nutrition knowledge and adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) have been suggested to have beneficial effects on weight status and general health. The scarcity of assessment of these effects on large samples of university students is, however, observed. Objective: To investigate the association of nutrition knowledge and adherence to the MedDiet with body mass index (BMI) and self-rated general health among university students. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study among 1776 university students aged 21.34 ± 2.47 years. Nutrition knowledge and MedDiet adherence scores were assessed using validated questionnaires. Anthropometric measurements and general health were self-reported. Results: The prevalence of overweight and obesity was 23.1% and 4.0%, respectively. Approximately 52% of students self-rated their general health as fair or poor. MedDiet adherence score was positively correlated with nutrition knowledge scores (P < 0.001) and inversely associated with BMI (P < 0.001). Non-overweight students had significantly higher nutrition knowledge scores and MedDiet adherence scores compared to overweight/obese peers. Similarly, non-smoking students had higher nutrition knowledge scores than their smoking counterparts (P = 0.017). Participants who self-rated their general health as fair or poor showed significantly lower nutrition knowledge and MedDiet adherence scores than other groups. Health science students had significantly lower consumption of fish, legumes, olive oil, unrefined whole grains, fruits, and vegetables compared to other students. Conclusions: Elevated levels of nutrition knowledge and adherence to the MedDiet were associated with lower BMI and better self-rated general health. Urgent interventions are needed to promote nutrition knowledge and healthy eating behavior among university students

Acceptance of COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Doses Using the Health Belief Model : A Cross-Sectional Study in Low-Middle- and High-Income Countries of the East Mediterranean Region

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) booster doses decrease infection transmission and disease severity. This study aimed to assess the acceptance of COVID-19 vaccine booster doses in low, middle, and high-income countries of the East Mediterranean Region (EMR) and its determinants using the health belief model (HBM). In addition, we aimed to identify the causes of booster dose rejection and the main source of information about vaccination. Using the snowball and convince sampling technique, a bilingual, self-administered, anonymous questionnaire was used to collect the data from 14 EMR countries through different social media platforms. Logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the key determinants that predict vaccination acceptance among respondents. Overall, 2327 participants responded to the questionnaire. In total, 1468 received compulsory doses of vaccination. Of them, 739 (50.3%) received booster doses and 387 (26.4%) were willing to get the COVID-19 vaccine booster doses. Vaccine booster dose acceptance rates in low, middle, and high-income countries were 73.4%, 67.9%, and 83.0%, respectively (p < 0.001). Participants who reported reliance on information about the COVID-19 vaccination from the Ministry of Health websites were more willing to accept booster doses (79.3% vs. 66.6%, p < 0.001). The leading causes behind booster dose rejection were the beliefs that booster doses have no benefit (48.35%) and have severe side effects (25.6%). Determinants of booster dose acceptance were age (odds ratio (OR) = 1.02, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.01–1.03, p = 0.002), information provided by the Ministry of Health (OR = 3.40, 95% CI: 1.79–6.49, p = 0.015), perceived susceptibility to COVID-19 infection (OR = 1.88, 95% CI: 1.21–2.93, p = 0.005), perceived severity of COVID-19 (OR = 2.08, 95% CI: 137–3.16, p = 0.001), and perceived risk of side effects (OR = 0.25, 95% CI: 0.19–0.34, p < 0.001). Booster dose acceptance in EMR is relatively high. Interventions based on HBM may provide useful directions for policymakers to enhance the population’s acceptance of booster vaccination