Improving Fruit and Vegetable Consumption in Elementary School Students: A Systematic Review of Interventions

Introduction:Less than 15% of the 4 to 8-year old children consume the recommended servings of fruit and vegetables (FV). Early years of life play an important role in establishing healthy eating habits. School is an appropriate setting for healthy eating habits interventions. The purpose of this systematic review is evaluation of school-based interventions to improve FV consumption in elementary school students. Methods:In this systematic review, we performed a search in several databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, Education Resources Information Center (ERIC), Science Direct and Google Scholar. Studies published between January 2005 and December 2012 were included. In examining the studies, we focused on design, strategies and outcomes of the interventions. Results:Eleven studies met the inclusion criteria. Interventions in these three classifications (gardening and education, educational programs and providing FV) have positive effects on children’s FV intake. Multi-component education is more effective than other cases in children willingness for FV consumption. Gardening strategies: participating in hands-on gardening experiences, engaging in gardening challenges and preparing a party by student’s garden products. Educational strategies: nutrition education classes, electronic learning by using the popular cartoon characters and child actors as symbolic role models and strategies to improve family awareness like series of newsletters for parents and homework tasks for parents and children. Providing strategies: providing fee-based or free FV at school. Conclusion:Long-term multi-component (gardening,education and providing FV) interventions with the application of behavioral change theories and models are effective to reach the expected results

Dietary patterns, nutrition, and risk of breast cancer: a case-control study in the west of Iran

OBJECTIVES Unhealthy dietary patterns are the most important changeable risk factors for breast cancer. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between dietary patterns and the risk of breast cancer among under-50 year women in the west of Iran. METHODS All women under 50 years old with pathologically confirmed breast cancer between 2013 and 2015 who were referred to oncology clinics in the west of Iran, and 408 under-50 women referred to other outpatient clinics who were without breast or other cancers at the time of the study and 2 years later were selected as the control group. The data were collected using the middle-aged periodical care form of the Iranian Ministry of Health and analyzed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression in Stata. RESULTS The most powerful risk factor for breast cancer was fried foods; the odds ratio of consuming fried foods more than once a month for breast cancer was 4.5 (95% confidence interval, 2.1 to 9.4). A dose-response model indicated that increasing vegetable and fruit consumption up to 90 servings per month decreased the odds of breast cancer, but consuming more than 90 servings per month increased the risk. CONCLUSIONS Inadequate consumption of vegetables and consumption of soft drinks, industrially produced juices, fried foods, and sweets were identified as risk factors for breast cancer. In response to these findings, it is necessary to raise awareness and to provide education about healthy diets and the need to change unhealthy dietary patterns

The Effect of Training Based on Health Belief Model on the Awareness and Attitude of Nursing and Midwifery Students in Preventing Cardiovascular Diseases

Introduction: Among the most important strategies for controlling cardiovascular diseases are preventive steps such as training and enhancing the awareness level, and preventive skills for protecting individuals. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of training based on Health Belief Model on the awareness and attitude of nursing and midwifery students in preventing cardiovascular diseases.Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, 110 participants were selected from nursing and midwifery students during 2010 and 2011. They had not passed courses related to cardiovascular diseases. Four 2-hour training sessions were designed based on Health Belief Model. Demographic information questionnaire had questions related to awareness, perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits, perceived barriers and action guide which was completed before training and six weeks after training by questionnaire and interview. Data was analyzed using SPSS 16 software and paired T-test.Results: The findings indicated that the mean scores of the students’ awareness before and after training were 14.5 and 16.1, respectively and there was a statistically significant difference between them. The findings also showed that the mean scores of the students’ attitude before and after training were 41.9 and 41.8, respectively and there was no statistically significant difference between them.Conclusion: Since changing in behavior is the result of changing in attitude, in order to change the attitude of the people about health issues such as health behavior toward cardiovascular diseases, training should be considered as a continuous procedure

The role of imaging in penile fracture. Our experience

INTRODUCTION: Fracture of the penis is a urological casualty resulting from a tear in the tunica albuginea of the penis. The diagnosis of suspicion is based fundamentally on the data obtained by means of clinical presentation and physical examination. Penile ultrasound is a useful, quick and innocuous test for suspected cavernous body ruptures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We observed 22 patients with suspected asymptomatic penile trauma. All of them underwent a Colour Doppler US examination, 5 of them an MRI scan. A functional US with stimulation was not carried out immediately, neither was a retrograde urethrography performed. RESULTS: No lesions were found in six patients and only one patient underwent partial penectomy. The other patients received conservative treatments, such as cold compressive bandaging of the penis and the administration of fibrinolysis. CONCLUSION: Penile fracture is underestimated because the traumas are often kept silent. Early diagnostic imaging management permits evaluation of the best procedure to adopt and whether surgery is necessary or not

The Iranian blood pressure measurement campaign, 2019: study protocol and preliminary results

Purpose Hypertension is one of the most important risk factors for premature mortality and morbidity in Iran. The objective of the Iranian blood pressure (BP) measurement campaign was to identify individuals with raised blood pressure and providing appropriate care and increase the awareness among the public and policymakers of the importance of tackling hypertension. Methods The campaign was conducted in two phases. The first (communication) phase started on May 17th (International Hypertension Day). The second phase started on June 8th, 2019, and lasted up to July 7th during which, blood pressures were measured. The target population was Iranians aged >= 30 years. Participants voluntarily referred to health houses in rural and health posts and comprehensive health centers in urban areas in the setting of the Primary Health Care network. Additionally, over 13,700 temporary stations were set up in highly visited places in urban areas. Volunteer healthcare staff interviewed the participants, measured their BP, and provided them with lifestyle advice and knowledge of the risks and consequences of high blood pressure. They referred participants to physicians in case their BP was high. Participants immediately received a text message containing the relevant advice based on their measured BP and their past history. Results Blood pressure was measured for a total of 26,678,394 participants in the campaign. A total of 13,722,148 participants (51.4%) were female. The mean age was 46 +/- 14.1 years. Among total participants, 15,012,693 adults (56.3%) with no past history of hypertension had normal BP, 7,959,288 participants had BP in the prehypertension range (29.8%), and finally, 3,706,413 participants (13.9%) had either past medical history of hypertension, used medications, or had high BP measured in the campaign. Conclusion The campaign was feasible with the objective to increase the awareness among the public and policymakers of the importance of tackling hypertension in Iran