Effectiveness of a Group-based Educational Program on Physical Activity among Pregnant Women

Background & Objective: Appropriate physical activity help to promote women's health during pregnancy. Providing appropriate educational programs for pregnant women seems to be necessary. This study was carried out to assess the effectiveness of a group educational program on pregnant women's physical activity. Methods & Materials: This clinical trial was conducted among 280 nulliparous women. The participants were randomly divided into two experimental and control groups. Women in the experimental group participated in eight 90-minute group-based educational classes. Those in the control group received routine care. Data were collected at baseline and at the end of the educational program. Data were analyzed using the Chi-squared test and the t-test in the SPSS. Results: There were no statistical differences on age, body mass index, education level, employment status, and physical activity between the two groups at baseline. The physical activity score was more in the experiment group (37.38±14.89) in compare with the control group (13.7±11.12) after the intervention (P<0.001). Conclusion: The group-based educational program seems to promote physical activity during pregnancy. These kinds of programs should be implemented in prenatal clinics. &nbsp

The association of dietary carbohydrate quality and quantity with obesity among Iranian adolescents: a case-control study

Abstract Background Adolescent obesity is considered as a major health concern worldwide which is closely linked to the quality of diet. The purpose of the present study was to assess the carbohydrate quality and quantity in relation to odds of overweight and obesity in adolescents. Methods This case-control study with a 1:1 ratio was conducted on 406 adolescents (14 to 18 years old) matched for age and gender. Participants were selected by multistage cluster random sampling method from March to October 2019 in Shiraz, Iran. Dietary intakes of the study population were assessed by a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Also anthropometric indices were measured using standard methods and demographic information was recorded via face to face interview. The relation between low carbohydrate diet score (LCDS) and carbohydrate quality index (CQI), and odds of obesity was evaluated by multiple Logistic regression. Results After adjusting the role of potential confounders, the participants in the third tertiles of LCDS (OR = 0.443, 95% CI = (0.260 to 0.755)) and CQI (OR = 0.005, 95% CI = (0.001 to 0.025)) had less odds of being overweight and obese compared to the first tertile. Conclusion The present study found an inverse relationship between dietary quantity and quality of carbohydrate intake and the odds of overweight and obesity in a sample of Iranian adolescents

A review on potential roles of vitamins in incidence, progression, and improvement of multiple sclerosis

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory and neurodegenerative disease, with unknown etiology. Vitamins, as important micronutrients playing different roles in body, seem to be important in MS pathogenesis. In vitro, in vivo and human studies, supports the protective role of some vitamins in MS occurrence or progression. Current study reviews recent insights and reports about the importance of vitamins in MS incidence or progression. In accordance, the importance of all water and fat-soluble vitamins in MS pathogenesis based on observational studies in human population and their role in the function of immune system as well as possible therapeutic opportunities are discussed in depth throughout this review. Keywords: Multiple sclerosis, Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Vitamin D, Folic acid, Vitamin B 12, Vitamin