Prevalence of overweight and obesity based on the body mass index; a cross-sectional study in Alkharj, Saudi Arabia

Background: Obesity and overweight are accompanied with several different chronic diseases. Overweight and obesity can be measured by using body mass index (BMI) and is also used widely as an index of relative adiposity among any population. The aim of the study is to evaluate the prevalence of overweight and obesity among general population in Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia.Methods: Cross-sectional analysis was undertaken from a representative sample (N = 1019) of the Al Kharj population. Anthropometric measurements including the waist circumference (in centimeters), height (in meters), and weight (in kilograms) of the subjects were undertaken by means of standard apparatus. SPSS 24.0 was utilized for statistical analysis of the data.Results: Majority of respondents in this study were overweight and obese (54.3%) compared with 45.7% being non-obese. A linear positive association of increasing BMI with older age groups was present in males and females. Men had larger waist circumference, weight and height measures as compared with their female counterparts. Regression analysis showed increasing age, being married and high serum cholesterol to be the significant predictors of overweight and obesity while gender, education level, job status, and having diabetes were not.Conclusions: The obesity-overweight prevalence in the Saudi population is high mainly across both genders. However, the associated factors are potentially preventable and modifiable. The regional barriers to lifestyle modifications and interventions to encourage active lifestyles, especially among adolescents to limit the occurrence of obesity and ultimately promote health and wellbeing, are warranted. Furthermore, prospective studies are needed in future to confirm the aetiological nature of such associations

Challenges and Barriers Experienced by Prince George Parents in Providing Opportunities for Children to Engage in Healthy Eating and Active Living: A Men’s Health Parents Perspective

The purpose of this study is to investigate the challenges and successes experienced by parents in providing children with opportunities for healthy living. Focus group interviews were conducted with parents of children 0-6 years to discuss challenges and successes in healthy eating, active living and being screen smart. The focus group interviews were digitally recorded and transcribed. Three main themes emerged from transcripts which include: Barriers to Healthy Living; Parent Involvement; and Child Involvement. It is recommended that the Healthy Families Prince George Committee design community initiatives to support families in the Prince George area to achieve optimal healthy living, based on the study results. Upstream social policies are warranted in order to support low socio-economic status (SES) male parents and their families to achieve healthy lifestyle including healthy eating and active living

A Primary Care Initiative for Cancer Survivorship: A Case Study of Cancer in Obese Men

Background: Men in rural and northern areas of Canada experience considerable challenges in health care access for chronic conditions such as obesity, type 2 diabetes (T2D), and cancer. Obese men (body mass index/BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) in rural/remote northern British Columbia (BC) experience poorer health outcomes due to cancer risk compared to other men elsewhere in urban Canada. Context: Challenges faced by men who develop cancer as a complication of being obese are paramount in terms of primary care treatment of their cancers. Oftentimes cancer treatment is multi-modal and complex. Models of shared care have been proposed to provide coordinated survivorship care to the growing population of rural male cancer patients suffering from obesity and the Metabolic Syndrome (MetS). Methods: Objectives: The main objective of the study was to examine the type of cancer care programs that may have focused on men with cancer in northern British Columbia (BC). A secondary objective is to identify challenges in care experienced by men with cancer during their transition from in-hospital care back to their home communities. Population: We conducted a comprehensive literature review and a qualitative focus group interview with primary care physicians (PCPs), oncologists (n=8), and a convenience sample of male cancer patients (n=6) who have underlying obesity and Metabolic Syndrome (MetS). We examined the types of cancer care programs that may have targeted such men. We further identified challenges experienced by male cancer patients while transitioning back to their home communities. Results: The focus group results outlined themes speaking to a comprehensive shared care model that goes beyond surveillance of cancer recurrence in men with obesity. Conclusion: A shared survivorship care plan or model integrates collaboration among specialists in clinical decision making and best practice for treatment of cancer in obese men

Climate Change and Type 2 Diabetes

Diabetes is a global epidemic impacting the lives of many people on a daily basis. At present, it is estimated that 366 million people are living with diabetes globally and this number is expected to increase by 50.8 percent to 552 million by the year 2030. Paralleling the epidemic of type 2 diabetes is the phenomena of climate change, which has long been overlooked. However, these environmental changes are no longer scenarios of the future and the effects of climate change are observable today through variable weather patterns and rising sea levels, to name a few. Together, these global issues are impacting the health and well-being of the world’s most vulnerable populations, especially the health of women, children, the elderly, the poor and those in low socio-economic statuses (low SES), and those with underlying health conditions.By observing the global impact of climate change on T2D and the future changes in this metabolic disorder’s prevalence and incidence that may ensue, researchers may be able to curtail the detrimental effects of the associated comorbid conditions associated with diabetes (such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease and the Metabolic Syndrome) amongst the world’s most susceptible individuals

Elderly Men and Health Service Provision for Type 2 Diabetes Management: A Critical Analysis of Knowledge Gaps

Chronic long-standing type 2 diabetes and subsequent complications (comorbidities) represent a major clinical and public health challenge for elderly men from a prevention and management viewpoint. In the developed western countries, evidence suggests that 80% of premature deaths and disability due to diabetes and heart disease can be prevented. Diabetes care in the elderly include further challenges in management of comorbidities such as hypertension, the metabolic syndrome (MetS), kidney problems including nephropathy and chronic renal failure, vision abnormalities such as cataract and retinopathy. The comorbidities are subsequent to complex mechanistic processes incurred by the hyperglycemia and reduced insulin sensitivity in diabetes. Management of diabetic elderly patients with type 2 diabetes is further challenged by lack of specific clinical guidelines tailored to this population. Existing clinical guidelines are based on evidence from clinical trials conducted in younger (< 65 years of age) patients. There is a need for designing improved models of health care delivery, assessment of comorbidities and polypharmacy in elderly men, including mental health issues such as depression and dementia that may persist with diabetes. An integrated, comprehensive, and patient-oriented management care plan seems the best practice clinical approach to ensure that the risk of hypoglycemia does not increase while treating elderly diabetic men with existent multimorbidity

Prevalence of hypertension and prehypertension and its associated cardioembolic risk factors; a population based cross-sectional study in Alkharj, Saudi Arabia

Abstract Background Hypertension and prehypertension pose significant public-health and clinical challenges for both economically developed and developing nations. Prevalence of these conditions are frequently underreported because of its often-silent nature. Population-based studies that explore the occurrence and correlates of these conditions are scarce in Saudi Arabia. This study aimed at estimating the prevalence and associated factors of hypertension and prehypertension on a representative sample of males and females living in Al-Kharj town in Saudi Arabia. Methods Cross-sectional analysis was performed from January 2016 until June 2016 by recruiting a representative sample (n = 1019; aged 18 to 67 years) of the Al Kharj population. All participants completed a self-administered questionnaire, followed by a physical examination and blood test. Statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS version 24.0 for Windows. Results The prevalence of prehypertension was 66.1, 48.1 and 54.9% in male, female and all subjects, respectively. The prevalence of hypertension was 6.0, 4.2 and 4.9% in male, female and all subjects, respectively. Being overweight was associated with the highest risk of hypertension (OR = 4.98 [95% C.I. = 1.98–12.52], P = 0.001). People who were classified as class I obese had 3.5 times the risk of hypertension compared with the non-obese group (OR = 3.49 [95% C.I. = 1.42–8.63], P = 0.007). Risk of pre-hypertension was significantly lower in females (OR = 0.48 [95% C.I. = 0.32–0.71]) and tends to increase with obesity status. Gender-specific analyses found that males in the lowest education attainment level had a significantly increased risk of pre-hypertension (OR = 6.56 [95% C.I. = 1.27–33.85], P = 0.003). Conclusion This population-based study in Saudi Arabia shows that hypertension and prehypertension are common conditions particularly among males. Overweight and obesity was associated with both conditions. In addition, lower education attainment was a significantly associated factor among males. Future prospective studies are needed to confirm the etiological nature of such associations

The factor structure of the general health questionnaire (GHQ12) in Saudi Arabia

Abstract Background The General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12) is one of the most unique and extensively used self-report instruments for evaluating psychological disorders and strains. However, the factor structure of GHQ-12 has not been fully explored. The current study aims to assess the factorial structure of GHQ-12 in a large cross-sectional data-set extracted from Al Kharj central region of Saudi Arabia. Methods Population based cross sectional data was extracted from January 2016 to June 2016 from Al Kharj population recruiting 1019 respondents aged 18 and above. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was applied together with multiple regression analysis to extract and retain factors. Mean GHQ-12 score for demographic and health-related traits were used for assessing this association. Statistical analysis was carried out using STATA version 12.1. Results Three factors, including social dysfunction, anxiety, and loss of confidence were extracted from the factor structure. 55% of the overall variance was obtained through these factors. Total score of GHQ-12 ranged from 0 to 32 with a mean score of 12. Conclusion Investigation of the factor structure of GHQ-12 demonstrated that GHQ-12 is a good measure for evaluating the general health of Saudi population. Future studies based on a larger sample size of non-clinical respondents will be useful to evaluate the practical effectiveness of GHQ-12 factors

Association between Chronic Pain and Diabetes/Prediabetes: A Population-Based Cross-Sectional Survey in Saudi Arabia

Background. Diabetes is a debilitating chronic health condition that is associated with certain pain syndromes. The present study sought to evaluate chronic pain and its association with diabetes mellitus at a population level. Methods. A population-based cross-sectional questionnaire survey study was conducted in Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia, from January 2016 to June 2016. Participants from both private and governmental institutions were selected following a multistage sampling technique and using a cluster sampling method. Anthropometric measurements were taken, including body weight, height, body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference. A blood sample was also drawn from each respondent for fasting blood sugar, HbA1c, and fasting lipid profile. A P value of less than 0.05 indicated statistical significance. Results. A total of 1003 subjects were included for final analysis. Compared to prediabetic and nondiabetic individuals, diabetic subjects had a higher prevalence of lower limb pain (11.1%), back pain (8.9%), abdominal pain (6.7%), and neck pain (4.4%) (X2 = 27.792, P=0.015). In a multiple logistic regression model, after adjusting for age, gender, education level, cholesterol, and smoking status, diabetic/prediabetic patients had a significantly higher prevalence of chronic pain ((OR) = 1.931 (95% CI = 1.536–2.362), P=0.037). Increased age was also significantly associated with chronic pain ((OR) = 1.032 (95% CI = 1.010–1.054, P=0.004). Conclusion. Results of this study found a significant association between diabetes and prediabetes and chronic pain symptoms. Prospective studies are needed to explore temporality of such association

The Prevalence of Headache and Associated Factors in Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background. Only few studies have investigated the prevalence and risk factors of headaches among the Saudi population. The study aimed to estimate the prevalence of headache and to explore its associated risk factors Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia. Methods. The multistage sampling technique was used to enroll 1200 population-based participants who were asked to complete a self-administered questionnaire about headaches, demographics, and several other parameters such as smoking status and different chronic and psychological illnesses. The chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to test the association. Results. The overall prevalence of headaches in this study was 3%. The multiple logistic regression analysis showed that females were more likely to have headaches than males (odds ratio (OR) 0.735, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.612–1.341; P=0.024). Being a current smoker was also significantly associated with higher “odds” of having headache (OR = 1.319, 95% CI = 0.932–2.462; P=0.037). Participants who were overweight had a significantly higher risk of headache (OR = 1.631, 95% CI = 1.48–1.854; P=0.037). Nonmarried people were significantly more likely to have headache pain, compared to married individuals (OR = 0.875, 95% CI = 0.646–2.317; P=0.047). Conclusion. The prevalence of headaches was 3%, and four significant associated factors were identified: females, nonmarried, smoking, and overweight. The temporality of the relationship between these factors and headache cannot be confirmed in this cross-sectional study; so future longitudinal studies are needed to confirm these potential causal relationships