Examining the trend of anthropometric indices in children and adolescents in each region can be highly beneficial in providing effective strategies to improve the status of their growth. This study was conducted with the aim of determining the trend of anthropometric indices in students from primary to high school in the west of Iran. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire and health certificates for anthropometric information of primary school students, and current anthropometric measurements with scale for high school students. Then, all of the data were analyzed in AnthroPlus and SPSS software. Of the 731 students, 350 were female and 381 were male. Mean height Z-score to age showed a significant reduction from primary to high school (from +0.0386 to −0.27416), and mean body mass index Z-score to age showed a significant increase (from −0.3916 to +0.1826). Prevalence of stunting and overweight/obesity in high school was 1.4 and 2.5 times higher than primary school, respectively, but the prevalence of wasting reduced by 2.3 fold. Girls were more affected by the increased trend of obesity and stunting compared to boys. Nutritional transition was evident in students. Healthcare policy-makers should design and implement a comprehensive health strategy to deal with this situation, especially in girls.
Adolescent ; Anthropometry ; Body Mass Index ; Child ; Delivery of Health Care ; Female ; Growth Disorders ; Humans ; Iran* ; Male ; Obesity ; Prevalence

Dietary diversity score (DDS) is known as an indicator of food quality. Dietary diversity can promote health status. The aim of this study was determined DDS and its related factors in Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences (KUMS) employees. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 190 employees of KUMS in 2015. According to the population of KUMS centers which were selected randomly (Paramedical, Public Health faculties, Imam Reza Hospital and province health center), subjects were selected by convenience sampling method. Food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was used to calculate DDS. Foods were divided into 5 main groups: grains, vegetables, fruits, meat, and dairy products. The main groups had 23 subgroups. Total DDS divided to 4 quartiles: less than 3.0, 3.0–5.5, 5.6–8.5, and more than 8.5. Anthropometric parameters including: weight, height, waist circumference (WC), and hip circumference were measured. Data were analyzed by Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, χ² test, and analysis of variance (ANOVA) test with SPSS 20 software (IBM Corp., Chicago, IL, USA). The mean ± standard deviation of DDS and body mass index (BMI) were 5.68 ± 1.73 and 25.1 ± 3.42 kg/m², respectively. The average of the waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) in men and women was 0.92 ± 0.04 and 0.86 ± 0.06, respectively. There was statistically significant difference between DDS and self-reported economic status (p < 0.022). No significant difference was observed between DDS and BMI or WC. However, significant negative correlation was observed between DDS and WHR in men (p < 0.019). This study showed that DDS had a negative correlation with the WHR. Therefore, dietary diversity may improve health status by effect on fat distribution in body.
Body Mass Index ; Clergy ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Dairy Products ; Female ; Food Quality ; Fruit ; Hip ; Humans ; Male ; Meat ; Methods ; Public Health ; Vegetables ; Waist Circumference ; Waist-Hip Ratio

A precision instrument is required to assess the nutritional status. This study was conducted on comparison of 3 nutritional questionnaires to determine energy intake (EI) accuracy in adults in Ravansar Non-Communicable Chronic Disease (RaNCD) cohort study. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 118 of participant's RaNCD. EI was evaluated with 3 questionnaires including food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), 24-hours recall (24HR), and food habits questionnaire (FHQ). Resting metabolic rate (RMR) was measured using indirect calorimetry. We used EI/RMR cut off to evaluate EI reporting status. The mean ± standard deviation of age in men and women were 44.1 ± 6.5 and 43.7 ± 5.25 respectively and 50.8% of participants were men. Among 3 EI estimating questionnaires, FFQ was more accurate than 2 other questionnaires (67.8%). We observed that implausible reporters of 24HR were likely overweight (p < 0.005) but we did not observe a significant difference between EI reporting of FFQ and FHQ with participants' body composition. Our finding showed that EI underreporting of 24HR and FHQ were high. Under reporters were seemed to be overweight. Therefore, these results suggested that among 3 nutritional questionnaires the FFQ was an appropriate approach to determine EI in this population due to plausible EI reporting was higher than 2 other nutritional questionnaires (24HR and FHQ).
Adult* ; Body Composition ; Calorimetry, Indirect ; Chronic Disease ; Cohort Studies ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Energy Intake* ; Female ; Food Habits ; Humans ; Male ; Nutritional Status ; Overweight

Objectives: This study investigated preventive behaviors toward coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and related factors in a Kurdish Iranian sample. Methods: This online survey was conducted among the population aged 18 and above in Kermanshah Province, in western Iran, in April 2020. Samples were invited and recruited through social media. Data were collected using a questionnaire consisting of 4 sections (questions on demographic variables, risk perception, risk communication, and COVID-19 preventive behaviors) and analyzed using Stata ver. 8. Results: The Pearson correlation test showed that risk communication was significantly correlated with COVID-19 preventive behaviors (r = 0.320, p < 0.01). In the final model, where the explanatory power increased with the entry of the risk communication variable, the variables explained a total of 14% of variance in COVID-19 preventive behaviors. Sex (β = −0.482), risk perception (β = 0.047), and risk communication (β = 0.662) were significant determinants. Conclusion Risk communication and risk perception related to COVID-19, as well as being a woman, were determinants of COVID-19 preventive behaviors.