Metabolic syndrome and its association with physical activity in Sudanese early adolescents - Khartoum state, Sudan: An observational study.

The growing prevalence of overweight/obesity in adolescents highlights the significance of studying metabolic syndrome (MetS) in increasingly sedentary adolescents. To date, no study in Sudan has examined the association between MetS and physical activity (PA) among adolescents. This study aimed to assess the association between MetS and its components and PA among Sudanese early adolescents. A cross-sectional assessment was conducted from to 2018 to 2019 on a sample of 921 primary school students from Khartoum State, Republic of Sudan. MetS was defined according to the International Diabetes Federation criteria and a standardized questionnaire was used to assess PA. Metabolic equivalents of task were calculated, and levels of different intensities of PA (tertiles) were identified accordingly. The association between PA and MetS and its components was assessed using a logistic regression model. The participants comprised 388 boys and 533 girls with a mean age of 12.59 ±â€…1.21 years. The prevalence of MetS was significantly higher in subjects in the 1st PA tertile (least active) than in the 2nd and 3rd (most active) tertiles of PA, and this difference was observed in both boys and girls. After adjusting for other study factors, the odds of MetS among adolescents in the 1st PA tertile were 7 times higher than those in the highest PA tertile (adjusted odds ratio = 7.01, 95% confidence interval: 1.48, 32.99). A physically inactive lifestyle was associated with higher odds of MetS and its components, especially waist circumference and triglyceride levels, in Sudanese early adolescents. This study highlights the importance of promoting PA in this age group.

The implementation of social accountability in medical schools in Eastern Mediterranean region: A scoping review.

Objectives: Social Accountability is a relatively new approach in medical education, Information about its implementation is scarce in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. The objective of this scoping review was to investigate the patterns and trends in reporting the social accountability (SA) of medical schools in the Eastern Mediterranean region (EMR). Methods: Using the Arksey and O'Malley approach, we conducted literature searches between 1995 and 2022 in the following databases: Scopus, Web of Sciences, CINAHL, PubMed, and Google Scholar using the search terms social accountability, medical school, faculty of medicine, Eastern Mediterranean Region, EMRO region. Using qualitative theme analysis, the extracted, coded, and analyzed data were reported. Results: The screening of various databases revealed 164 articles, 26 articles were finally included in the review. The 26 included articles originated from only seven out of the 22 EMR countries: Iran, Sudan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Morocco, and Pakistan. The articles included were categorized under six themes: defining the SA and compliance with SA values and concepts, accreditation, educational program, perceptions of faculty and students, admission of students, and measurement of social accountability. Conclusions: The publications related to SA from the EM regions countries revealed similarities with other parts of the world in that the SA concept is not effectively translated into real day-to-day activities in medical schools. More work is needed from leaders in education and health systems to examine SA enablers and improve the uptake of the concept.

Dietary patterns and their associations with glycemic control among type 2 diabetic patients in Jazan, Saudi Arabia: A cross-sectional study.

Diabetes is an important global health concern. According to the World Health Organization, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has 2.8 to 4.3 million diabetic patients between the ages of 27 to 60 in the year 2022. Medical nutrition therapy an essential component of diabetes management, helps improve diabetes outcomes by assisting patients in achieving a target glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level of <7. This study aimed to describe the pattern of food consumption in the study population and determine its association with glycemic control. This was a cross-sectional study among health facility attendees at the Endocrinology and Diabetes Center (EDC) in Jazan, KSA. A total of 315 patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) were enrolled using a systematic random sampling technique. Sociodemographic and dietary habit information gathered through face-to-face interviews, anthropometric measurements, and HbA1c were collected from medical records. Participants were mostly females (55.6%), and more than half of them were above 50 years of age. More than 90% of the patients had poor HbA1c levels, and 2-thirds of the patients were overweight and obese (43.8% and 37.1%, respectively). The most consumed foods were bread (8 times/week) and coffee/tea and vegetables (7 times per week), and the least consumed was soda beverages (once/week). Multivariate logistic regression revealed that the consumption of fruits (consumed 5 times/week) significantly decreased HbA1c, while the consumption of pastries/pizza (consumed twice/week) significantly increased it. The pattern of consumption of fruits and vegetables in the study population conformed to the recommended levels, and that of fruits showed a statistically significant association with the control of HbA1c. Another food item that has a significant negative effect on HbA1c is pastries/pizza. Further studies that include more potentially confounding variables, such as treatment type, are needed.

Management of Low Back Pain in Primary Health-Care Settings: Physician's Awareness and Practices Based on Red Flags.

Background: Low back pain (LBP) is one of the most common health problems. Red flags (RFs) of LBP are risk factors that are reported during clinical assessment to determine serious illness. This study aimed to assess primary health-care physicians' knowledge of and practices for RFs of LBP and identify variables associated with a high level of knowledge and awareness about it. Methods: An observational cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2021 among a random sample of 261 primary health care (PHC) physicians in the Jazan Region in southwest Saudi Arabia. A web-based questionnaire was used to collect data on LBP red flags awareness and practices. Descriptive (frequency and percentage) and inferential statistics were used for data analysis. Results: The overall mean score of RFs knowledge among physicians was 82.33 ± 36.3, with 95% confidence interval (CI); (77.7-86.9). Regarding the Physician's practices, more than 95% of the participants would refer patients to higher levels in the presence of symptoms or signs of RFs. General practitioners and residents were significantly more likely to ask for an Xray, even with symptoms that had persisted for less than 2 weeks without RF signs (p = 0.006). The overall percentage of patients with nonspecific LBP referrals was as high as 57.8%. The number of patients with LBP seen per month (fewer than 15) and female physician were associated with an increased level of knowledge (OR = 2.2, 95%, P < 0.05) and (OR = 2.2, 95%, P < 0.05) respectively. Conclusion: Overall, awareness of RFs for LBP and referring critical patients who present with LBP is good among PHC physicians in the Jazan Region. Junior physicians have a low threshold to request images. The referral rate for nonspecific LBP is still high, which could overwhelm spinal clinics. Further educational programs for back pain management are recommended.