PREVALENCE OF OVERWEIGHT AND OBESITY IN A ROMA POPULATION FROM SOUTHERN ROMANIA - CALARASI COUNTY.

INTRODUCTION: The prevalence of obesity has reached alarming levels in the European Union, including in Romania. Data on the prevalence of obesity is only available at the national populational level, but this may hide the increased levels in disadvantaged groups. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of overweight and obesity in the Roma population in Southern Romania. MATERIAL AND METHOD: This cross-sectional, epidemiological, non-interventional study was conducted from March 2014 to May 2017 in several settlements from Calarasi County. Screening procedures included interviews about medical history, lifestyle, anthropometric and clinical measurements and fasting capillary glucose. RESULTS: The study population consisted of 1120 adult subjects, of which 735 Roma. In Roma population group, the prevalence of underweight, normal weight, overweight and obesity was 4.5% (n=33), 25% (n=184), 25.3% (n=186) and 45.2% (n=332) respectively. In Romanian Caucasians group, the prevalence of underweight, normal weight, overweight and obesity was 2.3% (n=9), 20% (n=77), 33.8% (n=130) and 43.9% (n=169) respectively. Among the Romanian Caucasians significant predictors of obesity were a sedentary lifestyle and current smoking. The odds of being obese in Roma population were higher in sedentary lifestyle persons and lower in current smokers, with primary education, and in those living in rural settlements. The family history of obesity had a significant association with obesity only in Roma population. CONCLUSIONS: Our results confirm the need to implement prevention programs in high-risk populations due to the double burden of malnutrition, lack of medical education and preventive healthcare, low socio-economic level.

Medical nutrition therapy in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease--a review of literature.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common cause of liver disease worldwide, with a prevalence of 20%-40% in Western populations. The purpose of this article is to review data related to lifestyle changes in patients with NAFLD. METHOD: We searched a public domain database (PubMed) with the following categories: disease (NAFLD, fatty liver, and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis [NASH]) and intervention (lifestyle intervention, diet, nutrition) with each possible combination through 25 September 2014, for relevant articles. Review of articles was restricted to those published in English. We selected the studies involving adult patients only. CONCLUSION: There is no consensus as to what diet or lifestyle approach is the best for NAFLD patients. However, patients with NAFLD may benefit from a moderate- to low-carbohydrate (40%-45% of total calories) diet, coupled with increased dietary MUFA and n-3 PUFAs, reduced SFAs. More CRT are needed to clarify the specific effects of different diets and dietary components on the health of NAFLD patients. ABBREVIATIONS: NAFL = Non-alcoholic fatty liver, NAFLD = non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, NASH = non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, HCC = hepatocarcinoma, BEE = basal energy expenditure, CRT = A small clinical randomized trial showed that short-term carbohydrate restriction is more efficacious in reducing intrahepatic triglyceride, IHT = intrahepatic triglyceride, VLCD = Very low calorie diets, AST = aspartate aminotransferases, SFAs = saturated fatty acids.

Proinsulin and age in general population.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to assess the relationship between fasting proinsulin (PI) and age in general population and to determine whether there are differences regarding this association in obese and non-obese persons. METHODS: A random population-based sample (n=656) of Romanians (26-80 years) living in Bucharest, Romania was studied; 432 persons had diabetes and they were not analyzed in this paper. Circulating levels of fasting plasma glucose (FPG), fasting plasma insulin (FPI), fasting plasma proinsulin (FPP), fasting plasma C-peptide, HbA1c, lipid profile, creatinine, urea were measured. The homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), HOMA-B, and Quicki index were also calculated. RESULTS: For all participants proinsulin was the highest in the third quartile of the age group (59-67 years), with a median proinsulin of 5.8 pmol/L. Subsequently, proinsulin increased with age, from 2.6 pmol/L for participants aged 20-51 years, to 4.7 pmol/L for participants aged 51-59 years; proinsulin levels decreased in the upper quartile 4.8 pmol/L for those aged over 67 years. In sex-specific analyses, proinsulin increased with age for both men and women, except for those in the upper quartile. The prevalence of the obesity was 30.4% (n=68); obesity prevalence did not increase with age (p=0.26). Fasting proinsulin levels significantly increased with body mass index (BMI) category from lean (n=67, 2.9 pmol/L) to overweight (n=89, 4.5 pmol/L) and obese (n=69, 6.63 pmol/L) (p<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Our study has demonstrated a close association between age and elevated proinsulin and proinsulin/insulin ratio in general population.

[Survey of the prevalence of smoking in Rumanian teachers]. / Umfrage über die Verbreitung des Rauchens bei rumänischen Lehrern.

214 teachers and headmasters of Bucharest high schools were questioned in respect of their smoking habits to find out how widespread smoking is among teachers and how this influences the pupils. 33% of the teachers and 38.9% of the headmasters smoked. 69.2% of the smokers belonged to the age group above 35 years, i.e. the majority, whereas the age group below 20 years included 56.9% smokers. Although 93.8% of the teachers and headmasters are convinced that smoking is harmful to health, 7.4% of them smoke in the classroom and 37% in the presence of pupils. The results of this investigation show that attention should be paid to the smoking habits of teachers since setting a good example for adolescents is as important in the case of teachers as it is in the case of physicians.

[Association between phakomatosis and neoplasia in children pathology. IV Pediatric Clinic experience]. / Asocierea între facomatoze neurocristopatice si neoplazii în patologia copilului. Experienta clinicii pediatrie IV.

The risk to developing a neoplasm is increased when associated to a patient phakomatosis (Recklinghausen neurofibromatosis, Bourneville's tuberous sclerosis). We analysed 6 cases with phakomatosis and tumours, admitted in the Department of Oncopediatry, between 1993-1998; five of these children had neurofibromatosis and one Bourneville's disease. The associated tumours were hematologic malignancies (juvenile myeloid chronic leukemia) and solid tumors (rhabdomyosarcoma, hepatic carcinoma, CNS tumour, NHL optic glioma). The diagnosis was confirmed by microscopic examination of the bioptic material in all cases. Tumoral staging was performed by clinics, biology and imagistic investigations. All cases had extensive and aggressive tumours at the moment of diagnosis, We noticed a poor response and an early relapse after chemotherapy. A special follow-up and a different management has to be established for the patients with phakomatosis, in order to have a good oncological prophylaxis.