Volunteer's willingness to genetic testing - lack of the understanding of the matter.

Medical genetic research achieved in last decade many efforts leading to better understanding of inherited basis of human diseases. This will not be possible without the participation of patients and controls. However, the general understanding of the background and possibilities of genetic association studies is very low. It was confirmed by study of university of students. Because of the fair of misuses of the individual genetic information, significant part of participants refused the use of already donated blood samples for genetic testing but agreed with using of buccal swabs for the same analysis. To enhance the general knowledge's of the population, leading to realistic expectations not just about genetic predictive power but also about the eventual risks in behind will be the major mission in the next years.

Association between duration of the sleep and body weight.

Some studies have suggested that there could be an association between the duration of sleep in humans and development of the obesity. We have analyzed the group of the probands (n = 3970, 2038 males and 1932 females, aged 18-65 years), with permanent address in the Central or South Bohemia. We ascertained the relationship between the duration of their sleep (obtained per questionnaire) and body mass index, weight, height, the value of systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, waist and hip circumference, the values of total-, high density- and low density- cholesterol, thyroid hormone and body exercise performed. The optimal values of the body mass index (and optimal body weight) were associated with the duration of sleep 7 hours per night (P < 0.001). This association was found both in males and females and in both districts. Other anthropometrical and biochemical parameters were not associated with the sleep duration.