Association of obesity with socioeconomic status among adults of ages 18 to 80 years in rural Northwest China.

BACKGROUND: Understanding social disparities in obesity are presently an essential element in establishing public health priorities. However, the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and obesity has not been assessed in rural Northwest China. This study aims to explore the effect of SES on overweight/obesity and abdominal obesity by gender and age in rural Northwest China. METHODS: A total of 3030 participants between the ages of 18 to 80 years from rural Hanzhong, Shaanxi province, Northwest China were enrolled in our study using a two-level stratified random cluster sampling technique. Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) were used to assess the relationship between socioeconomic status and obesity after controlling for confounding factors using logistic regression. RESULTS: Our results indicated that the prevalence of abdominal obesity (38.8%) was the highest in rural Northwest China when compared with overweight (27.8%) and obesity (5.7%). When adjusting for possible risk factors, there were significant gender disparities in SES-obesity association. In men, the likelihoods of overweight/obesity and abdominal obesity were higher in the high SES groups when compared to the low SES groups. However, women with a high level of education were less likely to have overweight/obesity (AOR:0.78, 95% CI: 0.62, 0.98) than their counterparts with a low level of education. After the inclusion of multiple lifestyle factors, we still observed a strong positive association between age and obesity in the population. CONCLUSIONS: Both gender and age differences in SES-obesity association were clearly observed in our study. Therefore, interventional measures should be employed in rural Northwest China to reduce the obesity epidemic that specifically takes into account gender and age differences.

[Study on the Hemoglobin levels among the Tibetan pregnant women in rural Lhasa].

OBJECTIVE: To understand the level of hemoglobin (Hb) and determine the risk factors of Hb concentration among the Tibetan pregnant women in rural Lhasa. METHODS: Between August 2008 and May 2011, a hospital-based study was conducted among 1 530 Tibetan pregnant women after getting their informed consent in agricultural and pastoral areas in maternity clinic or hospital in city, county and township level of Lhasa. Their blood samples were tested and related socio-demographic information was collected. Blood was collected on tip of finger and the Hb concentration was measured using B-Hemoglobin photometer. American Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) method was used to adjust the Hb measurements based on altitude for estimating the prevalence of anemia. Anemia was assessed according to WHO criteria. A hemoglobin concentration of less than 110 g/L in a pregnant woman was considered an indication of anemia. RESULTS: From August 2008 to May 2011, 1 530 Tibetan pregnant women living at (3 716.4 ± 69.1) m above sea level in rural Lhasa were examined. The findings indicated that average Hb concentration was (122.0 ± 17.5) g/L; the Hb concentration of 1(st), 2(nd) and 3(rd) trimester were (125.5 ± 18.0), (122.5 ± 16.9) and (120.6 ± 17.4) g/L, respectively. The Hb concentration of pregnant women decreased with the increase of gestational age(P < 0.05). Based onCDC method and the adjusted Hb level, the prevalence of anemia in pregnant women were 85.6% (1 310/1 530), the prevalence of anemia of 1(st), 2(nd), and 3(rd)rd trimester were 79.5% (206/259) , 86.1% (395/459)and 87.3% (698/800), respectively (P < 0.05) . The rate of moderate and severe anemia were 46.7% (612/1 310) among pregnant women. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that high Hb level was associated significantly with low family income status (ß = 2.74, 95%CI:1.73-3.74), no bad habits (drinking or smoking) (ß = 7.34, 95%CI:4.87-9.81) and fewer times of pregnancies(ß = -1.62, 95%CI:-2.93--0.31) after adjusting for potential confounding factors. CONCLUSION: Hb concentration level in pregnancy was rather low in rural Lhasa. The increase of family income, reduction the intervals of pregnancies and no bad habits might benefit for the improvement of Hb level of pregnant women in this region.

[Funding for division of microbiology by National Natural Science Foundation of China in 2013].

We provide an overview of proposals applied and projects funded by the division of microbiology, department of life sciences, National Natural Science Foundation of China in 2013,. The traits and problems in different sub-disciplines were also analyzed, which provides reference for Chinese researchers to apply funding in microbiology next year.

[The assessment of accuracy and safety of thoracic pedicle screws placement with interlaminar fenestration technique in severe kyphoscoliosis treatment].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the accuracy and safety of thoracic pedicle screws placement with interlaminar fenestration technique in severe kyphoscoliosis treatment. METHODS: Twenty-three cases of severe kyphoscoliosis between June 1996 and December 2007 underwent pedicle screw placement of thoracic vertebrae by interlaminar fenestration technique. Postoperative CT scan was performed in all cases; there were 9 males and 14 females with the averaging age 17.8 years old. The preoperative Cobb angle of the main thoracic curve was 97.3 degrees in average. The average kyphotic angle in main curve was 67.4 degrees . Patients who underwent screw placement by closing technique and postoperative CT scan in the same stage with severe kyphoscoliosis were selected as control group (B): there were 22 patients with the averaging age 17.2 years old. The preoperative Cobb angle of the main thoracic curve was 96.6 degrees in average. The average kyphotic angle in main curve was 62.1 degrees . The screw-related complications were analyzed and online measure and analyze the degree of screw penetration according to CT by statistics. RESULTS: There were 209 thoracic pedicle screws being inserted in group A, no spinal cord and large blood vessel injury occurred, 5 patients occurred intraoperative pedicle fracture, dura lesion had 4 patients. Screws misplacement ratio was 8.6%, there were 11 screws located in the thoracic pedicle laterally, 6 screws located in medially, 1 screw presented a moderate anterior cortical perforation. The number of screws misplacement in upper and mild thoracic vertebrae were 15, occupied 83.3%; the number of screws misplacement in lower thoracic vertebrae were 3, occupied 16.7%. There was statistics difference (P < 0.05). Of the total 116 thoracic pedicle screws inserted on the convex side, the ratio of screw misplacement was 5.2%; 93 screws on the concave side, the ratio of screw misplacement was 12.9%, there was statistics difference (P < 0.05). There were 201 thoracic pedicle screws being inserted in group B, no spinal cord and large blood vessel injury occurred, 16 patients occurred intraoperative pedicle fracture, dura lesion had 7 patients. The ratio of screw misplacement was 22.4%, there were 24 screws located in the thoracic pedicle laterally, 11 screws located in medially, 10 screw presented a moderate anterior cortical perforation. The ratio of screw misplacement in Group B was higher than Group A (P < 0.05). All cases received 3.2 years and 3.4 years follow-up. There was no obvious loss of correction in coronal and sagittal plane at the latest follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: It is technically demanding for placement of thoracic screw in the severe kyphoscoliosis treatment. The interlaminar fenestration technique can increase the accuracy and safety of thoracic pedicle screw placement.

[Study on maternal health care status to agricultural and nomadic counties in Tibet Autonomous Region of China].

OBJECTIVE: To understand the current situation of maternal health care and the association between maternal health care and relevant factors. METHODS: According to a cross sectional study design, 1512 mothers having children under 3 years old were drawn under stratified random sampling method and interviewed at their households in 15 counties, Tibet Autonomous Region of China. RESULTS: 77.6% of the pregnant women received at least one antenatal checkup with an average of 3.89 times while the rate of antenatal checkup over 5 times was 26.3%. The hospital delivery rate was 40.4% in this area. 83.9% of the women received education under the health care program during pregnancy and 66.2% of them were visited by health workers after delivery. Major factors of the antenatal checkups would include the resource of income, living in nomadic area, personal sanitation, antenatal health care education, mobilization of delivery at hospital, knowledge of antenatal health care etc. CONCLUSIONS: There had been great improvement in women's health care in this area as compared with the status in 1999, but the frequency of receiving antenatal checkup was still not enough and the rate of hospital delivery was also low as compared with 46 counties in western areas of China. Poor knowledge of health care during pregnancy seemed to be the major factor that limited the utilization of antenatal health care. Knowledge on health and common sense of health care should be disseminated to improve the antenatal care and to enhance the hospital delivery rate.

[Assessment on nutritional status among children under 3 years using anthropometry in 40 counties of western China].

OBJECTIVE: To assess nutritional status among children younger than 3 years in 40 counties of western China, using anthropometry. METHODS: With cross-sectional study and random sampling, a survey with a sample size of 7252 was conducted in 40 counties of western China on children under 3 years old. Height and weight were measured and nutrition status was evaluated with WHO/NCHS reference using Z scores. RESULTS: SD of height for age (HA) and weight for age (WA) were 1.10 - 1.30 and 1.06 - 1.40, respectively and SD of WAZ for infants varied. The distribution of HA Z and WAZ shifted downward to 1 unit and 0.4 unit for distribution of weight for height (WHZ). The prevalence of stunting, underweight and wasting were 23.0%, 22.6% and 7.5% respectively. The prevalence rates were low among those yourger than 3 months. Stunting and underweight increased sharply after 6 months and reached 20% - 30%. Significant correlation was found between underweight and stunting or wasting with coefficients of 0.815 and 0.636, respectively. No correlation was found between stunting and wasting. CONCLUSION: The nutrition status adversely affected children as a whole but not only for individuals. There was a higher prevalence of malnutrition mainly on low height to children. Weight for age must be interpreted cautiously because of the inability of this indicator in distinguishing stunting and wasting just by itself. Assessment by anthropometry called for accurate information on age and measurement of height and weight.