Factors Influencing Water Consumption in the Kingdom of Bahrain and Environmental Consequences of Bottled Water Consumption.

Background: The drinking of bottled water has remarkably increased at a global scale even in the regions possessing other adequate water sources. This study elaborates on the factors influencing the consumption of tap, filtered, and bottled water in the Kingdom of Bahrain and on the environmental consequences of bottled water consumption. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed on 483 participants in the Kingdom of Bahrain between April and May 2019. A questionnaire-based survey was conducted to assess the preferred water type, to estimate the amount of bottled water consumption per year/capita, and other water consumption-related information. Results: The study revealed that filtered (35.90%) and bottled (34.50%) waters were predominantly consumed in the Kingdom, while the consumption of tap water was negligible (8.90%). The total consumption of bottled water was 0.51 liters/day, which is equivalent to 184.69 liters/year. Thus, 295.50 liters/capita/year of bottled water were consumed based on the approximate 1.6 million population in 2019. This consumption rate is extremely high in comparison to other countries. Conclusions: The study recommended improving population satisfaction of tap water, conducting tap water marketing campaigns, investments in recycling infrastructures, and introducing educational plans to properly dispose of water bottles.

A Pilot Study To Compare Nutrition Screening Tools: Customized Nutrition Screening Tool for Burn Patients (Nstb) and Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (Must).

Nutrition screening is an initial procedure in which the risk of malnutrition is identified. It plays a role in and can incur costs to health systems and patients. A customized nutrition screening tool for burn patients (NSTB) was formulated and the nutritional risk score of 22 patients from a burn unit in Bahrain using NSTB and MUST was compared. The samples selected were adult patients aged 18 years or over; pregnant and mentally retarded patients were excluded. Mean age of the total sample was 29.40, and 90.9% were male. Mean BMI was 26.96. The mean and SD for NSTB was 2.18±1.65, and for MUST 2.0±0.0. A difference in the nutritional screening risk score of the same group of patients was observed. In the MUST group, 100% patients were classified as high risk, while in the NSTB group 50% patients were classified as high risk, 36.36% as moderate risk and 13.63% as low risk respectively. The variability of the risk score in the NSTB group helps prioritize the patients based on high, medium, and low risk, whereas MUST categorizes all patients as high risk. A unique screening tool for burns will be more effective in determining risk patients due to tailor-made characteristics. Even though the data sample is small, the difference gives scope for extensive study.

L'évaluation du risque de dénutrition est nécessaire chez les patients brûlés, chez qui elle joue un rôle majeur dans l'évolution initiale. NSTB a été développé afin de ne pas passer à côté, et a été comparé à MUST au moyen d'une étude piloté réalisé auprès de 22 patients adultes (femmes enceintes et handicapés mentaux exclus) hospitalisés dans un CTB de Bahreïn. L'âge moyen était de 24,9 ans ; 90,9% étaient des hommes, le BMI moyen était de 29,96. Tous les patients de MUST était classés à haut risque quand était variable en utilisant NSTB. En effet, il classait 50% des patients à haut risque; 36,36% à risque modéré et 13,63% à risque faible. Ainsi, NSTB pourrait être plus précis que MUST pour évaluer le risque nutritionnel chez les brûlés, ce qui devrait être validé sur une série plus longue.

Obesity among adolescents in five Arab countries; relative to gender and age / La obesidad entre los adolescentes en cinco países árabes; en relación con el género y la edad

Objective: To determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity among adolescents in five Arab countries, relative to age and sex. Methods: A multistage stratified random sampling technique was used to select the secondary school students from five Arab countries (Kuwait, Libya, Palestine, Syria and United Arab Emirates). The total sample was 3302 (1584 males, 1718 females). Weight and height were measured, and body mass index was used to calculate the proportion of overweight and obesity based on the International Obesity Task Force standard (IOTF). Results: Kuwaiti adolescents showed the highest prevalence of overweight and obesity among both males and females, compared to their counterparts in other countries. There was no trend in the proportion of overweight and obesity by age in any of the countries included in the study. Conclusion: Adolescent obesity has reached a critical level in the Arab countries. Therefore there is an urgent need to establish programs to prevent and control obesity among schoolchildren in these countries (AU)

Objetivo: determinar la prevalencia de sobrepeso y obesidad en adolescentes de cinco países árabes, en relación con la edad el sexo. Métodos: se empleó una técnica de muestreo aleatorio, estratificado y por etapas para seleccionar a estudiantes de secundaria de cinco países árabes (Kuwait, Libia, Palestina, Siria y los Emiratos Árabes Unidos). La muestra total fue de 3.302 (1.584 chicos, 1.718 chicas). Se midieron el peso y la talla y se utilizó el índice de masa corporal para calcular la proporción de sobrepeso y obesidad basándonos en el estándar de la International Obesity Task Force (IOTF). Resultados: los adolescentes kuwaitíes mostraron la mayor prevalencia de sobrepeso y obesidad tanto en chicas como en chicos, en comparación con otros países. No hubo una tendencia en la proporción de sobrepeso y obesidad por sexo en ningún país de los incluidos en el estudio. Conclusión: la obesidad en adolescentes ha alcanzado un nivel crítico en los países árabes. Por lo tanto, existe la necesidad urgente de establecer programas para prevenir y controlar la obesidad en los escolares de estos países (AU)

Obesity among adolescents in five Arab countries; relative to gender and age.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity among adolescents in five Arab countries, relative to age and sex. METHODS: A multistage stratified random sampling technique was used to select the secondary school students from five Arab countries (Kuwait, Libya, Palestine, Syria and United Arab Emirates). The total sample was 3302 (1584 males, 1718 females). Weight and height were measured, and body mass index was used to calculate the proportion of overweight and obesity based on the International Obesity Task Force standard (IOTF). RESULTS: Kuwaiti adolescents showed the highest prevalence of overweight and obesity among both males and females, compared to their counterparts in other countries. There was no trend in the proportion of overweight and obesity by age in any of the countries included in the study. CONCLUSION: Adolescent obesity has reached a critical level in the Arab countries. Therefore there is an urgent need to establish programs to prevent and control obesity among schoolchildren in these countries.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity among adolescents in five Arab countries, relative to age and sex. Methods: A multistage stratified random sampling technique was used to select the secondary school students from five Arab countries (Kuwait, Libya, Palestine, Syria and United Arab Emirates). The total sample was 3302 (1584 males, 1718 females). Weight and height were measured, and body mass index was used to calculate the proportion of overweight and obesity based on the International Obesity Task Force standard (IOTF). Results: Kuwaiti adolescents showed the highest prevalence of overweight and obesity among both males and females, compared to their counterparts in other countries. There was no trend in the proportion of overweight and obesity by age in any of the countries included in the study. Conclusion: Adolescent obesity has reached a critical level in the Arab countries. Therefore there is an urgent need to establish programs to prevent and control obesity among schoolchildren in these countries.

Weight, height, body mass index and prevalence of obesity among the adult population in Bahrain.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: To determine anthropometric measurements (weight, height, body mass index, BMI), and the prevalence of overweight and obesity based on BMI. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: A cross-sectional survey of 514 Bahraini native adults aged 30-79 years was selected from households using clustering sampling technique. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: Findings indicate that Bahraini adults were shorter but heavier, and have higher mean BMI than their Western counterparts, suggesting a trend to obesity. The overall prevalence of overweight and obesity was 35.2% and 21.2% for men, while that for women was 31% and 48.7%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study confirmed the data in other Arabian Gulf countries, as obesity is a major public health problem among the adult population. Anthropometrics provided in this study can be used as baseline data for the adult population of Bahrain.

Anthropometry of adolescent girls in Bahrain, including body fat distribution.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: To determine anthropometric measurements of adolescent Bahraini girls, including obesity and fat composition. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: A cross-sectional sample of 584 Bahraini girls aged 12-19 years, were selected from schools using multistage stratified sampling procedure. Fifteen anthropometric measurements were taken (weight, height, circumferences for upper arm, upper forearm, upper chest, chest, waist, hip, thigh and medial calf, triceps, biceps, subscapular and suprailiac). Body mass index (BMI), waist/hip ratio, sum of skinfold thickness and % body fat were also computed. MAIN OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: The findings revealed a significant increase in all anthropometric measurements with increase in age. The mean weights for girls was higher than those reported in 1986 for the same age group, but no difference was observed in the mean heights, indicating a trend toward overweight. Using the 85th and 95th centiles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey I (NHANESI) BMI distribution to define respectively overweight and obesity, the prevalence of overweight was 38.5% and of obesity was 6.3%. The means for BMI, waist/hip ratio, sum of skinfold thickness and % body fat were higher than those reported in many developed and developing countries. CONCLUSIONS: Bahraini adolescent girls have a higher proportion of body fat than their counterparts in many Western countries. This may contribute to some chronic diseases in adulthood. An intervention programme, therefore, is urgently needed to reduce overweight and obesity at childhood and adolescent stages.