Determinants of hypertension in Nepal using odds ratios and prevalence ratios: an analysis of the Demographic and Health Survey 2016.

This cross-sectional study investigated the factors associated with hypertension among Nepalese adults aged 18 years or above using data from the Nepal Demographic and Health Survey 2016. Prevalence ratios (PRs) and odds ratios (ORs) were obtained using log-binomial regression and logistic regression, respectively. Initially, unadjusted PRs and ORs were obtained. The variables that yielded a significance level below 0.2 in unadjusted analyses were included in the multivariable analysis. The overall prevalence of hypertension among the 13,393 participants (58% male and 61.2% urban) was 21.1% (n = 2827). In the adjusted analysis, those aged 30-49 years (adjusted PR [APR]: 3.1, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 2.6, 3.7; adjusted OR [AOR]: 3.6, 95% CI: 2.9, 4.5), 50-69 years (APR: 5.3, 95% CI: 4.4, 6.6; AOR: 8.2, 95% CI: 6.4, 10.4) and ≥70 years (APR: 7.3, 95% CI: 5.8, 9.2; AOR: 13.6, 95% CI: 10.1, 18.3) were more likely to be hypertensive than younger participants aged 18-29 years. Males (APR: 1.3, 95% CI: 1.2, 1.4; AOR: 1.5, 95% CI: 1.3, 1.7), overweight/obese participants (APR: 1.8, 95% CI: 1.7, 2.0; AOR: 2.4, 95% CI: 2.2, 2.8) and those in the richest wealth quintile (APR: 1.3, 95% CI: 1.1, 1.5; AOR: 1.5, 95% CI: 1.1, 1.9) had higher prevalences and odds of hypertension than their female, normal weight/underweight and poorest wealth quintile counterparts, respectively. Those residing in Province 4 (APR: 1.2, 95% CI: 1.0, 1.5; AOR: 1.4, 95% CI: 1.1, 1.8) and Province 5 (APR: 1.2, 95% CI: 1.0, 1.4; AOR: 1.3, 95% CI: 1.1, 1.7) were more likely to be hypertensive than those residing in Province 1. The point estimate was inflated more in magnitude by ORs than by PRs, but the direction of association remained the same. Public health programmes in Nepal aimed at preventing hypertension should raise awareness among the elderly, males, individuals in the richest wealth quintile and the residents of Provinces 4 and 5.

Nationally representative surveys show gradual shifting of overweight and obesity towards poor and less-educated women of reproductive age in Nepal.

Overweight and obesity are considered major public health concerns all over the world. They have the potential to increase the risk of developing non-communicable diseases in reproductive age women, increasing their risk of pregnancy related complications and adverse birth outcome. This study was carried out to identify the trend of prevalence of overweight and obesity, along with their determinants, among reproductive age women (15-49 years) in Nepal. Data were taken from the nationally representative 2006, 2011 and 2016 Nepal Demographic and Health Surveys (NDHSs). Women were considered to be overweight or obese when their BMI was 23.0-27.5 kg/m2 or ≥27.5 kg/m2, respectively. Univariate, bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed, with significance taken at p<0.05. The prevalences of overweight and obesity both showed rising trends in women of reproductive age in Nepal from 2006 to 2016, particularly among those with no education, only primary education and poor women. The presence of overweight and obesity was found to be significantly associated with the sample women's age, educational status, wealth index, place of residence, ecological zone, developmental region, number of household members, marital status and ethnicity. In 2016 one in every three women of reproductive age in Nepal was either overweight or obese. As overweight and obesity have detrimental effects on women's health, the Government of Nepal, in collaboration with other government and non-government organizations, should take action to halt the rising trends in overweight and obesity in the country.

Gender differences in hypertension awareness, antihypertensive use and blood pressure control in Nepalese adults: findings from a nationwide cross-sectional survey.

The objective of this cross-sectional study was to determine the gender differences in hypertension awareness, antihypertensive use and blood pressure (BP) control among the adult Nepalese population (≥18 years) using data from the nationally representative Nepal Demographic and Health Survey 2016. A weighted sample of 13,393 adults (5620 males and 7773 females) was included in the final analysis. After conducting descriptive analyses with the selective explanatory variable, multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the association between the outcome variable and the explanatory variables. The strength of the association was expressed in adjusted odds with 95% confidence intervals. A higher proportion of women had their BP checked (87.7% females vs 73.0% males, p<0.001) and were aware of their raised BP (43.9% females vs 37.1% males, p<0.001) compared with men. Although female hypertensive individuals had a higher prevalence of antihypertensive medication use than their male counterparts (50.1% females vs 47.5% males), a higher proportion of male hypertensive participants had their BP controlled (49.2% females vs 53.5% males). Women with the poorest wealth index had a lower prevalence of antihypertensive use than their male counterparts. The odds of having their own BP measured increased with age among men but decreased with age among women. The household wealth index was positively associated with the odds of BP measurement, awareness of own BP and antihypertensive use. This study revealed that although women had a higher prevalence of hypertension awareness and antihypertensive medication use, the practice did not translate into better BP control. Inequality in antihypertensive medication use was observed among the poorest wealth quintiles. Public health programmes in Nepal should focus on reducing these inequalities. Further research is needed to learn why females have poorer control of BP, despite having higher antihypertensive medication use.

Differences in prevalence and determinants of hypertension according to rural-urban place of residence among adults in Bangladesh.

This cross-sectional study analysed Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey 2011 data with the aim of investigating the prevalence of, and risk factors for, hypertension in individuals aged over 35 by rural-urban place of residence. After estimation of the stratified prevalence of hypertension by background characteristics, multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted to calculate the adjusted odds (AORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for selected factors. Of the 7839 participants, 1830 were from urban areas and 6009 from rural areas. The overall prevalence of hypertension was 32.6% (95% CI: 30.5-34.8) in urban areas and 23.6% (95% CI: 22.5-24.7) in rural areas. The prevalence and odds of hypertension increased with increasing age, female sex, concomitant diabetes and overweight/obesity and richer wealth status in both urban and rural regions. Although residence in Khulna and Rangpur divisions and higher education level were associated with increased odds of hypertension in urban regions, this was not the case in rural regions (p>0.05). Residence in Sylhet and Chittagong divisions had lower odds of hypertension in rural regions. Furthermore, the proportions of overweight/obese, diabetic and higher wealth status participants were higher in urban than in rural regions. The prevalence and odds of hypertension were found to be associated with several common factors after stratifying by place of residence. Some of these factors are more concentrated in urban regions, so urban residents with these risk factors need to be made more aware of these in order to control hypertension in Bangladesh. Public health programmes also need to be tailored differently for urban and rural regions, based on the different distribution of these significant factors in the two areas.

Impact of family history of cancer on colorectal cancer screening: a propensity score-matched analysis from the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS).

BACKGROUND: Early detection of colon cancer leads to better survival outcomes. This can be achieved through colorectal cancer (CRC) screening. People with a family history of cancer (FHC) have increased risk of developing CRC. Increasing screening in this group will reduce CRC mortality. This study evaluated CRC screening in people with FHC. METHODS: The study used data from the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) 5, cycle 3. This is an annual cross-sectional survey with a nationally representative sample of American adults. The objective was to study the association between FHC and performing CRC screening. Propensity score matching was used to create a matched population with variables that constituted beliefs in cancer from the survey. Replication procedure, which is based on repeated sampling and allows for accurate computation of standard errors, was used for calculating statistical tests. Multivariable models were fitted in the matched population to assess the association between FHC and performing CRC screening. RESULTS: People with FHC were 14% (OR = 1.14; 95% CI: 0.81-1.60) more likely to perform CRC screening than those without FHC, even though not statistically significant. Age in years (OR = 1.14; 95% CI: 1.12-5.27) had increased likelihood of performing CRC screening, while other races such as American Indians/Alaskan Natives (except African Americans) compared to Caucasians (OR = 0.49; 95% CI: 0.29-0.84) had significantly decreased likelihood of performing CRC screening. CONCLUSION: FHC was not significantly associated with having a colorectal cancer screening test. Public health advocacy should be directed towards increasing awareness of CRC screening among people with FHC.

Depression and health-related quality of life of patients with type 2 diabetes attending tertiary level hospitals in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

INTRODUCTION: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and depression are closely linked. People with T2DM are at increased risk of developing depression and vice versa. T2DM and depression comorbid conditions adversely affect Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) and management of T2DM. In this study, we assessed depression and HRQOL among patients with T2DM in Dhaka, Bangladesh. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in two tertiary-level hospitals in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Data were collected from 318 patients with T2DM. A set of standard tools, PHQ-9 (for assessing depression) and EuroQol-5D-5L (for assessing the HRQOL), were used. Statistical analyses, including Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests, Wilcoxon (Mann-Whitney), and Spearman's correlation coefficient tests, were performed using SPSS (v.20). RESULTS: The majority of the patients (58%) were females, with a mean age (standard deviation) of 52 ± 10 years, and 74% of patients lived in urban areas. The prevalence of depression was 62% (PHQ-9 score ≥ 5). Over three-quarters (76%) reported problems in the anxiety/ depression dimension of EQ-5D, followed by pain/discomfort (74%), mobility (40%), self-care (36%), and usual activities (33%). The depression and T2DM comorbid condition were associated with all the five dimensions of EQ-5D (χ2 statistics with df = 1 was 52.33, 51.13, 52.67, 21.61, 7.92 for mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/ depression dimensions respectively, p- < 0.01). The mean EQ-5D index (0.53 vs. 0.75) and the mean EQ-5D VAS (65 vs. 76) both showed lower values in T2DM patients with depression compared to T2DM patients without depression (Wilcoxon test, p- < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that the majority of the patients with T2DM had comorbid conditions, and the HRQOL was negatively affected by comorbid depression in T2DM patients. This suggests the importance of timely screening, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of comorbid depression in T2DM patients to improve overall health and QOL.

Association of leisure-time physical activity with perceived general health status among hypertensive people: an analysis of NHANES 2015-18.

Although leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) improves general health, little is known about its impacts on the health of hypertensive people within the United States. We investigated the general health of hypertensive people and the relationship between LTPA and general health within this population. This cross-sectional study analyzed National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2015-18 data. None, some, and high LTPA were defined as '0', '>0 but <150', and '≥150' minutes of LTPA in each week, respectively. Hypertension was defined as the systolic/diastolic blood pressure ≥130/80 mmHg or taking BP-lowering drugs. General health status was dichotomized as whether participants reported 'very good to excellent' health status or not. After descriptive analysis, logistic regression was performed. Among 8504 participants (48.6% male and mean age: 48.2 years), about 47.9%, 41.4%, and 39.5% of people had hypertension, 'very good to excellent' health, and high LTPA, respectively. The odds of 'very good to excellent' health was lower among hypertensives than those without hypertension (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 0.7, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.6-0.8, p < 0.001). Among hypertensive individuals, about one-third reported 'very good to excellent' health (33.1%) and high LTPA (32.0%). Lastly, compared to people with no LTPA, those with some (AOR: 1.5, 95% CI: 1.0-2.0, p < 0.05) and high (AOR: 2.3, 95% CI: 1.7-3.0, p < 0.001) LTPA had greater odds of 'very good to excellent' health. We found positive relationships between LTPA and 'very good to excellent' health of hypertensive people. Therefore, improving general health could be an added advantage of LTPA for hypertensive people.

Underweight, overweight or obesity, diabetes, and hypertension in Bangladesh, 2004 to 2018.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Bangladesh is experiencing a nutrition transition with an increase in the double burden of malnutrition and non-communicable diseases (NCDs). This study sought to: 1) examine trends and differences in underweight, overweight/obesity, hypertension and diabetes by gender, area of residence, and wealth in Bangladesh from 2004 to 2018, 2) assess what factors contributed to changes in these outcomes. METHODS: We used data from five rounds of the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Surveys (n = 76,758 women 15-49y and 10,900 men 18-95y in total). We calculated differences, slope index of inequality (SII) and concentration index (CIX) to examine trends over time and differences in outcomes by wealth and residence. We identified determinants and estimated drivers of changes in outcomes using regression-based decomposition. RESULTS: Between 2004 and 2018, underweight prevalence decreased in both women (33% to 12%) and men (26% to 18%), whereas overweight/obesity increased (17% to 49% in women and 21% to 34% in men). Hypertension also increased in both women (31% to 44%) and men (19% to 33%) while diabetes changed marginally (11% to 14%). In all years, underweight was concentrated in poorer and rural households while overweight/obesity, diabetes and hypertension were concentrated in wealthier and urban households. Wealth inequity decreased over time for underweight, changed little for overweight/obesity, and increased for hypertension and diabetes among men. Increases in wealth explained 35% to 50% of the reduction in underweight and 30% to 57% of the increase in overweight/obesity. CONCLUSION: Our findings imply that double duty actions are required to sustain the decrease in undernutrition and slow the increase in overweight/obesity and NCDs across diverse socioeconomic sections of the population in Bangladesh.

Assuring Bangladesh's future: non-communicable disease risk factors among the adolescents and the existing policy responses.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to assess the current status of non-communicable disease (NCD) risk factors amongst adolescents in Bangladesh. We also critically reviewed the existing policy responses to NCD risk among adolescents in Bangladesh. METHODS: This study used a mixed method approach. To quantify the NCD risk burden, we used data from the Global School-based Student Health Survey conducted in Bangladesh. To understand policy response, we reviewed NCD-related policy documents introduced by the Government of Bangladesh between 1971 and 2018 using the WHO recommended NCD Action Plan 2013-2020as study framework. Information from the policy documents was extracted using a matrix, mapping each document against the six objectives of the WHO 2013-2020 Action Plan. RESULTS: Almost all adolescents in Bangladesh had at least one NCD risk factor, and there was a high prevalence of concurrent multiple NCD risk factors; 14% had one NCD risk factor while 22% had two, 29% had three, 34% had four or more NCD risk factors. Out of 38 policy documents, eight (21.1%) were related to research and/or surveys, eight (21.1%) were on established policies, and eleven (29%) were on legislation acts. Three policy documents (7.9%) were related to NCD guidelines and eight (21.1%) were strategic planning which were introduced by the government and non-government agencies/institutes in Bangladesh. CONCLUSIONS: The findings emphasize the needs for strengthening NCD risk factors surveillance and introducing appropriate intervention strategies targeted to adolescents. Despite the Government of Bangladesh introducing several NCD-related policies and programs, the government also needs more focus on clear planning, implementation and monitoring and evaluation approaches to preventing NCD risk factors among the adolescents in Bangladesh.

A tale of osteoarthritis among older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh: A repeated cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Due to restrictions in social gatherings imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, physical and other daily activities were limited among the older adults. The present study aimed to estimate the change in osteoarthritis prevalence among older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh. METHODS: This repeated cross-sectional study was conducted through telephone interviews among older adults aged 60 years and above on two successive occasions (October 2020 and September 2021) during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh. The prevalence of osteoarthritis was measured by asking the participants if they had osteoarthritis or joint pain problems. RESULTS: A total of 2077 participants (1032 in 2020-survey and 1045 in 2021-survey) participated in the study. The prevalence of self-reported joint pains or osteoarthritis significantly increased from 45.3% in 2020 to 54.7% in 2021 (P = 0.006), with an increasing odd in the adjusted analysis (aOR 1.27, 95% CI 1.04-1.54). We also found that osteoarthritis prevalence significantly increased among the participants from the Chattogram and Mymensingh divisions, aged 60-69 years, males, married, rural residents, and living with a family. A significant increase was also documented among those who received formal schooling, had a family income of 5000-10000 BDT, resided with a large family, were unemployed or retired, and lived away from a health facility. CONCLUSIONS: Our study reported a significant increased prevalence of osteoarthritis among older adults from 2020 to 2021 during this pandemic in Bangladesh. This study highlights the need for the development and implementation of initiatives for the screening and management of osteoarthritis through a primary health care approach during any public health emergencies.

Role of hypertension in the association of overweight and obesity with diabetes among adults in Bangladesh: a population-based, cross-sectional nationally representative survey.

AIMS: Overweight and obesity (OWOB) is a modifiable risk factor for both hypertension and diabetes. However, the association between OWOB and diabetes among Bangladeshi adults and how hypertension may mediate this relationship are not well explored. This study aimed to examine (1) whether OWOB is independently associated with diabetes among Bangladeshi adults, (2) whether this association is mediated by hypertension, and (3) the effect modification by wealth status and place of residence in the relationships. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We used data of 9305 adults aged ≥18 years from the most recent nationally representative cross-sectional study of Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey 2017-2018. Design-based logistic regression was used to assess the association between OWOB and diabetes, and counterfactual framework-based weighting approach was used to evaluate the mediation effect of hypertension in the OWOB-diabetes relationship. We used stratified analyses for the effect modifications. RESULTS: The prevalence of OWOB, diabetes and hypertension was 48.5%, 11.7% and 30.3%, respectively. We observed a significant association between OWOB and diabetes and a mediating role of hypertension in the OWOB-diabetes association. The odds of diabetes was 51% higher among adults with OWOB than those without OWOB (adjusted OR: 1.51, 95% CI 1.29 to 1.77). We observed that 18.64% (95% CI 9.84% to 34.07%) of the total effect of OWOB on the higher odds of diabetes was mediated through hypertension, and the mediation effect was higher among adults from non-poor households and from both rural and urban areas. CONCLUSIONS: Adult OWOB status is independently associated with diabetes in Bangladesh, and hypertension mediates this association. Therefore, prevention policies should target adults with both OWOB and hypertension, particularly those from non-poor households and from both rural and urban areas, to reduce the growing burden of diabetes and its associated risk.

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and adverse pregnancy outcome in South Asia: A systematic review.

INTRODUCTION: The prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is increasing in developing countries including the South Asian Nations. The current study aimed to examine the association of GDM with adverse pregnancy outcomes from foetal and maternal perspectives in South Asia. METHODS: A systematic review was conducted including primary studies published since January 2020 from South Asian countries. Following electronic databases were searched to locate the articles: MEDLINE, EMBASE and EMCARE. Data were extracted using a customized extraction tool and methodological quality of the included studies was assessed using modified Effective Public Health Practice Project (EPHPP) quality assessment tool. Narrative synthesis was performed as statistical pooling was not possible due to the heterogeneous nature of the studies. RESULTS: Eight studies were included in the review. Overall, the review found a positive correlation between GDM and adverse foetal outcomes such as macrosomia, neonatal hyperglycaemia, intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR), stillbirths and low birthweight (LBW), but the findings were not conclusive. GDM was also positively associated with preeclampsia but the association between GDM and C-section delivery was not conclusive. CONCLUSION: Policymakers, public health practitioners and researchers in South Asia should take in to account the link between GDM and adverse pregnancy outcomes while designing interventions to promote maternal health in South Asia. Researchers should focus on conducting longitudinal studies in future to clearly understand the epidemiology and pathobiology of this issue.

Association between television viewing and overweight and obesity among women of reproductive age in Timor-Leste: evidence from the demographic health survey 2016.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the possible relationship between television viewing and overweight and obesity among Timorese women of reproductive age. METHODS: This cross-sectional study analysed the Timor-Leste Demographic and Health Survey 2016 dataset. A weighted sample of 11 398 Timorese women aged 15-49 years was chosen using a two-stage stratified random sampling technique. Asian criteria-based body mass index (BMI) cut-offs were used to define overweight (BMI 23.0 to <27.5 kg/m2) and obesity (BMI ≥27.5 kg/m2). Frequency of TV viewing was categorised into three groups: (1) not at all, (2) less than once a week and (3) at least once a week. Multilevel ordered logistic regression was performed to identify the correlates of overweight and obesity. Both crude and adjusted odds ratios (AOR) along with a 95% CI were calculated to show the strength of association. RESULTS: Among 11 398 respondents, 19.4% were overweight or obese (overweight: 15.7% and obese: 3.8%). Although about half of the respondents reportedly did not watch TV at all, just over two-thirds watched TV at least once a week. Women who watched TV at least once a week were found to have 1.3 times the odds of being overweight or obese compared with those who never watched TV (AOR: 1.3, 95% CI: 1.1 to 1.5; p<0.001). However, when stratified by settlement type, the statistical significance stood for the rural women only (AOR: 1.5, 95% CI: 1.2 to 1.8; p<0.001), after adjusting for the covariates. CONCLUSION: Watching TV at least once a week was found to be a significant correlate of overweight and obesity in rural Timorese women of reproductive age. Further studies need to be undertaken to assess physical activity, sedentary and dietary patterns to clarify the possible mechanism through which TV viewing may influence BMI in those groups.

Inequalities in undiagnosed hypertension among adult Nepalese population: Evidence from a nationally representative survey.

INTRODUCTION: With one in every five adults suffering from hypertension and three-fifth of these patients undiagnosed, Nepal faces an enormous problem of undiagnosed hypertension. This study aims to assess the prevalence and determinants of undiagnosed hypertension in Nepal and to examine the extent of socioeconomic inequalities in undiagnosed hypertension in Nepal. METHODS: This study used the nationally representative Nepal Demographic and Health Survey 2016 data. Undiagnosed hypertension was defined having systolic blood pressure (SBP) ≥140 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) ≥90 mmHg and being told two or more times by health professionals to lower/control blood pressure. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used for identifying determinants associated with undiagnosed hypertension. Further, socioeconomic inequalities in the prevalence of undiagnosed hypertension were estimated using Concentration Index (CI). RESULTS: The study results show that out of total 2831 hypertensive patients, 1611 (56.9%) were undiagnosed. In the adjusted model, older age, overweight/obesity, higher wealth quintiles had less odds of being undiagnosed. Male gender and residing in Province 7 had higher odds of being undiagnosed. Overall CI showed that poor patients were disproportionately affected by undiagnosed hypertension (CI: 0.21, Standard Error (SE) of CI: 0.03). The poor (Q1)-to-rich (Q5) ratio was 1.57 showed again that poorest patients in Nepal had higher prevalence of undiagnosed hypertension than richest patients. CONCLUSION: Poor patients are disproportionately affected by undiagnosed hypertension in Nepal. Awareness should be created specially among the poor wealth quintiles regarding checking blood pressure regularly. Innovative implementation strategies required to be developed to detect undiagnosed case and provide treatment accordingly.

Prevalence and associated factors of underweight, overweight and obesity among women of reproductive age group in the Maldives: Evidence from a nationally representative study.

BACKGROUND: Global epidemiological transition across various countries have documented the coexistence of undernutrition and overnutrition. South Asian countries are facing this public health hazard in remarkable manner. To enrich the evidence and relation with women's health in the Maldives, this study was undertaken to examine the prevalence and associated factors of underweight, overweight and obesity among reproductive age women. METHODS: This study was conducted utilizing data from the Maldives Demographic and Health Survey 2016-17. After presenting descriptive analyses, multivariable logistic regression analysis method was used to examine the prevalence and associations between different nutritional status categories. These were grouped based on the WHO recommended cut-off value and relevant socio-demographic determinants among reproductive age women. RESULTS: A total weighted sample of 6,634 reproductive age Maldivian women (15-49 years) were included in the analysis. The overall prevalence of overweight and obesity was 63%, while the underweight prevalence was 10%. The younger age group (15-24 years) had a higher prevalence of underweight (26%). On the other hand, an overweight and obesity prevalence of 82.6% was observed among the older age group (35-49 years). Regression analysis showed that residents of the North and Central Provinces, those in the higher quintiles of wealth index, married women and those with parity of more than two children, were all significantly negatively correlated to being underweight. Increased age, being married or separated/divorced/widowed and having more than three children was found to have a significant positive association with overweight and obesity. CONCLUSIONS: Maldives is facing nutritional transition and a major public health hazard demonstrated by the high burden of overweight and obesity and persistence of chronic problem of undernutrition. Surveillance of vulnerable individuals with identified socio-demographic factors and cost-effective interventions are highly recommended to address the persistent underweight status and the emerging problem of overweight/obesity.

Differences in prevalence and associated factors of underweight and overweight/obesity according to rural-urban residence strata among women of reproductive age in Bangladesh: evidence from a cross-sectional national survey.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the differences in prevalence and factors influencing underweight and overweight/obesity stratified by region of residence among women of reproductive age in Bangladesh. DESIGN: Secondary analysis of cross-sectional nationwide data. SETTING: This study used Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey 2014 data. PARTICIPANTS: A weighted sample of 16 478 women of reproductive age (15-49 years) were included in the analysis. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Using the Asian-specific cut-off for body mass index, the primary outcome of this study was categorised as: underweight (<18.5 kg/m2), normal weight (18.5 to <23.0) kg/m2 and overweight/obese (≥23.0 kg/m2) stratified according to rural-urban residence. RESULTS: More than half of urban women (53%, n=2493) and one-third of rural women (33%, n=3968) were found to be overweight/obese. Around one-fifth of rural women (21%, n=2490) and almost one in eight urban women (12%, n=571) were reported as underweight. In the final multivariable analyses, increasing age, higher educational status and higher order wealth quintile, each had a significant positive association with being overweight/obese and an inverse association with being underweight. Urban unmarried women had lower odds of being overweight/obese compared with their married counterparts. Rural women who used contraceptives had significantly decreased odds (adjusted OR (AOR) 0.8, 95% CI 0.7 to 0.9) of being underweight compared with contraceptive non-users; no such association was noted in urban women. Women from Sylhet division in both urban (AOR 1.7, 95% CI 1.2 to 2.5) and rural regions (AOR 1.5, 95% CI 1.2 to 1.8) had increased odds of being underweight compared with women in Barisal division. CONCLUSIONS: This study found association of multiple factors with both overweight/obesity and underweight among Bangladeshi women of reproductive age. Public health programmes in Bangladesh aiming to prevent the double burden of malnutrition should focus these factors through comprehensive public awareness and cost-effective operational health interventions.

Association between the frequency of television watching and overweight and obesity among women of reproductive age in Nepal: Analysis of data from the Nepal Demographic and Health Survey 2016.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of overweight and obesity, particularly among women, is increasing in Nepal. Previous studies in the South Asia have found television watching to be a risk factor for overweight and obesity among women of reproductive age. However, this association had not been studied in the context of Nepal. This study aims to identify the association between frequency of television watching and overweight and obesity among Nepalese women of reproductive age. METHODS: This cross-sectional study utilized the Nepal Demographic and Health Survey 2016 (NDHS 2016) data. A total weighted sample of 6,031 women were included in the final analyses. The women were 15-49 years of age and were either not pregnant or had not delivered a child within the two months prior to the survey. Body mass index (BMI) was the primary outcome of this study, which was categorized using an Asia-specific cutoff value. Normal and/or underweight was defined as a BMI <23.0 kg/m2, overweight was defined as a BMI between 23.0 kg/m2 and <27.5 kg/m2, and obesity was defined as a BMI ≥27.5 kg/m2. Frequency of watching television was the main independent variable of this study, which was divided into the following three categories: not watching television at all, watching television less than once a week, and watching television at least once a week. Multilevel ordered logistic regression was conducted to find the factors associated with overweight and obesity. A p-value <0.05 was considered significant in the final model. RESULTS: Around 35% of the participants were overweight or obese (overweight: 23.7% and obese: 11.6%). A majority of the study participants was aged between 15 and 24 years (36.5%), and resided in an urban area (63.2%), Province No. 3 (22.3%), and the Terai ecological region (49.5%). Around one-third (34.0%) of the participants received no formal education while an almost similar proportion (35.5%) completed secondary education. Approximately half of the study participants (50.6%) reported watching television at least once a week, whereas more than a quarter (28.7%) of them did not watch television at all. Women who watched television at least once a day had a higher prevalence of overweight and obesity than the other groups (p-value <0.0001). Women who watched television at least once a week were 1.3 times more likely to be overweight or obese in comparison to women who never watched television (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR): 1.3, 95% CI: 1.0-1.7; p-value <0.05). In the urban areas, women who watched television at least once a week were 40% more likely to be overweight or obese than those who did not watch television at all (AOR: 1.4, 95% CI: 1.1-1.7; p-value <0.01). No significant association between overweight and obesity and the frequency of viewing television was observed in the rural area. CONCLUSIONS: Watching television at least once a week is associated with overweight and obesity in women of reproductive age living in the urban areas of Nepal. Public health promotion programs should raise awareness among women regarding harmful health consequences of sedentary lifestyle due to television watching.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in Bangladesh: A Systematic Review.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) including Bangladesh. But no systematic review has been carried out in Bangladesh, which portraits the burden of COPD and its risk factors. Therefore, this systematic review was conducted to find out the prevalence and risk factors of COPD in Bangladesh. We searched PubMed, Google Scholar, Popline, and Banglajol from January 1, 1972 to April 30, 2017. We included studies that reported the prevalence and/or risk factors of COPD among Bangladeshi people. Two researchers independently searched and screened all the articles and extracted data from nine eligible studies. The whole process was verified by another researcher. Quality assessment was performed using a checklist adopted from published articles on quality assessment guidelines of observational studies. Discrepancies were resolved by consensus. Data analysis was done thematically. The pooled COPD prevalence among Bangladeshi adult was 12.5% (95% CI, 10.9-14.1) using the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) criteria and 11.9% (95% CI, 11.4-13.6) using the lower limit of the normality (LLN) criteria. The prevalence was higher among males, low socio-economic group, rural residents, and biomass fuel users. Tobacco consumption, exposure to biomass fuel, old age, and history of asthma were identified as major risk factors of COPD. COPD prevalence is high in Bangladesh. It is a timely need for the policy-makers and public health professionals to take pertinent steps for prevention and control of COPD in Bangladesh.

Factors associated with low birth weight in Afghanistan: a cross-sectional analysis of the demographic and health survey 2015.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the factors associated with low birth weight (LBW) in Afghanistan. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: This study used data collected from the Afghanistan Demographic and Health Survey 2015. PARTICIPANTS: Facility-based data from 2773 weighted live-born children enrolled by a two-stage sampling strategy were included in our analysis. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was LBW, defined as birth weight <2.5kg. RESULTS: Out of 2773 newborns, 15.5% (n=431) had LBW. Most of these newborns were females (58.3%, n=251), had a mother with no formal schooling (70.5%, n=304), lived in urban areas (63.4%, n=274) or lived in the Central region of Afghanistan (59.7%, n=257). In multivariable analysis, residence in Central (adjusted OR (AOR): 3.4; 95% CI 1.7 to 6.7), Central Western (AOR: 3.0; 95% CI 1.5 to 5.8) and Southern Western (AOR: 4.0; 95% CI 1.7 to 9.1) regions had positive association with LBW. On the other hand, male children (AOR: 0.5; 95% CI 0.4 to 0.8), newborns with primary maternal education (AOR: 0.5; 95% CI 0.3 to 0.8), birth interval ≥48 months (AOR: 0.4; 95% CI 0.1 to 0.8), belonging to the richest wealth quintile (AOR: 0.2; 95% CI 0.1 to 0.6) and rural residence (AOR: 0.3; 95% CI 0.2 to 0.6) had decreased odds of LBW. CONCLUSIONS: Multiple factors had association with LBW in Afghanistan. Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health programmes should focus on enhancing maternal education and promoting birth spacing to prevent LBW. To reduce the overall burden of LBW, women of the poorest wealth quintiles, and residents of Central, Central Western and South Western regions should also be prioritised. Further exploration is needed to understand why urban areas are associated with higher likelihood of LBW. In addition, research using nationally representative samples are required.