Preventive medicine
-
Preventive medicine · Oct 2009
Recommendations for advancing opportunities to increase physical activity in racial/ethnic minority communities.
We provide suggestions for advancing opportunities for effective and sustainable strategies for increasing physical activity in racial/ethnic minority populations.
-
Preventive medicine · Aug 2009
Randomized Controlled TrialAged garlic extract supplemented with B vitamins, folic acid and L-arginine retards the progression of subclinical atherosclerosis: a randomized clinical trial.
Previous studies demonstrated that aged garlic extract reduces multiple cardiovascular risk factors. This study was designed to assess whether aged garlic extract therapy with supplements (AGE+S) favorably affects inflammatory and oxidation biomarkers, vascular function and progression of atherosclerosis as compared to placebo. ⋯ AGE+S is associated with a favorable improvement in oxidative biomarkers, vascular function, and reduced progression of atherosclerosis.
-
Preventive medicine · Aug 2009
Comparative StudyMeasurement error and ethnic comparisons of measures of abdominal obesity.
Methods of estimating central obesity are important because of the increasing frequency of obesity related diseases worldwide. Here we evaluate the precision of measuring waist circumference and the waist to hip ratio with comparisons across ethnic groups. ⋯ Waist to hip ratio provides a superior measure of central obesity with low measurement error, high precision, and no bias over a wide range of ethnic groups. We believe that it is essential to standardize methods in the assessment of central obesity. Assessment criteria should be based on waist to hip ratio rather than waist circumference.
-
Preventive medicine · Aug 2009
Susceptibility to initiate smoking among junior and senior high school nonsmokers in Taiwan.
Most smokers begin using tobacco in their teens and recent reports indicate that smoking prevalence is climbing among youth in Taiwan. The purpose of this paper was to determine the associated factors of susceptibility of youth smoking by different types of schools. ⋯ Developing tailored, comprehensive smoking-prevention programs for junior high students should involve establishing tobacco-free households and communities.
-
Preventive medicine · Aug 2009
Multicenter StudyTobacco use among Palestine refugee students (UNRWA) aged 13-15.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has made tobacco use prevention a primary health issue. UNRWA provides education, health, relief and social services in five fields of operation: Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Gaza Strip and the West Bank. The purpose of this paper is to compare tobacco use among Palestine refugee students and students in the general population of the five fields of operation. ⋯ The similarity in tobacco use among the three groups of students suggests that a coordinated plan between the UNRWA and the governmental authority could be most beneficial in reducing the burden of tobacco-related morbidity and mortality.