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Objective: To examine the association between red/processed meat consumption and glycaemic conditions (i.e., prediabetes [preDM] and DM) among middle-aged residents in rural Khánh Hòa, Vietnam. Design: In this cross-sectional study, a multinomial regression model was used to examine the association between daily consumption of red/processed meat (0-99 g, 100-199 g, or ≥ 200 g) and preDM/DM with adjustments for sociodemographic, lifestyle-related, and health-related variables. Setting: Khánh Hòa Province, Vietnam Participants: The study used data collected through a baseline survey conducted during a prospective cohort study on cardiovascular diseases among 3000 residents, aged 40-60 years, living in rural communes in Khánh Hòa Province. Results: The multinomial regression model revealed that the prevalence ratios (PRs) for DM were 1.00 (reference), 1.11 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.75-1.62), and 1.80 (95% CI = 1.40-2.32) from the lowest to the highest red/processed meat consumption categories (p trend = 0.006). The corresponding values for preDM were 1.00 (reference), 1.25 (95% CI = 1.01-1.54), and 1.67 (95% CI = 1.20-2.33) (p trend = 0.004). We did not find any evidence of statistical significance in relation to poultry consumption. Conclusion: Increased red/processed meat consumption, but not poultry consumption, was positively associated with the prevalence of preDM/DM in rural communes in Khánh Hòa Province, Vietnam. Dietary recommendations involving a reduction in red/processed meat consumption should be considered in LMICs.

Background In contrast to high-income countries where physical activity (PA), particularly leisure-time PA, has been shown to be protective against hypertension, few studies have been conducted in low- and middle-income countries. We examined the cross-sectional association between PA and hypertension prevalence among rural residents in Vietnam. Methods We used data collected in the baseline survey of a prospective cohort study, among 3000 people aged 40–60 years old residing in rural Khánh Hòa, Vietnam. Hypertension was defined as systolic blood pressure ≥ 140 mmHg, diastolic blood pressure ≥ 90 mmHg, or the use of antihypertensive medication. We assessed occupational PA and leisure-time PA using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire. A robust Poisson regression model was used to investigate the associations, with adjustment for covariates. Results The prevalence of hypertension was 39.6%. After adjusting for socio-demographic and lifestyle-related variables, leisure-time PA was positively associated with hypertension prevalence (prevalence ratio [PR]: 1.03 per 10 MET-hour/week, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01–1.06). Occupational PA was inversely associated with hypertension prevalence (PR: 0.98 per 50 MET-hour/week, 95% CI = 0.96–0.996). After adjusting for BMI and other health-related variables, the association related to occupational PA became statistically non-significant, while the association related to leisure-time PA remained statistically significant. Conclusion In contrast to previous studies in high-income countries, we found that leisure-time PA was positively associated with hypertension prevalence and occupational PA was associated with a lower hypertension prevalence. This suggests that the association between PA and hypertension might differ depending on the context.

Metal–organic complexes are one of the most studied materials in the last few decades, which are fabricated from organic ligands and metal ions to form robust frameworks with porous structures. In this work, iron-1,4-benzenedicarboxylic-polyethylene glycol (Fe-BDC-PEG) with a porous structure was successfully constructed by an iron(III) benzene dicarboxylate and polyethylene glycol diacid. The drug-delivery properties of the resultant Fe-BDC-PEG were tested for the loading and release of the 5-fluorouracil compound. The maximal loading capacity of Fe-BDC-PEG for 5-fluorouracil was determined to be 348.22 mg/g. The drug release of 5-fluorouracil-loaded Fe-BDC-PEG after 7 days was 92.69% and reached a maximum of 97.52% after 10 days. The 7 day and acute oral toxicity of Fe-BDC-PEG in mice were studied. The results show that no reasonable change or mortality was observed upon administration of Fe-BDC-PEG complex in mice at 10 g/kg body weight. When the uptake of Fe-BDC-PEG particles in mice was continued for 7 consecutive days, the mortality, feed consumption, body weight, and daily activity were negligibly changed.

Objectives While adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been shown to be associated with adulthood obesity, less is known about their association with underweight. We examined the associations between parental absence (i.e., a major component of ACEs) and both underweight and excess weight among middle‐aged rural community dwellers in Vietnam, where experiences of parental absence was not uncommon during and after the Vietnam War (1955–1975). Methods Data came from 3000 middle‐aged adults who participated in the baseline survey of Khánh Hòa Cardiovascular Study. Parental absence was defined as parental absence due to death, divorce, or out‐migration. Using information on the timing of such events, we categorized participants into those who experienced parental absence before the age of 3, between the ages of 3 and 15, and those without such experiences. BMI was calculated based on measured height and weight (kg/m2) and categorized into three groups: underweight <18.5; normal 18.5–24.9; excess weight ≥ 25. Multinomial logistic regression was then used to investigate the association between parental absence and adult weight status. Results Parental absence that occurred before the age of 3 was marginally significantly associated with underweight (relative risk ratio [RRR] = 1.44, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.95, 2.20) but not with overweight/obesity. Parental divorce was associated with overweight/obesity (RRR = 2.48, 95% CI 1.28, 4.81), but not parental absence due to migratory work. Conclusions While previous studies in Western settings focused almost exclusively on the risk of obesity in relation to exposure to ACEs, our findings point to the potential importance of considering the risk of underweight in low‐ and middle‐income countries.