Measurements of weight, height, mid-upper arm circumference, mid-upper arm muscle circumference and skinfold thickness over the triceps region were made in 437 high-altitude residents (3150m above sea level) aged 16-60 years and 468 low-altitude residents (500 m above sea level) aged 16-60 years in southern Saudi Arabia. Compared with low-altitude residents, high-altitude residents were found to be significantly heavier and taller, but to have nearly similar mid-upper arm circumference, mid-upper arm muscle circumference and triceps skinfold thickness. Estimates of body fat have been made from the triceps skinfold measurements. No significant difference in the percentage of fat was detected between high- and low-altitude residents. When fat mass (kg) and fat mass index (fat mass (kg)/height in m2) were considered, similar trends were found between highland and lowland men only. Highland women showed significantly higher fat mass and fat mass index when compared with lowland women. These differences in physique between highland and lowland residents of southern Saudi Arabia may be attributed to the effect of environmental factors, possibly the hot climate and parasitic infections prevalent in lowland areas, in addition to the higher physical activity observed in lowland women.
Background: The tuberculosis is one the most life-threatening poverty associate diseases affecting one-third of the world population. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the trends of tuberculosis infection, and general health conditions of orphan children in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), Pakistan. Methods: Total 1708 children have enrolled in this a longitudinal study and were screened for tuberculosis through sputum smear and PCR tests. Body Mass Index (BMI), exposure to tuberculosis risk factors was also analyzed for all participants. Results: In 2011, the prevalence of tuberculosis was 3.41%, 1.36%, which was among male and 2.05% among female children. In 2015, we found 1.95% positive tuberculosis cases including 1.12% females and 0.83% males. A significant overall decline in tuberculosis infection was found in four years, p < 0.01. The mean BMI value for male and female children was 21.70 (SD±0.68) and 17.53 (SD±0.72), respectively. Conclusion: In conclusion, malnutrition, unhygienic and crowded living conditions are strong factors contributing to TB infection and serious threat to the orphan children, especially for the females.
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