Smoking patterns of 205 male patients were examined over a period of eight years after a primary myocardial infarction. Smoking data from their wives at one year after the heart attack were also examined. A marked, persistent reduction in smoking was found among the men. Smoking patterns of wives remained essentially unchanged. Smoking patterns before the heart attack were not related to demographic variables, except for the association between smokernonsmoker status and social status measures. Conceptions of susceptibility, threat, and power of prevention Few studies of smoking behavior have reported on populations which achieved a twofold objective: elimination or marked reduction of smoking, and maintenance ofthis behavior change over an extended period. In experiments on changing health-related behavior, it often has been noted that prevention-oriented approaches are extremely difficult and that long-term successes are not easily achieved. Prevention efforts in such areas as caries reduction, hypertension, diet control in heart disease and in anti-smoking campaigns bear ample witness to this. [1][2][3][4] Recently, however, some degree of success in altering smoking behavior has been noted in a number of studies of post-cardiac patients. [5][6][7][8] In this paper we report on a study population of male cardiac patients whose level of smoking as a group was reduced and remained at a lower level eight or nine years after a primary myocardial infarction. In addition, we present data on the smoking patterns ofa population ofwomen-the wives of these patients-at one year following the first heart attack. The purposes are: a) to describe the smoking patterns of the patients over time; b) to examine the smoking patterns of the two groups at one year following the attack; c) to report on an exploration of social, demographic, and personality variables in relation to smoking behavior; and d) to view the long-term smoking patterns in terms of some conceptual notions employed in existing theoretical frameworks and hypotheses developed for explaining preventive health behavior.9-12Address reprint requests to Dr. Sydney H. Croog, Professor, Department of Behavioral Sciences and Community Health, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT 06032. This paper, submitted to the Journal November 24, 1976, was revised and accepted for publication March 3, 1977. drawn from theoretical models on preventive health behavior were employed for analysis. High proportions of husbands and wives reported belief in smoking as important in the etiology of the heart attack, and in possibilities of prevention. Specific beliefs concerning threat, susceptibility, and prevention were not found to be related to the massive drop in smoking behavior among the men nor to stability in pattern among the wives. Alternative explanations are reviewed. (Am J.Public Health 67: [921][922][923][924][925][926][927][928][929][930] 1977) Motivations for changes in smoking pattern have been the object of a massive effort of empirica...
ObjectiveTo document the prevalence of overweight, obesity and thinness in 9–10 year old children in Mauritius.Methods412 boys and 429 girls aged 9–10 years from 23 primary schools were selected using stratified cluster random sampling. All data was cross-sectional and collected via anthropometry and self-administered questionnaire. Outcome measures were BMI (kg/m2), prevalence of overweight, obesity (International Obesity Task Force definitions) and thinness (low BMI for age). Linear and logistic regression analyses, accounting for clustering at the school level, were used to assess associations between gender, ethnicity, school location, and school's academic performance (average) to each outcome measure.ResultsThe distribution of BMI was marginally skewed with a more pronounced positive tail in the girls. Median BMI was 15.6 kg/m2 in boys and 15.4 kg/m2 in girls, respectively. In boys, prevalence of overweight was 15.8% (95% CI: 12.6, 19.6), prevalence of obesity 4.9% (95% CI: 3.2, 7.4) and prevalence of thinness 12.4% (95% CI: 9.5, 15.9). Among girls, 18.9% (95% CI: 15.5, 22.9) were overweight, 5.1% (95% CI: 3.4, 7.7) were obese and 13.1% (95% CI: 10.2, 16.6) were thin. Urban children had a slightly higher mean BMI than rural children (0.5 kg/m2, 95% CI: 0.01, 1.00) and were nearly twice as likely to be obese (6.7% vs. 4.0%; adjusted odds ratio 1.6; 95% CI: 0.9, 3.5). Creole children were less likely to be classified as thin compared to Indian children (adjusted odds ratio 0.3, 95% CI: 0.2, 0.6).ConclusionMauritius is currently in the midst of nutritional transition with both a high prevalence of overweight and thinness in children aged 9–10 years. The coexistence of children representing opposite sides of the energy balance equation presents a unique challenge for policy and interventions. Further exploration is needed to understand the specific causes of the double burden of malnutrition and to make appropriate policy recommendations.
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