Risk factors may differ in the adolescents from rural and urban areas. It is important in overweight and obese children to assess the family history of cardiovascular disease, blood pressure and blood glucose, to ask about the habit of regularly breakfasting, and to evaluate time spent on computer/TV. As in urban areas, environmental regulations also become important in rural areas. Appropriate social activities for children to spent more time outdoor, e.g. in parks or playgrounds, are important in urban as well as in rural areas.

IntroductionThe objective was to assess the validity of self-reported body weight and height and the possible influence of self-perception of body mass index (BMI) status on the actual BMI during the adolescent period.Material and methodsThis cross sectional study was conducted on 3918 high school students. Accurate BMI perception occurred when the student’s self-perception of their BMI status did not differ from their actual BMI based on measured height and weight. Agreement between the measured and self-reported body height and weight and BMI values was determined using the Bland-Altman metod. To determine the effects of “a good level of agreement”, hierarchical logistic regression models were used.ResultsAmong male students who reported their BMI in the normal region, 2.8% were measured as overweight while 0.6% of them were measured as obese. For females in the same group, these percentages were 1.3% and 0.4% respectively. Among male students who perceived their BMI in the normal region, 8.5% were measured as overweight while 0.4% of them were measured as obese. For females these percentages were 25.6% and 1.8% respectively. According to logistic regression analysis, residence and accurate BMI perception were significantly associated with “good agreement” (p ≤ 0.001).ConclusionsThe results of this study demonstrated that in determining obesity and overweight statuses, non-accurate weight perception is a potential risk for students.

It was aimed to evaluate the problematic use of mobile phones and quality of sleep among high school students. This is a cross-sectional study carried out on 1,131 high school students studying at Sivrihisar, a district of Eskisehir, in December 2012. The questionnaire form include the sociodemographic characteristics, problematic use of mobile phones and quality of sleep. BianchiPhillips problematic use of mobile phones (PUMP) scale and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used. Median score of PUMP was higher in students using cigarette, using headphones, having a lover and changing the mobile phone frequently (p<0.05 for each). Quality of sleep was found to decline with increasing median scores on PUMP scale. Results of the present study suggest that problematic use of mobile phones declines the quality of life among high school students from Sivrihisar. Adolescents and their family should be informed about use of mobile phones.

The aim of the present study was to determine reproductive health outcomes of seasonal agricultural female workers in rural areas of Eskisehir, Turkey, and to compare such identified outcomes with the country-wide data. Methods: Data in respect of this cross-sectional study were collected during a field visit in July 2012. The study group was formed by all of the distribution camps located in rural areas of Eskisehir. Each tent was considered as a domestic dwelling and the census method was used. First, a household questionnaire about sociodemographic characteristics was administered. The '15-49 year old married women questionnaire' was applied only if there was a married woman in the household in the age range of 15-49 years. The said questionnaire comprised information on marriage, childbirth and family planning. The 2008 Turkey Demographic and Health Survey was utilized for the comparison between the data attained from the rural sample and those of the general population. Results: A total of 192 married women aged 15-49 years, inhabiting the 133 tents, were included in the study group. The mean age at first marriage and at first pregnancy were significantly lower in the female seasonal agricultural workers compared to the general Turkish population. Compared with the overall Turkish population, the crude birth rate and general fertility rate of the female seasonal agricultural workers were 2.5 times higher whereas the total fertility rate was 3.9 times higher and the completed fertility rate 2.3 times higher. With the exception of the 45-49 year age group, the age-specific fertility rates were 2-24 times higher. Female seasonal agricultural workers have higher fertility rates than the general population. Conclusions: According to the results of the present study, reproductive and maternal health status is significantly lower in female seasonal agricultural workers compared to the general Turkish population. There is a need towards multidisciplinary approaches in order for the provision of improved maternal and reproductive health status and outcomes for this group of disadvantaged women in