Obesity is a significant public health concern affecting more than half a billion people worldwide. Obesity rise is not only limited to developed countries, but to developing nations as well. This paper aims to compare the mean body mass index trends in the World Health Organisation- (WHO-) categorised regions since 1980 to 2008 and secondly to appraise how socioeconomic disparities can lead to differences in obesity and physical activity level across developing nations. Taking into account past and current BMI trends, it is anticipated that obesity will continue to take a significant ascent, as observed by the sharp increase from 1999 to 2008. Gender differences in BMI will continue to be as apparent, that is, women showing a higher BMI trend than men. In the coming years, the maximum mean BMI in more developed countries might be exceeded by those in less developed ones. Rather than focusing on obesity at the individual level, the immediate environment of the obese individual to broader socioeconomic contexts should be targeted. Most importantly, incentives at several organisational levels, the media, and educational institutions along with changes in food policies will need to be provided to low-income populations.
<p>With the advent of e-learning, advocates use the term interactivity instead of interaction among students, and between the teacher and the students. Many universities use Moodle for online teaching and learning. This paper explores the perceptions and experiences of students in three Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Mauritius. A mixed-methods approach was used, with an online survey questionnaire administered to 600 students and focus group discussions were conducted with 15 students from these institutions. It was found that 68.4% of respondents used WhatsApp compared to only 23.6% of them who used the e-learning platform, Moodle. There were no associations between the use or frequency of using WhatsApp or Facebook and the types of HEI to which the students belonged. Students preferred WhatsApp due to its facility for knowledge sharing and construction, its interactivity, its usability, respect for privacy and instant communication. From the findings, it is recommended that HEIs bring a shift in their approaches to teaching and learning from cognitivism to socio-constructivism, connectivism and heutagogy.</p>
This review focuses on the potential drawbacks of using body mass index (BMI) which are often overlooked in the assessment of overweight or obesity risk, with special emphasis on the use of other equally important anthropometric measurements such as waist circumference (WC), waist-hip-ratio (WHR) and skin-fold thicknesses. There have been inconsistencies in findings when using BMI as an indicator of obesity risk. These have arisen mainly due to gender, age and ethnic differences in body fat composition and distribution coupled with increased reliance on self-reported values of weight and height. Since BMI remains the most widely used tool to screen obesity risk in many studies, establishment of gender-, age- and ethnicity-based cut-offs of BMI, tailored to specific populations, will significantly enhance public health policies and increase the success rates of obesity intervention programs. The use of other anthropometric measures such as WC and WHR in conjunction with BMI is also highly recommended to assess abdominal obesity or other body-specific areas.
Background: Although many health disparities arise as a result of socioeconomic inequalities, less is known about the diet quality of women after menopause. The present study aimed to determine the factors affecting food habits and body mass index (BMI) among premenopausal and post-menopausal Mauritian working women. Methods: The study was conducted as a cross-sectional survey in different workplaces located in the nine districts of Mauritius. Mauritian women (n = 400; 215 premenopausal, 185 post-menopausal) were recruited using stratified random sampling. Participants completed a self-reported questionnaire comprising a food frequency questionnaire previously constructed and used to address dietary guidelines that assess the intake of vegetables, fruits, dairy products, cereals, high-and low-fat protein sources, fats and sweetened beverages, as well as questions aiming to elicit socioeconomic profile, menopausal status, physical activity level and demographic data. Height, weight, waist and hip circumferences were measured. An independent sample t-test, chi-squared test and one-way analysis of variance were used for the statistical analyses. Results: The mean dietary guideline score was significantly higher for postmenopausal than premenopausal women, (P = 0.017). Each socioeconomic status (SES) category of post-menopausal women also demonstrated a higher dietary guideline score than that of premenopausal women (P > 0.05). A high BMI was significantly associated with a low SES of participants (P = 0.042) and post-menopausal stage (P = 0.001). Conclusions: Low SES and post-menopausal stage are risk factors for obesity among female workers in Mauritius. Although post-menopausal women ate a better diet, their mean BMI was higher than that of premenopausal women.
Background The study objective was to assess potential correlates of sun protection behaviors among melanoma survivors. Methods Participants were 441 melanoma survivors recruited from three health centers and a state cancer registry in the United States. Sun protection behaviors (sunscreen, shade, protective shirts, and hats) were assessed through an online survey, as were potential correlates (demographic, melanoma risk, knowledge and beliefs, psychological and social influence factors). Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted. Results Correlates of sun protection behaviors included education, skin cancer risk factors, melanoma knowledge and beliefs, melanoma worry and distress, physician recommendation for sun protection, injunctive norms, and pro-protection beliefs (e.g., perceived barriers, self-efficacy). Conclusions Future efforts to improve sun safety among melanoma survivors may benefit from targeting individuals with lower education levels, and addressing sun protection social influence, barriers, and self-efficacy.
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