Browsing by Author "Jorga, Jagoda (6602324495)"

The aim of this study was to compare demographic, clinical and biochemical characteristics, including inflammatory markers, according to the nutritional status of patients with verified atherosclerotic disease. This cross-sectional study involved 1045 consecutive patients with verified carotid disease or peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Anthropometric parameters and data on cardiovascular risk factors and therapy for hypertension and hyperlipidemia were collected for all participants. Carotid disease was positively and PAD was negatively associated with body mass index (BMI). Negative association between obesity and PAD was significant only in former smokers, not in current smokers or in patients who never smoked. Overweight and general obesity were significantly related to metabolic syndrome (p < 0.001), lower values of high - density lipoprotein cholesterol (p < 0.001), increased triglycerides (p < 0.001), hyperglycemia (p < 0.001), self-reported diabetes (p < 0.001), hypertension (p < 0.001), high serum uric acid (p < 0.001), increased high sensitivity C-reactive protein (p = 0.020) and former smoking (p = 0.005) after adjustment for age, gender and type of disease. Antihypertensive therapy seems to be less effective in patients who are overweight and obese. In conclusion, overweight and general obesity were significantly related to several cardiovascular risk factors. © 2019 Society of Medical Biochemists of Serbia and Montenegro.

The aim of this study was to compare demographic, clinical and biochemical characteristics, including inflammatory markers, according to the nutritional status of patients with verified atherosclerotic disease. This cross-sectional study involved 1045 consecutive patients with verified carotid disease or peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Anthropometric parameters and data on cardiovascular risk factors and therapy for hypertension and hyperlipidemia were collected for all participants. Carotid disease was positively and PAD was negatively associated with body mass index (BMI). Negative association between obesity and PAD was significant only in former smokers, not in current smokers or in patients who never smoked. Overweight and general obesity were significantly related to metabolic syndrome (p < 0.001), lower values of high - density lipoprotein cholesterol (p < 0.001), increased triglycerides (p < 0.001), hyperglycemia (p < 0.001), self-reported diabetes (p < 0.001), hypertension (p < 0.001), high serum uric acid (p < 0.001), increased high sensitivity C-reactive protein (p = 0.020) and former smoking (p = 0.005) after adjustment for age, gender and type of disease. Antihypertensive therapy seems to be less effective in patients who are overweight and obese. In conclusion, overweight and general obesity were significantly related to several cardiovascular risk factors. © 2019 Society of Medical Biochemists of Serbia and Montenegro.

Eating disorders are considered chronic diseases of civilization. The most studied and well known are anorexia and bulimia nervosa. Anorexia is considered one of the most common psychiatric problems of girls in puberty and adolescence. Due to high mortality and morbidity as well as the increasing expansion of these diseases, it is clear why the amount of research on these diseases is growing worldwide. Eating disorders lead to numerous medical complications, mostly due to late diagnosis.The main characteristic of these diseases is changed behavior in the nutrition, either as an intentional restriction of food, i.e. extreme dieting, or overeating, i.e. binge eating. Extreme dieting, skipping meals, self-induced vomiting, excessive exercise, and misuse of laxatives and diuretics for the purpose of maintaining or reducing body weight are characteristic forms of compensatory behavior of patients with eating disorder. The most appropriate course of treatment is determined by evaluating the patient's health condition, associated with behavior and eating habits, the experience of one's own body, character traits of personality, and consequently the development and functioning of the individual.The final treatment plan is individual. Eating disorders are a growing medical problem even in this part of the world. Prevention should be planned in cooperation with different sectors so as to stop the epidemic of these diseases.

Previous studies conducted in Yugoslavia indicated that the concentration of selenium in soil, food items, and serum of the population is very low. The aim of the study was to investigate the possible relationship among environmental, health-related habits, nutrition, and selenium serum levels in cancer patients and the healthy population. The case-control study included a group of cancer patients and a matched group of healthy controls: 57 cancer patients and 41 healthy controls living in Stari Grad (an urban area of Belgrade), as well as 17 cancer patients and 13 healthy controls living in Barajevo (a rural community in the vicinity of Belgrade). The healthy controls were matched to cancer patients in sex and age; they were not blood related. The selenium serum levels were measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Health-related habits and relevant dietary factors ('food frequency' method) that may influence the selenium serum levels were assessed by questionnaires. The differences in average values of selenium serum levels between the cancer patients and healthy controls were not significantly different, but both were below the lowest recorded in referential studies. A significant difference between the values obtained from urban and rural subgroups was noted. The most important factors that influenced the level of selenium included the residence place in the region with selenium deficiency (Barajevo), age, associated chronic diseases, and some dietary factors potentially related to the intake of selenium. The results obtained in this investigation pointed out that use of selenium supplementation in this area should be seriously considered.

Previous studies conducted in Yugoslavia indicated that the concentration of selenium in soil, food items, and serum of the population is very low. The aim of the study was to investigate the possible relationship among environmental, health-related habits, nutrition, and selenium serum levels in cancer patients and the healthy population. The case-control study included a group of cancer patients and a matched group of healthy controls: 57 cancer patients and 41 healthy controls living in Stari Grad (an urban area of Belgrade), as well as 17 cancer patients and 13 healthy controls living in Barajevo (a rural community in the vicinity of Belgrade). The healthy controls were matched to cancer patients in sex and age; they were not blood related. The selenium serum levels were measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Health-related habits and relevant dietary factors ('food frequency' method) that may influence the selenium serum levels were assessed by questionnaires. The differences in average values of selenium serum levels between the cancer patients and healthy controls were not significantly different, but both were below the lowest recorded in referential studies. A significant difference between the values obtained from urban and rural subgroups was noted. The most important factors that influenced the level of selenium included the residence place in the region with selenium deficiency (Barajevo), age, associated chronic diseases, and some dietary factors potentially related to the intake of selenium. The results obtained in this investigation pointed out that use of selenium supplementation in this area should be seriously considered.

Objective: As Eastern European countries adopt Anglo-American ideals of body size, it can be predicted that body dissatisfaction (a core feature of the eating disorders) will be similar to that observed in western cultures. The objective of the present investigation is to compare adolescent males and females in urban schools of two countries (Scotland and Yugoslavia) as part of an ongoing longitudinal study of BMI, body satisfaction, well-being and eating pathology. Method: 625 adolescents had their BMI recorded and completed a series of questionnaires measuring body satisfaction, depression, anxiety and eating pathology. Results: Significant differences emerged as a function of gender in both countries and as a function of country. Girls reported significantly higher levels of body dissatisfaction than boys and scored highermon measures of restrained eating. However, eating pathology, depression and anxiety were higher in the Scottish cohort in general, and in the Scottish girls in particular. Similarly, self-esteem was lower in the Scottish cohort and was particularly low in the girls. Discussion: Overall, body dissatisfaction appears to be a normative experience despite normal weight status for girls in both countries. However, risk factors for developing eating disorders appear higher in the western cohort. Results from the longitudinal assessments will highlight whether this trend is maintained over time. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.

Objective: As Eastern European countries adopt Anglo-American ideals of body size, it can be predicted that body dissatisfaction (a core feature of the eating disorders) will be similar to that observed in western cultures. The objective of the present investigation is to compare adolescent males and females in urban schools of two countries (Scotland and Yugoslavia) as part of an ongoing longitudinal study of BMI, body satisfaction, well-being and eating pathology. Method: 625 adolescents had their BMI recorded and completed a series of questionnaires measuring body satisfaction, depression, anxiety and eating pathology. Results: Significant differences emerged as a function of gender in both countries and as a function of country. Girls reported significantly higher levels of body dissatisfaction than boys and scored highermon measures of restrained eating. However, eating pathology, depression and anxiety were higher in the Scottish cohort in general, and in the Scottish girls in particular. Similarly, self-esteem was lower in the Scottish cohort and was particularly low in the girls. Discussion: Overall, body dissatisfaction appears to be a normative experience despite normal weight status for girls in both countries. However, risk factors for developing eating disorders appear higher in the western cohort. Results from the longitudinal assessments will highlight whether this trend is maintained over time. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is associated with increased risk of carotid atherosclerosis. Aim: To estimate the frequency of MetS in patients with symptomatic carotid atherosclerotic disease, and to compare clinical, biochemical and ultrasonographic characteristics of patients with and without MetS. Material and methods: Cross-sectional study of 657 consecutive patients (412 males) with symptomatic carotid atherosclerotic disease. Carotid atherosclerosis was estimated by high resolution B-mode ultrasonography. National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) III criteria were used for estimation of MetS. Results: Metabolic syndrome was present in 55.6% of studied patients. Among patients with metabolic syndrome there was a significantly higher proportion of women, and mean values of body weight, body mass index, waist circumference, percentage of body fat, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, serum triglycerides, total cholesterol and glucose were significantly higher. Mean values of high density lipoprotein cholesterol and alcohol consumption were significantly lower in patients with MetS. No differences between patients with or without MetS, were observed for age, smoking, mean values of low density lipoprotein cholesterol, high sensitive C-reactive protein and fibrinogen, and for degree of carotid stenosis or severity of clinical manifestations. Conclusion: Half of these patients with carotid stenosis have features of the metabolic syndrome.

Background and objectives: The effectiveness of short-term focused educational programs to change health behaviors across large populations seems to be poorly described so far. The main aim of the present study was to evaluate an age-specific 45-min educational program, designed in accordance with the current U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture dietary guidelines and physical activity (PA) guidelines, among adolescents and adults. Materials and Methods: We evaluated the health-promoting lifestyle habits by the Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile (HPLP-II) at baseline and following 6–8 weeks post-education in a nationally representative sample of Serbian adolescents and adults (n = 3822). Results: The percentage of adolescents eating 3–5 servings of vegetables per day increased at follow-up (20.1% versus 23.1%, p = 0.001), with significantly more adolescents regularly reading food labels (from 12.2% at baseline to 14.2% at follow-up; p = 0.02). Taken together, mean HPLP-II scores in adolescents significantly improved for both diet (0.05 points; p < 0.0001) and PA (0.09 points; p < 0.0001), and for PA in adults (0.08 points; p < 0.0001). Hierarchical multiple regression analysis revealed that our model as a whole (including time of testing as a predictor variable, and age and gender as control variables) explained 3.0% of the variance in mean HPLP-II scores for diet (p = 0.942) and 3.0% for PA (p = 0.285) in adolescents, and 1.1% of the variance in HPLP-II scores for diet (p = 0.781) and 1.9% for PA (p = 0.075) in adults, respectively. Conclusions: It appears that a brief focused education can positively tackle unhealthy lifestyles in promoting good health in general population. Different modes of interactive communication used here appeared to strengthen participants’ capacities for lifestyle changes. © 2019 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

Background and aims: Silhouettes is self-reported measure of body image used as a method for estimating: current size, desired size and a discrepancy score, which is often used as a measure of body dissatisfaction. Several studies have looked at patients' perceptions of their weight and the accuracy of their impressions. The aim of the study was to find out if the discrepancies in silhouettes rating could be matched with weight loss goals projected by BMI, obtained both in patients and doctors. Methods: The silhouettes method was tested on 179 obese and overweight patients in out-patient dietetic unit and simultaneously in obese patients seeking treatment and their physicians. Results: The study has demonstrated that the magnitude of projected weight loss is very high, especially in female patients who expected their BMI after weight loss program to fit into normal range. Obese men projected their target BMI towards overweight cut-off point. Besides being very high in female patients, expected weight loss appeared to be much higher in patients in general in comparison to their physicians. Conclusion: The silhouette approach proved to be an accurate method for estimating nutritional status both when used by patients and physicians, and a useful easy-to-use tool during weight loss treatment. ©2010, Editrice Kurtis.

Introduction: Eating disorders indicate unhealthy habits in nutrition and/or behaviour in the feeding and maintaining of body weight. The main characteristic of these diseases is changed behaviour in nutrition, either as an intentional restriction of food, namely extreme dieting or overeating, i.e. binge eating. Extreme dieting, skipping meals, self-induced vomiting, excessive exercise, and misuse of laxatives and diuretics for the purpose of maintaining or reducing body weight are the forms of compensatory behaviour. Objective: The purpose of the present research was to determine the presence of different inappropriate compensatory behaviours among eating disordered patients. Methods: The experimental group included 35 female eating disordered patients of 23.02±3.46 years on average, with anorexia or bulimia nervosa. The control group consisted of 70 girls aged 23.1±3.0 years on average. Each participant completed a "24-hour Recall Questionnaire" and the "Eating Disorder Diagnostic Scale". Results: A high statistically significant difference existed in the presence of all compensatory behaviours in the experimental and control group, regarding vomiting (χ2=40.6; p<0.001), misuse of laxatives and diuretics (χ2=33.7; p<0.001), extreme dieting (χ2=23.4; p<0.001) and excessive exercising (χ2=27.1; p<0.001). Conclusion: Eating disordered patients showed a significantly higher incidence of all evaluated forms of compensatory behaviour in comparison with the control group. This report confirms the presence of specific symptomatology of anorexia and bulimia patients.

Introduction Obesity, particularly visceral obesity, is considered one of major risk factors for cardiovascular events. Objectives The aim of the present study was to investigate relationship between abdominal obesity and other cardiovascular risk factors. Methods The cross-sectional study involved 657 consecutive patients with verified carotid atherosclerosis. Carotid atherosclerosis was estimated by high resolution B-mode ultrasonography. Abdominal obesity was defined as waist circumference >102 cm in men and >88 cm in women. Results Abdominal obesity was present in 324 (49.3%) participants. Multivariate analyses showed that abdominal obesity was significantly positively associated with female sex, increased Baecke's Work Index of physical activity at work, years of school completed <12, metabolic syndrome, increased triglycerides, hyperglycemia and high serum uric acid. Smoking, alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, hypertension, increased total cholesterol, increased HDL and LDL cholesterols, increased high sensitive C-reactive protein, increased fibrinogen, anti-lipid therapy and anti-diabetic therapy were not significantly related to abdominal obesity. Conclusion Abdominal obesity among patients with symptomatic carotid disease is significantly related to other cardiovascular risk factors, especially metabolic syndrome, metabolic syndrome components and high level of serum uric acid.

The aim of the study was to estimate the prevalence of metabolic syndrome among 388 patients with peripheral arterial disease, to determine the relationship between the number of metabolic syndrome components (metabolic syndrome score) and the degree of established and some of the emerging vascular risk factors, and to estimate whether there was any relationship of metabolic syndrome score and other vascular risk factors with the severity of peripheral arterial disease clinical manifestations. Metabolic syndrome was present in 59.8% of the patients with peripheral arterial disease. All metabolic syndrome components were significantly related to metabolic syndrome score. The same was true for the body weight, body mass index, percentage of body fat, total cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio, uric acid, and percentage of patients with high-sensitivity C-reactive protein. The metabolic syndrome score was also significantly, but inversely, related to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and smoking. The degree of peripheral arterial disease clinical manifestations was not related to metabolic syndrome score, but gangrene was significantly positively associated with increased fasting glucose, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, and lower education.

Introduction: Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is a severe atherosclerotic condition. The relationship between various risk factors and severity of PAD, measured by Ankle Brachial Index (ABI), has been the subject of a relatively small number of studies. Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate whether there was any relationship between severity of PAD, expressed as ABI, and anthropometric, clinical and biochemical characteristics of patients, including inflammatory markers. Methods: The cross-sectional study, involving 388 consecutive patients with verified PAD, was performed at the Dedinje Vascular Surgery Clinic in Belgrade. The diagnosis of PAD was defined by Doppler sonography as ABI<0.9, and by symptoms. Data on cardiovascular risk factors, anthropometric parameters, clinical and biochemical characteristics were collected for all participants. In the analysis, χ2 test, t-test and multivariate logistic regressions were used. Results: According to the results of multivariate analysis (the model of which included age, percentage of body fat, average value of uric acid, high sensitivity C-reactive protein - hsCRP ≥3 mg/L, fibrinogen ≥4 g/L, Baecke index of physical activity at work and Baecke index of leisure-time physical activity), the patients with more severe form of peripheral arterial disease (ABI≤0.40) had more frequently increased high sensitivity C-reactive protein (p=0.002), lower Baecke index of physical activity at work (p=0.050) and lower Baecke index of leisure-time physical activity (p=0.024). Average value of body fat was significantly higher in the patients with a less severe form of disease (p=0.006). Conclusion: According to the results obtained, the increased values of hsCRP and physical inactivity are associated with a more severe form of PAD (ABI≤0.40).

Introduction Cardiovascular diseases, especially heart disease and stroke are the cause of more than a half of the total number of deaths in Serbia. Objectives The aim of the present study was to determine sex differences of atherosclerotic risk factors in patients with symptomatic carotid disease. Methods The cross-sectional study, involving 657 consecutive patients with verified carotid atherosclerotic disease, was performed in Belgrade, Serbia. Sex differences of anthropometric parameters and atherosclerotic risk factors were analyzed by means of the univariate logistic regression. Results In comparison with men, lower education and physical inactivity were significantly more frequent in women, and the frequency of metabolic syndrome (MetS), lower high-density cholesterol, abdominal obesity, body mass index ≥30.0 kg/m2, hypercholesterolemia and depression were also significantly higher in women. Smoking and high serum uric acid level were significantly more frequent in men than in women. Women had significantly higher number of MetS components per person, but there were no significant sex differences in the number of other risk factors. Out of all observed risk factors, including MetS components, physical inactivity and hypertension were most frequent in both sexes followed by ever smoking and low education in men and low education and dyslipidemia in women. Conclusion There were significant sex differences in the distribution of some atherosclerotic risk factors, but not in their number per person. Only the number of MetS components was significantly higher in women.

Objective Thinness is rarely highlighted or regularly monitored among children in developed countries although it may be rather frequent and pose a significant risk to children's health. We aimed to describe the prevalence of mild, moderate and severe thinness among young Serbian schoolchildren. Design Cross-sectional study of schoolchildren aged 6-9 years. Children were assessed for weight, height and BMI as part of the WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative in Serbia. Thinness grades were defined as gender- and age-specific cut-offs for BMI according to the International Obesity Task Force criteria. Setting Serbia, September to November 2015. Subjects Students (n 4861) in grades 2 and 3 (6-9 years, 2397 girls). Results Overall prevalence of thinness in Serbian schoolchildren was 9·6 %. Mild thinness was clearly the largest category with a prevalence of 7·6 %, moderate thinness was present in 1·7 % of children and severe thinness was found in 0·3 % of children. OR indicated a significant risk of being thin for girls (1·44 times higher compared with boys) and children attending schools with no health-focused educational programme (1·57 times more likely to be thin than peers enrolled in schools with such programmes). In addition, OR for thinness tended to be 1·23 times higher in children living in an economically disadvantaged region of Serbia (P=0·06). Conclusions A rather high prevalence of thinness highlights this malnutrition disorder as an emerging health issue that should trigger public health policies to tackle thinness, especially in girls of young age and children living in economically disadvantaged areas. Copyright © The Authors 2017.

Objective Thinness is rarely highlighted or regularly monitored among children in developed countries although it may be rather frequent and pose a significant risk to children's health. We aimed to describe the prevalence of mild, moderate and severe thinness among young Serbian schoolchildren. Design Cross-sectional study of schoolchildren aged 6-9 years. Children were assessed for weight, height and BMI as part of the WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative in Serbia. Thinness grades were defined as gender- and age-specific cut-offs for BMI according to the International Obesity Task Force criteria. Setting Serbia, September to November 2015. Subjects Students (n 4861) in grades 2 and 3 (6-9 years, 2397 girls). Results Overall prevalence of thinness in Serbian schoolchildren was 9·6 %. Mild thinness was clearly the largest category with a prevalence of 7·6 %, moderate thinness was present in 1·7 % of children and severe thinness was found in 0·3 % of children. OR indicated a significant risk of being thin for girls (1·44 times higher compared with boys) and children attending schools with no health-focused educational programme (1·57 times more likely to be thin than peers enrolled in schools with such programmes). In addition, OR for thinness tended to be 1·23 times higher in children living in an economically disadvantaged region of Serbia (P=0·06). Conclusions A rather high prevalence of thinness highlights this malnutrition disorder as an emerging health issue that should trigger public health policies to tackle thinness, especially in girls of young age and children living in economically disadvantaged areas. Copyright © The Authors 2017.

The World Health Organization (WHO) European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI) is a public health program established in order to understand the progress of the obesity epidemic in young populations and gain inter-country comparisons within the European region, yet the data from a number of East European countries, including Serbia, were not available then. Therefore, the main aim of this cross-sectional study was to collect data about the prevalence of overweight and obesity among 6-9-year-old school children in Serbia according to the standardized protocol during the Fourth COSI Implementation Round. From September 2015 to November 2015, 5102 first- and second-grade primary-school children (age 7.7±0.6 years) were assessed for weight, height, and body mass index (BMI) in 14 Serbian school districts. The prevalence rates of obesity, as calculated using the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) cut-off points, vary across different age groups, with the lowest obesity rates reported in 7-year-old boys (6.2%), while the highest obesity prevalence rates were observed in 6-year-old boys (9.7%). In addition, being overweight was strongly associated with poor local community development and lower level of urbanization. The overall prevalence of overweight (23.1%, including obesity) and obesity (6.9%) in Serbian primary-school children seem to be comparable to rather high rates previously reported in other countries participating in the COSI program, indicating an obesity epidemic in Serbian children. This surveillance system should be regularly implemented throughout Europe, providing comparable data on rates of overweight/obesity in primary schools that might drive prudent actions to reverse the pandemic trend of childhood obesity. © 2016 2016 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston.

The World Health Organization (WHO) European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI) is a public health program established in order to understand the progress of the obesity epidemic in young populations and gain inter-country comparisons within the European region, yet the data from a number of East European countries, including Serbia, were not available then. Therefore, the main aim of this cross-sectional study was to collect data about the prevalence of overweight and obesity among 6-9-year-old school children in Serbia according to the standardized protocol during the Fourth COSI Implementation Round. From September 2015 to November 2015, 5102 first- and second-grade primary-school children (age 7.7±0.6 years) were assessed for weight, height, and body mass index (BMI) in 14 Serbian school districts. The prevalence rates of obesity, as calculated using the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) cut-off points, vary across different age groups, with the lowest obesity rates reported in 7-year-old boys (6.2%), while the highest obesity prevalence rates were observed in 6-year-old boys (9.7%). In addition, being overweight was strongly associated with poor local community development and lower level of urbanization. The overall prevalence of overweight (23.1%, including obesity) and obesity (6.9%) in Serbian primary-school children seem to be comparable to rather high rates previously reported in other countries participating in the COSI program, indicating an obesity epidemic in Serbian children. This surveillance system should be regularly implemented throughout Europe, providing comparable data on rates of overweight/obesity in primary schools that might drive prudent actions to reverse the pandemic trend of childhood obesity. © 2016 2016 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston.