Browsing by Author "Lausevic, Dragan (26647640900)"

Background: Health inequalities may begin during childhood. The aim of this study was to investigate the main effect of poverty and its interactive effect with gender on children's blood pressure. Methods: The study was performed in two elementary schools from a rural region near Podgorica, the capital of Montenegro. A questionnaire including questions on family monthly income, children's physical activity and the consumption of junk food was self-administered by parents of 434 children (223 boys and 211 girls) aged 6-13 years. Children's poverty level was assessed using the recommendations from the National Study on Poverty in Montenegro. Children's body weight and height were measured and body mass index-for-gender-and-age percentile was calculated. An oscillometric monitor was used for measurement of children's resting blood pressure in school. Results: A two-factorial analysis of variance with body mass index percentile, physical activity and junk food as covariates showed an interaction of gender and poverty on children's blood pressure, pointing to synergy between poverty and female gender, with statistical significance for raised diastolic pressure (F = 5.462; P = 0.021). Neither physical activity nor the consumption of junk food explained the interactive effect of poverty and gender on blood pressure. Conclusion: We show that poverty is linked to elevated blood pressure for girls but not boys, and this effect is statistically significant for diastolic pressure. The results are discussed in the light of gender differences in stress and coping that are endemic to poverty. © The Author 2013.

Background: Newly emerging Western style economic systems provide new opportunities to study the prevalence and predictors of childhood obesity. We also provide for the first time a national study of childhood obesity using all three international anthropometric criteria. Methods: The sample included 4097 Montenegrin children, 2076 boys (50.7%) and 2021 girls. Anthropometric measurements were performed in school. The questionnaire for parents included questions on 24 potential contributing factors for childhood obesity. Nutritional status was assessed according to World Health Organization, US Center for Disease Prevention and Control and International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) criteria. Results: Overall percentage of Montenegrin children who are overweight or obese (IOTF) is 22.9% of which 5.3% are obese (7.0% boys vs. 3.5% girls). We found 10 factors to be independently associated with child obesity. Positive relations [odds ratio (95% confidence interval)] were found with maternal obesity [2.05 (1.68-2.51)], paternal obesity [1.67 (1.32-2.10)], paternal employment [1.40 (1.12-1.74)], maternal smoking [1.32 (1.08-1.61)], obesity at birth [1.33 (1.04-1.70)] and computer game playing [per hour - 1.11 (1.00-1.24)]. Negative relations were found with female gender [0.64 (0.53-0.78)], the number of siblings [0.88 (0.78-0.98)], birth order [0.73 (0.64-0.83)] and age [0.92 (0.88-0.98)]. Conclusion: One out of four Montenegrin children is overweight, with two times more frequent obesity among boys compared with girls. Some previously salient predictors did not appear salient in this sample. To enable worldwide comparability, we propose the use of all three childhood obesity criteria in national studies. © 2015 The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association.