Background: Exceeded weight during the first 1000 days of life can lead to adulthood obesity and health-related problems. In the present study, we aimed to find the prevalence of overweight and obesity and their related demographic factors in the first year of life in Yazd. Methods: In a cross-sectional study, recorded data of 600 infants were collected from health records of eight health centers of Yazd city using the cluster sampling method. Demographic data and socioeconomic status of the family, breastfeeding duration, and birth order were used. Anthropometrics, including height and weight were interpreted by the categorization developed by WHO as length for age and weight for age. P-value < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: The prevalence of overweight and obesity was estimated at 7.3% and 3.5%, respectively. No significant differences were observed between boys (n = 307) and girls (n = 300)
(P = 0.15) for weight, while girls had insignificant lower weight (g) (3028.87 ± 496.30 for girls and 3173.72 ± 456.61 for boys). Among different possible determinants, birth order was associated with body mass index status
(P = 0.04). Conclusions: A relatively high prevalence of overweight and obesity was observed among infants under one year of age. Although only the order of birth was observed as a related factor, other controllable factors should be considered and monitored by parents and the healthcare system. Further studies are suggested to investigate the related controllable factors.

Background: Preeclampsia is a serious hypertensive condition of pregnancy associated with high maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. In this study, the effect of selenium supplementation on the incidence and severity of preeclampsia in pregnant women was evaluated. Methods: The present double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel study was registered at Fatemieh Hospital of Hamadan, Iran. One hundred eighty women in the first trimesters of pregnancy were assigned to either selenium (SG, n = 90) or placebo (PG, n = 90) groups. SG and PG received 100 μg of selenium supplement or placebo per day, respectively. Results: In this study, no significant difference was observed between two groups in terms of age, body mass index, and serum selenium before the intervention (P > 0.05). The incidence of preeclampsia in the SG and PG was 9 and 5, respectively (P = 0.28). There was no statistically significant difference between sex and Apgar score of neonates in the two groups (P = 0.73). The mean birth weight, systolic and diastolic blood pressure in the SG was significantly higher than PG (P = 0.003, 0.01, and 0.007, respectively). The mean gestational age in the SG was insignificantly lower than the PG (P = 0.41). After the study, preeclampsia incidence was not significant between the groups (P = 0.28). Conclusion: The administration of 100 μg of selenium supplementation in pregnant women, had no effect on decreasing preeclampsia, but it may reduce the severity of preeclampsia.

 

Shift work in services and industry is increasing in developing countries, especially industrialized ones, due to the need for a flexible workforce and to achieve maximum efficiency. Shift working can cause problems for people's health and bodily functions. This study aims to determine the relationship between dietary intake, obesity, and shift working among employees of Pasargad Petrochemical Company. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted on 119 employees within the age range of 25-60 years and an average body mass index (BMI) of 25.67. Their food intakes were extracted using Food Frequency Questionnaires. Data analysis was performed through STATA data analysis software. Results: 119 male participants with a mean age of 33.62 ±7.12 year were included in the study, of whom 64.7% were non-shift workers and 35.3% were shift workers. The daily calorie intake of the participants was 2864.54 ± 1184.43 kcal. Although non-shift workers consumed a higher but insignificant amount of energy, no statistical differences were found in dietary intake between shift workers and non-shift workers (P<0.05). Furthermore, multiple linear regressions regarding shift work did not have a significant effect on BMI and waist circumference. Conclusion: Although no statistically significant relationship was found between food intake and shift work, it is suggested that future studies be conducted with a larger sample size because of the importance of shift work

Normal-weight obesity (NWO), defined as normal body mass index (BMI) but high body fat, is related to chronic health conditions. This study aims to assess the prevalence of NWO and some possible relationships with dietary factors in an Iranian population. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on the participants of the Employees Health Cohort Study, Shiraz, Iran. Based on the anthropometric assessments, participants were categorized into three groups: Normal-weight non-obese, NWO, and Overweight/Obese. NWO was defined as having a normal BMI but high body fat. Body fat was assessed by bioelectrical impedance analysis. Then, a 116-item semi-quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) was used to obtain food intake. Dietary factors included energy intake, macro-nutrients intake, frequency of meals, fried and grilled foods’ consumption, and salt intake. Results: Overall, 1038 participants (513 men and 525 women) were studied with a mean age of 41.04±6.98. 35.9% had normal weight and 63.0% were overweight or obese according to BMI criteria. Based on WHO criteria, the prevalence of NWO was 21.68% and 26.63% among men and women, respectively. Women were more likely to have excess body fat compared with men (P<0.001). Moreover, no significant relationship was observed between any dietary factor and NWO. Conclusions: NWO was prevalent among university employees, and no relationship was observed between dietary factors and NWO. Considering the high cardio-metabolic risk of this condition, it needs further attention.