From classical epidemiological research to health policy formulation: contribution of Kaunas-Rotterdam Intervention Study. (41/357)

The aim of the article is to review the contribution of WHO coordinated Kaunas-Rotterdam Intervention Study (KRIS) to the development of epidemiological research in cardiovascular and other noncommunicable diseases at Kaunas University of Medicine and in Lithuania at large. KRIS impact on broadening international collaboration with and through WHO at Kaunas University of Medicine and Lithuania at large is presented. KRIS contribution to the development of scientific basis for cardiovascular risk assessment as well as backing-up the concept of integrated prevention of noncommunicable diseases is highlighted. Its role as a bridging agent between research, education and public health development in Lithuania as well as internationally is being discussed. The road that KRIS experience based team underwent from executors of classical epidemiological studies to generation of new concepts in noncommunicable disease prevention as well as contribution to national health policy formulation is presented.  (+info)

Trends in main cardiovascular risk factors among middle-aged Kaunas population between 1983 and 2002. (42/357)

OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY: To evaluate dynamics in prevalence of main risk factors of cardiovascular diseases among middle-aged Kaunas population between 1993 and 2002. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Four independent surveys in 1983-1984, 1986-1987, 1992-1993, and 2001-2002 were carried out in random samples of men and women aged 35-64 involving 2413, 1762, 1231 and 1403 persons respectively. The risk factors were defined within the framework of the WHO MONICA study (Multinational Monitoring of Trends and Determinants in Cardiovascular Disease). RESULTS: During the 19 years the mean values of systolic blood pressure decreased among men. Among women decreased both mean values of systolic and diastolic blood pressure, however the prevalence of hypertension has decreased only among women by 11.9%, with no significant changes among men. The prevalence of overweight decreased among men, and the prevalence of obesity declined among women. Among women the body mass index decreased as well. No changes in the prevalence of hypercholesterolemia among men (80.7%) as well as among women (82.7%) have been detected, meanwhile the mean of total cholesterol among men increased from 5.9 mmol/l to 6.1 mmol/l and among women - from 6.09 mmol/l to 6.31 mmol/l (p<0.001). The prevalence of smoking has increased by 7.2% among women and didn't change among men. IN CONCLUSION: The decreasing trends in the prevalence of some risk factors have been estimated in Kaunas middle-aged population during 1983-2002 years. However the profile of cardiovascular disease risk factors is still rather high. Programs or strategies targeted to control levels of main cardiovascular disease risk factors are urgently needed.  (+info)

Overweight and increased blood pressure in preschool-aged children. (43/357)

This paper presents the data on height, weight, body mass index, systolic and diastolic blood pressure of 3-7 year old children. A sample of preschoolers (n=1441) was drawn from the kindergartens in Kaunas city (Lithuania). The 5 ( th ), 10 ( th ), 50 ( th ), 90 ( th ) and 95 ( th ) percentiles were estimated for studied variables and the criteria for the overweight and increased blood pressure were calculated. It was shown that body mass index could be used as an indicator of the child's physical development. Its value 14-18 kg/m ( 2 ) indicates an optimal child's growing, value < or = 14 kg/m ( 2 ) - the underweight, value > or =18 kg/m ( 2 ) - the overweight. According to these criteria it was found that 7.4% of 3-7 year old children were underweight, 5.8% overweight. Increased blood pressure (over 90 ( th ) percentile of systolic or/and diastolic blood pressure) had 21.4% of examined children. The prevalence of increased blood pressure was significantly higher in obese than in normal weight children. We conclude that the significant prevalence of childhood overweight and increased blood pressure emerge in preschool aged children. Thus, we recommend investigations of prevention and intervention programs to be used in the preschool setting.  (+info)

Morbidity and mortality from the major cardiovascular diseases in Kaunas population from 1983 to 2002. (44/357)

THE AIM of the present study was to evaluate the trends in morbidity and mortality from ischemic heart disease and stroke in Kaunas population aged 25-64 years from 1983 to 2002. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The source of data is the official mortality statistics and Kaunas population-based ischemic heart disease and stroke registers. The methods used for the data collection were those applied by the WHO MONICA project. The object - all permanent residents of Kaunas aged 25-64 years who died from ischemic heart disease and stroke in 1983-2002 and experienced ischemic heart disease or stroke in 1983-2000. The age-standardized rates were calculated by the direct method and using the Segi's World and European population as a standard. Trends were analyzed using the method of linear regression on logarithms of the age-standardized annual rates. RESULTS: During 1983 to 2000, the morbidity from acute myocardial infarction among Kaunas men aged 25-64 years decreased by 0.8%/yr. (p=0.08), and during 1986-2000, the morbidity from stroke among men of the same age was without significant changes (-0.4%/yr., p=0.5). Among women, both the morbidity from acute myocardial infarction (1.6%/yr., p=0.006) and the morbidity from stroke (2.9%/yr., p=0.000002) rates among women increased statistically significantly. During 1983 to 2002, the mortality rates from acute myocardial infarction and stroke decreased statistically significantly among both men and women: among men - by 2.2%/yr., p=0.003, and by 2.9%/yr., p=0.004, respectively; among women - by 2.6%/yr., p=0.005, and by 3.2%/yr., p=0.002, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The morbidity of acute myocardial infarction and stroke remained without significant changes among Kaunas men aged 25-64 years, while it increased statistically significantly among women of the same age during the last two decades. Among both men and women the mortality rates from both ischemic heart disease and stroke decreased significantly from 1983 to 2002.  (+info)

Prevalence of dyslipidemias among Lithuanian rural population (CINDI program). (45/357)

The aim of this study is to describe trends in serum total, low and high density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides and nutrition habits in Lithuanian rural population between 1987 and 1999. The article presents the data of three screenings of random samples of the population aged 25-64 of five Lithuanian rural regions. Since 1987 the prevalence of hypercholesterolemia has decreased. The greatest decrease was observed in the proportion of persons with elevated level of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. The prevalence of low level of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol decreased more significantly among women compared to men. The most remarkable changes in the prevalence of dyslipidemias were observed between 1993 and 1999. The increasing age was strongly correlated with higher prevalence of hypercholesterolemia in both genders. The prevalence of hypercholesterolemia was higher among men with higher education, overweight, hypertension and smokers than among those with low education, normal weight, normal level of blood pressure and nonsmokers. In women hypercholesterolemia was associated only with hypertension. The nutrition habits of Lithuanian rural population have changed, especially over the last five years. The consumption of animal fat has decreased and the usage of vegetable oil and margarine has increased. Women increased consumption of vegetables and fruits. The strengthening of favorable trends in nutrition habits in Lithuanian population should be one of the most important strategies in the implementation of cardiovascular disease prevention programs.  (+info)

The prevalence of overweight and obesity in relation to social and behavioral factors (Lithuanian health behavior monitoring). (46/357)

The aim of the study is to estimate the trends in the prevalence of overweight and obesity among Lithuanian adult population and to examine the association of social and health behavior factors with overweight and obesity. Since 1994 five cross-sectional surveys have been conducted among adult population aged 20-64 within the international FINBALT HEALTH MONITOR project. An independent national random sample of 3000 inhabitants of Lithuania was drawn from National Population Register for each survey. The data were collected through mailed questionnaires (covering sociodemographic characteristics, health behaviors, and self-reported height and weight). Overweight was defined as BMI>25 kg/m ( 2 ) and obesity - as BMI>30 kg/m ( 2 ). In 2002 the overall prevalence of obesity was 16% and the prevalence of overweight - 49.1%. Since 1994 both indicators have increased in men while in women the prevalence of overweight has decreased. The prevalence of obesity and overweight increased with age. Obesity and overweight were least prevalent among the highly educated women, but most prevalent among the highly educated men. Women living in cities were less obese and overweight than those living in towns and villages. Obesity and overweight were less prevalent among daily smokers and physically active persons. Women drinking beer at least once a week were less obese and overweight than those who consumed beer more rarely. There was no consistent association between nutrition habits and the prevalence of obesity and overweight. The National obesity control program aimed at promotion of healthy nutrition and physical activity should be elaborated in order to decrease the prevalence of obesity and overweight in Lithuanian population.  (+info)

Age-related maculopathy and consumption of fresh vegetables and fruits in urban elderly. (47/357)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the rate of age-related maculopathy among elderly males and females in relation to frequency of consumption of fresh vegetables and fruit. During ophthalmological investigation of Kaunas city inhabitants aged 65-74 years (240 males and 206 females) age-related maculopathy (early and late) was determined for 22.1% of males and 20.4% of females. Frequency of usage of fresh (uncooked) vegetables and fruits in winter-spring and in summer-autumn seasons by investigated persons was determined, using food frequency questionnaire. In this work an association between age-related maculopathy and usage of vegetables and fruits has been investigated in 170 males and 181 females aged 65-74 years without diabetes who never smoked; age-related maculopathy was found for 18.8% of males and 17.7% of females. Obtained data have demonstrated an inverse association between consumption of vegetables during winter-spring season and age-related maculopathy: usage of vegetables two times a week or more versus usage less than two times a week decreases prevalence of age-related maculopathy 2.0 times among males (OR=0.42; 95% CI 0.18-1.0; p=0.05) and 2.2 times among females (OR=0.37; 95% CI 0.15-0.9; p=0.02). Data have demonstrated a tendency that increasing consumption of fresh vegetables and fruits during both seasons can reduce risk of age-related maculopathy among females. In conclusion, characteristic for Lithuanian urban elderly rare usage of fresh vegetables during winter-spring season can increase risk of age-related maculopathy independently from other risk factors.  (+info)

Low job control and myocardial infarction risk in the occupational categories of Kaunas men, Lithuania. (48/357)

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To determine the association between adverse psychosocial characteristics at work and risk of first myocardial infarction in the occupational categories of Kaunas men, Lithuania. DESIGN: The analysis was based upon a case-control study among full time working men in the general population of Kaunas. OUTCOME MEASURE: First non-fatal myocardial infarction diagnosed in 2001-2002. The Swedish version of the demand-control questionnaire was used to examine the effect of job control and demands. SETTING: Kaunas, the second largest city in Lithuania, a former socialist country in a transition market economy. PARTICIPANTS: Cases were 203 men 25-64 years of age with a first non-fatal myocardial infarction and controls were 287 men group randomly selected from the study base. MAIN RESULTS: Low job control had a significant effect on myocardial infarction risk in the general 25-64 year old Kaunas male population (OR = 2.68; 95% CI 1.68 to 4.28) after adjustment for age and socioeconomic status. Low job control was a risk factor in the occupational categories of the increased myocardial infarction risk (1st occupational category--legislators, senior officials and managers and the 8th--plant and machine operators and assemblers; OR = 2.78; 95% CI 1.31 to 5.93 and 2.72; 95% CI 1.56 to 4.89, respectively, after adjustment for age and socioeconomic status). Though the adjusted odds ratio estimates were significantly high for the rest of the occupational categories (2nd--professionals, 3rd--technicians and associate professionals, and 7th--craft and related trades workers). CONCLUSIONS: The association between low job control and first myocardial infarction risk was significant for all occupational categories of Kaunas men.  (+info)