Weight-preoccupation, personality and depression in university students : an interactionist perspective

The present research was designed to examine Beck's (1983; 1987) cognitive diathesis-stress model of depression in a new context. Specifically, this cross-sectional study investigated whether Beck's cognitive-personality traits of sociotropy and autonomy interacted with a specific daily hassle/stressor, weightpreoccupation, in the prediction of depressed mood in women and men. Weightpreoccupation was chosen as the particular daily stressor, because, according to Kanner, Coyne, Schaeffer, and Lazarus (1981). concern about weight and physical appearance were two of the most troublesome daily hassles among university students. ContraIy to current stereotypes, men also express concerns with weight and appearance (Cash, Winstead, &, landi, 1986), in both the direction of weight loss and weight/muscle gain (Drewnowski &, Yee, 1987). Thus, unique to this study was the examination of weight-preoccupation in men, not only in the direction of weight loss, but also in the direction of weight and muscle gain. Two hundred and fifty-one undergraduates were administered the revised SociotropyAutonomy Scale (SAS), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDij, the Hassles and Uplifts Scale, the Eating Disorders Inventory (EDI), and the Restraint Scale (RS). Through a process of model building, a final model was devised in which depression (ie., BDI total scores) was regressed on personality (Le., SAS Sociotropy) and weight-preoccupation (i.e., Drive for Thinness, Body Dissatisfaction, and the Restraint Scale). Separate hierarchical multiple regression analyses, with BDI as the dependent variable, were carried out for each of the 2 3 weight-preoccupation variables. Results revealed a specific congruent interaction between weight,..preoccupation and personality. Specifically, drive for thinness and body dissatisfaction interacted with sociotropy to predict depressed mood in both women and men, but the interaction between sociotropy and the Restraint Scale was marginal. Findings suggested that weight-preoccupied women and men experienced depressed mood to the extent that they were characterized as more highly sociotropic. As predicted, personality (i.e., sociotropy), moderated the relationship between daily stress (i.e., weight-preoccupation) and depression. Thus, results revealed that the proposed diathesis-stress model seemed to operate in the same manner for women and men. Moreover, the examination of weightpreoccupation among men (i.e., in the direction of both weight loss and weight/muscle gain) further revealed that, when curvilinearity was taken into account, highly sociotropic men, who had a low desire to gain weight and muscle mass (i.e., most likely those who desired to lose weight), experienced higher levels of depressed mood than those who had a "medium" desire for weight and muscle gain. However, the highest levels of depressed mood was experienced by highly sociotropic men who were highly weight-preoccupied in the direction of wanting to gain weight and muscle mass. In addition, possible reasons for the present fmdings, as wen as iimitations and impiicalions for future research are discussed.

Soil-Transmitted Helminth Infections and Nutritional Status in School-age Children from Rural Communities in Honduras

Background: Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections are endemic in Honduras and efforts are underway to decrease their transmission. However, current evidence is lacking in regards to their prevalence, intensity and their impact on children’s health. Objectives: To evaluate the prevalence and intensity of STH infections and their association with nutritional status in a sample of Honduran children. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was done among school-age children residing in rural communities in Honduras, in 2011. Demographic data was obtained, hemoglobin and protein concentrations were determined in blood samples and STH infections investigated in single-stool samples by Kato-Katz. Anthropometric measurements were taken to calculate heightfor- age (HAZ), BMI-for-age (BAZ) and weight-for-age (WAZ) to determine stunting, thinness and underweight, respectively. Results: Among 320 children studied (48% girls, aged 7–14 years, mean 9.7661.4) an overall STH prevalence of 72.5% was found. Children .10 years of age were generally more infected than 7–10 year-olds (p = 0.015). Prevalence was 30%, 67% and 16% for Ascaris, Trichuris and hookworms, respectively. Moderate-to-heavy infections as well as polyparasitism were common among the infected children (36% and 44%, respectively). Polyparasitism was four times more likely to occur in children attending schools with absent or annual deworming schedules than in pupils attending schools deworming twice a year (p,0.001). Stunting was observed in 5.6% of children and it was associated with increasing age. Also, 2.2% of studied children were thin, 1.3% underweight and 2.2% had anemia. Moderate-to-heavy infections and polyparasitism were significantly associated with decreased values in WAZ and marginally associated with decreased values in HAZ. Conclusions: STH infections remain a public health concern in Honduras and despite current efforts were highly prevalent in the studied community. The role of multiparasite STH infections in undermining children’s nutritional status warrants more research.

Soil-Transmitted Helminths, Poverty, and Malnutrition in Honduran Children Living in Remote Rural Communities

Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections are endemic in Honduras, but their prevalence according to the levels of poverty in the population has not been examined. The present cross-sectional study is aimed to determine the role of different levels of poverty in STH prevalence and infection intensity as well as the potential associations of STH infections with malnutrition and anemia. Research participants were children attending a medical brigade serving remote communities in Northern Honduras in June 2014. Demographic data were obtained, and poverty levels were determined using the unsatisfied basic needs method. STH infections were investigated by the Kato-Katz method; hemoglobin concentrations were determined with the HemoCue system; and stunting, thinness, and underweight were determined by anthropometry. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and univariate and multivariable logistic regression models. Among 130 children who participated in this study, a high prevalence (69.2%) of parasitism was found and the poorest children were significantly more infected than those living in less poor communities (79.6% vs. 61.8%; P = 0.030). Prevalence rates of Trichuris trichiura, Ascaris lumbricoides, and hookworms were 69.2%, 12.3%, and 3.85%, respectively. In total, 69% of children had anemia and 30% were stunted. Households’ earthen floor and lack of latrines were associated with infection. Greater efforts should be made to reduce STH prevalence and improve overall childhood health, in particular, among the poorest children lacking the basic necessities of life.