Summary A Caspian Littoral Cancer Registry survey in the early 1970s established northern Iran as one of the highest oesophageal cancer incidence regions of the world. To verify this, an oesophageal cancer survey was carried out between 1995 and 1997 in the Turkoman Plain at the southeastern corner of the Caspian Sea. Oesophageal balloon cytology screening was carried out on 4192 asymptomatic adults above age 30 years in one town and three adjoining villages with a total population of 20 392 people at risk. Oesophagoscopy was performed on 183 patients with abnormal cytological findings. The discovery of two asymptomatic small squamous cell cancers and one 'carcinoma-suspect' implied a prevalence ranging from 47.7 per 100 000 to 71.5 per 100 000. During a 1-year active surveillance, 14 patients were found with clinically advanced oesophageal squamous cell cancer, yielding age-standardized incidence rates of 144.09 per 100 000 for men and 48.82 per 100 000 for women. The very high frequency of oesophageal cancer reported for northern Iran 25 years ago stands confirmed. Differences in incidence rates, then and now, can be attributed to survey methods used and diagnostic criteria applied, but not to socioeconomic factors, which have remained relatively stable. Oesophageal balloon cytology is a practical method of mass screening for oesophageal cancer in Iran.

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We observed that adherence to a DASH dietary pattern among patients with COPD was significantly lower compared to the control group. Cough was significantly decreased by increments in adherence to a DASH dietary pattern.

Background: Although several studies have examined the link between different food groups intake and stunting among children, no study, to our knowledge, was done on exceptional children. The aim of this study was assessed the association of dietary intake and stunting in Iranian exceptional children. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 470 exceptional children (226 mentally retarded, 182 deaf and 62 blind children), aged 5-15 years. Height was measured using standard tool. Stunting was defined as heightfor-age z-score of <-1. A validated dietary habit questionnaire was applied to assess dietary intakes. Results: Mean age of children was 10.02 ± 2.04 years. Stunting was prevalent among 50.6% of children. Compared with children in the lowest category of dairy consumption, those in the highest category had lower odds of stunting. This association remained significant even after adjusting for covariates (OR: 0.50, 95% CI: 0.29-0.87). In addition, moderate consumption of egg (1-3 time/wk) was inversely associated with stunting either before or after controlling for potential confounders (OR: 0.36, 95% CI: 0.21-0.64). Such finding was also seen among mentally retarded children (OR: 0.38, 95% CI: 0.16-0.89). No other significant association was seen between intakes of other food groups (including meat, fruits and vegetables) and stunting. Conclusions: We found that higher intake of dairy products and egg was associated with lower risk of stunting. However, intakes of other food groups including meat, fruits and vegetables were not significantly related to stunting.

Athletes usually search for strategies to optimize their performance. Manipulation of carbohydrate (CHO) resources glycemic load in order to optimizing athletic performance provides new research areas in nutritional sport. Purpose of this study is to examine the effects of two isocaloric meals with different glycemic load (GL) on exercise performance and serum free fatty acids. Thirty six non-professional athletic women with ages between 19 and 24 were assigned in a double blinded randomized clinical trial with two period cross-over design. Participants in each group received a high or low GL meal as a breakfast, and 7-day wash out period is determined. serum free fatty acid (FFA) measurements were performed before and after each phase of intervention.3 hour After ingestion of a meal, participants run to exhaustion, in a 20 meters shuttle run pacer. Time to exhaustion (TTE) was recorded as a measure of exercise performance. In an attempt to ensure that subjects run to exhaustion, rating of perceived exertion (RPE) was measured, using a Borg scale, too. The ingestion of a low GL or high GL pre-exercise meal did not lead to different TEE and RPE at 3 hours before exercise in female athletic students. Mean changes of serum FFA were higher in low GL than high GL meal. Consumption of a low GL meal compared with a high GL meal at 3-hr before a shuttle run pacer, was not associated with significant changes in TEE and RPE levels but low GL meal led to more increase serum FFA than high GL.