The technological age has resulted in children spending prolonged hours in front of television (TV) and computer screens (on the Internet). The aim of this prospective cross-sectional study is to determine the effect of this phenomenon on both childhood obesity and low vision in the State of Qatar. A total of 3000 school students aged 6 to 18 years were approached from September 2009 to March 2010 and 2467 (82.2%) students agreed to participate. Face-to-face interviews based on a designed questionnaire were conducted. The highest proportion of obese children were aged between 15-18 years (9.4%; p < 0.001); spent ≥ 3 hours on the Internet (5.6%; p < 0.001), and spent between 5-7 hours or less sleeping (4.1%; p < 0.001). Forty-six (1.9%) children spent ≥ 3 hours/day on the Internet, and were either overweight/obese and had low vision. The study findings confirmed a positive association between obesity and low vision as a result of excessive time spent on the TV view and Internet use.

Background:The Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study has provided a conceptual and methodological framework to quantify and compare the health of populations.Aim:The objective of the study was to assess the national burden of disease in the population of Qatar using the disability-adjusted life year (DALYs) as a measure of disability.Methods:We adapted the methodology described by the World Health Organization for conducting burden of disease to calculate years of life lost due to premature mortality (YLL), years lived with disability (YLD) and disability adjusted life years (DALYs). The study was conducted during the period from November 2011 to October 2012.Results::The study findings revealed that ischemic heart disease (11.8%) and road traffic accidents (10.3%) were the two leading causes of burden of diseases in Qatar in 2010. The burden of diseases among men (222.04) was found three times more than of women's (71.85). Of the total DALYs, 72.7% was due to non fatal health outcomes and 27.3% was due to premature death. For men, chronic diseases like ischemic heart disease (15.7%) and road traffic accidents (13.7%) accounted great burden and an important source of lost years of healthy life. For women, birth asphyxia and birth trauma (12.6%) and abortion (4.6%) were the two leading causes of disease burden.Conclusion::The results of the study have shown that the national health priority areas should cover cardiovascular diseases, road traffic accidents and mental health. The burden of diseases among men was three times of women's.

The aim of this study is to determine whether excessive internet use, television viewing and the ensuing poor lifestyle habits affect low vision in school children in a rapidly developing country. This is a cross-sectional study and 3000 school students aged between six and 18 years were approached and 2467 (82.2%) students participated. Of the studied school children 12.6 percent had low vision. Most of the low vision school children were in the 6-10 years age group and came from middle income backgrounds (41.8%; p = 0.008). A large proportion of the children with low vision spent ≥ 3 hours per day on the internet (48.2%; p< 0.001) and ≥ 3 hours reclining (62.4%; p < 0.001). A significantly smaller frequency of studied children with low vision participated in each of the reviewed forms of physical activity (p < 0.001) yet a larger proportion consumed fast food (86.8%; p < 0.001). Highly significant positive correlations were found between low vision and BMI, hours spent reclining and on the internet respectively. Blurred vision was the most commonly complained of symptom among the studied children (p < 0.001). The current study suggested a strong association between spending prolonged hours on the computer or TV, fast food eating, poor lifestyle habits and low vision.

Objective:The objective of the study was to examine maternal complications that occur during the third trimester and their neonatal outcome in Arab women residing in Qatar.Design:This is a prospective hospital-based study.Setting:The survey was carried out in women's hospital.Materials and Methods:The study was based on the log book of the women's hospital, from which we recruited women in their third trimester of pregnancy between the first week of January 2010 and April 2011. Of the 1 824 Arab women who were approached to participate in the study, 1 432 (78.5%) consented. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with the pregnant women in the third trimester attending routine antenatal clinics at a women's hospital. The questionnaire covered variables related to sociodemographic factors, family history, medical history, maternal complications, and neonatal outcome. Medical records of the patients were referred to collect the clinical variables.Results:Of the pregnant women studied, 39.8% were less than 30 years of age. The risk of maternal complications was higher in housewives (60.8%) and women with a low monthly household income (38.2%). Most of the pregnant women (77.6%) had antenatal care. Normal delivery (69.7%) was more common in expatriate Arab women, whereas caesarean was more prevalent in Qatari women (22.2%). Women aged 35 years or older had a significantly higher risk of maternal complications such as gestational diabetes (20.8% vs 13.4%; P < 0.01), gestational hypertension (21.6% vs 15.2%; P = 0.003), and ante-partum hemorrhage (17.9% vs 13.7%; P = 0.042) than younger women. Gestational diabetes increased the risk of caesarean delivery (25.1%) and macrosomia (42.3%). The frequency of caesarean delivery (22.1%) was higher in women with gestational hypertension. Neonatal complications such as Apgar score (<7) 1 minute (33.1% vs 21.2%; P < 0.001), 5 minutes (13.1% vs 8.2%; P = 0.005), and congenital anomalies (2.9% vs 0.9%; P = 0.007) were significantly higher in newborns of older women. Low birth weight (11.1%) and Apgar 1st minute < 7 rate (28.2%) were higher in newborns of mothers with ante-partum hemorrhage.Conclusion:The study findings revealed that maternal complications such as gestational diabetes, gestational hypertension, ante-partum hemorrhage, and maternal anemia were significantly higher in older pregnant women. Similarly, neonatal complications were higher in the newborns of older women. Gestational hypertension was the leading maternal complication observed in Arab women.

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