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Background: Childhood obesity has reached epidemic proportions in developed countries and developing countries are not far behind. This has profound public health consequence as it increases risk of persistent obesity and its complications. Changes in social and physical environment over past years have adversely influenced eating and physical activity behaviour including attitudes and behaviour of parents. The objectives of the study were to assess and compare magnitude of overweight/obesity and its association with dietary and physical activity behaviour.Methods: This cross sectional community based study was conducted in school going children of both sex aged 6-14 years in rural and urban areas of Jammu. Children were assessed for their dietary intake and dietary habits using new USDA multiple pass recall method. Physical activity was assessed using modified global physical activity questionnaire (version 2) and expressed in MET-min/day in different domains. Following anthropometric assessment BMI percentiles were obtained from WHO age and gender specific BMI charts.Results: Of 230 children studied overall overweight/obesity observed was 8.2%. More females than males were overweight and obese. Overweight and obesity was more in urban than rural areas (males: 7.4% vs. 3%, females: 16.9% vs 6.6%). Excess calorie intake, consumption of fast foods, carbonated drinks, food from school canteen and low physical activity were significantly associated with overweight and obesity.Conclusions: Unhealthy dietary practices and low physical activity significantly contribute to obesity in children and adolescents. Health and nutritional education to them and their parents along with facilities for participation in sports and physical education would help tackle the problem.

Background: Nutritional and epidemiological evolution over the past 3 decades has resulted in weight changes. The dramatic rise in childhood obesity is one of its adverse outcomes. Objectives: The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence and socio-demographic correlates of overweight and obesity among school children in the age group of 6-14 years in rural and urban Jammu. Methods: This cross-sectional community-based study was conducted in school going children of both sex aged 6-14 years in rural and urban areas of Jammu region. After explaining the purpose of the study, students were interviewed by the investigator and needful information regarding socio-demographic variables collected. Following the anthropometric assessment, body mass index (BMI) percentiles were obtained from the WHO age and gender-specific BMI charts. Among socio-demographic variables age, gender, residential area, type of school, type of family, education of parents, mother's occupation, family size, and birth order were analyzed for their relationship with overweight and obesity. Results: Of the 230 children surveyed in the age group of 6-14 years, which included 107 from urban and 123 from rural areas, the overall overweight and obesity observed was 8.2%. Conclusion: Sociodemographic and socioeconomic factors affect the nutritional status of children and adolescents. Overnutrition, as one of its adverse outcome, needs to be addressed with priority so as to prevent the pandemic of obesity and its metabolic consequences.

Background: ABO blood group has been associated with various disease phenotypes, particularly cardiovascular disease. Abnormal autonomic response also plays a role in cardiac morbidity. Increasing attention is being focused on the role of autonomic nervous system in health and disease. The literature lacks data on the association of blood groups and cardiac autonomic function. The aim of the study was to find out the association between different blood groups and cardiovascular autonomic functions in young adults.Methods: 150 healthy young students of MMU aged 18-25 years, divided into four groups based on ABO blood grouping, determined by agglutination test (group A, group B, group O and group AB). Various autonomic function tests done were lying to standing test, Valsalva maneuver, Hand grip test (HGT) and Cold pressor test (CPT).Results: The mean baseline heart rate was significantly higher in group O as compared to group A. No parasympathetic alteration between different ABO blood groups was seen. Blood pressure response to HGT and CPT was not statistically significant between different blood groups.Conclusions: Present study revealed no alteration in cardiac autonomic function with regards to ABO blood grouping in young adults.

Background: Acute liver failure (ALF) is a rare but severe, life-threatening, multisystemic medical emergency. ALF of duration <8 weeks in a patient is considered as fulminant hepatic failure (FHF). Its rapid progression and high mortality demand early diagnosis and expert management. Clinical and etiological profile varies with geographical area and time. The objective of this prospective study was to determine the clinical characteristics and etiological profile of FHF.Methods: A total of eighty consecutive patients with a diagnosis of FHF were included in the study. The variables evaluated were demographic, signs and symptoms, biochemical parameters (bilirubin, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), prothrombin time (PT), internal normalization ratio (INR) etc.) and etiological profile.Results: Most of the patients were <35 years of age and males. Viral hepatitis 35 (43.8%) was the most common cause of FHF but the majority of the patients 25 (31.2%) had undetermined etiology. Among viral causes, acute hepatitis E was most common followed by hepatitis B and A. Drug or toxic induced liver failure (18.8%) also contributed a significant proportion of cases. The three groups (viral, drug-induced and indeterminate) were comparable for the various baseline characteristics (bilirubin, alanine aminotransferase, INR, creatinine, albumin, grade of encephalopathy, MELD score etc.).Conclusions: Like the rest of India, viral hepatitis was the common cause of FHF but the majority of the patients 25 (31.2%) had undetermined etiology. Our study highlights the differences in the profile of FHF from other earlier studies in India and the west. Each different etiology leads to a similar final common pathway. Trying to determine etiology is essential, however, as outcomes and the use of antidotes depend on the identification of the causative process.