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Abstract Background Information on the distribution of Metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its combinations by urban/rural areas in lower-middle income countries has been limited. It is not clear how the various combinations of MetS components varied by urban/rural population and if particular combinations of MetS are more common. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of MetS and combinations of MetS components according to sex and urban/rural areas from a nationally representative sample of Thai adults. Methods Data from the fourth National Health Examination Survey of 19,256 Thai adults aged 20 years and over were analyzed. MetS was defined using the harmonized criteria of six international expert groups with Asian-specific cut-point for waist circumference. Results The prevalence of MetS was 23.2% among adults aged ≥ 20 years (19.5% in men and 26.8% in women). Among men, the prevalence of MetS in urban was higher than those in rural areas (23.1% vs 17.9%, P < 0.05), but among women, the prevalence was higher in rural areas (27.9% vs 24.5%, P < 0.05). Overall, an individual component of low high density lipoprotein (HDL) and hypertriglyceridemia were more common in rural areas, while obesity, high blood pressure and hyperglycemia were more common in urban areas. The most common combination of MetS components in men was the clustering of low HDL, hypertriglyceridemia, and high blood pressure (urban: 3.4% vs. rural: 3.9%, adjusted OR 0.9, 95%CI 0.7, 1.1). Among women, the most common combination was the clustering of obesity, low HDL, and hypertriglyceridemia (urban: 3.9% vs rural: 5.9%, adjusted OR 0.8, 95%CI 0.6, 0.9), followed by the clustering of these three components with high blood pressure (urban: 3.1% vs. rural 4.5%, adjusted OR 0.8, 95%CI 0.7, 0.9). Conclusion Metabolic syndrome affects both urban and rural population with different pattern of MetS combinations. Dyslipidemia and obesity were the most common components among women in rural areas, hence, interventions to prevent and control these factors should be strengthened.

Background: HIV-related stigma and discrimination is a significant driver of the HIV and AIDS epidemic. UNAIDS encourages all nations to monitor progress toward elimination of this problem. This study measured the level of stigmatizing attitudes toward people living with HIV (PLHIV) among Thai adults in the general population using recommended global tools. Methods: Data from the 5th National Health Examination Survey, conducted in 2014 were used. The survey utilized six questions recommended by the Global Stigma and Discrimination Indicator Working Group and was administered to participants aged 20–59 years old. All analyses were weighted to take into account of the probability of sampling the same-age Thai population. Factors related to a discriminatory attitude according to UNAIDS, defined as agreed to at least one of the two discriminatory issues, were evaluated using Chi square tested and multivariable logistic regression. Results: Of the 10,522 respondents, the most prevalent stigmatizing attitude was anticipated stigma (76.9%), followed by perceived stigma (69.2%), fear of HIV infection (57.0%), and social judgment (38.2%). Fifty-eight point six percent had discriminatory attitudes according to the UNAIDS global indicator. Independent predictors were being female (AOR = 1.21: 95% CI 1.14–1.29), aged 20–39 (AOR = 1.19: 95% CI 1.09–1.30) or 50–59 (AOR = 1.18: 95%CI 1.12–1.26), being Muslim (AOR = 2.03: 95%CI 1.55–2.66), earning < 10,000 Baht/month (AOR = 0.93: 95%CI 0.88–0.99), and living in the Northeast (AOR = 1.67: 95%CI 1.39–2.00) or in Bangkok (AOR = 1.73: 95%CI 1.45–2.07). Conclusions: More than half of the general adult Thai population had stigmatizing attitudes toward PLHIV. The study provided valuable baseline information which could be used as comparison for follow-up surveys with other countries. Interventions to improve Thai society’s knowledge and attitudes toward HIV/AIDS are urgently needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to compare the health-related behaviours and risk of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) between Muslims and non-Muslims in Thailand, a predominantly Buddhist country in which Muslims are the second largest religious group. Data from the fourth Thai National Health Examination Survey (NHES IV) conducted in 2009 were used to run multivariate survey logistic regression models with adjustment for age, gender and socio-economic status indicators. Data from 20,450 respondents, of whom 807 (3.9%) were Muslims, were included in the study. Muslims were significantly more likely to have daily consumption of deep-fried food (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 1.35; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.15−1.58) and packaged snacks (adjusted OR = 1.55; 95% CI = 1.30−1.86), and have inadequate control of hypercholesterolemia (adjusted OR = 2.95; 95% CI = 1.30−6.68). In conclusion, we found disparity in the majority of risk factors for NCDs between Muslim and non-Muslim Thais. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Examine intakes of energy and macronutrients, and identify their food sources, in Thai preschool children., Material and Method: Data from the Thai National Health Examination Survey (NHES) IV were used. Mothers/caregivers were interviewed regarding their children's 24-hour-dietary intake. Dietary data were analyzed for energy and macronutrients, and their food sources were investigated. Due to skewed data, Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare energy and macronutrient intake between sexes and age groups., Results: Among 256 preschool children, more than 90% had protein intakes higher than the recommended level. Only 12.7 to 29.0% met the recommended intake for energy. Amounts of carbohydrate and fat consumed varied from below to above the Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) recommendation. Intakes of carbohydrate in boys and fat in girls were statistically different between age groups (p < 0.05). Fifty to 60% of energy came from dairy products, grains and starchy products. The major carbohydrate contributors were grains and starchy products. Dairy products were the main source of protein. Important food sources of fat were dairy products for one- to three-year-old children and fat and oils for four- to five-year-old children., Conclusion: Thai preschool children have inappropriate intakes of energy and macronutrients. Dairy products and grains and/or starchy products were the main sources of energy, carbohydrate, and protein. Dietary fat sources varied by age group.

Objective: To describe characteristics and determinants of Thailand's declining birth rate using national representative survey data., Material and Method: The Fourth National Health Examination Survey was conducted between 2008 and 2009. Four stages of stratified probability samples, proportionate to size, were used to represent the whole Thai population. Information from women aged 35 to 59 years old was included in the analysis. Curve estimation was used to characterize the correlation between the number of children ever born and the age of married and un-married women. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to identify predictors of having fewer than two children among ever married women., Results: Of all 4120 women, the number of children decreased sharply among the oldest women aged 45 to 59 years old, decreased less sharply for women younger than 45 years of age, reached the lowest level at the age of 37 and 38 years old, and then increased minimally among the younger women surveyed. Among those who were ever married (n = 3,761), the independent predictors of having one or no child instead of having two or more children were aged 45 to 49 compared to 50 to 59 years old (OR = 1.66; 95% CI = 1.37-2.00), age 35 to 44 compared to 50 to 59 years old (OR = 1.39; 95% CI = 1.16-1.68), living in households with wealth index level 3 compared to level 1 (OR = 1.28; 95% CI = 1.01-1.63), urban residence (OR = 1.33; 95% CI = 1.14-1.57), attaining secondary school education (OR = 1.35; 95% CI = 1.11-1.64), and having junior college diploma or higher level of education compared to elementary or no education (OR = 1.81; 95% CI = 1.39-2.34)., Conclusion: Birth rate of Thai women declined steeply in the past then less steeply, and might have begun to rise minimally in recent years. Younger age, living in an urban area, and having higher socioeconomic status were predictors of having fewer than two children.

Objective: To estimate daily intake of sodium and examine the relation of socio-demographic factors with sodium intake exceeding the recommendations., Material and Method: Data from the Thai National Health Examination Survey IV (NHES IV) conducted during 2008-2009 were used. The 24-hour-dietary-recall data were available for a subsample of 10% of the total participants. All food and beverage data were analyzed for amount of total daily sodium intake for each person. In statistical analyses, descriptive statistics were employed to describe participants' characteristics, quantities of dietary sodium and percentages of participants noncompliant with daily sodium intake recommendations. Logistic regression was used to examine socio-demographic determinants of sodium intake exceeding the recommendations., Results: 2,969 participants participated in this study. Sodium intake varied by socio-demographics. Percentages of participants non-compliant with sodium intake recommendations ranged from 75.3 (> or = 1,500 mg) to 52.0 (> or = 2,400 mg) for those aged < 16 years and from 86.3 (> or = 1,500 mg) to 67.6 (2,400 mg) for those aged > or = 16 years. In the younger group, age and region were key determinants of consuming sodium exceeding all recommendations. Having family income between 5,000 and < 10,000 baht/month was significantly associated with sodium intake exceeding recommendation targets. In the older group, being female and increasing age reduced a risk of non-compliance with some recommendations; oppositely, region and residential area participants lived significantly, increased non-compliant risk., Conclusion: Most participants consumed dietary sodium exceeding current recommendations. Effective programs to reduce sodium intake in Thais are critical.

Objective: To compare four nutritional screening tools--the Short Form Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA-SF), the Nutrition Risk Classification (NRC), the Malnutrition Screening Tool (MST), and the Nutrition Risk Score (NRS)--in the prediction of post-operative infectious and wound complications in elderly patients undergoing abdominal surgery., Patients and Method: During the nine-month period from April 2002 to December 2002 nutritional screening was performed on 190 patients aged 60 years or over who underwent major abdominal surgery. Each patient was classified as either at risk or not at risk of malnutrition. This classification, for each screening tool, was tested for association with the occurrence of post-operative infectious and wound complications. Each screening tool was calculated and compared under the area of Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve., Result and Conclusion: The NRC classification was the best prediction for the occurrence of post-operative infectious and wound complications in elderly surgical patients.