Background: The use of anthropometric indices is one of the new and low-cost diagnostic methods of metabolic syndrome (MetS). The present study aimed to determine optimal cutoff points for the visceral adiposity index (VAI), body roundness index (BRI), and a body shape index (ABSI) in the prediction of MetS. Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 10,000 individuals aged from 35 to 65 years, recruited in Ravansar Non-Communicable Diseases (RaNCD) cohort study, in the west region of Iran, in 2019. MetS was defined according to International Diabetes Federation (IDF) criteria. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to assess predictive anthropometric indices and determine optimal cutoff values. Results: The optimal cutoff points for VAI were 4.11 (AUC: 0.82; 95% CI: 0.81– 0.84) in men and 4.28 (AUC: 0.86; 95% CI: 0.85– 0.87) in women to prediction of MetS. The optimal cutoff points for BRI were 4.75 (AUC: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.74– 0.77) in men and 6.17 (AUC: 0.62; 95% CI: 0.61– 0.64) in women to prediction of MetS. The optimal cutoff points for ABSI were 0.12 (AUC: 0.49; 95% CI: 0.47– 0.51) in men and 0.13 (AUC: 0.49; 95% CI: 0.47– 0.51) in women to prediction of MetS. The risk of MetS in men and women with a VAI higher than the optimal cutoff point was, respectively, 9.82 and 11.44 times higher than that in those with a VAI lower than the cutoff point. Conclusion: Although VAI might not be very cost-beneficial compared to IDF, our study showed VAI is a better predictor of MetS than BRI in adults. ABSI was not a suitable predictor for MetS.

Background: Drug use can lead to several psychological, medical and social complications. The current study aimed to measure and decomposes socioeconomic-related inequalities in drug use among adults in Iran. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study The PERSIAN Cohort is the largest and most important cohort among 18 distinct areas of Iran. This study was conducted on 130,570 adults 35 years and older. A structured questionnaire was applied to collect data. The concentration index (C) was used to quantify and decompose socioeconomic inequalities in drug use. Results: The prevalence experience of drug use was 11.9%. The estimated C for drug use was − 0.021. The corresponding value of the C for women and men were − 0.171 and − 0.134, respectively. The negative values of the C suggest that drug use is more concentrated among the population with low socioeconomic status in Iran (p < 0.001). For women, socioeconomic status (SES) (26.37%), province residence (− 22.38%) and age (9.76%) had the most significant contribution to socioeconomic inequality in drug use, respectively. For men, SES (80.04%), smoking (32.04%) and alcohol consumption (− 12.37%) were the main contributors to socioeconomic inequality in drug use. Conclusions: Our study indicated that drug use prevention programs in Iran should focus on socioeconomically disadvantaged population. Our finding could be useful for health policy maker to design and implement effective preventative programs to protect Iranian population against the drug use.

OBJECTIVES: Unhealthy dietary patterns are the most important changeable risk factors for breast cancer. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between dietary patterns and the risk of breast cancer among under-50 year women in the west of Iran.METHODS: All women under 50 years old with pathologically confirmed breast cancer between 2013 and 2015 who were referred to oncology clinics in the west of Iran, and 408 under-50 women referred to other outpatient clinics who were without breast or other cancers at the time of the study and 2 years later were selected as the control group. The data were collected using the middle-aged periodical care form of the Iranian Ministry of Health and analyzed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression in Stata.RESULTS: The most powerful risk factor for breast cancer was fried foods; the odds ratio of consuming fried foods more than once a month for breast cancer was 4.5 (95% confidence interval, 2.1 to 9.4). A dose-response model indicated that increasing vegetable and fruit consumption up to 90 servings per month decreased the odds of breast cancer, but consuming more than 90 servings per month increased the risk.CONCLUSIONS: Inadequate consumption of vegetables and consumption of soft drinks, industrially produced juices, fried foods, and sweets were identified as risk factors for breast cancer. In response to these findings, it is necessary to raise awareness and to provide education about healthy diets and the need to change unhealthy dietary patterns.

Background: Smoking is the most preventable cause of most chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease (CVD). Dyslipidemia is also an important risk factor for CVD. Yet, research has provided contradicting findings regarding the association between smoking and blood lipids. This paper examines the relationship between dyslipidemia and smoking based on the results of a cross-sectional sample of a Kurdish population in western Iran. Methods: This population-based study was derived from the recruitment phase of Ravansar Non-Communicable Disease (RaNCD) cohort study. Logistic regression model adjusted by confounding variables was used to determine the relationship between smoking and blood lipid components. In addition, dose-response relationship between blood lipids and the number of smoked cigarettes was evaluated. Results: For the purpose of this study, 7586 participants were examined. The lifetime prevalence of smoking was 19.9%, and 11.8% were current smokers. The prevalence of dyslipidemia in current smokers (54.9%) was higher than former smokers (43.9%) and in turn former smokers higher than non-smokers (38.0%). Current smokers had greater risk of abnormal HDL cholesterol [OR (95% CI), 2.28(1.98 -2.62)] and triglyceride [OR (95% CI), 1.37(1.15 -1.67)] compared to non-smokers. There was no significant difference in total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol between the two groups. A dose-response relationship was found between the number of cigarettes smoked and HDL-C and TG but no relationship was observed in terms of total cholesterol and LDL-C. Conclusions: As compared to non-smokers, current smokers and former smokers had abnormal HDL-C and triglyceride and abnormal total cholesterol and triglyceride, respectively. After quitting smoking, heavy smokers showed a more normal HDL-C and total cholesterol levels than the people who tended to smoke a lower number of cigarettes per day.

Background: Overweight and obesity are major health concerns worldwide, with adverse health consequences during the life span. This study measured socioeconomic inequality in overweight and obesity among Iranian adults.Methods: Data were extracted from 129,257 Iranian adults (aged 35 years and older) participated in the Prospective Epidemiologic Research Studies in IrAN (PERSIAN) in 14 provinces of Iran in 2014. Socioeconomic-related inequality in overweight and obesity was estimated using the Concentration Index (C_n). The C_nfurther decomposed to find factors explaining the variability within the Socioeconomic related inequality in overweight and obesity.Results: Of the total number of participants, 1.98, 26.82, 40.76 and 30.43% had underweight, normal weight, overweight and obesity respectively. The age-and sex standardized prevalence of obesity was higher in females than males (39.85% vs 18.79%). People with high socioeconomic status (SES) had a 39 and 15% higher chance of being overweight and obese than low SES people, respectively. The positive value of C_nsuggested a higher concentration of overweight (0.081, 95% confidence interval [CI]; 0.074–0.087) and obesity (0.027, 95% CI; 0.021–0.034) among groups with high SES. There was a wide variation in socioeconomic-related inequality in overweight and obesity rate across 14 provinces. The decomposition results suggested that SES factor itself explained 66.77 and 89.07% of the observed socioeconomic inequalities in overweight and obesity among Iranian adults respectively. Following SES, province of residence, physical activity, using hookah and smoking were the major contributors to the concentration of overweight and obesity among the rich.Conclusions: Overall, we found that overweight and obesity is concentrated among high SES people in the study population. . Accordingly, it seems that intersectional actions should be taken to control and prevent overweight and obesity among higher socioeconomic groups.

Background: Insulin resistance (IR) and obesity are risk factors for hypertension; triglyceride-glucose (TyG) is known as a surrogate for IR. The present study investigated the association between the triglyceride-glucose body mass index (TyG-BMI) index and the risk of hypertension in Iranian adults. Methods: This study was conducted on a sample of 8,610 participants from the baseline phase of the Ravansar non- communicable diseases (RaNCD) in Iran. A logistic regression model was used to evaluate the relationship between TyG-BMI and hypertension. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was conducted to estimate the predictive power of TyG-BMI for hypertension. Results: A total of 4176 men and 4434 women with an average age of 46.74 years were examined. The anthropometric indices were significantly higher in hypertensive than normotensive subjects (P < 0.001). The level of physical activity was significantly higher in the bottom quartiles (P < 0.001). The odds of hypertension in the highest quartile and 3.10 (95% CI: 2.28, 4.16) times significantly higher than the bottom quartile of the TyG-BMI index. The discriminating ability of TyG-BMI to predict blood pressure was 61% (AUC: 0.61; 95% CI: 0.57, 0.63), and higher than BMI and TyG. Conclusion: The TyG-BMI index is associated with an increase in the odds of hypertension. Therefore, the TyG-BMI index can be a new clinical index for early diagnosis of hypertension. Lifestyle modifications such as weight control through physical activity and a healthy diet can help improve IR and prevent hypertension.