Introduction: Healthy growth and development essentially need a balanced diet of nutrients and vitamins which includes a variety of foods from different food groups. The primary aim of this study was to assess the dietary diversity (DD) and its related factors among adolescents’ high school girls in Ahvaz-Iran. Methodology: This was a cross-sectional study which it was structured based on the WHO & FAO's dietary diversity questionnaire. The study population consisted of 506 high school girls aged 15 to 18. Data about diet, socio-demographic and anthropometric characteristics were gathered. A dietary diversity score (DDS) and anthropometric of girls were measured. The relation of DDS with anthropometric measures and economic situation were assessed. Results: The mean DDS was 6.81±1.75. A total of 18.85% and 8.3% of participants were overweight and obese respectively. In participants with scores >or= six, Body Mass Index, waist circumference and waist-hip ratio were slightly greater than in individuals with scores less than six, however it was not significant except for waist hip ratio. The Logistic Regression showed that; weak economical situation was a risk for poor DDS (OR= 3.5, CI= 1.06-10.6, p=0.03). Conclusion: The FAO's third version of guidelines is a good indicator for measuring DDS. The results of this study indicate that high school girls’ knowledge and practice about dietary diversity are not good and need to be improved by educational classes.

Insomnia, anxiety, and depression are some psychological symptoms associated with menopause. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of pedometer-based walking on anxiety, insomnia, and depression among postmenopausal women. In this randomized, controlled trial, 106 postmenopausal women were randomly assigned to two groups (n = 53 in each group). Their anxiety, insomnia, and depression levels were assessed using the GHQ-28 and Beck questionnaires in the 4th, 8th, and 12th weeks of intervention. The depression level was assessed in the beginning, and in the 12th week of the trial. The members of the intervention group each received a pedometer and were asked to increase their steps by 500 per week. Data were analyzed using the independent t-test, χ(2) and repeated-measures tests. The levels of anxiety and insomnia decreased in the 8th (4.2 ± 2.1 vs. 5.4 ± 2.3, p = 0.007) and 12th week (4.3 ± 2.8 vs. 7.2 ± 2.6, p < 0.001) in the intervention group, compared with the control group. The depression intensity decreased in the intervention group, compared with the control group, after 12 weeks (13.7 ± 5 vs. 19.6 ± 4.79, p < 0.001). The intervention group increased their step count from 76,377 steps per month in the first month, to 106 398 in the 3rd month (p < 0.001). This study showed that pedometer-based walking had a positive effect on depression, insomnia and anxiety among postmenopausal women. A walking training program can be considered for postmenopausal women in Iran.

We examined the effect of SMS text messages on compliance with iron supplementation among pregnant women. A randomized controlled trial was conducted on 116 pregnant women referred from public health centres in Ahvaz. Their gestational age was 14-16 weeks. The subjects were randomly assigned to a control group who received usual care, or to a 12-week intervention with SMS reminders in addition to usual care. Participants in both groups were provided with iron supplements and taught how to take iron tablets. Most women in the intervention group (94%) had high compliance with iron supplements compared to the control group (66%); this difference was significant (P = 0.003). Although haemoglobin, haematocrit and ferritin decreased significantly in each group, there was no significant difference between them. Using SMS reminders is an efficient way of improving compliance of women with iron supplementation during pregnancy. However, in the present study better compliance did not improve anaemia.