Cent Eur J Public Health 2024, 32(1)
Metabolically healthy obesity and health risks – a review of meta-analyses
Erika Čermáková, Martin Forejt
Cent Eur J Public Health 2024, 32(1):3-8 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a7806
Objective: This article briefly summarizes the results of existing research on metabolically healthy obesity in the context of health risks. Methods: The PubMed database was searched for relevant meta-analyses addressing metabolically healthy obesity in the context of health risks. Results: We included a total of 17 relevant meta-analyses in this review. The results of the studied meta-analyses showed that metabolically healthy obesity may be only a transient condition associated with an increased risk of developing metabolic abnormalities in the future. People with obesity without metabolic abnormalities have an increased risk of type 2 diabetes,...
The relationship between atherosclerosis and dementia
Jana Janoutová, Ondřej Machaczka, Martina Kovalová, Anna Zatloukalová, Petr Ambroz, Veronika Koutná, Eva Mrázková, Michal Bar, Martin Roubec, Petra Bártová, Richard Novobilský, Martin Sabela, Pavlína Kušnierová, David Stejskal, Lucie Faldynová, Sylwia Walczysková, Martin Vališ, Lukáš Školoudík, Petra Šolínová, David Školoudík, Vladimír Janout
Cent Eur J Public Health 2024, 32(1):9-15 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a7848 
Objective: The main objective is to confirm a hypothesis that atherosclerosis, through various mechanisms, considerably influences cognitive impairment and significantly increases the risk for developing dementia. Complete sample should be 920 individuals. The present study aimed to analyse epidemiological data from a questionnaire survey. Methods: The work was carried out in the form of an epidemiological case control study. Subjects are enrolled in the study based on results of the following examinations carried out in neurology departments and outpatient centres during the project NU20-09-00119 from 2020 to 2023. Respondents were divided into four...
Prevalence of risk factors for development of cardiovascular diseases in urban and rural areas of Eastern Croatia: a cross-sectional study
Mirta Klapec-Basar, Tanja Kovač, Renata Apatić, Željko Mudri, Tin Basar, Stjepan Jurić, Rudika Gmajnić, Robert Lovrić
Cent Eur J Public Health 2024, 32(1):16-24 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a7709
Objective: Cardiovascular diseases are the leading global cause of death. Due to the disparities in cardiovascular risk factors between rural and urban populations, this study aims to assess the differences in the prevalence of risk factors in urban and rural areas of eastern Croatia. Methods: The cross-sectional study included 280 participants (140 from urban and 140 from rural areas) registered at studied general practice offices. Methods included e-health records, questionnaire, physical examination methods, and blood sampling for laboratory tests. Results: The most common risk factors among participants were elevated total cholesterol (83.6%),...
Association of cardiovascular health and educational status in a screening cohort
Sarah Wernly, Georg Semmler, Maria Flamm, Andreas Völkerer, Ralf Erkens, Elmar Aigner, Christian Datz, Bernhard Wernly
Cent Eur J Public Health 2024, 32(1):25-30 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a7818
Introduction: The global burden of chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, remains a significant public health challenge. The Life's Simple 7 (LS7) score was developed as a tool to evaluate cardiovascular health behaviours and habits and identify high-risk individuals. The present study aimed to assess the distribution of LS7 scores among educational strata. Methods: The study population consisted of 3,383 asymptomatic individuals screened for colorectal cancer at a single centre in Austria. We split patients into lower (n = 1,055), medium (n = 1,997), and higher (n = 331) education, based on the International Standard Classification of...
Are the elements zinc, copper, magnesium, and rubidium related to nutrition and iodine deficiency in pregnant Bulgarian women from iodine deficient region?
Mariana Georgieva Bacelova, Penka Dimitrova Gatseva, Tanya Ivanova Deneva, Delyana Miteva Davcheva, Anelia Veselinova Bivolarska
Cent Eur J Public Health 2024, 32(1):31-38 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a7796
Objective: Trace elements are essential for the biochemistry of the cell. Their reference values have been found to differ considerably in pregnant women stratified by age, place of residence, anthropometric status, and length of pregnancy. In optimal amounts, these elements reduce the risk of pregnancy complications. Subclinical hypothyroidism in pregnancy is associated with adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. The aim of the study was to determine the effects of zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), magnesium (Mg), and rubidium (Rb) on pregnant women in an iodine deficiency region and find the relationship with the thyroid status and nutrition. Methods: We...
Physical activity and mental health of medical students
Konstantinos Stratakis, Zorica Terzić-Šupić, Jovana Todorović, Dejan Nešić, Ivana Novaković
Cent Eur J Public Health 2024, 32(1):39-44 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a8097
Objective: Medical students usually do not meet the recommendations on the minimum level of physical activity, despite knowing the impact that physical activity has on the prevention and treatment of various diseases. Medical students are considered to be insufficiently physically active. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of physically active fifth-year medical students at five universities in Serbia, as well as to identify factors associated with insufficient physical activity of students. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed in the population of fifth-year medical students from five different universities in Serbia. The...
Thirteen-year surveillance results of acute flaccid paralysis cases in Southeast Turkey and the effect of refugee movements on surveillance results
Nezir Özgün, Gülnaz Kubat, Birgül Turan, Mert Özgün, İzzettin Toktaş, Gülay Korukluoğlu
Cent Eur J Public Health 2024, 32(1):45-51 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a7605
Objective: Acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) is a major neurological problem. Turkey has accepted over 4 million refugees since 2011 due to the wars in neighbouring countries. In the long term, refugees can have adverse effects on the limited resources of health, sanitation, water supply, foodstuff, and shelter services of host countries, precipitating the transmission and spread of enteroviruses causing AFP. This study examines the 13-year surveillance and incidence of AFP cases in southeast Turkey, and questions possible impact of refugee movements on these parameters, comparing the periods before (2007-2010) and after (2011-2019) 2011, when the refugee...
History of development of undergraduate public health education in Bulgaria
Valentina Alexandrova, Klara Dokova
Cent Eur J Public Health 2024, 32(1):52-57 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a7928
Objective: The study aims to present a historical review and analysis of the establishment and development of undergraduate public health (PH) education in Bulgaria from 1878 until 2019. Methods: А search and selection of historical documents was performed, including laws, rules, regulations, government plans, programmes, scientific publications from periodical medical press, journals, specialized monographs, and books. A retrospective analysis of the normative documents related to the organization of the sanitation and public health activities, and to the provision of professional undergraduate education of the public health workforce in Bulgaria...
Compulsory vaccination of children – medical and legal problems
Vít Vlček
Cent Eur J Public Health 2024, 32(1):58-62 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a8087
Regarding the vaccination of children, it can be said that there are basically three vaccination policies in the world, one of which is usually used in particular country depending on the national legislation. These are the mandatory vaccination policy, mandatory vaccination policy for school entry and recommended vaccination policy. The mandatory vaccination policy and the mandatory vaccination policy for school entry face obstacles consisting of conflicts between fundamental human rights and freedoms. This is, for example, a conflict between the right to health and the right to life on the one hand and the right to protect the inviolability of the...
Short communication
Health status in selected post-communist European countries: a comparative study between Poland and Albania
Wojciech Czabanowski, Iris Mone, Genc Burazeri
Cent Eur J Public Health 2024, 32(1):63-67 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a7804
Objectives: The aim of this analysis was to compare selected health status indicators of the Albanian and Polish populations, pertinent to two former communist countries in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). Methods: This analysis was based on the estimates related to the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2019 study, reported by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME). For Poland, IHME uses data mainly from the Central Statistical Office of Poland, whereas for Albania the information is based on the reports from the National Institute of Statistics. Results: In 2019, life expectancy at birth was slightly higher in Albania compared to Poland...