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Background and Objectives: Metabolic syndrome (MS) is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disorders. MS is increasing among adolescents. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of MS in 11-18 years old Birjandi school children in 2012. Materials and Methods: This cross–sectional study was conducted on 2394 eleven-eighteen years old school children in Birjand (1304 girls and 1090 boys) through Multiple-Cluster Sampling. Height, weight, waist circumference and blood pressure were measured by standard methods. Blood glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol, HDL-C and LDL-C were measured after a 12-hour fasting. MS was defined according to the modified Adult Treatment Panel III criteria. Data were analyzed by the SPSS software (ver. 16) using statistical T test, logistic regression and Chi square at P<0.05. Results: According to this study, 6.9% of adolescents (4.5% of females and 9.9% of males) had MS. Occurrence rate of MS in male students was 2.32 times of female ones. Components of MS included low HDL (27.7%), hypertriglyceridemia (23.7%), central obesity (16.2%), systolic hypertension (9.4%), diastolic hypertension (0.9%), and high FBS (0.6%). This study showed a significant relationship between MS, and overweight, obesity and central obesity. 48.5% of the adolescents had at least one component of MS. Conclusions: MS has a high prevalence in Birjandi adolescents, particularly in the obese ones. Thus, preventive measures such as correcting life style, having appropriate nutrition, and encouraging adolescents to have more physical activity are recommended. Keywords: Metabolic syndrome, Adolescents, Obesity, Cardiovascular risk factor, Iran

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Abstract Background and Objective: Obesity is an important risk factor for development of hypertension. We investigated the association between body mass index (BMI) and blood pressure in adolescents. Methods: The cross-sectional study was performed on 694 adolescents aged 12-18 years from middle and high schools located in 4 districts of Shiraz, Iran. Height, weight, and systolic and diastolic blood pressures were measured according to standard procedures. Results: The prevalence of overweight/obesity and elevated systolic and diastolic blood pressure was 22.0%, 16.8%, and 13.3%, respectively. Compared to girls, boys had higher rates of overweight/obesity and elevated blood pressure. With increasing age, the prevalence of overweight decreased (20.6% in 15-18 years compared to 34.3% in 12-14 years) and that of elevated blood pressure increased (33.2% vs.14.6% for systolic and 22.2% vs. 10.3% for diastolic blood pressure) in boys whereas the prevalence of overweight/obesity and elevated blood pressure did not change among girls. In both sexes, elevated blood pressure had a positive association with BMI categories independent of age and this association was observed even in normal versus low BMI categories. Conclusion: A strong association between BMI and elevated blood pressure advocates using strategies for the control of weight and prevention of obesity in adolescents.

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Background and Objectives: To study associations in diet quality academic performance and weight status in urban adolescent high-school students.
Materials and Methods: This study was a cross-sectional study in high schools in Tehran, Iran. A total of 629 students (317 boys and 309 girls), aging 17–19 years, from 49 high schools participated in the study. Dietary intake was measured using two 24-h recalls. Diet quality was measured using Healthy Eating Index-2015. Academic performance was assessed by evaluating scores achieved in national exams at the end of high-school junior year. Standard anthropometric measurements were used. Linear and multinomial regressions were used to assess the associations between weight status, diet quality and academic performance.
Results: Student’s scores in grammar and literature were significantly associated to diet quality (p < 0.05). After adjusting for sex and other socioeconomic confounders, the association was non-significant. Significant differences were seen in weight status between boys and girls; however, such differences were not based on the prosperity levels in weight statuses. The overall frequency of overweight was nearly 24%, while obesity was twice in boys (nearly 26%), compared to girls.
Conclusions: Findings verify needs of policies to improve student diet quality, leading to better health and educational achievements. Further studies are needed to investigate associations between diet quality and academic performance.

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Background and Objectives: Malnutrition and other dietary-related complications are likely to increase in young people due to the worsening effects of COVID-19 control measures on food security. Adolescent girls are vulnerable to nutritional deficiencies due to menarche and other physiological developments. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the household food insecurity and nutritional status of adolescent girls in Ikwuano districts, Nigeria, Post COVID-19.
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in 388 households having at least one female adolescent. Household food insecurity was assessed using interviewer-administered household food insecurity access scale. Anthropometric measurements were collected using standard procedures. Body mass index for age was considered in assessing nutritional status of the adolescent girls. Associations between the household food insecurity access scale and anthropometric measures of the nutritional status were investigated.
Results: Results indicated that more than half of the households (77.06%) experienced degrees of food insecurity (e.g. mild, 26.80%; moderate, 36.59% and severe, 13.66%). Underweight within the adolescent girls was 21.65%, whereas overweight and obesity were 15.96 and 10.05%, respectively. Although no strong associations (R = 0.053, p = 0.459) were recorded between the household food insecurity access scale and all the anthropometric measurements, most malnourished female adolescents (60.7%) where from moderately and severely food insecure households.
Conclusions: Increased food insecurity and emerging cases of nutritional abnormalities in this study could be true reflections of COVID-19 effects on food security. This study recommends to formulate appropriate intervention programs to improve food security and nutrition status of adolescent girls in the study area.