Associations between urinary heavy metal concentrations and blood pressure in residents of Asian countries.

Background: Previous studies have suggested that exposures to heavy metals (arsenic, cadmium, lead, and selenium) may be associated with differences in blood pressure. However, the findings of these studies have been inconsistent. This study was performed to examine the associations between urinary heavy metal concentrations and blood pressure among residents of four Asian countries (Bangladesh, Indonesia, Nepal, and Vietnam).

Urban-rural difference in the determinants of dietary and energy intake patterns: A case study in West Java, Indonesia.

Background: Few studies have explored differences in the determinants of individual dietary/energy intake patterns between urban and rural areas.

Objective: To examine whether the associations between individual characteristics and dietary/energy intake patterns differ between urban and rural areas in West Java, Indonesia.

Methods: A 3-day weighed food record, interviews, and anthropometric measurements were conducted in Bandung (urban area; n = 85) and Sumedang (rural area; n = 201).

Double Burden of Malnutrition in Rural West Java: Household-Level Analysis for Father-Child and Mother-Child Pairs and the Association with Dietary Intake.

Indonesia is facing household-level double burden malnutrition. This study aimed at examining (1) household-level double burden for the mother-child and father-child pairs; (2) risk of adiposity of double burden households; and (3) associated dietary factors. Subjects were 5th and 6th grade elementary school children (n = 242), their mothers (n = 242), and their fathers (n = 225) in five communities (1 = urban, 4 = rural) in the Bandung District.

Pesticide usage and its association with health symptoms among farmers in rural villages in West Java, Indonesia.

The improper handling of pesticides in agriculture has caused serious health problems in many developing countries. In this study, we report the pesticide usage condition among Indonesian farmers and its association with symptoms of pesticide toxicity. A questionnaire survey on personal history regarding agricultural labor, pesticide storage and disposal, pesticide use and health history was conducted using a structured questionnaire in rural Sundanese villages in West Java, Indonesia.