Table 2.

Quality assessment tool for cross sectional studies: Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (adapted from Modesti PA et al. [21])

First author & reference	Selection				Comparability	Outcome		Score
	Representativeness of the sample	Sample size justified	Non-respondents	Ascertainment of exposure (max**)	Confounding controlled (max**)	Outcome assessment (max**)	Statistics	Total
Ballard-Kang [13]	*	*	*	–	*	**	*	7/10
Miner [14]	*	*	na	**	na	**	*	7/10
Rosano [15]	*	*	–	**	**	**	*	9/10
Kentoffio [16]	*	*	na	**	**	**	*	9/10
Morrison [17]	*	*	na	**	**	**	*	9/10
Hargreaves [18]	*	*	*	*	**	*	*	8/10
Fassaert [19]	*	*	*	**	**	*	*	9/10
Geltman [20]	*	*	*	**	**	*	*	9/10
Cooke [21]	*	–	–	**	na	*	–	4/10
Weine [22]	–	*	–	**	**	*	*	7/10
Brisset [23]	*	*	–	**	–	*	*	6/10
Pottie [24]	*	*	*	**	na	*	*	7/10