Prediction and analysis of trends in the nutritional status of children under 5 years in Iran: reanalysis of the results of national surveys conducted between 1998 and 2020.

Background and aim: Malnutrition is a major public health problem, especially in developing countries. The aim of this study was to analyze the trend in malnutrition among children under 5 years of age in Iran over recent decades and to estimate malnutrition status for 2020. Methods: This study took the form of a secondary analysis of the reports and data from three cross-sectional national surveys on children's nutritional status conducted between 1998 and 2017. Anthropometric indices, including markers of underweight, wasting, stunting, overweight, and obesity, were used as indicators of the nutritional status of children under 5 years. Malnutrition indicators are reported separately based on regional food security status. Linear mixed-effects modeling was used to predict the status of malnutrition indicators for 2020. Results: The results of this study indicated a downward trend in the prevalence of stunting, underweight, and wasting, from 15.4 to 4.8%, 10.9 to 4.3%, and 4.9 to 4.3%, respectively, between 1998 and 2017. The proportion of children at risk of overweight and prevalence of childhood overweight/obesity showed a downward trend between 2010 and 2017, from 3.73 to 3.02% and from 12.1 to 10.3%, respectively. However, the trend varied between different provinces. Estimates of the prevalence of malnutrition in 2020 also indicated a decrease in the prevalence of all indicators among children. Conclusion: Despite the decreasing trend in malnutrition over the past three decades, the prevalence of stunting, underweight, and wasting is still high in food-insecure provinces. Moreover, following the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic consequences, an increase in the prevalence of malnutrition, especially in food-insecure provinces, is plausible.

Associations of body mass index with severe outcomes of COVID-19 among critically ill elderly patients: A prospective study

Background and Aim Few studies assessed the associations of overweight and obesity with severe outcomes of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) among elderly patients. This study was conducted to assess overweight and obesity in relation to risk of mortality, delirium, invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) requirement during treatment, re-hospitalization, prolonged hospitalization, and ICU admission among elderly patients with COVID-19. Methods This was a single-center prospective study that was done on 310 elderly patients with COVID-19 hospitalized in the intensive care unit (ICU). We collected data on demographic characteristics, laboratory parameters, nutritional status, blood pressure, comorbidities, medications, and types of mechanical ventilation at baseline. Patients were followed up during ICU admission and until 45 days after the first visit, and data on delirium incidence, mortality, need for a form of mechanical ventilation, discharge day from ICU and hospital, and re-hospitalization were recorded for each patient. Results During the follow-up period, we recorded 190 deaths, 217 cases of delirium, and 35 patients who required IMV during treatment. After controlling for potential confounders, a significant association was found between obesity and delirium such that obese patients with COVID-19 had a 62% higher risk of delirium compared with normal-weight patients (HR: 1.62, 95% CI: 1.02–2.57). This association was not observed for overweight. In terms of other outcomes including ICU/45-day mortality, IMV therapy during treatment, re-hospitalization, prolonged hospitalization, and ICU admission, we found no significant association with overweight and obesity either before or after controlling for potential confounders. Conclusion We found that obesity may be a risk factor for delirium among critically ill elderly patients with COVID-19.

Associations of body mass index with severe outcomes of COVID-19 among critically ill elderly patients: A prospective study.

Background and Aim: Few studies assessed the associations of overweight and obesity with severe outcomes of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) among elderly patients. This study was conducted to assess overweight and obesity in relation to risk of mortality, delirium, invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) requirement during treatment, re-hospitalization, prolonged hospitalization, and ICU admission among elderly patients with COVID-19. Methods: This was a single-center prospective study that was done on 310 elderly patients with COVID-19 hospitalized in the intensive care unit (ICU). We collected data on demographic characteristics, laboratory parameters, nutritional status, blood pressure, comorbidities, medications, and types of mechanical ventilation at baseline. Patients were followed up during ICU admission and until 45 days after the first visit, and data on delirium incidence, mortality, need for a form of mechanical ventilation, discharge day from ICU and hospital, and re-hospitalization were recorded for each patient. Results: During the follow-up period, we recorded 190 deaths, 217 cases of delirium, and 35 patients who required IMV during treatment. After controlling for potential confounders, a significant association was found between obesity and delirium such that obese patients with COVID-19 had a 62% higher risk of delirium compared with normal-weight patients (HR: 1.62, 95% CI: 1.02-2.57). This association was not observed for overweight. In terms of other outcomes including ICU/45-day mortality, IMV therapy during treatment, re-hospitalization, prolonged hospitalization, and ICU admission, we found no significant association with overweight and obesity either before or after controlling for potential confounders. Conclusion: We found that obesity may be a risk factor for delirium among critically ill elderly patients with COVID-19.

Fear of COVID-19 Higher among Food-Insecure Households: A Model-Based Study, Mediated by Perceived Stress among Iranian Populations.

Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic is a crisis accompanied by multiple psychological consequences (including fear of COVID-19) and threatens the food security status of millions of people. This study aimed to examine the association between fear of COVID-19 and food insecurity, mediated by perceived stress. Method : This cross-sectional study was conducted among 2871 Iranian participants (18-80 years), recruited through the Social Media during the COVID-19 epidemic. The demographic and socio-economic information questionnaire, Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS), COVID-19 fear scale (FCV-19S), Cohen's Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-14) and Perceived Social Support Questionnaire (MSPSS) were used in data gathering. Descriptive and analytical analyses were done using SPSS 22.0 and Amos 22.0 was used for structural equation modeling (SES). Results: Food insecurity has significant positive direct and indirect (mediated by perceived stress) correlations with fear of COVID-19 (P < 0.05). It was also shown that perceived social support could negatively relate to fear of COVID-19 through the pathways of food security status or perceived stress (P < 0.05). Among women, the presence of a child under 5 had a significant direct association with fear of COVID-19 (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Food insecurity was associated with more perceived fear of COVID-19 among the studied population. The crisis caused by COVID-19 highlights the need to increase social resilience through developing and implementing appropriate strategies to prevent and mitigate social costs (whether physical, psychological, or nutritional).

Vitamin D deficiency is Associated with Increased Risk of Delirium and Mortality among Critically Ill, Elderly Covid-19 Patients.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Data on the associations of vitamin D levels with severe outcomes of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) among critically ill elderly patients are not conclusive and also no information is available about some outcomes such as delirium. Therefore, the current study was done to assess these associations in critically ill elderly COVID-19 patients. METHODS: In total, 310 critically ill COVID-19 patients, aged ≥ 65 years, were included in the current single center prospective study. All patients were hospitalized in the intensive care unit (ICU). We collected data on demographic characteristics, laboratory parameters, blood pressure, comorbidities, medications, and types of mechanical ventilation at baseline (the first day of ICU admission). Patients were categorized based on serum 25(OH)D3 levels at the baseline [normal levels (>30 ng/mL), insufficiency (20-30 ng/mL), deficiency (<20 ng/mL)]. Data on delirium incidence, mortality, invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) requirement during treatment, length of ICU and hospital admission, and re-hospitalization were recorded until 45 days after the baseline. RESULTS: Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency were prevalent among 12 % and 37 % of study participants, respectively. In terms of baseline differences, patients with vitamin D deficiency were more likely to be older, have organ failure, take propofol, need IMV, and were less likely to need face mask compared to patients with normal levels of vitamin D. A significant positive association was found between vitamin D deficiency and risk of delirium. After controlling for potential confounders, patients with vitamin D deficiency had a 54 % higher risk of delirium compared to those with vitamin D sufficiency (HR: 1.54, 95 % CI: 1.02-2.33). Such a positive association was also seen for 45-day COVID-19 mortality (HR: 3.95, 95 % CI: 1.80-8.67). Also, each 10 ng/mL increase in vitamin D levels was associated with a 45 % and 26 % lower risk of 45-day mortality (HR: 0.55, 95 % CI: 0.40-0.74) and ICU mortality due to COVID-19 (HR: 0.74, 95 % CI: 0.60-0.92), respectively. In terms of other COVID-19 outcomes including IMV requirement during treatment, prolonged hospitalization, and re-hospitalization, we found no significant association in relation to serum 25(OH)D3 levels either in crude or fully adjusted models. CONCLUSION: Vitamin D deficiency was associated with an increased risk of delirium and mortality among critically ill elderly COVID-19 patients.

Is nutritional functional diversity in the rural food and nutrition system associated with food security and nutrient adequacy? A case study of rural areas of Zahedan district, Iran.

BACKGROUND: An overlooked problem in food and nutrition system analysis is assuring adequate diversity for a healthy diet. Little is known about nutrient diversity in food and nutrition systems and how it transmits to dietary diversity. Nutritional functional diversity (NFD) is a metric that describes diversity in providing nutrients from farm to market and the consumption level. The objective of this study is to determine the NFD score at different stages of the rural food and nutrition system, including household's agricultural and home production, domestic food processing, purchased food, and diet. It also aims to explore the association between NFD and nutrient adequacy, food security, and anthropometric indicators. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 321 households in 6 villages of Zahedan district. The NFD score was measured at three subsystems (production, processing, and consumption) of the food and nutrition system. Household food security, mean adequacy ratio (MAR), and anthropometrics of the household's head were measured to assess the association between NFD and food and nutrition indicators. Linear and bivariate statistical techniques were applied to study the associations between variables. RESULTS: In the rural food and nutrition system, the food purchased from the city plays the main role in the households NFD score. Their contribution to total NFD was twice that of the food items purchased from the village. The NFD score of homestead production and households food processing was found to be five times less than those of food purchased from cities. The food insecure households had significantly lower NFD scores for food purchased from the city and higher NFD scores for purchased food items from the rural market and native wild vegetable consumption. A strong and positive relationship was observed between NFD of food items purchased from the city and households'MAR. No significant association was found between the NFD score of homestead production, processing, and dependent variables, i.e. food insecurity, MAR, and household head anthropometrics. CONCLUSION: NFD score, as a relatively new metric, could help in determining diversity from farm to diet and identifying the gaps to plan appropriate interventions for improving diversity in the local food system.