Rapid exchange of a percutaneous gastrostomy tube during an early episode of COVID-19

We retrospectively report a case of rapid exchange of a percutaneous radiologic gastrostomy tube (balloon-occluded type catheter) via off-label use of a pigtail catheter for nutrition supply during a very early episode of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in an outpatient clinic. This case demonstrates that minimally invasive percutaneous procedures might be provided safely and effectively under appropriate precautions for preventing COVID-19 transmission during the pandemic.Copyright © 2023, Society of Gastrointestinal Intervention.

Prevention of vitamin D deficiency in children. The state of the problem in the world and in Ukraine.

The article presents current data on the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and criteria for its deficiency in children in different countries. Vitamin D is recognized as one of the most important vitamins involved in many biochemical processes in the body. Its active metabolites play a key role in calcium absorption, bone mineralization and promote phosphate and magnesium metabolism. At the same time, in addition to affecting mineral metabolism, there is a wide range of conditions in which vitamin D also plays a preventive role. Vitamin D has been shown to play a vital role in innate immunity maintenance and is important in prevention of several diseases, including infections, autoimmune diseases, certain forms of cancer, type 1 and 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. Vitamin D is of particular importance for newborns and young children. This vitamin is involved in important physiological regulatory processes such as bone metabolism, lung development, maturation of the immune system and differentiation of the nervous system. Vitamin D deficiency increases risks of neonatal sepsis, necrotizing enterocolitis, respiratory distress syndrome, and bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Adequate intake of vitamin D and calcium during childhood can reduce the risk of osteoporosis and other diseases associated with vitamin D deficiency in adults. Recently, vitamin D deficiency has shown to be a potential risk factor for COVID-19 propensity. It has been established that to date most scientific pediatric societies have recognized the need to prevent vitamin D deficiency in healthy children of all ages, but data on the dosage of vitamin D in its prophylactic use differ. Most scientific societies recommend an average of 400-600 IU per day of vitamin D for prophylactic purposes. The analysis of published data shows the need to follow a strategy based on an individual approach, taking into account physiological characteristics, individual requirements and lifestyle.Copyright © 2021 University of Tartu Press. All rights reserved.

Nutrition Strategies Pre-infection, during, and Post-infection with Coronavirus Disease

Coronavirus disease is a serious viral infection that is characterized by severe inflammation and lymphopenia. The virus attacks many organs causing acute respiratory distress and malfunctioning of the organs leading to death. Through strengthening of the innate immune system, a balanced diet plays a critical role in defense against bacterial and viral diseases. A healthy diet before, during and after an infection can lessen the severity of the symptoms and speed up the recovery of damaged cells. Due to the Mediterranean diet's high concentration of bioactive polyphenols, which have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antithrombic properties, numerous studies have suggested that it is a preventative dietary strategy against many diseases including coronavirus disease. Nutrition and herbal plants play a key role to enhance the immunity of people to protect and fight against coronavirus. Diet rich in antioxidants and phytochemicals represents perfect barrier to the virus through elevation of the innate immunity of the body. In addition, gut microbiota including prebiotics, probiotics, and synbiotics were found to enhance immunity to reduce the symptoms of the disease during infection. Protein-rich foods and honey bee products reported significant role during and post-coronavirus infection. This review presents updated information from original pre-clinical and clinical researches, and review articles as well to expose the nutritive strategies including breastfeeding benefits to infants pre-infection, during, and post-infection with coronavirus.Copyright © 2023, Scientific Foundation SPIROSKI. All rights reserved.

Caloric and protein intake and duration of venous-venous ECMO in covid patients in a newly implemented regional ECMO center in Brazil

Objectives: To assess protein and energy intake and duration of venous-venous ECMO in critically ill patients with covid-19 Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational analysis on the intensive care units of a large tertiary private teaching Hospital. Adult patients admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) with laboratory confirmed SARS-CoV-2 (RT-PCR), cannulated on venous-venous ECMO and on exclusive enteral feeding were included. Data between march 2020 and june 2021 were collected. Weight and height data were acquired at the time of admission in ICU. Body mass index (BMI) was subsequently calculated. We obtained delivery and adequacy of nutrition data from a enteral nutrition form routinely filled out by nutritionists during hospitalization. Other data were obtained from electronic medical record. For statistical analysis of the data, we used SPSS version 13.0. Result(s): This cohort included 39 patients. 27 (69.2%) were men, mean age was 50 (+/- 12) years and 11 (28,2%) had more than 60 years. The more prevalent comorbidities were obesity in 22 (56%), hypertension in 20 (51,3%) and diabetes in 6 (15,4%) patients. The mean time on ECMO was 24.7 +/- 15.2 days. 29 patients (74%) died. Regarding nutritional support, the average protein intake was 0,9 +/- 0.4 g/kg/day and calories 13.9 +/- 5.2 cal/kg/day. No statistically significant association was observed between the nutritional intake and the duration on ECMO and clinical outcomes of patients. Conclusion(s): There was a high mortality in our cohort. Center;s inexperience may have played a role in these results, in addition to other factors. We observed a high prevalence of obesity. Neither energy nor protein intake were associated with the duration of ECMO and clinical outcomes. These results are similar to other recent observational studies where an insufficient energy and protein intake did not affected mortality or other outcomes. Our small sample and study design prevents a definitive conclusion on the subject. Thus, we propose further studies to elucidate the role of adequate nutrional strategies to improve outcomes and reabilitation of patients on ECMO.

Could Telenutrition Be Applied Interchangeably with the Face-to-Face Interview for Dietary Intake Assessment in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes During the COVID-19 Pandemic?

Background: COVID-19 pandemic has caused limitations, in patients' accessibility in clinical and research settings. We sought whether telenutrition could be applied interchangeably with face-to-face interview for dietary intake assessment by 24-hour recall in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method(s): Sixty-eight females with T2DM aged 50-55 years were enrolled randomly in a descriptive-analytic cross-sectional study. The patients completed three consecutive 24-hour dietary recalls. The first one was a face-to-face interview, and the subsequent two recalls were conducted by telephone call. The total energy and 18 selected nutrients intake were calculated for the three interviews. Result(s): The mean (+/- SD) age of participants was 53.97 +/- 2.14 years. The face-to-face interview resulted in significantly higher total energy and 18 selected nutrients intake than the two telenutrition interviews (P value range: 0.031-0.001). No significant differences were found between the data provided from the two telenutrition interviews. Conclusion(s): Telenutrition underreports and underestimates the total energy and nutrient intakes compared with the face-to-face interview in the 24-hour dietary recall. Therefore, it cannot be recommended to be applied interchangeably with a face-to-face interview for dietary intake assessment during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in patients whose nutrition assessment is of clinical importance. A combination of the two methods using new communication applications (e.g. WhatsApp) may cover the defects of telenutrition method.Copyright © 2023, Kerman University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved.

Eating Habits and Diet Diversity of Saudi Arabia Residents during the COVID-19 locked-down

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on overall health and well-being. Therefore, certain preventive measures may affect many lifestyle habits. This study aimed to explore the eating habits, food variety score (FVS), and diet diversity score (DDS) of adults residing in Saudi Arabia during the mandatory stay-at-home advisory for COVID-19. A cross sectional study was targeted adults living in Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 lockdown (May – June 2020). An electronic self-reported survey was conducted through Research Electronic Data Capture (Redcap) distributed on social media platforms. The Arabic version of the questionnaire was previously evaluated for its reliability and validity. A total of 359 individuals who completed the food frequency questionnaire were included in the study. Diet diversity score (DDS) and food variety score (FVS) was calculated. The study found that the distribution of FVS ranged between 4-27 food items. The distribution of DDS ranged between 3-14 food items. Income, working status, and living status were factors associated with the FVS and/or DDS. The majority of the cohort (>67%) had at least one snack/day and < 3 meals/day. Diet diversity was acceptable among Saudi adults during the COVID-19 lockdown period. Age, sex, having children, marital status, education level, and income were factors associated with diet diversity and eating habits (having breakfast, skipping meals, and number of snacks). © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Enviro Research Publishers.

Basic needs of the first batch of medical staff in the fever clinic of Peking union medical college hospital during Coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak: A qualitative study.

Objective The objective of this study was to investigate the basic needs of medical staff during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic in a fever clinic, so as to provide a reference for the global epidemic medical teams. Methods A semi-structured qualitative interview outline was designed, including: (1) work level: Working hours, working intensity, and safety guarantee in a fever clinic;(2)life level: Diet, sleep, and physical comfort;(3)psychological level: Emotion, pressure, coping style, and interpersonal resources. The basic needs of the first batch of the fever clinic in Peking Union Medical College Hospital was studied by open telephone interviews. Results A total of 37 medical staff were interviewed, including 8 males (21.6%) and 29 females (78.4%). Among them, there were 16 doctors (43.2%), 19 nurses (51.4%), and 2 medical technicians (5.4%). In terms of work settings, the ideal continuous working time was 4-6 hours per shift. There should be pro re nata positions during extremely high workload, and sufficient personal protective equipment was the key to safety. In terms of living conditions, providing meals according to different shifts was important for dietary needs, and sleeping pills were temporarily needed for sleep. In terms of psychological reactions, nervousness and worrying were relatively common. Family and colleagues were important resources of support. Sport could help relieve physical and psychological stress, and psychological support from psychologists was helpful in reducing their negative emotions. Conclusions The basic needs of medical staff should be respected so as to keep the efficacy of their work. We suggest that medical staff can rest after each 4-6 h working shift. Personal protective equipment should be sufficient. Psychological support should be noted in all of them and provided when necessary.Copyright © 2021, Peking Union Medical College Hospital. All rights reserved.

Adipose tissue, systematic inflammation, and neurodegenerative diseases

Obesity is associated with several diseases, including mental health. Adipose tissue is distributed around the internal organs, acting in the regulation of metabolism by storing and releasing fatty acids and adipokine in the tissues. Excessive nutritional intake results in hypertrophy and proliferation of adipocytes, leading to local hypoxia in adipose tissue and changes in these adipokine releases. This leads to the recruitment of immune cells to adipose tissue and the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines. The presence of high levels of free fatty acids and inflammatory molecules interfere with intracellular insulin signaling, which can generate a neuroinflammatory process. In this review, we provide an up-to-date discussion of how excessive obesity can lead to possible cognitive dysfunction. We also address the idea that obesity-associated systemic inflammation leads to neuroinflammation in the brain, particularly the hypothalamus and hippocampus, and that this is partially responsible for these negative cognitive outcomes. In addition, we discuss some clinical models and animal studies for obesity and clarify the mechanism of action of anti-obesity drugs in the central nervous system.Copyright © 2023 Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications. All rights reserved.

Observational study: the risk of malnutrition in post-ICU COVID-19 patients in Dubai, UAE

Introduction: Due to the impact of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) on the humoral immune system, gastrointestinal, and metabolic activities, malnutrition in COVID-19 is inevitable. This study aimed to assess the prevalence, identify COVID-19 patients at risk of malnutrition, and determine the nutritional risk profile of COVID-19 patients and the need for ongoing nutritional support after ICU stay. Method(s): A monocentric observational study based on data collected from 200 COVID-19 patients at hospital discharge in Dubai, UAE. Male and female residents and citizens (>= 18 years) who tested positive for COVID-19 upon ICU admission and who were ready for discharge were included. The 'MUST' malnutrition screening was performed to identify patients at high risk of malnutrition who required ONS and other treatments. Result(s): The present study included two hundred patients where male participants constituted 68% compared to females (32%). The included population was neither acutely ill nor had nutritional intake for more than 5 days. 45% of COVID-19 patients experienced a reduced dietary intake at hospital, and 58% lost weight during ICU/hospital stays. About 25% received enteral nutrition in the ICU, whereas (2%) required ongoing homecare nutritional support after hospital discharge. Almost 80% were advised to follow up with a dietitian and 96% were provided additional dietary counseling. Regarding the COVID-19 patients' post-ICU stay nutritional support, the adjusted odds ratio of follow-up consultation with dietitian significantly decreased by 66% among patients aged from 18 to 49 years, compared to older patients (ORa = 0.34, 95% CI 0.12-0.86, p = 0.032). Conclusion(s): Close assessment, evaluation, and monitoring of malnutrition are critical in severely ill COVID-19 patients post-ICU. ONS is highly recommended for high-risk patients to provide support against muscle loss during ICU stay and improve the recovery of the patients at discharge.

Factors Associated with the Intake of Ultra-Processed Cariogenic Foods by Preschoolers During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Objective: To evaluate the characteristics and factors associated with the intake of ultra-processed cariogenic foods (UFC) by preschoolers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Material and Methods: This is a cross-sectional study involving parents of 672 children from two to five years old enrolled at public schools in Curitiba, Brazil. Parents answered a questionnaire about socioeconomic and demographic data, their behavior regarding the dietary education of their children (Parent Mealtime Action Scale-translated and validated for use in Brazil), and children's food intake (qualitative food frequency questionnaire-list of foods based on a report from the Pan American Health Organization). The data were analyzed using Poisson regression analysis (α=0.05). Results: About 43% of parents/guardians reported changes in their children's diet during the pandemic, being that diet got worse and better in 19% and 24% of the cases, respectively. The ultra-processed cariogenic foods with the highest daily intake frequencies were sweetened juices/sweetened drinks (0.52), followed by cookies (0.37), and candies (0.35). Parents with a lower level of education reported a daily frequency of UCF intake 1.36 times higher (PR=1.359;CI 95%: 1.106-1.669) in their children compared to those with a higher level of education. On the other hand, parents'/guardians' report of higher intake and greater offer of fruits and vegetables to children was associated with low UCF intake (PR=0.716;CI 95%: 0.592-0.866). Conclusion: The lower level of formal education of parents/guardians and lower availability of fruits and vegetables were related to higher consumption of ultra-processed cariogenic foods by children. © 2023, Association of Support to Oral Health Research (APESB). All rights reserved.

A Review on Therapeutic Potential of Indian Herbal Plants to Counter Viral Infection and Disease Pathogenesis

Herbal plant extracts or purified phytocomponents have been extensively used to treat several diseases since ancient times. The Indian Ayurvedic system and Chinese traditional medicines have documented the medicinal properties of important herbs. In Ayurveda, the polyherbal formulation is known to exhibit better therapeutic efficacy compared to a single herb. This review focuses on six key ayurvedic herbal plants namely, Tinospora cordifolia, Withania somnifera, Glycyrrhiza glabra/Licorice, Zingiber officinale, Emblica officinalis and Ocimum sanctum. These plants possess specific phytocomponents that aid them in fighting infections and keeping body healthy and stress-free. Plants were selected due to their reported antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects in several diseases and effectiveness in controlling viral pathogenesis. An ad-vanced literature search was carried out using Pubmed and google scholar. Result(s): These medicinal plants are known to exhibit several protective features against various diseases or infections. Here we have particularly emphasized on antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial and immunomodulatory properties which are common in these six plants. Recent literature analysis has revealed Ashwagandha to be protective for Covid-19 too. The formulation from such herbs can exhibit synergism and hence better effectiveness against infection and related dis-eases. The importance of these medicinal herbs becomes highly prominent as it maintains the har-monious balance by way of boosting the immunity in a human body. Further, greater mechanistic analyses are required to prove their efficacy in fighting infectious diseases like Covid-19. It opens the arena for in-depth research of identifying and isolating the active components from these herbs and evaluating their potency to inhibit viral infections as polyherbal formulations.Copyright © 2023 Bentham Science Publishers.

Effect of COVID-19 on Type 2 Diabetes Self-Care Behaviors: A Rapid Review

OBJECTIVE The aim of this review was to describe how the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown affected the self-care behaviors of people living with type 2 diabetes. METHODS A systematic rapid review was conducted using four electronic databases. Studies reporting on the lock-down's impact on at least one of the self-care behaviors that were published from January 2020 through October 2021 were included. Findings were synthesized narratively, using the Association of Diabetes Care & Education Specialists ADCES7 Self-Care Behaviors as a framework. The methodological level of evidence and quality ratings of the articles were assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Appraisal Checklist. RESULTS Fifteen articles were included. Most studies reported on at least five of the self-care behaviors. There were reported increases in diabetes-related stress, as well as in increases in dietary intake and changes in the timing of meals. Physical activity was reported to decrease. Overall, taking medications and glycemic self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) were unaffected by the lockdown. Of the studies reporting glycemic outcomes, the lockdown appeared to have little negative effect. None of the articles assessed all the self-care behaviors. The self-care behavior of SMBG was the least assessed. Most articles had a medium level of evidence and a medium to high quality rating (scores >60%). CONCLUSION The findings from this review found the COVID-19 lockdown had a variable impact on diabetes self-care behaviors. Because the potential for future COVID-19 surges and/or other virulent transmissible diseases remains a concern, health care providers should continue to address the importance of self-care behaviors to mitigate the risk of poor health outcomes in people with diabetes.Copyright © 2023 by the American Diabetes Association.

Is adherence to Mediterranean and vegetarian dietary patterns associated with traditional and novel markers of inflammation?

Numerous inflammatory biomarkers have been identified in processes leading to cardiac events, including C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), but more novel markers of inflammation including platelet activating factor (PAF) and lipoprotein phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) may be more specific indicators of chronic cardiovascular inflammatory processes.(1) Healthy diet influences cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and modulating inflammation is a proposed mechanism for risk reduction. Plant-based dietary patterns have been associated with reduced CVD risk.(1) This study aimed to investigate whether adherence to Mediterranean or vegetarian dietary pattern is associated with traditional and novel markers of inflammation in healthy adults. In a cross-sectional study, 100 healthy adults (49 +/- 13 years, 69% female) were recruited and categorised as either high (n = 68) or low risk for CVD (n = 32). Fasted plasma was analysed for hs-CRP, PAF and Lp-PLA2. Dietary intake was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Validated tools(2,3) were used to calculate Mediterranean and vegetarian dietary pattern adherence scores. Pearson's and Spearman's rank correlation were used to assess associations between each marker of inflammation and dietary pattern scores. T-tests assessed differences in markers between high and low adherers (based on median cut-off) to each dietary pattern. In the total sample, hs-CRP had a medium, negative correlation with vegetarian dietary pattern score (r = -0.445, p < .001), which remained significant for those at high (r = -0.424, p < .001) but not low (r = -0.233, p = .199) risk of CVD. Those with high vegetarian dietary pattern adherence had significantly lower mean hs-CRP (1.62 +/- 3.75 mg/L) compared to those with low adherence (3.23 +/- 4.03 mg/L, p < 0.001) There was a small, negative correlation between Mediterranean dietary pattern score and hs-CRP (r = -0.276, p = .006). Again the correlation was only significant for those at high (r = -.296, p = .015) but not low (r = -.088, p = .633) CVD risk. Those with high Mediterranean dietary pattern adherence had significantly lower mean hs-CRP (1.35 +/- 1.36) than those with low adherence (3.41 +/- 5.13, p = .006). Results for PAF showed a small, positive but nonsignificant correlation with both dietary pattern scores Lp-PLA2 had small, negative, nonsignificant correlations with both dietary pattern scores. There was no difference in PAF or Lp-PLA2 levels between those with high versus low adherence for either dietary pattern. We can conclude that hs-CRP, a traditional marker of inflammation, is correlated with Mediterranean and Vegetarian dietary pattern adherence. Whilst there was no correlation with novel markers of inflammation, this could be due to the timing of COVID-19 vaccinations which coincided with outcome measures Larger studies are needed to determine whether a true relationship exists between diet scores and markers of inflammation.

The association between dietary intakes of zinc, vitamin C and COVID-19 severity and related symptoms: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a devastating impact on health systems, food supplies, and population health. This is the first study to examine the association between zinc and vitamin C intakes and the risk of disease severity and symptoms among COVID-19 patients. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 250 recovered COVID-19 patients aged 18-65 years from June to September 2021. Data on demographics, anthropometrics, medical history, and disease severity and symptoms were collected. Dietary intake was evaluated using a web-based, 168-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). The severity of the disease was determined using the most recent version of the NIH COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines. Using multivariable binary logistic regression, the association between zinc and vitamin C intakes and the risk of disease severity and symptoms in COVID-19 patients was evaluated. RESULTS: The mean age of participants in this study was 44.1 ± 12.1, 52.4% of them were female, and 46% had a severe form of the disease. Participants with higher zinc intakes had lower levels of inflammatory cytokines, such as C-reactive protein (CRP) (13.6 vs. 25.8 mg/l) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) (15.9 vs. 29.3). In a fully adjusted model, a higher zinc intake was also associated with a lower risk of severe disease (OR: 0.43; 95% CI: 0.21, 0.90, P-trend = 0.03). Similarly, participants with higher vitamin C intakes had lower CRP (10.3 vs. 31.5 mg/l) and ESR serum concentrations (15.6 Vs. 35.6) and lower odds of severe disease after controlling for potential covariates (OR: 0.31; 95% CI: 0.14, 0.65, P-trend = <0.01). Furthermore, an inverse association was found between dietary zinc intake and COVID-19 symptoms, such as dyspnea, cough, weakness, nausea and vomiting, and sore throat. Higher vitamin C intake was associated with a lower risk of dyspnea, cough, fever, chills, weakness, myalgia, nausea and vomiting, and sore throat. CONCLUSION: In the current study, higher zinc and vitamin C intakes were associated with decreased odds of developing severe COVID-19 and its common symptoms.

The association among circadian rhythm, circadian genes and chrononutrition, its effect on obesity: a review of current evidence

Circadian rhythms, also known as circadian clocks, are cyclic endogenous biological patterns of an approximately 24-hour cycle which regulate the timing of physiology, metabolism, and behavior. Recent research in the field of circadian science has suggested that the timing of food intake may also play a role in markers of health, in addition to food choice and food quantity. There is emerging evidence suggesting that the timing of dietary intake, so-called chrono-nutrition, may be influenced by an individual<apos;>s chronotype. For example, the evening type has been linked to unhealthy diet, which could indicate a higher possibility of obesity. On the other hand, the continuum of chronotype diversity is largely mediated by genes. The presence of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) of clock genes have been associated with obesity, chronotype, metabolic disturbances, and dietary habits (e.g., breakfast skipping, meal timing, energy/macronutrient intake). In this review, we outline the current knowledge of the interactions between clock genes, chronotype, dietary intake and chrono-nutrition.Additionally, it is emphasized that the COVID-19 pandemichas had a significant impact on the circadian system, dietary choices and meal timing. For this reason, the current review aims to focus on how chronotype/sleep and chrono-nutrition are affected during the COVID-19 pandemic.Copyright © 2022 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Home Remedies, Dietary and Lifestyle Changes during Covid-19 Pandemic

December 2019 has become one of the most surprising days in the whole world in light of the flare-up of a most infectious sickness brought about by novel Covid or Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This study is conducted to assess the benefits of the use of home remedies to prevent the cause of Covid-19 and evaluate the assessment of dietary changes and physical activity in the prevention of Covid-19. A questionnaire-based online survey is conducted using Google forms consisting of multiple-choice questions about home remedies, lifestyle and dietary changes made by the people during this pandemic. These home remedies included using different types of herbal preparations, steam inhalation, physical exercise and OTC medications for prophylaxis. Questions likewise included about being infected by Coronavirus-19(during first wave or second) and their recovery period, additionally collected their viewpoint for changes made, for example how much they are useful in the prevention of the attack and whenever encountered any undesirable impacts. Total responses were 210, among which 121(57.6%) responses were from females and 89(42.4%) from males. 65 people tested Covid positive (42 during the first wave and 23 during the second wave). 118(56.2%) of people think these changes are very beneficial. (Rated 4 and 5 out of 5 points). From our survey, we concluded that different herbal preparations of their composition, which they thought are helpful, and steam inhalations have been used. Rating regarding the use and effectiveness was also found to be average. Further studies are needed to prove and provide clear evidence about adverse and side effects associated with the use of herbal products.Copyright © 2022 Society of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research. All rights reserved.

Dietary habit, physical activity and perceived barriers during movement control order among undergraduate students in Puncak Alam, Selangor

The emergence of COVID-19 had affected people in terms of their physical activity and nutritional changes which may increase the risk of various non-communicable diseases (NCD) among them. This study aimed to identify the physical activity level, nutritional changes, and perceived barriers to engage physical activity among students of UiTM Selangor, Puncak Alam Campus during the Movement Control Order (MCO) in Malaysia. A total of 234 students aged 18-24 years old were chosen to participate in this study by using convenience sampling. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), Physical Activity Resource Assessment (PARA), and adapted questionnaire from the Ministry of Health (MOH) Malaysia were used in this study. Findings reveal that students were able to engage in physical activity level during the pandemic period which required them to be quarantined. Moreover, there was an increase in the frequency of healthy eating behaviour as well as unhealthy eating behaviour during MCO.Copyright © 2023 The Authors.

Nutritional Approaches of the Changing Consumer after the Pandemic: Sustainable Potential of Phytoene and Phytofluene for Photoprotection and Skin Health

Ascertaining sustainable endogenous nutrients for long-term healthy skin from the nutritional perspective of changing consumers, is an interesting method to prevent photoaging symptoms which are the main cause of skin aging. This narrative literature review aims to focus on the sustainable potential of phytoene (PT) and phytofluene (PTF) to engage in biological actions with photoprotection, dietary intervention, nutrition, stability, safety, and distinct structure of PT and PTF for skin health. As a result, this review demonstrates that dietary interventions of colourless carotenoids, PT and PTF, according to their distinct structural and biological actions, maximize the absorption of damaging light in the ultraviolet range unlike coloured carotenoids that have maximum absorption in the visible range. Furthermore, in addition to skin health, their distinct chemical structures and biological actions are attributed to antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer activities and suggest the sustainable potential of PT and PTF to provide various additional health benefits, such as improving the immune system and cardiovascular health. "Healthy and beautiful skin starts from within”. It is hoped that dietary interventions of PT and PTF, along with topical photoprotection by sunscreen, will become better known to consumers as a nutritional approach to long-term basal protection/defense and complementary photoprotection and skin health strategies. © 2023 by the authors.