Emotional eating in relation to gastrointestinal symptoms and burnout among young women during the pandemic

Background: The emergence of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), created unique constraints in everyday life. Emotional eating is a known phenomenon in disasters and is markedly associated with gastrointestinal symptoms. In this study, the aim was to assess the relationship of gastrointestinal symptom severity and COVID-19 burnout with emotional eating among young women during the pandemic disaster. Methods: A cross-sectional study approach was used to allow 462 young women participants in this study. The design of the questionnaires was based on demographics, health behaviors, Gastrointestinal Symptom Severity Scale, Emotional Eating Scale and COVID-19 Burnout Scale. Data were analyzed using percentages, mean values, independent t-test, chi-squared test. The hierarchical multiple regression analysis was performed for predicting risk factors of emotional eating. Significance levels were set at the 5% level. Results: Of the women, 73.8% were emotional eaters. The level of COVID-19 burnout was moderate with mean score of 29.4+or-11.1 and emotional eating total score was 21.0+or-8.1. Increased number of meals, increased weight gain and shorter sleep time were significantly associated with emotional eating (p<0.05). Participants with more than three meals per day were more likely to be emotional eaters (Beta=4.26). The regression model showed that indigestion and COVID-19 burnout were strong risk factors of emotinal eating (p<0.05). Conclusions: This study demonstrated that indigestion and COVID-19 burnout were strong risk factors of emotinal eating. Emotional eating could pose an additional health burden to young women in the form of poor food choices.

Supplements purchase intention: young consumer's perspective

PurposeThis study aims to investigate the factors that influence young consumers' purchase intention towards dietary supplements (DS) in Malaysia.Design/methodology/approachThe supplement industry in Malaysia has been growing rapidly recently due to a paradigm shift in healthcare management, from curative to prevention. Thus, it has sparked interest to conduct a study on the factors that influence young consumers' purchase intentions towards DS. With a response rate of 74.5%, a survey questionnaire was used to elicit data from 149 Gen-Y respondents who consume supplements on a regular basis.FindingsThe results revealed that the influencing factors towards purchase decisions among these Gen-Y respondents aged between 17 and 25 are based on product knowledge and product quality. The implications of these findings and directions for future research are outlined at the end of this paper.Originality/valueThis study offers empirical insights from the perspective of an emerging digital economy on the factors that influence young consumers' purchase intentions towards DS in Malaysia.

Progress in understanding the health promoting effect of egg yolk immunoglobulin

As an important immuneoactive component in eggs, yolk immunoglobulin (IgY) shows great competitiveness in research and production due to its good stability, high safety, low cost, easy availability, strong immune activity, and no drug resistance. This article highlights the significant advantages of IgY as a good antibiotic substitute in the prevention and treatment of viral and bacterial diseases. Also, IgY has great potential in the regulation of nutrient metabolism balance, intestinal microflora and immune homeostasis by affecting key rate-limiting enzymes, and relevant receptors and inflammatory factors specifically. Proper diet and targeted delivery of foodborne IgY may be a new perspective on inflammation regulation, disease control, nutritional balance or homeostasis, and oral microencapsulated IgY is expected to be a new approach against increasing public health emergencies (such as COVID-19 pandemic).

Diagnosing gestational diabetes during the Covid-19 pandemic using HbA1c rather than oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT)

The Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology advocated replacing OGTT with HbA1c for gestational diabetes (GDM) screening for women with risk factors during the Covid-19 pandemic. HbA1c >=48mmol/mol/random plasma glucose (RPG) >=11.1mmol/l at booking indicated diabetes, and 41-47mmol/ mol/9-11mmol/ l prediabetes or possible GDM. Testing was repeated at 26 weeks if normal previously, with HbA1c >=39mmol/mol, fasting PG >=5.6mmol/l, or RPG >=9mmol/l diagnostic for GDM. A) At her clinic booking visit at 10 weeks gestation, 36 year-old South Asian female had HbA1c 55mmol/mol/RPG 9.5mmol/l suggesting undiagnosed type 2 diabetes. Initially managed with dietary advice and home blood glucose monitoring, metformin was added when self-monitored glucose above pregnancy targets (fasting and pre-meal <5.3mmol/l or 1 h post meal <7.8mmol/l) but insulin was required later. Metformin and insulin were stopped after delivery at 38 weeks with HbA1c 50mmol/mol three months postpartum, supporting the earlier diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. B) 32 year-old White Caucasian female was screened for GDM on booking at 11 weeks as BMI 38 kg/m2. HbA1c 44mmol/mol and RPG 6.9mmol/l confirmed GDM which was managed by dietary/lifestyle changes with glucose and pregnancy targets achieved until 28 weeks when metformin added. Normal delivery at 40 weeks with HbA1c 40mmol/mol three months postpartum triggered advice on long-term dietary/lifestyle changes and annual HbA1c checks. HbA1c was useful during the pandemic but most centres reverted to OGTT for GDM screening due to a significant fall in diagnoses using HbA1c >=39mmol/mol at 26 weeks. But, HbA1c testing was advantageous at booking to diagnose type 2 diabetes earlier.

Investigation of high school students' motivation for physical activity participation and eating attitude levels during the COVID-19 period

The aim of this study is to determine the motivation of high school students to participate in physical activity and their eating attitude levels during the COVID-19 period as well as to examine the relationship between the two variables. In addition, it was also determined whether the motivation for participate in physical activity and eating attitudes differ according to gender, weekly exercise, spending time with technology, family communication times, and participation in exercise during and before the pandemic. A total of 576 high school students, including 406 girls and 170 boys, participated in the study. "Motivation Scale for Participation in Physical Activity (MSPPA)", "Eating Attitude Test (EAT-40)" and "Personal Information Form (KBF)" were used as data collection tools. Data were evaluated using correlation, multiple linear regression, MANOVA and t-test analysis techniques. It was concluded that the motivation of the students to participate in physical activity was moderate, and they did not have eating disorders. It was observed that physical activity motivation did not predict eating attitude, but there were positive and low relationships between sub-factors in relational dimension. According to gender, it was determined that the eating attitudes of female students were more positive than male students. It has been found that the motivation to participate in physical activity is higher for those who exercise before and during the pandemic than those who do not. Consequently, it can be said that during the COVID-19 process, high school students' motivation to participate in physical activity is at a moderate level, and their eating attitudes are generally not at the level of behavioral disorders.

The Study of the Correlation Betweenthe on the Diet, Sleep Quality and Perceived Stress among College Students in Taichung during the COVID-19 Pandemic Distance Learning.

Research indicates the COVID-19 epidemic changes people's health and diet, However, this has not yet been well discussed in Taiwan, especially in college students. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of distance learning on college students' dietary patterns, sleep quality and perception of stress during the COVID-19 epidemic in Taiwan. 265 college students from a university in Taichung were recruited in this study. The self-administered online questionnaire was used to investigate the changes in eating behavior, sleep quality, and perception of stress before and one month after distance learning, and further analyzed the relationship among them. The questionnaire contains demographic information, dietary questionnaires (including six categories of food intake behaviors, convenience food intake frequency), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Perceived Stress Scale (Chinese 14-item PSS). The results showed that the proportion of college students to meet the recommended Taiwan Dietary Guidelines amount in vegetables (21.9%), fruits (27.5%), meats and dairy products (15.8%), and nuts and seeds (11.3%) were lower during distance learning. The frequency of convenient food intake was lower during distance learning (13.31 +/- 6.10 points;never to occasionally). During the distance learning period, there was a significant negative correlation between dietary patterns and sleep quality (r = -0.160, p = 0.009), It shows that college students with higher dietary pattern scores have better sleep quality. During the distance learning period, there was a significant positive correlation between sleep quality and perceived stress (r = 0.320, p < 0.001), It shows that college students with higher levels of stress had poorer sleep quality. This study found that the lower the perceived stress of college students, the better their diet and sleep quality;conversely, the higher the perceived stress, the worse their diet and sleep quality. Studies have shown that a healthy, balanced diet can reduce the risk of getting various diseases. Therefore, in the post-epidemic era, it is recommended that schools increase the accessibility and availability of vegetables, fruits, dairy products, nuts and seeds on campus to make it easier for teachers and students to obtain such healthy food in order to achieve the goal of promoting balanced diet.Copyright © 2022 Nutrition Society in Taipei. All rights reserved.

Determinant factors of the improvement of nutritional status (based on height-for-age index category) in children during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cohort study of children's growth and development in Bogor

The COVID-19 pandemic is predicted to trigger a global economic and food supply crisis, which further affects children's nutritional status as a vulnerable group. This study aimed to observe alterations in nutritional status before and during the COVID-19 pandemic (during 2019-2021) and determinant factors involved in the improvement of nutritional status (based on the height-for-age Z-score (HAZ) index category) during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings were intended as evidence-based suggestions for policy formulation concerning the improvement of child nutritional status and stunting reductions. This study was part of a cohort study of children's growth and development conducted by National Institute of Health Research and Development (NIHRD) in Bogor city-Indonesia. The analysis was conducted on 565 children under five in 2019 with height measurement data in 2019 and 2021, environmental conditions, parental education, consumption habits, and social assistance. Children were classified as having an improved nutritional status if the HAZ category increased in 2021 compared to 2019. In addition, multiple logistic regression analyses were performed to predict determinant factors involved in improving the child's nutritional status. In this study, 17.5% of children had improved nutritional status, and 79.3% had a steady nutritional status. However, there were 3.2% of children with decreased nutritional status. Model factors determinant related to improved nutritional status includes consumption more than once per week of red meat (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 2.15;95% confidence interval (CI): 1.06-4.35, p=0.034), milk consumption more than once per week (aOR = 1.56;95% CI: 0.89-2.74, p=0.119), and age under 5 years old (aOR = 1.86;95% CI: 1.14-3.15, p=0.016). Children under five years old, the consumption of red meat and milk more than once a week have the opportunity to improve nutritional status (by height-for-age index) in children.

Molecular Dynamics and Free Energy Landscape Study of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron M-pro Boswellic acid Compounds of Boswellia Serrata Inhibitors

This work sheds light on the effect of boswellic acid compounds (Alpha boswellic acid, Beta boswellic acid, 11-keto beta boswellic acid and 3-Acetyl-11-keto beta boswellic acid) upon inhibiting SARS-CoV-2 M-pro and O-M-pro (Main protease). A good docking score (-8.4 kcal/mol) is found in the case of 3-Acetyl-11-keto beta boswellic acid as compared to the reference and three other boswellic acid compounds. ADMET results suggest that all these compounds are nontoxic and their pharmacokinetic properties are satisfactory. Moreover, a stability analysis with M-pro/O-M-pro through RMSD, RMSF, hydrogen bonds and Rg parameters in MD simulations is made and we found better values than the reference case. Pre and post-MD structures of Ligands-M-pro show a similar binding site whereas a drift can be noted for L-O-M-pro. 3-Acetyl-11-keto beta boswellic acid shows an average of five hydrogen bonds and it remains stable within the binding pocket of M-pro during the simulation period in comparison to other boswellic acids compounds. Various metastable conformations are observed for all compounds in FEL (free energy landscape), however, Acyclovir-M-pro, Alpha boswellic acid-M-pro and Beta boswellic acid-O-M-pro display only one global minimum. The results suggest that these compounds can be used as potential lead molecules for breakthroughs in drug discovery.

The effects of lifestyle in Alzheimer's disease during the COVID-19 pandemic

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a multifactorial neurodegenerative disease affected by multiple elements such as exercise, food, and social stimulation. Research has demonstrated the positive effects of exercise such as community-based programs and aerobic activities in reducing rates of decline in cognition. Another protective measure is avoiding red meat and alcohol and instead incorporating a Mediterranean diet to reduce inflammation and inhibit free radicals. Finally, social stimulation can serve to reduce the progression of the disease by increasing a sense of connection and meaningful purpose. COVID-19 has made it difficult for AD patients, especially those living in nursing homes or advanced facilities, to participate in exercise classes due to restrictions, to eat a fresh diet due to resource shortages, and to see friends and family due to social distancing. This chapter delves into the effects of COVID-19 on elements such as physical activity, diet, and social interaction on the disease progression of AD. © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Increased diagnosis of diabetes in secondary care: Is Covid-19 the only reason?

Aim: To evaluate the prevalence of new diabetes in secondary care during the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. Method(s): Data were collected prospectively for patients presenting to the hospital with new diagnosis of diabetes from December 2020 to May 2021. It included demographics, risk factors, presenting glucose, other investigations and treatment. Result(s): In the six-month study period, 31 patients were diagnosed with new diabetes. Thus far, approximately 13 patients have been identified to have type 1 diabetes and the average age was 37 years. Everyone was discharged with insulin except one patient. Prior to the pandemic in the year 2019, only 17 patients were diagnosed with diabetes in the hospital. Conclusion(s): The lockdown led to a reduction in physical activity and varied diet which may have contributed to weight gain;worsening insulin resistance. It is plausible that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV- 2) could trigger autoimmune type 1 diabetes or accelerate its presentation. Together with a hesitancy for patients to seek medical attention and reduced access to face-to- face primary care consultations, this may have contributed to the increased presentation of diabetes-related emergencies and reduction in symptomatic hyperglycaemia. Various studies found patients with pre-existing diabetes have a worse outcome if they develop Covid-19. Overall, during the pandemic, physical and mental health worsened, pre-disposing to medical conditions and impacting self-management of health and disease. We predict the increase in new diagnoses of diabetes in secondary care is multifactorial due to the effects of the pandemic rather than Covid-19 infection solely.

Organic food and obesity: factors influencing actual purchase of organic food in COVID-19 pandemic with moderating role of organic food availability

Purpose: Organic food consumption decreases the risk of becoming obese or overweight. This study intends to see the influence of customer perceived value, COVID-19 fear, food neophobia, effort and natural content on the intention to purchase organic food (IPOF) that leads to the actual purchase of organic food (APOF). Moreover, organic food availability is a moderator between IPOF and APOF. Design/methodology/approach: PLS-SEM is used for hypothesis testing. A purposive sampling technique was followed to gather data from organic food consumers in Lahore, Gujranwala and Islamabad and a total of 479 questionnaires were part of the analysis. Findings The outcomes show that customer perceived value, effort and natural content is positively related to IPOF. Despite this, COVID-19 fear and food neophobia are negatively associated with IPOF. IPOF and organic food availability are positively related to APOF. Finally, organic food availability significantly moderated between IPOF and APOF. Practical implications: This study outcome reveals that companies of organic food can recognize customer perceived value, COVID-19 fear, food neophobia, effort, natural content and organic food availability in their decision-making if they determine the actual purchase of organic food. This study offers a valuable policy to companies of organic food to enhance customer's behavior in purchasing organic food in Pakistan. Besides, practitioners and academicians can benefit from this study finding. Originality/value: This initial research integrates customer perceived value, COVID-19 fear, food neophobia, effort, natural content, IPOF and organic food availability to determine APOF in the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, consumption value theory is followed to develop the framework.

Complex presentations in people with diabetes: Does HbA1c help or hinder?

HbA1c measurement is widely used for diagnosis/ management/remission of diabetes with international schemes certifying comparability. A) 75 year-old Chinese female with type 2 diabetes was admitted in April 2020 with Covid-19 and diabetic ketoacidosis. Glucose was 35mmol/l and HbA1c 150mmol/mol with previous HbA1c of 45mmol/mol on metformin and alogliptin. She was treated for ketoacidosis and once-daily Lantus introduced along with supportive management of viral illness. B) 68 year-old Afro-Caribbean with type 2 diabetes on metformin before admission, presented with new onset, jerky ballistic movements of high amplitude in right arm, 10-15 movements every 5 min. Admission glucose was >33mmol/l, ketones 1.8mmol/l and HbA1c >217mmol/ mol. Hemichorea-hemiballism, a hyperglycaemia related movement was diagnosed and insulin commenced. Glucose decreased to 8-20mmol/ l, reaching 5-15mmol/ l by time of discharge. Ballistic movements resolved when glycaemic control improved with HbA1c 169mmol/mol, 25 days after discharge. C) Several days before admission, a female with diabetes over 20 years required attention from paramedics on four occasions for hypoglycaemia. Months beforehand metformin was replaced by gliclazide due to chronic kidney disease with HbA1c 50mmol/mol, and she was transfused six weeks before admission for microcytic anaemia. Gliclazide was discontinued and her diet modified which prevented further hypoglycaemic episodes. Variant haemoglobin, beta-thalassaemia which can overestimate glycaemia;undetected by HbA1c HPLC method, invalidated HbA1c as did the blood transfusion. These cases highlight that inadequate understanding of HbA1c can lead to acute presentations of dysglycaemia. As HbA1c accuracy can be affected by multiple factors, clinical assessment and triangulation are key to the management of such patients.

Implementing the Yorkshire Cancer Research funded Prehabilitation Radiotherapy Exercise smoking Habit cessation And Balanced diet Study (PREHABS): a therapeutic radiographer's perspective

Introduction: Lung cancer patients often have a number of comorbidities which impacts patient mortality and morbidity rates. Lifestyle changes for this group of patients have the potential to positively impact both quality of life and longevity. The Yorkshire Cancer Research funded Prehabilitation Radiotherapy Exercise smoking Habit cessation And Balanced diet Study (PREHABS) was designed to determine if it is feasible to embed interventions promoting a healthier lifestyle into the radical lung radiotherapy pathway. Method(s): The PREHABS study was led by therapeutic radiographers trained in smoking cessation provision, motivational interviewing, informed consent and good clinical practice and a dietitian. Radiographers screened and consented study participants, delivered the exercise intervention and up to 12-weeks of smoking cessation support, whilst dietary advice was provided by the dietitian. Patients diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), were referred to a community based pulmonary rehabilitation service rather than the PREHABS exercise intervention. Ethical and regulatory approvals were secured in September 2021. Result(s): 61 patients were recruited between September 2021 and October 2022. The majority were female (n=42), mean age 73.1 years (SD 9.36 years). Discussion(s): In addition to the training requirements detailed above and the challenges of COVID-19, the radiographers had to become adept in a number of study-specific aspects including writing the study standard operating procedures (SOPs), creating a study organisational workflow and patient recruitment. The PREHABS study has broadened the radiographer's perspective beyond the radiotherapy department, by further understanding the complex comorbidities that lung cancer patients present with, how to motivate patients to positively change their lifestyle, and how the side effects caused by cancer treatment can affect a patient's ability to change their lifestyle. Conclusion(s): Therapeutic radiographers, after appropriate training, are capable of delivering lifestyle intervention support within a radical lung cancer radiotherapy pathway. Disclosure: No significant relationships.Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V.

Publics and their health: Historical problems and perspectives

The nature of the relationship between publics and their health has long been a concern for those seeking to improve collective and individual health. Attempts to secure the health of the population of any given place are one of the oldest forms of governmental action. Whether it be providing clean water or preventing the spread of disease, such efforts require the involvement of the publics these measures are designed to protect. Despite its importance, surprisingly little attention has been paid to who or what the ‘public' of public health consisted of. This collection addresses this gap by considering ‘who' the public of public health was in an array of places and around a variety of public health problems. Ranging across Europe and North and South America, and from the interwar period to the near present, this book explores the construction of ‘problem publics' to deepen our understanding of the ‘who' of public health. This book offers detailed case studies of the making of ‘problem' publics and public health problems in different places and at different times. By placing examples of the construction of problem publics in contexts as diverse as the USA in the interwar period, East Germany in the 1980s and contemporary Argentina, this collection identifies what is general and what is specific to the processes that make certain kinds of publics appear problematic. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, this volume offers fresh insights into the nature of public health problems, practices and publics. © Manchester University Press 2023.

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.

Changes in the characteristic of dietary and lifestyle during Covid-19 lockdown in different countries: A systematic review

Due to the covid-19 pandemic, governments were forced to adopt lockdown policies to effectively control the pandemic. These restrictions increased anxiety, depression, and lifestyle changes. This systematic review aims to analyze changes in dietary patterns in the worldwide population during the COVID-19 lockdown. 11 studies were selected from the 1412 founds after searching in three databases. Searching keywords were: "Change dietary”, "COVID-19 dietary” "Confinement dietary”. Inclusion criteria were: studies that collected people's dietary patterns during the COVID-19 lockdown and recorded the consumption of food groups and the variations in lifestyle habits. This research found that people increased their consumption of food. People increased their sedentary hours, slept more but exercised less, leading to gain weight during the lockdown, as well as a poorer sleeping quality and higher anxiety levels.Alternate : Debido a la pandemia de COVID-19, los gobiernos se vieron obligados a tomar medidas de confinamiento para controlar eficazmente el contagio. Sin embargo, después de un tiempo de control al poblado, estas restricciones hicieron la gente tener más ansiedad y depresión, incluso cambiar el estilo de vida.

Perceptions of food among adult African Americans in the primary care setting

Introduction: The medical population lacks satisfactory information concerning the views regarding food perception among both male and female adult African Americans with consideration of chronic diseases, highest education level and marital status. The idea has not been fully exploited in research which has provoked the study. This study examines the views of food perception in relation to the health care and wellbeing of individuals. It offers satisfactory data that would in turn bring about the easy understanding of different perceptions concerning food choices, evaluating whether level of education and chronic disease play any role in decision making. It aims to make recommendations of the need for deploying healthier diet practices for better health outcomes. Methodology: The research is a mixed qualitative and quantitative study using both recorded interviews and a demographic questionnaire for data collection. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the demographic questionnaire was transcribed by the investigator according to the volunteer participant's verbalized answers, who were conveniently selected on their scheduled clinic visit day. The participant read and signed the form after hands sanitized containing 70% ethyl alcohol gel. The second part of the study was a telephonic interview, which was recorded, and information transcribed onto an excel worksheet in preparation for analysis. Data was collected and tabulated in an excel worksheet and then uploaded to Statistical Packages and Software Services (SPSS) an IBM application that aided in simplifying data presentation in the form of graphs which made it easier to draw conclusions. Results: There were 65 participants with 48 females and seventeen 17 males, and 56.9% with a college education in the study of which 84.6% were responsible for buying and preparing food. From the research analysis of the collected data, it was discovered that 43.1% of participants admitted to not eating healthy, 23.1% being influenced by maintaining health, 21.5% to being influenced by taste, and 15.4% eating as their medical condition recommends. Conclusion: To promote healthier food choices we need to embrace useful education and motivation strategies to encourage healthy food perception and hence healthy eating. To minimize the risks that may emerge from unhealthy food perceptions, the recommendation is crucial for meaningful collaboration with African Americans to prioritize and implement improved dietary habits and reduce diet-related chronic diseases. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

The Efficacy of a Persian Medicine-Based Dietary Protocol on Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a Persian Medicine-based dietary protocol (PM diet) in patients infected with COVID-19. A randomized clinical trial was performed from July 2020 to January 2021 in Tehran, Iran. Eighty patients admitted due to pulmonary dysfunction caused by COVID-19 were randomly allocated into two groups: the PM diet or the common hospital (CH) diet. Eight beds in 2 rooms were considered for each group. Patients were randomly hospitalized in these rooms and received these diets up to discharge or death. Oxygen saturation level and duration of hospitalization, the rate of mortality, duration of fever, and duration of cough were considered as the primary and secondary outcomes, respectively. Oxygen saturation and fever duration were not different between groups (P value= 0.08, 0.312, respectively). But the duration of hospitalization and the duration of cough in the PM diet group were significantly shorter than in the CH diet (P value= 0.002, 0.009, and HR=2.02, 1.86 respectively). The mortality rate was significantly lower in the PM diet group than in the CH diet group (Odds ratio: 0.12, P value=0.026). PM diet caused a lower mortality rate, shorter hospital stay, and better improvement in cough, but did not have a significant effect on O2 saturation and fever. Copyright © 2023 Tehran University of Medical Sciences.

Provision of Diet, Exercise, Cholesterol and Hemoglobin A1C Testing in Office Based Medical Visits Among Normal, Overweight, Obese, and Morbidly Obese Individuals in the US

Objectives: Obesity is a global epidemic and leads to complications such as diabetes and dyslipidemia. The objective of this study was to examine the provision of diet, exercise, cholesterol and HbA1c testing in office based medical visits among normal, overweight, obese, and morbidly obese individuals in the US. Method(s): The 2018 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey data was used to conduct the study. Main outcome was provision of diet/nutrition, exercise, weight-reduction counseling, cholesterol and HbA1c testing in normal (BMI:18-25), overweight (BMI:25-30), obese (BMI:30 - 40), and morbidly obese (BMI:40+) individuals. A logistic regression model was fit to examine main outcomes by BMI status. Survey weights are assigned to the sample visits to obtain national estimates. All models were adjusted for confounders: race, ethnicity, age, gender, MSA, and insurance status. Odds ratios are reported to describe differences in overweight, obese, and morbidly obese patients compared to normal weight patients. Result(s): The weighted study sample consisted of 496,622,621 outpatient visits primarily white (84%), male (58%), covered by private insurance (57%). Multivariate analysis reveals that overweight, obese, and morbidly obese individuals received more HbA1c tests (OR, 1.02;CI, 1.01-1.03;OR, 3.47;CI, 2.31-5.2;OR, 9.01;CI, 4.88-16.66), and lipid profile tests (OR, 1.56;CI, 1.01-2.41;OR, 1.88;CI, 1.32-2.67;OR, 2.16;CI, 1.20-3.90) compared to normal weight patients. Similar trends were observed in the provision of diet/nutrition, exercise, and weight reduction counseling services (OR, 3.31;CI, 1.49 -7.35;OR, 7.51;CI, 2.85 -19.76;OR, 18.47;CI, 7.40- 46.10). Conclusion(s): Our study findings suggest that at risk individuals receive more weight-related services, such as testing for diabetes, cholesterol, diet, exercise, and weight reduction education compared to normal weight individuals. This study forms a baseline to examine disparity in provision of such services post-Covid (2019 and beyond) era given the disruption in the scarcity of health care professionals for such basic preventive services.Copyright © 2023

Mental, physical, and cognitive wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic: Data from Scotland and Japan

We present data from two studies examining how COVID-19 restrictions affected health behaviours (alcohol consumption, diet, sleep quality, and physical activity levels), mental wellbeing (negative mood) and cognitive function (decision making, attention, learning, working memory, and time perception) in association with sociodemographic factors. Study 1 assessed participants in Scotland and presents cognitive function data for five timepoints. Study 2 is transnational, assessing participants in Scotland and Japan. Data are stored as CSV files. Reuse may involve examining further effects of pandemic enforced social isolation or serve as baseline data when assessing social isolation in expeditions or ageing. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)