Stress and resilience in the workers of three health authorities of Emilia-Romagna during the COVID-19 pandemic

Aims: The aim of the present study was to study the prevalence of depression, anxiety, stress, and post-traumatic symptoms in Health-Care Workers (HCWs) of three Health Authorities of Emilia-Romagna, Italy during the COVID pandemic. Material(s) and Method(s): An online questionnaire was spread to the staff of the University Hospital of Modena and the Local Health Agencies of Modena and Romagna, including the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21), the Impact of Event Scale - Revised (IES-R), and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale - Short Version (UWES-9). The scores at DASS-21 and IES-R were used as dependent variables in multivariate logistic regression models. Result(s): A total of 5868 HCWs were reached (response rate of 22.4%), 76.1% of which were women, mostly aged between 45 and 54 years. Rates of positive scores were: 27.9% DASS-21 Depression;28.4% DASS-21 Anxiety;34.7% DASS-21 Stress;21.9% IES-R. At the multivariate logistic regression, the following were statistically significant risk factors for positive scores: female sex, young age, and working at the front line. An increase in alcohol and tobacco consumption and worsening of eating habits were also strongly associated with symptoms. At UWES-9, the three samples reported lower vigor than dedication and absorption, which are at a medium-high level. Conclusion(s): HCWs have experienced high levels of emotional distress related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Significant improvements are needed not only in terms of organization and distribution of resources, but also in provision of dedicated psycho-social interventions.Copyright © 2023

Risk factors associated with overweight and obesity in children and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic in Chile.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused changes in people's lifestyles, mainly in healthy eating habits and behaviors. Therefore, our objective was to evaluate the association of eating habits, family eating behaviors, lifestyles, and perception of nutritional status with the risk of overnutrition in children and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of 661 Chilean children and adolescents. The study tool was an online self-report questionnaire taken during the COVID-19 lockdown. We observed overnutrition in 37.5%. Habits such as sleeping the recommended number of hours by age group and having healthy family behaviors decreased the risk of overnutrition by 49.0% (OR= 0.510, p= <0.001) and 10.8% (OR= 0.892, p= 0.01), respectively. Parents' perception of weight gain during the pande-mic, the distortion of nutritional status and the health risk of their children's nutritional status increased 4.8 (OR= 4.846, p= <0.001), 8.5 (OR= 8.580, p= <0.001) and 3.8 (OR= 3.826, p= <0.001) times, respectively, the risk of overnutrition in children and adolescents. In conclusion, the COVID-19 lockdown and school closures may have affected lifestyles. In addition, the role of parents in the perception of nutritional status and family eating behaviors is fundamental since they could be a predictor of the risk of overnutrition. These findings propose further research to design plans and programs to avoid the consequences related to overweight and obesity.Copyright © 2023, Sociedad Chilena de Nutricion Bromatologia y Toxilogica. All rights reserved.

Impact of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic on Leisure Screen Time and Eating Habits of Japanese High School Students: A Comparison between before and during the Pandemic.

This study aimed to determine whether adolescents' leisure screen time differed during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic compared to before the pandemic, and to identify factors that affect leisure screen time among Japanese high school students. The Health Behavior in School Children questionnaire was used to investigate differences in eating habits and physical and mental health. The results showed that the leisure screen time of Japanese high school students was 2.6 h (SD = 1.4) before the pandemic, and 3.2 h (SD = 1.5) during the pandemic. The factors that increased leisure screen time were found to differ between boys and girls. No significant deterioration in physical and mental health was observed. The impact of the pandemic on eating habits differed in boys and girls. Boys reported "not feeling great about life" as a factor that increased leisure screen time during the pandemic, suggesting that negative emotions influenced the increase in leisure screen time. The pandemic had a significant impact on girls' leisure screen time. Longer screen time should be carefully monitored because it can lead to sleep disturbances, worsening of mental health, and obesity. Compared with before the pandemic, the health status of boys and girls changed little. Eating habits tended to improve for both boys and girls.

Dietary habits, physical activity and nutritional state of Early Childhood Schoolchildren in times of the Covid-19 Pandemic.

Background: Child malnutrition is a serious problem in developing countries. Educational interventions are effective since they improve the knowledge and understanding of healthy eating in school children. Identify eating habits of Initial Education students in times of the COVID-19 Pandemic and see their evolution after an educational intervention. Method(s): Quasi-experimental, prospective, longitudinal research that evaluates in two moments (pre and post intervention) the educational module for the promotion of healthy eating and nutrition in children of the Initial Educational Institution Buenos Aires de Villa carried out during October-November. 2020 in Lima-Peru. 33 students from 5-year-old classrooms were selected. The instrument: Krece Plus test questionnaire. Result(s): The participants were 5 years old (78.8%) and 6 years old (21.2%). The average feeding habit increased from 27.3% to 30.3% and the high decreased from 69.7% to 66.7%;in men, high-level eating habits increased while in women they decreased, the variations occurred in 6-year-old students. There were no statistically significant differences in eating habits (Wilcoxon p=0.559). Conclusion(s): More than half of children have eating habits classified as "High". There were differences, although not significant, after the intervention in the "Medium" and "High" eating habits. It was estimated that children at this stage had a great influence from their parents, who modified their eating habits, so it is necessary that they are also involved in the program.Copyright © 2022 Sociedad Espanola de Nutricion Comunitaria. All rights reserved.

Nutritional care approaches and outcomes of health care professionals managing alcohol withdrawal patients post hospital discharge: a scoping review

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is highly prevalent in Australia.(1) However, best practice management of AUD in the community post discharge from hospital is not well articulated in the literature. In particular, given the harmful effects excessive alcohol consumption has on nutritional status there is a need to identify what approaches are being utilised in managing this vulnerable group.(2) Hence the aim of this scoping review was to identify the current approaches and outcomes with respect to nutritional care as identified by the Nutrition Care Process Model (NCPM) for patients discharged from hospital post alcohol withdrawal. This scoping review was registered with OpenScience Framework (words: PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science and Scopus. Articles included were published between January 1995 and April 2022 Eligible articles were screened independently by pairs of reviewers, and consensus was reached across pairs to provide inter-rater and inter-consensus reliability. Screening and data extraction was conducted using Covidence by reviewers HM, ATM, CM, SG Fourteen articles were eligible for inclusion. Approaches to nutritional care was identified based on the intervention utilised and in comparison to the NCPM.(3) Key findings were screening for nutrition related problems and anthropometry measures were the most evaluated (n = 10), whereas practices of referral providing continuum of care were highlighted in only a minority of studies (n = 3). Education interventions included Motivational Interviewing and cognitive behavioural therapy sessions (4) (n = 7). Few studies (n = 4) which combined harm-reduction counselling with nutritional approaches and education interventions showed significant improvement (p < 0.05) in outcome measures of nutritional care. This was measured through the improvement in nutritional status (positive eating habits, decrease in nutrition-related impact symptoms, and WHO Quality of Life (QoL) health and physical domains) Limitations include varying aims of analysis and a paucity of information in this area. There is a need for further studies to be completed in this area to understand the nature of this complex issue and recommend effective strategies to improve health outcomes for individuals and populations.

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.

The Effects of COVID-19 Restrictions on Dietary Behaviors, Supplement, and Physical Activity Habits of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Study Objectives: Limited studies show that adverse behavioral outcomes such as physical activity (PA), Dietary Behaviors (DB) are increasing among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) because of COVID 19. However, the effects of the pandemic on children with ASD are little known. This study aimed to evaluate the factors that may affect the PA, DS, and DB of individuals with ASD before and during the curfew brought by the COVID-19 epidemic. Method(s): A total of 64 ASD participants (40 boys and 24) girls aged 6-18 years, were included in the study. The mean age of the participants was (13.75 +/- 1.67). An online questionnaire consisting of sociodemographic data, PA, DS, and DS habits was applied to the participants. Result(s): BMI (kg/m2) increased compared to pre-COVID-19 (< 0.001). It was determined that the physical activity levels of the participants with ASD were greatly reduced compared to pre-COVID-19 (<0.001). Duration of PA conducted 1 time a week, 3 times a week, and >7 days/week were found to be <30 minutes (< 0.001). Compared to pre-COVID-19, breakfast habits were changed (71.9%;< 0.001). Eating and snacking although not feeling hungry increased, (< 0.310;< 0.120 respectively). Vitamin C (53.1%), vitamin D (70.3%), vitamin B12 (50.0%), Calcium (75.0) and Magnesium (67.1%) use was determined to increase significantly (< 0.001) in participants with ASD during COVID-19. Conclusion(s): It was determined that individuals with ASD have significant decreases in physical activity, and nutritional behavior and significant increases in supplement use during the COVID-19 epidemic.Copyright © 2022 Mattioli 1885. All rights reserved.

Dietary supplement use and associated variables among Turkish women: cross-sectional study

Introduction: Dietary supplement use is continuously increasing in the world and it seems to be more common among women. Data on supplement habits of women in Turkey are still limited. The purpose of this study is to determine dietary supplement use and to evaluate associated factors in Turkish women in the pre-COVID-19 period. Methodology: A total of 727 Turkish women (33.4[10.3] years;25.9[4.57] kg/m2;162.9[6.81] cm) participated in this cross-sectional study. After piloting, the participants completed a six-part questionnaire form that was administered either face-to-face or over the phone by a trained dietitian. The questionnaire intended to collect data about demographic characteristics, use of dietary supplements and factors influencing supplement choices such as eating habits, physical activity and lifestyle habits. Result(s): A total of 307 participants (42.2%) used at least one dietary supplement within the previous year. The most commonly used was iron (30.6%) followed by vitamin D (30.6%), vitamin B12 (26.7%), multivitamins (18.2%), and calcium (11.4%). Supplement use decreased with higher physical activity (p=0.002). Furthermore, it was significantly higher among women who consume meals at regular times (p=0.001) and those that avoid fast food consumption (p=0.014). However, the use of dietary supplements was not associated with lower BMI, older age or higher academic level (p>0.05). Conclusion(s): More than 40% of women were reported using dietary supplements. The use of supplements was not associated with lower BMI, higher physical activity, older age, higher academic level smoking or drinking. Turkish women seem to show a different consumer profile from typical dietary supplement users.Copyright © 2022 Asociacion Espanola de Dietistas-Nutricionistas. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of COVID-19 fear and nutrition habits in healthcare workers

Aim: This study aims to evaluate the COVID-19 fear level and nutrition habits of healthcare workers. Material(s) and Method(s): This research was conducted with 208 healthcare workers in Konya City Hospital and Meram State Hospital. Participants filled out the sociodemographic information form, COVID-19 Phobia Scale and Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire. The SPSS 22,0 program was used for data analysis. Result(s): Among participants between the ages of 18-65 included in the study, 59.1% (n=123) were female and 40.9% (n=85) were male. The average age of participants was found to be 29.32 +/-0.43 years. In the COVID-19 Phobia Scale, scores of women in psychological (p<0.001), somatic (p=0.001), social (p=0.001), economic (p=0.001) sub-dimensions and total score (p=0.026) were found to be higher than those of men. Fear levels of married participants were higher in somatic (p=0.018) and economic (p=0.044) sub-dimensions. Scores of obese and overweight participants' in psychological (p=0.002), somatic (p=0.017), social (p=0.028), economic (p=0.011) sub-dimensions and in total score (p=0.001) were found to be lower. The total score of the Three-Factor Nutrition Questionnaire (p=0.017) and emotional eating levels (p=0.006) of healthcare workers who had COVID-19 before were found to be higher. It was detected that there was a positive correlation between the degree of emotional eating and the social sub-dimension (p=0.048), and there was a negative relationship between the degree of consciously restricting eating and the psychological sub-dimension (p=0.009). Discussion(s): Nutritional habits have changed due to isolation conditions, sedentary lifestyles and the need for supplemental food. The stressful and risky working environment of healthcare workers affected their fear levels. With the increase in the fear level, eating habits have also changed. As in all pandemics, policies should be followed to reduce the level of fear of healthcare workers, who are among risky groups, during the COVID-19 pandemic process. In this process, the importance of nutrition should be emphasized and negative habits should be avoided.Copyright © 2022, Derman Medical Publishing. All rights reserved.

Effectiveness and co-benefits of a telephone-based intervention in reducing obesity risk of children aged 2-4 years: findings from a pragmatic randomised controlled trial during the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia

Background: Evidence of effective early childhood obesity prevention is scarce and mainly derived from face-to-face interventions. However, the COVID-19 pandemic drastically reduced face-to-face health programmes globally. This study assessed effectiveness of a telephone-based intervention in reducing obesity risk of young children. Method(s): We adapted a study protocol (developed before the pandemic) and conducted a pragmatic randomised controlled trial of 662 women with children aged 2 years (mean age 24.06 months [SD 0.69]) during March, 2019, and October, 2021, extending the original planned intervention of 12 months to 24 months. The adapted intervention comprised five telephone-based support sessions plus text messages over a 24-month period (at child ages 24-26 months, 28-30 months, 32-34 months, 36-38 months, and 42-44 months). The intervention group (n=331) received staged telephone plus SMS support regarding healthy eating, physical activity, and information about COVID-19. The control group (n=331) received four staged mail-outs on information not related to the obesity prevention intervention, such as toilet training, language development, and sibling relationships, as a retention strategy. The intervention effects on BMI (primary outcome) and eating habits (secondary outcome), and perceived co-benefits, were evaluated using surveys and qualitative telephone interviews at 12 months and 24 months after baseline (age 2 years). The trial is registered with the Australian Clinical Trial Registry, ACTRN12618001571268. Finding(s): Of 662 mothers, 537 (81%) completed the follow-up assessments at 3 years, and 491 (74%) completed the follow-up assessment at 4 years. Multiple imputation analysis showed no significant difference in mean BMI between the groups. Among low-income families (ie, annual household income <AU$80 000) at age 3 years, the intervention was significantly associated with a lower mean BMI (16.26 kg/m2 [SD 2.22]) in the intervention group than in the control group (16.84 kg/m2 [2.37];p=0.040), a difference of -0.59 (95% CI -1.15 to -0.03;p=0.040). Children in the intervention group were more likely not to eat in front of the television than the control group, with an adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of 2.00 (95% CI 1.33 to 2.99) at 3 years and an aOR of 2.50 (1.63 to 3.83) at 4 years. Qualitative interviews with 28 mothers revealed that the intervention increased their awareness, confidence, and motivation to implement healthy feeding practices, particularly for families from culturally diverse backgrounds (ie, speaking a language other than English at home). Interpretation(s): A telephone-based intervention was well received by the mothers who participated in the study. The intervention could reduce children's BMI from low-income families. Telephone-based support targeted at low-income families and families from culturally diverse backgrounds could reduce current inequalities in childhood obesity. Funding(s): The trial was funded under the NSW Health Translational Research Grant Scheme 2016 (number TRGS 200) and also by a National Health and Medical Research Council Partnership grant (number 1169823).Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 license

Canned fish products: Current issues and future perspectives

Canned fish products are of great economic importance for many countries and are preferred by consumers due to their rich nutritional composition and beneficial health effects. The steps of canning process and formulation vary depending on the species processed and the desired end product. This work is an overview of the current research investigating the effects of canning process, several preprocessing treatments and formulation on the nutritional composition, sensory characteristics and microbial quality of the end product. Key findings of recent studies on health effects and potential risk factors associated with the consumption of canned fish products are presented. Moreover, the global demand for canned fish products is increasing due to the changing consumption behavior and healthy eating habits of consumers after the pandemic. This review summarizes the major challenges that need to be addressed for meeting the increasing demand for canned fish products. Finally, based on the findings of current studies reviewed, the perspectives and research gaps for canned fish products are stated. Copyright © 2022-IOS Press. All rights reserved.

Analysis Model of Toddlers Factor as Stunting Risk Predisposition Factor Due to Covid 19 in Stunting Locus Village Area of Indonesia

BACKGROUND: Stunting is one of the global health and nutrition problems faced by toddlers because of the height growth problem caused by the lack of nutrition intake both the micro nutrition and macro nutrition and also infection diseases in long terms. OBJECTIVE(S): This research aims at analyzing the toddler factors as the stunting risk predisposition factor due to Covid 19 pandemic in stunting locus village area of Indonesia. DESIGN: This study applied case control study research design. This research was conducted for seven months (May 27th - November 20th 2022) in Stunting Locus Pudun Jae Village area, Padangsidimpuan City. PARTICIPANTS: This case control study took 112 toddlers as the samples who were divided into two groups;56 stunting toddlers were included in case group and 56 normal toddlers were included in control group. The sampling technique used was purposive sampling. KEY RESULTS: This research found that the poor eating frequency (OR=3,619), monotonous eating habit (OR=0,440), and exclusive breastfeeding history (OR=0,070) were stunting risk predisposition factors on toddlers. In addition, the result of multivariate analysis on the three stunting risk factors showed that the eating frequency (OR=3,619) was the most dominant factor leading to stunting. CONCLUSION(S): This research findings summary confirmed that eating habit, eating frequency, and exclusive breastfeeding history were the stunting risk predisposition factors with the value of OR > 1. Thus, any intervention which can overcome those predisposition factors to prevent stunting is needed such as family-based nutrition education and accurate nutrition intervention. Copyright © 2023 Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications. All rights reserved.

Effect of Lockdown in the COVID-19 Pandemic on Dietary Habits and Self-Medication Practice in People Living in Jordan

Background: The pandemic of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has impacted Jordanian society, particularly on health. Aim(s): This study examined the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown on Jordanian society's dietary habits and self-medication practices. Method(s): We surveyed 1252 Jordanians of both genders between the ages of 18 and 65 years by questionnaire. Three questions were asked to evaluate the frequency of foods/drinks consumption, general eating habits, and self-medication practice of individuals of both genders during the lockdown. Result(s): Dietary habits and food quality affected weight (increase or decrease) by 69.5% during the lockdown. The highest percentages of 'very high' consumption per week for fruits, processed juices, and fried foods were 37.6 %, 36.7%, and 29.4%, respectively. The highest percentage of 'very little' consumption per week for drinking water, milk, and soft drinks were 12.5%, 8.5%, and 7.4%, respectively. The percentage of respondents who had taken medicine without a doctor's prescription was 84.7%. The highest percentage (74%) was in using self-medication as a preventive measure against the coronavirus, followed by treating a cold/flu (61.4%), in both genders and age groups. The largest percentage (78.5%) was for using paracetamol, followed by ibuprofen and azithromycin (78.1% and 77.1%), respectively. Conclusion(s): Dietary habits and the quality of the foods consumed during lockdown affected participants' weight (increase or decrease) by 69.5%. The percentage of participants who self-medicated was 84.7%. Copyright © 2022 International Journal of Nutrition, Pharmacology, Neurological Diseases Published by Wolters Kluwer - Medknow.

Determining the Nutritional Levels and Physical Activity Habits of Physical Education and Sports Teachers during the Covid-19 Process

Covid-19 has largely maintained its effect in our country as well as in the world. This has adversely affected the lives of people by staying in quarantine or curfew. It was aimed to determine the Nutritional Levels and Physical Activity Habits of Physical Education and Sports Teachers during the Covid-19 Process with this study. The model of our study was applied to determine the nutritional habits and physical activity levels of physical education and sports teachers in the Eastern Anatolia region during the COVID-19 process. The population of our research consists of physical education and sports teachers among the teachers in the Eastern Anatolia region. The sample of our study consisted of 278 randomly selected people from among physical education teachers. In our study, in order to determine the healthy lifestyles of physical education and sports teachers, a questionnaire aimed at "Examination of Nutritional Habits and Nutritional Knowledge Levels of Healthcare Professionals" through Yucel (2015) and a short form of "International Physical Activity Questionnaire" were developed by Erdogan(2021) and adapted to the pandemic process by developing "Nutritional Knowledge Level, Nutritional Habits and Physical Activity Levels in the Pandemic Process" and a questionnaire with 26 questions was applied to determine the nutritional knowledge levels, nutritional habits and physical activity levels of teachers. The data obtained in our study were transferred to the SPSS 22 package program and analyzed and the significance level was accepted as p<0.05. It was determined that 37.1% of physical education teachers had changes in their eating habits, they ate 2 meals with 56.8% of their daily main meals, Lunch with 56.1% of the meals they skipped during the day, Meal skipping reasons were caused by changes in their sleep pattern with 30.9%, 36% of them did not change the type of food they consumed at the snack, the most common type of food/beverage they consumed between meals was fruit/dry fruit with 40.6%, and 47.8% of them did not change their daily fluid consumption and as daily water consumption, 33.5% of physical education teachers consumed 1.5 liters of water. When the physical activity levels were examined, it was found that 45% of the physical education teachers did not do regular physical activity, 42.8% exercised once a week, and in physical activity, there was no change, 59% of them did their physical activities in the gym, it was also determined that 36.7% of them think their physical activities are beneficial, 37.4% were partially affected by the stay at home project, and 53.2% had increased body weight. As a result, it is thought that there are changes in nutritional knowledge levels and physical activity levels, that it negatively affects human health during the pandemic period, and that adequate/balanced nutrition and physical activity during the COVID-19 process will positively affect people's health. Copyright © 2022 Ubiquity Press. All rights reserved.

Eating habits during quarantine: Investigating the role of emotions and loneliness in a sample of adults in Greece

Introduction: Imposing quarantine as a measure to manage the coronavirus pandemic is a stressful event that is often associatedwith negative psychological effects. Eating habits seemed to be significantly affected during the quarantine, while strong negative emotions were triggered as the feeling of loneliness increased at the same time. Objective(s): This study aims to investigate the eating habits of individuals during quarantine and the role of positive and negative emotions and loneliness in shaping these habits. Method(s): An online cross-sectional study was performed using 3 validated scales, EAT-26 (3 subscales: Dieting, Bulimia and Food Preoccupation, Oral Control), Modified Differential Emotions Scale and UCLA Loneliness Scale. Data was collected between April and May 2021 mainly from social media platforms. Statistical analyses included linear regression and mediation analyses. Result(s): Abnormal eating habits were detected in 25% of the participants (N= 450, ages 18-74) while the majority reported medium rates of negative/positive emotions and loneliness. Female sex is associated with abnormal eating habits (p=0.010) and mainly dietary behaviors (p=0.029). Negative emotions (p=0.032) and loneliness (p=0.001) seemto be predictive factors of eating habits in general and bulimic behaviors.Negative emotions correlate directly with eating habits. However, we found a significant mediation of loneliness (p=0.032). Furthermore, the observed association between negative emotions and bulimia is partly mediated by loneliness (p=0.018). Conclusion(s): Negative emotions and loneliness seemed to play an important role in shaping eating habits during quarantine. Multilevel public health interventions are needed to address the negative effects of quarantine and pandemic in general.

Proposing A New 'Gateway Food Model' For Adolescent Eating Behavior And Its Implications For Modifiable Hypertension Risk Factors

Background: During COVID-19, this study examined data on adolescents' eating habits. It proposes a new 'gateway food model' for ultra-processed foods (UPF). This model shows that certain UPFs when increased (decreased) drive consumption of other UPFs as well. This has important implications for managing hypertension risk factors since studies show that those in the highest tertile of UPF consumption have a higher risk of hypertension (adjusted HR, 1.21;CI, 1.06, 1.37;p = 0.004) (Mendonca, 2016). Method(s): The study enrolled 315 participants aged 13-19 years in Florida, U.S. Participants' PIE scores (Processed Intake Evaluation scores, scale 0-100), were calculated based on averaged consumption of 12 ultra-processed food products. PIE scores, before COVID-19 in 2019, and after COVID-19 restrictions were eased in 2022, were assessed in the study. Result(s): The participants' mean age was 16.2+/-1.4 years. The study classified participants into UPF+ (n=135) and UPF- (n=180) groups according to whether they increased or decreased their UPF intake during COVID-19. For both groups, a stepwise regression was employed to identify significant factors for change in UPF intake. In the UPF+ group, increased intake of candy, store pastries, or frozen desserts was associated with increased UPF intake across all other UPFs as well (+31.2, +12.0, or +10.5 respective change in PIE score, p<0.01). Correspondingly, in the UPFgroup, reduced intake of biscuits, white bread, or processed meat was associated with decreased overall UPF intake across all other UPFs as well (-9.6, -9.4, -8.6 respective change in PIE score, p<0.01). Conclusion(s): Hypertension can begin during childhood and may be mediated by a focus on modifiable risk factors such as high UPF intake. These results indicate that for adolescents whose consumption of UPFs has not yet been established, certain gateway UPFs (candy, store pastries, and frozen desserts) should be given priority for preventive dietary interventions since increased intake in these UPFs leads to consumption of all other UPFs as well. In contrast, if an adolescent's UPF eating is already established, other UPFs (biscuits, white bread, or processed meat) can be targeted by dietary interventions as they decrease intake across all other UPFs.

Prevalence of weight gain among students of Mosul University, Iraq during quarantine 2020

Objective: To find how common weight gain was among Mosul University students during the Iraqi quarantine in 2020. Methodology: In this quantitative cross-sectional study, data were gathered using an electronic version of an Arabic-language questionnaire form from the 1st of September to 1st December 2021. We recorded demographic characteristics, eating habits and weight before and during the pandemic. Results: Out of 1688 students, 67% were males. Age of 40.17% was between 21 – 23 years. We found that 41% had same appetite and 54% had same number of meals per day and 57.6% had no extra activities. There is a significant value of age groups and gender with all forms of BMI. Conclusion: This study concluded that the there was a big difference of BMI during quarantine with a significant values of age groups and gender with all forms of BMI.

Hyposmia in childhood-a comparative evaluation of performance in the 'U-Sniff Test' in children with and without hyperplasia of the lymphoid tissue

Background To date, systematic studies on the cause and prevalence of childhood hyposmia are lacking. The causes of this olfactory dysfunction can vary from simple adenoid hyperplasia or a condition following covid-19 infection to the rare Kallmann syndrome. Regardless of the entity, olfactory disorders can not only severely limit children's quality of life but also present a diagnostic challenge. Methods In the period from March to October 2021, 66 children (33 female, 33 male) between 5 and 18 years of age were examined. 41 of these children showed hyperplasia of the lymphatic tissue (adenoid vegetations and/or tonsillar hyperplasia). 25 healthy children without lymphatic hyperplasia were included in the control group. By means of the 'U-Sniff Test', an olfactory test validated for children, the preoperative olfactory ability was assessed. In addition to the known 12 olfactory sticks, we added two additional odors (chewing gum and ethanol). Results 39 % of the children with lymphoid hyperplasia showed a result below 8 points in the 'U-Sniff Test', while the controle group had regular test results. Children with lymphoid tissue hyperplasia were significantly more likely to be diagnosed with hyposmia than are children from the control group (p < 0.01). Odors unpleasant for children, such as fish or coffee, were more reliably detected than fragrant smells. The odor chewing gum was recognized by 91 % of the children in the age group under 6 years of age. The childrens origin or eating habits showed no correlation with their performance in the 'U-sniff Test'. Conclusion Children with lymphoid hyperplasia suffer significantly more often from hyposmia than children without adenoid/tonsillar hyperplasia. There is an evidence gap in the literature regarding this correlation.

Childhood Obesity in the Age of COVID: The Epidemic within the Pandemic

Childhood obesity (CO) is a health problem whose primary cause is positive energy balance (increased food intake and decreased physical activity) and which has been ag-gravated by the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and by the measures put in place to mitigate it by inducing a more obe-sogenic environment, sedentary lifestyles and poor eating habits. Method and Purpose: Through a narrative review, we will describe the evidence of prevalence changes in CO during the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated factors. Findings: During the COVID-19 pandemic, significant in-creases in CO prevalence have been observed versus the pre-pandemic period, mainly affecting preschoolers. In addition, it has been possible to identify some elements possibly related to the changes observed such as screen time, eating habits, obesogenic environment, physical activity and sedentary lifestyle, depression and anxiety. Conclusiones: Despite the limited information from some countries regarding the behaviour of CO prevalence during the COVID-19 pandemic, there is an evident need to improve epidemiological surveillance systems and make rigorous investments to improve research in this area.

Effects of social distancing on the perception of sleep habits, physical activity, and diet of young adults

Introduction: In December 2019, there was a viral outbreak caused by coronaviruses (CoVs), which has led to numerous restrictive measures. Social distancing (SD) aims to reduce viral spread to the population, but affects sociodemographic aspects, sleep, eating habits and physical activity. Objective: Evaluate the changes caused by DS in aspects related to sleep, eating habits and physical activity in adult individuals. Methods: A study was carried out with 204 volunteers of both sexes. Questions related to sleep habits, eating habits and the practice of physical activity before and during the period of SD were assessed using an electronic questionnaire. The Wilcoxon test, McNemar test, and chisquare test (X2) were used to compare variables before and after SD. significance level of p<0.05 was adopted. Results: The sample consisted of 44 men and 160 women, with a mean age of 33.3±11.2 years and body mass index (BMI) 24.6±4.7 kg/m2. Regarding the TTS, there was an increase in sleep duration from 7.91±1.34hs to 8.43±1.23hs during DS (p<0.01). Sleep quality was considered “very good” or “good” in 73% of the sample in the period before DS. During social distancing, 55.4% reported that they started to sleep less at night and 35.3% reported sleep worsening during this period. Regarding the practice of exercise and physical activity, 73% of the participants practiced before SD, of which 65.1% interrupted the practice during the SD (p<0.01). Regarding eating habits, 32.4% noticed a worsening of eating habits during SD and 60.8% noticed changes in appetite, with increased appetite being the most perceived among participants (41.2%). Fastfood consumption was present at least once a week during SD in 48% of participants, consumption of frozen meals in 24.5% and consumption of sweets in 25%. Conclusion: It is concluded that the DS in adults contributed to increased sleep duration, worsening sleep quality, reduced exercising practices, and increased appetite and worsening eating habits.