Cognitive function and vitamin B12 and D among community-dwelling elders: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Little is know on the association between mild or sub-clinical vitamin B12 or D deficiencies and cognitive decline. The objective of the present work was to evaluate the association between vitamin B12 and D levels, and cognitive function in community-dwelling elders. METHODS: Cross-sectional study that included data from elders who participated in the SABE study, a population-based study that was carried out in Ecuador. Participants of SABE were selected by probabilistic sampling from the whole country. Vitamin B12 and D were measured in blood and cognitive status was assessed using an abbreviated version of the minimental state examination (MMSE). RESULTS: The sample included 1733 elders from whom 936 (54.01%) were female. Independently from sex, age, years of education, ethnicity, socioeconomic status and geographical zone of residence, we found that vitamin B12 levels were associated to MMSE scores and that this relationship changed depending on age. In this way, we observed that from 75 years of age, drop of cognitive function was particularly steep in individuals with low levels of vitamin B12. We did not find evidence to support an association between vitamin D levels and cognitive function. CONCLUSIONS: Low levels of vitamin B12 but not of vitamin D are associated with low cognitive functioning in a sample of community-dwelling elders.

Mobility restrictions and mental health among young adults during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ecuador.

OBJECTIVE: To study the association between mobility restriction and mental health outcomes among Ecuadorian young adults. METHOD: The present is a cross-sectional study that included a non-probabilistic sample of mostly highly educated young adults. Socio-demographic and mental health data were collected through an online survey, between May and June 2020, when confinement was mandatory in Ecuador. Data on mobility was extracted from Google Community Mobility Reports. Four aspects of the participants' mental health were evaluated: eating behavior (emotional eating), depression, sleep quality and sense of coherence as a proxy of resilience, using previously validated instruments. Data were analyzed using multiple linear regression models in R. RESULTS: Sample included 8426 young adults, with a mean age of 22.85 (standard deviation: 4.43), most of whom were women (n=5943, 70.53%). During mandatory confinement, in Ecuador mobility in general was reduced by nearly 50% in comparison to January/February, 2020. Less healthy eating behavior, depression, worse sleep quality and lower sense of coherence were associated with higher mobility restriction to workplaces and groceries/pharmacies. Women and youngsters more often showed depression, less healthy eating behavior, worse quality of sleep and lower sense of coherence in comparison with men and older respondents. CONCLUSIONS: Mobility restrictions during COVID-19 pandemic were associated with worse self-reported mental health in a sample of young highly-educated Ecuadorian adults. Women and youngsters were the most affected. Our findings highlight the need of implementing health promotion measures directed to ameliorate the effects of confinement on mental health, focusing on women and youngsters.

Sleep quality does not mediate the negative effects of chronodisruption on body composition and metabolic syndrome in healthcare workers in Ecuador.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The objective of the present work was to determine to what extent sleep quality may mediate the association between chronodisruption (CD) and metabolic syndrome (MS), and between CD and body composition (BC). METHODOLOGY: Cross-sectional study which included 300 adult health workers, 150 of whom were night shift workers and thereby exposed to CD. Diagnosis of MS was made based on Adult Treatment Panel III criteria. Sleep quality was measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Body mass index (BMI), fat mass percentage, and visceral fat percentage were measured as indicators of body composition (BC). Data were analyzed using logistic, linear regression and structural equation models. RESULTS: The odds of health workers exposed to CD to suffer MS was 22.13 (IC95 8.68-66.07) when the model was adjusted for age, gender, physical activity and energy consumption. CD was also significantly associated with an increase in fat mass and visceral fat percentages, but not to BMI. Surprisingly, there was not enough evidence supporting the hypothesis that sleep quality contributes to the association between CD and MS or between CD and BC. CONCLUSIONS: Sleep quality does not mediate the negative effects of CD on MS nor on BC.