Nutrition Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAPs) among Jordanian Elderly-A Cross-Sectional Study.

Nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and good practices are essential for preventing malnutrition, ensuring good health, and maintaining life quality. However, to the best of our knowledge, no studies have been published on the nutritional knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAPs) of Jordanian older people. For this reason, our study aimed to assess the KAPs in the Jordanian elderly. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1200 people aged 60 and over. The results revealed that 52.8% of participants had poor knowledge, 52.7% had negative attitude scores, and 72.6% had poor practices. Significant differences were found between the three regions in the KAP prevalence (p < 0.001). The northern region had a higher prevalence of nutritionally poor knowledge (65.6%) compared to 52.5% and 40.4% for the central and southern regions, respectively. Participants from the central region had a higher prevalence of a positive attitude (55.4%), whereas the northern and the southern participants had a higher prevalence of a negative attitude (65.6% and 54.4%, respectively). All regions reported poor practices, yet, significantly, the northern regions had the highest prevalence of poor practices. Participants with a low educational level reported a significantly higher prevalence of poor knowledge, negative attitudes, and poor practices compared to participants with a high educational level. The results obtained underline the importance of taking into account the lack of nutrition-related KAPs among the elderly in Jordan. It is crucial to raise awareness on this issue and to implement the national nutrition strategy, with particular attention paid to the elderly. Concrete measures must be taken to ensure that the nutritional needs of older people are met and to improve their quality of life.

Healthy dietary patterns decrease the risk of colorectal cancer in the Mecca Region, Saudi Arabia: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the first most common cancer in males and the third most common cancer in females in Saudi Arabia. Dietary habits are strongly associated with the inhibition or proliferation of malignancy. Therefore, this study is aiming to investigate the risks and protective benefits of dietary factors affecting CRC in the Mecca region of Saudi Arabia. METHODS: A case-control study was conducted from June 2014 to March 2015. One hundred thirty-seven patients with colon and/or rectal cancer were recruited in the case group, while 164 healthy participants were recruited in the control group. A questionnaire was completed with the help of trained dietitians to study the effects of several dietary patterns on the risk of CRC. RESULTS: Dairy product intake of 1-5 servings/day, legume intake of 3-5 servings/week, leafy vegetables intake of 1-5 servings/week, olive oil intake of 1-5 servings/week, black tea intake of three or more cups/day, and coffee intake of one or more cups/day was found to decrease the risk of CRC in participants. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the importance of changing dietary habits to decrease CRC incidence in the Mecca region.

Effect of hospital nutrition support on growth velocity and nutritional status of low birth weight infants.

INTRODUCTION: Infants with low birth weights are provided with hospital nutrition support to enhance their survivability and body weights. However, different hospitals have different nutrition support formulas. Therefore, the effectiveness of these nutrition support formulas should be investigated. OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of hospital nutrition support on growth velocity and nutritional status of low birth weight infants at Al-Noor hospital, Saudi Arabia. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted between October, 2010 and December, 2012. Three hundred newborns were recruited from Al-Noor Hospital in Makkah city, Saudi Arabia. Infants were selected according to their birth weights and were divided equally into three groups; (i) Low Birth Weight (LBW) infants (1501- 2500 g birth weight), (ii) Very Low Birth Weight (VLBW) infants (1001-1500 g birth weight) and (iii) Extremely Low Birth Weight (ELBW) infants (< 1000 g birth weight). Data were collected at birth and at discharged. Infants' weights were recorded and growth velocity was calculated. Some biochemical tests and mineral levels were measured. RESULTS: Body mass index values of VLBW and ELBW groups were lower (p < 0.05) than LBW group. The growth velocity of infants in all groups ranged between 8.7 to 10.2 g/kg/d with no differences (p > 0.05) were observed among groups. Serum calcium, phosphorus and potassium levels at discharge were higher (p < 0.05) than that at birth for ELBW and VLBW groups; while sodium level decreased in ELBW group to be within normal ranges. Albumin level was improved (p < 0.05) in ELBW group. CONCLUSION: Health care management for low birth weight infants in Al-Noor Hospital was not sufficient to achieve normal growth rate for low birth weight infants, while biochemical indicators were remarkably improved in all groups.

Introducción: Los bebés con bajo peso al nacer reciben asistencia nutricional hospitalaria para reforzar su supervivencia y peso corporal. Sin embargo, cada hospital tiene su propia fórmula de asistencia nutricional. Por lo tanto, la efectividad de esta asistencia nutricional debería ser investigada. Objetivo: Evaluar el efecto de la asistencia nutricional hospitalaria sobre la velocidad del crecimiento velocidad del crecimiento y el estado nutricional de bebés con bajo peso al nacer en el hospital Al-Noor, Arabia Saudita. Métodos: Se llevó a cabo un estudio interseccional entre octubre de 2010 y diciembre de 2012. Se seleccionó a trescientos recién nacidos del hospital Al-Noor de la ciudad de Makkah, Arabia Saudita. Los bebés fueron seleccionados según su peso al nacer y fueron separados en tres grupos iguales: (i) Bajo peso al nacer (BPN) (peso de nacimiento 1501- 2500 g), (ii) Muy Bajo peso al nacer (MBPN) (peso de nacimiento 1001-1500 g) y (iii) Peso extremadamente bajo al nacer (PEBN) (peso de nacimiento < 1000 g). Los datos fueron recopilados en el momento del nacimiento y en el momento del alta. Los pesos fueron registrados y se calculó la velocidad del crecimiento. Se hizo la medición de algunos tests bioquímicos y niveles minerales. Resultados: los valores de índice de masa corporal del VBPN y EBPN fueron menores (p < 0.05) que los del grupo BPN. La velocidad de crecimiento de los niños de todos los grupos osciló entre 8.7 y 10.2 g/kg/d sin diferencias (p > 0.05) observadas entre grupos. Los niveles de suero, calcio, fósforo y potasio en el momento del alta fueron superiores (p < 0.05) que los del momento del nacimiento para los grupos de EBPN y VBPN, mientras que los niveles de sodio descendieron en el grupo de EBPN hasta un rango normal. El nivel de albúmina mejoró (p < 0.05) en el grupo de EBPN. Conclusión: La gestión de la atención sanitaria para bebés con bajo peso al nacer en el hospital Al-Noor no fue suficiente para alcanzar un índice normal de crecimiento para bebés con bajo peso al nacer, mientras que los indicadores bioquímicos mejoraron notablemente en todos los grupos.

Effect of hospital nutrition support on growth velocity and nutritional status of low birth weight infants / Efecto de la asistencia nutricional hospitalaria sobre la velocidad de crecimiento y el estado nutricional de bebés con bajo peso al nacer

Introduction: Infants with low birth weights are provided with hospital nutrition support to enhance their survivability and body weights. However, different hospitals have different nutrition support formulas. Therefore, the effectiveness of these nutrition support formulas should be investigated. Objective: To assess the effect of hospital nutrition support on growth velocity and nutritional status of low birth weight infants at Al-Noor hospital, Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between October, 2010 and December, 2012. Three hundred new borns were recruited from Al-Noor Hospital in Makkah city, Saudi Arabia. Infants were selected according to their birth weights and were divided equally into three groups; (i) Low Birth Weight (LBW) infants (1501-2500 g birth weight), (ii) Very Low Birth Weight (VLBW)infants (1001-1500 g birth weight) and (iii) Extremely Low Birth Weight (ELBW) infants (< 1000 g birth weight).Data were collected at birth and at discharged. Infants’ weights were recorded and growth velocity was calculated. Some biochemical tests and mineral levels were measured. Results: Body mass index values of VLBW and ELBW groups were lower (p < 0.05) than LBW group. The growth velocity of infants in all groups ranged between 8.7 to 10.2g/kg/d with no differences (p > 0.05) were observed among groups. Serum calcium, phosphorus and potassium levels at discharge were higher (p < 0.05) than that at birth forELBW and VLBW groups; while sodium level decreased in ELBW group to be within normal ranges. Albumin level was improved (p < 0.05) in ELBW group. Conclusion: Health care management for low birth weightinfants in Al-Noor Hospital was not sufficient to achieve normal growth rate for low birth weight infants, while biochemical indicators were remarkably improved in all groups (AU)

Introducción: Los bebés con bajo peso al nacer reciben asistencia nutricional hospitalaria para reforzar su supervivencia y peso corporal. Sin embargo, cada hospital tiene su propia fórmula de asistencia nutricional. Por lo tanto, la efectividad de esta asistencia nutricional debería ser investigada. Objetivo: Evaluar el efecto de la asistencia nutricional hospitalaria sobre la velocidad del crecimiento velocidad del crecimiento y el estado nutricional de bebés con bajo peso al nacer en el hospital Al-Noor, Arabia Saudita. Métodos: Se llevó a cabo un estudio interseccional entre octubre de 2010 y diciembre de 2012. Se seleccionó a trescientos recién nacidos del hospital Al-Noor de la ciudad de Makkah, Arabia Saudita. Los bebés fueron seleccionados según su peso al nacer y fueron separados en tres grupos iguales: (i) Bajo peso al nacer (BPN) (peso de nacimiento 1501- 2500 g), (ii) Muy Bajo peso al nacer (MBPN) (peso de nacimiento 1001-1500 g) y (iii) Peso extremadamente bajo al nacer (PEBN) (peso de nacimiento < 1000 g). Los datos fueron recopilados en el momento del nacimiento y en el momento del alta. Los pesos fueron registrados y se calculó la velocidad del crecimiento. Se hizo la medición de algunos tests bioquímicos y niveles minerales. Resultados: los valores de índice de masa corporal del VBPN y EBPN fueron menores (p < 0.05) que los del grupo BPN. La velocidad de crecimiento de los niños de todos los grupos osciló entre 8.7 y 10.2 g/kg/d sin diferencias (p > 0.05) observadas entre grupos. Los niveles de suero, calcio, fósforo y potasio en el momento del alta fueron superiores (p < 0.05) que los del momento del nacimiento para los grupos de EBPN y VBPN, mientras que los niveles de sodio descendieron en el grupo de EBPN hasta un rango normal. El nivel de albúmina mejoró (p < 0.05) en el grupo de EBPN. Conclusión: La gestión de la atención sanitaria para bebés con bajo peso al nacer en el hospital Al-Noor no fue suficiente para alcanzar un índice normal de crecimiento para bebés con bajo peso al nacer, mientras que los indicadores bioquímicos mejoraron notablemente en todos los grupos (AU)

Protein quality of four types of edible mushrooms found in Jordan.

This study was conducted to determine the protein quality of four types of edible mushrooms, Terfezia claveryi, Pleurotus ostreatus, Tricholoma terreum and Agaricus macrosporus that are common in Jordan. Protein efficiency ratio (PER) and net protein utilization methods (NPU) were used. The four mushroom types failed to support growth as reflected by negative values for PER; -1.76 for T. claveryi; -0.23 for P. ostreatus; -0.98 for T. terreum and -0.41 for A. macrosporus. The NPU(op), NPU(st) and NdpE% for T. claveryi were 32.6, 33.9 and 3.89%, respectively. The respective values for P. ostreatus were 38.5, 40.7 and 4.35%; T. terreum 29.1, 29.8 and 3.63%; and A. macrosporus 31.5, 32.9 and 3.91%. The results showed that the four mushrooms were significantly (p < or = 0.05) lower in protein quality compared with casein results (NPU(op), NPU(st) and NDpE% of 78.5, 86.4 and 7.16%, respectively.

Protein digestibility using corrected amino acid score method (PDCAAS) of four types of mushrooms grown in Jordan.

This study was conducted to evaluate the protein quality of four types of edible mushrooms common in Jordan in terms of protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score (PDCAAS), which is a combination of the chemical score of the limiting amino acid multiplied by true digestibility of the protein. True protein digestibility values were low (61.4, 73.4, 52.6 and 80.5 for Terfezia claveryi, Pleurotus ostreatus, Tricholoma terrum and Agaricus macrosporus, respectively). Based on the essential amino acids pattern requirements for children, the limiting amino acids in P. ostreatus and A. macrosporus protein were sulphur-containing amino acids with chemical scores of 0.61 and 0.50, respectively. However, lysine was the limiting amino acid in the protein of T. claveryi and T. terreum with chemical scores of 0.71 and 0.67, respectively, and the PDCAAS was 0.43, 0.45, 0.35 and 0.40 for the mushrooms types, respectively. Considering the pattern of essential amino acid requirements of laboratory rats, the sulphur containing amino acids were the limiting amino acids in the protein of T. claveryi, P. ostreatus, T. terreum and A. macrosporus with chemical scores of 0.56, 0.30, 0.34 and 0.25, respectively. The PDCAAS were 0.34, 0.22. 0.17 and 0.20, respectively. It is concluded that the four mushroom types studied are of low protein quality.