Diets and dietary supplements used during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Arab Emirates: A cross-sectional survey.

INTRODUCTION: Since the beginning of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, there has been a marked increase in the use of diets and dietary supplements (DDS) for the prevention and treatment of this emerging disease. While DDS are generally regarded as harmless, little evidence exists on the safety and efficacy of their use for COVID-19. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the pattern and determinants of DDS use among the United Arab Emirates (UAE) population for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19. DESIGN: Cross-sectional web-based survey. SETTING: Adults residing in the UAE. PARTICIPANTS: Participants (n = 2,060) residing in the UAE were recruited from databases of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs - Sharjah networks in the various Emirates. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOMES: Prevalence and determinants for the use of different DDS for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 in the UAE, and sources of information for DDS use. RESULTS: The majority of participants reported using a form of the DDS understudy, with special foods being the most common (95.5%), followed by intake of citrus fruits (62.1%), supplements use (56.6%), increased water intake (50%), and herbal teas (38.4%). Only 20% of participants reported the main source of information on DDS to be health care practitioners, with the majority relying on either social media (40.4%) or family and friends (28.7%). After adjustment, female gender, older age (>40 years), and Asian ethnicities were characteristics associated with higher odds of using most of the DDS modalities and were also correlates of reporting health care practitioners as the main source of information for their DDS use. CONCLUSIONS: The findings showed widespread use of DDS for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19. The use of DDS in this study was mainly guided by social media with a marginal role of health care practitioners. These findings call for a more integrative approach towards DDS to ensure its proper and safe use.

Effectiveness of a hybrid technology enabled care model as measured by ICHOM standard set on established and managed type 2 diabetes already using medications: A RWE retrospective study.

Aims: Diabetes is a pressing global health issue, demanding innovative strategies for improved treatment. However, traditional care often falls short of patient goals. To address this, digital health solutions, including smartphone apps and remote monitoring, have emerged as crucial in diabetes management. This study aims to assess a comprehensive intervention, combining remote continuous data monitoring (RCDM) with in-clinic care, for enhancing diabetes-related outcomes. Additionally, it seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of the digital RCDM component by comparing adherent and non-adherent patients. Methods: Conducted in the United Arab Emirates, a retrospective study involved 89 patients primarily on anti-diabetic medications. They were split into two groups based on adherence to RCDM. Over time, significant improvements were observed across various parameters. Results: Notably, patients exhibited weight loss (-4.0 ± 5.3, p < 0.001), reduced waist circumference (-4.74 ± 7.8, p < 0.001), lowered HbA1c levels (-1.00 ± 1.3, p < 0.001), decreased systolic BP (-3.1 ± 13.1, p = 0.035), and diminished diastolic BP (-3.4 ± 9.9, p = 0.002) annually. Furthermore, patients adhering to the GluCare model demonstrated substantial HbA1c reductions (-1.53 ± 1.5, p < 0.001), improved lipid profiles, notably decreased total Cholesterol (-16.6 ± 50.3, p = 0.034), and lowered LDL levels (-18.65 ± 42.6, p = 0.006). Conclusions: The intervention model effectively managed T2D patients through a comprehensive approach, yielding notable improvements in HbA1c levels and other outcomes within a year. The study underscores the limitations of traditional care and reliance simply on pharmacotherapy, and emphasizes the need for a hyper-personalized, and continuous approach for T2D management.

A triangulated perspective for understanding CAM use in Lebanon: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Existing evidence marked a prevalent use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) therapies in Lebanon that is concomitant with low rates of disclosure to health care providers and limited knowledge among the general public of safety and side effects of CAM use. OBJECTIVES: To examine the perspectives of Lebanese CAM users, CAM providers, and health care providers (HCPs) regarding their understanding of CAM and of the Push and Pull factors that drive its use. METHODS: A qualitative research study was conducted using in-depth interviews, targeting Lebanese adults (CAM users; 18-65 years) (n=14), CAM providers such as yoga instructors, owners of CAM product outlets, herbalists, and religious figures (n=13); and HCPs including physicians, nurses, dietitians, and pharmacists (n=14). The topic guide covered, in addition to the understanding of CAM, the Push and Pull factors driving CAM use. The adults were recruited by convenient sampling, and CAM providers and HCPs using a purposive sampling approach. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed, and translated into English. Analysis was performed using a qualitative thematic approach. Similarities and differences in the perceptions of the participants with regards to factors that influence CAM use were charted and contrasted, using a triangulated approach. RESULTS: The three study groups exhibited a similar understanding of CAM, referring to non-conventional therapies used to prevent/treat diseases or to enhance wellbeing. CAM users and CAM providers identified "distrust in HCPs", "lack of patient-centered care in CM", and "limitations and side effects of CM" as important Push factors. All study groups highlighted the limited CAM knowledge of HCPs as a main reason for the lack of patient-centered care. All three groups also underscored the affordability and the social and cultural support for CAM as main enablers of its prevalent use. Unlike HCPs who were skeptical about the safety and effectiveness of CAM, CAM users and CAM providers indicated that most of CAM therapies are safe and efficient. CONCLUSIONS: The triangulation of perspectives (CAM users, CAM providers, and HCPs) in this study allowed a comprehensive appraisal of CAM use and its drivers. Improving the HCPs' CAM-related knowledge, promoting patient-centered care and fostering an open dialogue between HCPs and CAM providers are among the recommendations of the study.

Dietary Management of Type 2 Diabetes in the MENA Region: A Review of the Evidence.

The alarmingly rising trend of type 2 diabetes constitutes a major global public health challenge particularly in the Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) region where the prevalence is among the highest in the world with a projection to increase by 96% by 2045. The economic boom in the MENA region over the past decades has brought exceptionally rapid shifts in eating habits characterized by divergence from the traditional Mediterranean diet towards a more westernized unhealthy dietary pattern, thought to be leading to the dramatic rises in obesity and non-communicable diseases. Research efforts have brought a greater understanding of the different pathways through which diet and obesity may affect diabetes clinical outcomes, emphasizing the crucial role of dietary interventions and weight loss in the prevention and management of diabetes. The purpose of this review is to explore the mechanistic pathways linking obesity with diabetes and to summarize the most recent evidence on the association of the intake of different macronutrients and food groups with the risk of type 2 diabetes. We also summarize the most recent evidence on the effectiveness of different macronutrient manipulations in the prevention and management of diabetes while highlighting the possible underlying mechanisms of action and latest evidence-based recommendations. We finally discuss the need to adequately integrate dietetic services in diabetes care specific to the MENA region and conclude with recommendations to improve dietetic care for diabetes in the region.

Cross-validation of prediction equations for estimating the body fat percentage in adults with obesity.

BACKGROUND & AIM: An accurate estimation of the body fat percentage (BF%) in patients with obesity is of clinical importance. Therefore, we aim to assess the validity of anthropometric-based BF predictive equations in treatment-seeking patients in an outpatient setting. METHODS: BF% was assessed by Tanita MC-780MA bioimpedance (BIA) and considered as a reference method, and anthropometric-based predictive equations were used in BF% estimations among 275 adults of both genders, in the outpatient clinic of the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics at Beirut Arab University (Lebanon). The mean differences between the measured and estimated BF% values were calculated to assess the accuracy of five equations, and the Bland-Altman method was used to assess the level of agreement. RESULTS: In both males and females, all predictive equations gave significantly different estimates of BF% when compared to those measured by BIA. On the other hand, in both genders, the mean difference between the BF% value estimated by the Jackson equation and that measured using BIA, was not significant, and agreement was confirmed using Bland-Altman plots. CONCLUSION: We suggest the Jackson equation for accurate BF% estimation in both genders of patients with obesity in the Lebanese population. However, future studies are still urgently needed to develop and validate new predictive equations suitable for BF% estimations, taking into account ethnicity (i.e., the Arab population).

Dietary Management of Obesity: A Review of the Evidence.

Obesity is a multi-factorial disease and its prevention and management require knowledge of the complex interactions underlying it and adopting a whole system approach that addresses obesogenic environments within country specific contexts. The pathophysiology behind obesity involves a myriad of genetic, epigenetic, physiological, and macroenvironmental factors that drive food intake and appetite and increase the obesity risk for susceptible individuals. Metabolically, food intake and appetite are regulated via intricate processes and feedback systems between the brain, gastrointestinal system, adipose and endocrine tissues that aim to maintain body weight and energy homeostasis but are also responsive to environmental cues that may trigger overconsumption of food beyond homeostatic needs. Under restricted caloric intake conditions such as dieting, these processes elicit compensatory metabolic mechanisms that promote energy intake and weight regain, posing great challenges to diet adherence and weight loss attempts. To mitigate these responses and enhance diet adherence and weight loss, different dietary strategies have been suggested in the literature based on their differential effects on satiety and metabolism. In this review article, we offer an overview of the literature on obesity and its underlying pathological mechanisms, and we present an evidence based comparative analysis of the effects of different popular dietary strategies on weight loss, metabolic responses and diet adherence in obesity.

Lifestyle Modification in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Dietary and Physical Activity Recommendations Based on Evidence.

BACKGROUND: Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic autoimmune disease, considered the most common inflammatory articular disease among the general population. However, not only the joints are affected; rheumatoid arthritis also has an extra-articular manifestation. As for many other chronic diseases, rheumatoid arthritis may be exacerbated by poorer lifestyle choices. In fact, recent studies emphasize the role of nutrition and physical activity in this disease. AIM: In the current paper, we aim to describe lifestyle modifications based on diet and physical activity and other recommendations that seem to improve the clinical management and the disease outcome of Rheumatoid arthritis. RESULTS: A three-component lifestyle modification programme has been considered based on: (i) A low-fat low-sodium Mediterranean diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and nuts and poor in sugar-sweetened beverages, red and processed meat and trans fats, and the supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids, non-essential amino acids and probiotics, (ii) An appropriate physical activity programme based on an active daily lifestyle, aerobic exercise and resistance training and (iii) Adequate sleep hygiene and smoking reduction/cessation, that seems to have positive effects in terms of disease progression and related outcomes. CONCLUSION: Lifestyle modification programme should be considered as the basis of any treatment, (i.e., pharmacological treatment), in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.