Eating habits are associated with subjective sleep quality outcomes among university students: findings of a cross-sectional study.

PURPOSE: This study investigated the relationships between eating habits and sleep quality among university students. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, university students completed a self-report questionnaire to assess eating habits and meal timing. We assessed subjective sleep quality using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaire and examined the associations between eating habits and overall sleep quality and its components. RESULTS: Four hundred ninety-eight students participated in the study. Students who used to skip breakfast, ate late-night snacks, and replaced meals with snacks were at 1.20 times, 1.24 times, and 1.25 times higher likelihood of having poor overall sleep quality, respectively. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that skipping breakfast (r = - 0.111, P = 0.007), late-night snacks (r = - 0.109, P = 0.007), replacing meals with snacks (r = - 0.126, P = 0.002), and irregular mealtimes (r = - 0.094, P = 0.018) were the best correlates with poor sleep quality. After adjustment to demographic variables, replacing meals with snacks followed by skipping breakfast were the best independent associations with poor sleep quality by the PSQI. CONCLUSIONS: Eating habits and meal timing were significantly associated with sleep quality. We speculate that healthy eating habits may lead to improved sleep quality and sleep components among university students.

Sleep quality and Dietary Inflammatory Index among university students: a cross-sectional study.

PURPOSE: Evidence indicates that most college students face reduced sleep quality due to unhealthy dietary habits and hectic daily schedules. While the relationship between sleep quality and general health has been the subject of intensive research, little is known about the association between sleep and its relation with the inflammatory potential of the diet until recently. This study aimed to investigate the association between Energy-Adjusted Dietary Inflammatory Index (E-DII®) scores and sleep quality in a group of students from the University of Sharjah (UOS). METHODS: A cross-sectional study design was followed, and convenience sampling was used. Participants were assessed for sleep quality using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), E-DII scores were derived from a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), and physical activity level was measured using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Chi-square tests and two-sample t tests were used to find an association between E-DII scores and sleep quality. RESULTS: A total of 379 college students were included in the study of whom 64 % were female and 81% were between 18 and 21 years of age. Two-thirds of participants experienced poor sleep quality. Although results were trending in the hypothesized direction, no significant association was found between E-DII scores and sleep quality. Among the individual components of sleep quality, a direct significant association was found between E-DII scores and day dysfunction (P = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that a pro-inflammatory diet maybe related to increased day dysfunction among UOS students. Consuming a more anti-inflammatory diet may reduce daytime dysfunction. Further prospective and controlled studies are required to confirm this association, and to explore other attributes and their sequelae on sleep quality.

Beyond pillbox: a national cross-sectional study on the attitudes, practices, and knowledge of community pharmacists regarding complementary and alternative medicine.

BACKGROUND: While community pharmacists are uniquely positioned to promote the safe and effective use of complementary and alternative medicine, their potential role remains largely untapped. The objective of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to complementary and alternative medicine products among community pharmacists in the United Arab Emirates and explore the correlates of knowledge in the study sample. METHODS: Using a stratified random sampling frame, a national survey of community pharmacists was conducted in the United Arab Emirates. In a face-to-face interaction, participants completed a multi-component questionnaire consisting of four sections: sociodemographic and general characteristics; knowledge of complementary and alternative medicine products and usage; attitudes towards complementary and alternative medicine and practices related to complementary and alternative medicine. Based on participants' answers, scores were calculated with higher scores indicating more positive knowledge, attitudes, and practices. RESULTS: 373 community pharmacists participated in the study (response rate: 83%). For the knowledge questions, more than 50% of community pharmacists correctly answered the functions of complementary and alternative medicine, however lower percentages were noted for the side effects and drug interactions questions. Most community pharmacists had positive attitudes towards complementary and alternative medicine, except for particular aspects such as efficacy, where 40% agreed that complementary and alternative medicine is only effective in treating minor complaints. As for practices, while more than 70% of participants counseled patients on complementary and alternative medicine use, only 47% reported the toxic effects when encountered. Multiple linear regressions showed that community pharmacists working in independent pharmacies, those with fewer years of experience, and those who did not receive complementary and alternative medicine education during their academic degree had lower knowledge scores (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study showed that community pharmacists in the United Arab Emirates have good knowledge of complementary and alternative medicine functions and generally positive attitudes and practices, with few gaps identified in each. Together, these findings provide critical evidence for the development of targeted interventions to promote the role of community pharmacists towards safe and effective complementary and alternative medicine use in the country.

The Bahraini food based dietary guidelines: a holistic perspective to health and wellbeing.

The impact of food consumption extends well beyond the physical aspect of health to affect the mind, the society, and the environment. The biopsycho-ecological (BSE) theory recognizes the interplay between these factors and emphasizes the need for a holistic perspective to dietary recommendations. This manuscript presents a situation analysis of food consumption and diet-related diseases in Bahrain and describes the themes of the Bahraini Food based dietary guidelines (FBDG) and their alignment with the BSE constructs. Available data revealed low fruit and vegetable intake and excessive consumption of processed meat and sugary drinks in the country. These dietary habits are accompanied by a high burden of non-communicable diseases and their risk factors, anemia, and vitamin D deficiency. The Bahraini FBDG consisted of 11 context-specific themes and key messages that addressed the four dimensions of health depicted by the BSE theory, as follows: diet, physical activity, and food safety (body), physical activity, mindful eating and mental health (mind); family relations and cultural heritage (society), and food waste and environmental footprints of dietary intake (environment). The Bahraini FBDG present a model of dietary guidelines that adopted a holistic perspective to address health as they promote the role of food and dietary habits in maintaining the health of the body and that of the mind, the society, and the environment.