Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet and Health-Related Quality of Life during the COVID-19 Lockdown: A Cross-Sectional Study including Preschoolers, Children, and Adolescents from Brazil and Spain.

Scientific literature has suggested positive associations between the Mediterranean diet (MD) and the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in young populations. However, to our knowledge, this relationship is unexplored during a situation of social isolation (i.e., lockdown). The objective of the current study is to examine the relationship between the MD and HRQoL during the COVID-19 lockdown among preschoolers, children, and adolescents from Brazil and Spain. This cross-sectional study includes a sample of 1099 three- to seventeen-year-old participants (47.6% girls) who were recruited via social networks. The HRQoL was assessed with the EQ-5D-Y. The Quality Index for Children and Teenagers (KIDMED) questionnaire was applied to evaluate the relationship between the MD and HRQoL. The highest prevalence of reported problems was found for worried, sad, or unhappy participants (39.8%). Furthermore, the lowest proportion of HRQoL problems was observed for "mobility" (2.5%). The proportion of high adherence to the MD was 44.3%. Participants with greater MD adherence reported higher HRQoL mean scores when compared with those who did not adhere to the MD (83.7 ± 0.6 vs. 85.6 ± 0.7, respectively; p < 0.05). Adherence to the MD and especially daily fruit intake were related to higher HRQoL during the COVID-19 lockdown among Brazilian and Spanish young people aged three to seventeen years.

Anxiety-Induced Sleep Disturbance and Associated Lifestyle Behaviors According to Sex in Argentine Adolescents.

Purpose: The aim of the current study was twofold: first, to determine the prevalence of anxiety-induced sleep disturbances among Argentine adolescents according to sex, and second, to identify the association between these sleep disturbances and lifestyle behaviors in this population. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study with data from the Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS) in Argentina (2018). A total of 32,393 adolescents (aged 12-17 years; 53.4% girls) were included in the final analysis. Anxiety-induced sleep disturbances were assessed with the question "During the past 12 months, how often have you been so worried about something that you could not sleep at night?" Results: The prevalence of anxiety-induced sleep disturbances was higher in girls (17.4%) than in boys (7.9%) (p < 0.001). In boys, results indicated that those who used marijuana (cannabis) (odds ratio [OR] = 1.46, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.08-1.98), used amphetamine or methamphetamine (OR = 2.19, 95% CI 1.28-3.77), walked or biked to or from school (OR = 1.53, 95% CI 1.19-1.96), and spent 3 h or more in sedentary behaviors (OR = 1.35, 95% CI 1.05-1.74) were more likely to report anxiety-induced sleep disturbances. In girls, those who ate from a fast-food restaurant (OR = 1.24, 95% CI 1.05-1.47), consumed alcoholic beverages (OR = 1.45, 95% CI 1.19-1.75), smoked cigarettes (OR = 2.09, 95%CI 1.05-4.14), consumed any tobacco product (OR = 1.47, 95% CI 1.19-1.82), used amphetamine or methamphetamine (OR = 2.08, 95% CI 1.33-3.26), and those who spent 3 h or more in sedentary behaviors (OR = 1.32, 95% CI 1.11-1.57) were more likely to report frequent anxiety-induced sleep disturbances. Conclusion: In conclusion, considerable sex differences were observed with respect to the prevalence of anxiety-related sleep disturbances and associated lifestyle aspects.

Esteatosis hepática no alcohólica y factores de riesgo cardiovascular en atención primaria / Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Primary Care

Varias circunstancias motivan el creciente interés por la esteatosis hepática no alcohólica (EHNA): la elevada prevalencia de la enfermedad en el mundo occidental, su capacidad de progresión a formas histológicas más agresivas y su asociación con enfermedades que incrementan el riesgo cardiovascular. Objetivo: analizar la relación de la esteatosis hepática no alcohólica con los factores de riesgo cardiovascular en pacientes con criterios de síndrome metabólico. Método: fue realizado un estudio descriptivo transversal con una muestra de 100 pacientes, con 2 o más factores de riesgo cardiovascular, con nula o baja ingesta de alcohol, que acudían a consulta de atención primaria. A los seleccionados se les solicitó analítica completa e interconsulta para ecografía de abdomen completo. Se evaluó si tenían esteatosis hepática; en caso de ser afirmativo, se estratificaba en 3 grados. Se recogieron las siguientes variables tanto cualitativas (sexo, antecedentes personales y familiares de diabetes, hipertensión arterial, dislipidemia, entre otros) y cuantitativas (edad, peso, talla, índice de masa corporal, tratamiento farmacológico, cifras de distintos parámetros analíticos, cifras de tensión arterial y perímetro abdominal). Resultados: participaron 100 pacientes, 56% de los cuales eran mujeres, con una edad media de 61,84 DE ± 9,5 años. Del total de sujetos del estudio, el 23 % no tenía esteatosis hepática no alcohólica; un 29% tenía esteatosis hepática leve; otro 29%, esteatosis hepática moderada; y el 19% restante, esteatosis hepática severa. En los hombres, el 82% presentó esteatosis hepática. De las mujeres, el 28,57% no presentó hígado graso. Un 22% tenía sobrepeso y un 38% de los pacientes eran obesos. Solo un 22% y un 18% tenían alteradas las cifras tensionales sistólica y diastólica, respectivamente. El 60% tenía una glucemia basal alterada. En cuanto a los parámetros lipídicos, el 36% tenía hipertrigliceridemia; el 41%, hipercolesterolemia, con un 65% de colesterol LDL alto y un 16% de colesterol HDL bajo. El 83% de los pacientes tenía 2 o más criterios de síndrome metabólico. Conclusiones: hay una estrecha relación entre la aparición de esteatosis hepática no alcohólica y los factores de riesgo cardiovascular en pacientes con síndrome metabólico, por lo que se recomienda que, ante la aparición de estos, se analice el hígado.

Several factors motivate the growing interest in this disease. They include the high prevalence of the disease in the Western world, its ability to progress to more aggressive histological forms, and its association with diseases that increase cardiovascular risk. Objective: The objective of this study was to analyze the relationship of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) with cardiovascular risk factors in patients with criteria for metabolic syndrome. Method: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study of 100 patients who had two or more cardiovascular risk factors, who did not consume alcohol or consumed only small amounts of alcohol, and who came to the primary care clinic. The patients selected underwent complete analyses including abdominal ultrasound. They were evaluated for hepatic steatosis, and, if they tested positive, it was stratified into three degrees. Among the qualitative variables used were sex, personal and family history of diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and the quantitative variables included age, weight, height, body mass index, pharmacological treatment, numbers of different analytical parameters, blood pressure and abdominal perimeter.Results: There were 100 patients, 56% of whom were women. Patients’ mean age was 61.84 SD +/- 9.5 years. Of the total number of subjects in the study, 23% did not have NASH, 29% had mild hepatic steatosis, 29% had moderate hepatic steatosis and 19% had severe hepatic steatosis. Of the men in the study, 82% had hepatic steatosis. Of the women, 28.57% did not have fatty livers. 22% were overweight and 38% obese. Only 22% had altered the systolic blood pressure and and 18% had altered diastolic blood pressure. 60% had altered basal glycemia. 36% had hypertriglyceremia, 41% had hypercholesterolemia including 65% with high LDL cholesterol and 16% with low HDL cholesterol. 83% of the patients had two or more criteria for metabolic syndrome.Conclusions: There is a close relationship between the occurrence of NASH and cardiovascular risk factors in patients with metabolic syndrome, and it is advisable that the liver be analyzed.