The prevalence of sedentary behavior among university students in Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: A considerable body of research has demonstrated that reducing sitting time benefits health. Therefore, the current study aimed to explore the prevalence of sedentary behavior (SB) and its patterns. METHODS: A total of 6975 university students (49.1% female) were chosen randomly to participate in a face-to-face interview. The original English version of the sedentary behavior questionnaire (SBQ) was previously translated into Arabic. Then, the validated Arabic version of the SBQ was used to assess SB. The Arabic SBQ included 9 types of SB (watching television, playing computer/video games, sitting while listening to music, sitting and talking on the phone, doing paperwork or office work, sitting and reading, playing a musical instrument, doing arts and crafts, and sitting and driving/riding in a car, bus or train) on weekdays and weekends. RESULTS: SBQ indicated that the total time of SB was considerably high (478.75 ± 256.60 and 535.86 ± 316.53 (min/day) during weekdays and weekends, respectively). On average, participants spent the most time during the day doing office/paperwork (item number 4) during weekdays (112.47 ± 111.11 min/day) and weekends (122.05 ± 113.49 min/day), followed by sitting time in transportation (item number 9) during weekdays (78.95 ± 83.25 min/day) and weekends (92.84 ± 100.19 min/day). The average total sitting time of the SBQ was 495.09 ± 247.38 (min/day) and 58.4% of the participants reported a high amount of sitting time (≥ 7 hours/day). Independent t-test showed significant differences (P ≤ 0.05) between males and females in all types of SB except with doing office/paperwork (item number 4). The results also showed that male students have a longer daily sitting time (521.73 ± 236.53 min/day) than females (467.38 ± 255.28 min/day). Finally, 64.1% of the males reported a high amount of sitting time (≥ 7 hours/day) compared to females (52.3%). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the total mean length of SB in minutes per day for male and female university students was considerably high. About 58% of the population appeared to spend ≥7 h/day sedentary. Male university students are likelier to sit longer than female students. Our findings also indicated that SB and physical activity interventions are needed to raise awareness of the importance of adopting an active lifestyle and reducing sitting time.

Validity and reliability of the Arabic sedentary behavior questionnaire among university students aged between 18-30 years old.

PURPOSE: The study aimed to test the validity and reliability of the Arabic version of the sedentary behavior questionnaire (SBQ). METHODS: A total of 624 university students (273 males; 351 females, mean age = 20.8 years) were recruited from Taibah University, Madinah, Saudi Arabia. For criterion and constructive validity (n = 352), the Arabic SBQ was compared with total sitting time from the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-short form (IPAQ-SF) and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-long form (IPAQ-LF). For concurrent validity, the English and Arabic SBQ versions were given concurrently to bilingual university students (n = 122) once. For test-retest reliability, the Arabic SBQ was given twice to participants (n = 150) at a one-week interval. RESULTS: Sitting time of IPAQ-SF (7th question: sitting time on weekdays) and IPAQ-LF (21st question: sitting time on weekdays and 22nd question: sitting time on weekends) correlated significantly with total sitting time/week of the Arabic SBQ (r = 0.29, p = 0.003; r = 0.14, p = 0.02, respectively). Motorized transportation measured with the IPAQ-LF correlated significantly with time spent driving in a car, bus, or train from the Arabic SBQ on weekdays and weekends (r = 0.53, p < 0.001; r = 0.44 p < 0.001, respectively). The total sitting time of the Arabic SBQ was inversely correlated with BMI (r = -0.18, p = 0.001). The correlations between the Arabic and the English SBQ versions ranged from 0.25-0.96; p < 0.001 on weekdays and 0.50-0.90; p < 0.001 on weekends. Moderate to good reliability was also found between test and retest for all SBQ items and total score during weekdays (0.72 to 0.8), and weekends (0.64 to 0.87), with exception of the 7th item "play musical instrument", ICC = 0.46). Mean difference of test-retest of the Arabic SBQ was not significantly different from zero for the total sitting time of the Arabic SBQ (t = -0.715, P = 0.476). CONCLUSION: The Arabic SBQ had satisfactory levels of reliability, with total sitting time of the Arabic SBQ correlating significantly with sitting times derived from IPAQ-SF, IPAQ-LF, and the English SBQ versions. Hence, the Arabic SBQ can be used as a tool to measure sedentary behavior among adult Arabs aged between 18 to 30 years old in future epidemiologic and clinical practice.

Maternal awareness to the timing of allergenic food introduction in Saudi infants: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Current guidelines recommend the introduction of allergenic foods as early as 4-6 months of age to decrease the risk of food allergy. However, caregivers' knowledge about such practices and adherence to them is ambiguous. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the timing of introduction of potentially allergenic foods into children's diet and the level of maternal awareness about and degree of compliance with current recommendations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study from May 2019 to January 2020 at Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University Medical Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Data were collected through questionnaire-based surveys, and a total of 405 mothers were enrolled in the study. The eligibility criteria included mothers of children between the ages of 12 and 36 months. RESULTS: Most mothers in this study had initiated allergenic foods, and the average time of introduction was 9.84 ± 3.16 months for eggs, 14.6 ± 5.78 months for peanuts, and 13.6 ± 5.37 months for fish. Around one-quarter (n = 102, 25.2%) of the children were identified as being in the high-risk group. Most mothers did not know or disagreed that the timing of introducing allergenic foods might help in preventing food allergy, but there was no difference between the risk groups (33.8% and 26.2%, respectively). Moreover, only 18.6% and 13.2% of the high- and low-risk groups, respectively, received correct information from their health care providers (P = .004). Mothers with only one child were less likely to start eggs at an early age (odds ratio [OR] = 0.5 and P = .005). Furthermore, children at a high risk of food allergy were two times more likely to start eggs at an earlier age (OR = 2.12 and P = .003). CONCLUSION: In this study, the allergenic food feeding practices being followed for infants and young children were found to be suboptimal. Parental education level and the number of siblings were identified as potential barriers to the implementation of and adherence to recent guidelines. There is a need for corrective measures to ensure safe and appropriate feeding practices in the Saudi community.

Parental Knowledge of Children's Developmental Milestones in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVE: Parental recognition of children's developmental milestones has been correlated with more effective childcare strategies and overall better outcomes for children. However, the knowledge that parents have about children's development remains uncertain which reflects serious concerns about children's health in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, this study was undertaken to identify parents' knowledge levels about children's developmental milestones and the information sources they rely on for this knowledge. Study Design. We recruited 1471 parents aged ≥18 with at least one child under 14 and living in Riyadh to participate in an online survey between July of 2019 and January of 2020. RESULTS: Most respondents showed a poor level of knowledge (80.0%) in all of four domains. However, mothers had more acceptable levels of knowledge (21.0%) than fathers (10.0%) (p ≤ 0.01). There was a significant association between knowledge and age at first child's birth; respondents who had their first child between 39 and 50 had the highest levels of knowledge (37.5%; p ≤ 0.01). In the four domains of development, parents were found to have the most knowledge about physical development (52.3%), followed by cognitive development (21.6%), social development (21.5%), and emotional development (21.2%). Only a few parents (5%) claimed to always rely on their healthcare professionals for information. CONCLUSION: There is a lack of appropriate knowledge about developmental milestones among parents, which reflects serious concerns about children's health in Saudi Arabia. Healthcare institutions and pediatricians currently play a minimal role in health education. Effective health education programs and strategies should be implemented to improve child development outcomes in the community.

Safety Concerns of Nasal Corticosteroids Usage in Patients With Allergic Rhinitis.

Background Intranasal corticosteroids (INCSs) are the first-line treatment for patients with moderate to severe conditions of allergic rhinitis (AR) as per current guidelines. However, patients' knowledge and practice towards the safety of such medications remains ambiguous. Therefore, this study was undertaken to identify the awareness of and knowledge about the safety of nasal corticosteroid usage in patients with allergic rhinitis as well as their adherence to taking the medication. Materials and methods We conducted a cross-sectional study from June to September 2020 at Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University Medical Center, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Data were collected through questionnaire-based surveys, and a total of 375 patients were enrolled in the study. The eligibility criteria included all adult patients diagnosed with allergic rhinitis. Results Most of the patients had used intranasal corticosteroids. However, only two-fifths of patients stated these medications were effective and only 27% thought they were safe to use. More than half of the patients expressed concerns about using intranasal corticosteroids; however, there was no difference among the patients when asked if their concerns made them discontinue their medication. The majority of patients (73.3%) did not receive appropriate advice on how to use intranasal corticosteroids, but most were compliant with the therapy regardless of their uncertainty about the medication's safety (71.5%). Most patients reported a benefit of using intranasal corticosteroids (71.5%). Half of the patients (53.9%) reported being aware of a special technique for how to use a nasal spray, but the nonsmokers were more knowledgeable about the techniques than the smokers (p = 0.007). Conclusion The patients' knowledge about, adherence to, and perceptions of intranasal corticosteroid use were found to be suboptimal. Patients' age, gender, socioeconomic status, education level, and smoking status were recognized as potential barriers to a positive perception of and adherence to the treatment plan. Corrective measures are needed to ensure better health outcomes.

Multiple Sclerosis Patients in Saudi Arabia: Prevalence of Depression and its Extent of Severity.

Background Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a serious chronic autoimmune disorder of the central nervous system of unknown etiology. MS-related depression is a common mood disorder recognized within the medical community. However, their association is ambiguous, underdiagnosed, undertreated and less reported. Objectives The study aimed to estimate the point prevalence and severity of depression among multiple sclerosis patients in Saudi Arabia. Materials and methods We conducted an observational cross-sectional study among multiple sclerosis patients in Riyadh region, Saudi Arabia. Patients filled demographic data and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) to determine depression. Those who did not meet the age, disease duration, and regular follow-up eligibility criteria were excluded from the study. Results We enrolled 238 MS patients in the study, male patients represented 39.1% (n = 93) while females accounted for 60.9% (n = 145) (male:female ratio 0.64). The mean age of the study population was 32.07 ± 7.93 years. The mean duration of the disease was 7.06 ± 4.7 years. We determined that 89.9% (n = 214) of the patients showed mild to severe depression symptoms (55.46% of the females, and 34.4% of the males; p = 0.474). We further found that 37.39% (n = 89) and 65.13% (n = 155) of the depressed patients were unemployed (p = 0.039) and were non-smokers (p = 0.097) respectively. Furthermore, depression severity is significantly associated with education (p = 0.005). Conclusion High levels of depression symptoms were found among MS patients in Saudi Arabia. The relationship between MS and psychiatric conditions exists despite the uncertainty of its pathogenesis. Further longitudinal studies should be carried out to obtain more valid outcomes. Neurologists treating MS patients can play a role in studies related to the condition by investigating depressive symptoms actively and providing the data.

Diabetic patients in Saudi Arabia: The evaluation of glycemic control measures based on emergency department utilization and the percentages of adherence to the recommended follow-ups for microvascular complications.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the association between emergency department (ED) visits, glycemic control and the quality of preventive diabetes care among diabetic patients in a Saudi community. Methods: This study was an observational, cross-sectional study that collected data through interview-based surveys between February and April 2017. Data were collected from 530 diabetic patients in the diabetes clinics at King Saud Medical City, the tertiary center of Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.  Results: This study found statistically significant relationships (p less than 0.05) between ED visits and patient age, the glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and education level. Emergency department visits increased by 43% for each unit of increase in HbA1c (odds ratio [OR]=1.43, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.26-1.62). Graduating from high school decreased the odds of visiting the ED by 43% (OR=0.57, 95% CI=0.34-0.94). Most of the participants were not followed for possible microvascular complications; the majority did not visit nephrology (96.2%), ophthalmology (78.3%) and neurology (97.9%) clinics within the 12 months prior to the interviews. Conclusion: Emergency department visits can indicate poor glycemic control in diabetic patients. Additionally, the current practices of preventive diabetes care in Saudi Arabia are not sufficient, according to the diabetic standards of care recommended by the American Diabetes Association.