Knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to dietary salt among older adults in Abha, Saudi Arabia.

The need to foster successful aging has intensified with the aging of the global population. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) concerning dietary salt consumption and to investigate the correlations between sociodemographic variables and salt-related KAP. A structured interview was administered to a cohort of 200 older adults in Abha City, Saudi Arabia, recruited through a convenience sampling approach. The evaluation of salt-related KAP revealed widespread low knowledge (91.5%) as participants scored less than 3, negative attitudes (85.5%) scored less than 12, and predominantly unsatisfactory practices (69.5%) with scores less than 26. Noteworthy differences emerged between participants with poor overall KAP (81.5%) and those with good KAP (18.5%). Significantly weak negative correlations were found between age (r=-0.212), marital status (-0.236), and body mass index (-0.243) with overall KAP. Further examination revealed a significantly weak positive correlation between attitude and practice (r = 0.141). KAP scores show a highly significant positive correlation with overall KAP scores (r = 0.169, 0.352, 0.969). The uncovered correlations contribute to a valuable understanding of the complex dynamics surrounding salt-related KAP. This understanding guides the design of targeted interventions, such as health education programs, promoting successful aging and public health outcomes.

Emotional eating behaviors in later life: Identifying key factors for healthy aging.

BACKGROUND: Pathological, physiological, and psychosocial factors could influence the eating behaviors of older adults in Egypt. Nurses and other healthcare professionals should understand this complex interaction to effectively address their nutritional issues. This study aimed to identify the predictors of emotional eating behaviors among older adults. METHODS: The study followed a cross-sectional survey. A probability sampling technique was used to select the participants. Data was collected using the Emotional Eating Questionnaire and Perceived Stress Scales. RESULTS: 98 % of the respondents were identified as moderate or severe emotional eaters. The study found a significant positive correlation between perceived stress and emotional eating behaviors (r = .436; p = .000). Multivariate analysis revealed that perceived stress, age, gender, marital status, and body mass index (BMI) have a significant positive relationship with emotional eating behaviors (p < .001), accounting for 39.3 % of the variation. CONCLUSION: Emotional eating is common among older adults and is influenced by factors such as age, gender, marital status, BMI, and perceived stress. Nurses can use these findings to develop nutritional plans to promote healthy eating habits of this population.

Prevalence, attitudes, and practices of dietary supplements among middle-aged and older adults in Asir region, Saudi Arabia: A cross-sectional study.

The objectives of this study were to 1) identify the prevalence of dietary supplements (DS) among middle-aged and older adults; 2) determine attitudes toward DS and patterns of DS usage among middle-aged and older adults; and 3) assess the association of sociodemographic, clinical, and lifestyle factors with DS attitudes and DS usage. A cross-sectional online survey was undertaken among middle-aged and older adults. Data were collected by an online self-administered pretested questionnaire used as a study tool and distributed to respondents via social media applications. The DS usage prevalence among 501 respondents was 50.7%, and 53.5% of participants reported a positive attitude toward DS. The positive attitudes and higher usage of dietary supplements were statistically significant in higher proportions among older adults compared to middle-aged individuals. Significantly lower proportion of middle aged (54.9%) reported taking DS daily compared to 59.9% of older adults. A significant difference in the type of DS among the two groups was found for Omega-3 (p<0.001), minerals (p = 0.004), proteins (p = 0.002), fibers (p = 0.002), phytonutrients (p = 0.007), and probiotics (p = 0.015), with a higher proportion of middle-aged respondents reporting their use compared to older adults. Dietary supplement usage is a prevalent phenomenon among older adults and the middle-aged population. However, some undesirable practices regarding their use still exist in the community. Thus, there is a need of focussed health education to enhance attitudes and improve practices regarding the use of DS.

Mechanistic insights into the role of vitamin D and computational identification of potential lead compounds for Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder that affects dopaminergic neurons in the midbrain. A recent study suggests that Orphan Nuclear Receptor 1 (NURR1) impairment may contribute to PD pathogenesis. Our study found three potent agonists for NURR1 protein based on structural and ligand-based screening methods. The pharmacophore is comprised of a hydrogen bond donor, a hydrophobic group, and two aromatic rings (DHRR). The Pharmacophore screening method screened 3142 compounds, of which 3 were screened using structure-based screening. An analysis of the molecules using Molecular Mechanics-Generalized Born Surface Area (binding free energy) revealed a range of -46.77 to -59.06 Kcal/mol. After that, chemical reactivity was investigated by density functional theory, and molecular dynamics simulation was performed (protein-ligand stability). Based on the computational studies, Lifechemical_16901310, Maybridge_2815310, and NPACT_392450 are promising agonists with respect to NURR1. To confirm the potency of the identified compounds, further validation and experiments must be conducted.

Design and Evaluation of Interprofessional Training Program for Healthcare Students from Collectivistic Culture.

Background: Healthcare is team-based, and with increased mobility of healthcare workers, most of them will work with team members from all over the globe. Interprofessional education (IPE) research has mostly focused on specially designed programs in academic health institutions to prepare students for multidisciplinary work. Few IPE programs aim to integrate students with mixed disciplines from collectivist cultures. Methods: This mixed-methods study was conducted between June and August 2019. Surveys and an e-portfolio were recorded of 33 final-year and graduated health professional students' participation in an 8-week IPE summer program at a medical school in Ireland. Survey results are described, and the content of portfolios was analyzed based on the deductive analysis of qualitative data derived from questions. Results: Students reported the greatest improvement in presentation skills (63.6%), followed by communication (54.5%), team working skills (93.9%), and interprofessional learning (42.4%), respectively. Qualitative findings highlighted challenges for students from a collectivist culture adapting to an IPE: uncomfortable verbally expressing themselves in problem-based learning (PBL) and how to work with other sex. Positive themes about IPE that emerged were enjoyment in sharing ideas and building trust with PBL groups. We learned that the program had to be flexible enough to meet the educational requirements of a target community with mixed English language ability and adaptability to IPE. Conclusion: The authors propose that an international PBL-based summer program is effective in improving healthcare students' attitudes towards IPE. This study provides valuable insights to facilitate the development of further IPE programs to increased collaboration between students across various healthcare disciplines. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40670-022-01536-7.

Association of BMI, Physical Activity with Academic Performance among Female Students of Health Colleges of King Khalid University, Saudi Arabia.

Body mass index (BMI) is an indicator to detect weight category and known to influence the academic achievements of students. The present study assesses the association of BMI, physical activity with academic performance among undergraduate female students of health colleges, King Khalid University (KKU). Responses from 379 participants were analyzed in the study. Data collection was done by administering an online questionnaire using the university website portal. The questionnaire consists of two sections: the first section includes demographic information along with cumulative Grade point average (GPA) and another section rated student's physical activity. A high frequency of respondents (53.6%) ranged within the normal BMI category. For academic performance, the majority (79.9%) of students reported high GPA scores with a mean of 4.28 ± 0.41. Upon correlation, academic performance was found negatively correlated with BMI at 0.0001 level of significance, and insignificantly correlated with physical activity. The present study observed that more than half of the respondents had normal BMI. An inverse relationship was observed between BMI and academic performance, showing participants within the normal BMI category achieved significantly higher GPA. In contrast, physical activity directly influenced the academic performance of the subjects. Therefore, the study suggests to enact counselling centers, health clubs in universities urging the students to adopt regular exercise and healthy lifestyle which could prepare them in achieving future endeavors.

Structural and functional insights on vitamin D receptor and CYP24A1 deleterious single nucleotide polymorphisms: A computational and pharmacogenomics perpetual approach.

The development of chronic kidney disease (CKD) drugs remains a challenge due to the variations in the genes. The vitamin D receptor (VDR) and Cytochrome 24A1 (CYP24A1) genetic variants might affect the drug potency, efficacy and pathway. Here we have to analyse and determine the deleterious single-nucleotide polymorphisms (nsSNPs) of VDR and CYP24A1 genes and their different population's drug responses in different populations to understand the key role in CKD. Among that the large scale of nsSNP, we used certain computational tools that predicted six missense variants are observed to be significantly damaging effect and SNP variability with large differences in various populations. Molecular docking studies were carried out by clinical and our screened compounds to VDR and CYP24A1. Docking results revealed all the compounds have a good binding affinity (Score). The screened compounds (TCM_2868 and UNPD_141613) show good binding affinity when compared to known compounds. The QM/MM study revealed that the compounds have electron transfer ability and act as a donor/acceptor to mutated proteins. The structural and conformational changes of protein complexes were analysed by molecular dynamics study. Hence, this study helps to identify suitable drugs through drug discovery in CKD treatment. The abovementioned compounds have more binding affinity, efficacy, and potency of both wild and mutant of VDR and CYP24A1.

The Association of COVID-19 Pandemic Stress With Health-Related Quality of Life in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Analytical Study.

Background: There is a global disaster since WHO declared Covid-19 as a pandemic. With the increase in cases & mortality rate, various health issues viz., stress, mental disorders and altered health-related quality of life have been noted as a result of pandemic and lockdowns. This study aimed to assess the association of COVID-19 pandemic stress with health-related quality of life in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Methodology: It was a cross-sectional analytical study. Subjects included 878 citizens and residents of Saudi Arabia aged 18 years and above. Convenience, non-probability sampling technique was used. A web-based, self-administered, electronic questionnaire in Arabic language having three sections; Sociodemographic & clinical profile, Standard PSS-10, and Standard SF-12 was used as the study tool and distributed through various social media means. The study period was of 2 months. Data were analyzed using SPS version 25. Descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation coefficient, independent sample t-test and the one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were employed for suitable statistical analysis. Results: Almost two-thirds of the subjects were between the age of 18 to < 40 and majority (74.1%) being females. Majority (83.0%) reported as having no chronic diseases, and 69.5% had no contact history with COVID-19 cases. The mean of MCS & PCS was (32.34 ± 25.30) & (41.65 ± 11.82), respectively. Majority (67.6%) had a moderate level of COVID-19 stress. A significant negative relationship between total stress scores and HRQOL domains was observed. Conclusion: Majority subjects had a moderate level of stress related to COVID-19 lockdown. Stress during COVID-19 has a significant negative association with both physical and mental HRQOL in which MCS was significantly lower than PCS. It is recommended to evaluate the effectiveness of stress management program and follow a holistic approach.

Knowledge, attitudes and practices among people in Saudi Arabia regarding COVID-19: A cross-sectional study.

Background: The general population's compliance with preventive measures and legislation is mainly influenced by their knowledge level, attitude, and practices. This study assessed the knowledge, attitude, and practices of public residents towards corona virus disease-2019 preventive measures in Saudi Arabia. Design and Methods: This is a cross-sectional study; it used a validated cross-sectional online survey that received responses from 13 Saudi administrative regions. Results: There were 1513 participants who completed the study (55% females; 77.7%, university education). Knowledge level, attitude, and practices towards corona virus disease-2019 were 81.3%, 86.6%, and 81.9%, respectively. The knowledge subscales showed that 1496 (98.9%) participants knew the system targeted by the virus, 96.2% and 97.3% knew the causative agent and symptoms, 783 (52.2%) participants knew the transmission modes, and 696 (46.0%) participants knew about the complications. The attitude subscales included 1465 (96.5%) participants who had dealt with an infected person, 1451 (95.9%) participants who isolated in a health facility, 1195 (97.0%) participants who knew about hand washing, and 1387 (91.7%) participants who thought the virus spread through home delivery. The practice subscales included 1505 (99.5%) participants who properly disposed of gloves and tissues and 1347 (89.0%) participants who reported safe practices when coughing or sneezing. Conclusions: This study showed satisfactory knowledge, attitude, and practice towards corona virus disease-2019 in Saudi Arabia. The educational level is a dominant influencing factor for knowledge, attitude, and practice.

Dietary assessment and its awareness in female students from different Health Departments: unhealthy diet with normal BMI.

Background: Dietary habits are of substantial concern related to the health of college students. Medical students are expected to have better dietary habits and healthy lifestyle, but due to various factors they are least bothered to follow recommended healthy diet. The present study assessed and compared the eating habits, nutritional awareness and BMI in females from health departments of King Khalid University (KKU), Saudi Arabia. Designs and Methods: The cross-sectional survey was conducted in undergraduate females from eight health departments: Public Health, Nursing, Medical Laboratory Science, Physiotherapy, Medicine and Surgery, Dental and Oral surgery, Diagnostic Radiology and Pharmacy. Participants completed online questionnaire that include demographic, anthropometric information, questions related to food preference and nutritional awareness. BMI, food preferences, and nutritional awareness responses were assessed and compared among different departments at 0.05 and 0.001 level of significance. Results: Total of 377 females were analysed and the mean BMI differ significantly at p<0.05 in all departments reporting the highest BMI mean in medicine and surgery department. Upon further stratification of BMI 53% of total analysed students comes under normal BMI. The utmost frequency of overweight students (55.3%) were observed in physiotherapy with no obese category followed by nursing with least obese students (2.2%). Conclusions: Inadequate food preference with unhealthy dietary habits but satisfactory nutritional awareness was observed in students of all departments with no significant difference. Designing of nutrition promotional programs and motivation is required for the acquisition of healthy dietary habits.

Serum Selenium and Lead Levels: a Possible Link with Diabetes and Associated Proteinuria.

The study assessed trace element selenium (Se) and a heavy metal lead (Pb) in patients with type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and its associated proteinuria. Total 275 subjects aged between 30 and 90 years were studied: 93 T2DM, 98 T2DM with proteinuria, and 84 as controls. Serum Se and Pb were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES) and other biochemical indices by ROCHE module COBAS 6000 analyzer. Statistical analysis was done by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) at P < 0.0001 followed by Tukey's honest test. Pearson's correlation coefficient was applied to observe the effects of Se and Pb on FPG and ACR. Decreased Se levels were observed in T2DM and T2DM with proteinuria with no significant difference and serum Pb was found within reference range in both groups. Se showed no significant association with FBG and ACR while mid-upper tertile of Pb was significantly associated with ACR of T2DM with the proteinuria group (P < 0.01). Se is known to have a U-shaped relationship with T2DM. Low Se levels in both groups may be due to the effect of disease and its related inflammation. Detected levels of Pb suggest that studied population had lower exposure to it. Association of Pb with ACR showed consistency with the classical studies that even low levels of Pb may cause the renal deterioration.

Diet quality score is a predictor of type 2 diabetes risk in women: the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health.

The present study aimed to determine the ability of two diet quality scores to predict the incidence of type 2 diabetes in women. The study population comprised a nationally representative sample of 8370 Australian middle-aged (45-50 years) women participating in the ALSWH (Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health), who were free of diabetes and completed FFQ at baseline. The associations between the Australian Recommended Food Score (ARFS) and Dietary Guideline Index (DGI) with type 2 diabetes risk were assessed using multiple logistic regression models, adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyle factors and energy intake. During 6 years of follow-up, 311 incident cases of type 2 diabetes were reported. The DGI score was inversely associated with type 2 diabetes risk (OR comparing the highest with the lowest quintile of DGI was 0·51; 95% CI 0·35, 0·76; P for trend = 0·01). There was no statistically significant association between the ARFS and type 2 diabetes risk (OR comparing the highest with the lowest quintile of ARFS was 0·99; 95% CI 0·68, 1·43; P for trend = 0·42). The results of the present prospective study indicate that the DGI score, which assesses compliance with established dietary guidelines, is predictive of type 2 diabetes risk in Australian women. The risk of type 2 diabetes among women in the highest quintile of DGI was approximately 50% lower than that in women in the lowest quintile. The ARFS was not significantly predictive of type 2 diabetes.

Fasting whole blood fatty acid profile and risk of type 2 diabetes in adults: a nested case control study.

OBJECTIVE: to determine the association of fasting whole blood fatty acid concentrations with incidence of type 2 diabetes in adults. METHODS: A nested case-control study of 187 subjects from a cohort of men and women aged 55-85 years from the Hunter Region, New South Wales, Australia. Fasting whole blood fatty acids were measured using gas chromatography and incidence of type 2 diabetes was ascertained by self-reported questionnaire at the study follow-up. RESULTS: After adjustment for potential confounding variables, positive associations with type 2 diabetes were seen for dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (DGLA) (OR = 1.04, 95% CI:1.01-1.07, P = 0.01); arachidonic acid (ARA) (OR = 1.01, 95% CI:1.00-1.01, P = 0.002); alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) (OR = 1.10, 95% CI: 1.03-1.18, P = 0.01); eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) (OR = 1.05, 95% CI:1.02-1.08, P = 0.001); and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (OR = 1.03, 95% CI:1.02-1.05, P<0.0001). Lignoceric acid is significantly associated with lower type 2 diabetes risk (OR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.92-0.99, P = 0.01). CONCLUSION: These data suggest that higher fasting whole blood concentrations of omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-6PUFA) (ARA and DGLA) as well as omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3PUFA) (ALA, EPA, and DHA) are associated with an increased risk of diabetes, whereas increased fasting whole blood concentrations of lignoceric acid is inversely associated with diabetes risk.

Macronutrient intake and type 2 diabetes risk in middle-aged Australian women. Results from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between macronutrient intake and type 2 diabetes risk in middle-aged Australian women. DESIGN: A prospective cohort study, with 6 years (2002-2007) of follow up. Dietary intake was assessed with a validated FFQ. Relative risks with 95 % confidence intervals were used to examine risk associations. SETTING: Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health, Australia. SUBJECTS: Australian women (n 8370) from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health aged 45-50 years and free of type 2 diabetes at baseline. RESULTS: After 6 years of follow-up, 311 women developed type 2 diabetes. After adjusting for sociodemographic, lifestyle and other dietary risk factors, MUFA, total n-3 PUFA, α-linolenic acid and total n-6 PUFA intakes were positively associated with the incidence of type 2 diabetes. The relative risks for type 2 diabetes for the highest compared with the lowest quintiles were 1·64 (95 % CI 1·06, 2·54), P = 0·04 for MUFA; 1·55 (95 % CI 1·03, 2·32), P = 0·01 for n-3 PUFA; 1·84 (95 % CI 1·25, 2·71), P < 0·01 for α-linolenic acid; and 1·60 (95 % CI 1·03, 2·48), P = 0·04 for n-6 PUFA. Other dietary macronutrients were not significantly associated with diabetes risk. CONCLUSIONS: The data indicate that consumption of MUFA, n-3 PUFA and n-6 PUFA may influence the risk of developing type 2 diabetes in women.

Macronutrient intakes and development of type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies.

OBJECTIVE: To synthesize the best available evidence on the association between macronutrient intake and type 2 diabetes risk. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, ProQuest, Mednar, and the JBI Library of Systematic Reviews were searched up to July 2012 to identify published and unpublished studies. The review was restricted to human participants only but was not restricted by date or by language. STUDY ELIGIBILITY: Studies were included in the review if they were a cohort study examining the relationship between dietary macronutrient intake and type 2 diabetes risk, included healthy participants with no history of type 2 diabetes at the baseline assessment, and reported risk estimates (odds ratios, hazards ratios, or relative risks [RRs]) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals for type 2 diabetes risk by comparison of the highest with the lowest level of macronutrient consumption. METHODS: Data extraction and risk of bias assessments were performed in duplicate by 2 reviewers. Random-effects meta-analyses were performed to pool RR estimates from individual studies to assess the relationship between dietary macronutrient (carbohydrate, fat, protein, and macronutrient subtypes) intake and type 2 diabetes risk. Statistical heterogeneity was assessed using the I(2) statistic. Sensitivity analyses were performed to assess robustness of results, and publication bias was evaluated by the visual inspection of funnel plots and was formally assessed using Egger's test. RESULTS: Twenty-two relevant cohort studies were eligible for inclusion in this review. High intake of total dietary carbohydrate was associated with an increased type 2 diabetes risk (relative risk [RR] = 1.11, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01 to 1.22, p = 0.035); however, this effect was not observed in an analysis stratified by gender. High vegetable fat intake was associated with a reduced type 2 diabetes risk in females (RR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.68 to 0.85, p < 0.001). Other macronutrients were not significantly associated with type 2 diabetes risk. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: The results of this systematic review and meta-analysis indicate that total carbohydrate is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes; however, this effect was not observed in an analysis stratified by gender. High vegetable fat intake may decrease type 2 diabetes risk in females. There is a need for further well-designed prospective cohort studies to examine the potential association between macronutrient intake and type 2 diabetes risk.