Search

During the COVID-19 pandemic a home confinement was enforced in Jordan, We investigated the physical activity, dietary status and sleep quality and mental wellbeing during the lockdown, A sample of Jordanian adults (N =1088, 18-65 Years Old) answered the survey which employed the use of the following tools to conduct information:1- Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ), 2- International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), 3- WHO-5 Mental wellbeing score, and 4- Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Participants of the study (565 females and 523 males) who completed the online survey consented to answer the survey questions after being assured that all their responses will be kept unanimous and no questions will reveal their identity. Statistical analysis (ANOVA) showed differences in the mental wellbeing index according to the physical activity level (F (2, 1087) = 49.181; P

The prevalence of obesity and overweight has been rapidly increasing and is significantly higher among adult females in the Arab States. The aim of the present study was to explore pregnant Emirati women’s perception of their weight, their knowledge of the healthy gestational weight gain, and the possible weight-related pregnancy complications. A total of 526 self-administered questionnaires were obtained with a response rate of 72%. The majority (81.8%, n = 429) entered pregnancy as overweight or obese. The percentage of pregnant women who underestimated their weight category was 12.1% in normal weight participants, 48.9% in overweight participants, and 73.5% in obese participants (p < 0.001). The overweight and obese participants were 13 times more likely to underestimate their weight status and 3.6 times more likely to correctly select their healthy gestational weight gain. Women’s awareness of pregnancy-related complications due to weight varied from 80.3% for diabetes to 44.5% for fetal complications; their awareness of breastfeeding difficulty was the lowest at 2.5%. Moreover, there was a misconception about personal BMI and the appropriate range for gestational weight gain (GWG). Healthy lifestyle counselling urgently needs to be addressed in preventative health programs such as pre-marital and preconception counselling.

Background: Blood lactate (La-) is commonly assessed in tests of sport performance. Sports that utilize intermittent high intensity effort, monitoring of La- from previous exercise can be useful to document intensity of effort. Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the role La- played during successive Wingate (Win) tests and subsequent anaerobic exercise performance. Method: Well-trained, national team athletes from Jordan (n = 31) volunteered to participate. A quasi-experimental design was utilized to test Win performance and La- concentration. All participants engage in two Win tests with one minute rest between sets. La- was collected at four time points (prior to Win test 1, immediately after Win 1, after Win 2 and after a 10 minute recovery period). Results: Findings from a multiple linear regression model (p = 0.032) showed increased levels of La- accumulation as a predictor to higher power and strength (p = 0.046). Conversely, peak aerobic capacity was a predictor for decreasing La- accumulation over time (p = 0.039), which may suggest faster recovery. Conclusion: Anaerobic athletes who participate in short, high intense bouts of exercise may require high intensity training programs to increase aerobic fitness, power output, and optimal performance. Practical applications include optimizing training programs to reflect competition.

The purpose of this research is to determine the effect of house isolation on the Palestinian people's lifestyles, mental health (MW), and physical activity during the COVID-19 pandemic (PA). The Global Health Guidelines 5 and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, as well as the Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) (PSQI) (PSQI), were used to collect demographic data. To collect data from all staff and students in Palestinian universities, including faculty and staff, as well as students, a non-discriminatory approach to community sampling was used, consisting of 360 research participants. According to the statistics, men are more likely than women to be in a good emotional state. By and large, people with improved mental states reported improved sleep quality and overall health. Increased physical activity (i.e. 17.33.6) was connected with improved mental health compared to average physical activity (i.e. 13.74.2). It has been proven that there is a relationship between a mental state variable and the amount of regular daily activity. Physical activity improves mental health. Additionally, physical exercise was the strongest predictor of mental health ratings.

Background: Due to the novel COVID 19 pandemic and its associated social distancing and confinement procedures, the lifestyle of the individuals and their daily routine were affected and hence, their health. This study aims to find if physical activity level of the Kuwaiti adults during COVID 19 pandemic confinement have an influence on their mental status. Moreover, this study is investigating whether there are significant differences in the lifestyle behaviors, health and mental status attributed to the gender variable. Methods: in this study, a self-reported across-sectional survey was distributed online on a sample of (357) Kuwaiti adults. The demographic data were collected through a self-completed DCI. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated from self-reported weight (kg) and height (cm). Mental status was assessed by WHO-5 and the Physical Activity (PA) level was assessed using IPAQ. The variables were presented in the form of means, frequencies and percentages. One –way Chi-square test was used to compare between the groups and Chi-Square test for categorical variables. Moreover, the relationships between physical activity and mental status were examined using Pearson correlation analysis. Results: The results of this study revealed on a low level of physical activity (62.5%), excellent health status (79.3%), weak sleep quality (68.9%) and good mental status (64.4%). The results showed also that the previous variables are different according to the gender variable. Conclusion: This study found that there is a significant relationship between the mental status and the level of daily physical activity, and it was found that the mental status scores better the higher the level of physical activity.

Dormitory-residing university students are at-risk of mental health problems related to unhealthy diets. The purpose of this study was to assess the association between dietary inflammatory potential and mental health of dormitory-residing female university students. This cross-sectional study was comprised of 260 undergraduate females residing in dormitories of the largest university in United Arab Emirates during Spring 2019. The Energy-adjusted Dietary Inflammatory Index (E-DIITM) scores calculated from 37 food parameters were derived from two 24-h dietary recalls. The logistic regression analysis was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs for the E-DII score in relation to depression, anxiety, and stress. The E-DII scores (mean = 2.98 ± 1.17) were categorized into: tertile 1 (−1.96–2.62), tertile 2 (2.63–3.52), and tertile 3 (3.53–5.60), representing less to more proinflammatory diets. Students in the E-DII tertile 3 had significantly higher depression, anxiety, and stress scores. The logistic regression analysis showed that each point increase in the E-DII score was associated with symptoms of stress (OR = 1.41; 95% CI: 1.12–1.77; p = 0.003) and anxiety (OR = 1.35; 95% CI: 1.07–1.69; p = 0.01). Relative to students in the E-DII tertile 1, those students in the E-DII tertile 3 were more likely to be at higher risk of stress and anxiety ORE−DIItertile3vs1 = 2.89 (1.44–5.79) and 2.88 (1.49–5.56), respectively. Overall, stress and anxiety were associated with proinflammatory diets in dormitory-residing female university students, suggesting the need for targeted interventions to increase the anti-inflammatory capacity of diet and improve mental wellbeing in students on university campuses.

Background Few assessment tools exist for investigating perceived social support and self-efficacy behaviors in Arabic-speaking populations. Moreover, literature on the levels of social support and self-efficacy for adopting healthy eating and engaging in regular physical activity among Arabic-speaking young adults is currently lacking. This study aimed to adapt the Health Beliefs Survey Questionnaire (HBSQ) for Arabic-speaking populations and assess perceived social support and self-efficacy for adopting healthy eating and increased physical activity among university students. Methods In the first stage of the study, forward and backward translation and pretesting of the social support and self-efficacy scales of the HBSQ were conducted. The adapted questionnaire was administered to female university students (n = 258), and a subsample of 195 participants retook the questionnaire after 1 month. Construct validity was assessed with confirmatory factor analysis. The internal consistency of each subscale item was assessed by Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, and reproducibility was tested with intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and Bland-Altman plots. In the second stage, the adapted questionnaire was used to assess the perceived social support and self-efficacy levels in a different sample of Arabic-speaking female university students (n = 283). Results Based on the results from confirmatory factor analysis, 6 items were selected for the social support scale and 19 items for the self-efficacy scale. The adapted questionnaire showed moderate to high internal reliability (Cronbach alpha coefficient = 0.681 to 0.900). The ICCs of the various subscales ranged from 0.666 to 0.997, indicating moderate to excellent reproducibility of the culturally adapted questionnaire. This was confirmed by Bland-Altman analysis. Participants in the second stage of the study reported significantly higher (P Conclusions The results of the psychometric testing indicate the shortened Arabic HBSQ is a reliable tool for assessing perceived social support from family and close friends as well as for evaluating self-efficacy for choosing healthy foods and increasing physical activity among female university students.

Background In light of the pandemic, pregnant women are particularly vulnerable to increased psychological distress and in need of imperative preventive measures. This study aimed to investigate the impact of the pandemic on mental health, lifestyle adaptations, and their determinants among pregnant women in the United Arab Emirates. Methods A survey was conducted electronically between June and August 2020. Pregnant women were recruited from prenatal clinics in the UAE and invited to participate in an online survey developed on Google Forms. The questionnaire included socio-demographic characteristics, the Impact of Event Scale- Revised, the Perceived Support Scale and lifestyle-related factors. Results A total of 384 pregnant women completed the questionnaire of whom 20.6% were in their 1st trimester, 46.1% in their 2nd and 33.3% in their 3rd trimester. The mean IES-R score for the respondents was 26.15 ± 13.55, corresponding to a mild stressful impact, which did not differ significantly among trimesters of pregnancy. Pregnant women expressed increased stress from staying home (64%), work (40%), feeling frightened (66%) and apprehensive (59%). Women reported increased support and sharing their feelings with family members (59%), mainly in the 1st and 3rd trimester of pregnancy (P Conclusions The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a mild stressful impact among pregnant women in the UAE, braced by strong family support and self-care mental health behaviors.

A distance runner's performance is generally limited by energy availability when competing or training. Modifying meal frequency and timing by abstaining from eating or drinking, from dawn to dusk, during Ramadan fasting is hypothesized to induce hypohydration and reduced caloric and nutrient intake. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of Ramadan fasting on runners' performances. Fifteen trained male distance runners who observed Ramadan participated in this study (Age = 23.9 ± 3.1 years; Peak VO2 = 71.1 ± 3.4 ml/kg/min). Each participant reported to the human performance lab on two testing occasions (pre-Ramadan and the last week of Ramadan). In each visit, participants performed a graded exercise test on the treadmill (Conconi protocol) and their VO2, Heart Rate, time to exhaustion, RPE, and running speed were recorded. Detailed anthropometrics, food records, and exercise logs were kept for the entire period of the study. Repeated measure ANOVA, paired t-test, and Cohen's effect size analysis were carried out. Results indicated no significant influence for Ramadan fasting on body mass (p = 0.201), body fat (p = 0.488), lean body mass (p = 0.525), VO2max (p = 0.960), energy availability (p = 0.137), and protein intake (p = 0.124). However, carbohydrate (p = 0.026), lipid (p = 0.009), water (p < 0.001), and caloric intakes (p = 0.002) were significantly reduced during Ramadan Fasting. Daily training duration (p < 0.001) and exercise energy expenditure (p = 0.001) were also reduced after Ramadan. Time to exhaustion (p = 0.049), and maximal running speed (p = 0.048) were improved. Overall, time to exhaustion and maximal running speed of the distance runners was improved during Ramadan fasting, independent of changes in nutrients intake observed during the current study. With proper modulation of training, distance runners performance can be maintained or even slightly improved following the month of Ramadan fasting.

United Arab Emirates (UAE) has taken unprecedented precautionary measures including complete lockdowns against COVID-19 to control its spread and ensure the well-being of individuals. This study investigated the impact of COVID-19 and societal lockdown measures on the mental health of adults in the UAE. A cross-sectional study was conducted using an English and Arabic online questionnaire between May and June 2020. The psychological impact was assessed by the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), and the social and family support impact was evaluated using questions from the Perceived Support Scale (PSS). A total of 4,426 participants (3,325 females and 1,101 males) completed the questionnaire. The mean IES-R score was 28.0 ± 14.6, reflecting a mild stressful impact with 27.3% reporting severe psychological impact. Over 36% reported increased stress from work, home and financial matters. Also, 43–63% of the participants felt horrified, apprehensive or helpless due to COVID-19. Females, younger participants, part-timers, and college or University graduates were more likely to have a high IES-R score (p < 0.05). The majority of participants reported receiving increased support from family members, paying more attention to their mental health, and spending more time to rest and relax. The results of this study demonstrate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health among the UAE residents and highlight the need to adopt culturally appropriate interventions for the general population and vulnerable groups, such as females and younger adults.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a major health crisis that has changed the life of millions globally. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of the pandemic on mental health and quality of life among the general population in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. A total of 6142 adults from eighteen countries within the MENA region completed an online questionnaire between May and June 2020. Psychological impact was assessed using the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) and the social and family support impact was assessed with questions from the Perceived Support Scale (PSS). The IES-R mean score was 29.3 (SD = 14.8), corresponding to mild stressful impact with 30.9% reporting severe psychological impact. Most participants (45%–62%) felt horrified, apprehensive, or helpless due to COVID-19. Furthermore, over 40% reported increased stress from work and financial matters. Higher IES-R scores were found among females, participants aged 26–35 years, those with lower educational level, and participants residing in the North Africa region (p

Objective:The current study evaluated the reliability and validity of the Arabic version of the revised general nutrition knowledge questionnaire (GNKQ-R) for adults.Design:The eighty-eight-item English GNKQ-R was adapted into an eighty-six-item Arabic version. Four validation studies were conducted for internal (n 805) and external (n 106) reliability, construct validity between participants with (n 84) and without (n 88) nutrition background, convergent validity for associations between nutrition knowledge and demographic characteristics (n 750) and responsiveness to online nutrition information (n 55).Setting:United Arab Emirates University in United Arab Emirates and Hashemite University in Jordan.Participants:Undergraduate students aged 18 years and above, enrolled in any programme at the two universities, were recruited.Results:Overall, internal reliability (Cronbach’s α = 0·91) and external reliability (P = 0·350; intra-class correlation coefficient = 0·84) were high. Significantly higher GNKQ-R scores of students with (66·0 (10·6)) v. without (38·0 (10·7), P < 0·001; d = 2·6) nutrition background indicated high construct validity. Significantly higher GNKQ-R scores among females v. males, older and senior students v. younger and junior students and students in health discipline v. non-health discipline reflected good convergent validity. Significant differences in GNKQ-R scores with nutrition information (time 1 = 37·8 (10·5) and time 2 = 47·7 (9·1), P < 0·001; d = 1·0) indicated high responsiveness to nutrition intervention.Conclusions:The Arabic GNKQ-R showed high reliability and validity in the young adult Arab population. Besides the reliability of the overall questionnaire, each section demonstrated adequate reliability. Further studies are warranted to establish the generalisability and applicability of the Arabic GNKQ-R in older adults and in different middle-eastern Arab countries.

Background In the past infectious diseases affected the quality of lifestyle during home confinement. The study conducted examines the influence of home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak on lifestyle, mental wellbeing, nutritional status, and sleeping pattern. Method An online multicategorical questionnaire was distributed to collect demographic information combined with the following tools: Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ), International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), WHO-5 wellbeing score, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). A snowball non-discriminate sampling procedure was conducted to collect data from people attending or working at higher institutions from March 1, 2020 to April 24, 2020. A total of 1723 completed responses (917 males, 37.4 ±13.4 years old and 806 females 32.2 ± 11.5 years old) were collected. Results The female participants had significantly lower mental health scores than males (53.9% vs. 46.1%). The mental wellbeing scores were higher among participants with medium and high physical activity (PA) levels (p < 0.00). Additionally, the mental wellbeing scores were significantly improved by dietary quality and it’s sleeping score (p < 0.001). However, PA was by far the major determinant of the mental health scores. Conclusion Factors such as PA, diet, and sleeping patterns were associated with mental wellbeing during the COVID-19 confinement among Arab participants.

Gum Arabic (GA) is a widely-used additive in food processing, but is also historically used in a number of traditional therapies. It has been shown to have a broad range of health benefits, particularly in improving important cardiovascular risk indicators. Metabolic syndrome and its associated cardiac outcomes are a significant burden on modern healthcare systems, and complementary interventions to aid in its management are required. We aimed to examine the effect of GA on those with, or at risk of, metabolic syndrome to identify an effect on improving important disease parameters related to cardiovascular outcomes. A single-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial was conducted to identify the effects of daily GA supplementation on metabolic and cardiovascular risk factors. A total of 80 participants were randomized to receive 20 g of GA daily (n = 40) or placebo (1 g pectin, n = 40) for 12 weeks. Key endpoints included body-anthropometric indices, diet and physical activity assessment, and blood chemistry (HbA1c, fasting glucose, and blood lipids). Of the 80 enrolled, 61 completed the study (intervention: 31, control: 30) with 19 dropping out due to poor treatment compliance. After 12 weeks, the participants receiving the GA showed significant decreases in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, fat-free body mass, energy and carbohydrate consumption, and fasting plasma glucose, as well as increased intake of dietary fiber. They also reported improvements in self-perceived bloating and quality of bowel movements, as well as a decreased appetite score following GA consumption. These results suggest that GA could be a safe and beneficial adjunct to other treatments for those with, or at risk of, metabolic syndrome.

Mohamad I Jarrah,1 Nizar M Mhaidat,2 Karem H Alzoubi,2 Nasr Alrabadi,3 Enas Alsatari,2 Yousef Khader,4 Moath F Bataineh5 1Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan; 2Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan; 3Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan; 4Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan; 5Department of Sport Rehabilitation, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Hashemite University, Zarqa, Jordan Background: Decreased levels of vitamin D were associated with increased risk of multiple diseases, including cardiovascular diseases. However, there seem to be some discrepancies among the results obtained from different studies. The aim of the present study was to explore the importance of having sufficient serum levels of vitamin D in reducing the incidence and the progression of coronary artery stenosis and ischemic heart disease (IHD). Methods: Serum levels of vitamin D were measured using radioimmunoassay in 186 Jordanian patients who underwent investigative coronary catheterization. Of these patients, 133 were suffering from coronary artery stenosis. The association between vitamin D levels, coronary stenosis and many risk factors was determined using SPSS software. Results and conclusions: Interestingly, the current results did not show an association between vitamin D abnormalities and the incidence or the reoccurrence of coronary artery stenosis. Moreover, significant differences were detected in the prevalence of vitamin D abnormalities based on the patient’s gender, and there was a significant association between vitamin D abnormalities and both body mass index and dyslipidemia. However, current results did not show any significant association with other risk factors for IHD. For instance, no association was found with smoking, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, stable and unstable angina or with acute recent myocardial infarction. Keywords: vitamin D, ischemic heart disease, IHD, coronary artery stenosis, cardiovascular system

Mouth rinsing using a carbohydrate (CHO) solution has been suggested to improve physical performance in fasting participants. This study examined the effects of CHO mouth rinsing during Ramadan fasting on running time to exhaustion and on peak treadmill speed (Vpeak). In a counterbalanced crossover design, 18 sub-elite male runners (Age: 21 ± 2 years, Weight: 68.1 ± 5.7 kg, VO2max: 55.4 ± 4.8 ml/kg/min) who observed Ramadan completed a familiarization trial and three experimental trials. The three trials included rinsing and expectorating a 25 mL bolus of either a 7.5% sucrose solution (CHO), a flavour and taste matched placebo solution (PLA) for 10 s, or no rinse (CON). The treatments were performed prior to an incremental treadmill test to exhaustion. Three-day dietary and exercise records were obtained on two occasions and analysed. Anthropometric characteristics were obtained and recorded for all participants. A main effect for mouth rinse on peak velocity (Vpeak) (CHO: 17.6 ± 1.5 km/h; PLA: 1...

Date fruits can be consumed at different stages of maturity and thus might vary in glycemic response. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the nutritional composition, glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL) values of dried Bisr (mature unripe) and Tamr (mature ripe) dates. Fifteen healthy female participants (18 and 25 years), were recruited to assess the GI and GL values of dried Bisr and dried Tamr dates. Each participant was tested in three different times. Trials were separated by 1 week and proceeded in a randomized counterbalanced manner. Anthropometrics and food records were obtained for all participants. Proximate analysis revealed significant differences between Bisr and Tamr dates in moisture, ash, fat, protein, and fiber content (P0.05). The incremental area under the blood glucose response curve was higher (164.5 ± 47.8) for the standard food in comparison with dried Bisr (88.5 ± 24.1, P < 0.0001) or dried Tamr dates (88.2 ± 27.9, P0.05). Both GI (Bisr: 54.6 ± 15.2 vs. Tamr: 54.3 ± 14.3) and GL (Bisr: 13.65 vs. Tamr: 13.58) were not significantly different between the test food items (P>0.05). Dried date fruits induce similar glycemic responses regardless of their maturity stage.

This study investigates the impact of an educational course for swimming on free style swimming performance and life skills for deaf students. Subjects were (10) male deaf students who were attended to swimming courses level (1) in the Faculty of Physical Education at the University of Jordan, with mean age of (M age = 20.4 SD =1.35). After completing the Life skills through swimming context scale (Bayyat et al., 2016) and practical pre-test of free style swimming skills performance, subjects executed both physical practice of the free style swimming skills performance during a program conceited of eighteen sessions, 3 sessions a week, for 6-weeks, 60 mints per session, and life skills development dialogues program which focused on certain life skills (Communications, teamwork, self confidence / self –Esteem, problem solving and decision-making/responsibility).After 6-weeks all subjects completed a post life skills questionnaire which measured the changes in their life skills level after learning the free style swimming skills performance, they also went through a post practical subjective performance evaluation post-test which measured their level of the free style swimming skills performance. Statistical analysis was processed by SPSS. The results showed significant differences between pre and post-test in life skills dimensions and significant differences between pre and post-test in free style swimming performance level for the subject of this study. In conclusions the educational course for swimming had a positive impact on free style swimming performance and on life skills for deaf students in the faculty of physical education at the University of Jordan.