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Background: The COVID-19 pandemic lockdown has had a profound impact on physical and mental well-being throughout the world. Previous studies have revealed that complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is frequently used for, and can be potential beneficial for strengthening physical mental resilience. The aims of this study were therefore to determine the prevalence and reasons for use of CAM during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic among a representative sample of the Norwegian population, and further determine self-reported effects and adverse effects of the CAM modalities used. Methods: Computer assisted telephone interviews using a COVID-adapted I-CAM-Q questionnaire were conducted with 1008 randomly selected Norwegians aged 16 and above using multistage sampling during April and May 2020 applying age and sex quotas for each area. Frequencies, Pearson's chi-square tests, Fisher exact tests, and independent sample t-test were used to identify the users of CAM, what they used, why they used it and whether they experienced effect and/or adverse effects of the modalities used, and further to describe differences in sociodemographic factors associated with CAM use. Cronbach's alpha tests were used to test for internal consistency in the different groups of CAM. Significance level was set to p < 0.05. Results: The study revealed that two thirds of the respondents (67%) had used CAM within the first 3 months of the COVID-19 pandemic, in particular CAM modalities that did not involve a provider. Most used were natural remedies and dietary supplement (57%, mainly vitamins and minerals), but self-help practices like yoga and meditation were also widely used (24%). Women used CAM modalities significantly more than men (77% vs. 58%). Most of the respondents found the modalities they used beneficial, and few reported adverse effects of the treatments. Conclusions: A large proportion of the Norwegian population used CAM during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic with high satisfaction and few reported adverse effects. CAM was rarely used to prevent or treat COVID-19, but rather to treat a long-term health condition, and to improve well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A number of studies have examined dietary patterns in various populations. However, to study to what extent such patterns capture meaningful differences in consumption of foods is of interest. In the present study, we identified important dietary patterns in Norwegian postmenopausal women (age 50–69 years, n 361), and evaluated these patterns by examining their associations with plasma carotenoids. Diet was assessed by a 253-item FFQ. These 253 food items were categorised into forty-six food groups, and dietary patterns were identified using principal component analysis. We used the partial correlation coefficient (radj) and multiple linear regression analysis to examine the associations between the dietary patterns and the plasma carotenoids α-carotene, β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, lutein, lycopene and zeaxanthin. Overall, four dietary patterns were identified: the ‘Western’; ‘Vegetarian’; ‘Continental’; ‘High-protein’. The ‘Western’ dietary pattern scores were significantly inversely correlated with plasma lutein, zeaxanthin, lycopene and total carotenoids ( − 0·25 ≤ radj≤ − 0·13). The ‘Vegetarian’ dietary pattern scores were significantly positively correlated with all the plasma carotenoids (0·15 ≤ radj≤ 0·24). The ‘Continental’ dietary pattern scores were significantly inversely correlated with plasma lutein and α-carotene (radj= − 0·13). No significant association between the ‘High-protein’ dietary pattern scores and the plasma carotenoids was found. In conclusion, the healthy dietary pattern, the ‘Vegetarian’ pattern, is associated with a more favourable profile of the plasma carotenoids than our unhealthy dietary patterns, the ‘Western’ and ‘Continental’ patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objectives:This study aims to assess the prevalence of fatigue among persons who have lived with traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) for >20 years, and to compare the results with fatigue scores found among the general population (GP). Another objective was to study the association between fatigue and clinical variables, including mental health, among the study population.Design:A cross-sectional study.Setting:Sunnaas Rehabilitation Hospital (SunRH), Norway.Materials and methods:All SCI survivors (n=237) admitted for rehabilitation at SunRH between 1961 and 1982 were asked to participate. Fatigue was measured with the Fatigue Questionnaire (FQ). Mental health was assessed with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Linear regressions were used to examine those variables with the potential to contribute to fatigue.Results:A total of 153 persons responded to the FQ, and in 39 cases the scores were consistent with fatigue. Surprisingly, the prevalence of fatigue (total fatigue (TF)) did not differ between the study population and the norm. However, the results indicated statistically significantly higher score of physical fatigue (PF) and statistically significantly lower score of mental fatigue among the SCI group when compared with the GP. Higher fatigue scores were associated with fatigue-causing pharmaceuticals and with higher scores on the HADS-depression subscale.Conclusions:The prevalence of fatigue was 25% among persons who had lived with SCI for >20 years, and similar to that in the GP. Our results point to medications and mental health aspects as possible contributors to PF severity in SCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]