Household Food Insecurity in Al-Haymah Ad-Dakhiliyah district, Sana’a, Yemen: a mixed methods approach

Food insecurity in Yemen is currently being addressed by numerous humanitarian organizations and global donations as an estimated 80% of those in Yemen require food assistance (FAO, 2017). This study aimed to answer whether traditional food insecurity trends are applicable in an emergency situation, such as the Yemeni humanitarian crisis. This study was a mixed methods approach, using quantitative and qualitative data, to recognize food insecurity trends in emergency situations and contextualize the food insecurity situation in Yemen. A secondary data analysis from War Child UK’s DRA4 Baseline Questionnaire (collected in July 2018) was used to address quantitative aims. Key Informant Interviews were conducted to better understand how food insecurity has impacted livelihoods of those in Yemen. Traditional food insecurity trends such as female headed household and IDP households being more vulnerable to household food insecurity was not observed by this study. However, explanatory variables such as access and coping strategies could account for a household’s food insecurity. This study concludes that majority of the households assessed in Al-Haymah Ad-Dakhiliyah are facing high levels of food insecurity, therefore in dire need of food assistance. The emergency food insecurity situation in Yemen has been exacerbated by the ongoing political clashes and conflict over the course of the past four years. Given the extent of famine, malnutrition, and inevitable food insecurity rates in the country, it is important to take into consideration a long-term solution, rather than long-term assistance to address this humanitarian crisis. The findings from this study further asserts the stance and solution that individuals in Yemen would like to see happen and humanitarian organization. The findings from this study can also provide background for further integration of emergency-complex situation models regarding food insecurity of humanitarian assistance intervention methods.Bachelor of Science in Public Healt

Assessment of Nutrients Associated With the Risk of Osteoporosis in Postmenopausal Women: A Case-Control Study

Osteoporosis is a chronic bone disease characterized by the loss in bone density and modification in bone structure. These changes will increase bone fragility and the risk of fracture particularly among postmenopausal women. The purpose of this study is to explore the possible association between nutrient intake and the risk of suffering from osteoporosis in postmenopausal women who have recently been diagnosed with osteoporosis. A case-control study was designed to determine nutrients intake, as well as dietary and lifestyle patterns. One hundred patients who were newly diagnosed with osteoporosis, and 100 osteoporosis-free controls Jordanian postmenopausal women were enrolled in this study. The ratio of case to controls is 1:1. Several macro and micronutrients were identified as having a protective effect on the risk of osteoporosis. The intake of carbohydrates, vitamin B6 and phosphorus was associated with lower risk of osteoporosis in all quartiles. Moreover, Fiber, iron, magnesium, potassium, and zinc are protective in the third and fourth quartiles. A significant protective effect of fats, monounsaturated fats, and vitamins C consumption was detected in the fourth quartile. The present results suggest that a poor diet and a lack of a healthy lifestyle do have significant effects on the development of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.The authors would like to thank the Deanship of Academic Research of The University of Jordan. In addition, a great appreciation devoted for Dr. Munther Almomani for his support inside the Jordan university hospital regarding this study. The authors would like to express their appreciation to the Jordanian Osteoporosis Prevention Society for their cooperation in facilitating the enrollment of participants in this research and to the Arab Engineers Medical Equipments & Supplies Trading Co. for lending the instrument that was used in this research. The authors' thanks extend to all the staff and managers of Al-Tayseer laboratory for their kind help, patience and cooperation throughout the research period. This research was funded by Deanship of Academic Research of The University of Jordan.Scopu

Dietary Patterns and the Risk of Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Findings from a Case-Control Study

Scientific evidence shows that dietary patterns are associated with the risk of IBD, particularly among unhealthy and Western dietary patterns. However, Western dietary patterns are not exclusive to Western countries, as Jordanians are steadily moving towards a Western lifestyle, which includes an increased consumption of processed foods. This study aims to investigate the association between dietary patterns and the risk factors for IBD cases among Jordanian adults. This case-control study was conducted between November 2018 and December 2019 in the largest three hospitals in Jordan. Three hundred and thirty-five Jordanian adults aged between 18-68 years were enrolled in this study: one hundred and eighty-five IBD patients who were recently diagnosed with IBD ( = 100 for ulcerative colitis (UC) and = 85 for Crohn's disease (CD)) and 150 IBD-free controls. Participants were matched based on age and marital status. In addition, dietary data was collected from all participants using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Factor analysis and principal component analysis were used to determine the dietary patterns. Odds ratios (OR) and their 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using a multinomial logistic regression model. Two dietary patterns were identified among the study participants: high-vegetable and high-protein dietary patterns. There was a significantly higher risk of IBD with high-protein intake at the third (OR, CI: 0.136 (0.068-0.271)) and fourth (OR, CI: 0.126 (0.064-0.248)) quartiles in the non-adjusted model as well as the other two adjusted models. In contrast, the high-vegetable dietary pattern shows a significantly protective effect on IBD in the third and fourth quartiles in all the models. Thus, a high-vegetable dietary pattern may be protective against the risk of IBD, while a high-protein dietary pattern is associated with an increased risk of IBD among a group of the Jordanian population

SARS-CoV-2 infection in central North Carolina: Protocol for a population-based longitudinal cohort study and preliminary participant results

Public health surveillance systems likely underestimate the true prevalence and incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection due to limited access to testing and the high proportion of subclinical infections in community-based settings. This ongoing prospective, observational study aimed to generate accurate estimates of the prevalence and incidence of, and risk factors for, SARS-CoV-2 infection among residents of a central North Carolina county. From this cohort, we collected survey data and nasal swabs every two weeks and venous blood specimens every month. Nasal swabs were tested for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 virus (evidence of active infection), and serum specimens for SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies (evidence of prior infection). As of June 23, 2021, we have enrolled a total of 153 participants from a county with an estimated 76,285 total residents. The anticipated study duration is at least 24 months, pending the evolution of the pandemic. Study data are being shared on a monthly basis with North Carolina state health authorities and future analyses aim to compare study data to state-wide metrics over time. Overall, the use of a probability-based sampling design and a well-characterized cohort will enable collection of critical data that can be used in planning and policy decisions for North Carolina and may be informative for other states with similar demographic characteristics

Magnitude and Durability of the Antibody Response to mRNA-Based Vaccination Among SARS-CoV-2 Seronegative and Seropositive Health Care Personnel

Few studies have described changes in SARS-CoV-2 antibody levels in response to infection and vaccination at frequent intervals and over extended follow-up periods. The purpose of this study was to assess changes in SARS-CoV-2–specific antibody responses among a prospective cohort of health care personnel over 18 months with up to 22 samples per person. Antibody levels and live virus neutralization were measured before and after mRNA-based vaccination with results stratified by (1) SARS-CoV-2 infection status prior to initial vaccination and (2) SARS-CoV-2 infection at any point during follow-up. We found that the antibody response to the first dose was almost 2-fold higher in individuals who were seropositive prior to vaccination, although neutralization titers were more variable. The antibody response induced by vaccination appeared to wane over time but generally persisted for 8 to 9 months, and those who were infected at any point during the study had slightly higher antibody levels over time vs those who remained uninfected. These findings underscore the need to account for SARS-CoV-2 natural infection as a modifier of vaccine responses, and they highlight the importance of frequent testing of longitudinal antibody titers over time. Together, our results provide a clearer understanding of the trajectories of antibody response among vaccinated individuals with and without prior SARS-CoV-2 infection

Dietary patterns associated with the risk of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women

Abstract The purpose of this study is to investigate the association between dietary patterns and the risk associated with osteoporosis in Jordanian postmenopausal women recently diagnosed with osteoporosis. A case–control study design was used to determine nutrient intake, and dietary and lifestyle patterns. Two hundred Jordanian postmenopausal women were enrolled; 100 patients newly diagnosed with osteoporosis, and 100 osteoporosis-free controls, according to the inclusion criteria. Case and control groups were selected from visitors to the University of Jordan Hospital and the Jordanian Osteoporosis Prevention Society. The case-to-control ratio was (1:1). Four dietary patterns were identified in this study and they include: ‘High-Fruits and Vegetables', 'Traditional', 'Unhealthy/Western', and 'High-Proteins', which accounted for 44.7% of the total variance in food intake. The ‘High-Fruits and Vegetables’ dietary pattern showed a decreased likelihood of osteoporosis risk in the fourth quartile [Q4: AOR 0.375, 95% CI (0.154–0.9150), P = 0.031]. On the other hand, the ‘Unhealthy/Western’ and ‘High-Protein’ dietary patterns were positively associated ([Q3: AOR 2.834, 95%CI (1.081–7.430), P = 0.034] and [AQ3: OR 2.601, 95% CI (1.983–6.882), P = 0.045], respectively) with osteoporosis risk in the third quartile. The present results suggest that the 'High-Fruits and Vegetables' dietary pattern may exert a protective effect on the risk of osteoporosis while 'Unhealthy/Western' and 'High-Protein' dietary patterns showed positive effects on the risk of osteoporosis. Graphical Abstrac

Dietary patterns associated with the risk of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women

The purpose of this study is to investigate the association between dietary patterns and the risk associated with osteoporosis in Jordanian postmenopausal women recently diagnosed with osteoporosis. A case–control study design was used to determine nutrient intake, and dietary and lifestyle patterns. Two hundred Jordanian postmenopausal women were enrolled; 100 patients newly diagnosed with osteoporosis, and 100 osteoporosis-free controls, according to the inclusion criteria. Case and control groups were selected from visitors to the University of Jordan Hospital and the Jordanian Osteoporosis Prevention Society. The case-to-control ratio was (1:1). Four dietary patterns were identified in this study and they include: ‘High-Fruits and Vegetables', 'Traditional', 'Unhealthy/Western', and 'High-Proteins', which accounted for 44.7% of the total variance in food intake. The ‘High-Fruits and Vegetables’ dietary pattern showed a decreased likelihood of osteoporosis risk in the fourth quartile [Q4: AOR 0.375, 95% CI (0.154–0.9150), P = 0.031]. On the other hand, the ‘Unhealthy/Western’ and ‘High-Protein’ dietary patterns were positively associated ([Q3: AOR 2.834, 95%CI (1.081–7.430), P = 0.034] and [AQ3: OR 2.601, 95% CI (1.983–6.882), P = 0.045], respectively) with osteoporosis risk in the third quartile. The present results suggest that the 'High-Fruits and Vegetables' dietary pattern may exert a protective effect on the risk of osteoporosis while 'Unhealthy/Western' and 'High-Protein' dietary patterns showed positive effects on the risk of osteoporosis. Graphical Abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]This research was funded by the Deanship of Academic Research of The University of Jordan (Grant number 1519/2019/19)

Assessment of Nutrients Associated with the Risk of Osteoporosis in Postmenopausal Women: A Case-Control Study

Osteoporosis is a chronic bone disease characterized by the loss in bone density and modification in bone structure. These changes will increase bone fragility and the risk of fracture particularly among postmenopausal women. The purpose of this study is to explore the possible association between nutrient intake and the risk of suffering from osteoporosis in postmenopausal women who have recently been diagnosed with osteoporosis. A case-control study was designed to determine nutrients intake, as well as dietary and lifestyle patterns. One hundred patients who were newly diagnosed with osteoporosis, and 100 osteoporosis-free controls Jordanian postmenopausal women were enrolled in this study. The ratio of case to controls is 1:1. Several macro and micronutrients were identified as having a protective effect on the risk of osteoporosis. The intake of carbohydrates, vitamin B6 and phosphorus was associated with lower risk of osteoporosis in all quartiles. Moreover, Fiber, iron, magnesium, potassium, and zinc are protective in the third and fourth quartiles. A significant protective effect of fats, monounsaturated fats, and vitamins C consumption was detected in the fourth quartile. The present results suggest that a poor diet and a lack of a healthy lifestyle do have significant effects on the development of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women

Mediterranean Dietary Pattern is Associated with Lower Odds of Gastric Cancer: A Case–Control Study

Background: Diet pattern is an important modifiable lifestyle factor. However, epidemiological studies show that the association between dietary patterns and gastric cancer (GC) is conflicting. This study aims to assess the impact of several dietary choices on the risk of GC among newly diagnosed Jordanian patients. Methods: A case–control study was conducted at major oncology centers and hospitals in Jordan. Study participants included 172 patients with incident gastric cancer and 314 controls. Data was collected using interview-based questionnaires. Dietary intake was estimated using a validated Arabic and reproducible food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Dietary patterns were derived using Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Multinomial logistic regression was used to estimate the association between dietary patterns and GC. Results: Four dietary patterns were itemized; “Mediterranean”, “Prudent”, “Unhealthy” and “High-fruit” dietary patterns. The “Mediterranean” dietary pattern, which includes a diet rich in fresh fruits, vegetables, milk, yogurt, lentils, and olive oil was associated with a significant decrease in the odds ratio (OR) of GC for the third and fourth quartiles (OR, 0.394 (confidence interval (CI): 0.211– 0.736); 0.212 (CI: 0.107– 0.419), respectively) after adjusting for age, gender, body mass index, smoking, marital status, total energy intake, education level, and physical activity. While the “Unhealthy” and “Prudent” dietary patterns enhance the risk of developing GC, this risk was insignificant at any quartile. Additionally, the “High-Fruit” dietary pattern shows an insignificant protective effect against the risk of GC. Conclusion: The “Mediterranean” dietary pattern was associated with a reduced risk of GC among Jordanians. However, the other three identified dietary patterns were not significantly associated with the risk of GC.The authors would like to thank Hashemite University for funding the research project (Grant number AM/16/13/10/1403938)