Effect of an Educational Intervention on the Promotion of Dietary and Lifestyle Changes for the Prevention of Breast Cancer Among Female Teachers in Selected Schools in Selangor, Malaysia

Breast cancer affects more women in the world today than any other cancer. Epidemiological studies have consistently shown that diet and lifestyle play a substantial role in the development of breast cancer in women. The landmark reports by the World Cancer Research Fund (1997 & 2007) concluded that cancer is largely a preventable disease. The objective of this study is to determine the effect of an educational intervention to modify the nutrition and physical activity related to breast cancer risk among female secondary school teachers in Selangor. This study aimed to improve diet and lifestyle behaviors that included fruit and vegetable intake, the total energy from fat, physical activity and anthropometric indicators. Psychosocial factors (knowledge, attitude, barriers and self-efficacy) were examined for their relationship to change in diet and physical activity. This intervention was developed based on the guidelines of the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF, 1997; 2007) for cancer prevention, as well as the Malaysian Guidelines for Cancer Prevention of The National Cancer Society of Malaysia. A total of 210 female teachers, from eight randomly selected schools in four districts in the state of Selangor, were randomized into the intervention group (n= 108) and the control group (n= 102). The intervention group received a multi-component diet and lifestyle educational program, comprising a one-day seminar, a self-help educational module, face to face diet and lifestyle motivational counselling. The control group received only the self-help educational material after completing the final follow-up assessment. A validated and reliable questionnaire was used to obtain the necessary information, over three time points i.e: baseline, immediate (post-1) intervention and 4-months follow-up (post-2). Descriptive and multivariate analyses were used to analyze the data. The teachers were predominantly Malays, Muslims, and married with a mean age of 37 years. At baseline, the mean consumption of fruit and vegetable intakes were two servings per day in both groups, with a high proportion in both groups showing a moderate level of physical activity and body fat percentage. Both groups were at the moderate level for total knowledge and the three subscales of knowledge, attitude, barriers and self-efficacy. The results of the ANOVA - GLM Repeated Measure showed that there was a significant difference within and between the groups (p<0.05) for change in the consumption of fruit and vegetables (+0.68 serving/ day), body fat percentage (-.61%), and the multiple of resting metabolic rates (+210.56 MET), as well as for the time spent for high, moderate and walking activities, where significant changes were found within groups only. A significant difference between the groups (p<0.05) indicated an increase in knowledge, attitude, and self-efficacy, as well as a reduction in barriers in the intervention group. No significant change was observed in the control group for the consumption of fruit and vegetables, and body composition, but there was significant increase in knowledge was observed. The change in self-efficacy was found to be predictors for the change in the intake of fruit and vegetables, MET and reduction in the percentage of body fat in the intervention group. The reduction in barriers and the increase in knowledge were found to be the predictors for the reduction in the percentage of body fat. These findings suggest that the strategies used in this intervention study have had some impact in promoting positive changes in the diet and lifestyle behaviours. In conclusion, this study confirmed that apparently healthy and educated women participated in short term intervention can be motivated to increase their dietary intake of fruits and vegetables, improved their physical activity and reduce their body fat percentage

A New Approach for Extending Shelf-Life of Pomegranate Arils with Combined Application of Salicylic Acid and Methyl Jasmonate

The consumption of fresh-cut pomegranate fruits (arils) has risen recently due to their bioactive compounds and benefits for consumers. However, pomegranate arils have a limited shelf-life and vastly lose their valuable compounds. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the effects of exogenous postharvest treatment with salicylic acid (SA), methyl Jasmonate (MeJA), and their combination on the shelf-life and chemical composition of pomegranate arils under refrigerated storage (5 °C and 90 ± 2% relative humidity) for 15 days. The results indicated that individual or combined application of SA at 2 mM + MeJA at 0.5 mM decreased weight loss, respiration rate, hue angle (h°), and soluble solids content (SSC) compared to the control. All treatments maintained vitamin C, titratable acidity (TA), anthocyanin content, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, and antioxidant capacity under cold conditions compared to the control. The combined application was more effective than the individual application. In conclusion, SA + MeJA application could be applied during the preparation of fresh-cut pomegranate for maintaining quality and bioactive compounds

Association of Maternal Feeding Style with Fruit and Vegetable Consumption in Saudi Preschoolers: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study

Parental feeding style (PFS) remarkably influences fruit and vegetable (F&V) consumption in preschoolers. This study aimed to determine the association between PFS and preschoolers’ F&V consumption, as influenced by socioeconomic factors. A nationwide cross-sectional study was conducted among 1418 mothers of children aged 3–5 years in Saudi Arabia. Multinomial logistic regression model analysis was performed to assess the association between PFS and children’s daily F&V intake using the Parental Feeding Style Questionnaire. The influence of socioeconomic factors on this association was also evaluated. For mothers with university degrees, encouragement, emotional, and instrumental feeding enhanced their children’s intake of F&Vs, fruits, and vegetables, respectively. Children from families earning SAR >10,000 monthly had increased F&V intake with encouragement feeding and increased fruit intake with emotional feeding. However, F&V intake was reduced in children of working mothers with controlling feeding styles. Breastfeeding for <6 months was associated with increased F&V intake through emotional feeding. The most prevalent feeding style was encouragement, followed by emotional, with control and instrumental styles being less common. This study provides strong evidence on the association between PFS and daily F&V intake in Saudi preschoolers. Interventional and longitudinal studies on PFS are required to confirm these findings

A New Approach for Extending Shelf-Life of Pomegranate Arils with Combined Application of Salicylic Acid and Methyl Jasmonate

The consumption of fresh-cut pomegranate fruits (arils) has risen recently due to their bioactive compounds and benefits for consumers. However, pomegranate arils have a limited shelf-life and vastly lose their valuable compounds. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the effects of exogenous postharvest treatment with salicylic acid (SA), methyl Jasmonate (MeJA), and their combination on the shelf-life and chemical composition of pomegranate arils under refrigerated storage (5 &deg;C and 90 &plusmn; 2% relative humidity) for 15 days. The results indicated that individual or combined application of SA at 2 mM + MeJA at 0.5 mM decreased weight loss, respiration rate, hue angle (h&deg;), and soluble solids content (SSC) compared to the control. All treatments maintained vitamin C, titratable acidity (TA), anthocyanin content, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, and antioxidant capacity under cold conditions compared to the control. The combined application was more effective than the individual application. In conclusion, SA + MeJA application could be applied during the preparation of fresh-cut pomegranate for maintaining quality and bioactive compounds

Utilization of Prickly Pear Peels Flour as a Natural Source of Minerals, Dietary Fiber and Antioxidants: Effect on Cakes Production

Prickly pear peel makes up around half of the fruit and is typically thrown away, creating an environmental issue. Due to its high bioactive chemical content, prickly pear peel can easily be used as a functional and nutraceutical ingredient in several food recipes, such as baked products. This study’s objective was to determine whether prickly pear peel flour (PPPF) could successfully be combined (5, 10, and 15%) with wheat flour to make cakes, by analyzing the physical and chemical characteristics of the cakes and performing a descriptive sensory analysis. Prickly pear peel flour contains high amounts of fiber, ash, carbohydrate, phenolic, flavonoid compounds, or antioxidant activity. In addition, PPPF contains high amounts of magnesium, calcium, sodium and potassium. The ethanolic extract of prickly pear peel revealed the presence of 11 phenolic compounds using UPLC-MS/MS. The main constituents in the peel extract were isorhamnetin (27.1%), eucomic acid (19.6%), kaempferol (14.07%), 3-O-Methylquercetin (13.7%), Feruloyl-D-glucose (10.01%) and piscidic acid (8.89%). Results showed that adding PPPF significantly enhanced the amount of fibers, total polyphenols, flavonoids and minerals in the cakes prepared by the addition of 5, 10 and 15% PPPF as compared to the control cake. Moreover, the addition of different levels of PPPF increased antioxidant activity (DPPH and ABTS%) and decreased thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in cakes as compared to the control cake. The descriptive sensory analysis ultimately revealed that cakes made with 10% prickly pear flour received a higher score for their smell, taste or color. In conclusion, prickly pear peel has antioxidant potential and contains biochemical compounds that can be utilized in the enhancement of functional foods and also help to reduce the waste accumulation that causes environmental issues

Application of Potassium Humate and Salicylic Acid to Mitigate Salinity Stress of Common Bean

In the current study, we investigated the effect of potassium humate (Kh) and salicylic acid (SA) in mitigating the salinity stress of common bean plants. Common bean seedlings were treated with 0.2 g/L SA as a foliar application and 0.3 g/L Kh as a soil application individually or in combination. After 7 days of germination, plants were treated with 50 mM NaCl and normal water as a control. Our results indicate that salt treatment reduced the plant growth (fresh and dry shoots and roots), leaf pigments (total chlorophyll and carotenoids), ascorbic acid (AA), glutathione (GSH), and potassium (K) contents. On the contrary, proline content; sodium (Na); hydrogen peroxide (H2O2); superoxide anion (O2&bull;&minus;); and antioxidant enzymes, including catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POX), and superoxide dismutase (SOD), were increased by saline stress. However, applying either individual Kh and SA or their combination stimulated seedling growth under salinity stress by increasing growth parameters, leaf pigment contents, AA, GSH, proline content, K content, and antioxidant enzymes compared with the control. Additionally, Na content, H2O2, and O2&bull;&minus; were reduced by all applications. The application of the Kh (0.3 g/L) + SA (0.2 g/L) combination was more effective than using the individual compounds. In conclusion, applications of Kh + SA can mitigate salt stress and improve the seedling growth of common bean

Application of Potassium Humate and Salicylic Acid to Mitigate Salinity Stress of Common Bean

In the current study, we investigated the effect of potassium humate (Kh) and salicylic acid (SA) in mitigating the salinity stress of common bean plants. Common bean seedlings were treated with 0.2 g/L SA as a foliar application and 0.3 g/L Kh as a soil application individually or in combination. After 7 days of germination, plants were treated with 50 mM NaCl and normal water as a control. Our results indicate that salt treatment reduced the plant growth (fresh and dry shoots and roots), leaf pigments (total chlorophyll and carotenoids), ascorbic acid (AA), glutathione (GSH), and potassium (K) contents. On the contrary, proline content; sodium (Na); hydrogen peroxide (H2O2); superoxide anion (O2•−); and antioxidant enzymes, including catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POX), and superoxide dismutase (SOD), were increased by saline stress. However, applying either individual Kh and SA or their combination stimulated seedling growth under salinity stress by increasing growth parameters, leaf pigment contents, AA, GSH, proline content, K content, and antioxidant enzymes compared with the control. Additionally, Na content, H2O2, and O2•− were reduced by all applications. The application of the Kh (0.3 g/L) + SA (0.2 g/L) combination was more effective than using the individual compounds. In conclusion, applications of Kh + SA can mitigate salt stress and improve the seedling growth of common bean