Fear of COVID-19 among employees of large companies and vaccination against COVID-19 - a cross-sectional study (Silesia, Poland)

Introduction and Objective. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected the functioning of the entire globe. By the end of December 2020, the disease had been diagnosed in more than 82 million people worldwide, and nearly 2 million people had died. The main preventive measure was to develop an effective vaccine as soon as possible, which Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Gamaleya Center managed to do in late 2020. The first vaccines arrived in Poland after the end of December 2020, but their appearance was not without controversy. The aim of this study was to compare respondents' opinions on COVID-19 vaccination with the results of the assessment of fear of infection. Material and methods. The opinions of 300 employees of large companies on COVID-19 vaccination and fear of SARS-CoV-2 (FCV-19S) infection according to Ahorsu were checked. Results. It was shown that 54% of the respondents express a willingness to vaccinate whenever possible, while 42% are not interested in vaccinating. In favor of the willingness to vaccinate is the option to return to the standard of living before the COVID-19 pandemic - 72%, and the desire to protect those around them from possible infection - 46%. Among opponents of vaccination, the predominant opinion is that the vaccine has not undergone enough testing and is not safe for health - 68%. Discussion. COVID-19 vaccination is one of the major medical successes of recent years and a safe way to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection. It is worrying that those who opt out of vaccination indicate that they do not have enough information about vaccination (44%), and this is an issue that needs to be changed quickly. Conclusions. Those who express a willingness to vaccinate are more likely to have a higher level of fear of SARS-CoV-2 infection than those who have not expressed a willingness to vaccinate. Nearly half of non-vaccinators indicate that there is too little information about vaccination

Evaluation of physical activity of women in the second and third trimester of pregnancy using the standardized PPAQ questionnaire-a pilot study

Pregnancy is a unique period in a woman's life, so every pregnant woman should be aware of the importance of physical exercise during pregnancy. The purpose of this study was to compare the physical activity of women in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. The standardized Physical Activity Questionnaire for Pregnant Women (PPAQ-PL) was used to achieve the purpose of the study. Thirty women in the age range of 18-35 years (28 years±3.54) participated in the study. Analysis of the results showed that higher values of total weekly energy expenditure were obtained by the group of women in the third trimester of pregnancy (206.37 MET/h/week) compared to pregnant women in the second trimester (140.42MET/h/week). The women differed in terms of energy expenditure in activities such as housework (in women in the second trimester 49.1% of total activity, in the third trimester 56.7%), passive rest (24.1% and 14.5%), professional work (12.9% and 7.7%), sports and exercise (2.8% and 6.6%), and moving around (10.6% and 14.5%). In both women in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, a low level of activity intensity prevailed (58.08% and 55.64%). Energy expenditure on sports and exercise consistent with the recommended for the second trimester (≥28 MET/h/week) was declared by only 6% of the women surveyed, while in the third trimester the recommended energy expenditure on physical activity (≥16 MET/h/week) was fulfilled by 29% of pregnant women. There is an ongoing need to educate women about the benefits of systematic prenatal activity

Complementary feeding with traditional and baby led weaning (BLW) methods - assessment of selected aspects of infant's diet

Background: Infant nutrition is a topic of constant debate between parents and doctors. The recommendations themselves have been modified several times over the past 6 decades. Baby Led Weaning (BLW) method is gaining more and more popularity in infant nutrition during the period of expanding the infant menu. The main aim of the study was to evaluate selected aspects of dietary expansion in a group of their children, taking into account dietary expansion with the use of the traditional method and the BLW method. Material and method: An exploratory cross-sectional study was conducted in December 2021-January 2022 among a randomly selected sample of 523 mothers of children in infancy aged up to 12 months. Data for the study were collected anonymously using the CAWI method. The information collected from 500 women was considered for the final data analysis taking into account the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Results: 66.6% of the women surveyed (N=333) stated that their child is or was fed breast milk during the first six months. The child's diet was most often expanded with complementary meals after 6 months of age. This answer was indicated by 58.8% of respondents (N=294). 85.6% of the surveyed women (N=428) first introduced or intend to introduce vegetables to their diet. 13% of the respondents (N=65) introduced or planned to introduce vegetables and fruit at the same time. In the studied group of mothers the BLW method was not known or not used by 7 mothers (1.4%), 343 mothers used or intended to use the BLW method (68.6%), whereas 150 women knew the BLW method (30.0%), but did not use it or did not intend to use it during the expansion of their child's diet. Conclusions: The majority of mothers surveyed used the BLW method during the expansion of their children's diet, accepting the principle that it is the child who decides whether and how much to eat, and the parent who decides what and when the child eats

Bilateral preventive mastectomy as a preventive method of breast cancer in the opinion of women

Background Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women. Despite of the progress of medicine and develop of treatment, it is still the second couse of death among women. To reduce the risk of getting breast cancer, the more ofen teratement is "preventive mastectomies" which completely remove the breast gland by healty women that are in the "high risk" group. Material and Methods To conduct the research I develop a survey, written by my own. The study included 252 women from Poland over the age of 18. Results The opinion about the performance of preventive mastectomies in case of women in "high risk" was very diverse. Only 13% of interviewees were convinced that they would have the surgery and up to 29% could not give an answer. Most woman (86%) are convinced that breast cancer is genetically determined. That mastectomy can be a way to prevent breast cancer agrees 69% of respondents. More than half of respondents (52%) don't know if such surgery is in Poland available. Only half of the respondents could indicate the place where an examination of an increased risk of breast cancer can be made (49%). 81% of respondents examine there breasts at least with one method, and 19% did not check it at all. Conclusions The knowledge about the heredity of cancer and the availability of treatments is insufficient. Women are not convinced that they would have gone to radical preventive treatment, and they are afraid of many consequences connected with it. It is essential to educate the public including the medical stuff in this scope. It is also important that the patient together with his doctor examined all the possible options for limiting the risk of cancer

Analysis of eating behavior of health science students in terms of emotional eating and restrained eating

Background. Two eating phenomena are associated with emotions and chronic stress: restrained eating and emotional eating. Restrained eating is defined as restricting food intake to control weight and mainly refers to the amount of food eaten. Emotional eating, on the other hand, focuses on eating in response to negative emotions. the literature emphasizes that people with orthorexia have significantly higher levels of stress, depression, and anxiety and lower life satisfaction than healthy individuals. Objective. The purpose of the conducted research was to assess the prevalence of emotionally driven eating behavior and restrained eating among health science students. The premise of the study was also to test whether there was a significant relationship between emotional eating and restrained eating and orthorectic behavior. Material and methods. The study was conducted among 200 randomly selected students of health sciences (dietetics and physical education). The TFEQ-13 and DOS scales were used in the study. Results and conclusions. Based on the study, it was concluded that there is no relationship between the occurrence of emotional eating and orthorexia in the studied group of people associated with health sciences. However, the hypothesis of the existence of these associations between restrained eating and the occurrence of orthorexia was supported. The group of restrained eaters was shown to include individuals with severe behaviors indicative of orthorexic tendencies or a full picture of the disorder

Knowledge and eating habits of CrossFit trainees

Introduction. Achieving high performance in sports is the result of many factors, both exo and endogenous. Proper nutrition is the basis of the so-called healthy lifestyle, health care and prevention of diet-related diseases. Physical activity is an extremely important component and carries a number of benefits that affect mental, physical and social well-being. Failure to provide sufficient energy, can lead to decreased performance, delayed recovery processes or loss of muscle mass. The purpose of the study was to assess the knowledge and nutritional habits of CrossFit trainees. Material and methods. 131 people were surveyed; the questionnaire was posted on the CrossFit Poland forum. The survey was voluntary and anonymous. The results were collected in a database in Microsoft Excel 2010 MS Office Package and statistically analyzed using Statistica 12. In the statistical evaluation of the relationship between characteristics, a significance level of p ≤ 0.05 was adopted. Results. In a survey of the knowledge and eating habits of CrossFit trainees, about 50% of respondents declare that they eat regularly. In addition, 50.5% state a moderate level of knowledge about healthy eating, while 33% state a high level. There is a high incidence of dietary supplement intake, accounting for 78.5%. As the frequency of training increases, the amount of supplements consumed increases. Conclusions. A significant part of the study group declares a very good or moderate level of knowledge of rational nutrition, which influences the choice of and regularity of the meals consumed in this group of Crossfit trainers

Motivations in weight reduction and undesirable eating behaviors among women with excessive body weight (Poland)

The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between attitudes toward weight loss, taking into account: the motivating factors that determine the desire to attempt weight loss; the level of well-being and degree of motivation before and during the weight loss attempt; changes in attitudes after an unsuccessful weight loss attempt; the state of well-being after the completed weight loss attempt and the degree of severity of disordered eating according to the TFEQ-13 questionnaire. The study was conducted among 600 female users of forums for people with excessive weight. The research method used in this study was the author's questionnaire and the standardized Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire. A general survey questionnaire serving as a working tool was sent by Computer-Assisted Web Interview to community groups. The predominant group of respondents cannot even count the weight reduction attempts they have made during their lives (31%). Three attempts were made by 29% of respondents, and two attempts by 17%. Attempts to lose weight most often involved increasing current physical activity (overall responses), reducing the caloric content of meals (26%), and improving current eating habits (22%). Most people reduced their body weight from 6 kg to 10 kg (29%) or from 3 to 5 kg (27%). It was found that low a risk of aggravation was diagnosed in 45.5% of people, moderate in 44.5, and low in 10%. For lack of control over eating – a low risk was observed in 15.5% of people, moderate in 68.5% of people, and high in 16%. Evaluating eating under the influence of emotions, the highest risk of the studied phenomenon was observed in 50.5% of people, moderate risk in 36.5% of people, and low risk in 13% of people. The level of motivation significantly decreased when trying to reduce weight. No significant deterioration in well-being was observed before and during the weight loss attempt

Effect of physical activity on body weight of elementary school children

BACKGROUND: Physical activity is an extremely important part of diet and carries a number of health-promoting benefits towards health. A distinction is made between exercise-related physical activity and spontaneous physical activity. The diet of school-aged children is of particular importance, due to the development of the body. The consequence of low physical activity with an inadequate diet generates the development of various diseases. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of physical activity on the body weight of students of elementary schools 1 and 2 in Radzionków. Material and methods: The study included 260 students of grades I-VIII of Elementary Schools Nos. 1 and 2 in Radzionków. A proprietary questionnaire addressed to the parents of the students containing questions about the students' anthropometric measurements, physical activity and eating habits was used to conduct the study. Results: Physical activity is at a high level. Most children had a normal body weight. Among the students surveyed, 71% indicated that they mainly spend their free time in active form. Students participate in swimming classes in the greatest number. Several times a week (55%) children attend extra-curricular activities. Consumption of sweets and fast food is at a low level. Eating the recommended daily serving of fruits and vegetables affects only 43% of children. Among the most commonly consumed beverages, 84% of children choose water at 1-1.5 liters per day. Conclusions: A significant part of the study group has a normal body weight, so it can be assumed that physical activity combined with appropriate eating habits has a health-promoting effect on body weight

Editorial: Women's health in an interdisciplinary dimension – determinants of nutritional disorders

Abstract unavailable

The role of the dietitian in the hospital team. The current situation in Poland in relation to the needs of society

Background: Nutrition that is adequate to the patient’s health status is a component of co-determining factors in improving the patient’s health. Moreover, appropriate activities of a dietician, such as assessing the nutritional status or educating patients, are counted among the determinants conditioning the effectiveness of the conducted treatment. The number of employed dietitians in hospitals is low, which results in 76-740 patients per one specialist, which in turn makes effective education impossible. The aim of this study was to compare the duties of dietitians working in Polish hospitals in relation to the needs of the society. Material and methods: The research tool consisted of two original, anonymous questionnaires, addressed to the Polish public and to active dietitians. The analysis of results was based on 595 questionnaire results, including 93 from nutritionists. Results: Of the respondents who were admitted to the hospital ward, 83.3% had no contact with a nutritionist (N=347). The surveyed dietitians most often declared that there were two dietitians working at the health care provider employing them, with the smallest number being 1 and the largest number being 55. Only one in three respondents received dietary recommendations upon discharge from the hospital (N=133; 32.1%). Nearly half of dietitians do not prepare menus (48.4%). According to the public, a dietitian should be involved in nutritional counseling, developing menus for the hospital kitchen or catering, and nutritional recommendations for patients discharged from the hospital. Conclusions: Dietitians with the right qualifications and specialties, integrated into the health care workforce, can have a huge impact on the proper dietary therapy of patients. As a result, there is a high probability of increasing the effectiveness of treatment, resulting in health service savings and support for the medical community