Alarming High Levels of Energy Drinks Consumption among School Children in Hail, Northern of Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia (KSA) is one among the countries for top energy drink markets. Amid growing controversies globally surrounding the increasing usage of energy drinks by children, it is felt important to understand how these trends are reflected in KSA. A cross-sectional survey was conducted to explore the trends of energy drink consumption among, and differences between, middle and secondary school children, and the associated socioeconomic and behavioral factors. Randomly selected 1006 male children from secondary and middle schools from Hail region in KSA were included in the study, using a self-administered validated questionnaire. Results revealed that about 60% of school children were current energy drink consumers. Secondary school children were significantly (P<0.001) higher than middle schoolers in terms of both frequency and quantity. Concomitantly, unhealthy dietary and lifestyle behaviors were reported in significantly higher proportions (P<0.001) among secondary school children. Home was the first place for exposure for majority of children while unreliable resources were the major sources of knowledge about energy drink composition and health effects. Poor knowledge concerning energy drink composition was reported. Taste and being energized were the major driving forces for energy drink consumption. Higher disposable income on hand and poor lifestyle behaviors were all significantly associated with energy drink consumption. It can be concluded that high proportion of energy drink consumption was reported among school children in Hail, with higher proportions in secondary than middle schools. This matter raises the significance of mounting awareness of community concerning the ingredients and potential hazards of energy drinks

Fermented Camel (Camelus dromedarius) and Bovine Milk Attenuate Azoxymethane-induced Colonic Aberrant Crypt Foci in Fischer 344 Rats

Abstract: Background and Objective: Camel milk is a folk remedy that includes valuable nutrients and bioactive zoochemicals. However, the chemopreventive potential of camel milk against colon carcinogenesis is poorly understood. This study was conducted to investigate the chemopreventive potential of camel (Camelus dromedarius) and bovine milk as well as the impact of fermenting these milks with Lactobacillus acidophilus and Streptococcus thermophilus against early colon carcinogenesis as measured by the reduction of aberrant crypt foci (ACF) in azoxymethane (AOM)-treated Fischer 344 rats. Methodology: Each of 60 weanling male rats was assigned to one of 6 experimental diet groups: Fermented and unfermented camel milk with AOM, fermented and unfermented bovine milk with AOM and positive (PC, AOM only) and negative (NC, saline vehicle only) control groups. The animals were fed the corresponding diets for 3 weeks and then received two subcutaneous injections of AOM or vehicle for 2 consecutive weeks and they were then placed on the corresponding diets for 11 weeks. At termination, all rats were euthanized, colons were harvested and the ACF counts were determined for all tested groups. Immunohistochemical testing was then performed to examine cell proliferation and apoptosis in the camel milk groups. Results: Significant reductions (p<0.05) (48.4-62.1%) in the total ACF count were observed in the colons of the rats fed all milk diets compared with rats fed on PC. However, significant differences were not observed in the total ACF between the camel and bovine milk diets or between the fermented and unfermented milk diets. In addition, significant changes were not observed in the apoptotic index for the camel milk diet compared with the index values for PC and β-catenin was generally localized to the membrane in all examined specimens. Conclusion: By virtue of its bioactive components, camel milk exhibited a chemopreventive potential against early colon carcinogenesis, however, fermentation did not improve its chemopreventive potential

Impact of diurnal intermittent fasting during Ramadan on inflammatory and oxidative stress markers in healthy people: Systematic review and meta-analysis

Studies on the impact of diurnal intermittent fasting during Ramadan on inflammatory and oxidative stress markers have been limited and yielded contradictory results. Therefore, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to comprehensively examine changes in inflammatory and oxidative stress markers in healthy people before and after Ramadan. Databases searched were: PubMed/MEDLINE, ProQuest Medical, Web of Science, Scopus, EBSCOhost, Science Direct, CINAHL, Cochrane, and Google Scholar. The reference lists of identified papers were also screened. There was no date restriction for papers. The studied inflammatory markers were: interleukin (IL)-1, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and C-reactive protein (CRP)/high sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP). The studied oxidative stress marker was malondialdehyde (MDA). We identified 12 studies (involving 311 participants) conducted in eight countries: Iran (K = 3), Turkey (K = 2), the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (K = 2), Jordan (K = 1), the United Arab Emirates (K = 1), Denmark (K = 1), the Netherlands (K = 1), and Indonesia (K = 1). Diurnal fasting during Ramadan resulted in very small reductions in IL-1 (Hedge's g = 0.016), CRP/hs-CRP (Hedge's g = 0.119), and MDA (Hedge's g = 0.219), and small reductions in TNF-α (Hedge's g = 0.371) and IL-6 (Hedge's g = 0.407). These results suggest diurnal intermittent fasting during Ramadan provides some protection against elevated inflammatory and oxidative stress markers. Therefore, it may offer an opportunity to reduce low-grade systemic inflammation and oxidative stress, and subsequent adverse health effects in healthy people. Keywords: Diurnal intermittent fasting, Inflammation, Interleukin-1, Interleukin-6, Malondialdehyde, Oxidative stress, Ramadan, Tumor necrosis factor-

Effect of diurnal intermittent fasting during Ramadan on ghrelin, leptin, melatonin, and cortisol levels among overweight and obese subjects: A prospective observational study.

BackgroundLevels of cortisol, melatonin, ghrelin, and leptin are highly correlated with circadian rhythmicity. The levels of these hormones are affected by sleep, feeding, and general behaviors, and fluctuate with light and dark cycles. During the fasting month of Ramadan, a shift to nighttime eating is expected to affect circadian rhythm hormones and, subsequently, the levels of melatonin, cortisol, ghrelin, and leptin. The present study aimed to examine the effect of diurnal intermittent fasting (DIF) during Ramadan on daytime levels of ghrelin, leptin, melatonin, and cortisol hormones in a group of overweight and obese subjects, and to determine how anthropometric, dietary, and lifestyle changes during the month of Ramadan correlate with these hormonal changes.MethodsFifty-seven overweight and obese male (40) and female (17) subjects were enrolled in this study. Anthropometric measurements, dietary intake, sleep duration, and hormonal levels of serum ghrelin, leptin, melatonin, and salivary cortisol were assessed one week before the start of Ramadan fasting and after 28 days of fasting at fixed times of the day (11:00 am-1:00 pm).ResultsAt the end of Ramadan, serum levels of ghrelin, melatonin, and leptin significantly (PConclusionsDIF during Ramadan significantly altered serum levels of ghrelin, melatonin, and serum leptin. Further, male sex and anthropometric variables were the most impacting factors on the tested four hormones. Further studies are needed to assess DIF's impact on the circadian rhythmicity of overweight and obese fasting people

Impact of Ramadan Intermittent Fasting on Oxidative Stress Measured by Urinary 15-F2t-Isoprostane

Fasting and caloric restriction have been associated with reduced incidence of chronic diseases and cancers. These effects have been attributed to reduced oxidative stress. Since Ramadan intermittent fasting (RIF) has been associated with reduced caloric intake, it was hypothesized that RIF would alleviate oxidative stress in healthy volunteers. The study was designed to elucidate the impact of RIF on oxidative stress measured by 15-F2t-Isoprostane (15FIP). Fifty healthy subjects (23 men and 27 women) who intended to fast Ramadan were recruited. Urine and serum sampling and anthropometric and dietary assessments were conducted one week before Ramadan (T0), at the end of the third week of Ramadan (T1), and one month after Ramadan (T2). Biochemical measurements included urinary 15FIP, creatinine, and hematological indices. Results revealed that the urinary level of 15FIP measured at T0 was normal, while they showed a significantly (P<0.05) higher level when measured at T1 concomitant with a significant (P<0.05) increase in the body weight and total body fat percent. In conclusion, results suggest that increased body weight is associated with increased lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress, and the impact of RIF on oxidative stress is mediated by the changes in body weight at the end of the month