A systematic review on the barriers and facilitators to physical activity in informal / unpaid carers in the UK

What are the barriers and facilitators to physical activity in unpaid / informal carers in the UK

A systematic review on the barriers and facilitators to physical activity in informal / unpaid carers worldwide

What are the barriers and facilitators to physical activity in unpaid / informal carers in the UK

Pathological eating behaviours and risk of retinopathy in diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background- Diabetes mellitus can cause several long-term macrovascular and microvascular complications including nephropathy, neuropathy, and retinopathy (DR). Several studies have reported positive associations between eating pathologies and DR; however, these studies have not been aggregated and sub-grouped into type of pathological eating behaviour, and the differences in risk according to type of eating behaviour is unknown. The aim of this review, therefore, was to aggregate risks of DR in populations with and without pathological eating behaviours, stratified according to eating behaviour. Methods- A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted. Major databases and grey literature were search from inception until 1/6/2021. Studies reporting the prevalence of pathological eating behaviours (against a control group with no pathological eating behaviours) in diabetic people with and without DR were included. Odds ratios were calculated from primary data. Results- Seven studies with eight independent outcomes with a total of 1162 participants were included. The odds ratio of DR in the total pooled analysis was 2.94 (95%CI 1.86–4.64; p = <0.001; I2 = 29.59). Two types of eating behaviour yielded enough data for sub-group analysis. Eating disorder not otherwise specified yielded an odds ratio of 2.73 (95%CI 1.81–4.10; p = <0.001; I2 = 0.00), and binge eating disorder yielded an non-significant odds ratio of 0.92 (95%CI 0.31–2.77; p = 0.887;I2 = 0.00). Discussion- The likelihood of DR increases almost three times in the presence of pathological eating behaviours. More studies are required to confirm this in clinical populations stratified by eating disorder. Practitioners working with people with diabetes should closely monitor eating behaviours to preclude this risk

The risk of COVID-19 related hospitalisation, Intensive Care admission and mortality in people with underlying asthma or COPD: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Several underlying diseases have been associated with unfavorable COVID-19 related outcomes including asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), however few studies have reported risks that are adjusted for confounding variables. This study aimed to examine the adjusted risk of COVID-19 related hospitalsation, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and mortality in patients with vs. without asthma or COPD. Methods: A systematic review of major databases was undertaken for studies published between 1/12/2019 and 19/4/2021. Studies reporting the adjusted (for one or more confounder) risks of either hospitalsation, ICU admission, or mortality in asthmatics or COPD patients (control group = no asthma or no COPD) were identified. Risk of bias was determined via the QUIPS tool. A random effect meta-analysis was undertaken. Findings: 37 studies were eligible for analysis, with a total of 1,678,992 participants. The pooled ORs of COVID-19 hospitalsation in subjects with asthma and COPD was 0.91 (95% CI 0.76–1.09) and 1.37 (95% CI 1.29–1.46), respectively. For ICU admission, OR in subjects with asthma and COPD was 0.89 (95% CI 0.74–1.07) and 1.22 (95% CI 1.04–1.42), respectively. For mortality, ORs were 0.88 (95% CI 0.77–1.01) and 1.25 (95% CI 1.08–1.34) for asthma and COPD, respectively. Further, the pooled risk of mortality as measured via Cox regression was 0.93 (95% CI 0.87–1.00) for asthma and 1.30 (95% CI 1.17–1.44) for COPD. All of these findings were of a moderate level of certainty. Interpretation: COPD was significantly associated with COVID-19 related hospital admission, ICU admission, and mortality. Asthma was not associated with negative COVID-19 related health outcomes. Individuals with COPD should take precautions to limit the risk of COVID-19 exposure to negate these potential outcomes. Limitations include differing population types and adjustment for differing cofounding variables. Practitioners should note these findings when dealing with patients with these comorbidities

The Relationship between Social Support Correlates and Feelings of Loneliness among Male UK Recreational Anglers

The benefits of access to blue spaces (exposure to aquatic environments) have been well reported. One common activity conducted in these spaces is recreational angling. Studies have shown that several correlates are associated with recreational angling, including lower incidence of anxiety disorders compared to non-anglers. What is currently unknown, is how measures of social support relate to feelings of loneliness in this population. The aim of this study, therefore, was to examine experiences of loneliness and social support in male UK anglers. In total, 1752 participants completed an online survey. Results showed a positive linear trend between the number of friends and family that anglers (a) heard from at least once a month; (b) trust enough to talk about private matters, and (c) could call upon for help and feelings of loneliness. Furthermore, more than half of the sample reported hardly ever or never having feelings of loneliness, suggesting that recreational angling does not affect feelings of loneliness

COVID-19 and children’s mental health

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