Lifestyle Habits : Diet, physical activity and sleep duration among Omani adolescents

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the lifestyle habits—physical activity (PA), eating habits (EH), and sleep duration (SD)—of Omani adolescents, and to examine gender differences in such variables. Methods: 802 Omani adolescents (442 females and 360 males), aged 15‒18 years were randomly recruited. Anthropometric indices, PA level, and EH and SD were evaluated by the Arab Teenage Lifestyle questionnaire. A semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire for dietary assessment was also administered. Results: The results showed that although the study subjects had a sedentary lifestyle (lack of PA, average of 6.7 hours sleep, and consumption of high calorie foods), they maintained a normal body mass (less than 25 Kg/m2). Males were more than twice as active as females. With respect to EH, there were few gender differences, except in dairy and meat consumption where 62.5% and 55.5% of males consumed more than 3 servings, respectively, compared to 18.78 % and 3.76% of females, respectively. In addition, waist/height ratio, height, reasons for being active, energy drinks, potato consumption, eating sweets, vigorous PA and breakfast EHs were statistically significant independent predictors for BMI, P <0.05 for both males and females. Conclusion: This study revealed a high prevalence of sedentary behaviors and a low level of physical activity, especially among females. Unhealthy dietary habits were also widely found among both genders. There is an urgent need for more research as well as a national policy promoting active living and healthy eating and discouraging sedentary behaviour among Omani adolescents

PROXIMATE AND PHYTOCHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND ANTIOXIDANT PROPERTIES OF INDIGENOUS LANDRACES OF OMANI FENUGREEK SEEDS

Background: Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum graecum L) is receiving global attention as a functional food due to its unique nutritional and medicinal properties as anti-diabetic, hypocholesterolemic, antipyretic, anti-carcinogenic and seasoning and flavoring agent. Materials and Methods: Seeds of indigenous fenugreek accessions were collected from three different ecological regions (Al-Dakhaliyah, Al¬Dhahirah, and Al-Batinah) of Sultanate of Oman. The samples were analyzed for proximate chemical composition, phytochemical contents and antioxidant properties. Results: Only significant (

Nutritional Practices of Athletes in Oman: A Descriptive Study

Objective: Adequate dietary intake is crucial for optimum training and performance of athletes. There is almost no available information related to dietary practices among Omani athletes, especially during the competition. This study aimed to assess the nutritional practices (nutritional knowledge, eating habits and daily nutrients intake) among Omani male handball athletes in Muscat city, Oman.Methods: This is a cross sectional study including 35 male handball athletes involved in serious training for no less than three years. Data collection was done through personal interviews using a study questionnaire which enlisted questions relating to socio-demographic information, anthropometric measurements and nutritional practices. All the study participants declared no intake of anabolic steroids.Results: The mean age of the study participants was 27 ± 3 years. Their anthropometric assessment revealed that their mean height was 166 ± 12 cm, mean weight was 75 ± 10 kg, and body mass index was 27 ± 3. Nutritional knowledge analysis revealed that 80% had no nutritional supervision by a nutritionist/dietitian. Their knowledge of nutritional requirements was only 23% correct for total energy intake, 63% for protein intake, 46% for carbohydrate intake, 11% for fat intake and 83% for water intake. Eating habits indicated that 55% had <3 meals/day, 51% had lunch as the principal meal, 51% always added extra salt to their food, 28% took protein supplements on a daily basis, and 51% used pre-competition glycogen load diet. However, none consumed vitamins or mineral supplements. The mean daily caloric intake was 3674 ± 265 kcal/day, which was roughly comprised of 596 ± 66 g carbohydrates, 147 ± 28 g of protein and 78 ± 20 g of total fat.Conclusion: Professional nutritional supervision is needed in order to improve the nutritional knowledge and eating habits of Omani athletes, and therefore improve their athletic performance

Stability of vitamin C in broccoli at different storage conditions

In this study, the retention of vitamin C in fresh broccoli stored at different temperatures (i.e. chiller, room, cooking, and roasting or baking; 5-120°C) was investigated. The thermal stability of vitamin C in broccoli was analysed at 5, 20, 45, 60, 70, 80, 110, and 120°C. The vitamin C content was measured by the indophenol titration method. Vitamin C was affected negatively at all stored temperatures. The degradation of vitamin C was modelled by first-order reaction kinetics and the reaction rate constants were observed as 9.03×10-8 and 5.65×10-3 s-1 when stored at 5°C and 120°C, respectively. The activation energy was estimated as 74.2 kJ/mol within the temperature range used in this study. The lowest decay of vitamin C was observed during the chilling condition. The data on retention of vitamin C in broccoli could be used to determine their stability, when stored as raw, and when heated at different temperatures

Effectiveness of Mediterranean diet on diabetic control and cardiovascular risk modification among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in Oman: a study protocol

Introduction: In the recent years, there is remarkable increased in the prevalence of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) in Middle East countries including Oman. There is good evidence that Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet) is effective over diabetes control and several cardiovascular risk factors in different populations, with little compelling evidence among Omanis. This paper describes the protocol of a wait-list, open labelled, randomized control trial, with its main objective aimed to determine the effectiveness of Mediterranean Diet intervention on glycaemic control and cardiovascular risks among T2DM patients in Oman. Methods: A total of 140 eligible T2DM patients will be recruited. Participants in the intervention group will undergo a six-month MedDiet program comprising of different activities (individual dietary counseling, cooking classes, phone calls and social media messages) while the control group will continue with standard diabetes care. Data collection will be conducted at baseline, after three and six months. The 2 x 3 mixed-design ANOVA will be used to determine the mean changes in outcome variables over the full study period between the two groups. Discussion: Epidemiology studies on nutrition and health had focused on dietary pattern, which provides an opportunity to account for nutrient-nutrient interactions lately. Mediterranean Diet has produced consistent findings on its protective role in diabetes management, with little information on its effectiveness in population outside of Mediterranean basin, including Oman. The outcomes of current study will be used to inform community and health care professionals on the effectiveness and practically of MedDiet on diabetes management

The therapeutic potential of skin mucus from Asian swamp eel (Monopterus albus): In vivo evaluation and histological evidence

Objectives The Asian swamp eel (Monopterus albus), is commonly distributed in Asian countries. However, its therapeutic potential has not been thoroughly investigated yet. The current study aimed to evaluate the in-vivo therapeutic properties of the skin mucus of this fish. Methods The eel mucus was collected fleshly and topical gel with carbopol 934 was formulated to study the antibacterial activity on the infected skin of the rats. Sprague Dawley rats were used in the study and divided into 4 groups negative, positive, normal control, and treated groups. Results Intracutaneous injections of pathogenic bacteria (Streptococcus pyogenes, Staphylococcus aureus) and fungi (Microsporum gypseum, Candida albicans) were injected into the rats. The development of tinea capitis, impetigo, and cutaneous candidiasis in the animal model was confirmed based on clinical and histopathological observations. To treat the infected rats, a formulated gel of eel skin mucus was applied on the infected rat’s skins topically. The histological analysis confirms a complete recovery in the skin tissues similar to commercial antifungal and antibacterial agents used in the positive control groups. Conclusion The present novel eel skin mucus is an efficient therapeutic candidate in treating skin infections associated with pathogenic microbes

The Impact of COVID-19 on Physical (In)Activity Behavior in 10 Arab Countries.

Insufficient physical activity is considered a strong risk factor associated with non-communicable diseases. This study aimed to assess the impact of COVID-19 on physical (in)activity behavior in 10 Arab countries before and during the lockdown. A cross-sectional study using a validated online survey was launched originally in 38 different countries. The Eastern Mediterranean regional data related to the 10 Arabic countries that participated in the survey were selected for analysis in this study. A total of 12,433 participants were included in this analysis. The mean age of the participants was 30.3 (SD, 11.7) years. Descriptive and regression analyses were conducted to examine the associations between physical activity levels and the participants\u27 sociodemographic characteristics, watching TV, screen time, and computer usage. Physical activity levels decreased significantly during the lockdown. Participants\u27 country of origin, gender, and education were associated with physical activity before and during the lockdown (p \u3c 0.050). Older age, watching TV, and using computers had a negative effect on physical activity before and during the lockdown (p \u3c 0.050). Strategies to improve physical activity and minimize sedentary behavior should be implemented, as well as to reduce unhealthy levels of inactive time, especially during times of crisis. Further research on the influence of a lack of physical activity on overall health status, as well as on the COVID-19 disease effect is recommended

The Impact of COVID-19 on Physical (In)Activity Behavior in 10 Arab Countries

Insufficient physical activity is considered a strong risk factor associated with non-communicable diseases. This study aimed to assess the impact of COVID-19 on physical (in)activity behavior in 10 Arab countries before and during the lockdown. A cross-sectional study using a validated online survey was launched originally in 38 different countries. The Eastern Mediterranean regional data related to the 10 Arabic countries that participated in the survey were selected for analysis in this study. A total of 12,433 participants were included in this analysis. The mean age of the participants was 30.3 (SD, 11.7) years. Descriptive and regression analyses were conducted to examine the associations between physical activity levels and the participants' sociodemographic characteristics, watching TV, screen time, and computer usage. Physical activity levels decreased significantly during the lockdown. Participants' country of origin, gender, and education were associated with physical activity before and during the lockdown (p < 0.050). Older age, watching TV, and using computers had a negative effect on physical activity before and during the lockdown (p < 0.050). Strategies to improve physical activity and minimize sedentary behavior should be implemented, as well as to reduce unhealthy levels of inactive time, especially during times of crisis. Further research on the influence of a lack of physical activity on overall health status, as well as on the COVID-19 disease effect is recommended. 2022 by the authors.Scopu

Role of Dietary and Lifestyle Modifications in the Secondary Prevention of Biomarkers of Plaque recurrence in Omani Coronary Revascularized Patients

Objective: To assess the role of various dietary and lifestyle modifications in the secondary prevention of biomarkers of plaque recurrence in Omani coronary revascularized patients.Methods: Seventy-two patients, from the outpatient cardiology clinic of Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, were included in the study after obtaining an informed consent. In a questionnaire-based study, we collected data about four lifestyle modifications; physical activity, weight reduction, dietary intake and healthy eating patterns and smoking or non-smoking status, in personal interviews. A modified previously validated study questionnaire, which comprised of a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire, was used to assess the demographic information, eating patterns, diet quality index score, and daily dietary intake of study participants. The data about patient’s baseline characteristics, revascularization information and biochemical laboratory tests was harvested from the SQUH’s electronic record system. The statistical analysis of data was made using R-studio v.7 and Microsoft excel v.7.Results: The males had higher educational level as compared to females and were more active than females. The data indicated that 16% males and females were diabetic, 10% males and 21% females were hypertensive, and 30% males and 42% females had both diabetes and hypertension. Forty eight percent males and 63% females had body mass index (BMI) &gt;30. However, no significant (P &lt; 0.05) differences were observed in the BMI, diabetes and hypertension status in males and females. Both genders had poor nutritional knowledge. Although the LDL-C and HDL-C values in males and females differed, they were within the normal therapeutic limits. The HbA1c and C-reactive protein values were above the normal ranges with no significant (P &lt; 0.05) difference in both males and females. The average daily energy intake in males (2694 kcalories) was significantly higher compared to females (1603 kcalories). The proportionate contribution of energy from macronutrients was within the acceptable macronutrient distribution ranges. Omani diet score for males (75.5) and females (74.6) didn’t differ significantly (P &lt; 0.05), indicating their adherence to healthy dietary patterns.Conclusions: The results suggest that dietary and lifestyle modifications play significant role in the secondary prevention of biomarkers of plaque recurrence in Omani coronary revascularized patients. Behavioral counseling to promote healthy modifications in dietary and lifestyle factors are therefore recommended in the secondary prevention of risk of plaque recurrence

Impact of Dietary Patterns and Nutritional Status on the Academic Performance of Omani School Students

In a cross-sectional study, we determined the dietary patterns and nutritional status of Omani school students (12-15 years), and their association with student’s academic performance. A study questionnaire, including a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire, was used to collect data. Results indicated that 36% of Omani school students regularly consumed breakfast, whereas only 21.7% had daily 3 meals. Similarly, 30.5% of students consumed fruits ≥ 2 serving/day, 26.6% consumed vegetables ≥ 3 serving/day, and 49.8% consumed fish ≥ 2 serving/week. Significant differences were observed regarding breakfast consumption among genders, regular intake of daily 3 meals, fruits, fish, avoiding soft drinks, nutritional knowledge, total energy and macronutrient intake. Based on BMI, 12.3 % of students were overweight, and 26.1% were obese. The students did not have enough nutritional knowledge and showed unhealthy dietary patterns indicated by their mediocre Omani Diet Scores. Daily energy and macronutrient intakes in males were significantly higher than females. Only fish intake, avoiding soft drinks, waist to height ratio (WHtR), and nutritional knowledge score showed significant associations with student’s academic performance. Healthy dietary patterns and improved nutritional status of school students showed a positive association with their academic performance, suggesting that more focus should be placed in developing healthy dietary patterns