Dietary Adherence of Saudi Males to the Saudi Dietary Guidelines and Its Relation to Cardiovascular Diseases: A Preliminary Cross-Sectional Study

The palm or the plate? An assessment of dietary guideline promotion, awareness, and preferences among Saudis: cross-sectional survey

BACKGROUND

Dietary Guidelines for Saudis are offered and promoted in two forms: the Healthy Food Palm and the Saudi Healthy Plate. However, public awareness, recognition, and engagement with these guidelines is not well studied. Understanding the factors behind dietary guideline promotion, awareness, recognition, and use may lead to greater optimization of and engagement with the guidelines. This study aims to assess recognition of and public engagement with the My Palm and My Plate dietary guidelines as well as dietary guideline awareness, perceptions, and preferences among Saudis.

METHODS

To compare awareness, knowledge, and usability between the Healthy Food Palm and the Saudi Healthy Plate dietary guidelines, a cross-sectional survey-based study was conducted among Saudi adult males and females above 18 (n = 674) between October 2021 and January 2022. Participants were split into groups based on age and gender. T-test and χ2 tests were used to determine differences between groups for continuous and categorical variables, respectively.

RESULTS

Most participants were unaware of the Healthy Food Palm and the Saudi Healthy Plate guidelines, with only 11.1% and 30.3% able to recognize guideline-associated visual illustrations, respectively. However, nearly half of the participants correctly identified the number of food groups in the Healthy Food Palm and Saudi Healthy Plate. As well, more than half of the sample preferred the Saudi Healthy Plate, while one-quarter of the sample preferred neither guideline. In terms of future public health promotion, participants identified that "convenience and availability" (29.6%) and "my own health" (28.6%) were the most influential dietary choice factors with "social media campaigns" (2.4%) and the involvement of "an influencer" (3.1%) being the least influential dietary choice factors.

CONCLUSIONS

Implementation of and public awareness of dietary guidelines is less than optimal, and opportunities exist for greater information dissemination and public engagement. Measurement and ongoing evaluation of public dietary guideline awareness and use and a more in-depth understanding of dietary choice influences and behaviors are important considerations for dietary guideline development and promotion.

The influence of a diabetes awareness program on diabetes knowledge, risk perception, and practices among university students

AIM

To compare diabetes mellitus (DM) knowledge, risk perception, and health practices before and after a mass awareness program among Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University students, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

METHODS

A DM awareness program was conducted between November 2020 and February 2021 in three phases (total 13 weeks). The program comprised educational messages, short videos, virtual lectures, and peer-to-peer education. A total of 558 participants (before group, n = 360; after group, n = 198) were included in the study.

RESULTS

Majority of the students had normal body mass index (BMI). The knowledge scores were significantly higher after the program (median 16, quartile range 13-18) than before (median 14, quartile range 12-16) (p < 0.001). No significant differences were observed in risk perception between the two groups (p > 0.05). In addition, increased moderate practice score and decreased poor practice score (p < 0.001) were observed. Factors influencing DM knowledge were higher education and awareness. Factors influencing health practices were higher BMI and knowledge after the program.

CONCLUSION

DM awareness program improved DM knowledge and health practices among university students.

Benchmarked molecular docking integrated molecular dynamics stability analysis for prediction of SARS-CoV-2 papain-like protease inhibition by olive secoiridoids

Objectives

We performed a virtual screening of olive secoiridoids of the OliveNet^TM library to predict SARS-CoV-2 PLpro inhibition. Benchmarked molecular docking protocol that evaluated the performance of two docking programs was applied to execute virtual screening. Molecular dynamics stability analysis of the top-ranked olive secoiridoid docked to PLpro was also carried out.

Methods

Benchmarking virtual screening used two freely available docking programs, AutoDock Vina 1.1.2. and AutoDock 4.2.1. for molecular docking of olive secoiridoids to a single PLpro structure. Screening also included benchmark structures of known active and decoy molecules from the DEKOIS 2.0 library. Based on the predicted binding energies, the docking programs ranked the screened molecules. We applied the usual performance evaluation metrices to evaluate the docking programs using the predicted ranks. Molecular dynamics of the top-ranked olive secoiridoid bound to PLpro and computation of MM-GBSA energy using three iterations during the last 50 ps of the analysis of the dynamics in Desmond supported the stability prediction.

Results and discussions

Predictiveness curves suggested that AutoDock Vina has a better predictive ability than AutoDock, although there was a moderate correlation between the active molecules rankings (Kendall's correlation of rank (τ) = 0.581). Interestingly, two same molecules, Demethyloleuropein aglycone, and Oleuroside enriched the top 1 % ranked olive secoiridoids predicted by both programs. Demethyloleuropein aglycone bound to PLpro obtained by docking in AutoDock Vina when analyzed for stability by molecular dynamics simulation for 50 ns displayed an RMSD, RMSF<2 Å, and MM-GBSA energy of -94.54 ± 6.05 kcal/mol indicating good stability. Molecular dynamics also revealed the interactions of Demethyloleuropein aglycone with binding sites 2 and 3 of PLpro, suggesting a potent inhibition. In addition, for 98 % of the simulation time, two phenolic hydroxy groups of Demethyloleuropein aglycone maintained two hydrogen bonds with Asp302 of PLpro, specifying the significance of the groups in receptor binding.

Conclusion

AutoDock Vina retrieved the active molecules accurately and predicted Demethyloleuropein aglycone as the best inhibitor of PLpro. The Arabian diet consisting of olive products rich in secoiridoids benefits from the PLpro inhibition property and reduces the risk of viral infection.

Dietary patterns among Saudis with type 2 diabetes mellitus in Riyadh: A cross-sectional study

We investigated dietary patterns and their associations with sociodemographic and lifestyle factors in Saudi adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). A total of 297 participants (154 men and 143 women) with a mean age (standard deviation) of 54.0 (7.0) years were enrolled in the current study. Self-reported information on sociodemographic and lifestyle characteristics, eating behavior, and frequency of consumption was collected from all participants. Principal component analysis was used to determine dietary patterns. Multiple linear regressions were used to examine the associations between dietary patterns and sociodemographic and lifestyle factors. We identified five dietary patterns: "Vegetables and olive oil," "Refined grains and sweets," "Dairy products and legumes," "Dates and beverages," and "Fruit." Age was inversely associated with the pattern "Refined grains and sweets" (β = -0.036, p <0.001). Females were more likely to have higher scores with the "Fruit" pattern (β = 0.410, p = 0.011). Smoking was associated with "Vegetables and olive oil" (β = 0.919, p = 0.001) and "Dates and beverages" (β = -0.947, p = 0.001) patterns. The level of physical activity was associated with "Dates and beverages" (β = 0.104, p = 0.048) and "Vegetables and olive oil" (β = -0.102, p = 0.048) patterns. The number of snacks consumed was associated with "Dates and beverages" pattern (β = -0.241, p = 0.005), and the frequency of meals eaten in fast food locations and restaurants per month was associated with "Vegetables and olive oil" pattern (β = -0.043, p = 0.034). Each dietary pattern was associated with different sociodemographic and lifestyle factors and eating behaviors. This study provides insights into the underlying nutritional habits of Saudi Arabian patients with T2DM. Future studies are necessary to assess these associations in representative samples.

Burden of stroke in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: A soaring epidemic

Stroke is a key cerebrovascular disease that is related to high morbidity and mortality in the globe. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is not an exception where stroke is fast developing into a serious challenge due to the high mortality rate. Additionally, stroke presents a tremendous economic burden and has a devastating effect on the quality of lives of individuals. The number of stroke cases are increasing yearly, thus posing a major challenge to the health care system. Therefore, it is crucial to implement primary and secondary prevention strategies in the KSA. Nevertheless, as compared with developed countries, information on the prevalence, socio-demographic properties and prevention of stroke remains scarce that could be attributed to the shortage of research conducted in this specified region. The review is written to address the various aspects of stroke in the KSA, based on current literatures search using PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar databases, to identify studies published since inception to Dec 2020.

Functionality of Special Beer Processes and Potential Health Benefits

Consumers’ demand for functional fermented food that can fulfill nutritional needs and help maintain a balanced diet while also having a positive impact on one’s health status is increasing all over the world. Thus, healthy choices could include beverages with nutrients and bioactive compounds which can be used as an effective disease-prevention strategy. Regular beer has certain health benefits which inspire further research with the prospect of obtaining special functional beers with little or no alcohol content. As observed, the special beer market remains highly dynamic and is predicted to expand even further. Therefore, brewers need to keep up with the consumers’ interests and needs while designing special beers, namely nonalcoholic beers (NABs), low-alcohol beers (LABs), and craft beers (CBs). Thus, understanding the potential uses of bioactive compounds in special beer, the wide range of therapeutic effects, and the possible mechanisms of action is essential for developing healthier beverages. This review aimed to evaluate the nutritional features of special beers, and their proven or potential beneficial actions on one’s health status and in preventing certain diseases.

Comparison of diet quality among female students in different majors at Taibah University

BACKGROUND

Diet quality is a term used to assess both the quality and variety of food intake by comparing dietary guidelines. The quality of dietary intake can be used to determine the association between food intake and health status. Studies comparing diet quality among students from different departments are limited.

AIM

The aim of this study was to determine the dietary quality of female college students with majors in different departments at Taibah University, Madinah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

METHODS

This study was a cross-sectional study conducted with 658 female participants. The Diet Quality Index-International (DQI-I) was used to describe dietary quality.

RESULTS

The total DQI-I score of the College of Applied Medical Sciences (CAMS) students (55.5%) was higher than those of the College of Sciences (CS) (52.3%) and College of Arts and Humanities (CAH) (50.4%) students. The risk of having a poor diet was higher among the CS (odds ratio (OR) = 1.154, 95% confidence interval (CI) (95% CI) = 1.007-1.879) and CAH students (OR = 1.624, CI = 1.012-2.604) than among the CAMS students. Having a low DQI-I score was associated with a high risk of obesity (OR= 2.478, 95% CI = 1.007-3.879) and a high body fat % (OR = 3.920, 95% CI = 1.757-8.749).

CONCLUSION

This study showed the need to raise awareness among the younger population about the importance of healthy eating, which involves implementing healthy habits to improve one's quality of life.

Is There a Link Between Nutrition, Genetics, and Cardiovascular Disease?

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a group of disorders that mainly include coronary, cerebrovascular and rheumatic heart diseases [1].[...].

Adherence to the Saudi dietary guidelines and its relation to colorectal polyps: A university hospital-based study

Objectives

Colorectal polyps are a known precursor to colorectal cancer (CRC). Using the Saudi dietary guidelines adherence scores, this study evaluated whether dietary intake can lead to the development of colorectal polyps in a Saudi cohort.

Methods

In a cross-sectional study, 101 patients of both sexes, aged 30-86 years (40 patients with colorectal polyps and 61 patients without polyps), were recruited from the endoscopy unit in a Saudi hospital. A questionnaire was administered to collect demographic data, anthropometric data, and information about dietary habits.

Results

Patients with colorectal polyps were significantly older than those without polyps (p = 0.05). The mean body mass index in both patient groups was within the overweight range, with a value of 28.6 ± 6.7 kg/m². We did not find significant differences between patients with and without colorectal polyps. Although there was no difference in the overall scores for adherence to the Saudi dietary guidelines between the two groups, the specific adherence score for vegetables was significantly higher in patients without colorectal polyps (5.0 ± 0.0 vs. 4.9 ± 0.3, p = 0.03).

Conclusion

Ageing and lower vegetable intake, previously reported to be risk factors for CRC, were likewise identified in this study. However, a multi-centre study with a larger sample size, utilising data from this study, is needed.