Assessing effects of personal behaviors and environmental exposure on asthma episodes: a diary-based approach

Background

Quantifying the effects of personal health behaviors and environmental exposure on asthma flare-ups is a challenge. Most studies have focused on monitoring the symptoms and drug usage for relieving symptoms. In this study, we emphasize the need to understand how personal and environmental conditions are related to the occurrence of asthma symptoms.

Methods

We designed an online health diary platform to collect personal health behaviors from children, their parents and other adults with any allergic diseases including asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis and allergic conjunctivitis. The participants used mobile devices or computers to record their daily health-related activities such as sleep, exercise, diet, perception of air quality and temperature, and asthma symptoms. The participants also recorded secondhand smoke exposure and the time of activities, which were combined with ambient air quality measurements for calculating personal air pollution exposure. A generalized linear mixed model was used to estimate the effects of the factors.

Results

During the study period (January 2017–June 2017, and October 2017–September 2018), 132 participants provided 25,016 diary entries, and 84 participants had experienced asthma symptoms in 1458 diary entries. The results showed some different risk factors for the minors and adults. For minors, high-intensity exercise, contact with persons with influenza-like illness (ILI) and the perception of hot temperature and bad indoor air quality were associated with the occurrence of asthma episodes. The identified risk factors for the adult participants included having dehumidifiers at home, exposure to secondhand smoke, having bad sleep quality, contact with persons with ILI, not eating fruit and seafood, perceiving cold temperature, bad quality of indoor and outdoor air, and exposure to high concentration of ozone.

Conclusions

The revealed personal risk factors and perceptions of air quality and temperature may provide guidance on behavioral change for people susceptible to asthma to help control acute onset and severe exacerbation of asthma flare-ups.

[Food environment and its relation to diet behavior and obesity in China]

Objective: In this study, a systematic review was made on scientific evidence regarding the impact of food environment on diet-related behavior and obesity in China. Methods: Search on related keywords and references were conducted from four electronic databases including the Cochrane Library, PubMed, Web of Science, and CNKI. Results: Data showed that good availability, accessibility of neighborhood food outlets had increased the diversity of food, including the intakes of total calories, protein, fat, and carbohydrate; however, the consumption of healthy foods such as fruit and vegetables was reducing among the Chinese residents. The effects of neighborhood food environment on obesity remained inconclusive. A large number of fast food restaurants around schools might be responsible for the increase of risk on obesity among students. Regulations set on the school vicinity food stalls might reduce the intake of sugary beverages, snacks and fast food among students. Conclusion: Building a healthy food environment is warranted to nudge the Chinese people towards a healthier diet pattern. However, more evidence is needed to support the evidence in building a healthy food environment.

Diversity of feeding habitats and diet composition in the turtle doves Streptopelia turtur to buffer loss and modification of natural habitats during breeding season

The approach of the birds to use physical and alimentary resources in degraded and modified natural habitats is an important aspect of their adaptation. This study was undertaken during 2016-2017 at forty habitats in the Moulouya plain, Morocco to examine behavioral diet, habitat use and foraging ecology of turtle dove, Streptopelia turtur. We monitored turtle doves in four major plots namely cereal plots, lucerne farms, apple orchards, and stations in the Ansgmir River covering 40 habitats. Digestive tract contents were also identified and evaluated for 68 Turtle Doves shot by hunters during two consecutive years. The results showed that the turtle doves use a variability of feeding habitats. The cereal cultivation seemed to be more preferable habitat for feeding especially in the month of May, the first breeding phase of the year. But, during the months of August and July, the riverbanks were the preferred habitat for turtle doves. The diet of this species is polyphagous and diverse with a granivorous tendency. Diet analysis showed that soft wheat and barley seeds constituted 44.53% and 38.74% respectively followed by barley seeds with 38.74% and sand stones (9.16%) of the seeds eaten by Turtle Doves. However, moderate proportion of elements (7.32%) remained undefined. All these aspects, including the variability of feeding habitats and the wide diet seem to be an adaptive strategy followed by turtle dove to counter the degradation and the modification of its natural feeding habitats.

[Assessment of comprehensive nutritional status and eating behavior among 311 middle aged and aged women with osteoporosis in Chengdu]

Objective: To investigate the comprehensive nutritional status and diet behavior of middle aged and elderly women with osteoporosis, and thereby to explore the relationship between diet behavior and comprehensive nutritional status. Methods: 311 middle-aged and elderly women with osteoporosis in Chengdu were included in this study. Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) was applied to assess their comprehensive nutritional status. Information of social-demographic characteristics and diet behavior (about meals, snacks and water drinking, etc.) of the subjects was collected by questionnaire. Chi square test was used to assess the differences in nutritional status among patients who have different eating behaviors. Logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the relationship between diet behaviors and comprehensive nutritional status. Results: The mean MNA score of subjects was 25.8±2.5. 20.3% (63/311) of the subjets were at risk of potential malnutrition, but there was no malnourished subjects found. 46.9% (46/311) of the subjects were in good appetite. 95.2% (296/311) of them had a fixed food intake each meal. 65.8% (198/311) of them had snacks every day, and the most common choice was fruit (86.4% (248/287)). 54.8% (165/311) of them had initiative drinking water habits, and the most common choice was plain boiled water (79.9%, 246/308). 76.5% (238/311) of them had daily portable water less than 1 500 ml. After adjusting the effects of age, occupation and education level, bad appetite (OR=3.50, 95%CI: 1.18-10.62), unfixed food intake (OR=7.27, 95%CI: 1.40-35.83), and seldom or never intake of snack (OR=3.71, 95%CI: 1.42-9.72) were risk factors for malnutrition risk, while tea drinking was protective factor(OR=0.31, 95%CI: 0.11-0.93). Conclusion: Risk of potential malnutrition and unhealthy diet behavior among the middle aged and elderly women with osteoporosis should be paid more attention. Unhealtghy diet behavior has a negative effect on their comprehensive nutritional status.