scholarly journals Knowledge and Perceptions of Non-Nutritive Sweeteners Within the UK Adult Population

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 444
Author(s):  
Grace Farhat ◽  
Fleur Dewison ◽  
Leo Stevenson
Keyword(s):  
Risk Perception ◽  
Weight Status ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Information Dissemination ◽  
Diabetes Management ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Population Sample ◽  
The Public ◽  
Body Weight Status ◽  
The Impact

Non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS) are popular sugar substitutes that can help in weight and diabetes management, but concerns regarding their use have been raised by the public. This study aimed to investigate knowledge, benefits and safety perceptions of NNS in a sample of UK adults. The impact of knowledge dissemination on the change in perceptions was also examined. An online survey was distributed through social media platforms and UK Universities and was completed by 1589 participants aged 18 years and above. Results showed a high-risk perception of NNS and a lack of knowledge in regulations in nearly half the population sample. The artificial attributes of NNS further limited their acceptance. Risk perception has been significantly linked to a lower consumption of sweeteners (p < 0.001) and was affected by gender, occupation, education levels, age and body weight status. Information dissemination significantly reduced risk perception and increased awareness of the benefits of NNS. Results suggest that developing effective communication strategies to educate consumers, potentially through trusted health government agencies and professional bodies, can help them to make informed choices. Education of health professionals could also be valuable in reassuring the public of the benefits of NNS.

scholarly journals The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Working Conditions, Employment, Career Development and Well-Being of Refugee Researchers

Societies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 71
Author(s):  
Ourania Tzoraki ◽  
Svetlana Dimitrova ◽  
Marin Barzakov ◽  
Saad Yaseen ◽  
Vasilis Gavalas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Appropriate Technology ◽  
Public Authorities ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Home Setting ◽  
The Public ◽  
Work From Home ◽  
The Impact

The ongoing ‘refugee crisis’ of the past years has led to the migration of refugee researchers (RRs) to European countries. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, RRs often had to work from home and/or to continue their social, cultural and economic integration process under new conditions. An online survey carried out to explore the impact of the pandemic on the refugee researchers showed that RRs found it difficult to adapt their everyday working life to the ‘home’ setting. The majority have had neither a suitable work environment at home nor the appropriate technology. Although they stated that they are rather pleased with the measures taken by the public authorities, they expressed concern about their vulnerability due to their precarious contracts and the bureaucratic asylum procedures, as the pandemic has had a negative impact on these major issues. The majority of RRs working in academia seem not to have been affected at all as far as their income is concerned, while the majority of those employed in other sectors became unemployed during the pandemic (58%). Recommendations are provided to the public authorities and policy makers to assist RRs to mitigate the consequences of the pandemic on their life.

scholarly journals Global Impact of COVID-19 on Weight and Weight-Related Behaviors in the Adult Population: A Scoping Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 1876
Author(s):  
Han Shi Jocelyn Chew ◽  
Violeta Lopez
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Screen Time ◽  
Weight Status ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Sedentary Behaviors ◽  
Management Interventions ◽  
The Impact

Objective: To provide an overview of what is known about the impact of COVID-19 on weight and weight-related behaviors. Methods: Systematic scoping review using the Arksey and O’Malley methodology. Results: A total of 19 out of 396 articles were included. All studies were conducted using online self-report surveys. The average age of respondents ranged from 19 to 47 years old, comprised of more females. Almost one-half and one-fifth of the respondents gained and lost weight during the COVID-19 pandemic, respectively. Among articles that examined weight, diet and physical activity changes concurrently, weight gain was reported alongside a 36.3% to 59.6% increase in total food consumption and a 67.4% to 61.4% decrease in physical activities. Weight gain predictors included female sex, middle-age, increased appetite, snacking after dinner, less physical exercise, sedentary behaviors of ≥6 h/day, low water consumption and less sleep at night. Included articles did not illustrate significant associations between alcohol consumption, screen time, education, place of living and employment status, although sedentary behaviors, including screen time, did increase significantly. Conclusions: Examining behavioral differences alone is insufficient in predicting weight status. Future research could examine differences in personality and coping mechanisms to design more personalized and effective weight management interventions.

scholarly journals Analysing the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on everyday travel behaviour in Germany and potential implications for future travel patterns

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Viktoriya Kolarova ◽  
Christine Eisenmann ◽  
Claudia Nobis ◽  
Christian Winkler ◽  
Barbara Lenz
Keyword(s):  
Public Transport ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Travel Behaviour ◽  
German Population ◽  
Travel Patterns ◽  
Home Office ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Introduction The global Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is having a great impact on all areas of the everyday life, including travel behaviour. Various measures that focus on restricting social contacts have been implemented in order to reduce the spread of the virus. Understanding how daily activities and travel behaviour change during such global crisis and the reasons behind is crucial for developing suitable strategies for similar future events and analysing potential mid- and long-term impacts. Methods In order to provide empirical insights into changes in travel behaviour during the first Coronavirus-related lockdown in 2020 for Germany, an online survey with a relative representative sample for the German population was conducted a week after the start of the nationwide contact ban. The data was analysed performing descriptive and inferential statistical analyses. Results and Discussion The results suggest in general an increase in car use and decrease in public transport use as well as more negative perception of public transport as a transport alternative during the pandemic. Regarding activity-related travel patterns, the findings show firstly, that the majority of people go less frequent shopping; simultaneously, an increase in online shopping can be seen and characteristics of this group were analysed. Secondly, half of the adult population still left their home for leisure or to run errands; young adults were more active than all other age groups. Thirdly, the majority of the working population still went to work; one out of four people worked in home-office. Lastly, potential implications for travel behaviour and activity patterns as well as policy measures are discussed.

scholarly journals PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE, PRACTICES AND ATTITUDES TOWARDS COVID-19 IN AFGHANISTAN

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 104-115
Author(s):  
Sayeed Naqibullah Orfan ◽  
Abdul Hamid Elmyar
Keyword(s):  
Marital Status ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Close Contact ◽  
Public Knowledge ◽  
Place Of Residence ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Negative Attitudes ◽  
The Public ◽  
Knowledge And Attitudes ◽  
The Impact

Background: COVID-19 has tremendously affected the world including Afghanistan since its outbreak.Objective: This study aimed to investigate the public knowledge about COVID-19 in Afghanistan as well as practices used to prevent contracting the disease. It also studied the attitudes of the public towards the COVID-19 survivors, and the impact of the participants’ gender, place of residence and marital status on their responses.Method: The data were collected from 1472 individuals through an online survey questionnaire. SPSS version 24.0 was used to analyze the data.Results: The findings showed that the public were very knowledgeable about COVID-19. They used various practices to varying extent to prevent contracting COVID-19 and its spread. Moreover, the participants’ attitudes towards the COVID-19 survivors varied. They had negative attitudes towards them if close contact was concerned, but their attitudes were positive towards them if close contact was not involved, e.g., educating community members about the disease. Gender and place of residence had a significant impact on the participants’ knowledge and practices, but they did not affect their attitudes towards the survivors. Furthermore, marital status significantly affected the participants’ practices, but it did not have any impact on their knowledge and attitudes towards the survivors.

scholarly journals Email Vs. Instagram Recruitment Strategies For Online Survey Research

2021 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-77
Author(s):  
Rafael R. Moraes ◽  
Marcos B. Correa ◽  
Ândrea Daneris ◽  
Ana B. Queiroz ◽  
João P. Lopes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Survey Research ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Large Population ◽  
Population Sample ◽  
Target Population ◽  
Recruitment Strategies ◽  
The Public ◽  
Conversion Rates ◽  
Methodological Aspects ◽  
E Mail

Abstract In this study, we describe a method for reaching a target population (i.e., dentists practicing in Brazil) to engage in survey research using traditional e-mail invites and recruitment campaigns created on Instagram. This study addresses methodological aspects and compares respondents reached by different methods. A pre-tested questionnaire was used and participants were recruited for 10 days via a source list of email addresses and two discrete Instagram organic open campaigns. A total of 3,122 responses were collected: 509 participants were recruited by email (2.1% response rate) and 2,613 by the two Instagram campaigns (20.7% and 11.7% conversion rates), respectively. Response/min collection rates in the first 24 h ranged between 0.23 (email) and 1.09 (first campaign). In total, 98.8% of all responses were received in the first 48 h for the different recruitment strategies. There were significant differences for all demographic variables (p< 0.001) between email and Instagram respondents, except for sex (p=0.37). Instagram respondents were slightly older, had more professional experience (years in practice), and a higher graduate education level than email respondents. Moreover, most email and Instagram respondents worked in the public sector and private practice, respectively. Although both strategies could collect responses from all Brazilian regions, email responses were slightly better distributed across the five territorial areas compared to Instagram. This study provides evidence that survey recruitment of a diverse, large population sample using Instagram is feasible. However, combination of email and Instagram recruitment led to a more diverse population and improved response rates.

scholarly journals Untrained young men have dysfunctional HDL compared with strength-trained men irrespective of body weight status

2013 ◽  
Vol 115 (7) ◽  
pp. 1043-1049 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian K. Roberts ◽  
Michael Katiraie ◽  
Daniel M. Croymans ◽  
Otto O. Yang ◽  
Theodoros Kelesidis
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Fat Mass ◽  
Weight Status ◽  
Density Lipoprotein ◽  
Young Men ◽  
Metabolic Health ◽  
Redox Properties ◽  
Redox Activity ◽  
Body Weight Status ◽  
The Impact

We examined the impact of strength fitness and body weight on the redox properties of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and associations with indices of vascular and metabolic health. Ninety young men were categorized into three groups: 1) overweight untrained (OU; n = 30; BMI 30.7 ± 2.1 kg/m2); 2) overweight trained [OT; n = 30; BMI 29.0 ± 1.9; ≥4 d/wk resistance training (RT)]; and 3) lean trained (LT; n = 30; BMI 23.7 ± 1.4; ≥4 d/wk RT). Using a novel assay on the basis of the HDL-mediated rate of oxidation of dihydrorhodamine (DOR), we determined the functional (redox) properties of HDL and examined correlations between DOR and indices of vascular and metabolic health in the cohort. DOR was significantly lower in both trained groups compared with the untrained group (LT, 1.04 ± 0.49; OT, 1.39 ± 0.57; OU, 1.80 ± 0.74; LT vs. OU P < 0.00001; OT vs. OU P = 0.02), however, DOR in the OT group was not significantly different from that of the LT group. DOR was negatively associated with HDL-cholesterol ( R = −0.64), relative strength ( R = −0.42), sex hormone-binding globulin ( R = −0.42), and testosterone ( R = −0.35) (all P ≤ 0.001); whereas DOR was positively associated with triglycerides ( R = 0.39, P = 0.002), oxidized low-density lipoprotein ( R = 0.32), body mass index ( R = 0.43), total mass ( R = 0.35), total fat mass ( R = 0.42), waist circumference ( R = 0.45), and trunk fat mass ( R = 0.42) (all P ≤ 0.001). Chronic RT is associated with improved HDL redox activity. This may contribute to the beneficial effects of RT on reducing cardiovascular disease risk, irrespective of body weight status.

scholarly journals Not all world leaders use Twitter in response to the COVID-19 pandemic: impact of the way of Angela Merkel on psychological distress, behaviour and risk perception

2020 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 644-646 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Teufel ◽  
Adam Schweda ◽  
Nora Dörrie ◽  
Venja Musche ◽  
Madeleine Hetkamp ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Risk Perception ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Social Contact ◽  
Political Influence ◽  
German Population ◽  
The Public ◽  
Angela Merkel ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Anxiety Depression

Abstract At a time of growing governmental restrictions and ‘physical distancing’ in order to decelerate the spread of COVID-19, psychological challenges are increasing. Social media plays an important role in maintaining social contact as well as exerting political influence. World leaders use it not only to keep citizens informed but also to boost morale and manage people’s fears. However, some leaders do not follow this approach; an example is the German Chancellor. In a large online survey, we aimed to determine levels of COVID-19 fear, generalized anxiety, depression, safety behaviour, trust in government and risk perception in Germany. A total of 12 244 respondents participated during the period of restraint and the public shutdown in March 2020. Concurrent with the German Chancellor’s speech, a reduction of anxiety and depression was noticeable in the German population. It appears that, in addition to using social media platforms like Twitter, different—and sometimes more conservative—channels for providing information can also be effective.

scholarly journals Pathways from Food Insecurity to Health Outcomes among California University Students

Nutrients ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1419 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suzanna M. Martinez ◽  
Michael A. Grandner ◽  
Aydin Nazmi ◽  
Elias Ruben Canedo ◽  
Lorrene D. Ritchie
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Weight Status ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Student Characteristics ◽  
Poor Health ◽  
Self Rated Health ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Impact

The prevalence of food insecurity (FI) among college students is alarmingly high, yet the impact on student health has not been well investigated. The aim of the current study was to examine the simultaneous relationships between food insecurity and health-related outcomes including body mass index (BMI) and overall health in a college student population. Randomly sampled students in the University of California 10 campus system were invited to participate in an online survey in spring 2015. The analytic sample size was 8705 graduate and undergraduate students. Data were collected on FI in the past year, daily servings of fruits and vegetables (FV), number of days in the past week of enough sleep and moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA), height and weight, self-rated health, and student characteristics. Using path analysis, mediated pathways between FI, BMI, and poor health were examined through FV intake, number of days of MVPA and enough sleep. Analyses controlled for student characteristics. Mean BMI was 23.6 kg/m2 (SD, 5.0), and average self-rated health was good. FI was directly and indirectly related to higher BMI and poor health through three pathways. First, FI was related to fewer days of enough sleep, which in turn was related to increased BMI and poor health. Second, FI was related to fewer days of MVPA, which in turn was related to increased BMI and poor health. Third, FI was related to fewer daily servings of FV, which in turn was related to poor health. FI is associated with poor health behaviors among college students, which may contribute to higher weight status and poor health. These findings highlight the importance of food security for a healthy college experience.

Perceptions of unintentional weight loss among cancer survivors.

2018 ◽  
Vol 36 (7_suppl) ◽  
pp. 138-138 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandra Katherine Zaleta ◽  
Shauna McManus ◽  
Thomas William LeBlanc ◽  
Joanne S Buzaglo
Keyword(s):  
Weight Loss ◽  
Cancer Survivors ◽  
Weight Status ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Health Care Team ◽  
Healthy Weight ◽  
Unintentional Weight Loss ◽  
Weight Category ◽  
Perceived Weight ◽  
The Impact

138 Background: Unintentional weight loss (WL) can be a disruptive symptom of cancer, yet its psychosocial impact is not well understood. We examined cancer survivors’ experiences with unintentional WL. Methods: 320 cancer survivors completed an online survey, provided demographic, health, and unintentional WL history, and rated (0 = not at all; 4 = extremely) 19 statements about WL outcomes. We examined bivariate associations between weight status, unintentional WL, and WL outcomes. Results: Participants were 90% White; mean age = 58.8 years, SD= 11; 41% breast cancer, 23% blood cancer, 8% prostate cancer, mean time since diagnosis = 6.0 years, SD= 5; 18% metastatic, 22% current recurrence/relapse, 51% remission. 55 participants (17%) reported unintentional WL in the past 6 months (mean = 16lbs; range = 2-70; mean BMI = 27.6, SD= 6.3). These participants were less likely to be in disease remission ( p< .05). Participants with unintentional WL tended to underestimate their weight category (e.g., of BMI-classified healthy weight participants, 26% believed they were underweight); κ = -.17, p< .01. 51% of participants felt (somewhat to extremely) positive about WL, 49% said their health care team was supportive of WL; these statements were more strongly endorsed by people describing themselves as overweight ( ps < .05). 27% believed WL caused physical weakness, 23% said WL resulted in lost control over nutrition/eating, 16% said WL made them feel like a burden, 14% said WL caused them to lose their identity; these statements were more strongly endorsed by people describing themselves as underweight ( ps < .01). 20% viewed their WL as a sign of approaching end of life, 13% believed WL meant they would not be able to continue treatment; these views did not differ by perceived weight status. Conclusions: Many cancer survivors experience unintentional weight loss and associate their weight loss with negative outcomes. Survivors also often underestimate their weight status, which is notable given that personal views of one’s weight status, not BMI-derived weight status, is associated with beliefs about the impact of unintentional weight loss. Our findings suggest that people believe unintentional WL meaningfully affects their quality of life.

scholarly journals How are Young Adults in Pakistan dealing with COVID-19: An Online Survey Assessing the Impact of Demographic Characteristics and Sources of Information on Awareness and Behaviors

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ria Angeline Martins ◽  
Russell Seth Martins ◽  
Syeda Maryam Zehra Zaidi ◽  
Scheryar Saqib ◽  
Aiman Ahmed ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Young Adult ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Close Contact ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Young Adult Population ◽  
And Behaviors ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background:The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has impacted a large majority of Pakistan’s population, with one particular demographic of stakeholders being the country’s young adult population. Our study looks to understand levels COVID-19-related awareness, perceptions, and behaviors, and sources of COVID-19-related knowledge, amongst Pakistan’s young adult population.Methods:This survey was conducted by the Aga Khan University over July-October 2020, via a Google Form disseminated on multiple social media platforms. All respondents aged between 18-35 years and currently residing in Pakistan were included.Results:The questionnaire received a total of 406 responses with the respondents having a mean age of 25.15 ± 5.80 years. 52.5% of the respondents were currently students. The vast majority relied on social media (83.7%), internet blogs/websites (83.3%) and newspapers/television (70.7%) as major sources of information regarding COVID-19. The highest percentage of individuals believed spread was possible through contaminated surfaces (95.3%), while 86.4% believed spread was possible via inhalation of droplets, and 52.0% via close contact with asymptomatic individuals. Alarmingly, 21.9% believed that transmission was possible through contact with packages shipped from China, and 16% believed COVID-19 could be contracted by eating food in Chinese restaurants. Moreover, 24.1% believed COVID-19 to be a biological weapon designed in a laboratory, while 23.9% were unsure.Conclusions: Our survey revealed some deficiencies in the understanding of transmission of SARS-CoV-2, along with racial biases and the prevalence of misinformation. Since young adults play an important role in the global response to the pandemic, our study suggests interventions that target the young adults in Pakistan in an attempt to increase their awareness about the pandemic and help them cope with its effects.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document