Assessment of lifestyle, herbs, dietary and pharmacological preventive measures used among the public in Jordan to boost immunity during COVID-19 pandemic

Purpose: To assess the methods and practices for strengthening immunity and limiting virus spread among the public during the COVID-19 pandemic.Method: A questionnaire was designed and distributed to the public in Jordan. Socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyle practices, and intakes of herbs, vitamins, diet, and medications during the COVID-19 pandemic were assessed.Results: A total of 1048 participants completed the survey, 75 % of which were females and 60 % were in the age group of 18 - 34 years. The majority (75 %) agreed that staying at home along with social distancing would be their best protective measure, combined with hygienic practices and disinfection (71 %). Ginger and mint (49 and 45 %), vitamins D and C (52 and 34 %;) were predominantly used. Of the participants, 77 and 66 %, respectively increased their consumption of citrus fruits and foods rich in vitamin C, when they experienced influenza-like symptoms, while 13 and 18 % of the participants used antibiotics and paracetamol, respectively. Moreover, 61 and 63 % of participants were aware of the guidelines on the use of antibiotics and NSAIDs for the treatment of viral infections.Conclusion: The public practices reflect the positive beliefs about lifestyle practices, and the use of herbs, vitamins, dietary supplements, and medication intake. There is a need to promote healthy practices and increase awareness of rational drug use.

Gender Differences in The Factors associated with Hypertension in Non-Diabetic Saudi Adults—A Cross-Sectional Study

The association between lifestyle practices, obesity and increased BP are under-investigated. We aimed to investigate this association to identify the factors associated with hypertension and prehypertension in Saudis. Non-diabetic adults were recruited from public healthcare centers using a cross-sectional design. Recruits were interviewed using a predesigned questionnaire. Weight, height, waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC), neck circumference (NC) and BP were measured. The variables were analyzed by comparing the prehypertensive and hypertensive groups with the normotensive group. A total of 1334 adults were included. The study found that 47.2% of men and 24.7% of women were prehypertensive, and 15.1% of men and 14.4% of women were hypertensive. High BMI, WC, NC, and WC: HC ratios were associated with an increased risk of prehypertension and hypertension in men and women. Low physical activity was associated with an increased risk of elevated BP in men, while sleep duration of ≤6 h and sitting for ≥4 h were associated with increased risk in women. Women from central Asia, southeast Asia, and those of mixed origin had a higher prevalence of hypertension compared to those from Arabian tribes. In conclusion, prehypertension and hypertension increase with age and obesity. Gender differences were apparent in the association between several lifestyle practices and prehypertension or hypertension among various ethnic/racial groups.

Lifestyle Factors and Obesity

Obesity, with growing prevalence around the world, is a disease and a major risk factor for noncommunicable diseases and death. Lifestyle medicine integrates modern lifestyle practices with scientific evidence-based medicine in order to lower risk factors for chronic diseases and to support therapy if the disease is already present. Considering adiposity-based chronic disease conceptual model and new abdominal obesity classification, this article intends to describe healthy lifestyle pillars that must be considered in obesity prevention and treatment. Right nutrition, regular physical activity, optimal sleep, moderation in alcohol consumption, absence of smoking, and mindfulness should be considered in the effort to prevent and treat obesity. Doctor-patient partnership, patient empowerment, and doctor as a role model will complete the basic principle of lifestyle medicine.

A Look at the Seventh-day Adventist Church:

The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a worldwide Christian denomination with a rich heritage. Thus, the Adventist Church considers itself to be set apart from the world with a unique mission; members also follow distinctive lifestyle practices. But are Seventh-day Adventists really a unique denomination or are they just a different flavor of mainstream Protestantism? Using data from the FACT 2020 survey and comparing the Adventist sample (N = 313) with the entire interfaith sample (N = 15,278), researchers compared different aspects of church life, including vitality and church growth, local church leadership, engagement in spiritual practices, and engagement in relational spiritual activities. While the data from the FACT 2020 survey present unique strengths of Adventist congregations, weaknesses were also revealed, as compared with the interfaith sample.

Behavioral impact of national health campaigns on healthy lifestyle practices among young adults in Singapore: a cross-sectional study

Background National health campaigns are often used to improve lifestyle behaviors in the general population. However, evidence specifically in the young adult population is scarce. Given the general deterioration of healthy lifestyle practices from adolescence to young adulthood, it is imperative to study this age group. This study aimed to investigate the behavioral impact of a national health campaign in Singapore on the lifestyle practices of young adults, and whether sex or full-time working and schooling status affected lifestyle practices. Methods A total of 594 Singaporean respondents aged 18–39 years old were interviewed via a cross-sectional study in December 2019. Lifestyle practices assessed were diet, exercise, alcohol consumption, current tobacco use, and participation in health screening programs. Other factors investigated included exposure to the national health campaign “War on Diabetes” (WoD), sex, ethnicity, and working/schooling status. Multivariable modified Breslow-Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate prevalence risk ratios (PRRs) as measures for the associations in this study, after adjusting for potential confounders. Results Exposure to the WoD campaign had a significant association with meeting dietary recommendations (PRR = 1.6, 95% CI: 1.0–2.5, p = 0.037), participation in screening (PRR = 1.2, 95% CI: 1.0–1.5, p = 0.028), and current tobacco use (PRR = 0.5, 95% CI: 0.3–0.8, p = 0.003). Males were significantly more likely to meet exercise recommendations (PRR = 2.0, 95% CI: 1.5–2.7, p < 0.001), currently use tobacco (PRR = 3.9, 95% CI: 2.2–6.9, p < 0.001), and consume alcohol excessively (PRR = 1.5, 95% CI: 1.0–2.3, p = 0.046), as compared to females. Working young adults were significantly less likely to meet exercise recommendations (PRR = 0.7, 95% CI: 0.5–0.9, p = 0.019) but significantly more likely to be current tobacco users (PRR = 1.8, 95% CI: 1.1–3.1, p = 0.024), as compared to those who were in school. Conclusions While this paper affirms that national health campaigns have significant beneficial associations in diet, health screenings and current tobacco use, policymakers should acknowledge that young adults are an age group with different influences that impact their healthy lifestyle habits. Specific interventions that target these subgroups may be required for better health outcomes. Future studies should evaluate other socio-environmental factors that could play a role in modifying the effect of health campaigns among young adults.

Disconnection as Distinction

Disconnecting from digital media is often mentioned in the public debate as a way of improving quality of life, productivity, sustainability, and so forth. However, not everyone can afford to disconnect, and media morality varies across social space. Based on data from a national Swedish survey (2019), this chapter applies correspondence analysis and a Bourdieusian theoretical framework to chart the extent to which different social groups prioritize disconnecting in different places, and the forms of digital unease associated with smartphone use. Such preferences are mapped onto a social space constructed around the distribution of economic and cultural capital in Swedish society, also illuminating how disconnection practices correspond to other lifestyle practices. The analysis reveals that the handling of digital (dis)connection (in different places) plays into overarching patterns of taste and cultural distinction. As such, disconnection manifests as an emerging moral-symbolic battleground in affluent societies.