Prevalence of salt rich fast food consumption: A focus on physical activity and incidence of hypertension among female students of Saudi Arabia

Hypertension in Young Asymptomatic University Students: Impact of Parental History, Physical Inactivity, and Diet

Introduction Non-communicable diseases such as hypertension have emerged as a major public concern over the past two decades due to lifestyle changes. Patients with prehypertension have a greater risk of developing coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, and stroke. Hypertension is a major modifiable risk factor for premature death worldwide. Evidence about the prevalence of hypertension and related variables, however, is sparse among university students in areas with limited resources. This study was conducted with an aim to evaluate the impact of parental history, physical inactivity, and diet on the blood pressure readings of university students. Methodology For this study, 337 university students aged between 18 and 30 years (102 males and 235 females) were randomly selected. The data was collected through a structured questionnaire, which gathered information about the lifestyle habits of the participating students. Trained students measured the participant's blood pressure according to a standardized procedure. Results Of the total participants, 50.7% (n= 171) were normotensive, 36.8% (n= 124) were prehypertensive, and 12.5% (n= 42) were hypertensive. Males were more prone to developing prehypertension (54.9%) while females were more likely to develop hypertension (12.7%). The consumption of sugared beverages and Western fast food showed a statistically significant relationship with increased blood pressure. A significant relationship was also seen between the duration of exercise and hypertension (p-value =0.007) Conclusion Hypertension and prehypertension are common among university students. The risk factors for these conditions include a positive family history, being male, increased intake of fast food and sugar-sweetened beverages, and reduced duration of regular exercise. These findings emphasize the significance of implementing targeted health education programs aimed at fostering healthy lifestyle practices among young adults.

Satisfaction Paradoxes in Health Behaviors: Contrasting Patterns across Weight, Physical Activity and Dietary Habits

(1) Background: Obesity, a poor diet, and inactivity are major health issues among Saudi youth. However, satisfaction with unhealthy lifestyles could impede change. This study assessed lifestyle factors and related satisfaction among Saudi university students. (2) Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 1957 students at Jazan University completed surveys on demographics, physical activity, dietary habits, and 10-point satisfaction scales for weight, activity, and diet. Chi-squared tests and logistic regression were used to analyze the associations between behaviors and satisfaction. (3) Results: Overweight/obesity prevalence was 25.45%, and only 26.67% of the subjects met activity guidelines. Many of them exhibited poor dietary habits. Despite unhealthy behaviors, some expressed high satisfaction, especially regarding their diets. Subjects with a normal BMI had the highest weight satisfaction. Activity satisfaction increased with higher activity levels. Dietary satisfaction was minimally impacted by healthfulness. Males and higher incomes were correlated with greater satisfaction. (4) Conclusions: A concerning paradox exists between unhealthy lifestyles and satisfaction among Saudi university students, particularly regarding their diets. Multicomponent interventions informed by behavior change theories and employing motivational techniques are urgently needed to address this disconnect and facilitate positive behavior change.

Evaluation of the Consumption of Junk Food Products and Lifestyle among Teenagers and Young Population from Romania

BACKGROUND

The long-term consumption of junk food products can lead to nutritional and metabolic imbalances, especially when it is associated with a lack of physical activity and the consumption of alcohol or other high-calorie products.

METHODS

The evaluation of junk food consumption among teenagers and young people in Romania was carried out with the help of a cross-sectional study based on a questionnaire.

RESULTS

A total number of 1017 respondents participated in this study, comprising 470 males and 547 females aged between 16 and 25 years. Although the majority of young people fell into the normal-weight category (607 of them, p < 0.0001), some aspects can be noted that in the long term can produce a series of nutritional imbalances: an increased tendency toward sedentarism, with 553 (p = 0.613) of the respondents declaring that they performed sports rarely or not at all, and a tendency toward relatively high consumption of foods high in calories (fast food products and especially fried potatoes, hamburgers, shawarma, pastries, and snacks, along with sweetened drinks and even alcoholic beverages). The respondents participating in this study even indicated a perceived addiction to the consumption of certain products: coffee (50.48%), fried potatoes (38.9%), hamburgers (37.05%), shawarma (31.65%), and snacks (30.08%). Many of these products are rich in calories, saturated fat, and even trans fat.

CONCLUSIONS

This study highlights a series of aspects that can have long-term negative effects related to the excess weight associated with other imbalances: consumption preferences among young people for hypercaloric fast food products, sweetened drinks associated with reduced physical activity, and even the development of some forms of food addictions for a series of hypercaloric foods.

A Survey on the Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Students at Jazan University Regarding Calorie Menu Labeling in Restaurants and a Literature Review

BACKGROUND

The global rise in obesity and related health complications has cast a spotlight on the urgent need for initiatives that promote informed dietary decisions. This cross-sectional study investigates the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of university students at Jazan University, Saudi Arabia, regarding menu calorie labeling. The study examines how these variables may affect dietary decisions, body mass index (BMI), and support for proposed legislative measures requiring calorie disclosure on restaurant menus.

METHODS

The study included 581 Saudi university students who were 18 years of age or older as a convenience sample. A three-part questionnaire that asked about demographics, anthropometric measurements, and attitudes and behaviors related to calorie counting was completed by the participants. Using the Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS, version 25.0; IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Armonk, NY) program, chi-square, t-tests, and ANOVA tests were used to evaluate the data. Both informed consent and ethical approval were obtained.

RESULTS

The study finds that, even while more than half of the participants knew their recommended daily calorie intake and exhibited curiosity about calorie information on menus, this knowledge did not always result in healthy eating habits. Participants' opinions and behaviors regarding calorie labeling were significantly correlated with their BMI levels, indicating the importance of education in promoting nutritional awareness and healthy eating habits. New calorie labeling regulations received higher approval from people who regularly ate out.

CONCLUSION

This study emphasizes the necessity of comprehensive nutritional education initiatives to raise calorie knowledge and encourage Saudi Arabian university students to make healthier eating choices. It also emphasizes the possible effects of legislative measures requiring calorie information on menus, particularly among regular diners. However, while evaluating the results, it is important to take into account the study's limitations, including self-reported data and convenience sample. To support menu calorie labeling legislation and inform targeted public health interventions for university students' eating behaviors, more research that takes cultural quirks and regional settings into account is necessary.

Consumers' Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Toward Calorie Labeling in Riyadh City, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Assessment

Background

Menu calorie labeling is a useful means to encourage consumers to be informed about healthy eating and food choices. It is projected as an innovative method that will change the food environment and increases consumers' awareness of calories.

Objective

This study aims to determine the consumer's knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward menu calorie labeling in Saudi Arabia.

Methods

This is a descriptive cross-sectional study involving 435 consumers in Saudi Arabia. The participants filled out an online electronic survey questionnaire that assesses the demographic factors, knowledge, attitudes, practices, and barriers toward menu calorie labeling. Logistic regression was performed to determine the predictor of attitudes of consumers toward menu calorie labeling.

Results

Of those 435 consumers, 50.1% were men, 33% were in the age group of 30–39, and 49.4% had a bachelor's degree. The majority of the participants reported that they can understand the calorie labels that were presented on the menus of the restaurants (N = 365, 83.9%). A high percentage of participants reported that calorie labeling encourages them to choose foods with a smaller number of calories (N = 387, 89%) and supported the posting of calorie content next to the price of the food items on the menus (N = 405, 93.1%). Barriers to using calorie labels were time-consuming and low-calorie food items are usually costly. Gender and educational attainment were found significantly associated with consumers' knowledge while marital status and BMI level were found significantly associated with attitudes and practices to using calorie labels (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Overall, the participants had adequate knowledge and positive attitudes about menu calorie labeling in Saudi Arabia. Menu calorie labeling may be a useful policy tool for promoting healthy eating habits and appropriate caloric consumption.

Snacking pattern of college students in Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Although unhealthy snack foods are commonly consumed by college students, snacking patterns among college students have not been comprehensively examined in Saudi Arabia. In our study, we aimed to investigate snacking patterns among Saudi college students and to assess sociodemographic data that affect adherence to these snacking patterns.

METHODS

Between January 2021 and March 2021 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, an online survey was conducted with 662 college students from a Saudi university. The survey included sociodemographic questions and a short food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) regarding the consumption of common snack foods. Snacking patterns were generated from the FFQ using the factor analysis method.

RESULTS

Factor analyses generated seven snacking patterns, which explained 64.5% of the variance in snacking. Students in their early academic years (1-3 years) had a higher score for the convenience snack and fast-food pattern (0.22 ± 0.48 and 0.31 ± 0.52, respectively) than senior students (4-6 years) (P = 0.03 and 0.04, respectively). Healthy snacks patterns were higher among students at higher income levels (P = 0.006) and active students (P < 0.001) than among students at low- or mid-income levels and inactive students. Higher adherence to the beverages pattern was observed among male students (P = 0.03), active students (P = 0.01), and students with obesity than their counterparts (P = 0.02). The dairy products pattern was higher among male students (P = 0.04), students at higher income levels (P = 0.04), and students with obesity (P = 0.03) than their counterparts.

CONCLUSIONS

Most snacking patterns identified among the study participants were considered unhealthy. Adherence to healthy snacks is influenced by physical activity and family income. These findings may be helpful in the future for developing adequate nutrition education programs that promote health by adhering to healthy snack choices in this critical age group. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings and to investigate snacking patterns among other age groups in Saudi Arabia.

Association of Healthy Diet with Recovery Time from COVID-19: Results from a Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study

The world is still in need of an effective therapy to treat coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19). This cross-sectional study was conducted on COVID-19 survivors in Saudi Arabia to investigate the influence of a healthy diet on the recovery time from COVID-19. A questionnaire was developed to assess participants' dietary habits, based on the 2015 Dutch food-based dietary guidelines. A total of 738 COVID-19 survivors participated in the study, of whom 237 (32.1%) were hospitalized for COVID-19 treatment while 501 (76.9%) were not hospitalized, and 320 (43.4%) were females and 418 (56.6%) were males. Overall, no significant difference was noted in healthy diet score between males and females; however, this score was significantly lower for Saudis compared to non-Saudis. Among the non-hospitalized patients, eating a more healthy diet was associated with a shorter duration of recovery (p < 0.05) and was significantly affected by gender (15.8 ± 9.3 male vs. 12.1 ± 8.9 female; p < 0.001) and marital status (12.1 ± 8.4 singles vs. 13.7 ± 9.3 married vs. 16.1 ± 11.8 divorced; p < 0.05). In contrast, no significant correlation was found with age or BMI. In this study, a more healthy diet was associated with a shorter duration of recovery from COVID-19. However, further studies are needed to thoroughly investigate the relationship between diet and recovery time from COVID-19.