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El Bilali H, Ben Hassen T. Regional Agriculture and Food Systems Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Case of the Near East and North Africa Region. Foods 2024; 13:297. [PMID: 38254598 PMCID: PMC10815245 DOI: 10.3390/foods13020297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/31/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic affected agri-food systems worldwide. However, while the impacts differed from one country/region to another, the scholarly literature seems to focus on developed countries in the Global North. Consequently, this review scrutinizes the literature on the pandemic's impacts in the Near East and North Africa (NENA) region. A search on the Web of Science in March 2023 generated 334 documents, of which 151 were eligible for inclusion in the systematic review. According to the bibliometric analysis, the most active nations are Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, and Lebanon. In general, the coverage of studies is better in the Gulf region than in the less developed countries of North Africa and those suffering from wars (cf. Libya, Syria, and Yemen). Studies generally focus on crop production and the downstream food chain (cf. distribution and consumption). While the pandemic influenced every pillar of food security, this research concentrates on access and utilization. Meanwhile, the lion's share of the literature deals with the pandemic's socio-economic effects, especially those linked to food (in)security and health. The pandemic, which laid bare the agri-food system vulnerabilities, should be seized to foster the transition towards more resilient agri-food systems in the NENA region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamid El Bilali
- International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM-Bari), Via Ceglie 9, 70010 Valenzano, Bari, Italy;
| | - Tarek Ben Hassen
- Program of Policy, Planning, and Development, Department of International Affairs, College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, Qatar
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Arumugam A, Mohammad Zadeh SA, Zabin ZA, Hawarneh TME, Ahmed HI, Jauhari FS, Alkalih HY, Shousha TM, Moustafa IM, Häger CK. Sedentary and physical activity time differs between self-reported ATLS-2 physical activity questionnaire and accelerometer measurements in adolescents and young adults in the United Arab Emirates. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:1045. [PMID: 37264348 PMCID: PMC10233181 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-15881-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Most young adults and adolescents in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) do not meet the established internationally recommended physical activity levels per day. The Arab Teen Lifestyle Study (ATLS) physical activity questionnaire has been recommended for measuring self-reported physical activity of Arab adolescents and young adults (aged 14 years to mid-twenties). The first version of the ATLS has been validated with accelerometers and pedometers (r ≤ 0.30). The revised version of the questionnaire (ATLS-2, 2021) needs further validation. The aim of this study was to validate the self-reported subjective sedentary and physical activity time of the ATLS-2 (revised version) physical activity questionnaire with that of Fibion accelerometer-measured data. METHODS In this cross-sectional study, 131 healthy adolescents and young adults (aged 20.47 ± 2.16 [mean ± SD] years (range 14-25 years), body mass index 23.09 ± 4.45 (kg/m2) completed the ATLS-2 and wore the Fibion accelerometer for a maximum of 7 days. Participants (n = 131; 81% non-UAE Arabs (n = 106), 13% Asians (n = 17) and 6% Emiratis (n = 8)) with valid ATLS-2 data without missing scores and Fibion data of minimum 10 h/day for at least 3 weekdays and 1 weekend day were analyzed. Concurrent validity between the two methods was assessed by the Spearman rho correlation and Bland-Altman plots. RESULTS The questionnaire underestimated sedentary and physical activity time compared to the accelerometer data. Only negligible to weak correlations (r ≤ 0.12; p > 0.05) were found for sitting, walking, cycling, moderate intensity activity, high intensity activity and total activity time. In addition, a proportional/systematic bias was evident in the plots for all but two (walking and moderate intensity activity time) of the outcome measures of interest. CONCLUSIONS Overall, self-reported ATLS-2 sedentary and physical activity time had low correlation and agreement with objective Fibion accelerometer measurements in adolescents and young adults in the UAE. Therefore, sedentary and physical activity assessment for these groups should not be limited to self-reported measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashokan Arumugam
- Department of Physiotherapy, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, P.O. Box: 27272, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
- Neuromusculoskeletal Rehabilitation Research Group, RIMHS - Research Institute of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, P.O. Box: 27272, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
- Sustainable Engineering Asset Management Research Group, RISE - Research Institute of Sciences and Engineering, University of Sharjah, P.O. Box: 27272, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
- Adjunct Faculty, Department of Physiotherapy, Manipal College of Health professions, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India
| | - Shima A Mohammad Zadeh
- Department of Physiotherapy, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, P.O. Box: 27272, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Zina Anwar Zabin
- Department of Physiotherapy, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, P.O. Box: 27272, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Tamara Mohammad Emad Hawarneh
- Department of Physiotherapy, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, P.O. Box: 27272, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Hejab Iftikhar Ahmed
- Department of Physiotherapy, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, P.O. Box: 27272, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Fatema Shabbir Jauhari
- Department of Physiotherapy, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, P.O. Box: 27272, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Hanan Youssef Alkalih
- Department of Physiotherapy, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, P.O. Box: 27272, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Tamer Mohamed Shousha
- Department of Physiotherapy, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, P.O. Box: 27272, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
- Neuromusculoskeletal Rehabilitation Research Group, RIMHS - Research Institute of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, P.O. Box: 27272, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
- Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Ibrahim M Moustafa
- Department of Physiotherapy, College of Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, P.O. Box: 27272, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
- Neuromusculoskeletal Rehabilitation Research Group, RIMHS - Research Institute of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, P.O. Box: 27272, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
- Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Charlotte K Häger
- Department of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation - Physiotherapy Section, Umeå University, Umeå, SE-901 87, Sweden.
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Gülü M, Yagin FH, Gocer I, Yapici H, Ayyildiz E, Clemente FM, Ardigò LP, Zadeh AK, Prieto-González P, Nobari H. Exploring obesity, physical activity, and digital game addiction levels among adolescents: A study on machine learning-based prediction of digital game addiction. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1097145. [PMID: 36936011 PMCID: PMC10022696 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1097145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Primary study aim was defining prevalence of obesity, physical activity levels, digital game addiction level in adolescents, to investigate gender differences, relationships between outcomes. Second aim was predicting game addiction based on anthropometric measurements, physical activity levels. Cross-sectional study design was implemented. Participants aged 9-14 living in Kirikkale were part of the study. The sample of the study consists of 405 adolescents, 231 girls (57%) and 174 boys (43%). Self-reported data were collected by questionnaire method from a random sample of 405 adolescent participants. To determine the physical activity levels of children, the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children (PAQ-C). Digital Game addiction was evaluated with the digital game addiction (DGA) scale. Additionally, body mass index (BMI) status was calculated by measuring the height and body mass of the participants. Data analysis were performed using Python 3.9 software and SPSS 28.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, United States) package program. According to our findings, it was determined that digital game addiction has a negative relationship with physical activity level. It was determined that physical activity level had a negative relationship with BMI. In addition, increased physical activity level was found to reduce obesity and DGA. Game addiction levels of girl participants were significantly higher than boy participants, and game addiction was higher in those with obesity. With the prediction model obtained, it was determined that age, being girls, BMI and total physical activity (TPA) scores were predictors of game addiction. The results revealed that the increase in age and BMI increased the risk of DGA, and we found that women had a 2.59 times greater risk of DGA compared to men. More importantly, the findings of this study showed that physical activity was an important factor reducing DGA 1.51-fold. Our prediction model Logit (P) = 1/(1 + exp(-(-3.384 + Age*0.124 + Gender-boys*(-0.953) + BMI*0.145 + TPA*(-0.410)))). Regular physical activity should be encouraged, digital gaming hours can be limited to maintain ideal weight. Furthermore, adolescents should be encouraged to engage in physical activity to reduce digital game addiction level. As a contribution to the field, the findings of this study presented important results that may help in the prevention of adolescent game addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehmet Gülü
- Department of Coaching Education, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Kirikkale University, Kirikkale, Türkiye
| | - Fatma Hilal Yagin
- Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, Inonu University Faculty of Medicine, Malatya, Türkiye
| | - Ishak Gocer
- Graduate School of Health Sciences, Ankara University, Ankara, Türkiye
| | - Hakan Yapici
- Department of Coaching Education, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Kirikkale University, Kirikkale, Türkiye
| | - Erdem Ayyildiz
- Sports Management Department, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Tekirdağ Namık Kemal University, Tekirdağ, Türkiye
| | - Filipe Manuel Clemente
- Escola Superior Desporto e Lazer, Instituto Politécnico de Viana do Castelo, Rua Escola Industrial e Comercial de Nun’Álvares, Viana do Castelo, Portugal
- Instituto de Telecomunicações, Delegação da Covilhã, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Luca Paolo Ardigò
- Department of Teacher Education, NLA University College, Oslo, Norway
- Luca Paolo Ardigò,
| | - Ali Khosravi Zadeh
- Department of Exercise Physiology, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Pablo Prieto-González
- Health and Physical Education Department, Prince Sultan University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hadi Nobari
- Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Extremadura, Cáceres, Spain
- Department of Motor Performance, Faculty of Physical Education and Mountain Sports, Transilvania University of Braşov, Braşov, Romania
- *Correspondence: Hadi Nobari,
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Physical Activity and Screen Viewing Behaviors Among Children Aged 6-9 Years During the COVID-19 Pandemic. J Phys Act Health 2023; 20:402-410. [PMID: 36889326 DOI: 10.1123/jpah.2022-0432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Revised: 01/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in many restrictions worldwide, including lockdowns and school closures. This may have prevented children from meeting the recommended physical activity (PA) levels and screen time. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of the pandemic on school-age children's PA and screen time in Saudi Arabia. METHODS A cross-sectional study where caregivers of children aged 6-9 years living in Saudi Arabia were recruited through convenience sampling to fill out an online survey between July and August 2020. The survey covered demographic information, PAs, and screen time across 3 periods: pre-COVID-19 pandemic, during the COVID-19 lockdown, and the last 7 days preceding the survey during the pandemic where social distancing applied, but no lockdown. RESULTS A total of 339 caregivers completed the online survey about their children. The number of active children slightly increased during the lockdown (9.7%) than before COVID-19 and the last days (5.8%); however, the average reported days of PA during the pandemic were fewer than before. The findings indicated that all 3 types of screen time (watch time, screenplay, and device time) were longer during the pandemic (mean [SD]: 9.5 [5.5]) than before the COVID-19 (mean [SD]: 5.8 [5.1]). CONCLUSION While the proportion of active children had increased during the lockdown, the COVID-19 pandemic, the COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted PA days and screen time in school-age children. School-age children in Saudi Arabia were already far from meeting global guidelines even before the pandemic, highlighting this population's need for healthy lifestyle promotion.
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AlShehri NM, AlMarzooqi MA. Consumers' Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Toward Calorie Labeling in Riyadh City, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Assessment. Front Public Health 2022; 10:893978. [PMID: 35910913 PMCID: PMC9330236 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.893978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
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.
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Kristo AS, Çinar N, Kucuknil SL, Sikalidis AK. Technological Devices and Their Effect on Preschool Children's Eating Habits in Communities of Mixed Socioeconomic Status in Istanbul; a Pilot Cross-Sectional Study. Behav Sci (Basel) 2021; 11:bs11110157. [PMID: 34821618 PMCID: PMC8614987 DOI: 10.3390/bs11110157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Revised: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The use of technological devices is increasing in all age groups, especially in preschool-aged children. However, there is a limiting number of studies investigating the relationship between the use of technological devices, eating behavior, and weight status in preschool children. The aim of this study was (1) to describe total usage of technological devices, (2) to evaluate level of exclusive use of such devices by children, (3) to investigate children’s eating behaviors and diet in relation to screen time and type. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 104 children aged 2–5 years in Küçükçekmece and Bakırköy, Istanbul. Data collection consisted of a validated parental questionnaire on demographics and the child’s use of technology and eating behavior, while associations in children were examined using logistic regression analysis. The analysis of the obtained data uncovered a strong association between children’s TV and tablet/smart phone use and the foods consumed by children when using these devices (p = 0.0001; p = 0.012). Also, there was a significant association between children’s eating habits and TV, and tablet/smart phone durations of use (p = 0.015; p = 0.025), but not with computer duration of use (p > 0.05). Obesity and associated health problems can arise as results of suboptimal eating behavior, such as the ones observed in our study, which are also intensified with an increased duration of use of technological devices. The attitude of families towards prudent use of technological equipment is of great importance in impacting present and future health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandra S. Kristo
- Department of Food Science and Nutrition, California Polytechnic State University, 1 Grand Ave., San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA;
- Correspondence:
| | - Nur Çinar
- Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Istanbul Yeni Yuzyil University, Yilanli Ayazma Yolu No 26, Istanbul 34010, Turkey; (N.Ç.); (S.L.K.)
| | - Stefanos L. Kucuknil
- Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Istanbul Yeni Yuzyil University, Yilanli Ayazma Yolu No 26, Istanbul 34010, Turkey; (N.Ç.); (S.L.K.)
- Balıklı Greek Hospital, Physiotherapy Clinic, Belgrad Kapi Yolu No 2, Istanbul 34020, Turkey
| | - Angelos K. Sikalidis
- Department of Food Science and Nutrition, California Polytechnic State University, 1 Grand Ave., San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA;
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