The Israel military occupation, ongoing for over 75 years, has profoundly impacted the health and well-being of Palestinians. Despite longstanding calls for Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and sustainable development, the response of global health systems and organizations to crises such as the recent large-scale military assault on Gaza in October 2023 has been inadequate. There is a critical need to examine why these global health approaches have failed and how they can be restructured to address the unique challenges in Gaza effectively.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Ultra-processed foods are evident to play a role in the development of nutrition-related non-communicable diseases (NR-NCDs). There's a scarcity of data in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) regarding ultra-processed food consumption, which highlights the need for such data in this region that is witnessing a nutrition transition. This study was conducted to assess the dietary pattern of Lebanese adults according to different degrees of food processing.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFChildhood and adolescence are critical developmental stages, where adequate nutrition plays a pivotal role in ensuring proper growth and long-term health [...
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Pregnancy is a crucial period for maternal and fetal health, and in Lebanon, where cultural and economic factors influence dietary practices, there is an urgent need to evaluate the food consumption patterns and diet quality of pregnant women.
Aim: To evaluate the food consumption patterns, energy intake, as well as macro- and micro-nutrient intake among a nationally representative sample of Lebanese pregnant women aged 18-49 years old.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out from March to October 2023, involving 500 pregnant women from all eight Lebanese governorates.
Supplementing with antioxidants may be one of the most efficient means of minimizing oxidative stress during workouts in obese individuals. The aim of this study is to identify the results after twelve weeks of CrossFit workouts combined with Spinach thylakoid extract on the levels of insulin resistance (insulin and Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance [HOMA-IR]), fasting blood sugar (FBS), malondialdehyde (MDA), creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in obese males. Sixty-eight males with an average age of 27 ± 8 yrs and a BMI of 32.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFUnlabelled: Adolescence is a critical period for establishing lifelong health behaviors; yet in Lebanon, limited data exist on the prevalence of risk factors among this demographic.
Objective: This study aims to assess alcohol consumption, dietary habits, physical activity, mental health, and smoking behaviors among Lebanese adolescents aged 13-17 years, with a focus on gender and school-type differences.
Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted in Lebanon between March and July 2022 using the Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS) questionnaire.
Background: Magnesium administration is a common practice in cardiovascular surgeries utilizing cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). However, concerns persist regarding the risk of hypermagnesemia, particularly in patients with kidney dysfunction. This study aims to determine the incidence of postoperative hypermagnesemia in CPB-assisted cardiovascular surgeries and identify the associated risk factors.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Obesity presents multifarious etiopathologies with its management being a global challenge. This article presents the first ever report on the impact of spinach thylakoid extract-induced high-intensity functional training (HIFT) on obesity management via regulating the levels of novel adipokine, C1q/TNF-related Protein-12 (CTRP-12), furin, and Krüppel-like factor 15 (KLF-15).
Methods: Sixty-eight obese male subjects were randomly divided into four groups: control group (CG), supplement group (SG), training group (TG), and the combined training and supplement group (TSG).
Objective: Obesity is associated with an exacerbated metabolic condition that is mediated through impairing balance in the secretion of some adipo-myokines. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to explore the impact of astaxanthin supplementation in conjunction with a 12-week CrossFit training regimen on some selected adipo-myokines, insulin insensitivity, and serum lipid levels in obese males.
Material And Methods: This study is a randomized control trial design; 60 obese males were randomly divided into four groups of 15, including the control group (CG), supplement group (SG), training group (TG), and combined training and supplement group (TSG).
Background & Aims: The use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has become widespread with encouraging outcomes in the neoadjuvant setting. Safety and intention-to-treat (ITT) outcomes in the peri-transplant setting are currently based on small and heterogenous single-center reports.
Methods: This first multiregional US study (2016-2023) included 117 consecutive patients with HCC assessed for liver transplantation (LT) and treated preoperatively with ICIs.
Background: Dietary supplements (DS) use among Lebanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) increased widely due to the country's economic and financial situation. This study was conducted (1) to estimate the prevalence of DS use among persons with T2DM amid the escalating economic crisis in Lebanon; (2) to explore the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of DS use; and (3) to determine any significant association between socio-economic and socio-demographic factors and the use of DS modality.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted during the worst episode of the economic crisis between October and April 2022 on 460 adult patients with T2DM of both sexes.
Background/aims: Chronic inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are known for a combination of food intolerance, decreased oral intake, and malabsorption which all predispose patients to malnutrition and suboptimal dietary intake. The present study was conducted to 1) examine self-reported food intolerances and dietary supplement use 2) assess nutritional intake 3) assess the nutritional status and screen for malnutrition among patients with chronic inflammatory bowel disease (CIBD).
Methods: 48 patients with CIBDs (28 Crohn's disease, 15 ulcerative colitis and 7 with atypical forms of IBD) took part in this cross-sectional study.
Background: The rates of obesity, undernutrition, and other non-communicable diseases are on the rise among Lebanese adults. Therefore, it is crucial to evaluate the food consumption habits of this population to understand diet quality, analyze consumption trends, and compare them to healthy diets known to reduce risks of non-communicable diseases.
Aim: To evaluate the food consumption patterns, energy intake, as well as macro- and micro-nutrient intake among a nationally representative sample of Lebanese adults aged 18-64 years old.
Background: Multiple myeloma (MM) is a malignant disorder characterized by monoclonal differentiated plasma cells. While it is more commonly diagnosed in elderly individuals, it can also affect younger populations, though with a lower incidence.
Case Presentation: Here, we present the case of a 32-year-old woman diagnosed with IgA lambda MM.
As Lebanon's economic crisis become uncontrollable, Lebanese pregnant women face malnutrition, with many having to skip meals and switch to resort to cheap and unhealthy alternatives altogether. The objectives of the study were to assess the dietary and lifestyle patterns of Lebanese pregnant women and to evaluate their diets compliance with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) pregnancy recommendations, before and during the Lebanese escalating economic crisis. A cross-sectional study was conducted between April 2021 and January 2022.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: As the adult Fontan population with Fontan associated liver disease continues to increase, more patients are being referred for transplantation, including combined heart and liver transplantation.
Methods: We report updated mortality and morbidity outcomes after combined heart and liver transplant in a retrospective cohort series of 40 patients (age 14 to 49 years) with Fontan circulation across two centers from 2006-2022.
Results: The 30-day, 1-year, 5-year and 10-year survival rate was 90%, 80%, 73% and 73% respectively.
Mycotoxins have been linked to adverse health impacts, including liver cancer and kidney diseases. The objectives of the current study were to evaluate the dietary exposure of Lebanese adults to multi-mycotoxins (aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), aflatoxin M1 (AFM1), ochratoxin A (OTA), ochratoxin B (OTB), deoxynivalenol (DON), T-2 and HT-2) and to assess their associated health risks. Hence, a nationally representative sample of 449 participants aged 18-64 years old were interviewed to obtain their socio-demographic characteristics, food consumption data and exposure estimates.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Am Coll Cardiol
February 2024