The Use of Mobile Technologies to Promote Physical Activity and Reduce Sedentary Behaviors in the Middle East and North Africa Region: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region faces unique challenges in promoting physical activity and reducing sedentary behaviors, as the prevalence of insufficient physical activity is higher than the global average. Mobile technologies present a promising approach to delivering behavioral interventions; however, little is known about the effectiveness and user perspectives on these technologies in the MENA region.

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of mobile interventions targeting physical activity and sedentary behaviors in the MENA region and explore users' perspectives on these interventions as well as any other outcomes that might influence users' adoption and use of mobile technologies (eg, appropriateness and cultural fit).

Corrigendum: Prevalence of overweight and obesity among saudi children: a comparison of two widely used international standards and the national growth references.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.

Prevalence of overweight and obesity among saudi children: A comparison of two widely used international standards and the national growth references.

Objective: To compare three body mass index (BMI) classifications that are used to assess the prevalence of overweight and obesity among Saudi children aged 6-13 years: the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) age and gender cutoffs, the World Health Organization (WHO) growth references for school-aged children, and the Saudi (KSA) national growth references.

Methods: The sample comprised 2,169 children (52.5% girls) derived from two cross-sectional studies conducted in Riyadh and Jeddah during the 2017 and 2019 school years, respectively.

Validation and performance comparison of two SARS-CoV-2 IgG/IgM rapid tests.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes a disease called COVID-19. COVID-19 is primarily diagnosed using molecular techniques mainly real-time reverse transcriptase PCR. Reliable and accurate serologic assays for COVID-19, are an important tool for surveillance and epidemiologic studies.

Impact of lifestyle behaviors in early childhood on obesity and cardiometabolic risk in children: Results from the Spanish INMA birth cohort study.

Background: Identifying modifiable lifestyle behaviors linked to childhood obesity is necessary to develop preventive strategies.

Objective: To estimate the association of five lifestyle behaviors in children aged 4 years on obesity and cardiometabolic risk factors at age 4 years and on obesity and blood pressure at age 7 years.

Methods: We used child lifestyle data from the INMA project at age 4 years (n = 1480).

Association of eating behaviors, lifestyle, and maternal education with adherence to the Mediterranean diet in Spanish children.

Background: The Mediterranean diet serves as a proxy of a high-quality diet. Although several factors are known to affect a child's ability to follow a high-quality diet, no prospective data are available on factors that influence adherence to a Mediterranean diet among children. Our objective was to investigate the association of Mediterranean diet adherence with eating behaviors, lifestyle habits, and maternal education in a prospective cohort of children.

Effect of a community-based childhood obesity intervention program on changes in anthropometric variables, incidence of obesity, and lifestyle choices in Spanish children aged 8 to 10 years.

Unlabelled: Results of community-based childhood obesity intervention programs do not provide strong evidence for their effectiveness. In this study, we evaluated the effect of the Thao-Child Health Program (TCHP), a community-based, multisetting, multistrategy intervention program for healthy weight development and lifestyle choices. In four Catalan cities, a total of 2250 children aged 8 to 10 years were recruited.

Association of physical activity with body mass index, waist circumference and incidence of obesity in older adults.

Background: There is limited, and inconsistent, data on the prospective association between physical activity and surrogate markers of adiposity in older adults. We aim to determine the prospective association of leisure time physical activity (LTPA) with body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and the incidence of obesity.

Methods: This prospective analysis included 7144 individuals with a mean age of 67 ± 6.

Cumulative Effect of Obesogenic Behaviours on Adiposity in Spanish Children and Adolescents.

Objective: Little is known about the cumulative effect of obesogenic behaviours on childhood obesity risk. We determined the cumulative effect on BMI z-score, waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), overweight and abdominal obesity of four lifestyle behaviours that have been linked to obesity.

Methods: In this cross-sectional analysis, data were obtained from the EnKid sudy, a representative sample of Spanish youth.

Association of diet quality with dietary inflammatory potential in youth.

: Diet plays a crucial role in the regulation of chronic inflammation. The sparse evidence available in adult populations indicates that diet quality is linked to the dietary inflammatory potential; however, this association has not been established in youth. : Data were obtained from a representative national sample of 2889 children and young people in Spain, aged 6-24 years.

Dietary flavonoids of Spanish youth: intakes, sources, and association with the Mediterranean diet.

Background: Plant-based diets have been linked to high diet quality and reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases. The health impact of plant-based diets might be partially explained by the concomitant intake of flavonoids. Estimation of flavonoids intake in adults has been important for the development of dietary recommendations and interventions for the prevention of weight gain and its consequences.

Monetary Diet Cost, Diet Quality, and Parental Socioeconomic Status in Spanish Youth.

Background: Using a food-based analysis, healthy dietary patterns in adults are more expensive than less healthy ones; studies are needed in youth. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to determine relationships between monetary daily diet cost, diet quality, and parental socioeconomic status.

Design And Methods: Data were obtained from a representative national sample of 3534 children and young people in Spain, aged 2 to 24 years.

Impact of diet on cardiometabolic health in children and adolescents.

The manifestation of cardiovascular risk factors, such as hypertension, diabetes, and particularly obesity begins in children and adolescents, with deleterious effects for cardiometabolic health at adulthood. Although the impact of diet on cardiovascular risk factors has been studied extensively in adults, showing that their cardiometabolic health is strongly lifestyle-dependent, less is known about this impact in children and adolescents. In particular, little is known about the relationship between their dietary patterns, especially when derived a posteriori, and cardiovascular risk.