The consumption of alcohol and other drugs causes social and health problems in industrialized societies. Furthermore, alcohol and drug consumption in the workplace is associated with work accidents, ...absenteeism and low productivity. The aim of the current study is to reduce alcohol and drug consumption among workers in the service industry and, as a secondary aim, to improve their healthy habits through the reduction of alcohol and other drug consumption in their leisure time.
This nonrandomized, single-group study was conducted in 12 work centers. The intervention began in 2009 and emphasized 1) health promotion and health monitoring, which included a) alcohol and drug awareness and b) the evaluation and monitoring of alcohol and drug consumption through a semistructured interview designed to assess risky consumption; urine tests aimed at detecting alcohol, cannabis and cocaine use; an Alcotest based on expired air to test for the recent consumption of alcohol and a saliva exam to test for the recent consumption of six drugs; and 2) secondary prevention if risky consumption was identified. Risky alcohol consumption was defined as the ingestion of more than 28 standard drink units (SDUs)/week among men and more than 17 SDUs/week among women (taking into account both work and leisure time). Drug consumption was considered risky consumption.
A total of 1103 workers participated, and each received 5 h of awareness training. Those who presented with risky consumption received secondary prevention training. The prevalence of risky alcohol consumption decreased by 4.1% (baseline: 14.7% reduced to 10.6% in the first year; p = 0.001), a reduction that was maintained over a 3-year follow-up period.
A comprehensive program of worker health surveillance that involves stakeholders and includes monitoring can be a means of potentially improving compliance with workplace promotion programs, resulting in the facilitation of such beneficial, desired behavior change in areas such as alcohol and drug consumption.
Restaurant meal consumption has increased substantially, but the ability of restaurants to adhere to guidelines for the Mediterranean diet, healthiness and food allergen management is a challenge. ...This cross-sectional study aims to assess the Mediterranean diet adherence, healthiness, nutritional quality and food allergen management of meals at restaurants in the Tarragona province (Catalonia, Spain). Primary outcomes included adherence to criteria for the Mediterranean diet (AMed) and gluten management (SMAP), nutritional quality of dishes indicated by a green traffic light rating, meal nutrient content and allergen-free options. Secondary outcomes included restaurant staff knowledge about the Mediterranean diet and food allergens. Forty-four restaurants and 297 dishes were analysed. The restaurants fulfilled an average (mean ± SD) of 5.1 ± 1.6 of 9 compulsory AMed criteria and 12.9 ± 2.8 of 18 SMAP criteria. Dishes were mainly rated green for sugar (n = 178/297; 59.9%) but not for energy (n = 23/297; 7.7%) or total fat (n = 18/297; 6.1%). Waiters and cooks received passing scores for food allergen knowledge (5.8 ± 1.7 and 5.5 ± 1.5 out of 10 points, respectively). Restaurants partially met the AMed and SMAP criteria. Increasing fibre and decreasing saturated fat content are necessary to improve consumers’ adherence to healthy diets. For restaurant staff, training courses should be considered to improve their food allergen management.
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•Dietary phenolic compounds (PCs) interplay with the gut microbiota in the hypertensive state.•Certain PCs show multiple-way relationships with microbiota and short chain fatty ...acids.•Coffee PCs correlate positively with the Bacteroides genus and faecal SCFAs in hypertense.•Olive fruit PCs correlate positively with SCFA-producers and plasma SCFA in normotense.•Different SCFAs absorption modes could be explained by the interplays with PCs.•PCs could precede hypertension or its prevention through the gut microbiota modulation.
In the present study, potential associations between dietary phenolic compounds (PCs), gut microbiota composition and targeted faecal metabolites were identified in a cross-sectional study including grade 1 hypertensive (HT) and normotensive (NT) subjects. We performed comprehensive quantification of PC intake, together with 16S rRNA gene sequencing of the gut microbiota, and faecal and plasma short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) determination. The results showed multiple-way relationships between PCs from several plant-based foods and 25 bacterial taxa previously defined as discriminant biomarkers among groups. Remarkably, coffee PCs were positively associated with systolic and diastolic blood pressure, faecal SCFAs, Bacteroides plebeius and Bacteroides coprocola in HT and negatively associated with Faecalibacterium prausnitzii and Christensenellaceae R-7 in NT. Olive fruit PCs were positively associated with Ruminococcaceae UCG-010, Christensenellaceae R-7 and plasma SCFAs in NT. These interplays with discriminant bacterial taxa in HT and NT subjects highlight the potential role of specific PCs as gut microbiome modulators in either the pathogenesis or prevention of hypertension.
Abstract Purpose The Educació en Alimentació (EdAl) program conducted over 28 months in primary school children reduced obesity (OB) prevalence in boys and increased voluntary physical activity (PA). ...The continued benefit after cessation of EdAl is unknown. We assessed the changes in OB prevalence and healthy lifestyle in 11- to 13-year-old adolescents, the age group that had complete inclusion data available 2 years after the EdAl program's conclusion. Methods Adolescents (n = 421 intervention; n = 198 control) with data at baseline and 2-year follow-up were recruited. Analyses included body mass index (BMI), BMI z -score, and lifestyle data (from questionnaires). Results Between baseline and 2-year follow-up, OB prevalence was reduced (−5.5%; p < .01) and BMI z -score (−.29; p < .001) in intervention compared with control group. BMI z -score was effectively reduced in intervention in both genders: −.26 units in boys and −.32 units in girls, compared with control group. The ≥4 hours/week after-school PA was increased significantly by 13.1% in adolescents of intervention group compared with control group ( p = .023); a tendency toward increased PA in intervention girls was observed ( p = .062). At 2-year follow-up, participating in ≥4 hours/week after-school PA (odds ratio, .240; p = .002) and daily fruit consumption (odds ratio, .447; p = .025) were protective factors against OB, whereas ≤2 hours/week after-school PA was a risk factor for OB. Conclusions At 2-year follow-up, the EdAl program induced a lowering of BMI z -score and OB prevalence, compared with control group. After-school PA practice can be stimulated in primary school as part of a healthy lifestyle and maintained subsequently despite cessation of the intervention program.
Background
Adolescents who participate as peer leaders can benefit and acquire competencies from their peer leadership experience.
Objectives
To identify the competencies gained by adolescents who ...participated as peer leaders in a healthy lifestyle study and to determine whether the training characteristics were related to improvement in competencies.
Design
The present study was part of the European Youth Tackling Obesity (EYTO) project, a multicentre social marketing intervention involving four European countries.
Setting and Participants
Eighteen peer leaders (aged 13–15 years, three or five leaders per country) from disadvantaged neighbourhoods received training in designing and implementing activities for their peers.
Measures
The peer leaders' confidence, experience and interest in 11 tasks related to lifelong learning competencies were assessed with questions rated on a colour scale at baseline and at the end of the study.
Results
The peer leaders demonstrated improvements in experience, confidence and interest in different tasks, such as research, website or logo design, oral presentations, social media use and collaboration with people from other countries. They increased their confidence in management tasks (p = 0.03) and their confidence and experience in communication tasks (p = 0.01). The peer leaders from Spain and Portugal had greater improvements than those from the other countries.
Conclusion
The peer leaders improved their confidence in management tasks and their confidence and experience in communication tasks. Slight differences were detected in improvement in competencies by country, likely due to the differences in the peer training applied. Recommendations for peer leader training are proposed, although these results should be verified with larger sample size.
Patient or Public Contribution
The peer leaders contributed to the design and implementation of the training and intervention.
Abstract Context Adolescence is an optimal period to promote healthy lifestyles because behavior patterns are established in this stage. It has been suggested that engaging youth increases the ...effectiveness of interventions, but an overview is lacking. Objective This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of participatory research (PR) interventions, where adolescents (11–18 years old) from high-income countries had a significant role in the intervention development and/or delivery, compared with no (PR) intervention control groups on obesity-related outcomes and healthy lifestyle behaviors (HLBs). Data Sources Eight databases (Embase, Medline ALL, Web of Science Core Collection, PsycINFO, ERIC, CINAHL, Scopus, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials) and Google Scholar were searched from 1990 to 2024 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and non-RCTs (in English). Data Extraction Two researchers independently performed the data extraction and risk-of-bias assessment. Data Analysis Sixteen studies were included and outcomes have been narratively described. Seven studies evaluated youth-led interventions, 3 studies evaluated co-created interventions, and 6 studies evaluated the combination of both. Six studies focused on physical activity (PA), 2 on nutrition, and 8 on a combination of PA, nutrition, and/or obesity-related outcomes. Ten studies presented at least 1 significant effect on PA, nutrition, or obesity-related outcomes in favor of the intervention group. Additionally, 12 studies were pooled in a meta-analysis. Whereas a small desired effect was found for fruit consumption, a small undesired effect was found for vegetable consumption. The pooled analysis found no significant effects on moderate–vigorous PA, total PA, and PA self-efficacy. Conclusion We found some evidence that youth empowerment in research may have positive effects on obesity-related HLBs, specifically an increased fruit consumption. However, the overall evidence was inconclusive due to limited studies and the heterogeneity of the studies included. This overview may guide future public health interventions that aim to engage and empower adolescents. Systematic Review Registration PROSPERO registration Nº CRD42021254135.
Oligopinۚ (OP) is a quantified extract from French Maritime Pine bark (FMPB) with low molecular weight procyanidins. The cardioprotective effects of OP need to be tested in human clinical ...intervention trials with an appropriate design.
The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of subchronic consumption of OP on cardiovascular disease risk factors such as lipid profile, systolic blood pressure (BP) and oxidized-Low Density Lipoprotein (ox-LDL) in stage-1-hypertensive subjects.
Between February 14 and May 31, 2014, eligible subjects were recruited from the outpatient clinics of Hospital Universitari Sant Joan (Reus, Spain). A total of 24 participants (mean age ± DS; 57.36 ± 11.25; 17 men) with stage-1-hypertension who were not receiving BP-lowering medication and LDL cholesterol < 4.88 mmol/l were randomized in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study. The subjects received 2 capsules/day with 75 mg of OP or placebo for 5-weeks.
At 5-weeks, compared to the placebo, OP raised High Density Lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-c) by 14.06% (p = 0.012) and apolipoprotein A-1 by 8.12% (p = 0.038) and reduced the ratio of apolipoprotein B-100/A-1 by 10.26% (p = 0.046). Moreover, at 5-weeks, compared to the baseline, OP reduced the systolic BP by 6.36 mmHg (p = 0.014), and decreased ox-LDL concentrations by 31.72 U/l (p = 0.015).
At 5-weeks, the consumption of 150 mg/day of OP improve lipid cardiovascular profile and represents one of the scarce ways to increase HDL-c in stage-1-hypertensive subjects.
ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02063477
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COVID-19 has harmed restaurants, but customer preferences remain unknown. This study aims to determine the needs, barriers, interests, and food choice changes in restaurants and customers before and ...during the COVID-19 pandemic in Tarragona Province (Spain).
An observational cross-sectional study conducted in spring 2021 collected Mediterranean offerings, food safety, and hygiene information about the pandemic through online surveys and focus group interviews with restaurateurs and customers about the changes in their needs and new barriers.
Fifty-one restaurateurs (44 survey, 7 focus group) and 138 customers (132 survey, 6 focus group) were included. In relation to the economic, emotional, and uncertainty restaurateurs' barriers detected, they implemented measures to tackle it: buy less and more often, reduce restaurant staff and reduce the restaurants offer, among others. Some customers reported changes in their restaurant orders, specifically increasing their takeaway orders. The Mediterranean diet offer (AMed criteria) remained without noticeable changes in any of the criteria. After lockdown, compared to before lockdown, restaurateurs increased their takeaway offerings by 34.1% (
< 0.001) and their use of digital menus by 27.3% (
< 0.001) because of customer demand. The use of local products in the menus remained high. The cleaning and disinfection tasks increased by 21.1% (
= 0.022), and the use of hydroalcoholic solutions increased by 13.7% (
= 0.031).
In restaurants, the first COVID-19 lockdown increased takeaway orders, sanitation, and digital communication. This study provides valuable information for adapting gastronomic offerings during challenging situations.
Obesity is one of the main determinants of avoidable disease burden.To implement a program by university students acting as "health promoting agents" (HPAs) and to evaluate the effects on obesity ...prevalence of the primary-school-based program that promotes healthy lifestyle, including dietary and physical activity recommendations over 28 months.
Two school clusters were randomly assigned to intervention (24 schools, 1,222 pupils) or control (14 schools, 717 pupils); 78% of pupils were Western European. Mean age (±SD) was 8.4±0.6 years (49.9% females) at baseline. Generalized linear mixed models were used to analyze differences in primary outcome between both groups. Data collected included body mass index (BMI) every year. Dietary habits and lifestyle questionnaires were filled in by the parents at baseline and at the end of the study. The interventions focused on eight lifestyle topics covered in 12 activities (1 hour/activity/session) implemented by HPAs over 3 school academic years.
At 28 months, obesity prevalence in boys was decreased -2.36% in the intervention group (from 9.59% to 7.23%) and increased 2.03% (from 7.40% to 9.43%) in the control group; the difference was 4.39% (95% CI 3.48 to 5.30; P=0.01). The boys in the intervention group had an effective reduction of -0.24 units in the change of BMI z-score (from 0.01 to -0.04), compared to control (from -0.10 to 0.09); 5.1% more intervention pupils undertook physical activity>5 hours/week than control pupils (P=0.02).Fish consumption was a protector (odds ratio 0.39; 95% CI 0.23 to 0.67) while "fast-food" consumption was a risk factor for childhood obesity (odds ratio: 2.27; 95% CI 1.08 to 4.77).
Our school-based program, conducted by HPA students, successfully reduced childhood obesity prevalence in boys.
International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Number: ISRCTN29247645.
Whether bioactive lysophospholipids (lyso-PLs) and trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) serve as non-invasive biomarkers in early human hypercholesterolemia (HC) is unknown. This study aimed to assess ...whether serum lyso-PLs and plasma TMAO may be suitable susceptibility/risk biomarkers of HC in humans. Secondarily, we aimed to evaluate the relationships between targeted metabolites, diet composition and circulating liver transaminases, and verify these results in hamsters.
A targeted metabolomics and lipidomics approach determined plasma TMAO and serum lysophosphatidylcholines (lyso-PCs) and lysophosphatidylethanolamines (lyso-PEs) in low (L-LDL-c) and moderate to high (MH-LDL-c) LDL-cholesterol subjects. Additionally, the relationships between targeted metabolites, liver transaminases and diet, particularly fatty acid intake, were tested. In parallel, plasma and liver lyso-PL profiles were studied in 16 hamsters fed a moderate high-fat (HFD) or low-fat (LFD) diet for 30 days.
Predictive models identified lyso-PC15:0 and lyso-PE18:2 as the most discriminant lyso-PLs among groups. In MH-LDL-c (n = 48), LDL-cholesterol and saturated FAs were positively associated with lyso-PC15:0, whereas in L-LDL-c (n = 70), LDL-cholesterol and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) were negatively and positively related to lyso-PE18:2, respectively. Interestingly, in MH-LDL-c, the lower lyso-PE 18:2 concentrations were indicative of higher LDL-cholesterol levels. Intrahepatic accumulation of lyso-PLs-containing essential n-6 PUFAs, including lyso-PE18:2, were higher in HFD-fed hamsters than LFD-fed hamsters.
Overall, results revealed a possible hepatic adaptive mechanism to counteract diet-induced steatosis in animal and hypercholesterolemia progression in humans. In particular, low serum lyso-PE18:2 suggests a suitable susceptibility/risk biomarker of HC in humans.
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