Background: Diabetes is a major health disease reaching epidemic levels in the Middle East Regions. It is associated with many complications that have an adverse effect on patient’s quality of life. Nutrition therapy is essential, where dietary modification and improved dietary habits are important for its management and control. Objective: This study aimed to assess the adherence to dietary recommendations of adult patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) diagnosed since at least one year residing in north Lebanon and to explore factors associated with this adherence. Methods: A cross-sectional ...

Cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment, have a higher risk to foodborne infections as compared to other populations. Oncology nurses, having a direct significant contact with these patients, could be the first information source concerning food safety and play a pivotal role in reducing these risks. This study aims to assess the level of knowledge regarding food safety among oncology nurses, as well as their attitudes and practices in private hospitals in Lebanon. An observational cross-sectional study was carried out, using a self-administered questionnaire, recruiting 134 oncology ...

Thyme intake assessment is gaining significance because thyme is becoming a global staple food and its use has been on the rise. Limited research has been done on the assessment of dietary patterns on thyme and thyme products in Lebanon. The aim of this study was conducted for this purpose, a developed FFQ was carried on a convenient sample of 1555 adult participants. Out of the total, 1523 persons (97.9%) consumed at least one thyme product. The mean consumption of thyme products was estimated to be 425.5 g/day, providing an estimated 31.4 g/day of thyme. Thyme pie had the highest mean intake ...

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between nutritional status and associated risk factors such as:, socio-economic, physical, pathological and psychological factors, among elderly residing in Lebanese nursing homes. Design/methodology/approach – This cross-sectional study was carried out in 36 elderly care nursing homes with 2,094 residents. Of these, only 221 (11 per cent) elderly met the inclusion criteria and successfully completed the interview question. Data on socio-demographic characteristics and health conditions: oral, nutritional, depression, ...

Lebanese bread is a staple food consumed with every meal and great vehicle for a range of nutrients. Nowadays, manufacturers use nutrition and health claims (NHC) to communicate the nutrients contents and benefits of the food while increasing sale and competitiveness. In absence of stringent standards regulations and control, misleading claims could jeopardize consumers’ public health. The aim of this study was to examine pre-packaged Lebanese breads in Mount Lebanon, to assess their compliance with the Lebanese (LIBNOR NL 661:2017) and/or international standard CODEX (CAC/GL 23-1997) to carry ...

Background: Constitutional thinness is characterized by a low body mass index, the absence of signs of under nutrition and is still misdiagnosed as anorexia nervosa. This rare entity was most often described in European countries. Data concerning their nutritional and psychological profile are missing in other populations or cultures, especially in the Middle East. Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the psychological, nutritional, and hormonal status in a group of Lebanese constitutionally thin adults in comparison with a control group. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried ...

The genus Cercis (redbud) belongs to the subfamily Caesalpinioideae of the plant family Fabaceae (Leguminosae). It includes 10 recognized species scattered widely across the warm, north-temperate zones of North America and Eurasia. Cercis siliquastrum is native to Lebanon found in altitudes ranging between 0-800m. The flowers are edible, with sweet to sour taste, used as salad garnish, and can be drunk as tea to relief stomach aches. Flowers are known to be rich in phytochemicals that are strongly associated with reduced risk of developing chronic diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, and ...

Introduction: Eating Disorders (EDs) are mental illnesses that affect all individuals worldwide, causing severe complications. EDs can be divided into classical (Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, and Binge-Eating Disorder), and non-classical (Pica, Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder, and Night Eating Syndrome). Several risk factors might lead to their development, in particular, stressful life events. The current COVID-19 pandemic is imposing psychological distress, mainly on individuals with existing mental health issues. To our knowledge, no studies have assessed the prevalence of ...

Introduction: Orthorexia Nervosa (ON), or the obsession with healthy eating is a new eating disorder that has gained popularity in the recent years. A very limited amount of literature exists regarding ON in Arab countries including Lebanon. The objective of the current study was to assess the prevalence of ON in a representative sample of Lebanese university students, and different factors that might affect ON development. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study on 349 university students from three Lebanese regions: Mount Lebanon, North, and Shouf. The ORTO-15 scale was used to assess ON ...

Background: High prevalence of suboptimal vitamin D status has paralleled the obesity epidemic; thus there has been a growing scientific interest in understanding the relationship between serum vitamin D levels and adiposity. Given the 1) high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in Lebanon 2) lack of evidence on the association between body fat distribution (BFD), particularly direct measures of BFD, and serum vitamin D levels 3) lack of simultaneous control for important confounding variables, including indices of body composition, our study is the first to explore the association between a ...