Ihab Tewfik

Obesity and low vision as a result of excessive Internet use and television viewing

The technological age has resulted in children spending prolonged hours in front of television (TV) and computer screens (on the internet). The aim of this prospective cross-sectional study is to determine the effect of this phenomenon on both childhood obesity and low vision in the State of Qatar. A total of 3000 school students aged 6 to 18 years were approached from September 2009 to March 2010 and 2467 (82.2%) students agreed to participate. Face-to-face interviews based on a designed questionnaire were conducted. The highest proportion of obese children were aged between 15-18 years (9.4%; p < 0.001); spent ≥ 3 hours on the internet (5.6%; p < 0.001), and spent between 5-7 hours or less sleeping (4.1%; p < 0.001). Forty-six (1.9%) children spent ≥ 3 hours/day on the internet, and were either overweight/obese and had low vision. The study findings confirmed a positive association between obesity and low vision as a result of excessive time spent on the TV view and internet use.

Prevalence of overweight, obesity, and associated psychological problems in Qatari's female population

Dissatisfaction with body weight and the use of unhealthy weight reduction practices have been reported among adolescents. It is important to conduct rigorous studies using large representative samples of female adolescents to assess accurately the frequency of dieting, overweight and eating disorders and accompanying attitudes. The aim of the present study was to examine the severity of dieting and its association with obesity, body satisfaction and psychological problems in female adolescents. A representative sample of 800 girls aged 14–19 years were approached during the period of October to December 2004, and 566 girls gave consent and participated in the study, thus giving a response rate of 70.8%. Self‐reports were obtained from 566 teenage girls using the Adolescent Dieting Scale and the Self‐Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ‐20) for psychopathology. Subjects were classified into three categories: acceptable weight (BMI < 25 kg m−2); overweight (BMI 25–29.9 kg m−2); and obese (BMI > 30 kg m−2). The prevalence of overweight and obesity for female adolescents were 13.4% vs. 1.8%; 39.9% were intermediate dieters, and 8.3% were extreme dieters. Dieting was not associated with age but was significantly associated with body mass index (BMI) (P = 0.045). Extreme dieting was strongly associated with peer perception of respondents figure (P < 0.001) and self‐perception of figure (P = 0.016). Additionally, in adult Qatari population overweight and obesity for males were (34.4% vs. 34.6%) and for females were (33.0% vs. 45.3%). This is significantly higher than adolescent girls. (P < 0.01). The SRQ score was significantly highest in the extreme dieters group (P = 0.005). The extreme dieters get most of their education about dieting from school (14.0%) and TV (43.6%). The present study revealed strong evidence for the association between frequent dieting and overweight, body image dissatisfaction and psychological problems among adolescent females.

Impact of lifestyle and dietary habits on hypovitaminosis D in type 1 diabetes mellitus and healthy children from Qatar, a sun-rich country.

BACKGROUND There are no population-based studies that have examined the association between vitamin D and type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and the role of lifestyle habits and dietary factors in young children in the Arabian Gulf and Middle East region. Little data on the intake of these nutrients in Mediterranean countries exist, and predictors of their suboptimal intake are not well defined. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to determine the association between vitamin D status and T1DM and assess the impact of lifestyle and dietary habits on hypovitaminosis D in the young population of the State of Qatar. A matched case-control study was carried out among T1DM children and healthy subjects <16 years of age at the pediatric endocrinology outpatient clinics of the Hamad General Hospital and the primary health care clinics center. The survey was conducted over a period from 6 August to 25 December 2007. The sample included 170 cases and 170 controls matched by age, gender and ethnicity. METHODS Face to face interviews were based on a questionnaire that included variables such as sociodemographic information, assessment of non-dietary covariates, assessment of dietary intake including vitamin D, type of feeding, clinical manifestations and laboratory investigations. Their health status was assessed by medical conditions, family history, body mass index, past or present clinical manifestations, serum 25(OH) vitamin D, calcium, alkaline phosphates, phosphorus, hemoglobin A1C, parathyroid hormone, magnesium and creatinine analysis. RESULTS The study revealed that the incidence of severe vitamin D deficiency was considerably higher in T1DM (28.8%) compared with healthy children (17.1%). Although the mean serum level of vitamin D was significantly lower in T1DM children (15.80+/-9.23 ng/ml), compared with nondiabetic children (18.45+/-9.56 ng/ml), both groups belonged to the mild-moderate vitamin D deficiency category. A family history of vitamin D deficiency (35.3%; p=0.012) and diabetes mellitus (56.5%; p<0.001) was significantly higher in diabetic children. More than half of the diabetic (67.1%) and healthy children (51.2%) had no physical activity in their daily life. Both groups (65.9 vs. 62.9%) had very limited exposure to sunlight. Vitamin D supplement intake was very poor in diabetic children compared with healthy children; 60% of diabetic and 40.6% of healthy children never had any vitamin D supplement. The study revealed that vitamin D serum concentration, phosphorus, hemoglobin A1C, magnesium and creatinine show statistically significant differences between T1DM and healthy control subjects. A significant difference was noted between diabetic and healthy children for fractures (p=0.005), weakness (p=0.001) and gastroenteritis (p=0.025). CONCLUSIONS The present study revealed that vitamin D deficiency is a common problem in Qatari children, but the incidence of vitamin D deficiency becomes very severe in T1DM children, compared with healthy children. This suggests that there is an association between vitamin D deficiency and T1DM. The data show that vitamin D status is dependent on sunshine exposure and dietary vitamin D intake. The results suggest the necessity of nutrition education to promote healthy eating habits among adolescents and their parents.

A rapid supercritical fluid extraction method for the qualitative detection of 2-alkylcyclobutanones in gamma-irradiated fresh and sea water fish

2-Alkylcyclobutanones are routinely used as chemical markers for irradiated foods containing lipids. However, current extraction procedures (soxhlet-Florisil chromatography) for the isolation of these markers involve a long and tedious clean-up regime prior to GC-MS identification. A simple and rapid method for the isolation of these markers using carbon dioxide as a super critical fluid is described for low lipid content fish samples (fresh and sea water) irradiated up to 8kGy. The presence of 2-dodecylcyclobutanone (2-DCB), a radiolytic marker, was confirmed in all irradiated fish samples at all doses. This was a clear indication that the fish samples had been irradiated and that both methods of isolation (florisil and supercritical fluid extraction) were capable of qualitatively extracting this marker. Supercritical fluid extraction is proposed as an alternative extraction procedure to the florisil chromatography method currently in use and has the added advantage of a considerably shorter extraction time.

CO2 photoassimilation, chlorophyll fluorescence, lipid peroxidation and yield in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L. cv Giza 65) in response to O3

Over the recent years, convincing evidence has emerged of both a decrease in stratospheric ozone (O3) and an increase in tropospheric O3 concentration. There is an intimate relationship between O3 and photosynthesis (A), which is ultimately linked to plant growth and yield. Photosynthetic response, chlorophyll fluorescence, Rubisco activity, lipid peroxidation and yield of an Egyptian cultivar of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L. Cv. Giza 65) in response to fumigation with 70 nl l-1 O3 for 14 days, 10 hd-1 (8:00–18:00 local time) were investigated. Photosynthetic rate (A), stomatal conductance (gs), the ratio between variable and maximum fluorescence (Fv/Fm) and total Rubisco activity were reduced by 18%, 23%, 11% and 34%, respectively, and chlorophyll content, growth and yield of the plant were also reduced substantially by O3 exposure. O3-induced reductions in A were related to declines in growth and yield. Since exposure to O3 concentration typical of level of the pollutant recorded in Egypt reduced A, growth and yield of the species under investigation, reductions in A may be occurring in other important crops in Egypt.

American Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora): a randomised, double-blind placebo-controlled crossover study of its effects on mood in healthy volunteers.

Scutellaria lateriflora, a traditional herbal remedy for stress and anxiety, was tested on human volunteers for its effects on mood. In a placebo‐controlled, double‐blind, crossover study, 43 healthy participants were randomised to a sequence of three times daily S. lateriflora (350 mg) or placebo, each over two weeks. In this relatively non‐anxious population (81% were mildly anxious or less, i.e. Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) scores ≤ 15), there was no significant difference between skullcap and placebo with BAI (p = 0.191). However, there was a significant group effect (p = 0.049), suggesting a carryover effect of skullcap. For Total Mood Disturbance measured by the Profile of Mood States, there was a highly significant (p = <0.001) decrease from pre‐test scores with skullcap but not placebo (p = 0.072). The limitations of carryover effect, generally low anxiety scores and differences in anxiety levels between groups at baseline (p = 0.022), may have reduced the chances of statistical significance in this study. However, as S. lateriflora significantly enhanced global mood without a reduction in energy or cognition, further study assessing its putative anxiolytic effects in notably anxious subjects with co‐morbid depression is warranted. Copyright

Hepatic mitochondrial dysfunction induced by fatty acids and ethanol.

Understanding the key aspects of the pathogenesis of alcoholic fatty liver disease particularly alterations to mitochondrial function remains to be resolved. The role of fatty acids in this regard requires further investigation due to their involvement in fatty liver disease and obesity. This study aimed to characterize the early effects of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids alone on liver mitochondrial function and during concomitant ethanol exposure using isolated liver mitochondria and VA-13 cells (Hep G2 cells that efficiently express alcohol dehydrogenase). Liver mitochondria or VA-13 cells were treated with increasing concentrations of palmitic or arachidonic acid (1 to 160 μM) for 24 h with or without 100 mM ethanol. The results showed that in isolated liver mitochondria both palmitic and arachidonic acids significantly reduced state 3 respiration in a concentration-dependent manner (P<0.001), implicating their ionophoric activities. Increased ROS production occurred in a dose-dependent manner especially in the presence of rotenone (complex I inhibitor), which was significantly more prominent in arachidonic acid at 80 μM (+970%, P<0.001) than palmitic acid (+40%, P<0.01). In VA-13 cells, ethanol alone and both fatty acids (40 μM) were able to decrease the mitochondrial membrane potential and cellular ATP levels and increase lipid formation. ROS production was significantly increased with arachidonic acid (+110%, P<0.001) exhibiting a greater effect than palmitic acid (+39%, P<0.05). While in the presence of ethanol, the drop in the mitochondrial membrane potential, cellular ATP levels, and increased lipid formation were further enhanced by both fatty acids, but with greater effect in the case of arachidonic acid, which also correlated with significant cytotoxicity (P<0.001). This study confirms the ability of fatty acids to promote mitochondrial injury in the development of alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Extraction and identification of cyclobutanones from irradiated cheese employing a rapid direct solvent extraction method

2-Alkylcyclobutanones (cyclobutanones) are accepted as chemical markers for irradiated foods containing lipid. However, current extraction procedures (Soxhlet–florisil chromatography) for the isolation of these markers involve a long and tedious clean-up regime prior to gas chromatography–mass spectrophotometry identification. This paper outlines an alternative isolation and clean-up method for the extraction of cyclobutanones in irradiated Camembert cheese. The newly developed direct solvent extraction method enables the efficient screening of large numbers of food samples and is not as resource intensive as the BS EN 1785:1997 method. Direct solvent extraction appears to be a simple, robust method and has the added advantage of a considerably shorter extraction time for the analysis of foods containing lipid.

Metabolic Syndrome and its components among Qatari population

Metabolic Syndrome (MeS) is a cluster of abnormalities including impaired glucose metabolism, central obesity, dyslipidemia and hypertension. The MeS has not been widely studied among the Arab populations, but the data available suggests that it is an increasingly common problem. Prevalence of MeS and its associated components are not available in Qatar. To estimate the prevalence of MeS and its associated components among the Qatari population and to determine its associated risk factors, a cross-sectional study was carried out among Qatari adults aged 20 years and above. Face to face interviewing using a structured questionnaire followed by laboratory tests were conducted. MeS was defined using the Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III) criteria as well as the International Diabetes Federation criteria (IDF). The crude prevalence rate of MeS according to ATP III criteria and IDF criteria were 26.4 and 34.0%, respectively. The age-standardised prevalence of the MeS according to ATP III was 27.7% (95% CI 23.3?32.0%), (23.6% among men (95% CI 19.5?27.7%) and 32.6% among women (95% CI 28.0?37.2%)) and according to IDF criteria, the age standardised prevalence was 35.4% (95% CI 30.7?40.0%), 38.7% (95% CI 34.0?43.5%) for women and 35.8% (95% CI 31.2?40.5%) for men. Age, Body Mass Index and HbA1c were significantly associated with MeS after adjustment for a number relevant variables including; gender, marital status, educational level, exercise, smoking, etc. Prevalence of the MeS in Qatar is considerably higher than anticipated. A well-designed health education programmes to increase the awareness of the public as well as healthcare providers are highly recommended. The programme should focus on the risk factors and the health consequences of MeS.

Prevalence of dieting, overweight, body image satisfaction and associated psychological problems in adolescent boys

Purpose – The aim of the present study is to examine the severity of dieting and its association with obesity, body satisfaction and psychological problems in adolescent boys.Design/methodology/approach – A representative sample of 800 boys in the age group of 14–19 in Qatar was approached during the period from October to December, 2004 and 593 boys gave consent to participate in this study, thus giving a response rate of 74.1 per cent. Self‐reports were obtained from 593 teenage boys using the adolescent dieting scale (ADS), and the self‐reporting questionnaire (SRQ‐20) for psychopathology.Findings – Of the studied subjects, 33.1 per cent were overweight, 10.1 per cent were extreme dieters and 37.4 per cent were intermediate dieters. Among the dieters, 34 per cent were overweight. Dieting was more likely in subjects who practiced exercise and who were perceived by peers or themselves as overweight. The extreme dieters experienced more psychological problems than the intermediate dieters and non‐dieters....