Increased mechanization and technological advances have simplified our lives on the one hand and increased sedentary behaviors on the other hand, paving the way for emerging global health concerns, i.e., sedentarism, which could be the leading cause of all major chronic health problems worldwide. Sedentarism is a habitual behavior of choosing and indulging in low-energy expenditure activities (≤1.5 metabolic equivalents), such as chairtype (sitting, studying, traveling) or screen-type activities (TV, computers, mobile). With technological advancements, there is a significant transition in the lifestyles of people from being active (walking) to being more deskbound (sitting). Prolonged sitting can have unintended consequences for health with sitting time >7 h/d, leading to a 5% increase in all-cause mortality with each additional hour spent sitting (i.e., +7 h/d), while considering physical activity levels. This review will highlight how sedentarism is emerging as a major risk factor for the rising incidence of non-communicable diseases, especially among young adults and adults. Chronic diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, coronary heart disease, and cancer, are the leading causes of death worldwide. Hence, there is an urgent need for collective action to mitigate the burgeoning public health crisis posed by sedentarism in the 21st century. This paper intends to set in motion a call for all policymakers and public health professionals placed nationally or internationally to reach a consensus on ending sedentarism and provide viable resolutions for effective management of excessive sedentary behaviors and healthy adoption and maintenance of active lifestyles among individuals of all age groups.

Background Mental health challenges, including anxiety, stress, depression, sleep disturbance and cognitive deficits, are prevalent among athletes due to continuous overtraining or field stress. Pearl millet is a nutrient-dense grain rich in lipids, iron, dietary fibre, and B vitamins and has potential benefits for mental well-being and improved cognitive function. Hence, the present randomised controlled trial aimed to study the effects of pearl millet diet on serum micronutrient status, mental health (anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbance and disordered eating behaviour) and meta-cognitive skills in athletes. Methods Male athletes (n = 60) aged 18–25 years were randomly allocated to experimental (EG) or control (CG) groups. The EG was provided with 1/3 of a pearl millet diet in lieu of regular cereals (wheat/rice) for 60 days, and the CG continued with a regular diet. Pre- and post-test blood samples were collected for biochemical analysis (haemoglobin (Hb), serum ferritin, folate and vitamin-B12); mental health and meta-cognitive skills were determined via the SMHAT-1 and MCSS, respectively. The effects of the pearl millet diet on the study outcomes were determined via paired and independent sample t tests. Results Compared with the CG, the EG significantly decreased (p = 0.014) disordered eating behaviour and significantly improved meta-cognitive skills in planning (p < 0.046), monitoring (p < 0.041), evaluation (p = 0.024) and total MCSS (p = 0.020). Hb (p = 0.016) and serum vitamin B-12 significantly (p = 0.052) increased in the EG, but the mean difference between the EG and CG was significant for folate (p = 0.031) and Hb (p = 0.003). Conclusion Pearl millet diet decreases the risk of disordered eating, and improves meta-cognitive skills and haemoglobin, micronutrient status in terms of folate and vitamin B-12 in athletes.

Honey is a natural product that contains various nutritive components as a part of its composition. It contains vitamins, minerals, enzymes, amino acids, etc. Those crucial from the point of therapeutic application are the flavonoids and phenolic compounds. The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of honey’s polyphenol and flavonoid content play a significant role in its therapeutic effects. Some of the phenolic acids known to have anti-obesity and anti-hyperlipidaemic properties are polyphenols such as caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid, and gallic acid. Honey has antioxidant, anti-microbial, and anti-inflammatory properties, despite the fact that the bioactive potential is linked to the composition, which varies depending on the botanical origin of different geographical locations. More research is being conducted on the effects of honey on blood sugar, body weight, lipid profile, C-reactive protein, nitric oxide, proinflammatory prostaglandins, and homocysteine. Honey is being used in patients with diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, obesity, and CVD, according to growing evidence and scientific data. Many studies have found that honey can help reverse metabolic syndrome by acting as an anti-obesity, hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, and hypotensive agent. The current review’s goal is to summarize the current literature on honey’s beneficial effects in the management of metabolic diseases including neurodegeneration diseases, obesity-related diseases, hypertension, diabetes etc. This chapter highlights honey as potentially responsible for the health benefits. To validate these benefits in humans, additional well-designed and controlled studies are required to be done in the years to come. <!----> <!----> <!----> <!---->