Proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) are often-prescribed antacids that are useful in the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders. Nonetheless, a number of studies have raised concerns about their long-term use, linking them to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease and other possible adverse effects, including brain damage. Since nitric oxide (NO) plays a vital role in neurological and vascular health, it is important to look into how PPIs might change the NO pathway. Oral bacteria and the preservation of a healthy stomach environment are essential for the external pathway’s synthesis of NO, which involves dietary nitrates (NO₃⁻) and nitrites (NO₂⁻). PPIs have been demonstrated to decrease stomach acidity, which decreases NO bioavailability and prevents dietary NO₃⁻ from being converted to NO₂⁻ and, subsequently, to NO. Endothelial dysfunction, which is typified by decreased vasodilation and elevated vascular resistance—two major factors in the development of hypertension—may result from this drop in NO levels. Moreover, reduced NO levels are associated with impaired brain function since NO is necessary for maintaining cerebral blood flow, neuronal transmission, and overall cognitive functioning. We propose that PPIs influence nitrate metabolism by several potential mechanisms including PPI-induced hypochlorhydria and a change in oral and gastric microbiomes leading to dysbiosis. There may also be other contributing pathways. Understanding how PPIs impact the NO₃⁻-NO₂⁻-NO pathway is crucial for assessing their long-term effects on cardiovascular and brain health. By comprehending this connection, we may more effectively weigh the potential systemic risks of PPIs against their therapeutic advantages for gastrointestinal disorders. This may also guide safer prescription practices and patient management measures.

Growth charts (GCs) are essential tools for monitoring children’s growth and overall health status. The extent to which healthcare professionals in Saudi Arabia (SA) use national and international GC, and adhere to standardized practices remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate current GC practices among healthcare practitioners in SA. A cross‐sectional study was conducted on 193 healthcare practitioners in SA who completed an online questionnaire that assessed their characteristics and practices related to the use of GC. Descriptive, bivariate, and logistic regression analyses were performed. Participants reported using different GCs during the assessments, with the following distribution: GC of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (24%), GC of the World Health Organization (WHO) (22%), Saudi GC (21%), and more than one type of GC (30%). Among the participants, 62% recorded GC data for both sick and well child, and 72.5% used GC with new and follow‐up children. Only 56% reported discussing the GC output with patients or parents. Adjusting for covariates, dietitians were more likely to use GC with new and follow‐up patients (odds ratio (OR): 2.61, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.13, 6.02) and regularly discuss GC output with patients/parents (OR: 2.65, 95% CI: 1.29, 5.43) compared to other healthcare practitioners. Our findings showed significant variability in the use of GC among healthcare professionals in SA. The limited adoption of Saudi GC warrants further investigation to address practice obstacles and monitor children’s growth.

A major risk for developing diabetes is prediabetes (Pre-DM). Assessing knowledge, attitude, and dietary practice (KAP) regarding Pre-DM plays a crucial role in decreasing complications. Limited previous studies on KAP among prediabetic patients exist. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of Pre-DM using the glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c%) indicator as well as the degree of awareness among Saudi participants in Jeddah about Pre-DM KAP across their body mass index (BMI) categories. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2 large public malls, targeting 310 Saudi adults aged 30 to 55 who had no prior diagnosis of diabetes or any chronic disease. A valid questionnaire was used to assess prediabetic KAP. Data were collected through anthropometric measurements, including BMI, fat%, trunk%, and waist to hip ratio. Random blood glucose and HbA1c% were also measured to diagnose Pre-DM. The data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). In the final analysis, 290 participants were included. Pre-DM was found in 23.1% of participants, diabetes in 3.4%, and 73.4% were normal. Obesity was observed to be strongly associated with Pre-DM compared to a normal BMI (P = .04). Out of the participants, 44.8% had poor knowledge of Pre-DM, and 44.2% of them were overweight. Additionally, 49.8% of the total sample had a neutral attitude, with 55.7% being obese. 53.4% of the total sample reported good practice, with 33% of them being obese. Furthermore, it was found that BMI was significantly associated with knowledge (P = .025) but not with attitude or practice (P > .005). KAP results demonstrated average knowledge with a trend towards poor level, neutral attitudes, and good practice in Pre-DM among the studied Saudis sample. Interestingly, BMI was only correlated to knowledge, but not with practice or attitude, suggesting that raising public awareness is essential to improving Pre-DM prevention. Longitudinal studies with a larger sample size are warranted to better establish causality between knowledge, attitude, and dietary practices.

Background: Malnutrition is highly prevalent among intensive care unit (ICU) patients and is considered one of the major public health problems associated with a variety of negative clinical outcomes. Therefore, identifying malnourished patients as early as possible on admission to the ICU by applying nutritional assessment will help in developing appropriate nutritional plans to minimize the consequences of malnutrition and may reduce the length of ventilator dependency and ICU- length of stay (LOS). Several nutritional assessment tools are used to identify patients at nutritional risk using various criteria including anthropometric data, history of weight loss, clinical diagnosis, physical examination, and dietary intake. Objective: This study sought to assess the nutritional status of ICU patients who are on enteral feeding by detecting the prevalence of malnutrition risk among them at different hospitals in Holy Makkah. Materials and Methods: This is an observational cross-sectional study that was conducted on 100 ICU patients on enteral feeding. Patients were recruited from ICUs words in the Saudi Ministry of Health’s Hospital connected to Holy Makkah Healthcare Cluster. The Nutritional Screening and Assessment Tool was used to evaluate Patients’ nutritional status. Data analysis were statistically performed using SPSS program version 23. Results: The nutritional assessment of the ICU patients showed that 79% were at high risk of malnutrition, and most of these (78%) had low albumin levels. Moreover, 18% of the patients were underfed based on calorie intake and 37% of them were underfed based on protein intake. Furthermore, there was an association between patients’ risk level for malnutrition and some factors, including gender and feeding type (P = 0.014 and P = 0.012, respectively). Conclusion: The findings indicate a prevalence of malnutrition risk among ICU patients in some Holy Makkah Hospitals was 79%, with underfed calories and protein.

Introduction: Comprehensive nutritional information on the recipes of traditional Saudi dishes, an integral part of the country’s culinary heritage, is lacking. This study analyzed the nutritional composition of 25 commonly consumed traditional dishes from five Saudi Arabian regions using the Elizabeth Stewart Hands and Associates (ESHA) Food Processor Nutrition Analysis software. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted online using convenience sampling to identify commonly consumed traditional Saudi dishes. Overall, 360 individuals responded to the survey. Of these, follow-up phone interviews were conducted with 61 household recipe providers who had prepared the selected dishes at least five times in the past year and provided complete recipe data. Ingredients were weighed or converted to grams using food amount booklets. Nutrient values of the traditional dish recipes were estimated using the average of multiple recipes and software estimates per dish (a total of 75 recipes, three recipes for each cuisine), accounting for variations in ingredient amounts and preparation methods. The nutrient data are presented per 100 g and portion size. Results: The nutritional compositions of the selected dish recipes varied. The moisture, protein, fat, fiber, and carbohydrate contents were 5.7–80.4%, 3.4–13.0%, 2.0–13.3%, 0.26–5.8%, and 5.9–50.1%, respectively. The highest energy content per 100 g was found in Areekah (306.9 kcal) and the lowest was found in Margoug (89.2 kcal). Conclusion: Recipe-based ESHA estimation provided valuable insights into the nutritional value of traditional Saudi dish recipes, serving as a resource for dietary planning, public health initiatives, and future research. The nutritional profiles generated in this study may contribute to the development of accurate and culturally-appropriate dietary recommendations and exchange lists for Saudi Arabia.

Background and objectives Dietary nitrate (NO3) plays an important role in human physiological processes. In the past, inorganic NO3 was viewed negatively due to its link with carcinogenic effects, notably nitrosamine formation in the stomach; yet, current perspectives acknowledge NO3 as a potentially beneficial dietary element. Nutrition professionals (NPs) are crucial in promoting NO3 awareness in health and academic settings. The study aimed to evaluate the knowledge of NPs in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, regarding the biological roles of dietary NO3, taking into consideration their qualifications and years of experience. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among NPs who had graduated from clinical nutrition programs or were employed in clinical or academic settings. A validated 12-item online questionnaire was used to assess dietary NO3 knowledge across five areas: health effects, dietary sources, recommendations, biomarkers of intake, and metabolism. The nitrate knowledge index (NKI) score was used to evaluate responses. Results Eighty-nine female NPs out of 144 completed the questionnaire. Most were ≤30 years old (75.4%) and had an undergraduate degree in clinical nutrition (70.8%), but 37 of them had ≤3 years of experience (62.7%). Overall, poor knowledge scores were observed among NPs, with a median (25th and 75th percentile) score of 10 (6, 13) out of 23. The majority (64%) perceived NO3 to be beneficial. However, most of the participants did not know its benefits in lowering blood pressure (BP) (68.5%) and were unsure about the effects of nitrate on cognitive function (60.7%) or kidney function (57.3%). Almost half of the NPs were unaware of NO3 sources and unsure about the mechanisms of the conversion of NO3 into nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in the mouth (48.3%). Overall, knowledge of factors that affect NO3 content in food was good. No significant differences were observed in the median NKI scores among the participants based on their level of education or years of experience. Conclusion This study suggests NPs lack knowledge about dietary NO3. To address this, educational programs should be developed and implemented in clinical and academic settings.