Iftikhar Alam

Iftikhar Alam


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

9Years (2018-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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10 December 2019 in BMC Neurology
Verified
Journal Article
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AAAbdul Rahman Almuneef
Abdul Rahman Almuneef
AAAli Almajwal
Ali Almajwal
IAIftikhar Alam
Iftikhar Alam
Mahmoud AbulmeatyMahmoud Abulmeaty
Mahmoud Abulmeaty
BBBader Al Bader
Bader Al Bader
SRSuhail Razak
Suhail Razak
Background: Cerebral palsy (CP) is considered as the main cause of severe physical impairment and malnutrition in children. This cross-sectional study intended to survey the nutritional status of children cerebral palsy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.Methods: We examined 74 children (age: 1–10 yrs) with CP, who attended Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Humanitarian City (SBAHC), Riyadh Saudi Arabia. Data on age, general demographics, nutritional status, and dietary intake were collected. A child was considered underweight, wasted, stunted or thin if the standard deviation scores for his/her weight for age, weight for height, height for age and body mass index for age were ≤ −2.0 standard deviation (SD) using WHO growth standards. Multivariable logistic regression identified the factors associated with nutritional indicators.Results: More than half (56.4%) of the children with cerebral palsy were malnourished as they had z-score below <−2 SD in at least one of the four indicators. Thinness (50%) was the most common form of malnutrition, followed by underweight, stunting, and wasting. Arm anthropometrics gave similar results on the percent number of malnourished children. Factors that were independently associated with malnutrition with an adjusted OR (aOR) were as follow: age ≤ 5 yrs. (aOR: 4.29); presence of cognitive impairment (aOR: 4.13); presence of anemia (aOR: 3.41) and inadequate energy intake (aOR: 4.86) (p, for all trends <0.05).Conclusion: Children with cerebral palsy of the current study have impaired growth and nutritional status as assessed by all four common nutritional status indicators. Further large-scale community-based studies for in-depth evaluation of nutritional status and growth patterns in children with CP are needed.

11 May 2018 in Nutrition and Healthy Aging
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Journal Article
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IAIftikhar Alam
Iftikhar Alam
NSNitin Shivappa
Nitin Shivappa
JHJames R. Hebert
James R. Hebert
GPGraham Pawelec
Graham Pawelec
ALAnis Larbi
Anis Larbi
BACKGROUND: Little is known about associations between dietary inflammation, age and anthropometric measurements. OBJECTIVE: In this regard, we examine how DII is related to age, anthropometrics [weight, Body mass index (BMI), waist to hip ratio (WHR)] and other parameters of nutrition (energy, protein, fats and cholesterol intake, Net Endogenous Acid Production (NEAP) and Phytochemical Index (PI)) in a cross-sectional study in Pakistan. DESIGN: Only men ( n = 651, age 54–95 years) participated in the study. Anthropometric data were collected using standard methods. DII was calculated from nutrients derived from 24-hr Dietary Recall questionnaires. NEAP and PI were calculated by established algorithms using information on nutrient intake. RESULTS: The results show that with increasing age, there was a significant increase in the DII score ( p < 0.05). Similarly significant positive correlations were found between DII score and weight, BMI, WHR and % BF ( p, for all trends < 0.05). DII score significantly positively correlated with the dietary factors studied i.e. energy, protein, and fats ( p, for all trends < 0.0001) but non-significantly with cholesterol ( p > 0.05). Similarly, a significant positive correlation with NEAP ( p < 0.0001) was found, but negative with PI ( p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the present study shows direct positive correlations between the DII, age and indices of obesity, and thus supports the hypothesis that diet may have a role in the development of obesity through inflammatory modulation mechanisms in elderly.

30 June 2019 in Canadian Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
SBSafia Begum
Safia Begum
IAIftikhar Alam
Iftikhar Alam
AJAtta Ullah Jan
Atta Ullah Jan
MKMuhammad Ibrar Khan
Muhammad Ibrar Khan

13 December 2018 in BMC Nutrition
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Journal Article
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SJSarwat Jahan
Sarwat Jahan
AFAndleeb Fatima
Andleeb Fatima
IAIftikhar Alam
Iftikhar Alam
AUAsad Ullah
Asad Ullah
HRHumaira Rehman
Humaira Rehman
SRSuhail Razak
Suhail Razak
CDC’s (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) National Center for Health statistics recent reports have shown that an upsurge has occurred in the use of dietary supplements among age of 20 years since 1994 and this use shown regular increase. The purpose of our study was to investigate the effect of supplements on the reproductive health on male athletes in Pakistan. A total of 150 adult male with mean age of 25.78 ± 0.56 years were included in this study and divided into four groups: Non-athlete control (n = 57), Non supplemental athlete control (n = 40), Supplemental athlete group I (n = 28) and supplemental athlete group II (n = 25). Blood (10 ml) was taken from each subject. Complete blood count was performed and 5 ml of blood was centrifuged to separate plasma and then analyzed for antioxidant enzyme (CAT, POD, GR and GSH) activities, Lipid peroxidation (TBARS), electrolyte, metal (sodium, potassium and zinc) and Luteinizing hormone (LH) concentration. Complete blood count results showed normal RBC, WBC, Platelets, Hemoglobin, Hematocrit, Mean corpuscular hemoglobin and Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration. Antioxidant enzymes (CAT, POD, GR, GSH) increased significantly in supplemental athletes as compared to control groups. Sodium and potassium showed significant increase (p < 0.001) in supplemental athlete group I, while TBARS also showed significant increase (p < 0.05) in supplemental group I and II as compared to non athlete control while non supplemental athletes showed significant increase (p < 0.05) in TBARS concentration as compared to non athlete control. LH concentration was found to be decreased significantly (p < 0.05) in supplemental group I and II as compared to control groups. It is therefore concluded from the present results that oxidative stress was considerably elevated in response to supplement consumption among athletes which may affect their health haematological parameters and reproductive hormones.

15 June 2018 in Canadian Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
IAIftikhar Alam
Iftikhar Alam
AAAli Almajwal
Ali Almajwal

30 June 2019 in Canadian Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
IAIftikhar Alam
Iftikhar Alam