Background and objective: Sleeping difficulties affect the overall health, nutrition, and wellbeing. The Mediterranean diet has proven effective in improving the quality of life and overall health of people of all ages. Therefore, this study aimed to determine whether adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD) is linked to reduced insomnia in Arabic-speaking female adults in Jordan. Materials and Methods: A self-administered, cross-sectional survey was used to detect the relationship between MD and sleep quality in Arabic-speaking female adults. Data were collected from 917 Arabic-speaking female participants of 14 Arab nationalities in Jordan between March and May 2021 via social media. All participants answered the whole questionnaire, including questions on sociodemographic aspects, Mediterranean diet adherence, sleeping habits measured with the Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS), and lifestyle components such as smoking and dietary patterns. Results: The mean age of the 917 Arabic-speaking female participants was 36 ± 10 years. Most participants were unemployed (85%) single females (64%) with an undergraduate degree (74%). Most of them (86%) were non-smokers. More than half of the participants were Jordanians (57%). The BMI was normal for 52% of the participants, whereas 26% of them were overweight, and 12% were obese. One-way ANCOVA showed a statistically significant difference between MD adherence score categories and AIS, F (2, 914) = 3.36, p = 0.015. Among the MD adherence score categories, we found that between groups, MD scores above or equal to 10 were associated with a statistically significant difference in AIS. Cohen’s value was calculated for the three MD score categories and indicated a ‘small’ effect size association between all adherence scores of the MD categories and AIS. Conclusions: In conclusion, our findings provide preliminary evidence that participants’ adherence to the MD was significantly associated with better sleep and reduced insomnia symptoms, highlighting the need for further research.

This research was carried out to study the variation in ethanol stability and chemical composition of five camel milk samples, including two pasteurized samples (Alwatania and Darir alabaker) and three raw samples (Majaheim, Wadah, and Hamra). Ethanol stability was analyzed by dispersing camel milk samples with 0 to 100% ethanol (v/v). The findings indicate that camel milk samples precipitated after adding an equal volume of ethanol at concentrations between 50% and 64% ethanol, depending on the milk sample. The addition of sodium chloride at different concentrations (1–10%) to camel milk resulted in a significant increase in ethanol stability, and samples from Majaheim and Alwatania exhibited the highest ethanol stability values (88%). In contrast, the addition of EDTA to camel milk for pH ranging between 5.9 and 7.1 has increased ethanol stability with a sigmoidal shape in camel milk. The largest ethanol stability differences were observed in a camel milk sample from Alwatania. Thus, the level of Ca²⁺ in camel milk may contribute to ethanol stability by shifting the entire profile to higher ethanol stability values. The chemical composition of different camel samples was also determined. The lactose content of camel milk varied significantly (p < 0.05) across samples, ranging from 4.37% in Majaheim camel milk to 4.87% in Alwatania camel milk. The total solids of camel milk varied significantly between raw and pasteurized samples, ranging between 10.17% and 12.10%. Furthermore, protein concentration in camel milk obtained from different camel samples varied, from 2.43% to 3.23% for Hamra and Alwatania, respectively. In conclusion, ethanol stability in camel milk was dependent on the camel breed, pH level, ionic strength, and EDTA addition.

Alnouri DM, et al. Nutr Res Pract. 2014 Aug;8(4):360-367. https://doi.org/10.4162/nrp.2014.8.4.360

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease, and due to various physiological and psychological factors the patients are at risk of nutritional insufficiencies. The purpose of this study was to assess the dietary fatty acid intake and its effect on plasma fatty acids in elderly Saudi women and to compare the differences in their food and plasma fatty acid profile on the basis of their residence. A total of 76 elderly women (50–100 years) were recruited through a random sampling method. A structured proforma was designed to gather information related to their age, income, dietary habits, and presence of any disease and awareness of AD. A 24-h dietary recall method for 3 days and food frequency questionnaire, concentrating on fish consumption and consumption of foods rich in ω-3 fatty acids, which was planned by dietitians, was used for dietary assessment. The gathered data were then analyzed using food processor software. The blood samples were collected to determine plasma fatty acids. The mean age of women diagnosed with AD was more than 75 years, and the prevalence of illiteracy was higher among AD subjects. As compared to the AD group, the concentration of LA and total ω-6 was significantly (p ≤ 0.05) higher in the control group from both recruitment sites [National Guard Health Affairs, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh (NGH) and Social Welfare Homes for the Elderly (SWH)]. Similarly, the concentrations of EPA, DHA, and ω-3 were also slightly higher in the control group at both sites, but the difference between the control and AD subjects was only significant (p ≤ 0.05) in subjects from NGH. We found no significant difference in the ω-6/ ω-3 ratio between groups. Also, no significant difference was found in the mean level of the plasma fatty acid when comparing the control and AD groups. The concentration of DHA in controls only and AA, EPA and ω-6 in both control and AD were significant (although weakly) correlated with their respective dietary intakes. No correlations were found between the intake of 18 C precursors (LA and ALA) and plasma levels of their long chain derivatives (AA, EPA, and DHA). Education, income, overall health status and the concentration of various fatty acids from food was higher and better in subjects from SWH than NGH. The lower plasma level indicates lower impaired systemic availability of several nutrients. We found that dietary intervention might play a role in the prevention of AD.