The coronavirus disease is still spreading in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with subsequent lockdowns and social distancing measures being enforced by the government. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of the lockdown on eating habits and lifestyle behaviors among residents of the UAE. A cross-sectional study among adults in the UAE was conducted using an online questionnaire between April and May 2020. A total of 1012 subjects participated in the study. During the pandemic, 31% reported weight gain and 72.2% had less than eight cups of water per day. Furthermore, the dietary habits of the participants were distanced from the Mediterranean diet principles and closer to “unhealthy” dietary patterns. Moreover, 38.5% did not engage in physical activity and 36.2% spent over five hours per day on screens for entertainment. A significantly higher percentage of participants reported physical exhaustion, emotional exhaustion, irritability, and tension “all the time” during the pandemic compared to before the pandemic (p < 0.001). Sleep disturbances were prevalent among 60.8% of the participants during the pandemic. Although lockdowns are an important safety measure to protect public health, results indicate that they might cause a variety of lifestyle changes, physical inactivity, and psychological problems among adults in the UAE.

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a cyclical late luteal phase disorder of the menstrual cycle whereby the daily functioning of women is affected by emotional and physical symptoms substantially interfering with their quality of life. Little is known about PMS in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This study aimed to determine the prevalence and severity of PMS among university students in Sharjah, UAE, and clarify its associations with dietary habits, lifestyle behaviors, and anthropometric factors. A cross-sectional study was conducted on female college students at the University of Sharjah, UAE. Data were collected using self-administered questionnaires and anthropometric assessments. Descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression analyses were performed. Participants were 300 adult university students aged 18–24 years (mean age 20.07 ± 1.53 years). In total, 95% of participants reported at least one PMS symptom during their menstrual period. The prevalence of PMS was 35.3%, with mild symptoms being the most commonly reported. Multiple regression analysis showed that smoking was associated with increased risk of reporting psychological (OR 2.5, 95% CI 1.1–5.8; p < 0.05) and behavioral symptoms (OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.0–4.9; p < 0.05), while high calorie/fat/sugar/salt foods intake was associated with increased risk of reporting physical symptoms (OR 3.2, 95% CI 1.4–7.3; p < 0.05). However, fruit consumption (OR 0.34, 95% CI 0.125–0.92; p < 0.05) was associated with a decreased risk of reporting behavioral symptoms. A high prevalence of PMS was reported among university students, with smoking and high calorie/fat/sugar/salt food consumption identified as strong risk factors for PMS.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has rapidly spread globally, forcing countries to apply lockdowns and strict social distancing measures. The aim of this study was to assess eating habits and lifestyle behaviours among residents of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region during the lockdown. A cross-sectional study among adult residents of the MENA region was conducted using an online questionnaire designed on Google Forms during April 2020. A total of 2970 participants from eighteen countries participated in the present study. During the pandemic, over 30 % reported weight gain, 6·2 % consumed five or more meals per d compared with 2·2 % before the pandemic (P < 0·001) and 48·8 % did not consume fruits on a daily basis. Moreover, 39·1 % did not engage in physical activity, and over 35 % spent more than 5 h/d on screens. A significant association between the frequency of training during the pandemic and the reported change in weight was found (P < 0·001). A significantly higher percentage of participants reported physical and emotional exhaustion, irritability and tension either all the time or a large part of the time during the pandemic (P < 0·001). Although a high percentage of participants reported sleeping more hours per night during the pandemic, 63 % had sleep disturbances. The study highlights that the lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic caused a variety of lifestyle changes, physical inactivity and psychological problems among adults in the MENA region.

Since ancient times, essential oils (EOs) have been known for their therapeutic potential against many health issues. Recent studies suggest that EOs may contribute to the regulation and modulation of various biomarkers and cellular pathways responsible for metabolic health as well as the development of many diseases, including cancer, obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and bacterial infections. During metabolic dysfunction and even infections, the immune system becomes compromised and releases pro-inflammatory cytokines that lead to serious health consequences. The bioactive compounds present in EOs (especially terpenoids and phenylpropanoids) with different chemical compositions from fruits, vegetables, and medicinal plants confer protection against these metabolic and infectious diseases through anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-cancer, and anti-microbial properties. In this review, we have highlighted some targeted physiological and cellular actions through which EOs may exhibit anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and anti-microbial properties. In addition, it has been observed that EOs from specific plant sources may play a significant role in the prevention of obesity, diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, microbial infections, and increasing breast milk production, along with improvements in heart, liver, and brain health. The current status of the bioactive activities of EOs and their therapeutic effects are covered in this review. However, with respect to the health benefits of EOs, it is very important to regulate the dose and usage of EOs to reduce their adverse health effects. Therefore, we specified that some countries have their own regulatory bodies while others follow WHO and FAO standards and legislation for the use of EOs.

Each individual has a unique gut microbiota; therefore, the genes in our microbiome outnumber the genes in our genome by about 150 to 1. Perturbation in host nutritional status influences gut microbiome composition and vice versa. The gut microbiome can help in producing vitamins, hormones, and other active metabolites that support the immune system; harvest energy from food; aid in digestion; protect against pathogens; improve gut transit and function; send signals to the brain and other organs; oscillate the circadian rhythm; and coordinate with the host metabolism through multiple cellular pathways. Gut microbiota can be influenced by host genetics, medications, diet, and lifestyle factors from preterm to aging. Aligning with precision nutrition, identifying a personalized microbiome mandates the provision of the right nutrients at the right time to the right patient. Thus, before prescribing a personalized treatment, it is crucial to monitor and count the gut flora as a focused biomarker. Many nutritional approaches that have been developed help in maintaining and restoring an optimal microbiome such as specific diet therapy, nutrition interventions, and customized eating patterns. One of these approaches is time-restricted feeding/eating (TRF/E), a type of intermittent fasting (IF) in which a subject abstains from food intake for a specific time window. Such a dietary modification might alter and restore the gut microbiome for proper alignment of cellular and molecular pathways throughout the lifespan. In this review, we have highlighted that the gut microbiota would be a targeted biomarker and TRF/E would be a targeted approach for restoring the gut-microbiome-associated molecular pathways such as hormonal signaling, the circadian system, metabolic regulators, neural responses, and immune-inflammatory pathways. Consequently, modulation of the gut microbiota through TRF/E could contribute to proper utilization and availability of the nutrients and in this way confer protection against diseases for harnessing personalized nutrition approaches to improve human health.

Background: The use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) among Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) patients is increasing to manage the complexities of their condition, enhance their health, and ease complications. The burden of T2DM in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) coupled with the high prevalence of CAM use and its associated risks among patients with T2DM necessitated the investigation of the use of CAM by this patients’ population. The aim of this study is to examine the prevalence, types, and correlates of CAM use among T2DM patients in the UAE.Methods: Patients with T2DM attending the outpatient clinics in the two governmental hospitals in Dubai and Sharjah, UAE were invited to participate in a cross-sectional survey. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with participants to complete a multi-component questionnaire. The questionnaire comprised of three main sections: demographic data, diabetes-related information, and CAM use details. Data analysis employed descriptive statistics, univariate and multivariate logistic regression to assess the prevalence and correlates of CAM use.Results: Two hundred forty-four T2DM patients completed the questionnaire (response rate: 80%). A total of 39.3% of participants were CAM users since diagnosis. After adjustment; the logistic regression results showed that CAM use was significantly associated with age, sex, education, employment, and having health insurance. The most commonly used type of CAM by participants were folk foods and herbs followed by spiritual and natural healing and vitamins and minerals supplements. The majority of CAM users were referred or encouraged to use CAM by family (42.7%), friends (25%) or social media (17.7%). Only 13.5% of participants used CAM because it was suggested by health care practitioners. Only 1 in four of CAM users disclosed CAM use to their treating physician.Conclusion: CAM use among T2DM patients in the UAE is considerably high. Health policy and decision-makers are encouraged to dedicate particular attention to facilitating proper regulation and integration of CAM within conventional medicine to protect the health and wellbeing of patients. A concerted effort by medical schools and public health authorities should be committed to educating health care providers and patients on the safe and effective use of CAM therapies.