scholarly journals Sugar Habit Hacker: Initial evidence that a planning intervention reduces sugar intake

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew Brittain ◽  
Nathan Consedine ◽  
Kathleen L. Bagot ◽  
Natalia Booth ◽  
Simone N. Rodda
Keyword(s):  
Brief Intervention ◽  
Implementation Intention ◽  
Well Being ◽  
World Health Organisation ◽  
World Health ◽  
Sugar Consumption ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Self Monitoring ◽  
Sugar Intake ◽  
Implementation Planning

AbstractBackground and aimsSugar is a potentially addictive substance that is consumed in such high levels the World Health Organisation has set recommended consumption limits. To date there are no empirically tested brief interventions for reducing sugar consumption in adult populations. The current study aimed to preliminarily assess the feasibility of recruitment, retention, and intervention engagement and impact of a brief intervention.MethodsThis pre-post study recruited 128 adults from New Zealand to complete a 30-day internet-delivered intervention with in-person and email coaching. The intervention components were derived from implementation intention principles whereby the gap between intention and behaviour was targeted. Participants selected sugar consumption goals aligned with WHO recommendations by gender. To meet these goals, participants developed action plans and coping plans and engaged in self-monitoring. Facilitation was provided by a coach to maintain retention and treatment adherence over the 30 days.ResultsIntervention materials were rated as very useful and participants were mostly satisfied with the program. The total median amount of sugar consumed at baseline was 1,662.5 g (396 teaspoons per week) which was reduced to 362.5 g (86 teaspoons) at post-intervention evaluation (d = 0.83). The intervention was associated with large effects on reducing cravings (d = 0.59) and psychological distress (d = 0.68) and increasing situational self-efficacy (d = 0.92) and well-being (d = 0.68) with a reduction in BMI (d = 0.51).ConclusionThis feasibility study indicates that a brief intervention delivering goal setting, implementation planning, and self-monitoring may assist people to reduce sugar intake to within WHO recommendations.

scholarly journals 21-Day Stress Detox: Open Trial of a Universal Well-Being Chatbot for Young Adults

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 416
Author(s):  
Ruth Williams ◽  
Sarah Hopkins ◽  
Chris Frampton ◽  
Chester Holt-Quick ◽  
Sally Nicola Merry ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Mode Of Delivery ◽  
Well Being ◽  
World Health Organisation ◽  
Behavioural Therapy ◽  
World Health ◽  
Clinical Population ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
First Year Students

There has been a lot of interest in digital mental health interventions but adherence to online programmes has been less than optimal. Chatbots that mimic brief conversations may be a more engaging and acceptable mode of delivery. We developed a chatbot, called 21-Day Stress Detox, to deliver stress management techniques for young adults. The purpose of the study was to explore the feasibility, acceptability, and potential efficacy of this low-intensity digital mental health intervention in a non-clinical population of young adults. The content was derived from cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and included evidence-informed elements such as mindfulness and gratitude journaling. It was delivered over 21 daily sessions using the Facebook Messenger platform. Each session was intended to last about 5–7 min and included text, animated GIFs, relaxation tracks and reflective exercises. We conducted an open single-arm trial collecting app usage through passive data collection as well as self-rated satisfaction and qualitative (open-ended) feedback. Efficacy was assessed via outcome measures of well-being (World Health Organisation (Five) Well-being Index; WHO-5; and Personal Well-being Measure; ONS4); stress (Perceived Stress Scale–10 item version; PSS-10); and anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale; GAD-7). One hundred and ten of the 124 participants who completed baseline commenced the chatbot and 64 returned the post-intervention assessment. Eighty-one percent were female and 51% were first year students. Forty-five percent were NZ European and 41% were Asian. Mean engagement was 11 days out 21 days (SD = 7.8). Most (81%) found the chatbot easy to use. Sixty-three percent rated their satisfaction as 7 out of 10 or higher. Qualitative feedback revealed that convenience and relatable content were the most valued features. There was a statistically significant improvement on the WHO-5 of 7.38 (SD = 15.07; p < 0.001) and a mean reduction on the PSS-10 of 1.77 (SD = 4.69; p = 0.004) equating to effect sizes of 0.49 and 0.38, respectively. Those who were clinically anxious at baseline (n = 25) experienced a greater reduction of GAD-7 symptoms than those (n = 39) who started the study without clinical anxiety (−1.56, SD = 3.31 vs. 0.67, SD = 3.30; p = 0.011). Using a chatbot to deliver universal psychological support appears to be feasible, acceptable, have good levels of engagement, and lead to significant improvements in well-being and stress. Future iterations of the chatbot should involve a more personalised content.

Improvement in Cognitive Abilities, Mental and Emotional Well-being of Teenagers following a Meditation Retreat: An Open-Trial pilot study

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Divya Kanchibhotla ◽  
Saumya Subramanian ◽  
Shashank Kulkarni
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Poor Mental Health ◽  
Cognitive Capacity ◽  
World Health ◽  
Repeated Measure ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Meditation Retreat ◽  
Mental Well Being

Background: Background: Today’s teenagers face several challenges that result in poor mental health, depression and anxiety. Several studies in the past decade have explored meditation as an adjunctive therapy for mental illness however the long term residual benefits of meditation have rarely been studied. Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate the benefits of a four day meditation retreat on cognitive abilities, mental and emotional well-being of teenagers. Methods: 303 teenagers participated in this study. Cognitive abilities of the students were measured using theSix letter cancellation test (SLCT). Mental and emotional well-being was measured using World Health Organization Well-being index (WHO-5) and Strength and Difficulties questionnaire (SDQ) respectively. Data analysis was performed using paired sample t-test and repeated measure ANOVA. Results: Teenagers demonstrated a 33% increase in average accuracy for SLCT post intervention. WHO-5 mental well-being index scores also increased significantly (p <1). The participants experienced significant reduction in emotional problems and hyperactivity as measured by SDQ. The benefits of the retreat continued to persist, when measured after 40 days of the intervention. Conclusion: A well-structured meditation retreat has significant and long term benefits on teenagers’ mental well-being, emotional stability and cognitive capacity.

scholarly journals Impact of Educational Weaning Knowledge and Practices of Parents and Guardians of Children under Two Years Old at the David Rose Health Centre

2019 ◽  
pp. 21-22
Author(s):  
Padmini Bissessar ◽  
Kenesha Adams ◽  
Gina Chin ◽  
Sheena Chin ◽  
Paul Garraway ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Educational Intervention ◽  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Health Centre ◽  
World Health Organisation ◽  
Educational Interventions ◽  
World Health ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Prospective Longitudinal Study ◽  
Repeated Measures Design ◽  
Prospective Longitudinal

Objectives: To assess the knowledge of weaning, of parents and guardians, of children under two-years-old, attending David Rose Health Centre. To assess whether there is an association between selected demographic variables, and the weaning knowledge. To educate the parents and guardians on the World Health Organisation recommended weaning practices. To assess the change in knowledge of weaning after the delivery of an educational intervention. Design and Methods: A prospective longitudinal study with repeated measures design obtained 120 participants using a convenient, non-probability sampling method. Data was collected using a pre-intervention and post-intervention questionnaire. The data was processed using the SPSS Version 24 Software Program and analysed with a scoring system developed by the researchers using the PAHO/WHO “Guiding Principles for Complementary Feeding of the Breastfed Child”. Results: Both educational interventions increased the participants knowledge from good to almost 100%. Conclusions: Most parents and guardians had good baseline knowledge. However, there were certain aspects where they lacked or had inaccurate knowledge. Overall, their knowledge improved regardless of the type of educational intervention they were exposed to. Recommendations: Future studies should be held in classroom settings, with more time allowed to assess change of knowledge.

scholarly journals HOW, WHY AND UNDER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES DOES A QUALITY IMPROVEMENT COLLABORATIVE BUILD KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS IN CLINICIANS WORKING WITH PEOPLE WITH DEMENTIA? A REALIST INFORMED PROCESS EVALUATION

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lenore A de la Perrelle ◽  
Monica Cations ◽  
Gaery Barbery ◽  
Garjana Radisic ◽  
Billingsley Kaambwa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Improvement ◽  
Process Evaluation ◽  
World Health Organisation ◽  
Dementia Care ◽  
Program Theory ◽  
World Health ◽  
Quality Improvement Collaborative ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Knowledge And Skills ◽  
People With Dementia

In increasingly constrained health and aged care services, strategies are needed to improve quality and translate evidence into practice. In dementia care, recent failures in quality and safety have led the World Health Organisation to prioritise the translation of known evidence into practice. While quality improvement collaboratives have been widely used in healthcare, there are few examples in dementia care. We describe a recent quality improvement collaborative to improve dementia care across Australia and assess the implementation outcomes of acceptability and feasibility of this strategy to translate known evi-dence into practice. A realist-informed process evaluation was used to analyse how, why and under what circumstances a quality improvement collaborative built knowledge and skills in clinicians working in dementia care. This realist-informed process evaluation developed, tested, and refined the program theory of a quality improvement collaborative. Data were collected pre-and post-intervention using surveys and interviews with participants (n=24). A combined inductive and deductive data analysis process integrated three frameworks to examine the context and mechanisms of knowledge and skill building in participant clinicians. A refined program theory showed how and why clinicians built knowledge and skills in quality improvement in dementia care. Seven mechanisms were identified: motivation, accountability, identity, collective learning, credibility, and reflective practice. Each of these mechanisms operated differently according to context. A quality improvement collaborative designed for clinicians in different contexts and roles was acceptable and feasible in building knowledge and skills of clinicians to improve dementia care. A supportive setting and a credible, flexible, and collaborative process optimises quality improvement knowledge and skills in clinicians working with people with dementia.

scholarly journals PSYCHO-SOCIAL EXPERIENCES OF YOUTHS DURING THE COVID-19 LOCKDOWN: INSIGHTS FROM HARARE, ZIMBABWE

2020 ◽  
Vol S.I. (1) ◽  
pp. 46-59
Author(s):  
Nicola Mazwi ◽  
◽  
Bongani Seremani ◽  
Tsungai Kaseke ◽  
Clemencia Lungu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Well Being ◽  
World Health Organisation ◽  
Social Experiences ◽  
Psychological Services ◽  
World Health ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Psychological Conditions ◽  
As Stress ◽  
Restrictive Measures

The COVID-19 pandemic that started in Wuhan, Hubei province in China in December 2019 has brought about varied psycho-social experiences to youths during the COVID-19 lockdown period. World Health Organisation warned that the coronavirus and the restrictive measures around it would have negative effects on people’s mental health and well-being. Current scientific literature reveals that in China, UK and Spain COVID-19 outbreak resulted in symptoms leading to psychological disorders while in Africa the 2014 Ebola outbreak resulted in social and economic breakdowns in people’s livelihoods. This qualitative study made use of document analysis as a research design. WhatsApp messages were analysed using thematic analysis. The study sought to explore how youths in Harare, Zimbabwe responded to the lockdown and ways in which the lives of the youths were psychologically and socially affected. Research questions were on; how youths in Harare responded to the lockdown; how the lockdown affected the youths; in what ways the lockdown affected psychological lives of the youths and what can be done in future in order to improve the lives of youths during pandemics. The study revealed that some youths of Harare presented psychological conditions leading to PTSD symptoms such as stress, confusion, anger, anxiety and depression while some embraced COVID-19 Lockdown as it improved family and social ties. It was also noted that youths should be able to access psychological services during epidemics in order to avert surges in mental health illnesses emanating from national lockdowns.

scholarly journals Occupational safety and health education and training: an innovative format and experience

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emma Pietrafesa ◽  
Sergio Iavicoli ◽  
Agnese Martini ◽  
Rosalba Simeone ◽  
Antonella Polimeni
Keyword(s):  
Occupational Safety ◽  
Integrated Management ◽  
Well Being ◽  
World Health Organisation ◽  
Occupational Safety And Health ◽  
World Health ◽  
New Professionals ◽  
Safety And Health ◽  
The World ◽  
Training Courses

Health begins at home and in community where people live and work, in fact, the World Health Organisation (WHO) defines health as ‘a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being’. Experts and professionals, of all sectors and specialities, need to take account the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) in all aspects of their working lives. Mainstreaming OSH into education concerns integrating one policy area – OSH – into another – education. This study started from a first analysis of an international and national OSH training offer, in which  some critical aspects emerged: there are mostly sectoral training courses, qualifying some prevention actor roles, most linked to traditional risks, and primarily focused on the safety aspects rather than the health ones. The current study is related to an innovative format and experience for an integrated management of OSH in the evolution of the world of work. The concept was born from the need to train new professionals figures when the rapid demographic changes and technological innovation are changing the working world and therefore also the required skills to prevention actors. A first test has been conducted on 26 students who attended the first edition of this innovative training. 

scholarly journals Sugar Restriction for Caries Prevention: Amount and Frequency. Which Is More Important?

2018 ◽  
Vol 53 (2) ◽  
pp. 168-175 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cor van Loveren
Keyword(s):  
Caries Prevention ◽  
World Health ◽  
Sugar Consumption ◽  
The Public ◽  
Sugar Intake ◽  
Relative Contribution ◽  
Dietary Counselling ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
World Health Organization Guideline

The World Health Organization guideline to use less sugar may be an opportunity and support for dentistry in its goal to get the message of using less sugar across to the public. Two ways (with all the combinations of these) to achieve a reduction of sugar consumption are the reduction of the amount of sugar in products or the reduction of the frequency of consumption of sugar-containing products. Which sugar-reducing strategy is best for caries prevention? To answer this question, this manuscript discusses the shape of the dose-response association between sugar intake and caries, the influence of fluoridated toothpaste on the association of sugar intake and caries and the relative contribution of frequency and amount of sugar intake to caries levels. The results suggest that when fluoride is appropriately used, the relation between sugar consumption and caries is very low or absent. The high correlation between amount and frequency hampers the decision related to which of both is of more importance, but frequency (and stickiness) fits better in our understanding of the caries process. Reducing the amount without reducing the frequency does not seem to be an effective caries preventive approach in contrast to the reciprocity. Goals set in terms of frequency may also be more tangible for patients to follow than goals set in amount. Yet, in sessions of dietary counselling to prevent dental caries, the counsellor should not forget the importance of quality tooth brushing with fluoride toothpaste.

A secondary exploratory analysis of Physical Activity in COPD Patients Comparing Conventional and Web Based Pulmonary Rehabilitation: Is the Level of Supervision Important? (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emma Chaplin
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Pulmonary Rehabilitation ◽  
World Health Organisation ◽  
World Health ◽  
Moderate Intensity ◽  
Moderate Activity ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Web

BACKGROUND Pulmonary Rehabilitation (PR) increases exercise capacity, with less clear evidence for Physical Activity (PA).The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends at least 150-300 minutes of moderate intensity or 75-150 of vigorous intensity aerobic physical activity per week to reduce the risks of chronic disease. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of conventional PR versus web-based PR with respect to changes in PA. METHODS Patients with COPD were randomised to either conventional PR classes (n=51) or a web-based PR programme (n=52) for 7 weeks in a feasibility study. Accelerometers (Sensewear®) were worn pre and post intervention, PA was measured as steps/day and mean bouts of moderate activity for ≥2, ≥5, ≥10 and ≥20 mins. Measures were derived for patients with ≥8 hrs of data/day for ≥4 days using R language statistical software. Variables were explored to examine relationships with bouts of activity. RESULTS Baseline characteristics did not differ significantly between groups. Complete PA data was available for web (n=20) and conventional (n=34) groups. The web group demonstrated a non-significant increase in steps/24hr which comprised mainly of short bouts of MVPA when compared with conventional PR (P=.2). The conventional group increased 20 min bouts of PA by 49.1% although this was not statistically significant (P=.07). At baseline, age (r =-0.21, P=.043), BMI (r=-0.311, P=.004) and FEV1% predicted (r=-0.248, P=.048) were significantly correlated with 10 min bouts of PA, however post intervention this was not observed. CONCLUSIONS The analysis detected a non-statistically significant difference in the pattern of PA between conventional and web-based PR groups, conventional PR being associated with an increase in 20 min bouts whilst the web group demonstrated an increase in steps/24hr. There appears to be a differing response emerging between the two interventions. CLINICALTRIAL ISRCTN03142263

Significance of sugar intake in young adults: a review

2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Akshatha Shetty
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Premature Death ◽  
World Health ◽  
Calorie Intake ◽  
Free Sugar ◽  
Tooth Decay ◽  
Sugar Consumption ◽  
Added Sugar ◽  
Strong Recommendation ◽  
Sugar Intake

Abstract Background Foodborne diseases non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the main reason of death, accounting for 38 million (68%) of the 56 million premature deaths worldwide in 2012. Lower-middle and middle-income countries accounted for nearly three-quarters of all NCD fatalities (28 million), as well as the bulk of illness and premature death (82%). An excessive consumption of added sugar is source of worry for its link to unhealthy nutrition quality, overweight, and the risk of NCDs among adolescents. A further source of worry is the link among free sugar consumption and tooth cavities in young adults. Dental infections are the most common NCDs worldwide in young adults, and despite significant advances in management and cure in recent decades, issues remain, resulting in pain, anxiety, functional limitations (which include failing school grades and attendance in children), and social severe disability due to missing teeth. Objectives The purpose of this report is to give suggestions on how to consume added sugar in order to mitigate the possibility of NCDs in children and young adults, with an emphasis on the care and mitigation of obesity and metabolic syndrome and tooth decay among young adults. Methods and materials The Keywords like adolescent, Health, Dental Caries, Obesity, Sugar Intake, Recommendation have been used to evaluate the standard of evidence discovered via current systematic reviews of the scientific literature relating to significance of sugar intake consumption and its effect in young adults. Results The relevant data from prospective studies was judged to be of good quality, but data from nationwide population-based studies was judged to be of extremely low quality. Free sweeteners should be used in moderation during one’s life, according to the World Health Organization (strong recommendation 1). WHO advises limiting natural sugar consumption to very little about 10% of total calorie intake among both grownups and children 2 (strong recommendation). Conclusions There is a significant association of prevalence of tooth decay, obesity due to sugar consumption at an alarming rate hence regulators as well as curriculum developers can utilize the recommendation reviewed by us to compare current free sugar intake levels in their nations to a benchmark. They may also be used to design ways to reduce free sugar consumption through a wide variety of social health initiatives, if required.

scholarly journals Global health for the 21st century and beyond

2016 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 263-267 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fiona MacVane Phipps
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Well Being ◽  
World Health Organisation ◽  
World Health ◽  
Human Right ◽  
Review Section ◽  
Content Type ◽  
High Commissioner ◽  
Aboriginal Populations ◽  
Definition Of

Purpose In considering the present and future state of the world’s health, it is worth revisiting the Alma-Ata declaration of 1978 (International Conference on Primary health Care, 1978). This international declaration, signed almost 40 years ago confirmed the World Health Organisation (WHO) definition of health from the 1946 WHO Constitution as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” (Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, 2015). The declaration clearly stated that health is a universal human right and that the gross inequalities in health apparent at the time of the conference, between and within countries, were unacceptable. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach This provides a review of the key articles in the current issue of IJHG with added evidence and commentary. Findings A global approach to health which acknowledges climate change, respects Aboriginal populations’ self-determination and which rejects the commodification of health in the way forward for twenty-first century health care. Originality/value IJHG is the only Emerald journal providing a review section in each issue.

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