scholarly journals Interplay of Nutrition and Psychoneuroendocrineimmune Modulation: Relevance for COVID-19 in BRICS Nations

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arundhati Mehta ◽  
Yashwant Kumar Ratre ◽  
Krishna Sharma ◽  
Vivek Kumar Soni ◽  
Atul Kumar Tiwari ◽  
...  

The consequences of COVID-19 are not limited to physical health deterioration; the impact on neuropsychological well-being is also substantially reported. The inter-regulation of physical health and psychological well-being through the psychoneuroendocrineimmune (PNEI) axis has enduring consequences in susceptibility, treatment outcome as well as recuperation. The pandemic effects are upsetting the lifestyle, social interaction, and financial security; and also pose a threat through perceived fear. These consequences of COVID-19 also influence the PNEI system and wreck the prognosis. The nutritional status of individuals is also reported to have a determinative role in COVID-19 severity and convalescence. In addition to energetic demand, diet also provides precursor substances [amino acids (AAs), vitamins, etc.] for regulators of the PNEI axis such as neurotransmitters (NTs) and immunomodulators. Moreover, exaggerated immune response and recovery phase of COVID-19 demand additional nutrient intake; widening the gap of pre-existing undernourishment. Mushrooms, fresh fruits and vegetables, herbs and spices, and legumes are few of such readily available food ingredients which are rich in protein and also have medicinal benefits. BRICS nations have their influences on global development and are highly impacted by a large number of confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths. The adequacy and access to healthcare are also low in BRICS nations as compared to the rest of the world. Attempt to combat the COVID-19 pandemic are praiseworthy in BRICS nations. However, large population sizes, high prevalence of undernourishment (PoU), and high incidence of mental health ailments in BRICS nations provide a suitable landscape for jeopardy of COVID-19. Therefore, appraising the interplay of nutrition and PNEI modulation especially in BRICS countries will provide better understanding; and will aid in combat COVID-19. It can be suggested that the monitoring will assist in designing adjunctive interventions through medical nutrition therapy and psychopsychiatric management.

Author(s):  
Oriol Ríos-González ◽  
Mimar Ramis-Salas ◽  
Juan Carlos Peña-Axt ◽  
Sandra Racionero-Plaza

Background: Men who develop behaviors connected with the model of hegemonic masculinity present several health problems. Previous research has shown the types of problems that men commonly suffer in this regard such as chronic diseases, dietary disorders, and traffic accidents. To combat and overcome this situation, several campaigns, policies and recommendations have been undertaken, and consequently, their influence has been analyzed. However, there have been few investigations into the role of men’s friendship in the reduction of these physical health problems. The findings presented in this article are focused on this issue, illustrating the impact of male friendship on the shaping of healthy behaviors. Methods: Drawing upon a qualitative-based methodology articulated in a case study of the Men in Dialogue association, located in Spain, the study has followed the premises of the communicative approach, a total of 15 structured online open-ended questionnaires have been performed and analyzed. The median age of the participants is 37.5 years. Results: The findings show how men involved in Men in Dialogue are promoting a kind of masculine friendship that is improving men’s emotional well-being and, consequently, their physical health.


2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jodi Oakman ◽  
Natasha Kinsman ◽  
Rwth Stuckey ◽  
Melissa Graham ◽  
Victoria Weale

Abstract Background The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in changes to the working arrangements of millions of employees who are now based at home and may continue to work at home, in some capacity, for the foreseeable future. Decisions on how to promote employees’ health whilst working at home (WAH) need to be based on the best available evidence to optimise worker outcomes. The aim of this rapid review was to review the impact of WAH on individual workers’ mental and physical health, and determine any gender difference, to develop recommendations for employers and employees to optimise workers’ health. Method A search was undertaken in three databases, PsychInfo, ProQuest, and Web of Science, from 2007 to May 2020. Selection criteria included studies which involved employees who regularly worked at home, and specifically reported on physical or mental health-related outcomes. Two review authors independently screened studies for inclusion, one author extracted data and conducted risk of bias assessments with review by a second author. Results Twenty-three papers meet the selection criteria for this review. Ten health outcomes were reported: pain, self-reported health, safety, well-being, stress, depression, fatigue, quality of life, strain and happiness. The impact on health outcomes was strongly influenced by the degree of organisational support available to employees, colleague support, social connectedness (outside of work), and levels of work to family conflict. Overall, women were less likely to experience improved health outcomes when WAH. Conclusions This review identified several health outcomes affected by WAH. The health/work relationship is complex and requires consideration of broader system factors to optimise the effects of WAH on workers’ health. It is likely mandated WAH will continue to some degree for the foreseeable future; organisations will need to implement formalised WAH policies that consider work-home boundary management support, role clarity, workload, performance indicators, technical support, facilitation of co-worker networking, and training for managers.


2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 186-200 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andreas Santa Maria ◽  
Christine Wolter ◽  
Burkhard Gusy ◽  
Dieter Kleiber ◽  
Babette Renneberg

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (9) ◽  
pp. e003055
Author(s):  
Amir Siraj ◽  
Alemayehu Worku ◽  
Kiros Berhane ◽  
Maru Aregawi ◽  
Munir Eshetu ◽  
...  

IntroductionSince its emergence in late December 2019, COVID-19 has rapidly developed into a pandemic in mid of March with many countries suffering heavy human loss and declaring emergency conditions to contain its spread. The impact of the disease, while it has been relatively low in the sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) as of May 2020, is feared to be potentially devastating given the less developed and fragmented healthcare system in the continent. In addition, most emergency measures practised may not be effective due to their limited affordability as well as the communal way people in SSA live in relative isolation in clusters of large as well as smaller population centres.MethodsTo address the acute need for estimates of the potential impacts of the disease once it sweeps through the African region, we developed a process-based model with key parameters obtained from recent studies, taking local context into consideration. We further used the model to estimate the number of infections within a year of sustained local transmissions under scenarios that cover different population sizes, urban status, effectiveness and coverage of social distancing, contact tracing and usage of cloth face mask.ResultsWe showed that when implemented early, 50% coverage of contact tracing and face mask, with 33% effective social distancing policies can bringing the epidemic to a manageable level for all population sizes and settings we assessed. Relaxing of social distancing in urban settings from 33% to 25% could be matched by introduction and maintenance of face mask use at 43%.ConclusionsIn SSA countries with limited healthcare workforce, hospital resources and intensive care units, a robust system of social distancing, contact tracing and face mask use could yield in outcomes that prevent several millions of infections and thousands of deaths across the continent.


2017 ◽  
Vol 49 (3) ◽  
pp. 1163-1186 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Ojeda ◽  
Julianna Pacheco

Do changes in health lead to changes in the probability of voting? Using two longitudinal datasets, this article looks at the impact of three measures of health – physical health, mental health and overall well-being – on voting trajectories in young adulthood. The results show that self-rated health is associated with a lower probability of voting in one’s first election, depression is related to a decline in turnout over time and physical limitations are unrelated to voting. Some familial resources from childhood are also found to condition when the health–participation effect manifests.


2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. 33-35
Author(s):  
Gemma Goldenberg

In the final part of her series weighing the impact of children's contact with nature, Gemma Goldenberg explores its influence on their physical health and how this in turn links to mental well-being.


2011 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 175-205 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin Milligan ◽  
Mark Stabile

We exploit changes in child benefits in Canada to study the impact of family income on child and family well-being. Using variation in child benefits across province, time, and family type, we study outcomes spanning test scores, mental health, physical health, and deprivation measures. The findings suggest that child benefit programs had significant positive effects on test scores, maternal health, and mental health, among other measures. We find strong and interesting differences in the effects of benefits by child sex: benefits have stronger effects on educational outcomes and physical health for boys, and on mental health outcomes for girls. (JEL I12, I31, I38, J13)


2017 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanna L. Tuomisto ◽  
Pauline F.D. Scheelbeek ◽  
Zaid Chalabi ◽  
Rosemary Green ◽  
Richard D. Smith ◽  
...  

Environmental changes are likely to affect agricultural production over the next  decades. The interactions between environmental change, agricultural yields and crop quality, and the critical pathways to future diets and health outcomes are largely undefined. There are currently no quantitative models to test the impact of multiple environmental changes on nutrition and health outcomes. Using an interdisciplinary approach, we developed a framework to link the multiple interactions between environmental change, agricultural productivity and crop quality, population-level food availability, dietary intake and health outcomes, with a specific focus on fruits and vegetables. The main components of the framework consist of: i) socio-economic and societal factors, ii) environmental change stressors, iii) interventions and policies, iv) food system activities, v) food and nutrition security, and vi) health and well-being outcomes. The framework, based on currently available evidence, provides an overview of the multidimensional and complex interactions with feedback between environmental change, production of fruits and vegetables, diets and health, and forms the analytical basis for future modelling and scenario testing.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 814-814
Author(s):  
Barbara Hodgdon ◽  
Jen D Wong ◽  
Patricia S Pittman

Abstract As numbers of sandwiched caregivers in the United States grow, it is essential to document the literature on the impact of dual care responsibilities on aspects of psychological well-being and physical health. This scoping review examined the literature on sandwiched caregivers’ psychological well-being and physical health, identified gaps in the literature, and provided suggestions for future studies to advance the literature on sandwiched caregivers in the United States. Guided by the Arksey and O’Malley (2005) framework, this scoping review comprised of 15 peer-reviewed articles between 1980 and 2019, that examined aspects of the psychological well-being (e.g., depression, affect) and physical health (e.g., health behaviors, chronic conditions) of sandwiched caregivers in the United States. Findings showed that there was ambiguity surrounding the conceptualization of sandwiched caregivers, specifically how older and younger care recipients were defined. Also, most studies examined psychological well-being while physical health was understudied. The findings of this review also showed that, compared to non-sandwiched caregivers (e.g., spousal, filial caregivers) and non-caregivers, sandwiched caregivers exhibited greater depressive symptoms and psychological distress as well as poorer health behaviors. Furthermore, sandwiched caregivers who were female and employed were more susceptible to greater depressive symptoms than their employed male counterparts or employed non-caregivers. In considering future directions, more work is needed that examines physical health. Additionally, sandwiched caregivers of minority status merit attention as multigenerational care occurs at greater rates in these populations. Finally, caregiving during the pandemic may have a detrimental impact on sandwiched caregivers’ lives which should be investigated.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Boaz Anglade ◽  
Julia Escobar

This paper presents a systematic overview of the evidence of violence against women in the Central America, Mexico, Panama, Haiti, and Dominican Republic region and examines its impact on the well-being of women and their children. Population-based surveys show that violence against women remains a widespread issue in the region. The proportion of women who have experienced physical or sexual violence at least once in their lifetime varies between 13% and 53%; Panama has the lowest rate while Mexico and El Salvador have the highest. The percentage of women who have experienced violence within private spheres ranges between 17% and 24%. Also, homicidal violence targeting women remains a major problem in the region. Using a novel propensity score reweighting technique, we assess the impact of violence on a series of outcome variables related to a womans health and socioeconomic condition. We find evidence that violence against women negatively affects victims reproductive and physical health as well as their fertility preferences. We also find evidence that violence against mothers has an adverse effect on childrens advancement in school and overall health.


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