Nutritional Behaviors, Vitamin Supplementation and Physical Activity among Polish Adults during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences, including social isolation, movement restrictions and work instability have altered many people’s nutritional behaviors and daily lifestyle. The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on selected eating habits, physical activity and daily lifestyle changes of Polish adults (n = 145). The self-designed and anonymous questionnaire was available online from the 1 May 2021 to the 15 May 2021. In general, 60% of respondents declared that the COVID-19 pandemic did not affect their dietary habits, whereas 26% of surveyed individuals answered in the affirmative. The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on changing dietary habits was differentiated by age (Pearson’s χ2 = 12.604; p = 0.0134). The number of meals consumed by respondents per day differed across gender groups (Pearson’s χ2 = 9.653; df = 4; p = 0.0466). An increase in body weight during the COVID-19 pandemic was reported by 43% of women and 7.6% of surveyed men. Additionally, hybrid working women declared most often an increase in body mass independent of age, education level and living place. Moreover, the majority of respondents who reported the effect of the pandemic on changing dietary habits also declared more frequent sweets consumption. The study revealed that respondents who stated more frequent sweets consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic were more likely associated with an increase in body mass (OR = 6.75, 95% CI, 6.75–91.25). No increase in the consumption of vitamin D, C and Mg supplements and pickled products was found.

Reliability and Validity of Scores on a Measure of Stigma of Loneliness

The purpose of this study was to validate the use and interpretation of scores derived from the Stigma of Loneliness Scale (SLS) with a sample of college students from a large, Midwestern university. A two-factor oblique solution with 10 items was selected through exploratory factor analysis and cross-validated through confirmatory factor analysis. Correlational evidence was demonstrated through positive correlations with loneliness and shame scores, and a negative correlation with social connectedness scores. Construct evidence was demonstrated through positive correlations with self-concealment and depression scores, and a negative association with distress disclosure scores. For incremental validity, items on the SLS accounted for additional variance in predicting contingent self-worth based on approval from others, shame, self-esteem, and social self-efficacy above and beyond scores on a measure of loneliness. The internal structure of the SLS was invariant across gender groups and across Time 1 and Time 2 assessments.

Gender and Political Participation in the Traditional Political System of the Village: A Study on the Khasi tribe of Mawkynrew village in Meghalaya

The article is a study on the political participation at the village level by both the male and female members of Mawkynrew village in Meghalaya. Meghalaya is inhabited by three major tribes and the Khasi tribe is one of the three tribes. The political system is still based on a traditional system of political administration at all village and locality levels. This political system allows the people to elect a chief and other members for the village council’s office. Traditionally, only male members are allowed to hold the traditional office of village administration. Therefore, the article will highlight the participation of both the gender groups in the village and how changes have taken place over the years. The paper will also attempt to study the factors or determinants that are influencing gender participation in the political system of the village, particularly that of the women in the village.

COVID-19 Pandemic: Influence of Gender Identity on Stress, Anxiety, and Depression Levels in Canada

Background: This cross-sectional study explored variation of the prevalence of perceived stress, depression and anxiety among different self-identified gender identity groups in the Canadian population during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Anxiety, depression, and stress were assessed using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) scale, Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) respectively. Data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance. Results: There were 8267 respondents to the online survey; 982 (12.0%) were male-identified, 7120 (86.9%) female-identified, and 92 (1.1%) identified as a diverse gender group. Prevalence rates for clinically meaningful anxiety (333 (41.7%), 2882 (47.6%), 47 (61.0%)), depression (330 (40.2%), 2736 (44.3%), 46 (59.7%)), and stress (702 (79.6%), 5711 (86.4%), 74 (90.2%)) were highest among respondents who self-identified as “other gender” followed by female-identified and then male-identified, respectively. There were statistically significant differences between gender groups for mean scores on GAD-7 (F (2, 6929) = 18.02, p = 0.00), PHQ-9 (F (2191.4) = 11.17, p < 0.001), and PSS (F (2204.6) = 21.13, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Gender identity differences exist in terms of the prevalence and severity of anxiety, depressive, and stress symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic. This finding highlights the importance of incorporating self-identified gender identity in medical research, clinical practice, and policy.

Suicidal Ideation during the COVID-19 Pandemic among A Large-Scale Iranian Sample: The Roles of Generalized Trust, Insomnia, and Fear of COVID-19

The novel 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is still not under control globally. The pandemic has caused mental health issues among many different cohorts and suicidal ideation in relation to COVID-19 has been reported in a number of recent studies. Therefore, the present study proposed a model to explain the associations between generalized trust, fear of COVID-19, insomnia, and suicidal ideation during the COVID-19 pandemic among a large-scale Iranian sample. Utilizing cluster sampling with multistage stratification, residents from Qazvin province in Iran were invited to participate in the present study. Adults aged over 18 years (n = 10,843; 6751 [62.3%] females) completed ‘paper–and-pencil’ questionnaires with the assistance of a trained research assistant. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was applied to understand the associations between generalized trust, fear of COVID-19, insomnia, and suicidal ideation. Slightly over one-fifth of the participants (n = 2252; 20.8%) reported suicidal ideation. Moreover, the SEM results indicated that generalized trust was indirectly associated with suicidal ideation via fear of COVID-19 and insomnia. Furthermore, generalized trust was not directly associated with suicidal ideation. The proposed model was invariant across gender groups, age groups, and participants residing in different areas (i.e., urban vs. rural). Generalized trust might reduce individuals’ suicidal ideation during the COVID-19 pandemic period via reduced levels of fear of COVID-19 and insomnia. Healthcare providers and policymakers may want to assist individuals in developing their generalized trust, reducing fear of COVID-19, and improving insomnia problems to avoid possible suicidal behaviors.

Exceeding the Recommended Energy Limits Due to Age and Gender in Occupational Aerobic Workloads

The purpose of this chapter is to analyze the physical aerobic work in terms of the metabolic expenditure and compare it with the recommended boundaries of energy found in literature, proposing an alternative to the potential work overload through a compensatory equation introduced in the standard time of the workstation. To support the study, information considering the estimated metabolic expenditure in workers was applied to a novel procedure to reduce the metabolic demand of the task according to age and gender. Results of the study indicated that women older than 30 years exceeded the energy limits from moderate to very heavy load activities, and men older than 40 years exceeded the energy limits in heavy and very heavy workloads. The proposal of compensatory equation statistically reduced the energy loads below the recommended limits of energy. The aerobic workload is a sensitive factor for age and gender groups and can be potential risks for developing cardiovascular diseases as well as some musculoskeletal disorders.

Social and hygienic problems and mortality of the population after the liquidation of a city-forming enterprise for the production of chemically hazardous substances (on the example of Usolye-Sibirskoye, Irkutsk region)

Introduction. In Usolye-Sibirskoye, after the liquidation of the town-forming enterprise "Usoliekhimprom", the socio-economic and demographic situation sharply worsened, and environmental problems accumulated since the 30s of the twentieth century aggravated. For the period 1990-2019, the city's population decreased by almost 30%. The study aims to conduct a comparative analysis of the mortality rate of the male and female population of Usolye-Sibirskoye, the Irkutsk Oblast and Russia and assess the contribution of a certain age and gender groups (children, working-age, and post-working age) to the formation of super-mortality in the population. Materials and methods. The study base was the primary data of the Federal State Statistics Service (Table C-51 "The number of deaths by sex, age and specific causes of death" and 2PN "Population by sex and age"). We calculated the age-specific for 5-year age groups and age-standardized mortality rates from all causes of death separately for the male and female population of Usolye-Sibirskoye, Irkutsk Oblast and Russia for ten years (2010-2019) and traced them dynamics. Standardization was carried out by a direct method (the standard is the population of Russia according to the 2010 census). Considering the small population of the city and the resulting fluctuations in the mortality rate in individual years, to obtain stable indicators, we summarized the data on mortality for ten years (2010-2019) and calculated the average coefficients. We performed similar calculations for the region and country. We also assessed the contribution of certain age and gender groups (children, working and post-working ages) to the formation of excess mortality. Results. During 2010-2019 among the male and female populations of Usolye-Sibirskoye, Irkutsk Oblast and Russia, there was a steady decrease in mortality, but in the city, higher rates and slower rates of their decline were recorded compared to the region and the country. As a result, at the end of the observation period, the gap between the city's mortality rate and the compared territories increased even more. The most significant demographic losses occurred in the working age, where the average mortality rate for men and women over ten years was 28 and 37%, respectively, higher than the regional and 1.8 and 2.2 times the national average. Conclusion. Thus, the main contribution to the excess mortality of the population of Usolye-Sibirskoye is made by men and women of working age (from 53.6% to 72.5% depending on the comparison area), which, on the one hand, maybe a consequence of the influence of harmful and dangerous working conditions. In combination with a polluted environment, on the other hand, it may be due to the termination of the operation of a city-forming enterprise and the inevitable increase in unemployment and socio-economic tension in these conditions.

The Space and Terrestrial Weather Variations as Possible Factors for Ischemia Events in Saint Petersburg

The Space and Terrestrial Weather (Weather Complex) impact on ischemia cases in Saint Petersburg is investigated. The results show the main feature of the Weather Complex when it was related to the days of the different ischemia situations in the different ischemia people gender groups. The data treatment was done with some elements of the Folder Epochs Method, Cluster Analysis and the Mann–Whitney hypothesis test criterion.

Cute at an older age: A case study of Otona-Kawaii

The word kawaii, meaning ‘cute and sweet’ in English, has been part of the Japanese culture for centuries. While the word and trend were historically associated with young women and children, there has recently been an attempt to expand the definition of kawaii outside of its traditional borders to other age and gender groups by creating uniquely synthesised words and trends. The newly coined term otona-kawaii [‘adult-cute’] refers to mature women who passed their teen years and continue to dress cute and behave innocent and adorable. In this paper, a focus will be taken upon the new concept of otona-kawaii, and how it is defined and evaluated by the Japanese people. Results of a recent survey conducted among 717 male and female respondents between the ages of 18 to 29, showed that many of them were in favour of the idea of behaving cute at an older age. It was also found that women were more familiar with the term otona-kawaii and had a more positive approach towards it than men. The results of the study suggest that kawaii can be extended beyond infants and may apply to other age populations, such as mature women. The aim of this study is to bridge the gap between kawaii and maturity by providing some empirical evidence and information, bringing to a deeper understanding of the concept of kawaii, contributing to the scholarship of the kawaii culture in Japan.