Medicine and Health Sciences | Open Access Articles

The Association Of Emotional Eating With Overweight/Obesity, Depression, Anxiety/Stress, And Dietary Patterns: A Review Of The Current Clinical Evidence, Antonios Dakanalis, Maria Mentzelou, Souzana K. Papadopoulou, Dimitrios Papandreou, Maria Spanoudaki, Georgios K. Vasios, Eleni Pavlidou, Maria Mantzorou, Constantinos Giaginis

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(1) Background: Emotional eating is considered as the propensity to eat in response to emotions. It is considered as a critical risk factor for recurrent weight gain. Such overeating is able to affect general health due to excess energy intake and mental health. So far, there is still considerable controversy on the effect of the emotional eating concept. The objective of this study is to summarize and evaluate the interconnections among emotional eating and overweight/obesity, depression, anxiety/stress, and dietary patterns; (2) Methods: This is a thorough review of the reported associations among emotional eating and overweight/obesity, depression, anxiety/stress, and dietary …

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Association Between Depression, Happiness, And Sleep Duration: Data From The Uae Healthy Future Pilot Study, Mitha Al Balushi, Sara Al Balushi, Syed Javaid, Andrea Leinberger-Jabari, Fatma Al-Maskari, Mohammed Al-Houqani, Ayesha Al Dhaheri, Abdullah Al Nuaimi, Abdullah Al Junaibi, Naima Oumeziane, Marina Kazim, Aisha Al Hamiz, Muna Haji, Ayesha Al Hosani, Leila Abdel Wareth, Wael Almahmeed, Habiba Alsafar, Fatme Alanouti, Eiman Al Zaabi, Claire K. Inman, Omar El Shahawy, Michael Weitzman, Ann Marie Schmidt, Scott Sherman, Abdishakur Abdulle, Amar Ahmad, Raghib Ali

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Background: The United Arab Emirates Healthy Future Study (UAEHFS) is one of the first large prospective cohort studies and one of the few studies in the region which examines causes and risk factors for chronic diseases among the nationals of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The aim of this study is to investigate the eight-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-8) as a screening instrument for depression among the UAEHFS pilot participants. Methods: The UAEHFS pilot data were analyzed to examine the relationship between the PHQ-8 and possible confounding factors, such as self-reported happiness, and self-reported sleep duration (hours) after adjusting for …

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Representations Of Depression And Schizophrenia In The Community: The Role Of Illness And Risk Perceptions On Help-Seeking Intentions, David Dias Neto, Maria João Figueiras, Rita Sebastião

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Illness perceptions (IPs) are important in understanding human reactions to illnesses, including mental health disorders. They influence risk perceptions and several variables relevant to the adjustment to a disorder, treatment seeking, and health outcomes. This study sought to compare IP, risk perception, and help-seeking intention for depression and schizophrenia in a community sample and to assess the mediating role of risk perception in the relationship between IP and help-seeking intention. A total of 380 adults participated in this study and filled out self-report measures of IPs, risk perceptions, and help-seeking intention. The previous diagnosis of depression was used to control …

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Prevalence Of Bullying Behaviors Among Students From A National University In The United Arab Emirates: A Cross-Sectional Study, Fatima Al-Darmaki, Haleama Al Sabbah, Dalia Haroun

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This study aims to investigate bullying behaviors among college students at one of the national universities in UAE, and also to examine the psychological characteristics of those who were exposed to, or have experienced bullying. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 839 undergraduate students at one of the national universities in the UAE. Students from all colleges participated in this study and were selected by using stratified random sampling. Participants completed a bullying survey designed for the study, in addition to three psychological measures [i.e., Aggression Questionnaire, Buss and Perry, 1992; The Primary Care Anxiety and Depression, El-Rufaie et al., …

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The Psychological Impact Of Isolation On Hospitalised Patients With Covid-19 Infection In The Uae, Nahida Nayaz Ahmed, Nirmin F. Juber, Reem Alkaabi, Fatema Alshehhi, Mohamed Alobeidli, Ahlam Salem, Alaa Galadari, Shamil Wanigaratne, Amar Ahmad

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Infection prevention and control measures for COVID-19 may include immediate admission to an isolation facility for the infected. However, the mental health impact of this isolation worldwide is not fully documented. This study aims to contribute to global data on the psychological impact of COVID-19 and to be the first study to assess psychological distress among hospitalised patients with COVID-19 in the UAE. Using a cross-sectional study design on 132 hospitalised patients, we found that 90% of participants scored within the normal levels for psychological distress. The length of stay was associated with higher levels of psychological distress and those …

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Machine Learning Techniques For Predicting Depression And Anxiety In Pregnant And Postpartum Women During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Regional Study, Radwan Qasrawi, Malak Amro, Stephanny Vicunapolo, Diala Abu Al-Halawa, Hazem Agha, Rania Abu Seir, Maha Hoteit, Reem Hoteit, Sabika Allehdan, Nouf Behzad, Khlood Bookari, Majid Alkhalaf, Haleama Al-Sabbah, Eman Badran, Reema Tayyem

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Background: Maternal depression and anxiety are significant public health concerns that play an important role in the health and well-being of mothers and children. The COVID-19 pandemic, the consequential lockdowns and related safety restrictions worldwide negatively affected the mental health of pregnant and postpartum women. Methods: This regional study aimed to develop a machine learning (ML) model for the prediction of maternal depression and anxiety. The study used a dataset collected from five Arab countries during the COVID-19 pandemic between July to December 2020. The population sample included 3569 women (1939 pregnant and 1630 postpartum) from five countries (Jordan, Palestine, …

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Gaming Disorder And Well-Being Among Emirati College Women, Marina Verlinden, Justin Thomas, Mahra Hasan Abdulla Ahamed Almansoori, Shamil Wanigaratne

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Background: The present study examined Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) and depressive symptom levels among a predominantly female sample of college students from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Methods: IGD was assessed among two successive cohorts of students at the beginning of the academic year in 2016 and 2019, respectively. All participants (n = 412) completed the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale – Short-Form (IGDS9-SF) and the WHO-5 Well-being Index (WHO-5), a tool widely used for the screening and assessment of depressive symptomatology. Results: Mean IGDS9-SF scores (15.85, SD = 6.40) were fairly similar to those observed in other nations. The prevalence …

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Natural Dietary Supplement, Carvacrol, Alleviates Lps-Induced Oxidative Stress, Neurodegeneration, And Depressive-Like Behaviors Via The Nrf2/Ho-1 Pathway, Komal Naeem, Lina Tariq Al Kury, Faiza Nasar, Abdullah Alattar, Reem Alshaman, Fawad Ali Shah, Arif-Ullah Khan, Shupeng Li

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Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a debilitating human health condition characterized by mood swings and is associated with a high probability of suicide attempts. Several studies have reported a role of neuroinflammation in MMD, yet the efficacy of natural drug substances on neuroinflammation-associated depression has not been well-investigated. The present study examined the neuroprotective effects of carvacrol on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced neuroinflammation, depression, and anxiety-like behavior. Methods Male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into two experimental cohorts to determine the effects and the effective dose of carvacrol (whether 20 mg/kg or 50 mg/kg), and further demonstrate the mechanism of action of …

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Psychosocial Correlates Of Depression And Anxiety In The United Arab Emirates During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Justin Thomas, Mariapaola Barbato, Marina Verlinden, Carl Gaspar, Mona Moussa, Jihane Ghorayeb, Aaina Menon, Maria J. Figueiras, Teresa Arora, Richard P. Bentall

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© Copyright © 2020 Thomas, Barbato, Verlinden, Gaspar, Moussa, Ghorayeb, Menon, Figueiras, Arora and Bentall. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health is likely to be significant. Identifying vulnerable groups during the pandemic is essential for targeting psychological support, and in preparation for any second wave or future pandemic. Vulnerable groups are likely to vary across different societies; therefore, research needs to be conducted at a national and international level. This online survey explored generalized anxiety and depression symptoms in a community sample of adults (N = 1,039) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) between April 8th and …

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Positive Religious Coping And Mental Health Among Christians And Muslims In Response To The Covid-19 Pandemic, Justin Thomas, Mariapaola Barbato

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© 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Positive religious coping has frequently been associated with better mental health outcomes when dealing with stressful life events (e.g., natural disasters, domestic abuse, divorce). The COVID-19 pandemic, and the associated infection prevention and control measures (curfew, quarantine, restricted travel, social distancing), represent a society-wide stressor. This study explored positive religious coping among the Muslim and Christian residents of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) during the early stages of the national response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants (N = 543) completed an online survey assessing religious coping in response to the pandemic, …

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A Longitudinal Cohort Study To Explore The Relationship Between Depression, Anxiety And Academic Performance Among Emirati University Students, Suheir Awadalla, E. Bethan Davies, Cris Glazebrook

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© 2020 The Author(s). Background: Many university students experience depression and anxiety, both of which have been shown to affect cognitive function. However, the impact of these emotional difficulties on academic performance is unclear. This study aims to determine the prevalence of depression and anxiety in university students in United Arab Emirates (UAE). It further seeks to explore the relationship between emotional difficulties and students' academic performance. Methods: This longitudinal study recruited 404 students (aged 17-25 years) attending one UAE university (80.4% response rate). At baseline, participants completed a paper-based survey to assess socio-economic factors and academic performance, including most …

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The Relationship Between Sleep Duration And Mood In Adolescents: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Michelle A. Short, Stephen A. Booth, Omar Omar, Linda Ostlundh, Teresa Arora

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© 2020 Elsevier Ltd Insufficient sleep has been argued to result in deleterious changes to mood in adolescents and offers promise as a modifiable risk factor. A systematic review of the literature regarding sleep duration and mood in adolescents was conducted using the academic databases PsycINFO, PubMed, Medline, Scopus, and EMBASE to identify relevant literature. Seventy-four studies, including 361,505 adolescents were sourced out of the 1534 references identified, 73 of which were appropriate for meta-analysis. Pooled results indicated that less sleep was associated with a 55% increase in the likelihood of mood deficits. Positive mood showed the largest relationship with …

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Perceived Risk And Protection From Infection And Depressive Symptoms Among Healthcare Workers In Mainland China And Hong Kong During Covid-19, Simon Ching Lam, Teresa Arora, Ian Grey, Lorna Kwai Ping Suen, Emma Yun Zhi Huang, Daofan Li, Kin Bong Hubert Lam

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© Copyright © 2020 Lam, Arora, Grey, Suen, Huang, Li and Lam. Psychological health among healthcare workers (HCWs) has become a major concern since the COVID-19 outbreak. HCWs perceived risks of contracting COVID-19, in relation to depression were investigated. It was hypothesized that perceived high risk of contracting COVID-19 (close contact with cases, inadequate provision of personal protective equipment, insufficient infection control training, and presence of symptoms) would be significant predictors of depression. Our cross-sectional survey was completed by HCWs across three regions (Hubei, Guangdong, Hong Kong) between March 9 to April 9 2020 using convenience sampling. Depression was assessed …

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Representations Of Depression And Schizophrenia In The Community: The Role Of Illness And Risk Perceptions On Help-Seeking Intentions, David Dias Neto, Maria João Figueiras, Rita Sebastião

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Prevalence Of Bullying Behaviors Among Students From A National University In The United Arab Emirates: A Cross-Sectional Study, Fatima Al-Darmaki, Haleama Al Sabbah, Dalia Haroun

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The Psychological Impact Of Isolation On Hospitalised Patients With Covid-19 Infection In The Uae, Nahida Nayaz Ahmed, Nirmin F. Juber, Reem Alkaabi, Fatema Alshehhi, Mohamed Alobeidli, Ahlam Salem, Alaa Galadari, Shamil Wanigaratne, Amar Ahmad

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Gaming Disorder And Well-Being Among Emirati College Women, Marina Verlinden, Justin Thomas, Mahra Hasan Abdulla Ahamed Almansoori, Shamil Wanigaratne

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Natural Dietary Supplement, Carvacrol, Alleviates Lps-Induced Oxidative Stress, Neurodegeneration, And Depressive-Like Behaviors Via The Nrf2/Ho-1 Pathway, Komal Naeem, Lina Tariq Al Kury, Faiza Nasar, Abdullah Alattar, Reem Alshaman, Fawad Ali Shah, Arif-Ullah Khan, Shupeng Li

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Psychosocial Correlates Of Depression And Anxiety In The United Arab Emirates During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Justin Thomas, Mariapaola Barbato, Marina Verlinden, Carl Gaspar, Mona Moussa, Jihane Ghorayeb, Aaina Menon, Maria J. Figueiras, Teresa Arora, Richard P. Bentall

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Positive Religious Coping And Mental Health Among Christians And Muslims In Response To The Covid-19 Pandemic, Justin Thomas, Mariapaola Barbato

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A Longitudinal Cohort Study To Explore The Relationship Between Depression, Anxiety And Academic Performance Among Emirati University Students, Suheir Awadalla, E. Bethan Davies, Cris Glazebrook

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The Relationship Between Sleep Duration And Mood In Adolescents: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Michelle A. Short, Stephen A. Booth, Omar Omar, Linda Ostlundh, Teresa Arora

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Perceived Risk And Protection From Infection And Depressive Symptoms Among Healthcare Workers In Mainland China And Hong Kong During Covid-19, Simon Ching Lam, Teresa Arora, Ian Grey, Lorna Kwai Ping Suen, Emma Yun Zhi Huang, Daofan Li, Kin Bong Hubert Lam

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