Search Results (148)

Background/Objectives: Weight loss and its subsequent regain pose significant challenges for those dealing with overweight and obesity. This study explores weight loss strategies among adults in Saudi Arabia and evaluates factors linked to weight regain. Methods: This cross-sectional study focused on adults residing in Jazan, located in southwest Saudi Arabia. Data collection was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire that assessed participants’ demographics, medical history, perceptions of body weight, weight loss methods, and the incidence of weight regain. Logistic regression was used to determine whether there were statistically significant differences related to the occurrence of weight regain. Results: A total of 368 participants reported efforts to lose weight over the past 3 years. The average age of these participants was 32.7 years (standard deviation: 11.3), and the gender distribution was almost equal. The majority of the sample (65%) voiced dissatisfaction with their body weight. Some participants employed a combination of weight loss methods, with exercise, reduced food intake, and intermittent fasting being the most frequently mentioned. The findings also indicate that a minority sought professional help, whether from a physician or a nutritionist. Over 90% claimed to have successfully lost weight at least once during their attempts, but more than half (139 individuals) experienced weight regain following their weight loss efforts. Within the univariate logistic regression, higher odds ratios of weight regain were detected among men, older participants, those living in rural areas, individuals with higher levels of education, employed persons or business owners, those with higher monthly incomes, smokers, khat chewers, and those diagnosed with a chronic condition (p values < 0.05). However, the multivariate logistic regression revealed that only residence, monthly income, smoking status, and being diagnosed with a chronic disease remained statistically significant as predictors of weight regain after adjusting for other variables (p values < 0.05). Conclusions: These findings highlight the significance of incorporating weight regain prevention into body weight management for individuals dealing with overweight and obesity. Further research is needed to evaluate specific dietary, physical activity, and psychological factors that may increase the risk of weight regain in certain participants. Full article

Background and Objectives: The associations between body appreciation, weight status, and weight management practices are influenced by societal, cultural, and psychological factors. Studies indicated that a higher level of body appreciation is linked to lower engagement in unhealthy weight management practices. The transition from high school to university is a significant life event, often accompanied by substantial lifestyle changes that can affect students’ body image and weight-related behaviours. This study aimed to assess the associations between body appreciation, weight status, and weight management behaviours among first-year students at four universities of applied sciences in Lithuania. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted in 2022 among 709 first-year students (216 males and 493 females) at the four largest universities of applied sciences in Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipėda, and Šiauliai. Body appreciation was assessed using the Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2), whilst BMI was calculated from self-reported height and weight. Students were asked about their weight management practices. Logistic regression analysis was applied to evaluate associations between weight management behaviours, body appreciation, and weight status. Results: Female students had a significantly lower median BMI (21.1 kg/m²) than males (23.3 kg/m²) but were more likely to perceive themselves as overweight (34.5% vs. 17.1%), worry about gaining weight (40.6% vs. 11.6%), and attempt weight loss (52.5% vs. 23.6%) (all p < 0.001). Higher BAS scores were associated with greater accuracy in weight perception, higher satisfaction with body weight, and fewer concerns about weight gain. Students with lower BAS scores were more likely to engage in harmful weight-control behaviours such as smoking (OR = 0.07; 95% CI: 0.02–0.25 for high vs. low BAS) and were more strongly influenced by media beauty standards and dissatisfaction with appearance. Conclusions: Body appreciation is linked to healthier weight perceptions and behaviours. Interventions that enhance body appreciation may help reduce body dissatisfaction and prevent unhealthy weight control practices, especially among female students. Full article

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted daily life, disrupting routines and altering lifestyle behaviors. This study aimed to investigate changes in body weight, nutritional status, and weight loss practices among adults in Türkiye during the first year of the pandemic. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted between March and April 2021, including 806 participants. Height and weight were self-reported, and weight loss practices, along with their details, were evaluated. A qualitative component explored participants’ perceptions of weight change, with 274 valid responses. The mean weight gain during the pandemic was 0.88 kg (p < 0.001). Among participants, 44.9% reported weight gain, 22.6% reported weight loss, and 14.1% experienced weight fluctuation. Among those who experienced weight fluctuations, 47.4% resulted in weight loss, 14.9% showed no change, and 37.7% experienced weight gain. The prevalence of overweight increased from 19.2% to 22.8%, and obesity rose from 8.7% to 9.4% (p = 0.005). Regarding weight loss practices, 30.1% of participants engaged in physical exercise, while 25.7% reported following weight loss diets. Qualitative analysis revealed that changes in physical activity, eating habits, and psychological factors were key determinants of weight change. These findings emphasize the diverse effects of the pandemic on weight status and management. Full article

Soil pore water electrical conductivity (EC), as a comprehensive indicator of soil nutrient status, is closely linked to crop growth and development. Accurate prediction of pore water EC is therefore essential for informed and scientific crop management. This study focuses on a greenhouse rose cultivation site in Jiangchuan District, Yuxi City, Yunnan Province, China. Leveraging multi-parameter sensors deployed within the facility, we collected continuous soil data (temperature, moisture, EC, and pore water EC) and meteorological data (air temperature, humidity, and vapor pressure deficit) from January to December of 2024. We propose a hybrid prediction model—PSO–CNN–LSTM–BOA–XGBoost (PCLBX)—that integrates a particle swarm optimization (PSO)-enhanced convolutional LSTM (CNN–LSTM) with a Bayesian optimization algorithm-tuned XGBoost (BOA–XGBoost). The model utilizes highly correlated environmental variables to forecast soil pore water EC. The experimental results demonstrate that the PCLBX model achieves a mean square error (MSE) of 0.0016, a mean absolute error (MAE) of 0.0288, and a coefficient of determination (R²) of 0.9778. Compared to the CNN–LSTM model, MSE and MAE are reduced by 0.0001 and 0.0014, respectively, with an R² increase of 0.0015. Against the BOA–XGBoost model, PCLBX yields a reduction of 0.0006 in MSE and 0.0061 in MAE, alongside a 0.0077 improvement in R². Furthermore, relative to an equal-weight ensemble of CNN–LSTM and BOA–XGBoost, the PCLBX model shows improved performance, with MSE and MAE decreased by 0.0001 and 0.0005, respectively, and R² increased by 0.0007. These results underscore the superior predictive capability of the PCLBX model over individual and ensemble baselines. By enhancing the accuracy and robustness of soil pore water EC prediction, this model contributes to a deeper understanding of soil physicochemical dynamics and offers a scalable tool for intelligent perception and forecasting. Importantly, it provides agricultural researchers and greenhouse managers with a deployable and generalizable framework for digital, precise, and intelligent management of soil water and nutrients in protected horticulture systems. Full article

Due to traditional recovery systems lacking visual perception, it is difficult to monitor UAVs’ real-time status in communication-constrained or GPS-denied environments. This leads to insufficient ability in decision-making and parameter adjustment and increase uncertainty and risk of recovery. Visual inspection technology can make up for the limitations of GPS and communication and improve the autonomy and adaptability of the system. However, the existing RT-DETR algorithm is limited by single-path feature extraction, a simplified fusion mechanism, and high-frequency information loss, which makes it difficult to balance detection accuracy and computational efficiency. Therefore, this paper proposes a lightweight visual detection model based on transformer architecture to further optimize computational efficiency. Firstly, aiming at the performance bottleneck of existing models, the Parallel Backbone is proposed, which captures local features and global semantic information by sharing the initial feature extraction module and the double-branch structure, respectively, and uses the progressive fusion mechanism to realize the adaptive integration of multiscale features so as to balance the accuracy and lightness of target detection. Secondly, an adaptive multiscale feature pyramid network (AMFPN) is designed, which effectively integrates different scales of information through multi-level feature fusion and information transmission mechanism, alleviates the problem of information loss in small-target detection, and improves the detection accuracy in complex backgrounds. Finally, a wavelet frequency–domain-optimized reverse feature fusion mechanism (WT-FORM) is proposed. By using the wavelet transform to decompose the shallow features into multi-frequency bands and combining the weighted calculation and feature compensation strategy, the computational complexity is reduced, and the representation ability of the global context is further enhanced. The experimental results show that the improved model reduces the parameter size and computational load by 43.2% and 58% while maintaining detection accuracy comparable to the original RT-DETR in three datasets. Even in complex environments with low light, occlusion, or small targets, it can provide more accurate detection results. Full article

Objective: This study aims to analyze the association between self-perceived body image and the incidence of hypertension. Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted, classifying body image perception into three categories: adequate, underestimation, and overestimation, based on Stunkard’s Figure Rating Scale and self-reported nutritional status. Cox proportional hazards models were used to determine the association between body image perception and the risk of developing hypertension, adjusting for potential confounders. Results: During a mean follow-up period of 12.7 years, 2359 incident cases of hypertension were identified. In the main adjusted model, body image underestimation was significantly associated with an increased risk of hypertension among women (HR 1.25; 95% CI 1.01–1.55). This association lost statistical significance when adjusting for baseline BMI in the sensitivity analysis. Conclusions: Self-perception of body image may influence health behaviors that impact weight control, potentially leading to higher BMI and, consequently, greater cardiometabolic risk. Although further research is needed to clarify its role, body image perception should begin to be considered in clinical practice as a relevant factor in chronic disease prevention. Full article

Drought, one of the abiotic stress factors that threatens world food security, destructively limits the growth and development of agricultural plants. Therefore, determining drought-resistant cultivars is of vital importance against increasing climate change. Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is one of the most important economic agricultural plants grown worldwide. In this study, different drought stress tolerances (10% PEG (Polyethylene Glycol 6000) and water scarcity) were applied to four commercial tomato cultivars (Rio Grande, Falcon, H−2274, Tyfrane F1) and the effects of drought stress were evaluated within the scope of physiological (germination percentage, shoot length, root length, fresh weight, dry weight, total chlorophyll content, relative water content) and biochemical (protein amount, superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase activity (POX), catalase activity (CAT), hydrogen peroxide content (H₂O₂) and lipid peroxidation activity (TBARs)) parameters. According to the research results, it was determined that drought stress leads to decreased root–shoot lengths, chlorophyll content, relative water content, fresh and dry weights, and antioxidant enzyme activities in Falcon and H−2274 cultures, increasing TBARs and H₂O₂ amounts. While the relative water content, which is an indicator of drought stress, shows the water status of the plant, antioxidant enzyme systems are evidence of the resilience of the defense mechanisms of the cultures. In this context, the Falcon cultivar had significantly reduced shoot length (21%, 37%), relative water content (20%, 30%), chlorophyll content (7%, 23%), fresh weight (51%, 49%) and dry weight (9%, 29%) under PEG and water scarcity application; in contrast to these reductions, TBARs (2%, 14%) and H₂O₂ content (3%, 15%) were significantly increased compared to the control, proving that it is a susceptible cultivar. On the other hand, a slight decrease in relative water content (1%, 3%), a slight increase in total chlorophyll content (6%), intense CAT activity (50%, 67%) and SOD activity (30%), but a decrease in lipid peroxidation level (5%, 22%) and a decrease in H₂O₂ content (11%, 15%), were detected in the Rio Grande cultivar in PEG and water scarcity treatment compared to the control, proving that this cultivar is resistant to drought and can be effectively grown in water-scarce areas. It was determined that four tomato cultivars had different perception and antioxidant defense systems against drought stress. As a result, when four tomato cultivars under different drought stress levels were evaluated in terms of physiological and biochemical parameters, the tolerance levels were determined as Rio Grande > Tyfrane F1 ≈ Tyfrane F1 > H−2274 > Falcon. In this context, the different responses of tomato cultivars to PEG and water scarcity are important for the selection of drought-resistant cultivars and the development of strategies to increase plant productivity under abiotic stress conditions. Full article

Background: For infants, withholding or withdrawal of feeding is ethically permissible when the child is imminently dying or chronically and irreversibly comatose. It can also be appropriate in cases of medical futility with a low chance of survival. However, there is much contention in situations where the medical prognosis is uncertain. Case presentation: Annie is a 6-week-old neonate with antenatally acquired cystic encephalomalacia, a chronic non-progressive neurological condition. Her future neurological outcome is uncertain. She is putting on weight in the NICU with stable cardiorespiratory status on room air and tolerates full nasogastric tube feeding but requires frequent oropharyngeal suctioning. Her parents ask to stop tube feeding and allow Annie to die. They deem she has a poor quality of life and is experiencing tremendous suffering. Discussion: Parents’ perceptions of “best interest” and “physical suffering” are explored, alongside those of the healthcare team. Concomitant issues like feeding withdrawal and moral distress are examined in context—that of a newborn where developmental outcomes and disease trajectory are unclear. Conceptual frameworks, empirical evidence and consensus-based ethics guidelines informed a rich and multi-dimensional exposition of a difficult and value-laden decision. Conclusions: While instinctively legitimate, enteral feeding in an infant, in this case with severe neurological impairment, is ultimately still a medical intervention. In contrast to prevailing conventions within adult medicine, the careful and nuanced consideration of benefits and burdens from different stakeholders’ perspectives is critical before any deliberate withdrawal to allow natural death. Full article

Background: The obesity epidemic among adolescents significantly impacts not only their physical health but also various psychological factors, including their perception of body image. Thus, this study pursued three main objectives: (1) to update the reference standard values for all the physical fitness tests performed; (2) to examine the impact of overweight and obesity on factors influencing physical fitness in adolescents; and (3) to determine the relationship between the physical fitness level and the body image dissatisfaction among a population of French-Canadian adolescents. Methods: A total of 1862 adolescents aged 12 to 17 (1008 boys and 854 girls) participated in this study. Data were collected from 12 French-language high-schools from different socioeconomic backgrounds and spread across four regions of the province of Québec, Canada. Anthropometric measures (body mass, body height, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, waist-to-height ratio) and fitness tests (aerobic power, anaerobic power, muscle endurance, muscular power, flexibility) were conducted. To assess adolescents’ body perception, a silhouette scale was used. Results: Standardized normative values were established for each fitness test (Lambda Mu Sigma; LMS method). In boys, performance generally improved with age, except for the V-test and sit-ups, which remained stable, and VO₂peak, which declined during adolescence in both genders (unpaired t-test and Cohen’s d effect size). In girls, only the vertical jump and 30 m sprint improved with age, while the other tests stabilized by age 13. Fitness level was significantly influenced by obesity status. Boys and girls with a normal BMI performed better than those who were overweight or obese (ANOVA = p < 0.001 and effect size F). Girls appeared to be less affected by obesity status, with differences between overweight and obese groups rarely being significant (p > 0.05). Fitness level was also linked to body satisfaction, with satisfied adolescents generally achieving better scores than dissatisfied ones, even among those with a typical BMI. Socioeconomic status did not impact body image perception in boys (p = 0.351). In contrast, girls from lower socioeconomic backgrounds exhibited significantly more negative perceptions (p = 0.002) than their peers from more affluent families. Conclusions: Obesity status is strongly associated with poorer performance on fitness tests. Conversely, higher levels of physical fitness are linked to improved body image satisfaction. This positive relationship between fitness and body image holds true even for individuals with a healthy body weight (typical BMI). Full article

The undergraduate college years are a critical transition period for young adults in establishing life-long health behaviors. Background/Objective: Within the FRESH Study, we aimed to understand the relationship between perceived physical health, perceived mental health, and specific health metrics (e.g., physical activity, food insecurity, sleep quality) among college students following the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: First-year undergraduate students (n = 271) from an urban university were recruited in three study waves (2021–2022, 2022–2023, and 2023–2024). Participants answered online surveys on demographics, health perceptions, physical activity, dietary patterns, beverage consumption, food insecurity, stress, and sleep quality. Results: Overall, participants rated their physical health better than their mental health (‘good’, ‘very good’, or ‘excellent’; 89.6% vs. 62.2%), even though 30.7% were not of ‘healthy weight’ status, 34.5% did not meet physical activity recommendations, and 42.2% of students consumed some sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs). Students reporting suboptimal (‘fair’ or ‘poor’) physical and mental health were more likely to report food insecurity (p < 0.001, p = 0.010), poor sleep quality (p = 0.012, p < 0.001), and elevated stress (p = 0.001, p < 0.001). In addition, fast-food consumption (p < 0.001), breakfast consumption (p = 0.031), and food insecurity (p = 0.004) showed changes over three years. Conclusions: These findings call for targeted wellness initiatives addressing nutrition, food insecurity, stress management, sleep improvement, and physical activity among students and in university health programs. The FRESH Study emphasizes the need for continued longitudinal research to track health behaviors and inform future interventions. Full article

Background: Accurate maternal perceptions of children’s weight status are crucial for early childhood obesity prevention, with evidence suggesting that maternal misperception may delay timely interventions. This study investigated the accuracy of maternal perceptions of child weight and examined associations with parenting styles and children’s eating behaviors and demographic factors among preschool-aged children in Samsun, Türkiye. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 318 mother–child pairs recruited from preschools in socio-economically diverse areas of Samsun. Maternal perceptions of child weight status were assessed using a visual scale, while children’s anthropometric measurements (height, weight) were recorded to calculate BMI-for-age Z-scores. Parenting styles and children’s eating behaviors were evaluated using the Parental Attitude Scale (PAS) and the Children’s Eating Behavior Questionnaire (CEBQ), respectively. Data analysis involved chi-square tests and multiple logistic regression to explore associations between maternal perception accuracy, parenting styles, and children’s eating behaviors. Results: Among 318 mother–child pairs, 59.7% underestimated their child’s weight status, with this figure being 84.9% among overweight children. Authoritative parenting was the most common style (78%); no significant association was found between parenting style and maternal perception accuracy. Accurate estimators showed significantly higher scores for food responsiveness (median: 9 (7–12), p = 0.028) and the enjoyment of food (mean: 16.3 ± 4.8, p = 0.003), whereas underestimators scored higher for satiety responsiveness (mean: 23.2 ± 5.7, p = 0.042) and slowness in eating (mean: 11.2 ± 4.2, p = 0.004). Conclusions: Maternal underestimations of child weight are prevalent, particularly for overweight children, are associated with children’s specific eating behaviors. Targeted educational interventions focusing on improving maternal awareness and promoting responsive feeding practices are essential to combat childhood obesity. Full article

Background/Objectives: Effective school-based childhood obesity prevention strategies should include parental involvement. In the EDDY (“Effect of sports and diet training to prevent obesity and secondary diseases and to influence young children’s lifestyle”) program, we aimed to describe parental perceptions of children’s body weight in a sample of schoolchildren from Vienna, Austria. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis, including 128 children from the third grade in three Viennese primary schools, was conducted. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect sociodemographic data and parentally reported weight and height. Parental perception of the child’s weight status was assessed using the question, “In your opinion, you would describe your child as being”. Children’s nutritional status was assessed through measurements. Results: Almost 15% of the children had obesity. The median SDS-BMI was 0.39 (−1.00–2.83) and 0.21 (−1.39–2.47) for girls and boys, respectively. More mothers of girls had overweight/obesity compared to mothers of boys (59.2% vs. 41.1%, p = 0.05). Almost half (48.4%) of the parents underestimated their child’s weight. The percentage of mothers with overweight/obesity was higher in the group that underestimated their child’s weight (59.3% vs. 37.7%, p = 0.018). Parents perceived 59.4% of the children as having a normal weight, while BMI classification indicated that 71.9% had a normal weight. Misperception was higher among children who were overweight (75%) and obese (89.5%). Parents of children with a normal weight were less likely to underestimate [Adjusted OR = 0.16 (95% CI: 0.050–0.49)]. Conclusions: The prevalence of misperception was high, especially for children with overweight or obesity. These findings highlight the need to incorporate children’s adequate weight recognition into the EDDY program as part of parents’ content. Full article

This case report examines the correlation between hydration, weight variation, and perceived effort in a 43-year-old amateur athlete during a self-supported 81.5 km crossing of Death Valley, completed over 3 days with significant elevation changes. Studies have shown that a body mass loss greater than 2–3% can lead to an increased perception of effort and a decline in performance. Specifically, during passive and active heat exposures, the average body mass loss was found to be 1.4 ± 0.3% and 4.1 ± 0.7%, respectively. Salivary osmolarity has demonstrated a sensitivity of 86% and specificity of 91% in diagnosing dehydration of ≥ 2%, suggesting its potential as a non-invasive indicator of hydration status. The subject monitored their own body weight, hydration (via salivary osmolarity), and perceived effort using a rate of perceived exertion (RPE) scale. Nutritional intake included isocaloric meals and nutritional bars, and hydration was managed using water and a hydroelectrolytic solution. Key bioimpedance parameters were measured to assess body composition and hydration status. A progressive decrease in body weight correlated with an increase in perceived effort (RPE score) and salivary osmolarity. Resistance (Rx) remained stable, while reactance (Xc) showed a biphasic trend and was inversely correlated with the sodium/potassium ratio (NAK). There were significant linear correlations between perceived effort and both weight loss and salivary osmolarity, indicating that salivary osmolarity is a potential early predictor of these changes. The findings highlight a linear correlation between weight loss, perceived effort, and salivary osmolarity, suggesting that monitoring salivary osmolarity would be useful for the field assessment of hydration and exertion. Further research with larger populations is necessary to validate these observations. Full article

Objective: Postpartum depression (PPD) is a common complication after childbirth. Weight misperception can lead to self-esteem issues and mental health problems, especially in women and adolescents. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between weight perception before and during pregnancy and the status of PPD in Southern China. Methods: From October 2021 to November 2023, a multi-stage sampling method was used to recruit 2169 eligible mothers aged 18–49 who had delivered live-born singleton infants within 3 to 180 days postpartum. Anthropometric measurements and face-to-face questionnaire surveys were conducted to collect data. The Kappa test was used to assess the agreement between actual and perceived weight. The generalized linear model incorporating multiplicative interaction analysis was applied to explore the associations among variables. Results: The prevalence of PPD status was 18.0%. Among women, 35.2% perceived their pre-pregnancy weight (PPW) as abnormal, while 33.1% perceived their gestational weight gain (GWG) as inappropriate. There was poor agreement between maternal actual and perceived PPW/GWG (Kappa = 0.366, p < 0.001; Kappa = 0.188, p < 0.001), with 27.8% of women misperceiving their PPW and 52.1% misperceiving their GWG. The results of the general linear model indicated that women who perceived their PPW as underweight (β = 0.70, p = 0.016) or overweight/obese (β = 0.86, p < 0.001), as well as those who perceived their GWG as excessive (β = 0.47, p = 0.028) were more likely to exhibit PPD status. The interaction analysis results showed that those who perceived their PPW as underweight and their GWG as insufficient (β = 1.75, p = 0.020), as well as those who perceived their PPW as overweight/obese and their GWG as excessive (β = 0.90, p = 0.001) had a positive interactive effect on the occurrence of PPD status, while underestimating PPW and GWG may be a protective factor against PPD status (β = −1.03, p = 0.037). Conclusion: These findings support that maternal weight perception plays a role in the development of PPD status. Further improvement is needed in personalized health education for weight management, both prior to and throughout the pregnancy period. This can help women reduce weight anxiety, better understand their body image, and potentially lower the risk of developing PPD. Full article

Background/objectives: Overweight and obesity are growing concerns that also affect nursing staff, healthcare professionals that play a critical role in public health awareness and intervention. This study aimed to define the health parameters associated with body weight, analyze if there is an erroneous self-perception of overweight/obesity through the distortion of body weight perception, and determine the predictive factors of body weight distortion. Methods: A cross-sectional study of 224 nursing students gathered anthropometric and demographic data. Self-perceived body weight was assessed using Stunkard and Stellar’s scale. Descriptive statistics and multinomial logistic regression identified significant predictors of weight distortion. Results: The analysis found that men reported greater weight discrepancies than women. Specifically, 57% of the men (28 of 49 participants) underestimated their real BMI, while only 23% of the women (40 of 175 participants) did so. Age, sex, and weight classification emerged as significant explanatory variables for the distortion of body weight perception. Conclusions: The findings indicate a significant vulnerability among nursing students to the misperception of their own body weight status, highlighting the need for targeted training strategies. These strategies should focus on correcting misperceptions of obesity among health professionals throughout their working life to improve future obesity prevention efforts for society. Full article