Masoumeh Jabbari, Nazli Namazi, Pardis Irandoost, Leila Rezazadeh, Nahid Ramezani-Jolfaie, Mina Babashahi, Samira Pourmoradian and Meisam Barati
Despite the well-known positive effects of fruits and vegetables, their consumption in many countries is lower than those recommended. This study aims to systematically examine…
Abstract
Purpose
Despite the well-known positive effects of fruits and vegetables, their consumption in many countries is lower than those recommended. This study aims to systematically examine the effects of community-based interventions on fruits and vegetables consumption in adults.
Design/methodology/approach
To collect relevant publications, the authors searched electronic databases including PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus and Web of Science from January 2000 to July 2021. Considering random models, this study analyzed the data using weighted mean differences (WMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).
Findings
Among 1,621 retrieved publications, 21 articles met the inclusion criteria. The overall effect size demonstrated that, at the end of the trials, the educational interventions increased the consumption of aggregated fruits and vegetables (WMD: 0.55 serving/day, 95%CI: 0.34, 0.77), and vegetables (WMD: 0.15, 95%CI: 0.09, 0.21, I2: 33.2%; p = 0.103) in the intervention groups, compared to the control groups.
Practical implications
The subgroup analyses that were based on the type of interventions (face-to-face education compared to online interventions), location (home-based compared to the other types of interventions) and duration (24 weeks and higher) of interventions, and accompanied financial support reduced between-group heterogeneity. An efficient interventional program on increasing fruits and vegetables consumption should be part of a multi-component project.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, no systematic review and meta-analysis has provided a summary of the effects of community-based interventions on fruits and vegetables consumption in adult populations, and there is no fixed conclusion that could be drawn in this regard.
Details
Keywords
Naeimeh Heidari, Masoumeh Jabbari, Mina Babashahi, Reza Nabie, Mohammad Asghari Jafarabadi and Seyed Rafie Arefhosseini
Studies conducted on association between diet and cataract, found conflicting results. This paper aims to investigate the association between healthy eating index (HEI) and serum…
Abstract
Purpose
Studies conducted on association between diet and cataract, found conflicting results. This paper aims to investigate the association between healthy eating index (HEI) and serum antioxidant and oxidant indices in patients with different degrees of cataract compared to the healthy subjects.
Design/methodology/approach
Ninety volunteers (aged > 50 years) were divided into the cataract (n = 45) and healthy control (n = 45) groups in this case-control study. Anthropometric variables, HEI score, serum total oxidant capacity (TOC) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC), blood pressure, physical activity and stress measurements were done for all participants.
Findings
There was a significant difference in stress level between subgroup of first-degree cataract and healthy controls (16.6 ± 2.3 vs 42.5 ± 29.0, p < 0.001) as well as third-degree cataract (16.6 ± 2.3 vs 75.2 ± 22.6, p < 0.001). Serum TAC was significantly higher in healthy people compared to the first-degree (1.2 ± 0.2 vs 1 ± 0.2, p = 0.002) and third-degree cataract patients (1.2 ± 0.2 vs 1.0 ± 0.2, p = 0.013). Also, serum TOC was significantly lower in healthy controls compared to the first-degree (8.2 ± 1.1 vs 9.2 ± 1.0, p = 0.006) and third-degree cataract patients (8.2 ± 1.1 vs 9.1 ± 1.2, p = 0.015). There was a significant direct correlation between moderation (r = 0.61, p = 0.019) and total score of HEI (r = 0.57, p = 0.031) with serum TAC only in the first-degree cataract patients. Also there was a significant negative correlation between moderation score of HEI with serum TOC in the first-degree cataract patients (r = −0.60, p = 0.025), and there was a significant negative correlation between moderation (r = −0.36, p = 0.017) and total score (r=−0.35, p = 0.021) of HEI and TOC in the total cataract patients.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study on the assessment of the relationship between components of HEI and serum antioxidant indicators in different types of cataract compared to healthy individuals. It could be a start point for more detailed and large-scaled studies, even intervention studies, in this field.