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The purpose of this paper is to make an assessment of energy and nutrients intake of elite female athletes and identify potential differences according to body fat (BF).

The sample consists of 69 top female athletes, members of the Greek Olympic National Teams of Volleyball (14 athletes), Basketball (16 athletes), Handball (17 athletes) and Football (22 athletes), aged 25.42 + 3.86 years. The participants undergo anthropometric examinations and the body fat percentage (%BF) is calculated. The sample is divided into two subgroups based on the mean %BF value (35 athletes with %BF ≥ 17 and 34 athletes with %BF < 17). In addition, a three‐day dietary intake record is taken.

The athletes' body mass index is 22.00 ± 1.75 and %BF is 16.94 ± 3.26. Athletes with %BF ≥ 17 present significantly higher energy intake (1,696 ± 578 kcal) than athletes with %BF < 17 (1,397 ± 379 kcal), p < 0.05. There is a significant positive correlation between %BF and energy intake of the athletes, (r = 0.300, p < 0.05). The athletes with %BF ≥ 17 receive significantly higher amounts of protein and fat in comparison with athletes with %BF < 17. This can be attributed to the fact that these athletes consume more meat and fat group equivalents than athletes with lower fat levels. Athletes with higher BF levels present higher values in vitamins A, B1, B12, folic acid and minerals P and Mn, p < 0.05, compared to the other athletes.

The observed deficiencies in energy and macro‐ and micro‐nutrients, have to be corrected as they represent a barrier for the elite female team‐sport athletes to maintain health and achieve their sport‐related nutrition and competition goals.

Snacks cover an important percentage of children's energy intake. Children prefer and select, tasty and attractive snacks, without noticing their dietary value. The purpose of this study was to record the physical activity of children of the sixth grade of Public school and to examine the effect of physical activity on snacks' choice and the interaction of physical activity and sex in the choice of healthy snacks.

The participants were 338 students (164 boys and 174 girls) of sixth grade of public elementary of Thessaloniki. For the statistic analysis the SPSS statistical program was used.

According to the results 63.3 per cent of students (30.5 per cent girls and 32.8 per cent boys) participated systematically in physical activity sessions. There was a positive effect of physical activity on the weekly intake of pear, apple, orange, natural fruit juice and spinach pie and a negative on soda, p<0.05. There was also an important interaction between physical activity and sex in biscuits, pizza and spinach pie consumption, p<0.05. Male and female students of the sixth grade did not seem to have healthy nutrition behavior regarding their snack selection. There seems to be a positive effect of physical activity on snacks choice of children.

The paper highlights how it is necessary for the small children to be educated in how to be fed healthy not only in their main meals, but also in the intermediary. Furthermore physical activity status should be taken under account when designing a nutrition intervention program.

Entrepreneurship, sustainability, and the creation of a resilient, green economy are intricately linked, particularly as conventional economic models grapple with existential challenges. However, empirical research addressing the connection between entrepreneurship and sustainability for a more balanced and resilient future is notably scarce. This chapter aims to bridge this gap by investigating the role of entrepreneurship in advancing sustainability and establishing a resilient, green economy. Through comprehensive research utilizing critical discourse analysis (CDA), three research questions were explored to draw insightful managerial and practical implications. In the intersection of entrepreneurship, sustainability, and a green, resilient economy, opportunities are seized by entrepreneurship amid limitations, while sustainability presupposes responsible management of resources for current needs without compromising the future. A green economy ensures adaptability, growth, and ecological stability even in resource-scarce conditions. The CDA affirms the influential role of entrepreneurship in pursuing sustainability and a green, resilient economy, drawing from 18 cases across public, private, and social sectors to highlight environmental, social, and economic impacts. Furthermore, the CDA uncovers power dynamics, ideologies, and social structures affecting entrepreneurship’s role in fostering sustainable and resilient, green economies. Collaborations between governments, corporations, and social ventures in diverse countries promote sustainability within existing social structures, fostering comprehensive development. However, imbalanced power dynamics pose challenges, risking potential social exclusion. This chapter concludes by addressing practical implications and limitations, aiming to contribute to an ecologically balanced and socially equitable future by understanding entrepreneurship’s role in promoting sustainability and green resilience within the context of power dynamics, ideologies, and social structures.

The purpose of this study is to examine the anthropometric characteristics and to assess dietary intakes of professional athletes, of four different sporting teams, in Northern Greece.

Height and weight was measured using stasiometer and a scale devise, respectively. Body fat was measured using bioelectrical impedance analysis with multiple frequencies. A five‐day questionnaire was used to assess the dietary intakes of athletes. The sample consisted of male and female athletes, of ten volleyball and 21 basketball players, 20 weightlifters and 31 distance runners.

Distance runners had the lower percentage of body fat and volleyball players the higher ones. In men, basketball players reported the lowest amounts for energy intake (1,900 kcal/day) and for carbohydrates (2 g/kg). In women, the lowest carbohydrate intake was reported in volleyball players. Volleyball men players consumed the highest amount of fat 110 g/day or 1.4 g/kg. Protein intakes were below the recommended values for weightlifters and distance runners for both male and female subjects.

The study indicated dietary problems that could limit the performance of the Greek athletes and calls for nutrition monitoring and assessment.

The article should be of value to nutritionists, athletes and coaches.

This paper attempted to show the potential relationship between five different interaction coefficients relating solvents and polymers. This review addressed primarily a comparison between the polymer-solvent interaction coefficients obtained from two different types of models. These two primary polymer-solvent interaction coefficients included the Flory-Huggins interaction coefficient developed from thermodynamic colligative properties and the polymer-solvent Sudduth interaction coefficient obtained from the generalized viscosity equation. The other three interaction coefficients included Hildebrand solubility parameter and the interaction coefficients or constants for the Huggins and Kraemers models that are normally generated from viscosity measurements. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

These five different interaction coefficients were compared from theoretical considerations as well as on the basis of available experimental data.

Remarkably the polymer-solvent interaction coefficients for both Flory-Huggins interaction coefficient and the Sudduth interaction coefficient were found to be dimensionless and approximately of the same value. In addition, when both interaction coefficients are negative then both describe solvents. In addition, both interaction coefficients describe a plasticizer when they are in the range of 0 to ½. Finally both interaction coefficients describe a non-solvent or a suspension when both are greater than 1. The Hildebrand solubility parameter was found to be directly related to the Flory-Huggins interaction coefficient. The viscosity constants for the Huggins and Kraemers models were found to be included as subsets of the Sudduth generalized viscosity model.

The strong apparent relationship between these five different interaction coefficients to predict the interaction between polymers and solvents is strongly indicated based on the results from this study. However, approximately half of these interaction coefficients have been derived to be evaluated from colligative properties and half were derived to be evaluated from viscosity measurements.

In general, it is much easier to obtain viscosity measurements compared to the evaluation of the colligative properties. Therefore, if a direct relationship can be shown between these five different interaction coefficients, then it would appear to be much easier to evaluate polymer-solvent interactions from the interaction coefficients obtained from viscosity measurements.

This is the first time that these five interaction coefficients have been compared in such a way that shows their direct relationship even though half of these interaction coefficients have been derived to be evaluated from colligative properties and half were derived to be evaluated from viscosity measurements.

The study attempts to investigate the role of social media in spreading awareness regarding ayurvedic immunity boosters (AIB) and changes in diet. Further, the study examines the factors affecting the willingness to pay for ayurvedic immunity boosters (WPIB) during the pandemic and new normal situation with the moderating effect of the “fear of COVID-19 infection.”

The data were collected from millennials in two phases, i.e. the first phase (1 July–August 2021) with 300 respondents and a second phase with (June–August 2022) 257 respondents. An online questionnaire was shared with millennials using the snowball sampling technique. Descriptive statistics with SPSS and SmartPLS 4.0 software were applied to analyze the data.

The results found a variation in AIB content sharing on social media during 2021 and 2022. Results found that respondents reported significant changes in their lifestyle and diet, like consuming honey, khada, tulsi tea, etc. In 2021, health consciousness and trust significantly affected WPIB, whereas in 2022, only health consciousness was substantially affected. Fear of COVID-19 infection moderates the relationship between health consciousness, perceived fear and willingness to pay for ayurvedic products, whereas the effect on consumer preference and trust remains insignificant.

Results could help ayurvedic product manufacturing companies understand the consumers' mindset and the factors that stimulate consumers to buy these immunity boosters. Ayurvedic advertisers should design unambiguous messages that focus on health consciousness and have trustable components to encourage consumers to adopt a healthy lifestyle.

This is one of its kinds of studies that presents the contrasts of how the COVID-19 crisis has significantly changed individuals' dietary intake and affected lifestyle patterns.

Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) is becoming a crucial health problem worldwide. Continued and high-speed mutations of this virus result in the appearance of new manifestations, making the control of this disease difficult. It has been shown that well-nourished patients have strong immune systems who mostly have short-term hospitalization compared to others. The purpose of this study is to review the major nutrients involved in the immune system reinforcement and to explain nutritional aspects during the recovery of COVID-19.

In this review paper, the mechanistic role of nutrients in boosting the immune system and the nutritional aspects during the recovery of COVID-19 patients were discussed. Papers indexed in scientific databases were searched using antioxidants, COVID-19, inflammation, immune system, macronutrient, micronutrient and probiotic as keywords from 2000 to 2022.

Because of the adverse effects of drugs like thrombosis, pulmonary embolism and hypercholesterolemia, a balanced diet with enough concentrations of energy and macronutrients could increase the patient's durability. The inflammatory cytokines in a vicious cycle delay patients’ rehabilitation. The main mechanistic roles of micronutrients are attributed to the downregulation of virus replication and are involved in energy homeostasis. Dysbiosis is defined as another disturbance among COVID-19 patients, and supplementation with beneficial strains of probiotics helps to exert anti-inflammatory effects in this regard. Being on a well-planned diet with anti-inflammatory properties could reverse cytokine storms as the major feature of COVID-19. Future studies are needed to determine the safe and effective dose of dietary factors to control the COVID-19 patients.

Being on a well-planned diet with anti-inflammatory properties could reverse cytokine storms as the major feature of COVID-19. Future studies are needed to determine the safe and effective dose of dietary factors to control the COVID-19 patients.

The pandemic of COVID-19 led to considerable challenges with respect to people's health, dietary behavior and satisfaction with life. This study aims to investigate perceived stress levels, in relation to diet quality and life satisfaction in Greek adults, during the COVID-19 lockdown.

This is a cross-sectional study which took place in Greece in the course of the strict lockdown period, in the third COVID-19 wave. A sample of 2,029 adults aged 18 years and above participated in an online survey. The questionnaire consisted of questions on sociodemographic and anthropometric characteristics. The Perceived Stress Scale, the Satisfaction with Life Scale and the Mediterranean Diet Assessment Tool were also used.

Linear regression has shown that women (p < 0.0001), younger individuals (p < 0.0001), obese individuals (p = 0.047), those with lower levels of satisfaction with life (p < 0.0001) and lower adherence to Mediterranean diet (p = 0.0001) were positively associated with higher levels of stress.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study conducted in Greece aiming at investigating concurrently, levels of perceived stress, with respect to levels of satisfaction with life and diet quality in adults, during the lockdown period of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Contemporary globalized societies face important environmental and social problems that require urgent action and citizen engagement. Active learning in contemporary societies is being reemphasized in order to prepare active learners, capable of critical thinking and innovative problem solving and able to become responsible citizens. Environmental Education (EE) and its descendant Education for Sustainability (EFS), or Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), have been a very important first effort for introducing active learning in contemporary education at all educational levels. They constitute an important variant of active learning. EE and EFS by definition propose and adopt active learning and experiential methods, as they seek to prepare people that will work for a healthy environment and better societies. And this is where the difference lies between EE/EFS and the generic active-learning approaches. EE or EFS are committed active-learning approaches; they have an explicit goal to work for social and environmental change.

The transition from learners to active learners is addressed by active learning, which however assumes that active learners will also become responsible and active citizens. EE and EFS have however demonstrated that this is not an obvious development. Education should be clear about its purpose – individual change, empowerment, integration, or social transformation – and pedagogical methods and tools should be selected appropriately.

This chapter first discusses the main characteristics of EE/EFS. Then, it explores what facilitates the transition from active learners to active citizens, based on lessons from EE and EFS. Finally, it reflects on the implications of these lessons for Higher Education and, as a result, a new vision for Higher Education and a brief guide for educators and Higher Educational managers are proposed.