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The Veterinary Clinics of North... Sep 2020In this article, we review cats' feeding behaviors, and discuss ways of feeding cats that promote physical and mental/behavioral health, while providing cats with... (Review)
Review
In this article, we review cats' feeding behaviors, and discuss ways of feeding cats that promote physical and mental/behavioral health, while providing cats with choices that allow expression of preferences. We address the management of several feeding issues that cat owners may face, such as obesity, pickiness, begging for food, and feeding in multi-cat households. Food puzzles are one way to provide environmental enrichment for cats, and food can be used in multiple ways for behavior modification in the clinical setting, including counterconditioning and differential reinforcement of alternative behaviors.
Topics: Animal Feed; Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Animals; Behavior, Animal; Cats; Nutritional Requirements
PubMed: 32653265
DOI: 10.1016/j.cvsm.2020.05.003 -
Frontiers in Public Health 2021
Topics: Behavioral Medicine; Delay Discounting; Economics, Behavioral
PubMed: 33791273
DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.658808 -
Frontiers in Bioscience (Landmark... Jan 2021Vitamin D deficiency has been estimated to affect roughly 30% to 50% of the global population and thus labeled as a silent pandemic. In addition to its role in skeletal... (Review)
Review
Vitamin D deficiency has been estimated to affect roughly 30% to 50% of the global population and thus labeled as a silent pandemic. In addition to its role in skeletal and calcium homeostasis, vitamin D has been implicated in brain functioning across both preclinical research and human populations studies. These findings have also been extended to various neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric conditions. Furthermore, these individuals tend to display diminishing cognition symptoms. In this regard, this review is dedicated to address the relationship between vitamin D and dementia, mood disorders, and the various neuropsychological disorders of psychosis. The review takes both preclinical and clinical studies into consideration. While there are many literature suggesting the critical role of vitamins in cognition on the above said diseases, it is still premature to unequivocally postulate the role of vitamin D on cognitive symptoms. Further research is necessary to establish this association, including the need to increase the ecological validity of animal models, delineating the core cognitive symptoms associated with the disorders, and establishing the optimal source of vitamin D consumption.
Topics: Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity; Cognition; Dementia; Depression; Humans; Schizophrenia; Vitamin D
PubMed: 33049684
DOI: 10.2741/4908 -
BMJ Evidence-based Medicine Jun 2021Caffeine is a habit-forming substance consumed daily by the majority of pregnant women. Accordingly, it is important that women receive sound evidence-based advice about... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVES
Caffeine is a habit-forming substance consumed daily by the majority of pregnant women. Accordingly, it is important that women receive sound evidence-based advice about potential caffeine-related harm. This narrative review examines evidence of association between maternal caffeine consumption and negative pregnancy outcomes, and assesses whether current health advice concerning maternal caffeine consumption is soundly based.
METHODS
Database searches using terms linking caffeine and caffeinated beverages to pregnancy outcomes identified 1261 English language peer-reviewed articles. Screening yielded a total of 48 original observational studies and meta-analyses of maternal caffeine consumption published in the past two decades. The articles reported results for one or more of six major categories of negative pregnancy outcomes: miscarriage, stillbirth, low birth weight and/or small for gestational age, preterm birth, childhood acute leukaemia, and childhood overweight and obesity.
RESULTS
Of 42 separate sets of findings reported in 37 observational studies, 32 indicated significantly increased caffeine-related risk and 10 suggested no or inconclusive associations. Caffeine-related increased risk was reported with moderate to high levels of consistency for all pregnancy outcomes except preterm birth. Of 11 studies reporting 17 meta-analyses, there was unanimity among 14 analyses in finding maternal caffeine consumption to be associated with increased risk for the four outcome categories of miscarriage, stillbirth, low birth weight and/or small for gestational age, and childhood acute leukaemia. The three remaining meta-analyses were also unanimous in reporting absence of a reliable association between maternal caffeine consumption and preterm birth. No meta-analyses were identified for childhood overweight and obesity, although four of five original observational studies reported significant associations linking maternal caffeine consumption to that outcome category.
CONCLUSIONS
The substantial majority finding from observational studies and meta-analyses is that maternal caffeine consumption is reliably associated with major negative pregnancy outcomes. Reported findings were robust to threats from potential confounding and misclassification. Among both observational studies and meta-analyses, there were frequent reports of significant dose-response associations suggestive of causation, and frequent reports of no threshold of consumption below which associations were absent. Consequently, current evidence does not support health advice that assumes 'moderate' caffeine consumption during pregnancy is safe. On the contrary, the cumulative scientific evidence supports pregnant women and women contemplating pregnancy being advised to avoid caffeine.
Topics: Caffeine; Child; Female; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Mothers; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Outcome; Premature Birth
PubMed: 32843532
DOI: 10.1136/bmjebm-2020-111432 -
Neuro-oncology Aug 2021
Topics: Central Nervous System; Central Nervous System Neoplasms; Humans; World Health Organization
PubMed: 34185090
DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/noab120 -
Journal of Health Psychology Jan 2020Decision fatigue is an applicable concept to healthcare psychology. Due to a lack of conceptual clarity, we present a concept analysis of decision fatigue. A search of... (Review)
Review
Decision fatigue is an applicable concept to healthcare psychology. Due to a lack of conceptual clarity, we present a concept analysis of decision fatigue. A search of the term "decision fatigue" was conducted across seven research databases, which yielded 17 relevant articles. The authors identified three antecedent themes (decisional, self-regulatory, and situational) and three attributional themes (behavioral, cognitive, and physiological) of decision fatigue. However, the extant literature failed to adequately describe consequences of decision fatigue. This concept analysis provides needed conceptual clarity for decision fatigue, a concept possessing relevance to nursing and allied health sciences.
Topics: Behavioral Medicine; Cognition; Fatigue; Health Behavior; Humans
PubMed: 29569950
DOI: 10.1177/1359105318763510 -
Annals of Behavioral Medicine : a... Aug 2020The global COVID-19 pandemic and efforts to stem its transmission highlights the essential role of behavioral medicine in contemporary healthcare. As a result, the...
The global COVID-19 pandemic and efforts to stem its transmission highlights the essential role of behavioral medicine in contemporary healthcare. As a result, the Annals of Behavioral Medicine instituted a COVID-19 rapid review process in mid-April to bring new knowledge to publication. This editorial describes the first two papers accepted through this mechanism and issues a broader call to recognize the human element in transmission and mitigation, and for behavioral medicine to play a central role in all phases of research, care, and public messaging.
Topics: Behavioral Medicine; COVID-19; Coronavirus Infections; Humans; Pandemics; Pneumonia, Viral
PubMed: 32744324
DOI: 10.1093/abm/kaaa057 -
Disaster Medicine and Public Health... Oct 2020Research from financial stress, disasters, pandemics, and other extreme events, suggests that behavioral health will suffer, including anxiety, depression, and...
Research from financial stress, disasters, pandemics, and other extreme events, suggests that behavioral health will suffer, including anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress symptoms. Furthermore, these symptoms are likely to exacerbate alcohol or drug use, especially for those vulnerable to relapse. The nature of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and vast reach of the virus, leave many unknows for the repercussions on behavioral health, yet existing research suggests that behavioral health concerns should take a primary role in response to the pandemic. We propose a 4-step services system designed for implementation with a variety of different groups and reserves limited clinical services for the most extreme reactions. While we can expect symptoms to remit overtime, many will also have longer-term or more severe concerns. Behavioral health interventions will likely need to change overtime and different types of interventions should be considered for different target groups, such as for those who recover from COVID-19, health-care professionals, and essential personnel; and the general public either due to loss of loved ones or significant life disruption. The important thing is to have a systematic plan to support behavioral health and to engage citizens in prevention and doing their part in recovery by staying home and protecting others.
Topics: Anxiety; Behavioral Medicine; COVID-19; Depression; Disaster Medicine; Humans; Pandemics; Quarantine; Stress, Psychological
PubMed: 32469297
DOI: 10.1017/dmp.2020.180 -
Journal of Medical Internet Research Nov 2019Although the availability and use of mobile mental health apps has grown exponentially in recent years, little data are available regarding their efficacy. (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
BACKGROUND
Although the availability and use of mobile mental health apps has grown exponentially in recent years, little data are available regarding their efficacy.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an app developed to promote stress management and well-being among working women compared with a control app.
METHODS
Female employees at a private hospital were invited to participate in the study via mailing lists and intranet ads. A total of 653 individuals self-enrolled through the website. Eligible participants were randomized between control (n=240) and intervention (n=250) groups. The well-being mobile app provides an 8-week program with 4 classes per week (including a brief theoretical portion and a 15-min guided practice). The active control app also provided 4 assessments per week that encouraged participants to self-observe how they were feeling for 20 min. We also used the app to conduct Web-based questionnaires (10-item Perceived Stress Scale and 5-item World Health Organization Well-Being Index) and ask specific questions to assess subjective levels of stress and well-being at baseline (t), midintervention (t=4 weeks after t) and postintervention (t=8 weeks after t). Both apps were fully automated without any human involvement. Outcomes from the control and intervention conditions at the 3 time points were analyzed using a repeated measures analysis of variance.
RESULTS
Among the randomized participants (n=490), 185 participants were excluded at the 4-week follow-up and another 79 at the 8-week follow-up because of noncompliance with the experimental protocol. Participants who did not complete t and t assessments were equally distributed between groups (t: control group=34.6% [83/240] and intervention group=40.8% [102/250]; P=.16; t: control group=29.9% [47/157] and intervention group=21.6% [32/148]; P=.10). Both groups showed a significant increase in general well-being as a function of time (F=5.27; P=.006), but only the intervention group presented a significant increase in work-related well-being (F=8.92; P<.001), as well as a significant reduction in work-related and overall stress (F=5.50; P=.004 and F=8.59; P<.001, respectively).
CONCLUSIONS
The well-being mobile app was effective in reducing employee stress and improving well-being.
TRIAL REGISTRATION
Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02637414; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02637414.
Topics: Adult; Female; Health Workforce; Humans; Mental Health; Mobile Applications; Psychotherapy; Stress, Physiological
PubMed: 31697244
DOI: 10.2196/14269 -
American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine 2022The lifestyle medicine core competencies were developed by a committee of physicians from several medical specialties to provide guidance on the knowledge and skills... (Review)
Review
The lifestyle medicine core competencies were developed by a committee of physicians from several medical specialties to provide guidance on the knowledge and skills needed for physicians to provide high quality lifestyle interventions that optimize chronic disease outcomes. These competencies were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) in 2010 and used as the foundation for the first lifestyle medicine course and for the lifestyle medicine board certification examination. In the ensuing years, interest in the field and application has expanded to a variety of health professionals. With evolution of the lifestyle medicine evidence-base, the competencies have been updated. This article sums up the changes in their organization and content. Regular updates are anticipated to align with the ongoing scientific studies and evolution of the field.
PubMed: 36389051
DOI: 10.1177/15598276221121580