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Background : Vegetarianism is commonly associated with various health benefits. However, the association between this dietary regimen and aspects of mental health remains ambiguous. This study compared the symptoms of depression and anxiety, emotional eating (EmE), and body mass index (BMI) in Peruvian vegetarian and non-vegetarian adults. Methods : A cross-sectional study was conducted on 768 Peruvian adults, of whom 284 (37%) were vegetarians and 484 (63%) were non-vegetarians. The Depression Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2), Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale-2 (GAD-2), and an EmE questionnaire were applied; additionally, the BMI was calculated. Simple and multiple linear regression and Poisson regression models with robust variance were used to evaluate the association between depression, anxiety, EmE, and BMI with dietary patterns. Results : The vegetarians (Adjusted Prevalence Ratio [PR] = 0.24, 95% CI 0.16-0.31; p < 0.001) reported more depressive symptoms than the non-vegetarians. This trend persisted for anxiety, with an adjusted PR of 0.17 (95% CI: 0.01-0.29; p = 0.012). However, the vegetarians (adjusted PR = -0.38, 95% CI: -0.61--0.14; p < 0.001) reported lower EmE scores compared to the non-vegetarians. Likewise, the vegetarians had a lower mean BMI than the non-vegetarians (B = -0.16, 95% CI: -0.21--0.08; p < 0.001). Conclusions : Vegetarian diets are associated with increased symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as lower EmE and BMI scores. Further longitudinal studies are needed to elucidate these associations and determine causality and the underlying mechanisms involved.

Background: The link between physical and mental health and screen time in adolescents has been the subject of scientific scrutiny in recent years. However, there are few studies that have evaluated the association between social network addiction (SNA) and metabolic risk in this population., Objective: This study determined the association between SNA and anxiety symptoms with the risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in adolescents., Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Peruvian adolescents aged 12 to 18 years, who completed a Social Network Addiction Questionnaire and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 2-item scale (GAD-2), between September and November 2022. A total of 903 participants were included in the study using a non-probability convenience sample. Sociodemographic and anthropometric data were also collected. Binary logistic regression was used to explore the association between SNA and anxiety symptoms with MetS in a cross-sectional analysis., Results: Males were more likely to have MetS than females (OR = 1.133, p = 0.028). Participants who were 16 years of age or older and those with excess body weight were 2.166, p = 0.013 and 19.414, p < 0.001 times more likely to have MetS, respectively. Additionally, SNA (OR = 1.517, p = 0.016) and the presence of anxiety symptoms (OR = 2.596, p < 0.001) were associated with MetS., Conclusion: Our findings suggest associations between SNA, anxiety symptoms, and MetS among youth. However, more studies are needed to better understand this association and to deepen the possible clinical and public health implications., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Saintila, Oblitas-Guerrero, Larrain-Tavara, Lizarraga-De-Maguiña, Bernal-Corrales, López-López, Calizaya-Milla, Serpa-Barrientos and Ramos-Vera.)

Neil A Rodas-Vargas,1,2 Danitza Z Huayta-Quispe,1 Percy G Ruiz Mamani,3 David J Javier-Aliaga,4 Wilter C Morales-García,5 Jacksaint Saintila6 1Unit of Public Health, Postgraduate School, Peruvian Union University, Lima, Perú; 2Hospital II Pasco, EsSalud, Pasco, Perú; 3School of Nursing, San Juan Bautista Private University, Lima, Perú; 4School of Human Nutrition, Peruvian Union University, Lima, Peru; 5School of Medicine, Peruvian Union University, Lima, Perú; 6School of Medicine, Señor de Sipán University, Chiclayo, PerúCorrespondence: Jacksaint Saintila, School of Medicine, Señor de Sipán University, Km 5, Carretera a Pimentel, Chiclayo, Lambayeque, 14001, Perú, Email jacksaintsaintila@gmail.comBackground: Dietary intake constitutes a fundamental support in hospitalized patients to reduce morbimortality, risk of complications, and hospital stay.Objective: We compared dietary intake, stress, anxiety, and satisfaction with the nutrition service in patients with and without COVID-19; we also analyzed the correlation between the variables mentioned.Methods: A cross-sectional, comparative, and correlational study was carried out. A total of 215 patients were selected by non-probability convenience sampling (97 with COVID-19 and 118 without COVID-19).Results: Patients with COVID-19 presented a higher percentage of “all the dish served” consumption (63.9%), as well as a higher percentage of “high” anxiety (18.6%) and “very high” satisfaction (28.9%) compared to their counterparts without COVID-19. The stress variable was predominantly moderate in both groups (57.7% vs 55.9%). Statistically significant and indirect correlation was found between satisfaction and stress level (rho = − 0.289; p< 0.01) in patients without COVID-19; similarly, between intake and stress level (rho =− .254; p< 0.05) in patients with COVID-19. Both groups presented a statistically significant and direct correlation between anxiety and stress level (rho =0.432 without COVID-19, rho = 0.525 with COVID-19; p< 0.01).Conclusion: The findings suggest a multidisciplinary intervention, in which the improvement of mental health in the study population is contemplated and to coadunate the negative effects on the perception of the quality of care of the nutrition service and on dietary intake.Keywords: COVID-19, dietary intake, stress, anxiety, degree of satisfaction, patients