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Aims: To assess the consumption, willingness to consume, availability and knowledge of people about the whole grain food products across the Sultanate of Oman. Methods: A self-administered survey was conducted among a convenience sample of adults to assess the consumption, willingness to consume, availability and knowledge about whole grain products across all the nine Governorates of Oman. Results: Almost all respondents (99%, n = 1891) reported that they consume rice and bread at least 4 days per week. Less than 5% of adults indicated that they consume brown rice, whereas 20% to 90% consume whole grain bread. Forty percent of the respondents indicated that they did not know, which type of bread or rice either white or brown, is healthier. Only 20% to 30% of the respondents reported that brown rice or whole wheat bread was available in the market all the time. The various indexes (0 to 1, where 0 as nil and 1 as maximum) developed based on the survey results for the availability, knowledge and willingness to consume whole grain products were 0.36 to 0.87, 0.35 to 0.64 and 0.51 to 0.57 respectively, in different Governorates of Oman. Conclusion: The results indicated that there is an urgent need to educate the Omani people about the nutritional and health benefits of consuming whole grain products and to improve the availability of whole grain food products across Oman. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Study the effect of Omani coffee on the glycemic responses and glycemic index (GI) of commonly consumed snack foods in Oman. Methods: We evaluated 9 Omani snack foods including doughnut, croissant, cheese, chicken and fried egg sandwiches, sambosa (vegetables), fried and boiled vermicelli, white bread with red beans for their proximate composition and GI. The proximate composition was determined according to AOAC,[1] whereas GI was measured in 12 healthy human volunteers as described by Wolever et al.[2] Results: The proximate composition of snack foods differed significantly (P < 0.05). The moisture, crude protein and fat contents in foods ranged from 21.9 to 67.5%, 4.3 to 17% and 2.7 to 23.4 %, respectively. Almost similar blood glucose responses were observed when snack foods were given with either water or Omani coffee. Significant (P < 0.05) differences were observed in the GI of these foods, which ranged between medium and high GI category. The GI of these foods (with water) ranged between 60 and 75, whereas with Omani coffee the GI values ranged between 64 and 78. Higher GI values were observed for doughnut and cheese sandwich, whereas sambosa (vegetables) showed the lowest value. Overall, no significant (P < 005) differences were observed in the GI of snack foods when served either with water or with Omani coffee. Conclusion: The GI of Omani snack foods differed significantly. However, Omani coffee did not affect the GI of these snack foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a severe neuro-developmental disorder with poorly understood etiology. Numerous studies evidenced that oxidative stress and altered antioxidant status could be involved in the pathophysiology of ASD. It is also reported that the altered levels of antioxidant proteins such as ceruloplasmin (copper-binding protein) and transferrin (iron-binding protein) could enhance the oxidative stress directly or indirectly and it can considerably retard acquired language skills in autistic children. But these types of studies in children with autism in Oman were not available. Materials and Methods: To reveal this paradigm, in this study, we evaluated the plasma levels of ceruloplasmin and transferrin in Omani autistic children and compared the results with age matched control children (n = 20). Results: In accordance with the previous reports, significantly lower plasma levels of ceruloplasmin and of transferrin were observed in Omani autistic children as compared to normal children. Conclusion: This suggests that such changes may lead to abnormalities of iron and copper metabolism, resulting in the enhancement of the oxidative stress and contributing to the pathogenesis of ASD. However, the underlying mechanism is still unclear and further extensive studies are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study evaluated the nutritional quality and glycemic index of three sun-dried date varieties (Khalas, Khsab and Fardh) grown in Oman. Significant (P<0.05) differences were observed in the proximate chemical composition, dietary fiber contents, various sugar fractions and energy value of these dates. The moisture, ash, crude protein, total fat, and nitrogen-free extract values ranged between 18.77 and 23.71 g/100 g date flesh, 1.12 and 1.55 g/100 g date flesh, 1.28 and 1.89 g/100 g date flesh, 1.14 and 2.37 g/100 g date flesh, and 68.53 and 75.37 g/100 g date flesh, respectively. The dietary fiber and total sugar contents ranged between 8.83 and 13.11 g/100 g and between 52.17 and 59.96 g/100 g, respectively. The glycemic index (GI) of different varieties of dates collected from various regions of Oman ranged between 47.6 and 57.7. Overall no significant (P<0.05) differences were observed in the GI values of different varieties of dates. The regional effects on the GI values of dates were also non-significant (P>0.05). An inverse correlation (r 2) was observed between the fructose fraction and the GI value of dates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the status of folate and vitamin B12 (B12) in relation to serum homocysteine (HCY) and oxidative stress indices in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Methods: This case–control study involved 100 Omani adults (50 patients newly diagnosed with T2DM and 50 age- and gender-matched healthy controls). Several parameters were investigated, including dietary intake and biochemical assessments of folate, B12, HCY, oxidative stress markers (glutathione and total antioxidant status), and antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase). Results: Low serum levels of folate, B12, and hyperhomocysteinemia were prevalent in patients with T2DM compared with controls. Oxidative stress was evident in patients with T2DM as indicated by low serum levels of glutathione, total antioxidant status, and impaired antioxidant enzymatic activities (superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase). Conclusion: The low intake of folate and B12 is associated with low serum levels of these two nutrients and hyperhomocysteinemia in Omani adults with T2DM. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: Arab populations lack data related to nutritional assessment in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), especially micronutrient deficiencies such as folate and vitamin B12. Methods: To assess the dietary and serum folate and vitamin B12 statuses, a hospital-based case-control study was conducted in 80 Omani children (40 children with ASDs versus 40 controls). Results: The ASD cases showed significantly lower levels of folate, vitamin B12, and related parameters in dietary intake and serum levels. Conclusion: These data showed that Omani children with ASDs exhibit significant deficiencies in folate and vitamin B12 and call for increasing efforts to ensure sufficient intakes of essential nutrients by children with ASDs to minimize or reverse any ongoing impact of nutrient deficiencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by core deficits in social interactions, verbal/nonverbal communication, and restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped behaviors. Children with ASD are known to have several feeding problems that are believed to affect their nutritional and health status., Aim: The present study was designed to assess the food preferences in Omani children diagnosed with ASD compared with controls., Methods: A case-control study was conducted in which 375 children (males and females) aged between 4 and 13 years were recruited. The sample consisted of 163 children with ASD and a control group of 212 typically developing (TD) children. For each participant, demographic, anthropometric, and medical information and information regarding dietary intakes were gathered using the food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) to assess their food preferences., Results: The sociodemographic characteristics of caregivers were similar in the two groups, while their perceptions based on several nutritional parameters were different. Children's age and body mass index (BMI) were similar in both groups, while the number of male children was higher in ASD group (P < 0.001). Problematic behaviors including food refusal and selectivity were significantly higher in ASD children than in TD children. Despite that, the children with ASD were found to consume mostly traditional Omani dishes., Conclusion: This is the first study that provides information on the eating habits and nutritional intake of Omani children diagnosed with ASD. The overall findings are promising and may contribute to further understanding of food preferences in children with ASD in Oman. Such information is highly valuable for the prevention and management of nutritional deficiencies among Omani children with autism by improving their diet quality.

Genetic, nutrition, and environmental factors have each been implicated as sources of risk for autism. Oxidative stress, including low plasma levels of the antioxidant glutathione, has been reported by numerous autism studies, which can disrupt methylation-dependent epigenetic regulation of gene expression with neurodevelopmental consequences. We investigated the status of redox and methylation metabolites, as well as the level of protein homocysteinylation and hair mercury levels, in autistic and neurotypical control Omani children, who were previously shown to exhibit significant nutritional deficiencies in serum folate and vitamin B₁₂. The serum level of glutathione in autistic subjects was significantly below control levels, while levels of homocysteine and S-adenosylhomocysteine were elevated, indicative of oxidative stress and decreased methionine synthase activity. Autistic males had lower glutathione and higher homocysteine levels than females, while homocysteinylation of serum proteins was increased in autistic males but not females. Mercury levels were markedly elevated in the hair of autistic subjects vs. control subjects, consistent with the importance of glutathione for its elimination. Thus, autism in Oman is associated with decreased antioxidant resources and decreased methylation capacity, in conjunction with elevated hair levels of mercury.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder of early childhood, and an enumeration about its etiology and consequences is still limited. Oxidative stress-induced mechanisms are believed to be the major cause for ASD. In this study 19 autistic and 19 age-matched normal Omani children were recruited to analyze their degree of redox status and a prewritten consent was obtained. Blood was withdrawn from subjects in heparin-coated tube, and plasma was separated. Plasma oxidative stress indicators such as nitric oxide (NO), malondialdehyde (MDA), protein carbonyl, and lactate to pyruvate ratio were quantified using commercially available kits. A significant elevation was observed in the levels of NO, MDA, protein carbonyl, and lactate to pyruvate ratio in the plasma of Omani autistic children as compared to their age-matched controls. These oxidative stress markers are strongly associated with major cellular injury and manifest severe mitochondrial dysfunction in autistic pathology. Our results also suggest that oxidative stress might be involved in the pathogenesis of ASD, and these parameters could be considered as diagnostic markers to ensure the prevalence of ASD in Omani children. However, the oxidative stress-induced molecular mechanisms in ASD should be studied in detail.

Background: Recent case-control studies on breastfeeding and childhood leukemia risk have indicated that longer duration of breast feeding (> 6 months) is associated with decreased risk of the disease., Objective: To investigate the relationship between duration of breastfeeding and risk of childhood leukemia in Oman., Materials and Methods: In a case control study all recently diagnosed and registered cases of childhood leukemia at the National Registry during (1999-2009), a total of 70 cases, were recruited. For each case, a gender and age matched control was selected either from the family relatives or from the neighbors of family siblings., Results: Breastfeeding is culturally favored for longer periods of time (up to 24 months) in Oman. Data of this study revealed that 21% of cases and 12 % of their gender and age matched controls were breastfed for an average duration of 6-12 months. In 75% of the cases and 81% of controls the period of breastfeeding was between 12-24 months. Only 4% of the cases and 7% of controls were breastfed for a period more than 24 months. No significant (P>0.05) differences were observed between the cases and controls with respect to breastfeeding and the risk of childhood leukemia in Oman. Similarly the duration of breast feeding did not have any significant (P>0.05) effect on the risk., Conclusion: This study indicated that duration of breastfeeding was not associated with risk of childhood leukemia in Oman and there may be some other environmental and genetic factors that might be responsible for the occurrence of this disease that must be explored further.