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In Canada, unhealthy dietary patterns comprise diets with poor nutrient density and are associated with chronic conditions. Plant-based diets have gained popularity due to their ability to provide a nutritionally adequate healthy diet. This study aims to compare sociodemographic, socioeconomic, and health characteristics, and diet quality between Canadian adults following plant-based and omnivore diets as well as assess the extent to which key nutrient intakes are of public health concern among Canadians following plant-based diets. The study used nationally representative nutritional data from the 2015 Canadian Community Health Survey and descriptive statistics were computed. The analysis determined that Canadians following strict plant-based diets (1% of total population) were significantly more likely to be an immigrant to Canada, less likely to meet national physical activity guidelines, and less likely to be overweight, compared to Canadians following omnivore diets. Compared to omnivore diets, plant-based diets were nutritionally superior according to the Nutrient-Rich Food index. Continued knowledge translation on what comprises healthy plant-based diets, public guidance on the intersection between diet and health, and the completion of prospective cohort studies are needed. To conclude, the research suggests well-planned plant-based diets, in comparison to omnivore diets, offer a nutrient-dense diet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: COVID-19 can have potential pathogenic effects on the oocyte and embryos, but there is limited data about its impact. This study aimed to investigate the COVID-19 impact on the outcome of Assisted Reproduction Techniques (ART) methods. Materials and methods: This case-control study was conducted on 190 infertile women who underwent oocyte retrieval at Yas Hospital in vitro fertilization (IVF) department affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences, from October 2021 to October 2022. The case group was defined as women whose PCR test was positive on puncture day and the control group was women with COVID-19 negative tests on puncture day. The study outcome measurements included the number of oocytes retrieved and the number and quality of embryos. Finally, the data were analyzed by SPSS 24. Results: The mean age of the participants was 32.89 ± 5.58 years with an age range of 18-49 years. No significant difference was observed between the two groups regarding baseline variables. The mean number of oocytes was significantly (p =0.001) lower in the case (6.68±4.25) group versus the control (9.07±4.10) group. While there was no statistically significant difference regarding the mean number of embryos in the study groups, No grade A embryos were observed in more than half (57.5%) of the women in the case group. Furthermore, the frequency of grade C embryos on average was 1.08±1.11 in the case group and 0.57±0.75 in the control group, with a statistically significant difference (p =0.010). Conclusion: The findings of this research highlighted that women infected with COVID-19 on the puncture day have a lower number of oocytes and also good-quality embryos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]