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Objective:To assess the relationship between exposure to social media food messages and self-reported adolescent eating outcomes (including food intake, perceived norms and food literacy).Design:A cross-sectional survey was used to assess reported exposure to core and non-core food messages (including marketing messages) on social media, as well as reported food intake, perceived norms, food literacy, attitudes, self-regulation, among others.Setting:18 secondary schools across Flanders, Belgium.Participants:1002 adolescents 11–19 years of age.Results:Self-reported exposure to food marketing and overall food messages on social media was positively associated with eating attitudes, behaviours, perceived norms and food literacy among adolescents. Interestingly, the relationship between food exposure and intake was shaped differently depending on food type; descriptive norms mediated the positive relationship between non-core food social media exposure and non-core food intake (e.g. indirect effect estimate on self-reported sweets consumption is 0·005,se0·002,P< 0·01), while food literacy mediated the positive relationship between core food social media exposure and core food intake (e.g. indirect effect estimate on self-reported vegetable consumption is 0·01,se0·003,P< 0·000).Conclusions:This study highlights the significance of social media in relation to adolescent eating. There is an opportunity for health professionals to use social media in the promotion of core food among adolescents. We call for relevant policy actions to regulate the marketing of non-core food to adolescents on social media.

Current food production and consumption patterns pose serious threats to our global environment. The goal of the current research is to investigate whether the presence of specific informational cues, i.e., ecological labels and nutrition labels, can improve the environmental impact of food choices. Two online experiments were carried out in which young adults were asked to select products in a grocery shop setting, and to indicate quantities (in grams) for a hypothetical one-person meal. In the first experiment (N = 142), we varied the theme (sustainability vs. nutrition vs. control) of the labels alongside the products. The labels displayed a summarized product score (i.e., the products’ actual nutri-score), but this was either presented as the nutritional score or as the ecological score of that product. In the second experiment (N = 250), we again varied this label theme as well as the level of complexity, namely interpretative (i.e., simple) vs. reductive (i.e., detailed). While the results of the first experiment revealed no impact of the labels, the results of the second experiment suggest that labels with a sustainability theme can influence young adults to compose a more sustainable meal with less meat, and with a lower carbon and blue water footprint. The labels’ level of complexity did not impact the different eating outcomes. In conclusion, while these results point to the potential use of labels with a sustainability theme, it is important to note that the results did not consistently replicate across studies and analyses and should therefore be interpreted with caution. A possible explanation for the effect of eco-themed labels might be that they trigger pro-environmental objectives during decision-making, and prime people to consider the sustainability of their food choices. ispartof: Sustainability vol:13 issue:5 status: published

The measurement of women's agency poses numerous challenges, including multi-dimensionality and context-specificity. This challenge is especially large for non-Western contexts that adapt measurement instruments without rigorous testing and comprehensive understanding of construct meanings in place. In this paper, we present a case study from Qatar where we investigate the face validity, comprehension and functionality of women's agency scale items. Cognitive interviews were conducted with twenty-four women to capture their interpretations of decision-making, freedom-of-movement, and gender attitudes scale items. The majority of women originally reported that they made their own decisions; yet, further probing revealed otherwise. While women seemed to understand, as intended, the freedom-of-movement item, the items measuring gender attitudes were generally reflective of broader local societal norms rather than the women's own opinions. This research highlights the need for deeper exploration into women's understanding of an agency scale before its use in a new context. 2019, 2019 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. Scopus

Packaging is increasingly recognized as an essential component of any marketing strategy. Visual and informational front-of-pack cues constitute salient elements of the environment that may influence what and how much someone eats. Considering their overwhelming presence on packaging of non-core foods, front-of-pack cues may contribute to the growing rates of overweight and obesity in children and adults. We conducted a systematic review to summarize the evidence concerning the impact of front-of-pack cues on choices and eating behaviors. Four electronic databases were searched for experimental studies (2009–present). This resulted in the inclusion of 57 studies (in 43 articles). We identified studies on children (3–12 years) and adults (≥ 18 years), but no studies on adolescents (12–18 years). The results suggest that children and adults are susceptible to packaging cues, with most evidence supporting the impact of visual cues. More specifically, children more often choose products with a licensed endorser and eat more from packages portraying the product with an exaggerated portion size. Adults’ eating behaviors are influenced by a range of other visual cues, mainly, package size and shape, and less so by informational cues such as labels. ispartof: Nutrients vol:12 issue:4 pages:1-16 ispartof: location:Switzerland status: Published online

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine how residents in Qatar, the host country of the 2022 World Cup, interact, socialize and acculturate in order to create a more harmonic society, a critical factor for the event delivery and preparations. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from Qatari nationals and expatriates residing in the country of Qatar using a survey. A stratified random sampling approach was applied using as sampling framework all households having a mailing address with the country’s electric company. In total, 2,398 Qataris were contacted and 1,020 completed the survey. From the expatriate population, 1,852 were contacted and 1,134 completed the survey. Findings The results showed Qatari nationals were favorable toward Arab and Asian expatriates but not as favorable as Arab and Asian expatriates were toward them. Both groups of residents showed high quality of life (QOL) perceptions, with the locals having slightly higher QOL. Finally, Asian expatriates were more open to socializing with the locals and Arab expatriates. Research limitations/implications The results of the study shed light into the acculturation process in host societies of mega sport events such as the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Originality/value This is the first study that examined a mega event’s host country resident’s cultural interactions to identify potential issues that can arise and interfere with the event experience of the 2022 World Cup in a very diverse society.

Billions are spent yearly on food marketing that influences unhealthy eating preferences and habits, and contributes to the development of obesogenic environments worldwide. Recent social media advancements have provided food marketers with platforms to readily reach out to many especially younger consumers. Adolescents seem vulnerable to food marketing as they have increased impulsive decision-making and decreased inhibitory-control as compared to adults. Yet, they are becoming independent from their parents and relying on unmonitored (social) media. Despite the presumed influence of social media marketing, little is known about the type of marketing strategies used on social media to influence adolescent eating.Aim:The aim of this study is to explore the food messages adolescents (12–18 years old) encounter when using social media.Methods:A diary study was carried out with 12–18 year-old Belgian adolescents (N = 20) who took screenshots of food images they encountered on their social media during a one-week period. Participants also completed surveys assessing social media use, image source, marketing strategy, etc. Five-hundred food images were gathered and preliminary analyzed for their content. A coding book, developed based on a literature review and a pilot, will guide two authors in coding the images. The codes will be checked for agreement and discrepancies will be resolved among the research team. Finally, the codes will be analyzed to determine food marketing strategies employed and eating social norms portrayed.Results:The most commonly reported social media were Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, and Facebook. Preliminary findings showed that adolescents often encounter branded food images through peers, influencers and food brands, majority of which are paid or word-of-mouth food marketing. The images were mostly promoting non-core foods that are energy-dense and poor in nutrients, especially branded soft drinks and fried foods. An ongoing qualitative analysis of the gathered images aims to conclude with detailed frequencies and relationships between the different study measures assessed. These findings will be elaborated on during the presentation.Discussion:This research provides an in-depth understanding of the social media messages adolescents encounter daily and sheds light on food norms typically communicated on social media by marketers, peers, and influencers. Such findings identify prominent social media food messages that must be tested for their persuasive nature, providing insights for future research that aims to assesses the effects of social media food marketing on adolescent eating. Finally, we call for policies that address current social media marketing strategies targeting adolescents.

Social norms in patriarchal countries in the Middle East are changing at differing rates. In Qatar, expectations about education have shifted, and women’s participation in higher education is normative. However, women’s participation in the workforce remains relatively low, and women still are expected to perform all household and child-rearing activities. Interviews with 27 18–25 year-old Qatari women enrolled in college in Qatar are used to illustrate the conflict between norms about education, workforce, and family. Many young women resolve this normative conflict by giving preference to family over work and education. Other women hold conflicting norms and goals for their future without acknowledging the normative conflict. Overall, young women in this sample feared divorce, were uncertain about customary family safety nets, and thus desired financial independence so they would be able to support themselves if they were left alone later in life due to divorce, or the death of their husband. The Qatari government should revisit the appropriateness of continuing to emphasize the patriarchal family structure and socially conservative family norms, if they desire to advance women in their society.

This systematic review synthesizes research on the influence of human and economic resources for women's empowerment on their pre- and postnatal mental health, understudied in the Arab world. We include articles using quantitative methods from PubMed and Web of Science. Two researchers reviewed databases and selected articles, double reviewing 5% of articles designated for inclusion. Twenty-four articles met inclusion criteria. All 24 articles measured depression as an outcome, and three included additional mental health outcomes. Nine of 17 studies found an inverse association between education and depression; two of 12 studies found contradictory associations between employment and depression, and four of six studies found a positive association between financial stress and depression. These results suggest that there is a negative association between education and depression and a positive association between financial stress and depression among women in the Arab world. Firm conclusions warrant caution due to limited studies meeting inclusion criteria and large heterogeneity in mental health scales used, assessment measures, and definitions of human and economic resources for women's empowerment. It is likely that education reduces depression among postpartum women and that financial stress increases their depression. These findings can be used to aid in the design of interventions to improve mother and child outcomes. However, more research in the Arab world is needed on the relationship between human and economic resources for women's empowerment and perinatal mental health, and more consistency is needed in how resources and mental health are measured. ispartof: Archives of Women's Mental Health vol:22 issue:1 pages:1-14 ispartof: location:Austria status: Published online

Western media globalization is implicated in the spread of the thin body ideal to traditional societies. Qatar&mdash, a small conservative Middle-Eastern country&mdash, has recently witnessed rapid Westernization, but the influence of Western media icons on women&rsquo, s body image dissatisfaction has rarely been studied here. A 2 (celebrity or model) &times, 3 (thin, average, or heavy) plus a control condition between-subject experiment tested the primary hypothesis that exposure to images of thin Western models or celebrities promotes a thinner body ideal compared to neutral images. A sample of young women (n = 1145) was randomly assigned to experimental images as part of an online survey. After exposure to images, participants rated their current and desired body size and shape, reported celebrity liking, and evaluated their favorite celebrity&rsquo, s body. We found little support for the desire of thinness. Viewing thin- and average-sized celebrities was significantly associated with desiring a heavier and a thinner look (respectively) among those favoring thin celebrities. Images of thin models induced the desire for a curvaceous body figure with hips especially among those favoring celebrities with hips. The findings highlight important nuances in the influence of Western media icons on body image among women in a non-Western culture.

Background: The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (the CRPD) is the first human rights treaty of the 21st century and the first binding instrument specifically focused on protecting persons with disabilities within the framework of the UN's universal system of human rights. The CRPD came into force on May 3, 2008, and as of December 3, 2016 it has been ratified by 168 states. The CRPD developed the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (Article 34) to monitor compliance with the Convention by States Parties. The main role of the Committee is to review the reports (both the initial and the periodic reports) submitted by States Parties pursuant to Article 35 of the CRPD. In accordance with the CRPD Article 35, States Parties are required to submit to the Committee “a comprehensive report on measures taken to give effect to its obligations [under the CRPD] … and on the progress made in that regard” within two years after the entry into force of the present Convention for the State Party concerned, and subsequently they must submit periodic reports every four years “and further whenever the Committee so requests.” Qatar ratified the UNCRPD in May 2008 and is obliged as a signatory nation to implement a number of social and legal measures to become fully compliant. Aim: The aim of this paper is to identify Qatar»s degree of compliance with the CRPD as per the last available CRPD reports. Subsequently, we list recommended actions toward Qatar's compliance with the Convention. Findings and recommendations: On June 19, 2012 Qatar submitted its report to the Committee on its compliance with the Convention. Following review of the Qatar report, the committee made six concluding observations. The six observations made by the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities on Qatar's compliance with the Convention: The legislation revolves around a medical (treatment) model of disability, in contrast to the convention's call for a social model and the human rights approach. It is necessary to safeguard non-discrimination, adopting the inclusive social model. Accommodation and accessibility are not in line with the Convention. There is an absence of specific legal and policy frameworks to ensure accessibility for persons with disabilities on an equal basis with others, and reasonable accommodation is not sufficiently guaranteed. Lack of consultation and participation of persons with disabilities in the drafting of regulatory policies that affect them. Lack of systematic information. There is no independent internal mechanism to coordinate policy on the rights of persons with disabilities and monitor the implementation of the Convention. The Committee's six concluding observations on the rights of persons with disabilities indicate that Qatar, similar to many other countries, has a long way to go before reaching compliance with the convention. As a first step towards compliance with the Convention, Qatar action regarding the six issues highlighted here is key, and can be as follows: Adopt a social model whereby the state moves beyond the assistance-based approach to the development of actual individual rights enforceable in a court of law, considers disability rights as validity standards, and regards the field of conflict of rights as other rights or fundamental legal interests. Prevent discrimination by adopting an inclusive social model, as well as via adapting both the situation strategy (equality focused on the situation) and the identity strategy (acknowledging the rights of specific persons or groups). Provide accessibility through universal design and reasonable accommodation. Consult and include persons with disabilities in the drafting of regulatory policies that affect them. Collect systematic (research and statistical) data on persons with disability for use in the development and implementation of policies. Put in place an independent internal mechanism to coordinate policy on the rights of persons with disabilities and monitor the implementation of the Convention. Acknowledgement: This presentation was made possible by the support of the NPRP grant 7 - 380 - 5 - 051 from the Qatar National Research Fund. The statements made herein are solely the responsibility of the authors.

Background Women’s mental health in the perinatal period is understudied worldwide and in Arab countries especially. Aim This systematic review explores evidence of the association between women’s social resources for empowerment in the Arab World and their mental health in the prenatal and postnatal (≤1 year postpartum) periods. Methods Guided by Kabeer’s framework of empowerment, the authors applied a search string in PubMed and Web of Science databases to identify studies in countries of the Arab League (hereafter the Arab World) that address mental health and social resources for women’s empowerment in the perinatal period. Findings Of 1865 electronically retrieved articles, 23 met the inclusion criteria. Overall, the majority of studies found a positive association between social resources for empowerment and perinatal mental health. Seven studies explored the relationship between familial or general social support and prenatal mental health in Arab women, and found a significant positive association. Sixteen of the 18 studies of women in the postnatal period found that enabling familial, extra-familial, and/or general social support was positively associated with mental health. Conclusion This review demonstrates an association between social resources and perinatal mental health, but there is a dearth of research in this area. We call for additional research on Arab women in the perinatal period using context-specific but standardized tools to assess social resources and mental health. Evidence on positive mental health, resilience, and the influence of social resources can guide the improvement of prenatal and postpartum care services. This study was made possible by a NPRP award (NPRP 7-666-5-081), from the Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF), a member of the Qatar Foundation. The statements made herein are solely the responsibility of the authors. Scopus

Informed consent requirements for conducting research with human participants are set by institutional review boards (IRBs) following established guidelines. Despite this, researchers continue to face challenges in seeking and obtaining informed consent. This study discusses researchers' views of such problems in Lebanon and Qatar, which vary in research regulation. We conducted in-depth interviews with 52 academic researchers from various fields of research in both countries and analyzed them using thematic analysis. Important disjunctions emerged between IRB requirements and actual practice. Variations in obtaining informed consent were affected by the research context, type of research, and the prevalent cultural norms and values. Regulatory systems and guidelines for informed consent do not necessarily ensure ethical research conduct. Implications for improvement are presented. 1 2017, 1 The Author(s) 2017. The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This study, NPRP No. 4-079-3-030, was funded by the Qatar National Research Fund. Scopus

A recent surge of research universities and human subjects research funding in the Arab world raises concerns about applied research ethics and oversight. In-depth interviews conducted with 52 researchers in Lebanon and Qatar about their research conduct and the problems they face while conducting it indicate that although researchers admit to the added value of institutional review board (IRB) functions, the researchers have several complaints, such as rigid and contextually insensitive requirements, delays, and inadequate resources at IRBs, and a lack of outreach and effective communication with researchers. The study discusses these challenges pointing to the need for socioculturally adaptive regulations and forms and strengthening outreach and communication between IRBs and their users to improve ethical practices. Implications for future research are also presented. NPRP Grant 4-079-3-030 from the Qatar National Research Fund (a member of Qatar Foundation). Scopus

SUMMARY Despite the abundance of the literature which discusses factors supporting or inhibiting effective participation of community members in community-based research, there is a paucity of publications analysing challenges to participation in complex settings. This manuscript describes an intervention built on researcher–community partnership amid complex social conditions which challenged participation of community members at different stages of the research process. The research took place in a Palestinian refugee camp in Beirut, Lebanon and 1 of 12 in Lebanon which suffer from deteriorating social, economic and physical conditions perpetuated by state-imposed restrictions. The research team developed a community coalition which was involved in all stages of planning, designing, implementation and dissemination. In all those stages the aim was to maintain rigorous research, to follow a ‘clean mind’ approach to research, but maintain principles of community participation which necessitate ‘a dirty hand’. Despite commitment to the principles of community-based participatory research, participation of community members (including youth, parents and teachers) was affected to a great extent by the social, physical and structural conditions of the community context. Characteristics of the context where research is conducted and how it affects community members should not be overlooked since multiple factors beyond the researchers’ control could interfere with the rigour of scientific research. Researchers need to develop a plan for participation with the community from the beginning with an understanding of the community forces that affect meaningful participation and address possible deterrence.

Decades of research has been conducted to understand the processes that under gird women's empowerment and one of its core components–women's agency. However, few inroads have been made into the study of how these processes work in Arab Middle Eastern societies. In fact, research on women's agency in the Arab Middle East has generally relied on measurement instruments that have been adapted without rigorous testing. This study is the first in Qatar to explore how women in Qatar understand women's agency scale items.AimThe aim of this study is to explore women's interpretations of selected scale items about decision-making, freedom of movement, and gender attitudes.MethodsCognitive interviews were conducted with 24 Qatari women ages 18–21. These women previously responded to agency scales as part of a bigger two wave survey study on influences of kin on women's participation in the labor market. The semi-structured cognitive interviews explore one decision-making item, one freedom-of-movement item, and five gender attitude items. Grounded theory analysis techniques were used. Women's responses were coded and analyzed for themes and patterns.ResultsFor the decision-making item, the majority of women originally reported that they made their own decisions; yet probing revealed family input as an important part of the decision-making process. We conclude that the response options for this item were not uniformly interpreted by participants, and this variation in interpretation results in the group of women who reported making the decision on their own to be more heterogeneous than the researchers intended. Women's multiple interpretations of the decision-making scale suggest that the item was too vague for the context in which it was measured. On the other hand, women seemed to understand the item measuring freedom of movement as the researchers intended, as almost all participants easily indicated that they needed input from others on the freedom-of-movement item. We conclude that the uniformity in responses is due to the specificity of the item which led to women interpreting the item as intended. Women's responses to gender attitude items were reflective of broader Qatari societal norms rather than their own individual opinions. In their survey responses, women participants reflected less gender-equitable attitudes on some items and higher gender-equitable attitudes on other items. When probed during the cognitive interviews, inconsistencies appeared between their initial responses and their subsequent discussion of gender roles in Qatari society. It appears that these young women are caught between their own beliefs about gender equality and larger Qatari societal norms. These conflicts resulted in inconsistent responses across the gender attitude scale.ConclusionAgency measures commonly used in the Arab Middle East are not necessarily appropriate for such a context, especially when used with Qatari young women. Generally, the scale items tested revealed that the items were interpreted in different ways by different women. This highlights the need for deeper exploration into women's understanding of agency scale items before their use in new social contexts. Accordingly, we recommend that scale items be systematically tested whenever a researcher wants to field it in a new cultural context to determine if it is being interpreted consistently across women, and in line with the researchers intent. It is also important to identify scale items which may elicit responses that are representative of societal norms rather than personal beliefs. We recommend that such items are modified to encourage women to express their own opinions.

IntroductionDissatisfaction with health care performance is an important source of information about health care reforms as perceived by the public as it is associated with negative beliefs about health system. Previous studies have shown that dissatisfaction with health care has a long-term negative impact on the health care users' relationship with healthcare providers, health related behaviors, and health outcomes. In addition, a recent study conducted in Qatar, showed that approximately 24% of the studied population who used health care in the past 12 months prior to the study were dissatisfied with health care services provided in the country. Given that dissatisfaction with care can negatively impact on help-seeking behaviors, this finding could have grave public health implications. This has been witnessed in the context of high prevalence of chronic health conditions in Qatar where long-term relations with healthcare professionals are necessary for better chronic disease management, reduced disease-related complications, and mortality. This study aims to identify the sources of dissatisfaction with medical care among adults, Qataris and white collar migrants aged eighteen years or older.MethodsThis study is based on secondary data from a larger national survey, which was conducted during the fall of 2012 for the purpose of collecting household-based information on health services utilization and health-related expenditures. Disproportionate stratified probability sampling was employed to select a representative sample of households. A final sample of 3,080 completed face-to-face interviews (1,528 Qataris and 1,552 White Collar Migrants) using computer assisted personal interviewing (CAPI) method for a raw response rate of 78.1%. The sample included individuals who may or may not have used Qatar's health care system during the 12 months prior to survey administration. Respondents were asked to discuss the reasons for their discontent with healthcare services in Qatar by selecting pre-coded categories of dissatisfaction including: Waiting time to see the provider, language used to communicate, clarity of how things are explained to the patient, poor services provided (such as cleanliness, reception, respect, and parking), inability to choose provider or doctor, high costs and other reasons to be specified by respondents. A total of 711 open-ended responses to the “Other” category were translated, coded and analyzed qualitatively. “Crowdedness”, “staff and physicians' incompetence”, “medical errors”, “discrimination”, “disrespect”, and “lack of staff and services” are all themes that emerged as reasons for dissatisfaction. Analysis Arabic responses were translated into English and researchers discussed any dissimilar results until an agreement was reached on all translated responses. Upon reviewing the responses, themes, which were different from the pre-specified answer choices of the questionnaire, emerged. The researchers then coded the responses by assigning codes to each response, then compared against each other. Coding discrepancy was discussed until an agreement was reached. The codes of the open-ended responses were later merged with those of the pre-specified categories and the corresponding frequency for each coding category was calculated using STATA. The Alberta Quality Matrix for Health was used to guide the analysis of the themes based on the six dimensions of health system quality.ResultsThe analysis of the open-ended responses that probed into reasons for respondents' dissatisfaction revealed thirteen categories of dissatisfaction that were related to four different dimensions of quality of healthcare, based on the Alberta Quality Matrix for Health. The most common dimension of dissatisfaction with health care in Qatar was accessibility, which refers to the provision of health service in the most optimum setting and within “reasonable time and distance”. Safety was the second most common dimension reported by the respondents. This construct relates to minimizing any threats that could cause harm. Acceptability, such as the provision of respectful and patient-centered health services was the third dimension identified, followed by efficiency, which is mainly related to the optimal use of resources, to achieve the best desired health outcomes.ConclusionIdentifying the roots of dissatisfaction with health care services among distinct social groups can be achieved by analyzing responses to simple open-ended questions in routinely administered population health surveys. This is important for monitoring the quality of care in heterogeneous population contexts as well as engaging the public in the process of developing a world-class health care system as per Qatar's national vision of 2030. This research highlights priority needs to be addressed by the Qatari government in order to increase health care satisfaction as part of the quest for better health care in the country.