A lifestyle with erratic eating patterns and habits predisposes youngsters to obesity. Through a two-phase feasibility study among Indian students living in the Delhi area, we longitudinally examined the following: (1) the daily eating-fasting cycles of students (N = 34) in school and college using smartphones as they transition from high school (aged 13-15 years; n IX = 13) to higher secondary school (HSSS; 16-18 years; n XII = 9) to their first year (FY) of college (18-19 years; n FC = 12); and (2) daily activity-rest cycles and light-dark exposure of 31 higher secondary school students (HSSS) using actigraphy. In phase 1, students' food data were analyzed for temporal details of eating events and observable differences in diet composition, such as an energy-dense diet (fast food (FF)), as confounding factors of circadian health. Overall, the mean eating duration in high school, higher secondary and FY college students ranged from 14.1 to 16.2h. HSSS exhibited the shortest night fasting. Although FY college students exhibited the highest fast food percentage (FF%), a positive correlation between body mass index (BMI) and FF% was observed only among HSSS. Furthermore, the body weight of HSSS was significantly higher, indicating that FF, untimely eating and reduced night fasting were important obesity-associated factors in adolescents. Reduced night fasting duration was also related to shorter sleep in HSSS. Therefore, food data were supplemented with wrist actigraphy, i.e., activity-rest data, in HSSS. Actigraphy externally validated the increased obesogenic consequences of deregulated eating rhythms in HSSS. CamNtech motion watches were used to assess the relationship between disturbed activity cycles of HSSS and other circadian clock-related rhythms, such as sleep. Less than 50% of Indian HSSS slept 6 hours or more per night. Seven of 31 students remained awake throughout the night, during which they had more than 20% of their daily light exposure. Three nonparametric circadian rhythm analysis (NPCRA) variables revealed circadian disruption of activity in HSSS. The present study suggests that inappropriate timing and quality of food and sleep disturbances are important determinants of circadian disruptions in adolescents attending school.
Whiteflies are a group of universally occurring insects that are considered to be a serious pest in their own way for causing both direct and indirect damages to crops. A few of them serve as vectors of plant viruses that are detrimental to the crop in question and cause an actual loss in productivity. A lot of attention is focused on pest control measures under the umbrella of IPM. In this review, we attempt to summarize the existing literature on how and why whiteflies are a serious concern for agriculture and society. We reviewed why there could be a need for fresh insight into the ways and means with which the pest can be combated. Here, we have emphasized next-generation strategies based on macromolecules, i.e., RNA interference and genetic engineering (for the expression of anti-whitefly proteins), as these strategies possess the greatest scope for research and improvement in the future. Recent scientific efforts based on nanotechnology and genome editing, which seem to offer great potential for whitefly/crop pest control, have been discussed. Comprehensive apprehensions related to obstacles in the path of taking lab-ready technologies into the farmers’ field have also been highlighted. Although the use of RNAi, GM crops, nanotechnologies, for the control of whiteflies needs to be evaluated in the field, there is an emerging range of possible applications with promising prospects for the control of these tiny flies that are mighty pests.
Introduction: Fast Food (FF) consumption reduces the nutritional quality of daily diet. FF is even more detrimental to human health, if preferred during night-time meals, because metabolism is slower at end of the day. Quality of food and time of eating are nutritional determinants of the health. Aim: To study the association of anthropometric and societal factors such as age, Body Mass Index (BMI), health awareness with frequency of FF and preference for meal timings. Materials and Methods: Through a cross-sectional Google-form food preference survey of 2887 people, it was sought to uncover a possible association between the perception and frequency of FF and preference for mealtimes. Unadjusted associations of people’s eating preferences with age, BMI and health awareness with FF intake was analysed using Spearman’s correlation coefficients, Cronbach’s α, Eigen values, odd ratios, relative risk factors and χ2-tests. Results: The high odd ratio revealed greater FF popularity in adolescents and children as compared to adults. Principal component analysis revealed four important factors (Eigen value >0.9; factor weight >12%) viz., age, busy life, body weight and weekend drive. Taking FF as a food quality index, there was food quality jetlag between week days and weekends. Psychometric analysis revealed a positive association between preferred mealtime and FF intake. Conclusion: Mealtimes regulate the human circadian system; therefore, health consequences of FF consumption ensconce other determinants of public health like night eating and lifestyle. The deteriorating effects of FF are associated with circadian disruption. More research is needed to highlight associativity of different lifestyle factors detrimental to circadian health.
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