BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic's mandatory quarantine encouraged a sedentary lifestyle, which had detrimental effects on health. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the health effects of the prolonged COVID-19 quarantine. MethodsA descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using an online questionnaire to assess the effects of physical activity and dietary patterns on weight gain and perceived stress. ResultsOf the 384 participants, the majority (58.6%) experienced stress, while 22.4% saw a dramatic decline in physical activity and only 19.8% performed regular physical activity. Although 64.1% of the participants reported eating healthily, 40.6% gained weight during the quarantine. Insufficient exercise (OR 1.966, 95% CI: 1.001-3.858) and consuming soft drinks frequently (OR 2.363, 95% CI: 1.137-4.910) were the two most important predictors of weight gain. The likelihood of developing psychological stress was increased by consuming more food (

Background: Increasing vaccination rates and reducing the spread of influenza are both greatly improved by raising public knowledge about seasonal influenza. To promote acceptance and create awareness it is necessary to identify any potential barriers to vaccination. This study aimed to assess seasonal influenza awareness, knowledge, vaccination uptake, and barriers. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted as an online survey of 355 medical and non-medical students of Umm Al-Qura University. Results: Out of the total 355 participants, 175(49.3%) were medical students and 180 (50.7) were non-medical students. There was an almost equal distribution of males (178 (50.1%) and females 177 (49.9%) in both groups. Most of the students 208 (58.6%) were aged 21-24 and most of them were single 346 (97.5%). Awareness of seasonal influenza was 172 (98.3%) among medical students and 157 (87.2%) among non-medical students. The mean knowledge score was 7.75 ± 2.9, with a statistical difference between the two groups (P < 0.001). Vaccination uptake was low in both groups 29 (16.6%) vs 46 (25.6%) in medical and non-medical respectively. The most prominent barriers to vaccination were the negative perceptions of the vaccine’s efficacy (53%) followed by accessibility (20%) and vaccine safety concerns (17%). More than one-third (37.7%) of the medical students and (8.9%) of non-medical students had good knowledge levels of seasonal influenza. Surprisingly, 145 (40.8%) had a poor knowledge level of seasonal influenza with a significant difference between the medical and non-medical groups (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Despite the high level of awareness, the knowledge level and vaccine uptake were unsatisfactory. Negative perceptions of the vaccine’s efficacy, and accessibility were the most significant barriers to vaccination. Campaigns and health education programmes should be considered to encourage others to get vaccinated to reduce the burden of seasonal influenza. Keywords: Awareness, seasonal influenza, vaccine uptake, knowledge

Background: Eating disorders are prevalent health conditions that affect any age, in particular adolescents. While perceived social pressure to be thin has a significant influence on disordered eating in early and middle adolescence, that in late adolescence is less well understood. Evidence suggests that the prevalence of eating problems has grown. Methods: A descriptive crosssectional study was carried out to examine the prevalence of eating disorders using the EAT-26 and body dysmorphic disorder questionnaires among the general population in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Results: Of the 426 participants, the prevalence of high levels of eating disorder concerns was 34.5%, problematic eating behaviour was 44.6% and the need for referral to a mental health professional was 55.9%. Body dysmorphic disorder affected 2.6% of the participants. Its prevalence differed significantly based on their age and among underweight and obese participants compared with their healthyweighted and overweight groups. Conclusion: The findings underline the need to enhance knowledge of the significance of healthy eating habits and regular physical activity to improve body shape, shape perception and overall happiness.

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