Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder triggered by several factors, including those of genetic and environmental nature. ASD can alter communication, behavior, and children's nutritional status, placing them at high risk for nutritional imbalances. Therefore, this study aims to assess preschool autistic children's nutritional status as compared to that of Typically Developing (TD) children of the same age. The study also revealed some of the ASD risk factors among the Jordanian population. It included 52 ASD and 51 TD children (3–6 years), and considered sociodemographic, obstetric, and nutritional factors of the two groups, stratified by gender. Nutritional status was evaluated through a comprehensive questionnaire, 3-day food record, and anthropometric and biochemical measurements. Differences between groups were identified using the chi-square and independent-sample t-test. The logistic regression model was used after the adjustment of confounders to detect an autistic child's determinants. The study showed little difference between ASD and TD children with respect to nutrients' intake inadequacy and biochemical-nutritional deficiencies, but did reveal gender-based differences. Autistic girls were at higher risk of inadequate carbohydrate intake, while autistic boys were at higher risk of inadequate vitamin E, vitamin K, and fluoride compared to TD children. More autistic children had been treated in neonatal care units after birth than had TD children. The regression analysis revealed that lower maternal education level (OR, 12.25; 95% CI, 1.18–126.91), vaginal delivery (OR, 0.273; 95% CI, 0.105–0.712), family history of autism (OR, 0.189; 95% CI, 0.059–0.612), and taking dietary supplements during pregnancy (OR, 4.665; 95% CI, 1.158–18.79) were all determinants of ASD in children. In conclusion, maternal nutrition, postnatal conditions, and nutritional status might be contributors to ASD in children. Pre-school children are at high risk for developing nutritional deficiencies. It is therefore important to maintain optimal nutritional status in pregnant patients, and in children after delivery and during early childhood. Future studies that investigate the role of nutrient deficiencies and nutritional interventions in ASD are necessary. Also required are studies that focus on gender differences in the prevalence of ASD, types and severity of symptoms, and ASD nutrition-related problems.

Obesity is strongly associated with cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). This study aimed to use obesity measures, body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) to predict the CVD and T2D risk and to determine the best predictor of these diseases among Jordanian adults. A cross-sectional study was conducted at the governmental and military hospitals across Jordan. The study participants were healthy or previously diagnosed with CVD or T2D. The continuous variables were compared using ANOVA, and the categorical variables were compared using the X2 test. The multivariate logistic regression was used to predict CVD and T2D risk through their association with BMI and WC. The final sample consisted of 6000 Jordanian adults with a mean age of 41.5 ± 14.7 years, 73.6% females. The BMI (OR = 1.7, CI: 1.30–2.30, p < 0.001) was associated with a higher risk of T2D compared to WC (OR = 1.3, CI: 1.04–1.52, p = 0.016). However, our results showed that BMI was not associated with CVD risk, while the WC was significantly and positively associated with CVD risk (OR = 1.9, CI: 1.47–2.47, p < 0.001). In conclusion, an elevated BMI predicts a higher risk of T2D, while WC is more efficient in predicting CVD risk. Our results can be used to construct a population-specific intervention to reduce the risk of CVD and T2D among adults in Jordan and other countries with similar backgrounds.

Background/Aims: Health promotion and the incorporation of health-protective behaviors in people's lifestyles have a great role in enhancing individuals' overall health and well-being. College students are at increased risk of developing unhealthy dietary and lifestyle behaviors. A cross-sectional pilot study was conducted to assess the health-risk behaviors among undergraduate college students at Jordan University of Science and Technology.Methods: The final sample included 136 students, with a mean age of 21.1 ± 2.37 years, mostly females (69%). A self-reported questionnaire was used for data collection about dietary and lifestyle behaviors among college students. The questionnaire consisted of four parts: sociodemographic characteristics, body weight classifications, lifestyle behaviors, and dietary patterns and intake, and eating behaviors.Results: Most of the students did not meet the daily recommendations for fruit (76%) and vegetable (82%) intake. Males were significantly consuming fast food more frequently (p = 0.019), and smoked cigarettes (p &lt; 0.001) or hookah (p = 0.015) more frequently than did females. Further, the majority met the recommendations for physical activity (81%), but exceeded recommendations for sedentary behavior. Females were more likely to have normal weight or be underweight (OR = 4.865), to have a fear of weight gain (OR = 3.387), and to have the recommended sleeping hours (OR = 7.685) than were males.Conclusion: The results indicate the health-risk behaviors and the gender-related differences among college students.

Metabolic syndrome (MSyn) is a considerable health concern in developing and developed countries, and it is a critical predictor of all-cause mortality. Obesity, specifically central obesity, is highly associated with MSyn incidence and development. In this study, seven anthropometric indices (Body Mass Index (BMI), Waist circumference (WC), Waist-to-Height Ratio (WHtR), A Body Shape Index (ABSI), Body Roundness Index (BRI), conicity index (CI), and the Visceral Adiposity Index (VAI)) were used to identify individuals with MSyn among the Jordanian population. These indices were assessed to identify their superiority in predicting the risk of MSyn. A total of 756 subjects (410 were male and 346 were female) were met between May 2018 and September 2019 and enrolled in this study. Height, weight, and waist circumferences were measured and BMI, WHtR, ABSI, BRI, CI, and VAI were calculated. Fasting plasma glucose level, lipid profile, and blood pressure were measured. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to determine the discriminatory power of the anthropometric indices as classifiers for MSyn presence using the Third Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III) definition. MSyn prevalence was 42.5%, and obese women and men have a significantly higher prevalence. BRI and WHtR showed the highest ability to predict MSyn (AUC = 0.83 for both indices). The optimal cutoff point for an early diagnosis of MSyn was > 28.4 kg/m2 for BMI, > 98.5 cm for WC, > 5.13 for BRI, > 0.09 m11/6 kg−2/3 for ABSI, > 5.55 cm2 for AVI, > 1.33 m3/2 kg−1/2 for CI, and > 0.59 for WHtR with males having higher cutoff points for MSyn early detection than females. In conclusion, we found that WHtR and BRI may be the best-suggested indices for MSyn prediction among Jordanian adults. These indices are affordable and might result in better early detection for MSyn and thereby may be helpful in the prevention of MSyn and its complications.

Objectives Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder related to a complicated interplay between genetics, obesity, and modifiable lifestyle factors. This study aimed to identify the major modifiable risk factors for developing overweight, obesity, and Type 2 DM (T2DM) among Jordanian college students. Methods A self-administered questionnaire was given to students at two large universities in Jordan, in order to collect data about the sociodemographic background, physical activity (PA), screen use, and smoking behavior. A food frequency questionnaire was used to assess the intake of fruits, vegetables, fast food, sweets, and salted snacks. A chi-square test was used to identify the differences between males and females; statistical significance was set at P &lt; 0.05. Results The final sample consisted of 327 males and 433 females, and 54.0% of them were ≤20 years old. Among these students, 23.6% were overweight and 12.8% were obese, with more males being overweight (26.3% vs. 21.5%) and obese (16.4% vs. 10.0%) (P = 0.004). Most students failed to meet PA (69.7%) and screen use (87.0%) recommendations, with more females failing to meet PA recommendations (P &lt; 0.001). The sample included 38.6% smokers, with a higher prevalence in males (P &lt; 0.001).  Moreover, most students were below the recommended intake of fruits (81.2%) and vegetables (94.7%); more females were below the recommendation for fruit intake (P &lt; 0.001). Fast food intake one or more times a day was seen in 85.8% of students, and 45.8% consumed sweets 1–3 times a week. About 42% of respondents reported salted snack intake of 1–3 times a week, while 40.7% reported intake at less than once per week. Males had more frequent intake of fast food (P = 0.002), sweets (P &lt; 0.001), and salted snacks (P = 0.057). Conclusions There was a considerable prevalence of obesity, overweight, and risky behaviors among Jordanian college students that may increase their future risk of developing T2DM. Future intervention is needed to reduce these behaviors, which could be the first step in preventing diabetes among this young population. Funding Sources Deanship of Scientific Research at Jordan University of Science and Technology.