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Objective: To assess the relative efficacy of flaxseed and fish oils in the management of rheumatoid arthritis. Methods: The comparative study was conducted in the outpatient department of Rheumatology at Fatima Memorial Hospital,... more
Objective: To assess the relative efficacy of flaxseed and fish oils in the management of rheumatoid arthritis. Methods: The comparative study was conducted in the outpatient department of Rheumatology at Fatima Memorial Hospital, Shadman, Lahore, Pakistan, from July to December 2017, and comprised rheumatoid arthritis patients who were divided into group A receiving 3g/day of flaxseed oil and group B receiving 3g/day of fish oil for 90 days. Blood samples were taken at baseline and post-intervention to note the difference on biochemical parameters. Data was analysed using SPSS 21. Results: Of the 60 patients, there were 30(50%) in each of the two groups. Overall, there were 8(13.3%) males and 52(86.7%) females. Both groups showed significant change in all biochemical parameters compared to baseline values (p<0.05). Intergroup comparison showed that flaxseed oil treatment was significantly more effective than fish oil treatment (p<0.05). Conclusion: While both forms of intervention were found to be effective, flaxseed oil was significantly more effective than fish oil in reducing the inflammation of joints in rheumatoid arthritis patients. Keywords: Rheumatoid arthritis, Synovial joints, Flax, Fish oil, Omega 3 fatty acids.
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Objective: To assess the relative efficacy of flaxseed and fish oils in the management of rheumatoid arthritis. Methods: The comparative study was conducted in the outpatient department of Rheumatology at Fatima Memorial Hospital,... more
Objective: To assess the relative efficacy of flaxseed and fish oils in the management of rheumatoid arthritis. Methods: The comparative study was conducted in the outpatient department of Rheumatology at Fatima Memorial Hospital, Shadman, Lahore, Pakistan, from July to December 2017, and comprised rheumatoid arthritis patients who were divided into group A receiving 3g/day of flaxseed oil and group B receiving 3g/day of fish oil for 90 days. Blood samples were taken at baseline and post-intervention to note the difference on biochemical parameters. Data was analysed using SPSS 21. Results: Of the 60 patients, there were 30(50%) in each of the two groups. Overall, there were 8(13.3%) males and 52(86.7%) females. Both groups showed significant change in all biochemical parameters compared to baseline values (p<0.05). Intergroup comparison showed that flaxseed oil treatment was significantly more effective than fish oil treatment (p<0.05). Conclusion: While both forms of interve...
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A novel exopolysaccharide (EPS) was obtained from Levilactobacillus brevis NCCP 963 isolated from a black carrot drink named “kanji”.
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Street food vending trade has earned a significant place all over the world. Rawalpindi city has huge food industry with large market places dedicated only for food items, often coined with food streets which require investigation of food... more
Street food vending trade has earned a significant place all over the world. Rawalpindi city has huge food industry with large market places dedicated only for food items, often coined with food streets which require investigation of food safety knowledge and handling practices among vendors. For this purpose 223 vendors from six clusters of Rawalpindi were selected. 37% of the vendors were from the age bracket of 26-35 years Mojority of them showed the unprofessional attitude towards food preparation and maintenance – about 61% did not cover their food at all and the remaining had the insufficient covering arrangements. Thereby, more than 80% of the stalls were exposed to flies (P=0.000) regardless of the type of cart (P=0.000). 75% vendors used the tap water for their food preparation, amongst which majority (60%) was of those vending either on mobile carts or stalls near to footpath (P = 0.000). Almost 98% handled the food with bare hands. However, 80% vendors agreed that food co...
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Objective: To assess the pre-operative nutritional status and its effect on wound healing of patients having undergone coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Method: The hospital-based prospective study was conducted at the Armed Forces... more
Objective: To assess the pre-operative nutritional status and its effect on wound healing of patients having undergone coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Method: The hospital-based prospective study was conducted at the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology/National Institute of Heart Disease, Rawalpindi, Pakistan, from October 2017 to March 2018, and comprised patients who underwent coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Sternal wound healing as an outcome measure was assessed with nutritional status. Investigation of dietary data focussed on various food groups and their impact on wound healing. Data was analysed using SPSS 21. Results: Of the 330 patients, 16 (4.8%) died within hospital. The final sample, as such, comprised 314(95.2%) patients; 273 (86.9%) males and 42 (13.1%) females, with an overall mean age of 56.6±8.3 years. The mean body mass index was 26.9±4.3kg/m². There was non-significant relationship between body mass index and wound healing (p>0.05). Significant re...
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Aim: This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of mental stress on physical and biochemical risk factors among Type-2 diabetic patients. Materials and methods: It was a hospital based study in which 104 newly diagnosed Type-2... more
Aim: This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of mental stress on physical and biochemical risk factors among Type-2 diabetic patients. Materials and methods: It was a hospital based study in which 104 newly diagnosed Type-2 diabetic were enrolled through purposive sampling from diabetes clinic of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad, Pakistan. The patients were assessed for socio demographic background, prevalence and severity of mental stress and its relationship with diabetic profile. The status of mental stress was assessed with the help of a 6 point scale. The selected biochemical parameters included diabetic and lipid profile and some information related to renal and hepatic health. Socio- demographic data was collected with the help of a questionnaire. Results: The study revealed that 97% of the subjects were suffering from some level of mental stress. Body Mass Index (BMI) and hypertension were strongly associated with mental stress with P value of 0.03...
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All foods which contain biologically active ingredients are considered to be functional foods because of their health benefits associated with prevention of certain NCDs like DM. Many studies focused on the herbal remedies which played... more
All foods which contain biologically active ingredients are considered to be functional foods because of their health benefits associated with prevention of certain NCDs like DM. Many studies focused on the herbal remedies which played role in the treatment of Diabetes (Acevedo et al., 2017; Choudhury et al., 2017; Shahzad et al., 2020). There were 451 million people with T2DM all over the world by year 2017, and this number was expected to rise to 693 million by year 2045 (Ogurtsova et al., 2017). About 5 million deaths all over the world were attributable to Diabetes in year 2017. According to second National Diabetes Survey of Pakistan (NDSP), conducted from February 2016 to August 2017, prevalence of Diabetes in Pakistan was 26.3%, out of which 19.2% were known diabetics, and 7.1% were newly diagnosed cases(Basit et al., 2018). Clinical evidence suggests that T2DM and its complications can be prevented through regular intake of functional foods (Alkhatib et al., 2017; Venkatakri...
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The present study investigates the existence of micro-flora in commonly consumed traditional 180 Ready-To-Eat (RTE) food products. Results depicted that majority of the samples were contaminated with varying level of the bacterial count.... more
The present study investigates the existence of micro-flora in commonly consumed traditional 180 Ready-To-Eat (RTE) food products. Results depicted that majority of the samples were contaminated with varying level of the bacterial count. Unsatisfactory levels of aerobic plate count (APC) were higher in Burger - 83.3%, with the significance level of P = 0.005. Greater than 50% samples were having total coliform count (TCC) beyond the satisfaction level (P = 0.208). E.coli was noticed in >90% samples including; burger, chana chaat, and fruit chaat; followed by >70% in rice and >50% in samosa with a significant level of P = 0.001. S.aureus in >50% of samples exceeded the level of >20 CFU/g standard threshold with 6% samples at the borderline. Remarkably >50% samples were free from Salmonella sp. The pattern of yeast and molds in all food items was almost similar in all locations. Isolation of high bioloads of microorganisms in this study attributes towards a potentia...
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Adolescence is a unique period in life as it is a time of intense physical, psychological and cognitive development. This uniqueness puts the adolescence in a conflicting situation and stress which effect many developmental aspects of the... more
Adolescence is a unique period in life as it is a time of intense physical, psychological and cognitive development. This uniqueness puts the adolescence in a conflicting situation and stress which effect many developmental aspects of the personality. These developmental stages are closely linked with adolescent’s dietary practices. The present study was conducted to assess the dietary practices of adolescent boys and girls in relation to their mothers’ education. The total number of subjects was 702, age between 14-16 years, studying in randomly selected schools of District Chakwal. The study revealed that boys eat relatively better than the girls of same age despite of the fact that girls’ mothers were more educated than boys’ mothers at P. Value 0.002. Boys were taking more regular meals (78%) as compared to girls (62%). Education of mothers had no relevance with regularity of meals presumably because most of the mothers were either matriculate or had education up till Intermedia...
Purpose: The incidence and prevalence of osteoporosis has amplified worldwide. The situation is not very different in our country too. The purpose of our study was to determine the prevalence of osteoporosis, and also to establish the... more
Purpose: The incidence and prevalence of osteoporosis has amplified worldwide. The situation is not very different in our country too. The purpose of our study was to determine the prevalence of osteoporosis, and also to establish the risk factors associated with it in Pakistan. Method: It was a cross sectional study that was conducted in the primary care setting in different areas of Karachi. Bone mineral density assessment was done by the speed of sound using the quantitative ultrasound technique at the right Calcaneus. A structured questionnaire was prepared, to evaluate the risk factors associated with osteoporosis Results: Out of 500 participants 21.6% were male and 78.4% were female. The overall prevalence of osteoporosis was 30.7% (24% male and 32.6% females). The prevalence of osteopenia was 44.5% (51% being male and 42.6% being female). Factors that were statistically (p value <0.05) associated with low bone mineral density were increasing age, female gender for osteopor...
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Street food vending trade has earned a significant place all over the world. Rawalpindi city has huge food industry with large market places dedicated only for food items, often coined with food streets which require investigation of food... more
Street food vending trade has earned a significant place all over the world. Rawalpindi city has huge food industry with large market places dedicated only for food items, often coined with food streets which require investigation of food safety knowledge and handling practices among vendors. For this purpose 223 vendors from six clusters of Rawalpindi were selected. 37% of the vendors were from the age bracket of 26-35 years Mojority of them showed the unprofessional attitude towards food preparation and maintenance – about 61% did not cover their food at all and the remaining had the insufficient covering arrangements. Thereby, more than 80% of the stalls were exposed to flies (P=0.000) regardless of the type of cart (P=0.000). 75% vendors used the tap water for their food preparation, amongst which majority (60%) was of those vending either on mobile carts or stalls near to footpath (P = 0.000). Almost 98% handled the food with bare hands. However, 80% vendors agreed that food co...
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During the last few decades, cancer has mushroomed as a major health issue; and almost all drugs used for its therapy are very toxic with lethal side effects. Complementary and alternative medicines gain popularity among health... more
During the last few decades, cancer has mushroomed as a major health issue; and almost all drugs used for its therapy are very toxic with lethal side effects. Complementary and alternative medicines gain popularity among health professionals in recent era owing to its preventive mechanism against side effect chemotherapeutic drugs. Efforts are focused by scientists to isolate compounds from medicinal plant that have chemotherapeutic attributes; and ability to neutralize the side effects of chemotherapy. Ginseng is an oriental medicinal recipe from Araliceae family and Panax species. The chemotherapeutic effect of ginsenoside is resultant of its appetites, anti-proliferative, anti-angiogenic, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. The anticancer effect of ginseng is proven in various types of cancer, including; breast, lung, liver, colon and skin cancer. It increases the mitochondrial accumulation of apoptosis protein and downregulate the expression of anti-apoptotic protein....
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With increased use of internet in daily lives, its negative effects are also being observed on physical, psychological and social health of individuals.Objective: To determine the effect of internet addiction (IA) on dietary behavior and... more
With increased use of internet in daily lives, its negative effects are also being observed on physical, psychological and social health of individuals.Objective: To determine the effect of internet addiction (IA) on dietary behavior and lifestyle characteristics among university students.Methods: In this cross-sectional study, the subjects were students selected from four universities in Lahore, Pakistan through two-stage sampling (n = 322). Levels of Internet Addiction (IA) were assessed using Young Internet Addiction Test and demographics, dietary behavior and lifestyle factors using self-reportedquestionnaire.Results: Severe and moderate IA was present in 9.6% and 41.9% of population respectively. High prevalence was found among males, Private Sector University and engineering students. Frequent breakfast skipping, increased meal size and habit of snacking while using internet was found associated with IA. Internet Addicts were also used to eat less than recommended daily servin...
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Kefir and its related products are renowned nutraceutical dairy products produced through fermentation of yeasts and bacteria naturally present in grains of kefir. The nutritional attributes of this self-carbonated beverage are due to... more
Kefir and its related products are renowned nutraceutical dairy products produced through fermentation of yeasts and bacteria naturally present in grains of kefir. The nutritional attributes of this self-carbonated beverage are due to presence of vital nutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins, minerals, vitamins, and some nutraceutical components. Antimicrobial activity, better gut health, anticarcinogenic activity, control on serum glucose and cholesterol, control on lactose intolerance and better immune system can be achieved through its regular consumption. Moreover, on the one side kefir is good dietetic beverage, and of particular interest of athletes, and on the other side the whole kefir is good for feeding small babies and pre-schoolers for good tolerance against disease and quick weight gain. Lots of works have been done on kefir from a health point of view. This study summarizes all the data that have been compiled to date. The purpose of this review is to gather information about microbiological, chemical, nutritional, and therapeutic aspects of kefir and kefir-like products to provide justification for its consumption. This review leads us to conclude that kefir begins a new dawn of food for the mankind.
Research Interests: Nutrition and Dietetics, Nutrition, Vitamins, Health, Animal Production, and 18 moreFood Microbiology, Composition, Humans, Lactose intolerance, Functional Food, Antimicrobial activity, Active Control, Trace Elements, Fermentation, Immune system, Dairy Products, Food Sciences, CARBOHYDRATES, Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition (CRIT REV FOOD SCI), Food Handling & Hygiene, Point of View, Weight Gain, and Nutritive Value
... Perveen Liaqat, Nazish Zulfiqar, Hajra Ahmed and Asma Afreen Department of Home and Health Sciences, Allama Iqbal Open University, Islamabad, Pakistan ... J. Human Nutr. Diet., 20: 340-344. 102: 1240-1246. Liaqat, P., MN Khan and F.... more
... Perveen Liaqat, Nazish Zulfiqar, Hajra Ahmed and Asma Afreen Department of Home and Health Sciences, Allama Iqbal Open University, Islamabad, Pakistan ... J. Human Nutr. Diet., 20: 340-344. 102: 1240-1246. Liaqat, P., MN Khan and F. Mohammad, 2009. ...
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Research Interests:
Kefir and its related products are renowned nutraceutical dairy products produced through fermentation of yeasts and bacteria naturally present in grains of kefir. The nutritional attributes of this self-carbonated beverage are due to... more
Kefir and its related products are renowned nutraceutical dairy products produced through fermentation of yeasts and bacteria naturally present in grains of kefir. The nutritional attributes of this self-carbonated beverage are due to presence of vital nutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins, minerals, vitamins, and some nutraceutical components. Antimicrobial activity, better gut health, anticarcinogenic activity, control on serum glucose and cholesterol, control on lactose intolerance and better immune system can be achieved through its regular consumption. Moreover, on the one side kefir is good dietetic beverage, and of particular interest of athletes, and on the other side the whole kefir is good for feeding small babies and pre-schoolers for good tolerance against disease and quick weight gain. Lots of works have been done on kefir from a health point of view. This study summarizes all the data that have been compiled to date. The purpose of this review is to gather information about microbiological, chemical, nutritional, and therapeutic aspects of kefir and kefir-like products to provide justification for its consumption. This review leads us to conclude that kefir begins a new dawn of food for the mankind.