Mostafa I Waly

Sultan Qaboos University | SQU · Department of Food Sciences and Nutrition

Diet is a key modifiable factor that plays a vital role in the protection from noncommunicable diseases, which requires the right tool to transform the food consumption into nutrients. The food composition database (FCDB) is a tool that provides a comprehensive information on the various nutrients present in food. It comprises quantitative values o...

Effectiveness of Mediterranean diet on daytime sleepiness among individual with type 2 diabetes mellitus in Oman Background: Excessive daytime sleepiness is a major complaint among individual with diabetes mellitus, which may be augmented with dietary intervention. The objective of this randomized controlled trial was to determine the effectivenes...

Pteropyrum scoparium leaves extract (PSE) is used in traditional medicine for the treatment of different diseases due to its antioxidant properties, yet only a few studies have investigated its protective effect against oxidative stress. This study aimed to asses the biochemical impact of PSE on heated palm olein-induced oxidative stress in rat liv...

Background: A direct consequence of global warming, and strongly correlated with poor physical and mental health, food insecurity is a rising global concern associated with low dietary intake. The Coronavirus pandemic has further aggravated food insecurity among vulnerable communities, and thus has sparked the global conversation of equal food acc...

Būt (Sideroxylon mascatense) is an indigenous wild blueberry found in Oman. It has a very short season and is commonly preserved by drying. The aims of this study were to determine the physico-chemical characteristics and stability of phytochemicals (i.e., polyphenols and flavonoids) in the berries during drying (i.e., freeze-drying at −40 °C and a...

With the outbreak of COVID-19, several international initiatives actively concentrated on stopping the COVID-19 virus's spread and avoiding further transmission. Later the health professionals noticed a change in the overall health status of COVID-19 survivors. Moreover, many findings have identified the presence of a condition known as the post-CO...

Rice (Oryza sativa) is one of the most important cereal grains that is popularly consumed globally as a staple food. A number of rice dishes are prepared and consumed in Oman. Representative samples of four different types of cooked rice dishes (White rice, Brown rice, Kabuli rice, and Biryani rice) and two traditional dishes (Arsiya and Harees) we...

Introduction Tobacco smokers are at high risk of developing severe COVID-19. Lockdown was a chosen strategy to deal with the spread of infectious diseases; nonetheless, it influenced people’s eating and smoking behaviors. The main objective of this study is to determine the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on smoking (waterpipe and cigarette) behavi...

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic along with its confinement period boosted lifestyle modifications and impacted women and men differently which exacerbated existing gender inequalities. The main objective of this paper is to assess the gender-based differentials in food consumption patterns, dietary diversity and the determinants favoring weight c...

INTRODUCTION: This paper presented the baseline data of a ran- domized controlled trial aimed to determine the effectiveness of Mediterranean Diet intervention on glycemic control and cardiovas- cular risks among individual with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Oman. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 134 eligible individual with T2DM were recruit...

Insufficient physical activity is considered a strong risk factor associated with non-communicable diseases. This study aimed to assess the impact of COVID-19 on physical (in)activity behavior in 10 Arab countries before and during the lockdown. A cross-sectional study using a validated online survey was launched originally in 38 different countrie...

Citation: Al Sabbah, H.; Taha, Z.; Qasrawi, R.; Assaf, E.A.; Cheikh Ismail, L.; Al Dhaheri, A.S.; Hoteit, M.; Al-Jawaldeh, A.; Tayyem, R.; Bawadi, H.; et al.

Two fractions of date-pits fibers were developed by alkaline digestion of whole date-pits powder at 70 °C for 24 h, one from the residue and other one from the supernatant after digestion. Residue and supernatant fibers showed higher hygroscopicity as compared to the date-pits powder (P < 0.05), while there was no significant difference between the...

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0243524.].

Objective: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of disability and death in many countries. Together with CVD, Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) accounts for more than 80% of all premature non-communicable disease deaths. The protective effect of the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) on CVD and its risk factors, including T2DM, has been a con...

ABSTRACT Introduction: In the recent years, there is remarkable increased in the prevalence of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) in Middle East countries including Oman. There is good evidence that Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet) is effective over diabetes control and several cardiovascular risk factors in different populations, with little compelling e...

Introduction: In the recent years, there is remarkable increased in the prevalence of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) in Middle East countries including Oman. There is good evidence that Mediterranean Diet (MedDiet) is effective over diabetes control and several cardiovascular risk factors in different populations, with little compelling evidence a...

Objectives The Asian swamp eel (Monopterus albus), is commonly distributed in Asian countries. However, its therapeutic potential has not been thoroughly investigated yet. The current study aimed to evaluate the in-vivo therapeutic properties of the skin mucus of this fish. Methods The eel mucus was collected fleshly and topical gel with carbopol...

The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed the Eastern Mediterranean Region's food system's fragility posing severe challenges to maintaining healthy sustainable lifestyle. The aim of this cross-sectional study (N = 13,527 household's family members, mean age: 30.3 ±11.6, 80% women) is to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on food consumption patt...

The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed the Eastern Mediterranean Region's food system's fragility posing severe challenges to maintaining healthy sustainable lifestyle. The aim of this cross-sectional study (N = 13,527 household's family members, mean age: 30.3 ±11.6, 80% women) is to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on food consumption patt...

In recent years seaweeds have gained much attention as an excellent source of antioxidants and to improve oxidative stability of food products. Seaweeds are photosynthetic algae, abundantly available in water bodies and divided into three classes according to the pigments they contain. Seaweeds contain an incomparable wealth of bioactive components...

Plant protein foods are physiologically important and play a key role in human nutrition. They contain several bioactive compounds with diverse chemical configurations and traits, which can modify the antioxidant potential, inhibit, or induce the enzyme actions, impact the gene expression and receptor activities as well as nutrient bioavailability....

The significance of elevated blood homocysteine (Hcy) in clinical practice is a serious subject for researchers and is considered as a marker of certain diseases [1]. Hcy, is a sulfur containing, non-proteinogenic amino acid required for the growth of cells and tissues [2, 3]. It is produced exclusively from methionine (Met), an essential amino aci...

Although cancer is still one of the most significant global challenges facing public health, the world still lacks complementary approaches that would significantly enhance the efficacy of standard anticancer therapies. One of the essential strategies during cancer treatment is following a healthy diet program. The ketogenic diet (KD) has recently...

Background:The use of plant for medicinal purposes has a long history worldwide. There is a lack of research that identifies the antidiabetic effect of edible Omani wild plants. Oxidative stress mediates the pathogenesis of diabetes and it has been suggested that natural antioxidants might be considered as an effective intervention for combating di...

Cancer is second leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for an estimated 9.6 million deaths in year 2018, from which 70% death occurred in low- and middle-income countries. World Health Organization estimates that there will be 20 million new cases and 12 million deaths from cancer alone by the year 2020 [1]. Furthermore, the WHO reported tha...

Homocysteine (HCY) is a non-protein-forming, sulfur amino acid whose metabolism is at the intersection of two metabolic pathways, remethylation and trans-sulfuration pathways. HCY is characterized by its chemical tendency to promote oxidative stress and cellular toxicity. Three major forms of homocysteine species exist in human blood circulation; a...

Inflammation is a natural clinical repair response of body’s immune system to protect its tissues from various noxious stimuli that continues to remodel throughout the lifecycle because of interactions between genes, lifestyles, and environments. There is a link between inflammation, elevated plasma homocysteine levels and cardiometabolic diseases....

When it comes to food, there has been a noticeable increase in the consumption of snacks, fast food, sweets, meat, milk products and savory. This increase is met by a decrease in the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables. This change is moving forward towards transforming the lifestyle, and several surveys showed that the increase in consumpti...

Homocysteine (Hcy) is a sulfur-containing amino acid, which is produced during the metabolism of methionine. Impairment in one carbon metabolism (OCM) is believed to be responsible for elevated plasma homocysteine (Hcy) levels or hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy), which is considered as an independent risk factor of coronary artery disease (CAD). There a...

This study aimed to assess the status of B-vitamins (folate, vitamin B6, and B12) and homocysteine (HCY) in the sera of Omani coronary artery disease (CAD) patients. Sixteen Omani patients (10 males and 6 females) gave consent for blood sampling and were enrolled in the study on voluntary basis. All patients were evaluated for their anthropometric...

The contamination of foods with aflatoxins, a group of carcinogenic compounds produced by some filamentous fungi belonging to Aspergillus section Flavi, is the major food safety concern worldwide. Various pre- and post-harvest techniques have been employed to minimize the level of aflatoxins in food commodities. The present study aimed to explore t...

Elevated blood concentrations of homocysteine, B vitamins deficiencies and oxidative stress are etiological factors for many human chronic diseases, yet the etiologic relationship of hyperhomocysteinemia to these disorders remains poorly understood. Clinical trials continue to support the notion that hyperhomocysteinemia is involved in the pathogen...

Background In the past infectious diseases affected the quality of lifestyle during home confinement. The study conducted examines the influence of home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak on lifestyle, mental wellbeing, nutritional status, and sleeping pattern. Method An online multicategorical questionnaire was distributed to colle...

Four types of fibers (i.e. defatted, F1; residue after alkaline digestion, F2; precipitated fibers at pH 5.5, F3; and pH 1.5, F4) were prepared from date-pits. The date-pits were first defatted and then digested by an alkaline solution. The fibers F2 showed the highest amount of cellulose (i.e. 46.0 g/100 g sample), while fibers F3 and F4 showed th...

Purpose The objective of this study is to expand the understanding of the family influence on children's nutrition and physical activity patterns in Oman. Design and methods A cross-sectional research design was used in this study. We recruited 204 dyads (a mother with a child) conveniently. Research data were collected in public cycle one schools...

Objectives: This study aimed to examine the relationship between body mass index (BMI) z-scores and lifestyle-related factors including nutrition, physical activity, screen time and time spent sleeping in 6-10-year-old Omani children. Methods: This cross-sectional study included mother-child dyads that were recruited from five provinces in Oman....

Background and objective: Leaves of basil plant (Ocimum basilicum) are often used for medicinal purposes because of their bioactive constituents, yet the antioxidant properties of this plant are not fully studied in the field of diabetes. The present study investigated the antioxidant property and anti-diabetic effect of two basil cultivars of Oci...

Background: In previous times, infectious diseases affected the quality of human life during home con nement. This study investigated the in uence of home con nement during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak on lifestyle, mental wellbeing, nutritional status, and sleeping pattern.

Background In previous times, infectious diseases affected the quality of human life during home confinement. This study investigated the influence of home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak on lifestyle, mental wellbeing, nutritional status, and sleeping pattern. Method An online multicategory questionnaire was distributed to colle...

Background: Nutritional knowledge is considered as an important factor in making healthy food choices, and to ensure an adequate nutrient intake in all age groups. Objective: To assess the nutritional knowledge, dietary habits, nutrient intake and nutritional status of Sultan Qaboos University students. Subjects and Methods: In a cross-sectional st...

In a cross-sectional study, we determined the dietary patterns and nutritional status of Omani school students (12-15 years), and their association with student’s academic performance. A study questionnaire, including a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire, was used to collect data. Results indicated that 36% of Omani school students regul...

Recently, nanoencapsulation was introduced as an efficient and promising approach for the protection, delivery, and site-specific liberation of the nutraceuticals and bioactive ingredients. Food proteins are attractive materials for developing nanocarriers to protect and deliver bioactives due to their unique functional and biological properties. F...

Purpose: Evidence from industrialized/developed countries showed that colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence rates have significantly dropped due to the widespread use of colonoscopy. In Arab countries, however, the CRC had been reported to have increased. Despite the concerted effort in the primary prevention and widespread use of colonoscopy, to our...

Traditional and folk medicines of different countries have great potential for introducing new natural remedies for various human diseases. One of these remedies is date pollen, which is an edible component of the date palm tree, and has been used in Oman and other countries as a therapeutic agent for male infertility. There is a need to identify t...

Background Azoxymethane is a potent carcinogenic agent commonly used to induce colon cancer and oxidative stress in rats. The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response, represents an adaptive mechanism to support cellular survival in response to adverse microenvironment conditions by accumulating misfolded proteins and leading to apoptosis of cell...

Objective: Study the effect of Omani coffee on the glycemic responses and glycemic index (GI) of commonly consumed snack foods in Oman. Methods: We evaluated 9 Omani snack foods including doughnut, croissant, cheese, chicken and fried egg sandwiches, sambosa (vegetables), fried and boiled vermicelli, white bread with red beans for their proximate c...

Objective: To assess the role of various dietary and lifestyle modifications in the secondary prevention of biomarkers of plaque recurrence in Omani coronary revascularized patients. Methods: Seventy-two patients, from the outpatient cardiology clinic of Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, were included in the study after obtaining an informed conse...

As a major neurodevelopmental disorder, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) encompasses deficits in communication and repetitive and restricted interests or behaviors in childhood and adolescence. Its etiology may come from either a genetic, epigenetic, neurological, hormonal, or an environmental cause, generating pathways that often altogether play a s...

Let food be the medicine and the medicine be the food" was quoted by Hippocrates more than 2000 years ago. In this context, traditional medicines of different countries have great potential for introducing new natural remedies for various human diseases. One of these remedies is date palm pollen, which is an edible component of the date palm tree,...

Casein is an excellent carrier for curcumin, but it is susceptible to hydrolysis in gastrointestinal digestion. This study intended to design a tailored nano-carrier composed of camel casein/bovine whey protein to protect casein and curcumin during digestion. After loading curcumin to the casein, whey protein was added to solution followed by heati...

D4 dopamine receptor (D4R) activation uniquely promotes methylation of plasma membrane phospholipids, utilizing folate-derived methyl groups provided by methionine synthase (MS). We evaluated the impact of D4R expression on folate-dependent phospholipid methylation (PLM) and MS activity, as well as cellular redox and methylation status, in transfec...

Cooking of meat, fish, and poultry at high temperatures can result in the formation of heterocyclic amines (HCAs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and other compounds. The formation of these compounds can vary depending on the type of meat, method of cooking, temperature, and duration of cooking as well as the level of doneness. These comp...

Chronic diseases have become the largest contributor to worldwide morbidity and mortality. Healthy diet represents an effective primary intervention measure in combating the onset of chronic diseases, and epidemiological studies had documented that Mediterranean foods are associated with low incidence of chronic diseases. Mediterranean diet is a co...

Traditional and folk medicines of different countries have great potential for introducing new natural remedies for various human diseases. One of these remedies is date pollen, which is an edible component of the date palm tree, and has been used in Oman and other countries as a therapeutic agent for male infertility. There is a need to identify t...

Background: Azoxymethane (AOM) is considered as an oxidizing insult and a potent carcinogenic agent that is commonly used to induce colon cancer in rats. Clinical studies continue to support the notion that different honey bee products (honey, pollen and propolis) combat cancer development, yet no recent studies conducted to examine the antioxidant...

To talk about nutrition is to talk about life. However, arguably today, talking about nutrition seems to be no longer talking about the dietary origins of the human being, but of science which dedicates its study to food in order to improve human consumption, optimizing health-related processes, with the development, with the maintenance and/or obt...