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Association of Healthy Diet with Recovery Time from COVID-19: Results from a Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study

Author

Listed:
  • Faisal F. Alamri

    (Basic Sciences Department, College of Science and Health Professions, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah 22384, Saudi Arabia
    King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Jeddah 22384, Saudi Arabia
    Equal contribution.)

  • Aslam Khan

    (Basic Sciences Department, College of Science and Health Professions, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah 22384, Saudi Arabia
    King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Jeddah 22384, Saudi Arabia
    Equal contribution.)

  • Abdulaziz O. Alshehri

    (Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia)

  • Ahmed Assiri

    (General Directorate of Clinical Excellence, Ministry of Health, Riyadh 11176, Saudi Arabia)

  • Shahd I. Khan

    (Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
    Pharmaceutical Care Department, AlNoor Specialist Hospital, Ministry of Health, Makkah 24241, Saudi Arabia)

  • Leen A. Aldwihi

    (Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia)

  • Munirah A. Alkathiri

    (Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia)

  • Omar A. Almohammed

    (Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
    Pharmacoeconomics Research Unit, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia)

  • Ahmad M. Salamatullah

    (Department of Food Science and Nutrition, College of Food and Agricultural, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia)

  • Amer S. Alali

    (Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj 11942, Saudi Arabia)

  • Waleed Badoghaish

    (Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Tabuk, Tabuk 71491, Saudi Arabia)

  • Abdulmajeed A. Alshamrani

    (Clinical Nutrition Department, Eradah Hospital and Mental Health, Ministry of Health, Alkharj 16259, Saudi Arabia)

  • Yazed AlRuthia

    (Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
    Pharmacoeconomics Research Unit, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia)

  • Faleh Alqahtani

    (Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia)

Abstract

The world is still in need of an effective therapy to treat coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19). This cross-sectional study was conducted on COVID-19 survivors in Saudi Arabia to investigate the influence of a healthy diet on the recovery time from COVID-19. A questionnaire was developed to assess participants’ dietary habits, based on the 2015 Dutch food-based dietary guidelines. A total of 738 COVID-19 survivors participated in the study, of whom 237 (32.1%) were hospitalized for COVID-19 treatment while 501 (76.9%) were not hospitalized, and 320 (43.4%) were females and 418 (56.6%) were males. Overall, no significant difference was noted in healthy diet score between males and females; however, this score was significantly lower for Saudis compared to non-Saudis. Among the non-hospitalized patients, eating a more healthy diet was associated with a shorter duration of recovery ( p < 0.05) and was significantly affected by gender (15.8 ± 9.3 male vs. 12.1 ± 8.9 female; p < 0.001) and marital status (12.1 ± 8.4 singles vs. 13.7 ± 9.3 married vs. 16.1 ± 11.8 divorced; p < 0.05). In contrast, no significant correlation was found with age or BMI. In this study, a more healthy diet was associated with a shorter duration of recovery from COVID-19. However, further studies are needed to thoroughly investigate the relationship between diet and recovery time from COVID-19.

Suggested Citation

  • Faisal F. Alamri & Aslam Khan & Abdulaziz O. Alshehri & Ahmed Assiri & Shahd I. Khan & Leen A. Aldwihi & Munirah A. Alkathiri & Omar A. Almohammed & Ahmad M. Salamatullah & Amer S. Alali & Waleed Bado, 2021. "Association of Healthy Diet with Recovery Time from COVID-19: Results from a Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-12, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:16:p:8248-:d:608008
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Eunha Shim, 2021. "Projecting the Impact of SARS-CoV-2 Variants and the Vaccination Program on the Fourth Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic in South Korea," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-11, July.
    2. Leen A. Aldwihi & Shahd I. Khan & Faisal F. Alamri & Yazed AlRuthia & Faleh Alqahtani & Omer I. Fantoukh & Ahmed Assiri & Omar A. Almohammed, 2021. "Patients’ Behavior Regarding Dietary or Herbal Supplements before and during COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(10), pages 1-14, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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