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Papers by Reem Abu Alwafa

An-Najah University Journal for Research - A (Natural Sciences)

Although many efforts have been applied to tackle obesity, it’s still on the rise, especially amo... more Although many efforts have been applied to tackle obesity, it’s still on the rise, especially among children. Recently, many nutritional educational programs have been conducted in schools to reduce the prevalence of obesity and overweight. The aim of this systematic review is to investigate how effective these programs on the participants' dietary behavior and how far their effect can prevent childhood obesity and overweight if parents/guardians have been involved. Studies were systematically reviewed after searching the Pubmed, Questia, and Science Direct databases. Twelve relevant studies involving parents, have met the inclusion criteria, 8 of them had available results. The assessed outcomes of the reviewed studies have included: nutritional knowledge, food intake, anthropometric measurements, and physical activity. Half of the reviewed studies had positive results and the other half has mixed results. However, data showed significant positive improvements in both anthropom...

Plants

There is growing interest in Origanum syriacum due to attractive culinary applications and functi... more There is growing interest in Origanum syriacum due to attractive culinary applications and functional properties. Solar drying is the most common conventional method for drying Origanum syriacum L. (Za’atar) in Mediterranean region. This study aimed to evaluate the quality traits of solar dried za’atar in comparison to freeze dried za’atar. Proximate composition (moisture, protein, fat, fiber, carbohydrates, and ash), color index (L*a*b*), macro and microstructure, sensory, and microbiological characteristics were evaluated. Solar dried za’atar exhibited significantly lower fat content (1.10 vs. 1.64%, p < 0.05) than freeze dried za’atar. Solar drying led to severe changes in color values compared to freeze drying. Solar drying exhibited loss in the structural integrity and leave hairs more than freeze drying. Moreover, freeze-dried za’atar exhibited significantly lower total aerobic count (4.92 vs. 5.23, p < 0.05) and yeasts and mold count (4.59 vs. 5.36, p < 0.05) than so...

Journal of Taibah University Medical Sciences

BMC Women's Health, 2021

Background Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) is a very common problem with symptoms that can negatively... more Background Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) is a very common problem with symptoms that can negatively affect normal daily life. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the prevalence of PMS symptoms and their relationship with psychosocial status and lifestyle of female students at An-Najah National University in Palestine. A sample of 398 female students was randomly selected to participate in the study. Arabic Premenstrual Scale (A-PMS) was used for PMS assessment. Psychosocial variables were determined using the DASS-21 Arabic version, and dietary habits were measured using a 24 item self-reported questionnaire. Data was analyzed by one-way ANOVA and Chi-square tests using SPSS software version 23. Results The 398 participants (100%) suffered from some kind of PMS symptoms; 398 (100%) had physical symptoms, 397 (99.7%) had psychological symptoms, and 339 (85.2%) had behavioral PMS symptoms. All PMS symptoms were significantly associated with student psychosocial status ( p &...

Plants

The interest in za’atar has increased in recent years due to its economic, cultural, and function... more The interest in za’atar has increased in recent years due to its economic, cultural, and functional importance. The traditional za’atar mix made from dried Origanum syriacum is now a demanded product nationally and internationally. Air-drying at low temperatures can preserve za’atar quality traits better than other techniques such as oven-drying. The Palestinian za’atar market has the potential to develop and increase its value. However, it is facing many challenges. Another valuable product of za’atar is essential oil. Za’atar essential oil quantity and quality are affected by many factors including geographical location, cultivation, harvesting season, soil, extraction method, temperature, and others. These factors interact with za’atar and with each other; therefore, some factors are more effective than others and further research is needed to determine the optimum condition for producing and obtaining za’atar essential oil. Antimicrobial and antioxidant activities are the main f...

An-Najah University Journal for Research - A (Natural Sciences)

Although many efforts have been applied to tackle obesity, it’s still on the rise, especially amo... more Although many efforts have been applied to tackle obesity, it’s still on the rise, especially among children. Recently, many nutritional educational programs have been conducted in schools to reduce the prevalence of obesity and overweight. The aim of this systematic review is to investigate how effective these programs on the participants' dietary behavior and how far their effect can prevent childhood obesity and overweight if parents/guardians have been involved. Studies were systematically reviewed after searching the Pubmed, Questia, and Science Direct databases. Twelve relevant studies involving parents, have met the inclusion criteria, 8 of them had available results. The assessed outcomes of the reviewed studies have included: nutritional knowledge, food intake, anthropometric measurements, and physical activity. Half of the reviewed studies had positive results and the other half has mixed results. However, data showed significant positive improvements in both anthropom...

Plants

There is growing interest in Origanum syriacum due to attractive culinary applications and functi... more There is growing interest in Origanum syriacum due to attractive culinary applications and functional properties. Solar drying is the most common conventional method for drying Origanum syriacum L. (Za’atar) in Mediterranean region. This study aimed to evaluate the quality traits of solar dried za’atar in comparison to freeze dried za’atar. Proximate composition (moisture, protein, fat, fiber, carbohydrates, and ash), color index (L*a*b*), macro and microstructure, sensory, and microbiological characteristics were evaluated. Solar dried za’atar exhibited significantly lower fat content (1.10 vs. 1.64%, p < 0.05) than freeze dried za’atar. Solar drying led to severe changes in color values compared to freeze drying. Solar drying exhibited loss in the structural integrity and leave hairs more than freeze drying. Moreover, freeze-dried za’atar exhibited significantly lower total aerobic count (4.92 vs. 5.23, p < 0.05) and yeasts and mold count (4.59 vs. 5.36, p < 0.05) than so...

Journal of Taibah University Medical Sciences

BMC Women's Health, 2021

Background Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) is a very common problem with symptoms that can negatively... more Background Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) is a very common problem with symptoms that can negatively affect normal daily life. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the prevalence of PMS symptoms and their relationship with psychosocial status and lifestyle of female students at An-Najah National University in Palestine. A sample of 398 female students was randomly selected to participate in the study. Arabic Premenstrual Scale (A-PMS) was used for PMS assessment. Psychosocial variables were determined using the DASS-21 Arabic version, and dietary habits were measured using a 24 item self-reported questionnaire. Data was analyzed by one-way ANOVA and Chi-square tests using SPSS software version 23. Results The 398 participants (100%) suffered from some kind of PMS symptoms; 398 (100%) had physical symptoms, 397 (99.7%) had psychological symptoms, and 339 (85.2%) had behavioral PMS symptoms. All PMS symptoms were significantly associated with student psychosocial status ( p &...

Plants

The interest in za’atar has increased in recent years due to its economic, cultural, and function... more The interest in za’atar has increased in recent years due to its economic, cultural, and functional importance. The traditional za’atar mix made from dried Origanum syriacum is now a demanded product nationally and internationally. Air-drying at low temperatures can preserve za’atar quality traits better than other techniques such as oven-drying. The Palestinian za’atar market has the potential to develop and increase its value. However, it is facing many challenges. Another valuable product of za’atar is essential oil. Za’atar essential oil quantity and quality are affected by many factors including geographical location, cultivation, harvesting season, soil, extraction method, temperature, and others. These factors interact with za’atar and with each other; therefore, some factors are more effective than others and further research is needed to determine the optimum condition for producing and obtaining za’atar essential oil. Antimicrobial and antioxidant activities are the main f...