Role In Health Promotion Research Articles

Evaluation of oral health literacy among medical interns in Saudi Arabia: A cross-sectional study

Abstract Introduction: Physicians can play an essential role in promoting their patients’ oral health by integrating oral health screening and education into their practices. Thus, physicians’ oral health literacy (OHL) level can determine their role in oral health promotion. Aim: The assessment of OHL and its related factors among medical interns in Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on medical interns using the OHL- adult questionnaire (OHL-AQ) for data collection. This validated questionnaire has 17 close-ended questions listed in four sections: 1 – perception and knowledge of oral health, 2 – numeracy skills for prescriptions of antibiotic and mouthwash, 3 – communication skills, and 4 – decision-making skills regarding common oral health problems. Results and Discussion: A total of 266 medical interns participated in the study (113 male and 153 female). The mean score of OHL was 10.7 ± 4.24 (out of 17), which falls in the borderline range. About 34% of medical interns had an inadequate level of OHL. OHL was not significantly correlated with age, gender, grade point average, or parent’s level of education (P > 0.05). Conclusion: The present study shows that medical interns demonstrated a borderline level of OHL. Enhancement of oral health knowledge of those future physicians is recommended by the inclusion of oral health courses in their educational curriculum.

An Assessment of Personal Hygiene Practices Among Young Adults: A Cross-Sectional, Descriptive Study.

Background Personal Hygiene behavior and practices play a major role in health promotion and disease prevention. Socio-demographic, behavioral, and psychological factors sway a person's overall adaptation of good practices. Disease burden leading to loss of productivity and its influence on the economy cannot be overstated. As medical professionals come in contact with a large number of people, they carry the potential to be super-spreaders in disease outbreaks. Thus, it is of utmost importance that medics and paramedics maintain hygiene to the highest standards. Method This cross-sectional study comprised 323 young adult participants from Muslim Town, Faisalabad. A structured questionnaire containing close-ended questions was used for data collection regarding personal hygiene behavior and practices. Dependency between various qualitative categorical variables and hygiene practices was analyzed using Chi-squared tests. Results It was found that although the majority of the participants followed good hygiene for most of the practices; laziness, lack of relevant education, improper time management, and unreliable water supply posed a significant barrier to good practices. Females had demonstrably better practices compared to males. Urbanity did not have a significant correlation with the results. Conclusion We conclude that a rigorous program of awareness and education regarding this subject is the need of the hour to facilitate an improvement in predictive and preventive health care and reduce morbidity and mortality. Steps should be taken to ease the barriers that are obstructing optimal hygienic practices.

Quality control of Platycodon grandiflorum (Jacq.) A. DC. based on value chains and food chain analysis

Platycodon grandiflorum (Jacq.) A. DC. has been proposed as a medicine and food homology, thus playing an important role in disease prevention and health promotion, with great potential for research and value in clinical application. We aimed to analyze stakeholders' production behavior and financial performance from a value chain (VC) perspective and provide a basis for improving the quality of P. grandiflorum and the interests of stakeholders. P. grandiflorum collected from different producing areas were chemically analyzed, and the quality of platycodin D was evaluated. Rstudio3.6.0 was used to analyze the correlation between total platycodins (as platycodin D, platycoside E, and platycodin D3) and platycodin D in P. grandiflorum, providing the basis for quality control of P. grandiflorum. In addition, we studied the anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activities of P. grandiflorum extract under different links. Based on the food chain energy pyramid, the transfer efficiency of active components of P. grandiflorum in different links was studied. Accordingly, 10 different types of VCs were determined in producing P. grandiflorum. Our results show that vertical coordination has led to a more consistent traceability system and strict regulation of supply chains.

Grandmothers - a cultural resource for women and children's health and well-being across the life cycle.

Grandmothers exist in all societies. Especially in the non-western Majority World, where Elders are both highly respected and responsible for transmitting their knowledge to younger generations, there is extensive anecdotal evidence of Grandmothers' role in health promotion and healing. However, due to Eurocentric and reductionist views of families and communities, in the extensive past research on maternal, child and adolescent health issues across Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East, and in Indigenous societies in North America, Australia and New Zealand, scant attention has been given to the role of Grandmothers. This paper addresses this oversight and supports the imperative to decolonize health promotion in the non-western world by building on non-western worldviews, roles and values. Based on an eclectic body of both published and gray literature, this review presents extensive evidence of Grandmothers' involvement across the life cycle of women and children and of the similar core roles that they play across cultures. While in some cases Grandmothers have a negative influence, in most cases their involvement and support to younger women and children is beneficial in terms of both their advisory and their caregiving roles. For future research and interventions addressing maternal, child and adolescent health, the conclusions of this review provide strong support for: adoption of a family systems framework to identify both gender-specific and generation-specific roles and influence; and the inclusion of Grandmothers in community health promotion programs dealing with different phases of the life cycle of women and children.

Mental workload profile and its relationship with presenteeism, absenteeism and job performance among surgeons: The mediating role of occupational fatigue

IntroductionSurgeons are one of the most significant jobs in the health care system that plays an important role in the patients' health promotion and their treatment. In the current study, the effect of mental workload on the work performance of surgeons was tested by considering the mediating effect of fatigue on this relationship. MethodThis study was done analytically on 165 surgeons working in the operating rooms of hospitals in Iran. To determine of mental workload, the SURG-TLX method was used. The job performance was measured using the short version of the job performance questionnaire provided by the World Health Organization (WHO-HPQ), and accordingly relative presenteeism, relative absenteeism and job performance variables were calculated. The Swedish Occupational Fatigue Inventory (SOFI) questionnaire was used to determine occupational fatigue. A conceptual model was built to determine the direct and indirect relationship between mental workload and job performance, and the mediating effect of occupational fatigue on the relationship between mental workload and job performance was tested using structural equation modeling (SEM). ResultsOut of 165 distributed questionnaires, 140 questionnaires were completed and delivered to the researchers (85% response rate). The mean ± standard deviations of mental workload, fatigue, and work performance were 16.57 ± 5.83, 6.32 ± 2.86, and 0.65 ± 0.28, respectively. The results of model fit indexes revealed that all indexes are within the acceptable range. Regarding this model, the direct effect of mental workload on job performance was not significant (β = −0.21; p = 0.072). A significant positive relationship was observed between mental workload and fatigue (β = 0.36; p < 0.001). The direct effect of fatigue on job performance was also the opposite and statistically significant (β = −0.39; p < 0.001). Finally, results indicated that the effect of mental workload on work performance mediated by occupational fatigue. ConclusionSurgeons suffer a high level of mental workload during their work, and this factor can have a negative effect on surgeons' job performance. The effect of mental workload on job performance in surgeons can be detected, directly and indirectly, through the mediating effect of occupational fatigue. Improving the mental and physical conditions of the work environment can reduce occupational fatigue and improve surgeons’ job performance.

Oral Health Literacy and Its Determinants in Young Couples.

Objectives: Oral health literacy (OHL) is an interplay of cultural, social and individual factors and plays an effective role in public health promotion. This study aimed to assess OHL and its socioeconomic and demographic determinants among young couples. Materials and Methods: This analytical cross-sectional study was conducted on 828 adults between 15 to 35 years in 2018 in Zanjan city. Data regarding their OHL were collected by using a 17-item Oral Health Literacy-Adult Questionnaire (OHL-AQ) that was filled out by a combination of self-report and interview. OHL was categorized as adequate, marginal, and inadequate. The effects of age and gender as demographic variables, and floor area per person as a proxy of financial status on OHL were also assessed. Data were analyzed using the linear and multinomial logistic regression models. Results: The mean OHL score was 7.86±3.83 out of 17 in equal number of males and females. Only 21% of the couples had adequate OHL. The socioeconomic, but not demographic variables had significant correlations with the qualitative and quantitative variables of OHL even after controlling for the effect of confounders. A correlation was particularly found between inadequate OHL and years of education [odds ratio:6.00; 95% CI: 3.86-9.28); P<0.001]. Conclusion: Socioeconomic factors had independent correlations with inadequate OHL. Participants with higher levels of education, those living in urban areas, and individuals with better financial status had higher levels of OHL and lower odds of inadequate OHL.

Microbial interactions within beneficial consortia promote soil health

By ecologically interacting with various biotic and abiotic agents acting in soil ecosystems, highly diverse soil microorganisms establish complex and stable assemblages and survive in a community context in natural settings. Besides facilitating soil microbiome to maintain great levels of population homeostasis, such microbial interactions drive soil microbes to function as the major engine of terrestrial biogeochemical cycling. It is verified that the regulative effect of microbe–microbe interplay plays an instrumental role in microbial-mediated promotion of soil health, including bioremediation of soil pollutants and biocontrol of soil-borne phytopathogens, which is considered an environmentally friendly strategy for ensuring the healthy condition of soils. Specifically, in microbial consortia, it has been proven that microorganism–microorganism interactions are involved in enhancing the soil health-promoting effectiveness (i.e., efficacies of pollution reduction and disease inhibition) of the beneficial microbes, here defined as soil health-promoting agents. These microbial interactions can positively regulate the soil health-enhancing effect by supporting those soil health-promoting agents utilized in combination, as multi-strain soil health-promoting agents, to overcome three main obstacles: inadequate soil colonization, insufficient soil contaminant eradication and inefficient soil-borne pathogen suppression, all of which can restrict their probiotic functionality. Yet the mechanisms underlying such beneficial interaction-related adjustments and how to efficiently assemble soil health-enhancing consortia with the guidance of microbe–microbe communications remain incompletely understood. In this review, we focus on bacterial and fungal soil health-promoting agents to summarize current research progress on the utilization of multi-strain soil health-promoting agents in the control of soil pollution and soil-borne plant diseases. We discuss potential microbial interaction-relevant mechanisms deployed by the probiotic microorganisms to upgrade their functions in managing soil health. We emphasize the interplay-related factors that should be taken into account when building soil health-promoting consortia, and propose a workflow for assembling them by employing a reductionist synthetic community approach.

A Focused Insight into Sumac: Biological, Chemical, Health Benefits and Its Applications in Food Industry

Sumac Spice is a tangy red-purple powder produced by drying and grinding the hairy clusters of sumac fruit. It is often used in several regions to add a lemony and astringent taste to many dishes. Sumac is considered a valuable plant that governs nutritious elements such as proteins, unsaturated fatty acids, dietary fibers, minerals, vitamins and many polyphenols. Its phenolic content contributes to activate its medical and therapeutic role. Traditionally, sumac was effective in treating several health issues for centuries. Recently, many studies proved that it has an antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticancer, cardioprotective, hypolipidemic and hypoglycemic activities. Sumac succeeded to put its mark in the field of the food industry since it was utilized as a natural food additive such as preservative, antioxidant and colorant in various food products. It successfully boosts the quality of different food items such as bread, meat, dairy products, tomato paste, barley soap, peanut oil and shrimps. In total, sumac spice is not only a nutritious spice that adds a distinctive taste to many dishes, but also when incorporated in food industry it meets the consumer concern for the ''natural label'' food products, as well as its valuable role in disease prevention and health promotion.

“No one went into pharmacy … to sell a lot of Coca-Cola. It's just sort of a necessary evil” – Community pharmacists' perceptions of front-of-store sales and ethical tensions in the retail environment

BackgroundCommunity pharmacists are expected to uphold ethical duties to patients and society while maintaining independent businesses or fulfilling expectations of corporate owners. Canadian pharmacy colleges provide only indirect guidance on the retail setting of the profession. Little is known about whether pharmacists identify ethical issues in retail pharmacy or around the sales of non-drug products. ObjectiveThis study sought to examine pharmacists' perceptions of their roles in health promotion, the factors that influence the selection of front-of-store products, and ethical issues relating to their dual roles as health care providers and retailers. MethodsIn 2020, 25 Canadian pharmacists participated in semi-structured phone interviews. Interviews were audio-recorded, anonymized, transcribed verbatim, and thematically analyzed using qualitative methods. ResultsAlmost all participants described their role primarily as a health care provider, though some described themselves as 50–50 health care providers and retailers. Most staff pharmacists reported little control over front-of-store product selection. Where participants reported some control, external factors such as business viability and profitability impacted their choices, though some reported selecting products based on the needs of their patient community or their personal beliefs. The dominant tensions described stemmed from participants' dual roles as health care providers and retailers, though specific issues and situations were varied, ranging corporate targets, to service provision, to the sales of unproven or unhealthy products. Participants suggested solutions to the issues they described, ranging from a complete overhaul of the licensing structure of community pharmacies, down to one-on-one conversations with patients. ConclusionOur findings suggest that the retail setting of community pharmacy produces unique ethical tensions: the imposition of retail sales standards and targets are commonplace, and business viability is a primary driving force in front-of-store product selection. Clear guidance from Canadian pharmacy colleges and legislators to address these tensions and issues may be necessary.

A health-promoting role of exclusive breastfeeding on infants through restoring delivery mode-induced gut microbiota perturbations.

The establishment of human gut microbiota in early life is closely associated with both short- and long-term infant health. Delivery mode and feeding pattern are two important determinants of infant gut microbiota. In this longitudinal cohort study, we examined the interplay between the delivery mode and feeding pattern on the dynamics of infant gut microbiota from 6 weeks to 6 months post-delivery in 139 infants. We also assessed the relationship between infant respiratory infection susceptibility and gut microbial changes associated with delivery mode and feeding pattern. At 6 weeks postpartum, the composition and structure of gut microbiota of cesarean section-delivered (CSD) infants differed from those of vaginally delivered (VD) infants, with decreased Bacteroides and Escherichia-Shigella and increased Klebsiella, Veillonella, and Enterococcus. At 6 months postpartum, these delivery mode-induced microbial shifts were restored by exclusive breastfeeding, resulting in similar gut microbial profiles between VD and CSD infants who were exclusively breastfed (P = 0.57) and more variable gut microbial profiles between VD and CSD infants who were mixed fed (P < 0.001). We identified that the VD-associated genera were enriched in healthy infants, while the CSD-associated genera were enriched in infants who suffered from respiratory infections. Our findings indicate that exclusive breastfeeding may play a health-promoting role by reducing infant respiratory infection susceptibility through the restoration of gut microbiota perturbations caused by cesarean section.

Evaluating the efficacy of a community participatory intervention to prevent suicide in Thailand: a randomised controlled trial protocol

IntroductionThe age-standardised suicide mortality rate in Thailand has been stable at a high level in recent years, highlighting the need for suicide prevention interventions. In Thailand, community involvement plays a...

Youth Sport Participation Experiences From the Perspective of Hispanic/Latinx Parents and Their Children.

Hispanic/Latinx communities remain an underserved population in terms of health and physical activity opportunities. The rise of sport specialization can jeopardize these opportunities. Understanding the appeal and welcomeness that minoritized populations feel toward sport and sport specialization culture can play an important role in health promotion and breaking down barriers that widen the gap on physical activity levels in Hispanic/Latinx communities. To date, these studies have not qualitatively investigated Hispanic/Latinx youth sport dyads (parent and child) and how sport specialization perceptions have affected their sport participation experiences. We used a qualitative interpretative phenomenological analysis to explore experiences of Hispanic/Latinx high school athletes. We engaged in semistructured interviews with 12 parent-child dyads. The following 3 interrelated themes emerged: (a) expectations of youth sport participation, (b) meeting expectations of youth sport participation, (c) and (mis)alignment of cultures. Dyads describe a negative youth sport experience when both cultures do not align because of the rise in sport specialization and pay-to-play culture. Findings indicate that dyads understand what is necessary to participate in organized sport and do this by methods that are rooted in their Hispanic/Latinx culture.

Promoting health and wellbeing at health precincts: a rapid review of four built environment audit tools for assessing health precincts

Abstract In Australia, ‘health precincts’ are increasingly touted as the new innovation hub. They perform important health care functions, and often incorporate vital research and innovation roles. As such, they do not only assist patients in recovery but also promote health and wellbeing to safeguard their patients, visitors and workers. Although their functions in disease care are unquestionable, less is known about whether and how health precincts promote health and wellbeing. Over the past decade, several audit tools have been developed to assess the degrees of, first, sustainability and, more recently, health promotion of individual buildings. No comparable audit tools, however, exist that can account for the role of health promotion of multi-building and multi-functional spaces like health precincts. This paper reports on a rapid review on the suitability of four existing built environment audit tools—the Health Facility Audit Tool, health impact assessments, the WELL Building Standard checklist, and the Built Environment Assessment Tool—for assessing the promotion of health in health precincts. Twenty-six papers published in English between 2010 and 2022 were included in this rapid review, many (n = 15) of which were critical assessment of one of the four tools. Our findings show a lack of application of such tools at the precinct scale, with many instead focusing on the city or metropolitan scale (n = 7) or individual office buildings (n = 5). For each audit tool, we report on the benefits and drawbacks highlighted. We conclude with suggestions on how these audit tools may be adapted for application at health precincts.

Detecting signs of mental health problems in secondary school-aged youth

Objective: The study purpose was to describe secondary school nurses’, subject teachers’, special needs teachers’, study counselors’ and school social workers’ (n = 60) experiences of stressors that contribute to the development of mental health problems in secondary school pupils. Another purpose was to describe the professionals’ educational needs regarding mental health problems of secondary school pupils. The study aimed at producing information that can promote the detection of mental health problems and facilitate early interventions in secondary schools. The information collected came from the professionals only, not from the pupils or their parents.Methods: Data were collected in Finland using a Webropol online survey and analyzed by inductive content analysis.Results: According to the results, secondary school pupils’ mental health problems are associated with physical and psychosocial stressors, and with stressors pertaining to learning and studying, lifestyle, family, friend relationships and socioeconomic factors. In addition, the pupils’ mental health problems are associated with stressors pertaining to social media. Professionals working at secondary schools need education on how to identify pupils’ mental health problems, how to take up the concern with the pupil and parents, and how to support and counsel youth with a mental health problem.Conclusions: Although information packages, recommendations, materials and tools are available, encouragement and more specific and concrete mental health education for both pupils and professionals is required. New structures and practices, and possibly re-allocation of resources, may be necessary. The teachers’ role in mental health promotion and prevention of mental health problems should be supported and resourced more effectively. Psychiatric nurses should be employed at schools.

Health-Promoting Role of Fermented Pigeon Pea (Cajanus cajan L (Mill)) Milk Enriched with γ-aminobutyric Acid (GABA) Using Probiotic Lactiplantibacillus plantarum Dad-13

This study aimed to enhance γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in pigeon pea milk (CCM). The drink was prepared from germinated pigeon pea and fermented using the probiotic Lactiplantibacillus plantarum Dad-13. Various nutrients significantly increased the GABA content in pigeon pea milk, i.e., sucrose 3% (4409 mg/L), monosodium glutamate (MSG) 1% (59,562 mg/L), and whey 4% (5283 mg/L), respectively. Glutamate decarboxylase (GAD)-encoding genes were identified in the genome of the strain. The strain carried only one gadB gene, and no other gad genes were found in the genomes when compared with other strains. During fermentation, various metabolites, including organic acids, amino acid derivatives, and flavonoids, were detected. These metabolites may promote anti-inflammatory activity in cytokines such as TNF-α and IL6. In conclusion, the development of fermented pigeon pea enriched with GABA using probiotic L. plantarum Dad-13 shows promising potential as a functional food that can promote health benefits and help prevent diseases.

Traces of Sustainability in Food Practices in a Norwegian Kindergarten

Food and meals in early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings play a vital role in health promotion and sustainable development because they constitute a significant part of the children’s total diet and considerably influence their eating habits and preferences. This paper aims to find and identify traces of sustainability in food practices in a Norwegian kindergarten by analyzing each of the four dimensions of sustainability relevant to ECEC: ecological, economic, and social/cultural sustainability, and good governance. Primary data sources for this paper include interviews with kindergarten staff, supplemented with non-participatory observation during mealtime. By looking into how this kindergarten integrated sustainability thinking into their practices and organizational structures—from designing a menu to managing a meal and incorporating children’s voices in the process—this study shows that purposefully designed food provision may promote sustainability in ECEC. In addition, it draws our attention to how the kindergarten environment can serve as an arena for children to act as change agents for sustainable food practices in kindergarten settings and beyond.

Understanding the barriers experienced by adults with learning disabilities when accessing fitness centres

Background Many people with learning disabilities are unable to access fitness centres due to these facilities often being inaccessible and non-inclusive.Aim To examine the barriers and support experienced by adults with learning disabilities when attempting to access fitness centres.Method Participants were recruited from community organisations and fitness centres in a large city in Scotland. A total of 13 adults with learning disabilities and 12 fitness instructors participated in the study. Data were collected via a series of discussion groups using the nominal group technique.Findings The study identified several themes that were either barriers or supports to people with learning disabilities being able to visit fitness centres and take up exercise. These themes included the availability of assistance, getting to and from fitness centres, physical challenges, and the environment of fitness centres.Conclusion Assistance was the main support required by people with learning disabilities when accessing fitness centres, while fitness instructors required education to understand the needs of people with learning disabilities. Nurses have a health promotion role in educating fitness centre staff about how to interact with people with learning disabilities.

Cardiovascular Disease-Related Health Promotion and Prevention Services by Pharmacists in Saudi Arabia: How Well Are They Prepared?

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) have been identified as the leading reason for morbidity and mortality in Saudi Arabia. Pharmacists play a major role in CVD prevention and health promotion. We aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and involvement of pharmacists in CVD prevention and evaluate the influence of continuing medical education in CVD-prevention services in Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate the involvement of pharmacists in CVD-related prevention services along with their knowledge and attitudes. A 34-item questionnaire was developed and distributed among the participants. A total of 324 responses were included in the study. More than 60% of pharmacists had provided counseling regarding the importance of healthy lifestyles and self-monitoring CVD risk factors. About half of the participants (49.1%) had never received any CVD-related continuing medical education. Overall, more than 60% of the participants reported positively towards their role in CVD prevention. Lack of time (66%) and lack of educational materials and tools (41%) were the top perceived barriers for providing CVD-prevention and health-promotion activities, followed by lack of skills in using tools (36%) and lack of privacy/space (33%). The involvement of pharmacists in the prevention of CVD is limited in this study. Further education and capacity building are required to strengthen pharmacists' involvement in CVD-prevention and health-promotion activities.

New Trends in Supercritical Fluid Technology and Pressurized Liquids for the Extraction and Recovery of Bioactive Compounds from Agro-Industrial and Marine Food Waste.

Growing consumer interest in healthy foods has led to an increased demand for bioactive compounds derived from eco-technologies. This review highlighted two emerging technologies, pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) and supercritical fluid extraction (SFE), which are based on clean processes aimed at recovering bioactive compounds from different food sources. We studied how the different processing conditions provide many advantages and a great opportunity to obtain compounds with antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral, or antifungal activity from plant matrices and industrial biowaste, especially antioxidant compounds (anthocyanins and polyphenols) due to their important role in health promotion. Our research was conducted through a systematic search in different scientific databases related to the PLE and SFE topics. The review analyzed the optimal extraction conditions using these technologies, which lead to the efficient extraction of bioactive compounds, the use of different equipment, and recent combinations of SFE and PLE with other emerging technologies. This has given rise to the development of new technological innovations, new commercial applications, and the detailed recovery of various bioactive compounds extracted from different plant and marine life food matrices. These two environmentally friendly methodologies are fully valid and have great future application prospects in biowaste valorization. They represent a feasible technological tool that can promote the implementation of a circular economy model for the food industry. The underlying mechanisms of these techniques were discussed in detail and supported by current literature.

Exploring the usability of a chatbot-based conversational dietary assessment tool among cardiovascular patients

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Background Dietary intervention in cardiac rehabilitation (CR) plays an integral role in health promotion and improving the quality of life for those with cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Innovative techniques offer great potential to deliver cost-effective dietary modifications by providing dietary intake self-tracking and personalized advice. Nevertheless, the time-consuming inconvenience of manual food logging has led to the development of conversational agents that alleviate the tracking burden and promote self-reflection. However, the usability of nutrition chatbots among CVD patients has not yet been investigated in clinical practice. Purpose This study aimed to examine the usability of a chatbot-based dietary assessment tool among CVD patients in a prospective observational trial and discuss the preliminary results. Methods In the clinical trial, patients who are scheduled for or recently have undergone specific surgical procedures are selected for participation. Data collection starts one week before the intervention and continues until one year after discharge. Participants collect self-reported food intake data via the chatbot several times per day for a maximum of 4 non-consecutive days every other week. Quarterly assessments are scheduled to gather feedback on the use of the system. This paper focuses on the data collected in the first quarter of this trial. The usability was measured through chatbot usage and qualitative input through interviews. Results Participant recruitment started in December 2021. Thirteen out of sixteen participants (1 female and 15 males, mean_age=62.6) completed their first quarter of the trial. We included 1267 valid data entry points by evaluating the reported items and participants' self-perceived tracking accuracy. The average response rate is 87.83%, with the average self-perceived accuracy as 8.05. Although there's no significant difference in the time they spent reporting each meal (mean 110.79s, p&amp;gt;0.05), we observed a significant increase in the number of reported items for each meal (mean 3.79, p&amp;lt;0.05) and a significant decrease in time they spent reporting each item (mean 29.69s, p&amp;lt;0.01). Participants explained that while getting familiar with the chatbot, they found it increasingly easier to report more items if needed, and the self-reporting became less time-consuming. During the interview, the participants shared their enthusiasm about using the chatbot for food tracking and praised its simplicity and learnability. Meanwhile, they gave suggestions to improve the chatbot: 1) involving their partners when using the chatbot; 2) knowing the dietary behaviour of their peers; 3) receiving recognition with anonymous competitions. Conclusion The chatbot was found efficient to use with reasonable high learnability among participants. With insights into the usability issues and patients' expectations from the chatbot, we will conduct further research on developing personalized recommendations.