Rokas Arlauskas

Background and Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on physical activity among various populations. Due to a lack of country-representative studies on the prevailing trends in leisure-time physical activity since the COVID-19 pandemic, the aim of this study was to assess the temporal, social, and demographic inequalities in the prevalence of engagement in exercise and sports among working-age citizens of Lithuania from 2021 to 2024. Materials and Methods: This study included four samples of working-age citizens (1600 per year, 6400 in total). Four surveys were conducted, and the distribution of respondents among the groups was compared. Results: In general, the prevalence of engagement in exercise and sports did not change over a four-year period (48.8%, p = 0.256). The prevalence of regular exercise and sports increased, while engagement in irregular exercise and sports decreased (p = 0.014). Binary logistic regression analysis showed that younger age, male sex, being single, having no children under 18 years of age, selecting foods for health strengthening, positive self-assessment of nutrition and health status, use of dietary supplements, attention to purchasing healthy products, and university education attainment were associated with engagement in exercise and sports (regular or irregular) (p < 0.05). Analysis focused specifically on regular exercise and sports revealed associations with a longer time since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, younger age, urban residence, selection of foods for health strengthening, positive assessment of nutrition and health status, and university education attainment (p < 0.05), while no significant associations were observed with sex, marital status, presence of children under 18 years of age, use of dietary supplements, or attention to purchasing healthy products (p > 0.05). Conclusions: The overall prevalence of physical activity engagement among working-aged Lithuanian citizens did not change from 2021 to 2024, engagement in regular and irregular exercise and sports has changed. Engagement in regular and irregular exercise and sports is associated with different social profiles.

Background: There is an insufficient level of research carried on the consumption of dietary supplements among diverse social and demographic groups, especially among those with a negative assessment of personal health. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the consumption of dietary supplements among working-age residents of Lithuania in the period from 2021 to 2023 with respect to social and demographic factors and the assessment of personal health. Materials and methods: The data for this study were collected after conducting three independent cross-sectional surveys in 2021, in 2022, and in 2023. Each of the samples included 1600 working-age adult residents of Lithuania. Distribution of the respondents by the assessment of personal health and gender, age, marital status, education level, place of residence, employment, income, and COVID-19 cases among the respondents and members of their families was assessed. Results: The consumption of dietary supplements differed each year and accounted for 78.1%, 71.6%, and 72.7% of the respondents, respectively (p < 0.05). In 2022, the prevalence of the consumption of dietary supplements was lower in the majority of social and demographic groups (p < 0.05). In 2023, it was higher among females, younger residents, and those from larger families, who suffered from COVID-19 (p < 0.05). Despite similar changes found in the consumption of dietary supplements among those who negatively assessed their health, this group showed more prevalent consumption of dietary supplements among residents with non-university education, unemployed respondents, and those with lower income (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Despite a significantly lower prevalence in the consumption of dietary supplements in 2022, it was higher again in 2023. A negative assessment of personal health is associated with opposite tendencies in the prevalence of the consumption of dietary supplements in the general population. Key messages: • Despite a significantly lower prevalence in the consumption of dietary supplements in 2022, it was higher again in 2023. • The negative assessment of personal health should be taken into account when planning nutritional interventions due to its association with different consumption of dietary supplements.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic affected the nutrition of various populations. Assuming that the majority of the population of working-age residents of Lithuania know healthy nutrition recommendations and that food selection criteria might serve as an indicator of the following them, we aimed to assess the food selection criteria during and after the COVID-19 pandemic among working-age adult residents of Lithuania. Materials and methods: Three cross-sectional surveys among working-age adult residents of Lithuania were carried out: in 2019 (before the pandemic), in 2021 (during the pandemic), and in 2022 (after the pandemic). In 2019, this study included 1007 residents, 1600 residents were surveyed in 2021, also, 1600 residents were surveyed in 2022. Distribution of the respondents by food selection criteria was compared between the samples according to gender, age, marital status, education level, place of residence, employment, income. Results: The COVID-19 pandemic affected the food choices of Lithuanian residents (p < 0.05). In 2019, products’ benefits for health criterion was in the third place when choosing foods. It was indicated by 22% of the respondents. In 2019, the most prevalent criterion for selecting foods was taste. It was indicated by 37% of the respondents. The second most prevalent food selection criterion was the price. It was indicated by 24% of the sample. In 2021 selection of foods because of products’ health benefits became the most prevalent and accounted for 31% of the sample. In 2022, it returned back to the prepandemic level and accounted for 19% of the sample. In all social and demographic groups changes in food selection criteria remained as well (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic had a positive impact on the food choices of working-age adult residents of Lithuanian. Changes of food selection criteria were observed within the different groups of gender, age, marital status, education level, place of residence, employment, income. Key messages: • The COVID-19 pandemic had a positive impact on the food choices of working-age adult residents of Lithuanian. • Less than a year after the pandemic food selection according to its health benefits rapidly decreased and returned back to the prepandemic level.

Background and Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the consumption of dietary supplements (DS) among working-age residents of Lithuania from 2021 to 2023 with respect to social and demographic factors and an assessment of personal health. Materials and Methods: Using stratified sampling techniques, this study included three samples of working-age residents (1600 each year, 4800 total). Three surveys were conducted, the distribution of the respondents between groups was compared using the χ² test. Results: The consumption of DS significantly differed each year and accounted for 78.1%, 71.6%, and 72.7% of the respondents, respectively (p < 0.05). In 2022, the prevalence of the consumption of DS was lower in the majority of social and demographic groups (p < 0.05). In 2023, it was higher among females, younger residents, and those from larger families, who suffered from COVID-19 (p < 0.05). Despite similar changes found in the consumption of DS among those who negatively assessed their health, this group showed more prevalent consumption of DS among residents with non-university education, unemployed respondents, and those with lower income (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Despite a significantly lower prevalence in the consumption of DS in 2022, it was higher again in 2023. The assessment of personal health shows different habits in the consumption of DS.

Background and Objective: Ionizing radiation is widely used in various areas of human life. Despite its benefits, it is an important risk factor to health. Taking into account the recent nuclear threats in Europe, the aim of this study was to assess the knowledge of Lithuanian public health...

Background and objective: The COVID-19 pandemic has introduced changes in physical activity of various populations. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on physical activity in a representative sample of adult residents of Lithuania. Methods: The survey data...

In the light of the changing pattern of the consumption of dietary supplements among adults in other countries during the COVID-19 pandemic, we aim to assess the prevalence of the consumption of dietary supplements with respect to the purpose of consumption and sociodemographic factors among adults in Lithuania. This study included two samples of adults from Lithuania: 870 in 2019 and 1600 in 2021. Anonymous original questionnaires were used to collect the data about the consumption of dietary supplements before and during the pandemic. The consumption of dietary supplements was prevalent among 67.2% and 78.1% of the samples, respectively. Although the majority (73.7%) of the respondents indicated that the pandemic had no effect on their use of dietary supplements, every fourth respondent’s (24.6%) consumption increased. In 2021, the consumption was more prevalent among females, respondents with university education, urban citizens, employed respondents, respondents without children, with higher income, and those who knew a person with COVID-19 (p < 0.05). During the pandemic, the strengthening of the immune system and the body were the leading reasons for consumption (49.0% and 43.5%, respectively). The consumption of dietary supplements appropriate for these purposes increased among 63.3% and 66.9% of respondents, respectively. To conclude, the consumption of dietary supplements among adults in Lithuania increased during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest cancers worldwide, and its incidence is increasing. The aim of this study was to examine the time trends in the incidence and mortality rates of pancreatic cancer for the period of 1998–2015 for the first time in Lithuania by sex, age, subsite, and stage. Methods: This study was based on all cases (deaths) of pancreatic cancer diagnosed between 1998 and 2015. Age-standardized incidence (mortality) rates and group-specific rates were calculated for each sex using the direct method (European Standard). TNM classification-based information reported to the cancer registry was grouped into three categories: (1) localized cancer: T1-3/N0/M0; (2) cancer with regional metastasis: any 1-3/N+/M0; (3) advanced cancer: any T/any N/M+. Joinpoint regression was used to provide annual percentage changes (APCs) and to detect points in time where statistically significant changes in the trends occurred. Results: Overall, 8514 pancreatic cancer cases (4364 in men and 3150 in women) were diagnosed and 7684 persons died from cancer of the pancreas. Pancreatic cancer incidence rates were considerably lower for women than for men, with a female:male ratio of 1:2. Incidence rates changed during the study period from 14.2 in 1998 to 15.0/100,000 in the year 2015 in men, and from 6.7 to 9.8/100,000 in women. Incidence rates over the study period were stable for men (APC = 0.1%) and increasing for women by 1.1% per year. Similarly, mortality rates increased in women by 0.9% per year, and were stable in men. During the study period, incidence and mortality rates of pancreatic cancer were close. For the entire study period, rates increased significantly in the 50–74 years age group; only cancer of the head of pancreas showed a decline by 0.9%, while tail and not-specified pancreatic cancer incidence increased by 11.4% and 4.51%, respectively. Conclusions: The increasing pancreatic cancer incidence trend in the Lithuanian population may be related to the prevalence of its main risk factors (smoking, obesity, physical inactivity, diet, and diabetes).

The COVID-19 pandemic affected the dietary changes of the population. The aim - to evaluate the changes in the consumption of food supplements in the Lithuanian population over 1997-2020, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the consumption of food supplements. A representative sample of the Lithuanian adult population was formed by sex, age and the number of residents in each county. A total of 2573 adult respondents were surveyed using questionnaires on their consumption of food supplements and the results were compared to previous studies. SPSS, 20.0 for Windows version was used for the statistical analysis of the data. The reliability of the differences was found by the chi-squared (χ2) test with statistical significance of p ≤ 0.05. Between 1997 and 2017, food supplements were never taken by an average of 37-47 % of the Lithuanian population. In 2020, the number of never users dropped to 17.6 % and 82.4 % of the Lithuanian population started taking food supplements, mostly to strengthen the body and boost the immune system. The number of daily consumers more than doubled - from 8.9 % in 2017 to 18.6 % in 2020. In recent years the number of consumers of food supplements for 3-4 months per year has doubled and reached 15.5%. The percentage of users for 1-2 months per year (13%) has been almost stable in recent years and only a slight change occurred in the number of occasional users of food supplements - from 30.3% in 2017 up to 34.4 % in 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic has provoked the consumption of food supplements by the Lithuanian population - the number of users has increased from 59 % to 82.4 %, and the number of daily users doubled to 18.6 %. The population mainly consumes food supplements mainly to strengthen the body and boost the immune system. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the increase of food supplement consumption. The population mainly consumes food supplements mainly to strengthen the body and boost the immune system.