Lithium is found in trace amounts in all soils. It is also found in plants and in nearly all the organs of the human body. Low Li intake can cause behavioral defects. Thus, this study was conducted to investigate the concentration and distribution of water-soluble Li in soils of the Jordan Valley and its concentration in citrus trees and some important food crops in view of the significant implications of Li for human health. The concentration of soluble Li was measured in 180 soil samples collected at two depths (0-20 and 20-40 cm) whereas its content was determined in fully expanded leaves collected from citrus and different vegetable crops. Concentrations of soluble Li in soils vary from 0.95 to 1.04 mg l(-1) in topsoil and from 1.06 to 2.68 mg l(-1) in subsoil, while Li concentration in leaves ranged from 2 to 27 mg kg(-1) DM. Lithium concentrations in leaves of crops of the same family or different families vary with location in the valley; i.e., they decreased from north to south. It is concluded that soluble Li in soils and the plant family did not solely affect Li transfer in the food chain. In addition, soil EC, Ca, Mg, and Cl, which increased from north to south, might adversely affect plant Li uptake. The current study also showed that consuming 250-300 g FW of spinach day(-1) per person is recommended to provide consumers with their daily Li requirement necessary for significant health and societal benefits.

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We studied whether mood and demographics are related to body mass index in a population of Syrian and Iraqi refugees residing in Jordan. Questionnaires and Brunel Mood Scale were used to collect demographical data. Data were analyzed using t-test and analysis of variance. A high prevalence of overweight and obesity was observed in this population (60.5%). Mood subscales were not associated with body mass index categories. However, body mass index as a continuous variable was associated with anger, depression, and fatigue scores. Linear regression revealed that age, ethnicity, unemployment, chronic illnesses, and physical activity level, but not mood, are associated with body mass index.

Obesity prevalence increased dramatically and impacted negatively on developing chronic diseases. The main objective of this study is to examine the association between body mass index (BMI) and demographic factors, stress, dietary intakes, and physical activity levels among Jordanian university students. A convenience sample was chosen from 3 universities. Data were analyzed based on questionnaires about BMI, dietary intakes, and demographics. The χ2 and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to examine the association between BMI and the studied variables. The results showed that 20.6% of participants were overweight and 8.4% were obese. The results indicate a significant association between BMI and students' gender, nationality, and age; males compared with females and Jordanian participants compared with non-Jordanian students had significantly higher obesity. There was a significant association between stress, general health, and BMI. The results indicate that students who had normal weight perceived their health more as excellent and had less stress compared with students who were overweight or obese. This study indicates a relatively high prevalence of obesity among university students, especially males, Jordanians, and participants who felt stressed.