Dietary assessment of refugees living in camps: a case study of Mae La Camp, Thailand

This study presents data on consumption patterns, methods of food procurement, and adequacy of dietary intake among Burmese refugee camp households living along Thailand's border with Burma. Households established for one or more years and with children under 15 years of age were sampled. A questionnaire was used to determine economic, food-consumption, and dietary intake patterns; foods consumed were weighed and measured using a 24-hour recall for the household unit; and nutritional status was determined by a Microtoise tape and digital standing scales. In total, 182 households containing 1,159 people were surveyed. The average household energy and protein intakes were 96.6% and 111.4%, respectively, of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for healthy Thais. Twelve percent of protein was derived from animal sources. Carbohydrate, protein, and fat accounted for 84%, 9%, and 7% of total energy, respectively. The intake of vitamins A, B1, B2, and C and of calcium ranged from 24.2% to 53.1% of the RDA. Iron intake was 85.3% of the RDA, derived mainly from rice, fermented fish, mung beans, green leafy vegetables, and eggs. Ration foods supplied 60.5% to 98.18% of all nutrients consumed in the households, with the exception of vitamins A and C. Among children under five years of age, 33.7% were underweight, 36.4% were studied, and 8.7% were wasted. Although the refugees were able to procure some nonration foods by foraging, planting trees and vegetables, raising animals, and purchasing and exchanging ration foods for other items, the quantity and quality were not sufficient to compensate for the nutrients that were low or lacking in the ration. The overwhelming majority of dietary nutrients were provided by ration foods, and although the ration and the overall diet may be adequate for short-term subsistence, they do not suffice for long-term survival and optimal growth, especially for younger children.     

Impacts of HIV / AIDS on food consumption and wild food use in rural South Africa

HIV/AIDS can affect household food consumption in many ways, including through reductions in availability and quality of labour, reductions in earned income, and increased expenditure on medications. In rural South Africa, these negative effects can be buffered by social safety net programs provided by government and collection of wild foods. Despite some acknowledgement of the potential safety net role of wild foods, however, their contribution relative to other food sources in the context of HIV/AIDS remains underexplored. Here we report empirical findings from two rural communities in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Qualitative and quantitative methods were used to characterise food sources, intake and calories from 68 HIV/AIDS afflicted households and 87 non-afflicted households every quarter over 12 months. Results show that diets were moderately well-balanced though limited in variety, with cereal items contributing 52 % to total calorie intake. The bulk of food consumed by households was purchased, with supplementation from own production, collected wild vegetables and collected wild fruits. Up to 20 % of respondents from both HIV/ AIDS afflicted and non-afflicted households had insufficient daily caloric intake. Multivariate analyses show that, all else equal, individuals living in households afflicted by HIV/AIDS consumed fewer calories, had less diverse diets, and were more dependent on wild foods than those living in non-afflicted households. Given the detrimental effects of HIV/AIDS on income and home production, wild foods represent a free and readily available food source for vulnerable households.     

Home-grown school feeding: promoting local production systems diversification through nutrition sensitive agriculture

The consumption of some non-staple crops such as legumes and dark, green leafy vegetables can address common deficiencies in key nutrients such as vitamin A and iron; however, limited markets and supply chain development impede their production and accessibility to consumers. This study investigates the pathways to promote agricultural production and dietary diversity for a local market intervention called Home-Grown School Feeding (HGSF). School feeding menus from 24 districts across 10 regions in Ghana during the 2014–15 school year were analysed in terms of food groups and several individual foods. The menus were then compared with food groups produced by households during the past year or consumed in the past seven days using data collected from a household survey. Greater inter-food group diversity in the menus was associated with higher production levels for tubers and dark, leafy green vegetables in the South and cereals in the North. A correspondence between the frequency in which a food group appeared in a menu and the share of households who consumed foods from the food group was also noted. Key issues, such as optimizing supply chains, enabling farm linkages and supporting diverse nutrient rich food groups, that underlie the success of Home-Grown School Feeding and other agricultural policies with similar goals of promoting production and dietary diversity are highlighted through commodity specific examples. The findings of this study may help strengthen operational linkages between agriculture production and nutrition for HGSF and other similar interventions.     

Relating dietary diversity and food variety scores to vegetable production and socio-economic status of women in rural Tanzania

The objective of the present study was to measure diversity in nutrition with dietary scores, and to assess their relationship to vegetable production and the socio-economic status of women in rural Tanzania. A dietary diversity score (DDS) and a food variety score (FVS) were created from data gathered with three semi-quantitative 24-h recalls performed during three non-consecutive seasons during 2006/2007. Data on vegetable production, selling and buying and socio-economic data was gathered with a semi-quantitative questionnaire. A total of 252 randomly selected women from three districts of north-eastern and central Tanzania participated. The median DDS of 6 and the mean FVS of 8.3 were low, suggesting an overall poor dietary quality, with about one third of participants having an alarmingly low DDS of only two to four food groups per day. These women consumed a very basic diet consisting mainly of cereals and vegetables. Differences among districts were pronounced while those among seasons were less distinct. The DDS and FVS were both significantly associated with ethnicity, occupation and status within the household of participants. As a more varied diet is not necessarily healthier, integration of both quantity and quality in the scores is proposed for future studies. This can be achieved, for example, by weighing food types according to their importance in the diet. As both scores are linked to the production, selling and buying of vegetables, the promotion of homestead food production may be a good way to improve dietary diversity.     

A community food system analysis as formative research for a comprehensive anemia control program in Northern Afghanistan

Dietary strategies to reduce chronic iron deficiency anemia are still lacking for the rural poor in most developing countries. This study of 60 households (30 irrigated zone, 30 rainfed zone) in northern Afghanistan emphasized women’s seasonal food consumption and the relationships between household capacities and consumption. In both zones, iron-rich foods and foods affecting iron bioavailability were consumed in summer and winter diets. Households in the irrigated zone had more capacity for cultivation, food preservation and social networking in addition to owning more total livestock and food animals. Rainfed zone households scored higher on food preservation knowledge. Iron-rich food consumption was strongly associated with social networking and food preservation capacities, but weakly with socioeconomic proxies. Social networking showed no relationships to socioeconomic proxies. Agroecozone, social customs and food combinations should be considered in the design of health and food security programs to reduce anemia risk.

An ethnographic exploration of perceptions of changes in dietary variety in the Kolli Hills,India

The Malayalis Tribe, a Scheduled Tribe of the Kolli Hills in southern India, has experienced a decrease in the variety of foods consumed in the past 20 years. It is important to understand these changes in dietary patterns to inform future interventions to improve dietary diversity. This study aimed to investigate the perceived factors and experiences from participants belonging to different age groups and genders that have affected changes in dietary variety in the Kolli Hills over the past 20 years. An ethnographic approach was used for the study. Data collection methods included semi-structured focus group discussions, informal individual interviews, and participant observations. Inductive thematic analysis was used to analyze themes related to the research questions. Results suggest that dietary diversity has declined and a smaller number of foods are consumed from grain products, fruits, vegetables and meat products. The main reasons for the decrease in dietary variety include an increased reliance on market systems (linked with an increase in cassava cash cropping) to obtain food and a lack of financial resources to purchase a variety of foods for consumption. Intergenerational changes in taste preferences influenced the types of foods consumed in the household. Drudgery associated with preparing traditional millets for consumption made it a less favorable choice in comparison to subsidized rice purchased through Fair Price Shops. The findings from this study are important to understand the changes in dietary patterns from the perspective of community members and will help inform future interventions to improve dietary diversity in the Kolli Hills.     

Urinary aflatoxin M1 in Port-au-Prince and a rural community in north-east Haiti

Aflatoxins (AFs) are hepatocarcinogenic mycotoxins that can contaminate grains and oil seeds in tropical and sub-tropical areas and have been detected in maize and peanut products of Haiti. The first objective was to assess human exposure to AFs among Haitians at an urban hospital (GHESKIO) and a rural health centre (HCBH). The second objective was to test the association between AF exposure and reported dietary intake of potentially contaminated foods, such as maize, peanut products and milk. Measurement of urinary AFM1 by HPLC revealed that among 367 participants 14% and 22% at GHESKIO and HCBH, respectively, had detectable AFM1. The maximum and median AFM1 concentrations for all detected samples were 700 pg AFM1 ml^–1 and 11.7 pg ml^–1, respectively. Detection of AFM1 was significantly associated with peanut consumption (p < 0.05). Controlling for diet and age group in a logit model, patients who reported peanut consumption the day of the survey and patients from HCBH had greater log odds of excreting detectable AFM1 (p < 0.001 and 0.002, respectively); females had lower log odds (p = 0.020). Recalled frequency of consuming non-dairy animal-sourced foods, an indicator of diet quality, approached significance (p = 0.056) as an inverse predictor of urinary AFM1 detection. The findings augur the need for interventions that will improve food safety in Haiti and limit exposure to AFs, particularly among rural communities.     

Ecuadorian Andean women's nutrition varies with age and socioeconomic status

An agricultural project in Highland Ecuador provided a model context to better understand the nutrition of rural women. The adequacy of women's nutrition and the strength of associations with age and socioeconomic status were studied in 104 rural households over four rounds (two seasons) during the 1995-1996 agricultural year using a cross-sectional with repeated-measures design. Women were at high risk for micronutrient deficiencies (calcium, iron, riboflavin, and vitamin B12) due to low intakes of animal products. Two distinct constructs representing socioeconomic status were identified: modern lifestyle and farming wealth. In multivariate models, farming wealth was associated with quality of women's diet (animal protein adjusted for energy, p = 0.01). Diet quality, in turn, was positively associated with anthropometric status (p = 0.02). Women over the age of 50 weighed approximately 3.7 kg less than younger women and consumed less energy (300 kcal) and micronutrients (p < 0.05). Age was positively associated with respiratory morbidity (p = 0.01). These findings, while directly relevant to a specific context, suggest the need for cross-cultural studies to identify the extent of, and factors contributing to, the risk of nutritional inadequacy in postreproductive women in developing countries.     

Linking farm diversification to household diet diversification: evidence from a sample of Kenyan ultra-poor farmers

Starting with a conceptual framework adapted from Herforth and Harris (2013), we analyzed the nexus between farm production diversification and household diet diversity using data collected in 2011 for evaluation of the welfare and economic impacts of Kenya’s Cash Transfer for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (CT-OVC). We used a sample of 1,353 households drawn from six districts of western Kenya to test the hypotheses that on-farm production diversification correlates with household diet diversification and some production activities have stronger association with diet diversification than others in the context of ultra-poor, labor constrained families living in rural Kenya. Approximately 67 % of the sample households received cash transfers through the CT-OVC programme. Production diversification was positively and significantly associated with household diet diversification, with livestock ownership more strongly correlated than crop production. Poultry production had the most compelling correlation, followed by pulses. In both cases, the association was most plausibly attributed to an income effect rather than production-for-own consumption. These findings suggest that supporting investments in diversified livelihood systems in general and in small livestock assets such as poultry, sheep and goats in particular are viable interventions for the improvement of household food security and nutrition for very poor, marginalized smallholders. Under semi-autarkic smallholder agriculture, a diversification strategy, which integrates crop and livestock production, not only adds value directly via increasing diet diversity and quality and indirectly via income effects but also serves as a risk management instrument, protecting against weather and market shocks, and contributing to biodiversity and sustainable land management.     

Community assessment of availability, consumption, and cultural acceptability of food sources of (pro)vitamin A: toward the development of a dietary intervention among preschool children in rural Burkina Faso

BACKGROUND: Vitamin A deficiency remains a public health problem in Burkina Faso and elsewhere in the developing world. Dietary diversification is a promising strategy that needs to be explored to strengthen the country's ongoing supplementation program. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to identify locally available and acceptable (pro)vitamin A-rich foods to be included in a dietary intervention addressing vitamin A deficiency in children aged six months to three years. METHODS: A food ethnographic study combining recall methods, observation, and focused group discussion was conducted in the dry and rainy seasons. Thirty-five mother-child pairs were randomly selected and included in the study. RESULTS: The dietary pattern of children was characterized by low diversity with extremely low energy and vitamin A intake in both seasons. The study identified the availability of numerous (pro)vitamin A-rich foods, but these foods are either not consumed or consumed by few in low amounts and/or in low frequencies. The main constraining factors identified are related to financial accessibility (for liver), seasonal availability (for egg, milk, mango, papaya, and green leafy vegetables), and beliefs related to consumption and preparation (for green leafy vegetables). However, the study also revealed that the study population associated all identified (pro)vitamin A-rich foods with positive attributes such as health, strength, and vitamin richness, which might offer an entry point for designing and implementing dietary interventions. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the findings of this formative research, intervention strategies with mango and liver are proposed to improve the vitamin A intake and status of children in the rural areas of Burkina Faso.     

Women's access to food-processing technology at the household level is associated with improved diets at the pre-harvest lean season in The Gambia

BACKGROUND: Women's access to food processing technology at the household level may have positive dietary benefits during the pre-harvest lean season when households are most stressed from food shortages and higher energy expenditures from agricultural work. OBJECTIVE: This study in rural Gambia was conducted to determine if women's access to small manually operated oil presses (ram) for sesame oil extraction had any significant effects on seasonal fluctuations of household oil supply and on dietary intakes of women and children. METHODS: Participants were 40 women and children with access to community-based motorized oil press expellers (Expeller-control), 37 women and children with access to village-based ram presses (Press-experiment), and 43 women and children with access to both ram press and motorized expeller (Combination). Dietary data were collected at baseline, at peak oil-pressing, at pre-harvest lean, and at the post-harvest seasons. RESULTS: Households in the Press-experiment and Combination groups consumed 37 and 51 percent more oil, respectively, than those in the Expeller-control group during the pre-harvest lean season. Women from the Press-experiment and Combination groups consumed more energy at the lean season than those in the Expeller-control group. Similarly, children from the Press-experiment and Combination groups consumed more protein at peak oil-processing season than those from the Expeller-control group. At the pre-harvest season children from these two groups also consumed more protein, however, only the consumption of the Combination children was statistically significant compared with that of the Expeller-control group (p < .05). Press-experiment children consumed more nutrient-dense weaning foods during the pre-harvest lean season than Expeller-control children. CONCLUSIONS: Women's access to appropriate technology can provide the means to "add value" to their agriculture product, which may serve as an economic stabilizer with potential to increase dietary intakes and incomes, especially during the pre-harvest lean season.     

The contribution of fruits and vegetables to dietary intake of polyphenols and antioxidant capacity in a Mexican rural diet: Importance of fruit and vegetable variety

There is mounting evidence of the health-protective role of the consumption of fruits and vegetables, which are the major contributors to dietary polyphenol intake. Lack of knowledge about the consumption of phytochemicals in the Mexican diet makes it difficult to evaluate their health significance. The aim of this study was therefore to estimate the contribution of fruit and vegetable consumption to dietary polyphenol intake and dietary antioxidant capacity in a rural population in Mexico. Despite a low intake of fruits and vegetables (< 400 g/day) in the Mexican rural diet, the mean daily intake of dietary polyphenols (> 800 mg/day) and dietary antioxidant capacity (1000-2000 ??mol trolox equivalents/day) from fruits and vegetables was similar to those determined in the Spanish Mediterranean diet. Local fruits and vegetables consumed in the Mexican rural diet are rich in polyphenols with antioxidant properties and are important source of bioactive compounds and dietary fibers. Fruit and vegetable intake needs to be promoted and lifestyle and environmental factors enhanced to improve the health status of obese Mexican rural populations.     

Donated fortified cereal blends improve the nutrient density of traditional complementary foods in Haiti, but iron and zinc gaps remain for infants

This research assesses whether fortified cereal blends such as corn-soy blend (CSB) or wheat-soy (WSB) blend can significantly contribute to improving the quality of the diet of infants and young children 6 to 23 months of age. A series of participatory recipe trials was conducted to assess current complementary feeding practices in the Central Plateau of Haiti and to develop new, improved recipes by using a combination of locally available ingredients and foods and donated fortified cereal blends. Our findings show that it is feasible to improve the nutritional quality of complementary foods in poor rural areas of Haiti, using locally available ingredients and fortified cereal blends. Significant improvements in the concentrations of vitamin A could be obtained by including acceptable and affordable amounts of locally available vitamin A-rich foods such as pumpkin or eggs. Only preparations using CSB, however, could achieve the recommended concentrations of iron and zinc in complementary foods, and even this was achievable only for 12- to 23-month-old children. For infants, and especially those between 6 and 8 months of age, the high requirements of 7.7 mg of iron and 1.6 mg of zinc per 100 kcal of complementary foods could not be met, even with a combination of fortified CSB and other locally available, acceptable, and affordable foods. The same was true for the zinc density of complementary foods among 9- to 11-month-old children, which could not be achieved even with fortified CSB. Thus, in this population, fortified cereal blends were key to achieving the recommended iron and zinc densities of complementary foods for children 12 to 23 months of age, but they were not sufficient for infants. Complementary approaches, such as improving the availability, access, and intake of animal-source foods or the use of home fortification techniques (using spreads, sprinkles, or dispersible tablets), are needed to ensure adequate iron and zinc density of complementary foods for infants younger than 12 months in resource-constrained environments such as rural Haiti.     

湖北省部分居民1982-2002年食物消费变化趋势

目的描述湖北省城乡居民食物消费现状及变化趋势。方法在全省选取960户2942,＆进行膳食调查。膳食调查采用连续3d称重法和24h回顾询问法调查居民所有摄入食物。结果居民平均每标准人日粮谷类食物摄入量为354．2g,蔬菜为361．9g。水果为14．4g,畜禽肉类为67．6g,水产品类为53．2g,蛋类28．3g,奶类及其制品为n．3g,豆类及其制品为20．2g,食用油摄入量为51．8g,食盐为10．6g,酱油为9．4g。结论湖北省城乡居民膳食质量有所提高,其中动物性、奶类食物、水果、豆类及油脂类的摄入量均有所增加。但膳食中水果、奶类、豆类摄入量仍然很低。城乡居民膳食中谷类食物、蔬菜的消费量出现了下降趋势,但动物性食物和油脂摄入量明显上升,出现了失衡的现象。膳食结构趋向“高能量密度”,部分人群的膳食已经偏离了平衡膳食的要求。当前营养改善工作应从营养状况的双重负担的特点出发,同时解决营养不良和营养失衡的问题。     

Dietary practices of women diagnosed with environmental sensitivity.

PURPOSE: Food avoidance is central to the treatment of environmental sensitivity (ES), a chronic, often debilitating, multisystem disorder characterized by adverse reactions to non-noxious levels of environmental substances. Because prolonged food avoidance could impact nutritional health, the purpose of this research was to assess adequacy and quality of diets consumed by women diagnosed with ES. METHODS: Twelve women aged 37 to 50 recruited from the Nova Scotia Environmental Health Clinic completed a four-day food record during the spring and summer of 1998. RESULTS: When adequacy of nutrient intake was assessed by comparison to the Estimated Average Requirement, the most limited nutrients in the diet were folate, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, and magnesium. Only one woman exceeded the Adequate Intake for calcium. When diet quality was assessed using the Healthy Eating Index, the majority of women (75%) scored in the "needs improvement" category; intake of milk and dietary variety scored the lowest. Women consumed very few servings from "other foods", defined in the food guide as foods containing mostly sugar and mostly fat. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that women diagnosed with ES would benefit from counselling on ways to increase dietary variety, which would lead to improved nutrient intake, and ways to increase calcium intake.     

Melatonin in Mediterranean diet,a new perspective

The health‐promoting properties of the Mediterranean diet have been attributed, at least in part, to the chemical diversity of plant foods. Among phytochemicals, polyphenols represent the paradigm of the relationship between healthy foods and reduced risk of chronic‐degenerative diseases, although, in the past few years, a new element has enriched this scenario. Melatonin, and possibly other indoleamines recently discovered in some relevant Mediterranean foods, may represent a new factor contributing to the elucidation of the protective effects of diets rich in plant products. Therefore, in synergy with polyphenols and other bioactive phytochemicals (e.g. carotenoids and glucosinolates), melatonin may contribute to maximizing the benefits of healthy dietary styles. This brief survey deals with the occurrence of melatonin in the Mediterranean diet, with an emphasis on grape products, and focuses on the biological significance of dietary melatonin, an emerging and exciting topic in the field of nutritional sciences. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry     

Use of retailer fidelity card schemes in the assessment of food additive intake: Sunset Yellow a case study

The feasibility of using a retailer fidelity card scheme to estimate food additive intake was investigated using the Swiss retailer MIGROS's Cumulus Card and the example of the food colour Sunset Yellow (E 110). Information held within the card scheme was used to identify a sample of households purchasing foods containing Sunset Yellow over a 15 day period. A sample of 1204 households was selected for interview, of which 830 households were retained in the study following interview. Interviews were conducted to establish household structure, patterns of consumption by different individuals within the household, and the proportion of foods containing Sunset Yellow habitually purchased at the retailer and/or consumed outside the home. Information provided by the retailer on levels of Sunset Yellow in the foods was combined with the information obtained at interview to calculate the per-capita intake of Sunset Yellow by members of participating households. More than 99% of consumers (n = 1902) of foods containing Sunset Yellow were estimated to consume less than 1 mg Sunset Yellow kg^?1 body weight day^?1. The method proved to be a simple and resource-efficient approach to estimate food additive intake on the basis of actual consumer behaviour and thus reports results more closely related to the actual consumption of foods by individuals     

2011年北京市顺义区居民膳食营养摄入状况调查

调查2011年北京市顺义区居民膳食营养摄入状况。方法 采用分层整群抽样的方法,按全区经济发展程度和地理位置分为城区、经济发达农村、经济欠发达农村三层。每层随机选取两个社区或乡村,在每个社区或乡村随机选取463户1761人作为研究对象,研究每个调查户所有成员食物消费、营养素摄入以及营养素的食物来源情况。结果 顺义区居民谷类、豆类、蛋类、蔬菜摄入较合理,水果、奶类和鱼虾类食物摄入偏低,分别为建议摄入量的50%、17%和13%。肉类、油和盐的摄入量偏高,分别超出推荐值的2%、88%和78%。能量摄入下降趋势明显,维生素A、B₁、B₂、钙的摄入量占推荐摄入量(RNI)的百分比偏低,分别为72.3%、64.3%、57.1%和50%,脂肪供能比偏高,蛋白质质量有待提高。结论 北京市顺义区居民部分营养素摄入不足,需优化膳食结构。     

Food-coping strategy index applied to a community of farm-worker households in South Africa

BACKGROUND: In South Africa, households living in informal urban settlements, in rural areas, and on commercial farms experience various levels of dietary variety, food intake, and household hunger. Low incomes, poor food production and availability, and low spending power characterize these households. Households employ various food-coping strategies to alleviate food stress or poor food availability. OBJECTIVE: To apply an existing food-coping strategy (FCS) index to assess household hunger and its usefulness in identifying the level of food stress and the patterns of food coping in farm-worker households. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted. Data were gathered from women (18 to 57 years of age) responsible for food provision in a small farm-worker community in Fouriesburg, South Africa. A structured food-coping questionnaire and a standardized FCS index were used to gather data. RESULTS: The two most common FCS used were relying on cheaper food (chicken feet, diluted soya-mince soup) or less preferred food (meat bones) and employing food-seeking strategies (gathering wild foods), followed by consumption of seed stock (maize) and reduced portion sizes (protein foods and side dishes), resulting in starch-based diets of poor variety. Seasonal strategies varied according to the level of food stress experienced. Patterns of food coping were identified. CONCLUSIONS: Negative FCS (limiting food choices, only consuming starchy staples) may cause poor health status. The FCS index was effectively used to assess farm-worker household food-coping behavior (early, clear signals of the level of food distress). These results could be used to allocate appropriate food aid (type of food) and to design nutrition education programs focused on positive FCS (food gathering or bartering) in a particular community to prevent suboptimal nutritional status.