Poor nutritional status of schoolchildren in urban and peri-urban areas of Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso)

Background  

Malnutrition is still highly prevalent in developing countries. Schoolchildren may also be at high nutritional risk, not only under-five children. However, their nutritional status is poorly documented, particularly in urban areas. The paucity of information hinders the development of relevant nutrition programs for schoolchildren. The aim of this study carried out in Ouagadougou was to assess the nutritional status of schoolchildren attending public and private schools.     

Age as a determinant of nutritional status: A cross sectional study

Background  

Undenutrition is known to be prevalent and largely unrecognised in older patients; however, aberrations in indicators of nutritional status may simply reflect effects of age and/or functional disability.     

Usage patterns,health, and nutritional status of long-term multiple dietary supplement users: a cross-sectional study

Background  

Dietary supplement use in the United States is prevalent and represents an important source of nutrition. However, little is known about individuals who routinely consume multiple dietary supplements. This study describes the dietary supplement usage patterns, health, and nutritional status of long-term multiple dietary supplement users, and where possible makes comparisons to non-users and multivitamin/mineral supplement users.     

Development of a methodology for the assessment of the nutritional status at the level of household units

The results of statistical analysis may be questionable when data measured by different units are compared. This is the case when nutritional status, which is quantitated individually, is compared with social variables (such as family income, patterns of education, housing, etc.), measured by households. In a nutritional anthropology study, the anthropometric measures of children have to be plotted against these social factors. Therefore, a method to evaluate the nutritional status of children at household level was devised; this procedure reduced the variables to one single unit. The "Analysis of Main Components" (ACP) was found satisfactory, using the family average of the following indexes: weight/height, weight/age and height/age. Also, two new indexes were created by giving a numerical value to the slightly modified Waterlow's classification. As a result, households were automatically divided into three groups: 1) households with well-nourished children, 2) households with children at risk of malnutrition, and 3) households with malnourished children. This was accomplished using the "ANADA" package created by PRIAD, University of Costa Rica, and a Burroughs B6920 computer. The method is useful for nutritional anthropology programs as well as for nutritional surveillance activities.     

Socioeconomic and nutritional localization, quantification and characterization of functional groups in Panama

Even though there has been an increase in the coverage of governmental services and an adequate national food availability, malnutrition continues to exist in Panamanian children. In order to geographically and administratively identify those groups more seriously affected by this problem and orient governmental actions towards them, data from the National Nutrition Survey carried out in 1980 in 14 occupational (functional) groups were classified. Social, economic and cultural characteristics of each functional group were associated with food and nutrition problems. More than half of the malnourished children fall within the functional groups who work in the agricultural/sector. Within them, more than 40% of the malnourished live in homes where two-thirds of their income is derived from work performed outside their own farms. In urban as well as in rural areas low food availability exists at the family level in 25% of the families with inadequate diets studied. The food problem in the rural area is worsened due to limited access to health services and poor environmental conditions. Therefore, the malnutrition problem in Panama is linked to low incomes that prevent acquisition of sufficient foods and other goods and services, as well as to the difficulty of accessibility to public services by an important part of the population.     

Chronic and acute effects of walnuts on antioxidant capacity and nutritional status in humans: a randomized,cross-over pilot study

Background  

Compared with other common plant foods, walnuts (Juglans regia) are consistently ranked among the highest in antioxidant capacity. In vitro, walnut polyphenols inhibit plasma and LDL oxidation, while in animal models they lower biomarkers of oxidative stress and raise antioxidant capacity. A limited number of human feeding trials indicate that walnuts improve some measures of antioxidant status, but not others.     

Energy protein intake during nutritional recovery and nutritional status achieved

Thirty years ago malnourished Chilean children were recovered by CONIN; they were fed ad libitum and this may have favoured the appearance of overweight-obesity (SP/OB). The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between energy-calorie intake during nutritional recovery and the appearance of overweight-obesity (SP/OB). The design was a retrospective, analytical study of the universe formed by the 168 clinical records found, of children below 2 years of age, recovered by CONIN between 1977 and 1982. Nutritional status was assessed using the Sempé criteria (applied in the period evaluated) and those of WHO, (currently in use), on admission, after 4 month treatment and on discharge. By Sempé criteria, malnutrition on admission was classified 25% severe, 63% moderate and 12% mild; instead, using WHO standards these figures were 14.9%, 29.2% y 38.1%, respectively; the remaining children were well nourished. On discharge, there was no SP/OB by W/A (Sempé), but by W/H (WHO) 6% and 13.8% were SP/OB after 3 months and on discharge, respectively. Food intake, administered ad libitum, reached a mean of 148 kcals/ kg/d and 4 g prot/kg/d. SP/OB children had greater daily weight gain (30.3 vs 19.2 g/d) than the non-obese children and greater daily weight gain than the mean for age and sex (19.7 vs 8.2 g/dia). The prescribed feeding reached values considered high by currently used criteria; actual intake, administered ad-libitum, was significantly lower and was associated with 13.8% of children with overweight-obesity at the time of discharge.     

Relation between food habits and nutritional status of preschool children in a rural community

Food habits in regard to the nutritional status of preschool children and their socioeconomic situation were analyzed in this research. The study was carried out in Cuetzalan, State of Puebla; all families were studied and, besides the presence of a preschool child in the home, both father and mother should also be living in the same house. Forty children considered as well nourished and 40 malnourished in the opposite case, were selected, taking the limits of the Gómez classification. In order to define socioeconomic differences between the two groups, the sample population was divided into different levels, with the following results. The socioeconomic level of the well-nourished children did correlate with a good living standard of their families; in the other case, families with a low socioeconomic status, presented more nutritional problems. A questionnaire was applied to every mother selected. This included two items: a) In the first case, we tried to assess the mother's attitude towards food habits and children's illnesses. b) In the second case, the mother's knowledge concerning pregnancy, breast feeding, feeding of the child during the first year of life, taboos, beliefs and other aspects which could be related to nutrition. On the whole, the main objective of this study was attained, because significant differences were found between these two groups. Firstly, a good relationship between food habits and good nutritional status of the children was found. Secondly, mother with well-nourished children had better food habits and better socioeconomic status than mothers having children with poor health status, and therefore, of a lower socioeconomic status.     

The relationship between the leptin/ghrelin ratio and meals with various macronutrient contents in men with different nutritional status: a randomized crossover study

Background

Hormones, which influence satiety and hunger, play a significant role in body energy balance regulation. Ghrelin is a peptide that plays an important role in short-term appetite regulation, whereas leptin is a factor that controls long-term energy balance and is considered as a satiety hormone. The aim of this study was to evaluate the leptin/ghrelin ratio in a fasting state and after the intake of meals with varying macronutrient contents and to assess the possible differences between normal body weight and overweight/obese men.

Methods

We examined 46 healthy adult men (23 with normal body weight and 23 overweight/obese) aged 21–58, who were divided into two groups. In the crossover study, participants received isocaloric (450?kcal) meals with different macronutrient contents: men from the first group received high-carbohydrate (HC) and normo-carbohydrate (NC) meals, and in the second group, participants received high-carbohydrate and high-fat (HF) meals. The ratio of leptin/ghrelin levels was calculated from leptin and total ghrelin serum concentrations in a fasting state and 30, 60, 120, 180 and 240?min after meal intake. One-way ANOVA and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were carried out. The normality of the variable distribution was checked with the Shapiro–Wilk test, the homogeneity of variances was verified with the Levene test, and the false discovery rate p-value adjustment method was used.

Results

The leptin/ghrelin ratio was significantly higher in overweight/obese men than individuals with normal body weight in a fasting state, as well as postprandially. We observed trends towards a higher leptin/ghrelin ratio values from the 60?min after HC-meal intake compared to the NC- and HF-meals in normal body weight participants, while in overweight/obese men, we did not note any significant differences dependent on the meal type.

Conclusions

We have observed a significantly different postprandial leptin/ghrelin ratio in normal body weight and overweight/obese men, and our results suggest that in men with normal body weight, a greater feeling of satiety may occur after high-carbohydrate meal intake, which was not noted in the overweight/obese individuals.

     

Maternal nutritional status and milk volume. Is there a cause-effect relationship?

Studies on human lactation were examined in order to gather some answers about questions concerning the effect of maternal food intake, size, fatness and economic status on milk production. Up to date, evidence in the literature is insufficient to permit definitive answers, but a general conclusion can be drawn: milk volume varies little among mothers with largely variable energy intakes, sizes and economic status. There is a great need for more controlled studies focusing on the relationship between maternal energy balance and milk output. Although many studies have separately addressed the nutritional changes in mothers throughout lactation (1-8) and milk consumption by infants (9-17), very few have correlated maternal nutritional conditions and the volume of milk consumed. This report will consider investigations published from 1975 and on, combining data on maternal nutritional status and milk production in the same individual. The rationale is that around 1975 more accurate and standardized methodology began to be used in related studies. Milk output is estimated by the summary of the differences of body weights of infants obtained before and after each milking episode during 24 hours. Before 1975 the balances used for such a purpose had very poor precision, and this interfered seriously on the inter and intra-personal variability of the measurements. Electronic scales made available after that year gave enough reliability to the procedure. This report is comprised of studies from birth to four months postpartum, when energy supplementation is less common, and quantitatively less important. Nutritional status of the mothers will be analyzed on the basis of four categorizing variables: social and economic status, anthropometry, food intake and body composition.     

Evaluation of nutritional status in children with refractory epilepsy

Background  

children affected by refractory epilepsy could be at risk of malnutrition because of feeding difficulties (anorexia, chewing, swallowing difficulties or vomiting) and chronic use of anticonvulsants, which may affect food intake and energy metabolism. Moreover, their energy requirement may be changed as their disabilities would impede normal daily activities. The aim of the present study was to evaluate nutritional status, energy metabolism and food intake in children with refractory epilepsy.     

Maternal beliefs, feeding practices and nutritional status in Afro-Colombian infants

This study describes maternal practices and beliefs on children feeding and their relationship with nutritional status of Afro-Colombian children aged 6 to 18 months. We combined ethnographic and epidemiological data. We collected information using a food frequency questionnaire. Nine focus groups and 5 deep interviews to mothers of children less than 2 years of age were performed. Our data showed a prevalence of wasting of 2.6% (< -2 SD weight-for-length) and prevalence of stunting of 9.8% (< -2 SD height-for-age). These practices are characterized by a universal onset of breastfeeding, that lasted 10 months in average, and an early introduction of complementary food (mean: 3 months). Breastfeeding is a cultural norm. Weaning is related to new pregnancy, to low milk production and to negative effects of breast process on mothers' health. Early complementary feeding and bottle-feeding are highly valued due to their positive effect on nutritional status and adaptation of children to adult-type diets. The introduction of complementary food after 4 months, the quality of the first food introduced and the diversity of complementary food predicted better nutritional status (p < 0.05). We conclude that nutritional illiteracy and mothers' erroneous beliefs result in 50% of the mothers having inadequate feeding practices. We suggest focused interventions on those beliefs limiting good practices.     

Preschool child feeding, health and nutritional status in Gualaceo, Ecuador

Anthropologic, survey, dietary recall and anthropometric techniques were used to study the correlates of nutritional status of preschool children under five years of age in Gualaceo Ecuador. A widespread stunting was found among the children. Nutritional status was worst among infants comprised between 12 and 23 months old but it improved between April and August, thus suggesting seasonality changes of nutritional status. The correlates of nutritional status (expressed as Z score of weight-for-age) were dietary diversity, birth-spacing, fertility, migration, household income, material goods owned, and parental education. A regression model with these variables predicted 63% of the variability in weight-for-age. The prediction of height-for-age was similar, but only predicted 43% of the variability in height-for-age. Correlates of dietary diversity, birth-spacing, fertility, and migration were child age, maternal age and arm circumference, parental education, use of birth control, household food expenditure, material goods owned, and the raising of animals. Parental education was a correlate of dietary diversity, fertility and migration. Parental education was related to change in weight-for-age in the longitudinal subset. Pre-harvest time and a pathway of illness leading to decreased dietary diversity and to decreased nutritional status in April, were suggested as important to preschool child nutritional status. Hot-cold ideology--resulting in food withdrawal during illness and restriction of high-protein and high-calorie foods--appears to be an important mechanism determining preschool child nutritional status. Breast-feeding, sanitary, higienic, birth control, and drinking (alcohol) practices were suggested as areas that could be improved, in order to improve preschool child nutritional status. Communication between parents and western health care providers was also suggested as an area for improvement.     

The nutritional and health status of the Latin American woman

Latin America is a region where countries have various levels of socioeconomic development. Thus, the living standards and health status of its people differ significantly in the midst of a mosaic of social, ethnic, cultural and economic realities. Social inequalities and extreme poverty determine significant differences, not only in the magnitude of health indicators, but also in the type of pathology prevalent. People in the high socioeconomic levels are affected by nutritional diseases characterized by excessive food intake, while people from the low socioeconomic levels are affected by undernutrition and its associated pathology. Undernutrition occurs fundamentally among the age groups at higher risk in the population segments with low income, low food intake, illiteracy and poor access to the health care and preventive medicine centers. Among families exposed to undernutrition, women are usually in worse condition than men. This is due to the long working hours and the increased nutritional requirements caused by frequent gestations and prolonged lactation. It is estimated that one fourth of newborns in Latin America are affected by low birth weight, which has been associated to adolescent mothers, their excessive physical work, anemia, low maternal pregestational weight, low weight gain during gestation, and frequent maternal infections. Nutritional anemia due to iron deficiency is highly prevalent among pregnant women in Latin America. In some countries, the prevalence of folate deficiency during pregnancy appears to have increased significantly in the past 15 years and is becoming a nutritional problem that needs preferential attention. Diets generally are inadequate and, in the case of pregnant and lactating women, usually deficient in calories, protein, iron and folic acid. It is urgent that the health and nutritional status of Latin American women of low socioeconomic condition be given special attention, particularly mothers during gestation and lactation. Otherwise, women will not be able to altogether fulfill their important role in the home and within the family, nor will they successfully participate in the economic development of their countries.     

Dietary intakes and food sources of fat and fatty acids in Guatemalan schoolchildren: A cross-sectional study

Background  

Consumption of healthy diets that contribute with adequate amounts of fat and fatty acids is needed for children. Among Guatemalan children, there is little information about fat intakes. Therefore, the present study sought to assess intakes of dietary fats and examine food sources of those fats in Guatemalan children.     

Serum and diet long-chain omega-3 fatty acid nutritional status in Chinese elite athletes

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3 PUFAs) are essential for improving the health and performance of athletes. The present study aimed to evaluate the nutritional status of omega-3 PUFAs in Chinese elite athletes by both dietary intake analysis and serum biomarker detection. A cross-sectional analysis of data from 54 elite athletes (24 men and 30 women) from Shanghai professional sports teams was conducted. A food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was employed to analyze dietary intake, and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS/MS) was conducted to measure serum biomarkers of PUFAs. Correlation analysis was performed to investigate the relationships of PUFA biomarkers with diet, inflammation and oxidative stress. The results showed that the median intake of EPA + DHA among athletes was 132 mg/d, which is lower than the minimum value recommended by dietary guidelines (250 mg/d). The average serum EPA + DHA was 4.0 ± 1.1%, and the ratio of omega-6/omega-3 was 7.7 ± 1.7. Most (96.3%) of the athletes were below the targeted value of serum EPA + DHA, which is associated with a reduction in cardiovascular risk. Correlation analysis showed that the serum EPA + DHA was positively correlated with the long-term dietary intake of EPA + DHA and negatively correlated with inflammatory markers. In conclusion, the serum circulating EPA + DHA and omega-6/omega-3 ratio are effective biomarkers reflecting the nutritional status of PUFAs in athletes. Omega-3 PUFAs have a potential effect on inhibiting inflammatory markers. Hence, it is necessary for Chinese athletes to improve their suboptimal nutritional status of PUFAs through dietary intervention.     

Median age of mortality as an indicator of economic-social and nutritional status

Mean age of mortality as an indicator of economic development and nutritional state. After a short discussion of nutritional indicators the mean age of mortality of the population of a country is proposed. This is defined as the age as 50% mortality is observed. It is an indicator for social-economic development. There exists a correlation between the proposed indicator and others used in the evaluation of nutritional conditions.     

Calcium-creatinine in basal urine in relation to calcium intake and nutritional status in children under 3

The calcium/creatinine ratio (Ca/Creat.) as an indicator of calcium nutritional status was evaluated in "basal urine" from 24 children comprised within the ages of three to 36 months during a 60-day period. The children were divided in normal or undernourished, according to Waterlow's classification. Children under 12 months of age were fed ad libitum with one of two commercial milk formulas, assigned according exclusively to the pediatric criterium. Children older than 12 months received milk besides the habitual hospital diet. In all cases the food intake was controlled and the calcium intake calculated. At the end of the study, basal urine was collected and calcium and creatinine determined. The results revealed that: a) In the normal children the Ca/Creat. ratio gradually decreased with age tending to a low value of 0.2 at the age of 36 months. The relationship between the Ca/Creat. ratio and the calcium intake showed a change in the slope when the requirements were met according to RNC (60 mg/kg/day); b) In undernourished children, the Ca/Creat. ratio was nearly constant whatever their age or calcium intake. The trend to approach the value of 0.2 for calcium intake (about 250 mg/kg/day), however, and the absence of the inflexion point, would suggest that the requirements of these children are far higher than the NRC recommendation, and that the change of the slope would be found for intakes over those obtained in our study. According to these findings, we conclude that the Ca/Creat. ratio in basal urine does not reflect calcium intake, but would depend on the bone calcium turnover. Consequently, it would be a simple and useful indicator of calcium nutritional status.     

Dietary analysis and patterns of nutritional supplement use in normal and age-related macular disease affected subjects: a prospective cross-sectional study

Background  

Poor diet is thought to be a risk factor for many diseases, including age-related macular disease (ARMD), which is the leading cause of blind registration in those aged over 60 years in the developed world. The aims of this study were 1) to evaluate the dietary food intake of three subject groups: participants under the age of 50 years without ARMD (U50), participants over the age of 50 years without ARMD (O50), and participants with ARMD (AMD), and 2) to obtain information on nutritional supplement usage.