bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Research on Trace Minerals in the Common Bean
Authors: Beebe Stephen , Gonzalez Alma Viviana , Rengifo Judith
Published: November 2015

The common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is the most important grain legume for direct human consumption, being especially important in eastern Africa and in Latin America. The objective of the Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical (CIAT) in participating in the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) Micronutrients Project has been to assess the feasibility of improving common beans for micronutrient content, especially iron and zinc. In the evaluation of more than a thousand accessions in the cultivated core collection, a mean iron concentration of 55 mg/kg was found, with a range of 34 to 89 mg/kg. Zinc concentrations ranged between 21 and 54 mg/kg, with an average value of 35 mg/kg. These initial data suggest that sufficient genetic variability exists to improve iron content by about 80% and zinc content by about 50%.

An essential question for the improvement of any trait through plant-breeding is the degree to which the trait is stable across environments. Genetic differences have been expressed over environments and seasons, offering good prospects that genotypes selected in one environment for high iron or zinc will express superior levels of minerals in other environments as well. Correlations among mineral concentrations suggest that the improvement of one mineral may simultaneously improve the contents of other minerals, thus multiplying the impact of the effort. The fact that the bioavailability of iron was higher in white beans in rat studies suggests that a lower tannin content could be beneficial, but the role of tannin is still not well elucidated. The genetics of iron and zinc content appears to be complex, involving between 7 and 11 loci.
Potential of Orange-fleshed Sweet Potatoes for Raising Vitamin A Intake in Africa
Authors: Hagenimana Vital , Low Jan
Published: November 2015

The potential to use orange-fleshed (β-carotene-rich) sweet potatoes as an effective entry point for improving vitamin A and caloric intake in sub-Saharan Africa appears to be high, since non-orange-fleshed cultivars are widely grown throughout the continent, easy to raise, and typically under women's control. The paper describes the collaborative effort of the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute, the Centro Internacional de la Papa (CIP), and CARE to promote adoption of early-maturing orange-fleshed sweet potatoes in a two-year research-intervention pilot project. A community-based approach was undertaken, whereby group members actively participated in the research process, developing nutrient-rich processed products (weaning and adult foods) that combined the introduced germplasm with locally available foods. The results suggest that improving women's access to resources (particularly to productivity-enhancing technologies and to knowledge) and utilizing crops under their control are essential features for demonstrating positive nutritional and adoption outcomes within a relatively short time. Findings comparing control and intervention groups indicate that an “enhanced extension package,” emphasizing improved child-feeding practices and introducing new food-processing techniques, in addition to providing higher-yielding varieties, is essential to ensure that the introduced varieties are incorporated into the diets of young children.
Measuring Iron and Zinc Bioavailability in Humans
Authors: King Janet C. , Donangelo Carmen M. , Woodhouse Leslie R. , Mertz Sarah D. , Shames David M. , Viteri Fernando E. , Cheng Z. , Welch Ross M.
Published: November 2015

Iron and zinc deficiencies are common in populations dependent on cereal-based diets because of the poor bioavailability of these minerals in those foods. Selective breeding of high-mineral grains can improve the total intake of iron and zinc. However, the additional iron and zinc from those grains may not be available for absorption because of the high phytate content of cereals. Iron and zinc bioavailability needs to be measured before the high-mineral crops are promoted. Iron or zinc bioavailability can be measured from the response of a physiological variable, assessment of body retention, tissue or blood uptake, changes in pool size, or rates of absorption. Iron bioavailability is preferentially measured from erythrocyte uptake of oral radioactive or stable iron tracers; zinc bioavailability is measured from the rate of absorption of an oral isotopic tracer compared with an intravenous tracer. The oral label, which is required for studies of both iron and zinc, may be intrinsically added to the plant during growth or extrinsically added before feeding. Iron and zinc bioavailability from intrinsically and extrinsically labelled normal and high-mineral common bean varieties was tested in young women with low iron stores. The absorption of intrinsic and extrinsic labels of iron and zinc did not differ. The bioavailability of iron and zinc from both varieties was low, about 1.5% and 13%, respectively. Methods to improve the bioavailability of iron and zinc from plant foods need to be developed.
A Human Feeding Trial of Iron-enhanced Rice
Authors: Haas Jere D. , Del Mundo Angelita M. , Beard John L.
Published: November 2015

A key unknown in the strategy of breeding for micronutrient-dense staple food crops is the bioavailability of the additional trace minerals in nutritionally improved lines. This paper describes a feeding trial to be undertaken in the Philippines during 2001 using human subjects that will examine the effect on iron status of long-term consumption of IR68-144, a high-yielding, aromatic, iron-dense rice that is currently undergoing agronomic testing at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). The subjects will be religious sisters-in-training who live year-round in convents in Greater Manila.

This population was selected because they represent a sex and age segment of the population at high risk for iron deficiency. The iron status of the sample of 27 sisters indicates that 74% were anaemic (haemoglobin <120 g/L) and 48% iron deficient (serum ferritin <12 μg/L). These subjects consume large quantities of rice (400 g/day), and all their meals are prepared in common kitchens where different varieties of rice can be easily introduced to the menu. A pilot study found that the introduction of IR68-144 rice was highly tolerated by the kitchen staff who prepared the rice and the sisters who consumed it. There were no perceived differences in taste, texture, colour, or other properties compared with the commercial variety normally consumed.

The high prevalence of iron deficiency, the considerable amount of rice consumed, the high level of cooperation of the subjects, and the structured routine of the convent make this an ideal research setting to investigate the effect of improving iron intakes through a staple food.
The Integrated Research Approach of the Asian Vegetable Research and Development Center (AVRDC) to Enhance Micronutrient Availability
Authors: Ali Mubarik , Tsou Samson
Published: November 2015

This paper describes various activities of the Asian Vegetable Research and Development Center (AVRDC) in enhancing micronutrient availability through increased vegetable supply, improved micronutrient density in vegetables, enhanced micronutrient bioavailability, and recommendations for programmes and policies generated through economic research. Technological, nutritional, and socio-economic research are integrated at AVRDC. Nutrient considerations are incorporated at all levels of research planning, technology development, and dissemination of these technologies to clients. The approach ensures not only greater diversity and improved palatability of food, but also enhanced income and employment to poor farming and landless households and improved gender equity. All these factors are catalysts to improved health as well as faster economic growth for developing economies. To tackle widespread micronutrient deficiencies, future nutritional research should focus on making improved vegetable technologies economically viable under a wider range of economic and ecological environments, while enhancing or, at minimum, maintaining the nutrient density and bioavailability of new vegetable releases. To improve the efficiency of nutritional research, the dollar value of micronutrient enhancement research needs to be quantified and compared for different vegetables and other food items. A methodology for doing this is proposed and illustrated.
Micronutrient Policies for Agriculture in Latin America
Authors: Bressani Ricardo
Published: November 2015

A key distinguishing feature of Latin America is that 75% of the population is urban, and this proportion is projected to rise to 82% by 2025. Because markets for processed foods are more developed in urban than in rural areas, fortification has a comparative advantage in Latin America relative to other regions. In fact, fortification has been highly successful in Latin America. Salt iodination programmes are the most widespread, followed by fortification of sugar with vitamin A; fortification of wheat with thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, and folic acid; and fortification of margarine. At least 13 Latin American countries now have vitamin A supplementation programmes, which are relatively new to Latin America. A mix of types of fortification, supplementation, and food-based interventions will be needed in the future. Efforts should continue in the implementation of activities such as home gardens, small-animal production, and promotion of edible, native plants. Genetic manipulation through plant-breeding can alter in a positive way desirable functional properties of foods as well as the concentration and properties of macro- and micronutrients. The benefits of functional characteristics bred into plants have been clearly demonstrated (e.g., fatty acid profiles, delayed ripening), but not the benefits for human nutrition, except in laboratory situations. The plant-breeding approach needs additional, interdisciplinary research at various points in the food chain to establish the benefit for human nutrition.
Agriculture for Consumers: Experiences from Norway
Authors: Eide Wenche Barth
Published: November 2015

Interest in the linkages between nutrition and agriculture from the late 1960s initially revolved around the opportunities for breeding grains of higher or better nutrient contents, mainly protein and amino acids. In the 1970s, that particular concern faded with the recognition that protein quality in grains was not a limiting factor for human nutrition. In the wake of growing interest in nutrition planning at the time, the concept of “nutrition in agriculture” also matured. Community nutritionists today understand this concept as the interaction between the broader sets of biological and societal processes that determine the optimal or suboptimal nutritional status of human beings. There is, however, a communication gap between nutritionists outside the laboratory and contemporary plant breeders for micronutrient content, which may risk reducing the concept once again to “nutrients in agriculture.” The gap should be bridged in order to exploit all opportunities for linking up with broader thinking around food systems, health determinants outside the traditional health field, behaviour, culture, role analysis, power and control over resources, and hence also potential conflicts of interest—at domestic as well as at higher levels of human organization. We lack a common framework to facilitate communication and systems thinking that would help extend technical considerations into policy formulations. The paper describes recent efforts by the Norwegian Ministry of Agriculture to promote “whole-food-chain thinking,” where the interest of consumers will be explicitly in focus, including their participation in setting goals of agricultural policy to promote food and nutritional security.
Building Household Food-security Measurement Tools from the Ground Up
Authors: Wolfe Wendy S. , Frongillo Edward A.
Published: November 2015

For impact evaluation and for planning and targeting decisions, local organizations in developing countries need tools for assessing household food security that go beyond measuring food availability to include access to food and perceptions of food insecurity. This paper explores the potential for developing direct measures of household food security that include such components and that are based on an in-depth understanding of the experience of food insecurity at the household level. This process was used successfully to develop the US Food Security Measure. The US approach and examples of efforts in developing countries are reviewed, along with relevant conceptual and measurement issues. The potential portability and challenges to use of the US approach in developing countries are discussed. The elements needed to apply this approach are outlined, along with operations research needed for developing such experientially based measures.
Relationship between Health-center Performance and the Nutritional Status of Children in Bandung District, West Java Province, Indonesia
Authors: Suparman  , Muslimatun Siti , Abikusno Nugroho
Published: November 2015

The objective of this cross-sectional study was to determine whether health-center performance was related to children's nutritional status. Two stages of sampling were used. The first stage used simple random sampling of a finite population, in which 37 out of 100 health centers were selected. The second stage used comparison of two proportions, in which 254 children between 6 and 36 months old were selected from three health centers in the high-performance and three health centers in the low-performance groups. Health-center performance in Bandung District was low (< 61%). Staff capability was the major factor influencing health-center performance and the quality of nutritional service. Performance scores (45.2% for the low-performance group and 60% for the high-performance group) in the two groups of health centers were not positively related to the children's nutritional status (p > . 05). The low contribution of health centers to the children's nutritional status was due to a low coverage of health services and similar socioeconomic status of the households.
Long-term Preventive Mass Prescription of Weekly Doses of Iron Sulfate May be Highly Effective to Reduce Endemic Child Anemia
Authors: Monteiro Carlos A. , Szarfarc Sophia C. , Brunken Gisela S. , Gross Rainer , Conde Wolney L.
Published: November 2015

Iron-deficiency anemia in children remains one of the most important nutritional problems faced by developing countries. Well-controlled efficacy studies show that intermittent iron supplementation can improve children's iron status as well as the traditional daily schedule. This gives new impetus to controlling child anemia by weekly preventive iron supplementation. The objective of this study was to evaluate, in a child population in which anemia is highly prevalent, the effectiveness of long-term preventive provision of weekly doses of iron sulfate to all children from 6 to 59 months of age.

Children from both the intervention and the control groups were selected from a random cross-sectional sample of the child population of the city of São Paulo, Brazil. Parents in the intervention group were visited in their homes and received nutrition education plus a solution of iron sulfate with the request to give it to their children once a week until a follow-up visit occurred in approximately six months. Parents in the control group received only nutrition education. The effect of the intervention was judged by changes in hemoglobin concentration and the prevalence of anemia. Comparisons between the two groups were made based on an intention-to-treat approach, and all estimates were adjusted for initial hemoglobin concentration, initial age, total duration of follow-up, and family income.

The average hemoglobin gain due to the intervention was 4.0 g/L, with a fall of more than 50% in the prevalence of anemia among the children. The intervention was particularly effective in preventing declines in hemoglobin concentration during the first two years of life. This study demonstrates that long-term preventive weekly iron supplementation of preschool children significantly reduces the risk of anemia under conditions similar to those possible through routine public health programs.
Zinc Metabolism and Requirements
Authors: Hambidge Michael , Krebs Nancy F.
Published: November 2015

Current knowledge of the metabolism of zinc is summarized in relation to the clinical and public health importance of human zinc deficiency. Zinc metabolism is considered in relation to estimations of zinc requirements. Special attention is focused on the role and limitations of regulation of intestinal absorption of exogenous dietary zinc and of intestinal excretion of endogenous zinc in the maintenance of zinc homeostasis. The dynamic interrelationships between these variables and between each of these and readily exchangeable pools of body zinc are highlighted, as is the impact of dietary phytate on zinc requirements. Measurements of these variables utilizing zinc stable isotope techniques can provide quantitative information on zinc homeostasis and dietary zinc requirements in different communities, as well as facilitating assessment of alternative strategies for preventing zinc deficiency.
Local Food Price Analysis by Linear Programming: A New Approach to Assess the Economic Value of Fortified Food Supplements
Authors: Briend André , Ferguson Elaine , Darmon Nicole
Published: November 2015

Linear programming can be applied to identify a nutritionally adequate diet of the lowest cost, since price and nutrient contents are linearly related to food weight. Most computer spreadsheets now include an easy-to-use solver function that is suitable for this purpose. This approach can also be used to estimate the effect of introducing a food supplement on the minimal cost required to provide a nutritionally adequate diet. It can also provide an estimate of the expenses saved by families in relation to the sums spent by the donor after the distribution of a food supplement. This method is illustrated by comparing the economic value of two food supplements, a traditional blended flour and a nutrient-dense spread (a “foodlet”) in rural Chad. The limitations of this approach and the need to interpret its findings carefully in relation to field observations are discussed.
Vitamin A in Pregnancy: Impact on Maternal and Neonatal Health
Authors: Dibley Michael J. , Jeacocke David A.
Published: November 2015

Vitamin A is an essential nutrient, for which there is a slightly increased requirement during the third trimester of pregnancy, with even greater requirements for lactating women. Serum retinol levels decline during pregnancy, especially during the third trimester, followed by a rapid increase postpartum. Hemodilution and inadequate nutritional status contribute to this pattern. Night-blindness is more common in the third trimester of pregnancy, and night-blind pregnant women have lower mean serum retinol concentrations. Increased morbidity is associated with night-blindness in women, especially during pregnancy. Vitamin A supplementation during pregnancy in deficient populations reduces night-blindness, low serum retinol levels, and nutritional anemia during pregnancy and substantially reduces maternal postpartum infections. A substantial reduction in maternal mortality has been observed in malnourished vitamin A–deficient women following vitamin A or β-carotene supplementation. Infant cord blood retinol and birthweight appear to be resistant to maternal supplementation with vitamin A during pregnancy. No studies have reported an impact of maternal vitamin A supplementation on neonatal morbidity or mortality.
Vitamin a Deficiency Control Programs in Eastern and Southern Africa: A Unicef Perspective
Authors: de Wagt Arjan
Published: November 2015

In several Eastern and Southern African countries, between one-third and one-half of the children are vitamin A deficient. Not just one strategy, but a combination of supplementation, fortification, and dietary diversification will provide the solution to the elimination of vitamin A deficiency. Food diversification in general is limited by increasing poverty and household food insecurity. Supplementation coverage rates increased from an average of 22% to 68% during the last four years. This was mainly due to integration of supplementation into national immunization days. Now the challenge is to integrate supplementation into sustainable delivery systems. Several countries have started or are planning maize and/or sugar fortification initiatives, but most of the experience so far has been on a pilot scale, and little is known about the impact of the interventions. There is a need to develop strategies for vitamin A supplementation and fortification of different foods to reach all areas and individuals in a country.
Marketing of Red Palm Oil as a Food Source of Vitamin A in Burkina Faso: A Pilot Project Involving Women's Groups
Authors: Delisle Hélène , Zagré Noël , Ouedraogo Virginie
Published: November 2015

Consumption of red palm oil for its provitamin A activity could extend to nonproducing areas of Africa. To assess the impact of red palm oil introduction, vitamin A status was measured in a random sample of mother-child pairs in the pilot areas. This paper describes the marketing approach, the evaluation design, and results after one year. Red palm oil purchased in southern Burkina Faso is retailed in the north-central pilot area by women's groups. At onset, serum retinol was low in 66% of children and 43% of mothers. After one year, 94% of mothers reported liking red palm oil, 71% had purchased it, and 32% had consumed some in the last week. The rates of risk of inadequate vitamin A intake declined by one-third. Prior to scaling-up, the main challenges ahead are positioning red palm oil as a food supplement rather than a cooking oil, and determining whether the increased demand can be met by local production without undue pressure on prices.
The Potential of Red Palm Oil-Based Shortening as a Food Fortificant for Vitamin A in the Baking Industry
Authors: Benadé A. J. S.
Published: November 2015

Vitamin A deficiency is a public health problem in many developing countries. There is general consensus that food-based approaches are viable and sustainable options for addressing vitamin A deficiency in populations. One good example is the fortification of food, which, if properly monitored, could make a significant contribution towards improving the vitamin A status of a population. In this respect the food industry could play a pivotal role. We proved that the incorporation of a red palm oil-based shortening (Carotino) in the baking process of a nutritional biscuit was as good as synthetic β-carotene in reducing vitamin A deficiency in schoolchildren. As a result we looked at the possibilities of introducing Carotino into other products as a means of fortifying them with β-carotene. Using traditional recipes and food-composition data, we identified a variety of products which, when baked with Carotino shortening, could provide from 15% to 200% of the RDA for β-carotene per portion of product consumed. Even if these products are not consumed on a regular basis, their contribution towards addressing vitamin A deficiency could be significant and its use in the baking industry worth promoting.
Nutrition Communication Using Social-Marketing Techniques to Combat Vitamin A Deficiency: Results of Summative Evaluation
Authors: Nayak M. Uma , Vazir Shahnaz , Vijayaraghavan K. , Chandralekha K.
Published: November 2015

The operational feasibility was investigated of adopting a social-marketing approach to develop a community program of nutrition communication to promote consumption of vitamin A–rich foods. Five comparable villages in a developmentally backward and drought-prone district in southern India were selected. In two experimental villages, social-marketing strategy was adopted for nutrition communication, while conventional nutritional education was implemented in two positive control villages. A large village did not receive any intervention and served as the negative control. This communication presents the results of the intervention programs carried out in the study areas over a period of one year. The results indicated that the knowledge, attitude, and practices among mothers of preschool children about vitamin A improved significantly in the experimental area after intervention. There was a fourfold increase in the intake of vitamin A–rich foods among preschool children in the experimental area, as compared with a twofold increase in the positive control. There was no change in the negative control area. There was a significant decrease in the prevalence of Bitot's spots after intervention in the experimental area (p < .05). There was no change in the other two areas. The study demonstrated the effectiveness of a social-marketing strategy for nutrition communication for the prevention and control of micronutrient deficiencies and the need for adopting innovative strategies for communicating nutrition messages.
Regional Study of Nutritional Status of Urban Primary Schoolchildren. 1. Manila, Philippines
Authors: Florentino Rodolfo F. , Villavieja Gracia M. , Laña Ruby D.
Published: November 2015

This multicity study sought to provide baseline information on the nutritional status of urban schoolchildren in order to examine the emerging problem of overweight and obesity in this age group. the study included 1,208 children 8 to 10 years old who were randomly selected from all public and private schools in Manila for weight and height measurements. Nutritional status was assessed by weight-for-age and height-for-age Z scores and BMI percentile cutoff points. on the average, private schoolchildren were taller and heavier and had higher body mass index (BMI) values than public schoolchildren, resulting in a much lower prevalence of undernutrition and a much higher prevalence of overnutrition. These results have important programmatic implications. However, using the World Health Organization (WHO)-recommended cutoff points to define under- and overnutrition gave contrasting results when weight-for-height and BMI were used. There appears to be a need to validate the anthropometric reference standards and cutoff points in children and adolescents to better define nutritional status and ascertain the influence of ethnicity.
Iron and Energy Supplementation Improves the Physical Work Capacity of Female College Students
Authors: Mann S. K. , Kaur Satinderjit , Bains Kiran
Published: November 2015

A nutritionally controlled study was conducted on two groups of 15 female college students aged 16 to 20 years, selected from Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab, India. the girls were either anemic (hemoglobin 7.7 g/dl) but energy adequate (AEA), or anemic (hemoglobin 7.4 g/dl) and energy deficient (AED). the AEA group was given iron supplementation (60 mg iron/day) for 6 to 9 months along with 100 mg of ascorbic acid, and the AED group was given iron as well as energy supplementation for 3 months. There was a significant (p < .01) increase in weight, body mass index, mid-upper-arm circumference, and body fat in the AED group after iron–energy supplementation. Hemoglobin, serum iron, transferrin saturation, total iron-binding capacity, and unsaturated iron-binding capacity were below normal in both groups; however, after iron and iron–energy supplementation, there was a significant (p < .01) increase, and these indices were in the normal range. There was a significant (p < .01) increase in exercise time and maximum work load tolerance after iron and iron–energy supplementation. Combined energy and iron deficiency had a greater adverse effect on physical work capacity than energy or iron deficiency alone.
Factors Associated with Successful Pregnancy Outcomes in Upper Egypt: A Positive Deviance Inquiry
Authors: Ahrari Mahshid , Kuttab Attallah , Khamis Samir , Farahat Amal Ali , Darmstadt Gary L. , Marsh David R. , Levinson F. James
Published: November 2015

A positive deviance inquiry was conducted in Al-Minia, Upper Egypt, to identify factors associated with achievement of good pregnancy outcomes despite limited resources. As compared with women with poor weight gain (n = 30), low-income women with weight gain greater than 1.5 kg per month in the second trimester of pregnancy (n = 11) were more likely to report multiple antenatal care contacts (80% versus 43%), increased rest during pregnancy (67% versus 7%), and more consumption of meat (33% versus 13%) and vegetables (82% versus 37%), and were less likely to report symptoms consistent with urinary tract infection (50% versus 90% with dysuria and 0% versus 57% with cloudy or reddish urine). Similar characteristics distinguished low-income women in a more economically advantaged community whose newborns weighed more than 3 kg (n = 18) as compared with mothers of smaller newborns (n = 18). These characteristics were similar to those identified in the National Research Center's Al-Minia birthweight study. the positive deviance inquiry is an affordable, participatory step to identify accessible individuals, behaviors, and conditions for improved perinatal health.
Difference in Goiter Rates between Regular and Occasional Users of Iodized Salt in Mongolia
Authors: Yamada Chieri , Oyunchimeg Dalphjabin , Scrimshaw Nevin
Published: November 2015

In Mongolia many households use iodized salt only occasionally. We investigated whether the occasional use of iodized salt had an impact on the reduction of goiter size. We examined 685 children (8–11 years old) in five groups of households that (1) used iodized salt regularly, (2) used more than 10 kg of iodized salt annually, (3) used 6 to 10 kg annually, (4) used less than 6 kg annually, (5) and regularly used noniodized salt. The prevalence of goiter as determined by ultrasound in these five groups was 31.1%, 30.3%, 40.6%, 52.1%, 56.6%, respectively. There was no difference between goiter rates among the first three groups, but these groups had significantly lower rates than the last two groups. We concluded that annual use of more than 6 kg of iodized salt, preferably more than 10 kg, by a household had a beneficial effect on the rate of goiter. In addition, the possibility was suggested that households that consumed only iodized salt consumed less salt than other households.
Iron-Deficiency Anemia in Young Working Women can be Reduced by Increasing the Consumption of Cereal-Based Fermented Foods Or Gooseberry Juice at the Workplace
Authors: Gopaldas Tara
Published: November 2015

This efficacy trial for both employers and employees (young working women 18 to 23 years of age) was undertaken to determine whether culturally acceptable dietary changes in lunches in the workplace and at home could bring about a behavioral change and improvement in their iron-deficiency anemia status. Maximum weight was given to increasing consumption of iddli, a popular cereal-based-fermented food, or of gooseberry juice. Four small factories were selected in periurban Bangalore, with a sample of 302 women. the 180-day interventions were supervised at the workplace. in unit 1 (72 women), the intervention consisted of iddli four times a week plus information, education, and communication (IEC) related to iron-deficiency anemia. Unit 2 (80 women) received 20 ml of gooseberry juice (containing 40 mg of vitamin C) three times a week plus IEC once a month. Women in unit 3 (70 women), the positive control, received 400 mg albendazole once plus ferrous sulfate tablets (60 mg elemental iron) two times a week. No IEC was given. Unit 4 (70 women) served as the negative control and received no intervention. the pre-post impact measures were dietary and nutrient intake, knowledge and practice, and hemoglobin status. in units 1, 2, and 3, the hemoglobin status of the women improved significantly from 11.10 to 12.30 g/dl, 11.20 to 12.70 g/dl, and 11.50 to 13.00 g/dl, respectively. in unit 4 there was no change: the values were 10.90 g/dl before and after intervention. the results show that the type of workplace lunch was of greater significance than IEC. Knowledge gains were impressive, but behavioral change was not sustained. It was concluded that the hemoglobin levels of the workers can easily be improved by cost-effective workplace lunches that also lead to better employer–employee relations.
Evaluation of a Rapid Field Tool for Assessing Household Diet Quality in Mozambique
Authors: Rose Donald , Meershoek Stephan , Ismael Carina , McEwan Margaret
Published: November 2015

The Nutrition Section of the Mozambican Ministry of Health recently implemented a low-cost, rapid field tool for assessing the quality of household diets. Such tools can play an important part in targeting development assistance in countries where resources are scarce. This paper evaluates how well the tool performs at describing household dietary intakes in northern Mozambique and explores ways to improve it. the food-group classification and scoring system that form the core of the tool were applied to household data (n = 1,140) collected in a previous quantitative diet study in Nampula and Cabo Delgado Provinces. Using mean intakes as a criterion, the diet assessment tool performed well on all nutrients studied, except vitamin A. Those classified by the tool into the top group of diet quality had the highest mean intakes of energy, protein, and iron as well as the highest mean scores on the Mozambican Diet Quality Index, whereas those classified in the bottom group had the lowest intakes. Sensitivity rates for the diet assessment tool could be substantially improved by raising the cutoff point for an acceptable diet from the current threshold of 20 points to 23 points. Regression analysis was used to suggest other possible improvements. Such improvements were only marginal and do not justify field implementation, given the added complexity in classifying and scoring. This paper provides evidence that, with some minor changes, the Ministry of Health diet assessment method can be a useful tool in describing the dietary situation of groups of Mozambican households. Since this tool is both inexpensive and simple to use, there may be interest in adapting it for use in other low-income countries. A series of steps for doing so is outlined at the end of this paper.
A Comparison of Mothers’ Knowledge, Attitudes, and Utilization in Relation to Soybeans and Cowpeas for Child Feeding in a Nigerian Rural Area
Authors: Samuel Folake Olukemi , Cole Abiodun Hotonou
Published: November 2015

This study assessed rural mothers’ knowledge of, attitudes toward, and use of soybeans as compared with cowpeas for feeding their young children. Mothers who had at least one child below the age of five years in 239 sampled households were interviewed. The results indicate that mothers were well informed about the value of giving both foods to their young children. A comparison of attitudes shows that the mothers had a more favorable opinion of cowpeas and that they used cowpeas more than soybeans. Mothers’ reasons for using both foods include nutritive value, affordability, and palatability, in that order. Cowpeas were favored for ease of preparation. More mothers introduced cowpeas to their children before the age of six than soybeans.
International Workshop on Multi–Micronutrient Deficiency Control in the Life Cycle, Lima, Peru, May 30–June 1, 2001
Authors: Gross Rainer , Dwivedi Archana , Scrimshaw Nevin
Published: November 2015

Thirty-one representatives from international organizations, nongovernmental organizations, government agencies, universities, and the private sector participated in a three-day workshop in Lima, Peru, organized by the Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina and supported by the Ministry of Health Peru, UNICEF, and the World Health Organization. The objective of the workshop was to develop a protocol for a comprehensive micronutrient supplementation program for populations in developing countries that suffer from deficiencies of several micronutrients. The workshop consisted of two components: presentation of preliminary results of the multicenter study on infant supplementation and recommendations on the policy and community, monitoring and impact evaluation, and research aspects of supplementation programs. This paper provides the summary reports of the second component.
Priority Nutritional Concerns in Asia
Authors: Tee E-Siong
Published: November 2015

The sustained economic growth and increasing economic stability in the Asian region over the last three decades have been accompanied by changing lifestyles leading to significant changes in the food and nutrition issues facing Asian countries. the chronic diseases associated with excessive consumption of nutrients, especially fat, are becoming increasingly apparent. At the same time, Asia has a disproportionate share of the malnutrition problem. Underweight and stunting remain significant problems in many Asian communities, and micronutrient deficiencies of iron, iodine, and vitamin A continue to afflict large population groups. Effective data collection and analysis are essential to formulate and implement intervention programs to address both sides of the changing nutrition scenario in Asia.
Food Biotechnology and Nutrition in Africa: A Case for Kenya
Authors: Ngichabe Christopher K.
Published: November 2015

Household food consumption surveys indicate that the diet in Kenya is ill balanced and that many families cannot afford nutrient-rich foods such as meat and fruits. in this regard, rural populations—the majority of the Kenyan population—are much worse off than urban populations. Agriculture, the most important sector in the Kenyan economy, contributes 27% of the gross domestic product and generates 65% of the country's export earnings. Food-enhancing biotechnologies thus could increase national food yields and fill nutrition gaps by contributing to household and national food security and poverty reduction in Kenya. to overcome barriers to adopting biotechnology to improve food crops in Kenya and elsewhere in Africa, policy makers must create a receptive environment for, increase public understanding of, and stimulate investment in the new technology.
Impact of Fortification of Flours with Iron to Reduce the Prevalence of Anemia and Iron Deficiency among Schoolchildren in Caracas, Venezuela: A Follow-up
Authors: Layrisse Miguel , García-Casal María Nieves , Méndez-Castellano Hernán , Jiménez Maritza , Henry Olavarría C. , Chávez José F. , González Eglis
Published: November 2015

In Venezuela, a severe economic crisis starting in 1983 provoked a progressive reduction in the quantity and quality of food consumed by people from the low socio-economic strata of the population. This situation resulted in a continuous increase in the prevalence of iron deficiency in the 1980s and 1990s. In 1993, an iron-fortification program was started, in which precooked corn and white wheat flours were enriched with iron, vitamin A, thiamine, niacin, and riboflavin. White wheat flour was enriched with the same nutrients, except for vitamin A. In 1996 we published the results of the impact of fortification of precooked corn and white wheat flours on the prevalence of anemia and iron deficiency in the population. A survey carried out in Caracas in 307 children aged 7, 11, and 15 years showed that the prevalence of iron deficiency measured by serum ferritin concentration dropped from 37% in 1992 to 16% in 1994, only one year after the iron-fortification program began. The prevalence of anemia, as measured by the hemoglobin concentration, diminished from 19% to 10% during the same period. This article reports the results of three other surveys carried out in 1997, 1998, and 1999 on children of the same age and socioeconomic groups that were evaluated in 1990, 1992, and 1994. There were no significant differences in anemia or iron deficiency among the last three surveys. The prevalence results from the last seven years seem to indicate that, after a dramatic reduction in 1994, iron deficiency tended to stabilize, while the prevalence of anemia increased to the same level found in 1992, before the fortification program started.
Chronic Poisoning by Hydrogen Cyanide in Cassava and its Prevention in Africa and Latin America
Authors: Teles Francisco Franco Feitosa
Published: November 2015

Africa produces more than 30 million tons of cassava on about 5 million hectares (6 tons per hectare). Approximately 80% of the root production and 70% of the harvested area are from Western Africa. Recent reports suggest that the ingestion of poorly processed cassava roots is associated with the incidence of an ataxic neuropathy (konzo) in African countries. When cassava-based diets are not supplemented with good sources of protein and iodine, goiter and rickets are also prevalent. In certain countries of Africa where the rate of ataxic neuropathy is high, the incidence of thyroid disorders is also high. Persons consuming poorly processed cassava in large quantities are susceptible to neuropathologies caused by cyanide. Cyanide detoxification in the body is impaired by protein deficiency. When properly processed, the root of cassava is safe and cheap as a major dietary energy source for humans and domestic animals; however, a cassava-based diet will lack sufficient protein and will be particularly deficient for the growth and development of children unless it is supplemented by protein from animal, including fish, or legume sources. Cassava leaves, if they are appropriately cooked, can be a useful source of some nutrients.
The Positive Deviance Approach: Challenges and Opportunities for the Future
Authors: Lapping Karin , Marsh David R. , Rosenbaum Julia , Swedberg Eric , Sternin Jerry , Sternin Monique , Schroeder Dirk G.
Published: November 2015

The positive deviance (PD) approach offers an alternative to needs-based approaches for development. The “traditional” application of the PD approach for childhood malnutrition involves studying children who grow well despite adversity, identifying uncommon, model practices among PD families, and designing an intervention to transfer these behaviors to the mothers of malnourished children. A common intervention for child malnutrition, the so-called “hearth,” brings mothers together to practice new feeding and caring behaviors under the encouragement of a village volunteer. Hearths probably work because they modify unmeasured behavioral determinants and unmonitored behaviors, which, in turn, result in better child growth. Some health outcomes require a better understanding of behavioral determinants and are not best served by hearth-like facilitated group skills-building. We propose testing “booster PD inquiries” during implementation to confirm behavioral determinants and efficiently focus interventions. We share early experience with the PD approach for HIV/AIDS and food security. The attributable benefit of the PD approach within a program has not been quantified, but we suspect that it is a catalyst that accelerates change through the processes of community attention getting, awareness raising, problem-solving, motivating for behavior change, advocacy, and actual adopting new behaviors. Program-learners should consider identifying and explicitly attempting to modify the determinants of critical behavior(s), even if the desired outcome is a change in health status that depends on multiple behaviors; measure and maintain program quality, especially at scale; and creatively expand and test additional roles for PD within a given program.
Promotion and Advocacy for Improved Complementary Feeding: Can We Apply the Lessons Learned from Breastfeeding?
Authors: Piwoz Ellen G. , Huffman Sandra L. , Quinn Victoria J.
Published: November 2015

Although many successes have been achieved in promoting breastfeeding, this has not been the case for complementary feeding. Some successes in promoting complementary feeding at the community level have been documented, but few of these efforts have expanded to a larger scale and become sustained. To discover the reasons for this difference, the key factors for the successful promotion of breastfeeding on a large scale were examined and compared with the efforts made in complementary feeding. These factors include definition and rationale, policy support, funding, advocacy, private-sector involvement, availability and use of monitoring data, integration of research into action, and the existence of a well-articulated series of steps for successful implementation. The lessons learned from the promotion of breastfeeding should be applied to complementary feeding, and the new Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding provides an excellent first step in this process.
Timed Activity Studies for Assessing the Energy Expenditure of Women from An Urban Slum in South India
Authors: Sujatha Tetali , Shatrugna Veena , Vidyasagar P. , Begum Nazeema , Padmavathy K. S. , Reddy G. Chenna Krishna , Rao G. V. Narsimha
Published: November 2015

Time-disposition studies are necessary for computing energy requirements of populations. This study captures the rich information on the timed activity pattern of adult women from poor households engaged in home-based work. We studied 34 women beedimakers (cigarette makers), 21 tailors, and 34 homemakers. Data were collected by direct observation of the women's activities on a typical day. Time spent on related activities was pooled and classified as sleep, household work, child care, occupational work, and residual work. These were further categorized on the basis of our published work on the energy cost of women's activities and the World Health Organization (WHO) classification of occupational activities as sedentary, moderate, and heavy. Most of the household activities could be classified as moderate to heavy (> 2.2 times basal metabolic rate [BMR]). Childcare activities were distributed on a scale from sedentary to heavy, whereas occupational activities, such as beedimaking and tailoring, were sedentary (< 2.2 BMR). Homemakers spent significantly more time on moderate to heavy work (p < .05) than beedimakers and tailors. Women working for income spent only four to six hours on occupational work, which was possible because they reduced the time spent on heavy work (i.e., housework), and reduced the time on personal care. Still, more than 80% of women could not put in eight hours of paid work. Thus, women in the home-based sector constantly negotiate among time spent on heavy household work, child care, and occupational work in order to continue in the labor market.