bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Community-Led Initiative for Control of Anemia among Children 6 to 35 Months of Age and Unmarried Adolescent Girls in Rural Wardha, India
Authors: Dongre Amol R. , Deshmukh Pradeep R. , Garg Bishan S. 
Published: November 2015

Background Studies in India have reported a high prevalence of nutritional anemia among children and adolescent girls. Nutritional anemia is associated with impaired mental, physical, and cognitive performance in children and is a significant risk factor for maternal mortality. Objective To evaluate the effect of a community-led initiative for control of nutritional anemia among children 6 to 35 months of age and unmarried rural adolescent girls 12 to 19 years of age. Methods This Participatory Action Research was done in 23 villages of the Primary Health Centre, Anji, in Wardha District of Maharashtra. In February and March 2008, needs assessment was undertaken by interviewing the mothers of 261 children and 260 adolescent girls. Hemoglobin levels of adolescent girls and children were measured with the use of the hemoglobin color scale. The girls were given weekly iron—folic acid tablets, and the children were given daily liquid iron prophylaxis for 100 days in a year through community participation. The adolescent girls and the mothers of the children and adolescent girls were also given nutritional education on the benefits and side effects of iron supplementation. In June and July 2008, follow-up assessment was performed by survey and force field analysis. Results There was a significant reduction in the prevalence of nutritional anemia from 73.8% to 54.6% among the adolescent girls and from 78.2% to 64.2% among the children. There was improvement in awareness of iron-rich food items among the adolescent girls and the mothers of the children. The benefits to girls, such as increase in appetite and reduction in scanty menses, tiredness, and weakness, acted as positive factors leading to better compliance with weekly iron supplementation. The benefits to children perceived by the mothers, such as increase in appetite, weight gain, reduction in irritability, and reduction in mud-eating behavior, acted as a dominant positive force and generated demand for iron syrup. Conclusions The community-led initiative for once-weekly iron supplementation for adolescent girls and iron prophylaxis for children, in addition to nutritional education, improved the hemoglobin status of children 6 to 35 months of age and unmarried rural adolescent girls 12 to 19 years of age.
New Benchmarks for Costs and Cost-Efficiency of School-Based Feeding Programs in Food-Insecure Areas
Authors: Gelli Aulo , Cavallero Andrea , Minervini Licia , Mirabile Mariana , Molinas Luca , de la Mothe Marc Regnault 
Published: November 2015

Background School feeding is a popular intervention that has been used to support the education, health and nutrition of school children. Although the benefits of school feeding are well documented, the evidence on the costs of such programs is remarkably thin. Objective Address the need for systematic estimates of the cost of different school feeding modalities, and of the determinants of the considerable cost variation among countries. Methods WFP project data, including expenditures and number of schoolchildren covered, were collected for 78 projects in 62 countries through project reports and validated through WFP Country Office records. Yearly project costs per schoolchild were standardized over a set number of feeding days and the amount of energy provided by the average ration. Output metrics, such as tonnage, calories, and micronutrient content, were used to assess the cost-efficiency of the different delivery mechanisms. Results The standardized yearly average school feeding cost per child, not including school-level costs, was US$48. The yearly costs per child were lowest at US$23 for biscuit programs reaching school-going children and highest at US$75 for take-home rations programs reaching families of schoolgoing children. The average cost of programs combining on-site meals with extra take-home rations for children from vulnerable households was US$61. Commodity costs were on average 58% of total costs and were highest for biscuit and take-home rations programs (71% and 68%, respectively). Fortified biscuits provided the most cost-efficient option in terms of micronutrient delivery, whereas take-home rations were more cost-efficient in terms of food quantities delivered. Conclusions Both costs and effects should be considered carefully when designing school feeding interventions. The average costs of school feeding estimated here are higher than those found in earlier studies but fall within the range of costs previously reported. Because this analysis does not include school-level costs, these findings highlight the higher nontransfer costs for programs delivering cooked meals in schools than for other school feeding modalities. The benchmarks presented here reflect the centralized WFP implementation model, which is not always relevant in terms of government school feeding programs, particularly those procuring within national boundaries using “home-grown” approaches.
Bioavailability of Micronutrients: Stable Isotope Techniques to Develop Effective Food-Based Strategies to Combat Micronutrient Deficiencies
Authors: Davidsson Lena , Haskell Marjorie 
Published: November 2015

Background The prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies, in particular those of iron, vitamin A, iodine, and zinc, is unacceptably high, especially among infants, children, and women of childbearing age in developing countries. Effective food-based strategies to combat these public health problems are therefore urgently needed. Objective As only a fraction of dietary iron, zinc, and provitamin A carotenoids is absorbed and utilized, i.e., bioavailable, access to information on micronutrient bioavailability is crucial in the development of food fortification strategies and interventions based on dietary diversification. Methods Review of literature Results and conclusions This overview highlights the usefulness of stable isotope techniques to assess the bioavailability of nonheme iron and provitamin A carotenoids and the importance of generating data on micro-nutrient bioavailability to move the agenda forward.
Response of Urinary Biomarkers of Systemic Oxidation to Oral Iron Supplementation in Healthy Men
Authors: Orozco Monica N. , Solomons Noel W. , Schümann Klaus , Friel James K. 
Published: November 2015

Background Urinary biomarkers are used in assessment of severe, clinical oxidative stress. Little is known, however, about their diagnostic value within the normative range. Objective To evaluate the response of urinary thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) as indicators of systemic oxidation in response to short-term oral iron and antioxidant supplementation. Methods Five healthy adult men participated in the pilot study phase and 12 in the definitive intervention trial. For 7 days each, separated by 12-day washouts, the subjects received different treatment regimens, consisting of 120 mg of iron, 120 mg of iron in refined palm oil, and 120 mg of iron in palm oil combined with one of the two doses of Carotino® Tocotrienol Carotene Mixed Concentrate (CTCMC). Creatinine-normalized urinary TBARS and 8-OHdG concentrations were quantified in samples taken from subjects with and without active supplementation. Temporal and correlative associations between TBARS and 8-OHdG were explored. Results Daily intake of supplemental iron failed to produce any increment in urinary excretion of TBARS or 8-OHdG. However, a significant within-individual correlation between the urinary biomarkers was observed (Spearman r = 0.697, p < .0001, n = 466). Both doses of CTCMC significantly lowered urinary excretion of both oxidation indicators. Conclusions Despite the lack of effect of oral iron on the biomarkers of systemic oxidation, they show a strong and significant mutual association within the nonpathological range of oxidative stress in healthy male adults.
Estimating Micronutrient Intakes from Household Consumption and Expenditures Surveys (HCES): An Example from Bangladesh
Authors: Bermudez Odilia I. , Lividini Keith , Smitz Marc-Francois , Fiedler John L. 
Published: November 2015

Background Globally, there is a scarcity of national food consumption data that could help to assess food patterns and nutrient intakes of population groups. Estimates of food consumption patterns and apparent intakes of energy and nutrients could be obtained from national Household Consumption and Expenditures Surveys (HCES). Objective To use the HCES conducted in Bangladesh in 2005 (HIES2005) to estimate apparent intakes of vitamin A, iron, and zinc. Methods Food acquisition data from HIES2005, which surveyed 10,080 households, were transformed into standard measurement units. Intrahousehold food and nutrient distribution was estimated with Adult Male Equivalent (AME) units. Adequacy of intake was assessed by comparing individual nutrient intakes with requirements and was then aggregated by households. Results The weighted mean energy intake for the population was 2,151 kcal/person/day, with a range among divisions from 1,950 in Barisal to 2,195 in Dhaka division. The apparent intakes of vitamin A and iron were insufficient to satisfy the recommended intakes for more than 80% of the population in Bangladesh, while apparent intakes of zinc, adjusted by bioavailability, satisfied the requirements of approximately 60% of the population. Conclusions Using the HIES2005, we were able to produce estimates of apparent food consumption and intakes of some key micronutrients for the Bangladeshi population and observed wide differences among divisions. However, the methodological approaches reported here, although feasible and promising, need to be validated with other dietary intake methods.
Effects of Boiling and Frying on the Bioaccessibility of β-Carotene in Yellow-Fleshed Cassava Roots (Manihot Esculenta Crantz cv. BRS Jari)
Authors: Gomes Suellen , Torres Alexandre Guedes , Godoy Ronoel , Pacheco Sidney , Carvalho José , Nutti Marília 
Published: November 2015

Background The effects of boiling and frying on the bioaccessibility of all- trans-β-carotene in biofortified BRS Jari cassava roots have not been investigated, although these are conventional methods of cassava preparation. Objective The aims of the present study were to investigate β-carotene micellarization efficiency of yellow-fleshed BRS Jari cassava roots after boiling and frying, as an indicator of the bioaccessibility of this carotenoid, and to apply fluorescence microscopy to investigate β-carotene in the emulsified fraction. Methods Uncooked, boiled, and fried cassava roots were digested in vitro for the evaluation, by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), of the efficiency of micellarization of all- trans-β-carotene in BRS Jari cassava roots. Fluorescence microscopy of the micellar fraction was used to confirm the presence of β-carotene in the emulsified fraction and to observe the structure of the microemulsion from the boiled and fried cassava samples. Results Fried cassava roots showed the highest ( p < .05) micellarization efficiency for total carotenoids and all-trans-β-carotene (14.1 ± 2.25% and 14.37 ± 2.44%, respectively), compared with boiled and raw samples. Fluorescence microscopy showed that after in vitro digestion there were no carotenoid crystals in the micellar fraction, but rather that this fraction presented a biphasic system compatible with emulsified carotenoids, which was consistent with the expected high bioavailability of β-carotene in this fraction. Conclusions Increased emulsification and bioaccessibility of β-carotene from fried biofortified BRS Jari cassava roots compensates for chemical losses during preparation, indicating that this preparation is suitable for home use of BRS Jari cassava roots and might represent a relatively good food source of bioavailable provitamin A.
Effects of Breastfeeding on Weight Loss and Recovery of Pregestational Weight in Adolescent and Adult Mothers
Authors: Sámano Reyna , Martínez-Rojano Hugo , Martínez Estela Godínez , Jiménez Bernarda Sánchez , Rodríguez Gilda Paulina Villeda , Zamora Julieta Pérez , Casanueva Esther 
Published: November 2015

Background Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) in adolescent mothers has been associated with greater postpartum maternal weight loss. Objective To assess the associations between EBF and weight loss in adolescent and adult mothers and between EBF and weight and length gain of their children. Methods A cohort of 68 adolescent mothers (15 to 19 years), 64 adult mothers (20 to 29 years), and their infants were studied. Anthropometric measurements were performed at 15, 90, 180, and 365 days postpartum in the mothers and children. EBF was defined as consumption of human milk without supplementation of any type (water, juice, nonhuman milk, or food) for 4 months. Results Sixty-five percent of mothers sustained EBF for 4 months. There were no significant differences in the weight or length of the infants of adolescent and adult mothers at 365 days postpartum. Among infants of adult mothers, there was a significant difference between the weight gain of those were exclusively breastfed and those who were not exclusively breastfed (6,498 ± 1,060 vs 6,096 ± 1,035 g, p < .050) at 365 days postpartum, according to the parameters for weight gain and length established by the World Health Organization (WHO). Among both adult and adolescent mothers, those who practiced EBF lost more weight than those who did not practice EBF (–2.9 kg, 95% interquartile range, −5.7 to 0.8 kg, vs −1.8 kg, 95% interquartile range −2.8 to 2.2 kg; p = .004). Gestational weight gain, duration of EBF, and recovery menstruation explained 21% of the variance ( F = 28.184, p = .001) in change in postpartum maternal weight (in kilograms) from 0 to 365 days postpartum in all mothers. Pregestational weight, duration of EBF, and maternal age were factors that explained 14% ( F = 22.759, p = .001) of the change in the weight and length of the infants from 0 to 365 days of life. Conclusions EBF in adolescent and adult mothers influences postpartum weight loss and provides adequate infant growth in accordance with the WHO 2006 standards.
Control of Iodine-Deficiency Disorders following Universal Salt Iodization in Shenzhen, China, 1997–2011
Authors: Huang Wei , Peng Chaoqiong , Huang Haixiong , Zhang Jinzhou , Liu Jianping , Mao Lisha , Luo Ruorong , Xiao Yunjun 
Published: November 2015

Background Since universal salt iodization (USI) was implemented in Shenzhen, China, in 1996, evaluation of the time trend of USI to indicate the control of iodine-deficiency disorders has not been performed. Objective To assess the time trend of median urinary iodine and total goiter rates from 1997 to 2011. Methods Probability-proportionate-to-size sampling was employed in the surveillance of iodine-deficiency disorders, for which schoolchildren aged 8 to 10 years were randomly selected from five districts of the city during each iodine-deficiency disorders survey. Urinary iodine content and thyroid size were measured by ammonium persulfate oxidation and B ultrasound, respectively. Results The coverage of iodized salt increased from 73.2% in 1997 to more than 90% in 2011. The median urinary iodine of children aged 8 to 10 years varied between 207.1 and 278.8 μg/L; these levels were above the urinary iodine level in 1995. The proportion of urine samples with iodine content above 300 μg/L was 45.6% in 1997 and decreased to 20.8% in 2011, indicating excessive consumption of iodine by the children. The goiter rate among children dropped from 10.8% in 1997 to 1.3% in 2011; both values were lower than the goiter rate in 1995, indicating that the spread of endemic goiter was under control. Conclusions Preliminary elimination of iodine-deficiency disorders was achieved by USI in Shenzhen. Nevertheless, some problems still existed, such as over-iodization. To clarify the causes of excessive urinary iodine content, the various sources of iodine from the diet need to be investigated in the future.
Agriculture for Improved Nutrition: The Current Research Landscape
Authors: Turner Rachel , Hawkes Corinna , Waage Jeff , Ferguson Elaine , Haseen Farhana , Homans Hilary , Hussein Julia , Johnston Deborah , Marais Debbi , McNeill Geraldine , Shankar Bhavani 
Published: November 2015

Background Concern about food security and its effect on persistent undernutrition has increased interest in how agriculture could be used to improve nutritional outcomes in developing countries. Yet the evidence base for the impact of agricultural interventions targeted at improved nutrition is currently poor. Objective To map the extent and nature of current and planned research on agriculture for improved nutrition in order to identify gaps where more research might be useful. Methods The research, which was conducted from April to August 2012, involved developing a conceptual framework linking agriculture and nutrition, identifying relevant research projects and programs, devising and populating a “template” with details of the research projects in relation to the conceptual framework, classifying the projects, and conducting a gap analysis. Results The study identified a large number of research projects covering a broad range of themes and topics. There was a strong geographic focus on sub-Saharan Africa, and many studies were explicitly concerned with nutritional impacts on women and children. Although the study revealed a diverse and growing body of research, it also identified research gaps. Few projects consider the entire evidence chain linking agricultural input or practice to nutritional outcomes. There is comparatively little current research on indirect effects of agriculture on nutrition, or the effect of policies or governance, rather than technical interventions. Most research is focused on undernutrition and small farmer households, and few studies target consumers generally, urban populations, or nutrition-related non-communicable diseases. There is very little work on the cost-effectiveness of agricultural interventions. Conclusions On the basis of these findings, we make suggestions for research investment and for broader engagement of researchers and disciplines in developing approaches to design and evaluate agricultural programs for improved nutrition.
Predictors of Anemia among Haitian Children Aged 6 to 59 Months and Women of Childbearing Age and Their Implications for Programming
Authors: Heidkamp Rebecca A. , Ngnie-Teta Ismael , Ayoya Mohamed Ag , Stoltzfus Rebecca J. , Mamadoultaibou Aissa , Durandisse Emmanuela Blain , Pierre Joseline Marhone 
Published: November 2015

Background The Haitian National Nutrition Policy prioritizes prevention and treatment of anemia among mothers and young children, but there are few available data to support planning for scale-up of anemia interventions. Objective To describe the prevalence and predictors of anemia among Haitian women (15 to 49 years) and children (6 to 59 months) and to draw implications for national nutrition programming. Methods Descriptive and univariate analyses and multivariate logistic regression models were performed using data from the nationally representative Haitian Demographic Health Survey 2005/06. Results The prevalence of mild (hemoglobin 11.0 to 11.9 g/dL), moderate (hemoglobin 8.0 to 10.9 g/dL), and severe (hemoglobin < 8.0 g/dL) anemia was 19.2%, 21.7%, and 4.4%, respectively, among women aged 15 to 49 years and 22.9%, 33.9%. and 2.2% among children aged 6 to 59 months. Unexpectedly, anemia was more prevalent in urban women (54.4 %) and children (65.1%) than in rural women (43.1%, p < .001) and children (55.7%, p = .004). In multivariate regression models, factors associated with anemia among urban women (birth spacing, p = .027; overweight BMI, p < .001; education level, p = .022) were different from those in rural women (wealth quintile, p < .05; employment, p = .003). Anemia in urban and rural children aged 6 to 59 months increased with child age ( p < .05) and maternal anemia status ( p = .004; p < .001). Female sex ( p = .007) and maternal overweight ( p = .009) were associated with reduced risk of anemia in rural children only. Conclusions Anemia among Haitian young children and women of childbearing age is a severe public health problem. The findings suggest the need for context-specific rural and urban strategies, reinforcement of anemia prevention in health services reaching women of childbearing age, and targeted interventions for young children.
Cost of the Diet (CoD) Tool: First Results from Indonesia and Applications for Policy Discussion on Food and Nutrition Security
Authors: Baldi Giulia , Martini Elviyanti , Catharina Maria , Muslimatun Siti , Fahmida Umi , Jahari Abas Basuni , Hardinsyah  , Frega Romeo , Geniez Perrine , Grede Nils , Minarto  , Bloem Martin W. , de Pee Saskia 
Published: November 2015

Background The Minimum Cost of a Nutritious Diet (MCNut) is the cost of a theoretical diet satisfying all nutrient requirements of a family at the lowest possible cost, based on availability, price, and nutrient content of local foods. A comparison with household expenditure shows the proportion of households that would be able to afford a nutritious diet. Objective To explore using the Cost of Diet (CoD) tool for policy dialogue on food and nutrition security in Indonesia. Methods From October 2011 to June 2012, market surveys collected data on food commodity availability and pricing in four provinces. Household composition and expenditure data were obtained from secondary data (SUSENAS 2010). Focus group discussions were conducted to better understand food consumption practices. Different types of fortified foods and distribution mechanisms were also modeled. Results Stark differences were found among the four areas: in Timor Tengah Selatan, only 25% of households could afford to meet the nutrient requirements, whereas in urban Surabaya, 80% could. The prevalence rates of underweight and stunting among children under 5 years of age in the four areas were inversely correlated with the proportion of households that could afford a nutritious diet. The highest reduction in the cost of the child's diet was achieved by modeling provision of fortified blended food through Social Safety Nets. Rice fortification, subsidized or at commercial price, can greatly improve nutrient affordability for households. Conclusions The CoD analysis is a useful entry point for discussions on constraints on achieving adequate nutrition in different areas and on possible ways to improve nutrition, including the use of special foods and different distribution strategies.