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Micronutrient deficiencies remain common among women and children in Sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA); in pregnant/lactating women, the intakes of essential fatty acids may also be low. Enriching home‐prepared foods with small‐quantity lipid‐based nutrient supplements (SQ‐LNSs) is a promising new strategy of delivering additional micronutrients, essential fatty acids and good quality protein to women and children. This narrative review aimed to examine the impact of SQ‐LNSs supplementation among women and infants and young children in SSA, and to discuss the differential impact of SQ‐LNS consumption across different settings. Papers reporting randomized trials conducted in SSA in which apparently healthy women and/or ≥6‐mo‐old children received SQ‐LNSs were identified through electronic and manual searches. Prenatal SQ‐LNS consumption reduced the prevalence of low gestational weight gain in Ghana when compared with multiple micronutrients supplementation, and was associated with poorer iron/hemoglobin status when compared with iron‐plus‐folic acid supplementation. SQ‐LNSs received alone or as intervention package improved infant/child growth in two trials in Ghana and one trial each in Burkina Faso, Kenya, Zimbabwe and South Africa, but had no impact on growth in two trials in Malawi. SQ‐LNSs supplementation improved motor development in Ghana, Burkina Faso, Malawi, Kenya, and South Africa, but had no impact on language, socio‐emotional, and executive functions in Ghana and Malawi and on Griffiths' developmental scores in Malawi. SQ‐LNSs may contribute to improving child growth in SSA. More research is needed to determine the iron level in SQ‐LNSs effective for improving both maternal hemoglobin/iron status and birth outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an alarming tide of cardiovascular and metabolic disease (CMD) sweeping across Africa. This may be a result of an increasingly urbanized lifestyle characterized by the growing consumption of processed and calorie-dense food, combined with physical inactivity and more sedentary behaviour. While the link between lifestyle and public health has been extensively studied in Caucasian and African American populations, few studies have been conducted in Africa. This paper describes the detailed methods for Phase 1 of the AWI-Gen study that were used to capture phenotype data and assess the associated risk factors and end points for CMD in persons over the age of 40 years in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). We developed a population-based cross-sectional study of disease burden and phenotype in Africans, across six centres in SSA. These centres are in West Africa (Nanoro, Burkina Faso, and Navrongo, Ghana), in East Africa (Nairobi, Kenya) and in South Africa (Agincourt, Dikgale and Soweto). A total of 10,702 individuals between the ages of 40 and 60 years were recruited into the study across the six centres, plus an additional 1021 participants over the age of 60 years from the Agincourt centre. We collected socio-demographic, anthropometric, medical history, diet, physical activity, fat distribution and alcohol/tobacco consumption data from participants. Blood samples were collected for disease-related biomarker assays, and genomic DNA extraction for genome-wide association studies. Urine samples were collected to assess kidney function. The study provides base-line data for the development of a series of cohorts with a second wave of data collection in Phase 2 of the study. These data will provide valuable insights into the genetic and environmental influences on CMD on the African continent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]