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Background: The objective was to develop a standardised education manual for healthcare professionals in South Africa on the nutritional management of diabetes mellitus. Method: The manual was developed using seven steps: needs assessment and problem definition, a literature search, the first draft of the manual, peer review, the second draft of the manual, expert panel evaluation and the final manual. Results: Following the literature search, the first draft of the manual was developed and sent for peer review and language editing. Recommended changes were made and the second draft was developed and sent to 77 dietitians, of whom the majority were satisfied with the content, which led to the final manual. Conclusion: A diabetes mellitus nutritional management manual for healthcare professionals in South Africa was developed using a systematic approach using peer review and expert panels. The next step will be to evaluate its impact on the knowledge of healthcare professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Thickened infant formula is widely used as a first-line treatment for gastro-oesophageal reflux (GOR) in infants. The use thereof remains controversial, and conflicting evidence exists with regards to its efficiency. The safety of anti-reflux formula has been proven, with only a few adverse effects reported, making it safe for infants with mild symptoms of reflux. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All infant formulas must support the normal growth and development of infants, and this needs to be scientifically demonstrated. Formulas have to contain sufficient amounts of basic nutrients, and so are nutritionally interchangeable, with no evidence indicating that one brand is superior to another.1,2 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gastrointestinal flora influences health, but the composition of flora can be changed with prebiotics or probiotics. The addition of probiotics to powdered infant formula has not been demonstrated to be harmful to healthy term infants. However, evidence of clinical efficacy regarding their addition is insufficient to recommend the routine use of such formula. The administration of probiotic (single or in combination) supplementation in infant or follow-on formula, and given beyond early infancy, may be associated with some clinical benefits, such as a reduction in the risk of nonspecific gastrointestinal infections, a reduced risk of antibiotic use and a lower frequency of colic and irritability. Confirmatory well-designed clinical research studies are necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]