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Introduction: The consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPF) has increased over the past few decades. However, few studies have investigated the association between UPF consumption and cardiometabolic risk factors in adolescents from developing countries. Objective: To evaluate the association between UPF consumption and cardiometabolic risk factors in Brazilian adolescents. Methods: This study included students aged 12–17 years who participated in the ERICA. Food consumption was assessed using a 24-h food recall, and the foods were classified based on their degree of processing, utilizing the NOVA classification. Participants' blood samples were collected after an overnight fast and exams were performed (triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL-c, LDL-c, fasting glucose, insulin, and HbA1c). Overweight/obesity and blood pressure were also investigated. Associations were evaluated using Poisson regression models. Results: The analysis included a total of 36,952 adolescents. The energy consumption from UPF was 30.7% (95%CI: 29.7–31.6) per day. Adolescents with high UPF consumption, defined as the top tertile (≥38.7% per day), were observed to have higher intake of sodium, saturated and trans-fat, while having lower intake of proteins, fibers, polyunsaturated fats, vitamins and minerals. After adjusting for potential confounders, it was observed that higher UPF consumption was directly associated with high LDL-c (PR = 1.012; 95%CI: 1.005–1.029) and inversely with low HDL-c (PR = 0.972; 95%CI: 0.952–0.993). No associations were found between UPF consumption and other cardiometabolic risk factors. Conclusion: Brazilian adolescents have presented a high consumption of UPF, which is associated to poor diet quality and can contribute to elevated LDL-c levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A number of approaches have been initiated by governmental and public health organizations in different countries to reduce trans-fatty acid (TFA) intakes. These have included nutrition recommendations with regard to TFAs and general nutrition recommendations regarding the selection of healthy fats, programmes to raise awareness about the adverse effects of TFAs through nutrition and health claims, voluntary or mandatory labelling of the trans content of foods, voluntary or legislated programmes to encourage or force industry to reformulate food products to remove TFAs, the promotion of health and agricultural policies that encourage the production of healthy alternatives to trans fat and finally, mandatory regulation of food standards to remove or reduce the TFA content. This paper reviews a number of initiatives to reduce the intake of TFAs underway in selected industrialized and developing countries, which serves to illustrate the merits and limitations of the available options and how the approaches that have been taken reflect local conditions.European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2009) 63, S50–S67; doi:10.1038/ejcn.2009.14 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective:To compare the odds of anaemia in overweight and obese (OVWT) (body mass index (BMI)25) versus non-overweight (non-OVWT) (BMI<25) women in three countries at different stages of the nutrition transition.Design:Analysis of cross-sectional data.Setting:Nationally representative data from Mexico (1998 National Nutrition Survey), Peru and Egypt (2000 Demographic and Health Surveys) were analyzed.Subjects:Data from non-pregnant women ages 18–49 years were used.Analysis:Logistic regression was used to test whether the odds of anaemia differed by BMI category, controlling for sociodemographic factors.Results:More than half of the women were OVWT in all three countries and the prevalence of OVWT reached 77% in Egypt. Anaemia prevalence was similar across countries (28, 31 and 23% in Egypt, Peru and Mexico respectively). In Egypt, OVWT women had significantly lower odds of anaemia than non-OVWT women (OR=0.78, 95% CI: 0.68, 0.90). Similar results were found in Peru, but the difference was smaller in magnitude (OR=0.83, 95% CI: 0.71, 0.96). In Mexico, there were no differences in the odds of anaemia by BMI group.Conclusions:These findings show that the iron needs of OVWT women in developing countries are not necessarily being met. The intakes of other micronutrients might also be insufficient. Diet quality remains an important issue even among women with sufficient energy intakes.European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2008) 62, 238–246; doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602727; published online 21 March 2007 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine trends and projections of underweight (Body Mass Index, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2) and overweight (BMI ≥ 25.0 kg/m2) in women of reproductive age in 55 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).Methods: We used data from 2,337,855 women aged 15-49 years from nationally representative Demographic and Health Survey conducted between 1990 and 2018. Bayesian linear regression analyses were performed.Results: During 1990-2018, the prevalence of underweight decreased in 35 countries and overweight increased in 50 countries. The highest underweight increase was in Morocco (5.5%) and overweight in Nepal (12.4%). In 2030, >20% of women in eight LMICs will be underweight, with Madagascar (36.8%), Senegal (32.2%), and Burundi (29.2%) projected to experience the highest burden of underweight. Whereas >50% of women in 22 LMICs are projected to be overweight, with Egypt (94.7%), Jordan (75.0%), and Pakistan (74.1%) projected to have the highest burden of overweight. 24 LMICs are projected to experience the double burden of malnutrition (both underweight and overweight >20%) in 2030. Noticeable variations in underweight and overweight were observed across wealth, residence, education, and age of women, with a higher rate of overweight in high-income, high-education, and urban women. These inequalities have widened in many countries and are projected to continue. The probability of eradicating overweight and underweight is nearly 0% for all countries by 2030, except Egypt is on track to eradicate underweight.Conclusions: Although the prevalence of underweight declined, this decline has been superseded by the dramatic increase of overweight. None of the 55 LMICs is likely to eradicate malnutrition in women by 2030. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objectives:Adverse developmental consequences of low-birth-weight (LBW) infants have been frequently reported from developed countries where most of them are preterm. Few reports are available from developing countries, where the problem is huge and newborns are mostly term babies. We aimed to compare mental and psychomotor development and behavior of LBW Bangladeshi infants with those of normal-birth-weight (NBW) infants.Subject/Methods:Secondary data analyses from a randomized controlled trial of fish oil supplementation during pregnancy on infants' development at 10 month. There was no effect of supplementation on infants' development. All LBW (n=66) and NBW (n=183) infants were assessed for their mental development index (MDI), psychomotor development index (PDI), behavior and quality of psychosocial stimulation received at home. Socioeconomic information and anthropometric measurements were available, and bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed to examine group differences.Results:LBW infants scored significantly lower than NBW infants on MDI, PDI, activity and emotional tone. They came from comparatively poorer families and had lower gestational age than the NBW infants. After controlling for possible confounders, the NBW infants had significantly higher MDI (B=2.7, s.e.=1.1, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.6-4.8), PDI (B=3.5, s.e.=1.3, 95% CI: 1.0-6.0) and activity (B=0.5, s.e.=0.2, 95% CI: 0.1-0.9) scores. Furthermore, in a subgroup analyses, a consistent pattern of developmental delay was also noted in favor of term-LBW infants.Conclusions:In a poor-urban Bangladeshi community, LBW infants had significantly lower mental and psychomotor developments and were less active than NBW infants at 10 months of age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:The most common method of combating iron deficiency is iron fortification, especially in developing countries. However, few studies have shown a significant effect on iron status following iron fortification of low bioavailability diets.Objective:To investigate how iron fortification and dietary modifications affect iron absorption and rates of changes in iron stores.Methods:Research has made it possible to predict both iron absorption and the effects of iron fortification and diet modifications on iron stores using recently developed algorithms. Iron absorption and rate of change in iron stores were calculated from nine diets representing a broad range of iron bioavailability and iron contents. The calculations were related to the main target group for iron fortification, that is, women of reproductive age having empty stores but normal haemoglobin concentrations.Results:As the only measure, iron fortification has practically no effect on iron status if the original diet has low bioavailability. However, after dietary modifications such a diet shows a positive effect on iron stores. The combined action of fortification (6 mg/day) and modest bioavailability changes in a low bioavailability diet results approximately in 40 and 70% greater increases in iron stores than through iron fortification or dietary modification alone.Conclusions:It is difficult to achieve good effects on iron status from iron fortification as the only measure if the diet has low bioavailability. Both dietary modifications as well as iron fortification are required to improve effectively the iron status of a population.European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2008) 62, 761–769; doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602776; published online 30 May 2007 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective:The objective of this study was to assess total energy expenditure (TEE), resting metabolic rate (RMR) and physical activity level (PAL), and to estimate energy requirements (ERs) in free-living elderly subjects from Cuba, Chile and Mexico.Design:Cross-sectional study designed to estimate ERs.Setting:Rural regions of Cuba, Chile and Mexico.Subjects:Forty subjects >60 years old were selected to participate in this study.Interventions:A dose of doubly labeled water (DLW) was administered and urine samples were collected in the following 12–14 days. From the isotopic analysis, TEE was derived. RMR was measured by indirect calorimetry.Results:TEE in Chilean (8.8±1.6 MJ/day) and Cuban (8.3±1.3 MJ/day) elderly was not different, and was higher for the Mexican group (9.5±1.5 MJ/day) (P<0.0001). RMR was not different between countries. PAL and activity energy expenditure (AEE) were only different between Chile and Mexico (P<0.002). For the three regions, overall PALs were 1.70±0.16 for male and 1.62±0.13 for female subjects (P<0.02), and AEE was 3.05±0.66 and 2.27±0.66 MJ/day for male and female subjects, respectively (P<0.001). Predictive equations (MJ/day) were RMR=1.6447+0.05714 × weight (kg)+0.449 sex (male=1; female=0) (R 2=0.75; SEE=0.479) and TEE=3.414+0.0795 × weight (kg)+1.227 × sex (male=1; female=0) (R 2=0.75; SEE=0.668).Conclusions:There were differences in TEE and PAL owing to sex and region. The average PAL in men was higher than the PAL reported either with factorial approach or with the DLW method in elderly. Predictive ER equations based on RMR and TEE gave very similar results to calculations from the 2004 FAO/WHO/UNU report.Sponsorships:The study was funded by CONACYT, Mexico (25728-M).European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2006) 60, 1258–1265. doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602446; published online 24 May 2006 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives:The objective of this study is to analyze the relationships between undernutrition prevalence rates among children and adults, both at the level of countries and at the level of smaller geographical subunits within countries (districts, provinces). Results are considered of relevance for evaluation and proper usage of anthropometric information in poverty and food security assessment.Design:Anthropometric information on both children and adults, as reported in the Demographic and Health Surveys, has been the primary source of data. In addition, data published by WHO, FAO, and data from some country specific reports have been used. The final analysis is based on data from 289 subnational geographical units divided over 56 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Ordinary least squares has been used for regression analysis and F-tests for testing differences of variances.Results:At the level of countries, results reveal a strong positive relationship between undernutrition prevalence rates among children and adults. At the level of smaller geographical units, high levels of undernutrition in adult women are almost invariably associated with high levels of undernutrition in children. At the same time, however, low or intermediate levels of undernutrition among adult women are no guarantee that undernutrition levels among children are also low or moderate.Conclusion:At the level of countries, information on undernutrition prevalence in children can be considered a proximate of the overall nutritional and food security conditions in a country. At the level of smaller geographical units, relationships are less straightforward, and are hypothesized to depend, at least partially, on the relative importance of food and nonfood factors in the causation of undernutrition.European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2005) 59, 1112–1120. doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602220; published online 6 July 2005 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a study which looked at influence of body mass index on the standard of living in developing countries. Detailed information on the methodology used to conduct the study; Discussion based on the results of the study.

Reviews how agricultural systems might be changed to increase the vitamin A density of diets in developing countries in relation to the provision of sustainable solutions to vitamin A deficiency worldwide. Information on these food based interventions; Discussion on pro-vitamin A carotenoids in relation to this topic; Results from this review.

Presents a study on combatting malnutrition in developing countries. Objectives of this study; Discussion on the role of plants in the combat of malnutrition; Examines the issue of processing carotene-rich foods in relation to this topic; Results from this study.

Discusses various approaches to improving iron nutrition with reference to iron deficiency disease mainly in infants, children and women of childbearing age in the developing countries. Information on the success of in controlling iron deficiency worldwide; Percentages of women and children affected by iron deficiency; What is iron deficiency; Information on the various approaches.