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Background: From conception to 6 months of age, an infant is entirely dependent for its nutrition on the mother: via the placenta and then ideally via exclusive breastfeeding. This period of 15 months - about 500 days - is the most important and vulnerable in a child's life: it must be protected through policies supporting maternal nutrition and health. Those addressing nutritional status are discussed here. Objective and design: This paper aims to summarize research on policies and programs to protect women's nutrition in order to improve birth outcomes in low- and middle-income countries, based on studies of efficacy from the literature, and on effectiveness, globally and in selected countries involving in-depth data collection in communities in Ethiopia, India and Northern Nigeria. Results of this research have been published in the academic literature (more than 30 papers). The conclusions now need to be advocated to policy-makers. Results: The priority problems addressed are: intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), women's anemia, thinness, and stunting. The priority interventions that need to be widely expanded for women before and during pregnancy, are: supplementation with iron-folic acid or multiple micronutrients; expanding coverage of iodine fortification of salt particularly to remote areas and the poorest populations; targeted provision of balanced protein energy supplements when significant resources are available; reducing teenage pregnancies; increasing interpregnancy intervals through family planning programs; and building on conditional cash transfer programs, both to provide resources and as a platform for public education. All these have known efficacy but are of inadequate coverage and resourcing. The next steps are to overcome barriers to wide implementation, without which targets for maternal and child health and nutrition (e.g. by WHO) are unlikely to be met, especially in the poorest countries. Conclusions: This agenda requires policy decisions both at Ministry and donor levels, and throughout the administrative system. Evidence-based interventions are established as a basis for these decisions, there are clear advocacy messages, and there are no scientific reasons for delay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study conducts a comparative assessment of two dumpsites (abandoned and active dumpsite) around Osogbo metropolis Osun State Nigeria. Ten selected heavy metals (HMs) such as arsenic, copper, cobalt, cadmium, chromium, iron, nickel, manganese, lead and zinc were determined. The soil samples were collected, at strategic points to revealed variation in samples. The concentrations of HMs were quantitatively determined using atomic absorption spectroscopy. The results indicated that all the HMs determined were found between below detection limit (bdl) to 0.611 mg/kg and bdl –0.880 mg/kg for abandoned and active dumpsites, respectively. The concentration factor and geo-accumulation intensity revealed no contamination to strong contamination and from uncontaminated to strong contamination intensity, respectively. The concentrations for some of the HMs were below the tolerable recommendation level by National Environmental Standards and Regulation Enforcement Agency and Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization in soil samples. This study recommends periodic monitoring and that possible decontamination of the dumpsite are crucial because these dumpsites were currently in use for crops cultivation such as maize, vegetable bananas, and some other arable plants. Also, HM concentrations in crops should be investigated and monitored at these dumpsites regularly in order to avert detrimental effects of HM pollution, which could manifest many years after exposure, as they are recalcitrant in the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the micronutrient composition of fresh and boiled traditional green leafy vegetables (TGLVs). Design: Sixteen TGLVs categorised into cultivated and uncultivated vegetables were analysed for vitamin C (ascorbic acid [AA] and dehydroascorbate [DHAA]), β-carotene, lutein and minerals. Results: Basella alba had the highest AA (72 mg/100 g) content; Vernonia amygdalina (unwashed), had the highest β-carotene and lutein concentrations (14.1 and 29.0 mg/100 g, respectively); Amaranthus hybridus had the highest AA (43 mg/100 g) and β-carotene (9.3 mg/100 g) content, for cultivated sp. Celosia argentea had the highest Fe content; Zn content of all the vegetables was low, 0.4–2.6 mg/100 g. Cooking resulted in significant losses in AA content in all the samples, 19% in B. alba to 100% in Crassocephalum crepidioides. Carotenoid losses were observed in 10 samples and six samples had increased values of β-carotene (12% to 183%) and lutein (64% to double). Conclusion: Traditional green leafy vegetables studied were found to be rich in the micronutrients of interest, especially in carotenoids. Boiling of leafy vegetables, as traditionally done, led to considerable losses of the micronutrients. The micronutrient content of uncultivated leafy vegetables compared well with commonly cultivated species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the consumption pattern of selected households consuming traditional green leafy vegetables (TGLVs) during three seasons and potential contribution to recommended nutrient intakes. Design: Repeated household survey using food frequency questionnaire to obtain consumption pattern of selected TGLVs. Setting and Subjects: Selected households in a small rural farming community: pre-rainy (n = 43), rainy (n = 36) and post-rainy seasons (n = 40). Results:Corchorus olitorius and A. hybridus were the most consumed by > 70% of households across three seasons. A. esculentus and A. viridis were the least consumed TGLVs through all the seasons. Uncultivated and cultivated TGLVs could contribute between 26–> 100% and 18–96%, respectively, of recommended intake for vitamin A for children and women. For young children, both the cultivated and uncultivated TGLVs could contribute more than 50% of their RDA for iron. Conclusion: seasonal availability, and preference for certain species, determine the consumption pattern of the TGLVs studied. Uncultivated and less utilised vegetables have the potential to make significant contributions to the micronutrient requirements of women and children, especially vitamin A and iron if frequently used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The physico-chemical characteristics of upper Ebonyi River, Nigeria were assessed at four locations, from September 2014 to December 2014, using standard methods, thereby providing information for documentation and the determination of pollution status in comparison with World Health Standards. Parameters, such as colour, calcium, pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), alkalinity, chloride, dissolved oxygen (DO), silica, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5), phosphate, nitrate, potassium and lead did not significantly differ (p < 0.05) between the locations. However, water temperature, depth, flow rate, transparency and iron differed significantly. Ambient temperature, water temperature, colour, pH, TDS, transparency, alkalinity, chloride, calcium, DO, silica, iron, BOD5, phosphate, nitrate, potassium and lead differed significantly with time (months), whereas depth and flow rate showed no significant difference. The Water Quality Index showed a medium range. The river was moderately polluted (using BOD5 level as a pollution index: BOD5 = 2.06 ± 0.92 mg l-1), shallow (41.66 ± 9.80 cm), highly transparent (26.22 ± 4.06 cm), slightly acidic (pH 6.8 ± 0.29), free of mercury, whereas phosphate (11.72 ± 2.45 mg l−1), iron (0.44 ± 0.13 mg l−1) and lead (0.09 ± 0.03 mg l−1) levels were above Word Health Standards for drinking water quality requirements. Water from the river should be used with caution for domestic and bathing purposes, because high lead consumption might cause saturnism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a dearth of data on the consumer product concentrations of iron, lead, and nickel for accurate comparison to be made. The levels of these elements were determined in 85 samples of six different classes of personal care products commonly used in Nigeria using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The results of the analysis showed that the range of the mean concentrations of Fe was 0.485-1.108 ppm, Pb ND-0.163 ppm, and Ni ND-0.160 ppm. The analytical data have demonstrated that the selected consumer products are possible sources of iron, lead, and nickel exposure. Users can be exposed to these metals directly through dermal contact or inhalation. The regulations relating to cosmetic products give no limit values for heavy metals in cosmetic products, hence, it was difficult to establish if the values obtained in this study are safe or not. Prolonged use of soaps, creams, and detergent containing these elements may pose threat to human health and the environment. This could be responsible for various skin diseases such as allergic skin, follicular and pigmentary disorders, which are common among the users (exposed groups) of these products in Nigeria. A body of evidence has presented a rare example of systemic allergic dermatitis caused by topical application of a mercury-containing cosmetic to the upper lip of a 32-year-old Turkish patient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]