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Background: To combat Iron deficiency anemia, an innovative pilot project, anemia prevention among adolescent girls and lactating mothers through nonpharmacological measures has been started at few places in Gujarat. To evaluate the acceptability of intervention kits provided to the beneficiaries. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study design where 182 beneficiaries were randomly selected for interview from 12 randomly selected Anganwadi centers of intervention taluka of Junagadh district. Results: Information Education and Communication (IEC) material though available was unread by majority of beneficiaries. Iron utensils were used by 65% of beneficiaries for cooking. Only few beneficiaries (7%) daily use the provided moringa powder. Only half of the beneficiaries (53%) had grown some of the crops from the kitchen garden kit provided and knowledge of beneficiaries regarding iron-rich food was satisfactory in less than one-fifth (19%) of them. Conclusion: Study results concluded that providing nonpharmacological material is of little use until beneficiaries were properly guided and motivated by regular follow-up visits and addressing their problems; otherwise, it just stands as a mere matter of rock only. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fortification of rice with micronutrients using extrusion technology is considered a sustainable strategy to prevent nutritional deficiencies in general population. The objective of the present study is to assess the retention, stability and iron bioavailability from indigenously developed triple fortified rice (iron, folic acid and vitamin B12) during rinsing and different cooking methods. Further, we also assessed the acceptability of fortified rice in adult human volunteers. The retention of iron during rinsing with excess water was ≥90%, whereas folic acid and vitamin B12 levels were reduced by ~25% during rinsing. Watertight cooking of rice (in electric cooker or on flame) had no additional effect on the nutrient levels as compared with rinsed rice, implying their stability during cooking. However, cooking with excess water followed by decanting led to loss of 45% iron and ≥70% folic acid and vitamin B12. The dialyzable iron and ferritin synthesis in Caco‐2 cells was significantly (P <.01) higher from fortified rice compared with unfortified rice. In addition, inclusion of ascorbic acid significantly (P <.01) increased the iron bioavailability from the fortified rice. Triangle tests in adult human subjects revealed that there are no significant sensory differences among fortified and unfortified rice. Further, fortified rice consumption appears to bridge the gaps in dietary iron intake deficits in children and women of reproductive age. These results suggest that the iron‐, folic acid‐ and vitamin B12‐fortified rice has higher retention and stability of fortified nutrients and is acceptable for consumption in adult human volunteers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Household air pollution (HAP) from solid fuel use for cooking affects 2.5 billion individuals globally and may contribute substantially to disease burden. However, few prospective studies have assessed the impact of HAP on mortality and cardiorespiratory disease. OBJECTIVES: Our goal was to evaluate associations between HAP and mortality, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and respiratory disease in the prospective urban and rural epidemiology (PURE) study. METHODS: We studied 91,350 adults 35-70 y of age from 467 urban and rural communities in 11 countries (Bangladesh, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, India, Pakistan, Philippines, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe). After a median follow-up period of 9.1 y, we recorded 6,595 deaths, 5,472 incident cases of CVD (CVD death or nonfatal myocardial infarction, stroke, or heart failure), and 2,436 incident cases of respiratory disease (respiratory death or nonfatal chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pulmonary tuberculosis, pneumonia, or lung cancer). We used Cox proportional hazards models adjusted for individual, household, and community-level characteristics to compare events for individuals living in households that used solid fuels for cooking to those using electricity or gas. RESULTS: We found that 41.8% of participants lived in households using solid fuels as their primary cooking fuel. Compared with electricity or gas, solid fuel use was associated with fully adjusted hazard ratios of 1.12 (95% CI: 1.04, 1.21) for all-cause mortality, 1.08 (95% CI: 0.99, 1.17) for fatal or nonfatal CVD, 1.14 (95% CI: 1.00, 1.30) for fatal or nonfatal respiratory disease, and 1.12 (95% CI: 1.06, 1.19) for mortality from any cause or the first incidence of a nonfatal cardiorespiratory outcome. Associations persisted in extensive sensitivity analyses, but small differences were observed across study regions and across individual and household characteristics. DISCUSSION: Use of solid fuels for cooking is a risk factor for mortality and cardiorespiratory disease. Continued efforts to replace solid fuels with cleaner alternatives are needed to reduce premature mortality and morbidity in developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Biomass cooking fuels are commonly used in Indian households, especially by the poorest socioeconomic groups. Cataract is highly prevalent in India and the major cause of vision loss. The evidence on biomass fuels and cataract is limited. OBJECTIVES: To examine the association of biomass cooking fuels with cataract and type of cataract. METHODS: We conducted a population-based study in north and south India using randomly sampled clusters to identify people ≥ 60 years old. Participants were interviewed and asked about cooking fuel use, socioeconomic and lifestyle factors and attended hospital for digital lens imaging (graded using the Lens Opacity Classification System III), anthropometry, and blood collection. Years of use of biomass fuels were estimated and transformed to a standardized normal distribution. RESULTS: Of the 7,518 people sampled, 94% were interviewed and 83% of these attended the hospital. Sex modified the association between years of biomass fuel use and cataract; the adjusted odds ratio (OR) for a 1-SD increase in years of biomass fuel use and nuclear cataract was 1.04 (95% CI: 0.88, 1.23) for men and 1.28 (95% CI: 1.10, 1.48) for women, p interaction = 0.07. Kerosene use was low (10%). Among women, kerosene use was associated with nuclear (OR = 1.76, 95% CI: 1.04, 2.97) and posterior subcapsular cataract (OR = 1.71, 95% CI: 1.10, 2.64). There was no association among men. CONCLUSIONS: Our results provide robust evidence for the association of biomass fuels with cataract for women but not for men. Our finding for kerosene and cataract among women is novel and requires confirmation in other studies. CITATION: Ravilla TD, Gupta S, Ravindran RD, Vashist P, Krishnan T, Maraini G, Chakravarthy U, Fletcher AE. 2016. Use of cooking fuels and cataract in a population-based study: the India Eye Disease Study. Environ Health Perspect 124:1857-1862; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/EHP193 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the establishment of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and new food safety regulations, a precedent has been set to prevent foodborne illness in India. The objective of the authors' study was to identify knowledge gaps among food handlers in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, to establish priorities for future intervention. A 44-question survey was administered to 156 food handlers at 36 restaurants in Chennai between April and June of 2011. The overall mean knowledge score was 49% and knowledge gaps related to hand hygiene, proper food cooking and holding temperatures, and cross contamination were identified. Food handlers with a Medical Fitness Certificate scored significantly higher than those without a certificate, after controlling for food safety training and level of education (p < .05). As the FSSAI standards now require a medical certificate for restaurant licensure and registration, consideration should be given to include an educational component to this certification with an explanation of expected food safety behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Cooking with biomass fuel, a common practice in rural India, is associated with a high level of indoor air pollution (IAP). The aim of this study was to investigate whether IAP from biomass burning increases the risk of depression. For this cross-sectional study, we enrolled a group of 952 women (median age 37 years) who cooked regularly with biomass and a control group of 804 age-matched women who cooked with cleaner fuel (liquefied petroleum gas). Depression was assessed using the second edition of Beck’s depression inventory (BDI-II). Platelet P-selectin expression was assessed by flow cytometry and platelet serotonin was measured by ELISA. Particulate matter having diameter of less than 10 and 2.5 μm (PM10 and PM2.5, respectively) in indoor air was measured by real-time aerosol monitor. Carbon monoxide (CO) in exhaled breath was measured by CO monitor. Compared with the control group, women who cooked with biomass had a higher prevalence of depression and depleted platelet serotonin, suggesting altered serotonergic activity in the brain. In addition, P-selectin expression on platelet surface was up-regulated implying platelet hyperactivity and consequent risk of cardiovascular disease. Biomass-using households had increased levels of PM10 and PM2.5, and biomass users had elevated levels of CO in expired air. Controlling potential confounders, cooking with biomass was found to be an independent and strong risk factor for depression. IAP from cooking with biomass is a risk for depression among rural women in their child-bearing age. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]