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Objectives: The main aim is to study the determinants of nutritional status among mothers and their children aged 6–59 months in Nepal’s Panauti municipality. Material and Methods: A descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted among 226 mothers and their children 6–59 months residing in ward no. 1, 2, and 4 of Panauti Municipality. A combination of a semi-structured questionnaire and anthropometric measurements was used to assess various determinants of nutritional status. A Chi-square test was used to check the association between variables. Results: The study found that the prevalence of maternal underweight was low (2.7%) whereas the prevalence of overweight and obesity was 36.7% and 13.7%, respectively. Around 27.9% of the children were severely stunted, 3.6% underweight, and 3.5% wasted, whereas 22.1% of the children were overweight. About 54% of the mothers and 57.52% of the children were malnourished. Ethnicity was significantly associated with mothers’ nutritional status and factors such as ethnicity, pre-lacteal feeding, and cultural practices of the mother were significantly associated with the nutritional status of children. Conclusion: The study concluded that more than half of the mothers and children were malnourished. Demographic factors-like ethnicity were significantly associated with the nutritional status of mothers and children, whereas factors like pre-lacteal feeding and cultural practices of the mother were significantly associated with the nutritional status of the children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emphasis within this paper will be on creating a mathematical model, called three-factor model for optimal definition of indicators of a sustainable diet. Three-factor model is a statistical design of experiments (DoE) as a powerful tool for optimizing processes. This model is a systematic method to determine the relationship between factors affecting a process and the output of that process. In other words, it is used to find cause-and-effect relationships. This information is needed to manage process inputs in order to optimize the output. The aim of this research was to present a three-factor model as a mathematical tool to find sustainable indicators as a factor of obesity. From the result, we will decide which factor has the most influence and which has less influence on the response. In other words, we will realize which factor is an indicator as a reason and which one is just a consequence of it. The identification and quantification of severe to morbid obesity will be carried out by applying general and specific objectives according to a specially prepared program conducted on 56 obesity patients in the dietetics and nutrition counseling company "Protektal" in Skopje. Patients were put on a very low calorie diet with a minimum input of 800 - 900 cal. daily, in small but frequent meals, of functional food (the protein food that contains bioactive peptides and proteins and rich in vitamins and minerals). They were monitored under strict medical supervision aimed at the treatment of obesity. In this scientific research, additional tests were performed for the practical application of three-factor experimental design related to morbid body mass. This system of indicators was performed on three samples in which the three parameters were monitored: glucose, ALT enzyme and total cholesterol. This type of analysis was performed at the Faculty of mechanical engineering in Skopje with the help of regression equations. This system of indicators is called a three-factor experimental design with two levels of variation (2³) for the process of reducing body weight. The result obtained from these analyses using the three-factor experiment was the same in all these fifteen respondents. By applying this model, it was shown that the greatest effect is the third factor-glucose, the effect of the second factor - total cholesterol is smaller, and the first factor - the ALT enzyme has no effect at all. Using this model in the future will present a new system and indicator for calculating body weight. Therefore, by applying the regression equations in natural units, the desired body mass of the patients can be predicted within glucose values as a parameter that should be in order to reach that desired mass at a constant value for cholesterol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the century we live in nutrition has taken on tremendous importance. It constitutes the basic discipline of health care. Not only that, treatment through proper nutrition (nutritional medical therapy), improves the quality of life and saves costs for health care. It is already known that diseases of the century such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, etc., which pose a serious threat. An important factor in staying healthy is eating the right things in the right amount. To clarify this, you can compare the body to a car that does not start unless enough fuel has been thrown away. In the same way the body does not function if it has not received enough nutrients. It means that one must take in nutrients to function regularly. These we get from the food we ate. When food passes through the digestive tract it is digested, then the body uses the nutrients that are in the food .. Therefore, it is important to live and eat healthy and not be overweight. If you are not sick it does not mean that you are healthy. Health is more than the absence of disease. A balanced diet refers to a diet that provides all the elements and minerals needed to keep us healthy. The development and rooting of positive eating habits and physical activity through education is very valuable for young people. Awareness of young people in this regard makes them tend to carry these habits even in adulthood. Eating a healthy diet and exercising is essential to feeling good, to being more energetic, to improving physical and mental health by reducing stress, pain, and depression, to managing many health problems and to prevent overweight, heart attacks, high blood pressure, arthritis, and anxiety. The problems that can come from the lack of a culture of nutrition, are numerous and cause various problems in the body. Also, the lack of a balanced diet and a sedentary life (without physical activity) is a source of disease, part of it. which can be fatal to life. Some of these smudges that come from malnutrition are obesity, diabetes, bulimia, heart disease, blood diseases, hypertension, bowel cancer, liver cancer, prostate cancer, anorexia. The purpose of this paper is to sensitize young people of these ages to take care of themselves, to know how to build a balanced diet of quantity and quality combined with physical activity, to prevent diseases and problems that may arise. With our conclusions and recommendations, we aim to draw attention and influence as little as possible in the right solution of these problems, sensitizing not only young people, but also parents and teachers so that together we can achieve the final goal, creating a such a culture that focuses on health care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To assess and create awareness on the importance of physical activities and healthy diet among adolescents. Adolescence is a transition where both mind as well as body are in preparatory phase to face the future adult society. An adolescent undergoes various stages of development [13-18 years]. Many adolescent students are careless in their day-to-day works. These teenagers skip many of their physical activities and diets in recent days. A self assessed questionnaire comprising 18 questions were passed online through google forms to 132 Indian adolescent students. These questions were based on the activities they do as a regular basis and food habits of them.The results were obtained and statistically analysed through SPSS software, chi square test was done to check the association and a p value of 0.05 was said to be statistically significant. The survey was done in May 2020. From the results, it was evident that though most of Indian adolescent students were aware of the importance of a healthy diet and brisk exercise, they are unable to follow the same due to their much busy lifestyle, and also found that both male and female adolescents were equally aware of the importance of taking healthy diet and keeping up with regular exercises(p-value>0.05).The current study proves that there is a respectable amount of knowledge and awareness on various physical activities and the healthy eating habits among the Indian adolescent students, and also found that both male and female students were equally aware of the healthy habits to be followed to keep them fit.Adolescents should use their time constructively and must consume a proper healthy diet along with brisk activities so that they could lead a healthy life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of the functional food and food supplements is of great importance not only to understanding the patients' needs, but also to improve the health and to fairly consider having a better and healthier lifestyle. Research on patient satisfaction regarding their physical appearance is very significant both for understanding their needs, as well as for objective consideration of their health by health professionals. It is an essential tool for health care improvement. Monitoring patients' health should be the focus of attention of all health professionals and nutritionists and shall become an imperative and indicator for further evaluation. The research was conducted on a simple random sampling of 56 patients in the Dietetics and Nutrition Counseling Company "PROTEKTAL" in Skopje. They were monitored under strict medical supervision aimed at treatment of obesity. For this purpose, they were put on a very low calorie diet with a minimum input of 800 - 900 cal. daily, in small but frequent meals. This type of functional food is the protein food that contains bioactive peptides and proteins that meet the daily needs of intake of various foods rich in vitamins and minerals. For the statistical analysis of descriptive statistics and correlations, Statistica for Windows 7 and SPSS 17.0 were used. The comparison between the phases of male and female patients was performed with Student-t-st. It was notable that after the first and second phase of the diet, the values of all parameters were significantly reduced. After the eight-month diet (for some patients even slightly longer), i.e., after all five phases of the diet, all parameters were back to normal and some were even lower than the reference values. The body mass (BM) among male decreased by an average of 34.7% and average decrease of 40.1% among female subjects; body mass index (BMI) decreased by 51.3%, while in the female population 43.4%. In male subject, the chest circumference decreased by an average of 27.2%, and 30.9% by female population, while the waist circumference decreased by an average of 27.8%, and 30.3% among female subject. In male subjects, the high transaminase values (ALT) taken at the beginning of treatment decreased by an average of 40.7%, and in female subjects, by 29%. An average decrease in hepatic enzymes (AST) by 32.8% in male subjects and 32.3% in female subjects. The lipid status (HDL) values were reduced by an average of 18.5% in male patients and 23.5% in female subjects, while the total cholesterol values decreased by 25.2% on average in male subject, while in female subject it was by 24.9%. The triglycerides were reduced by 35.2% on average in the male group, and 29.1% in female subjects; Glucose was reduced by an average of 20.1% in male patients and 29.1% in female patients. The results from t-test confirmed significant difference from the male/female results between the phases and before diet and after using the protein low calorie diet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Portion size of foods and drinks is likely to be an important factor in helping people to control their weight. The British Nutrition Foundation (BNF) undertook work, with input from an Expert Panel of academics, to develop portion size guidance for healthy adults to complement the UK Eatwell Guide. A Working Group from the food industry provided funding and input on issues related to their sector. To inform the development of the portion size guide, information on portion sizes provided in food‐based dietary guidance from selected countries was reviewed as well as the methods used to develop the guidance. Portion sizes for a range of foods from the main food groups of the Eatwell Guide (excluding fruit and vegetables) were developed with reference to consumption data from the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey and portion sizes available in major supermarkets. These were tested within different dietary patterns (e.g. omnivorous vs. vegetarian) for their ability to meet current UK food and nutrient‐based recommendations. Views on portion size and design concepts for the guidance were then explored in consumer focus groups. The final Find your balance resources were published in January 2019, with a large amount of associated media coverage and over 58 000 downloads from the BNF website in the 6 months following publication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between the consumption of meat and health is multifaceted, and it needs to be analyzed in detail, with specific attention to the relevant differences that characterize the effects of the different meat types, as yet considered by only a limited literature. A variable but moderate energy content, highly digestible proteins (with low levels of collagen) of good nutritional quality, unsaturated lipids (mainly found in the skin and easily removed), B-group vitamins (mainly thiamin, vitamin B6, and pantothenic acid), and minerals (like iron, zinc, and copper) make poultry meat a valuable food. Epidemiological studies performed across the world, in highly diverse populations with different food preferences and nutritional habits, provide solid information on the association between poultry consumption, within a balanced diet, and good health. Consumption of poultry meat, as part of a vegetable-rich diet, is associated with a risk reduction of developing overweight and obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Also, white meat (and poultry in particular) is considered moderately protective or neutral on cancer risk. The relevance of poultry meat for humans also has been recognized by the UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), who considers this widely available, relatively inexpensive food to be particularly useful in developing countries, where it can help to meet shortfalls in essential nutrients. Moreover, poultry meat consumption also contributes to the overall quality of the diet in specific ages and conditions (prior to conception, during pregnancy up to the end of breastfeeding, during growth, and in the geriatric age) and is suitable for those who have an increased need for calorie and protein compared to the general population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) are an increasingly common chronic liver disease closely associated with diabetes and obesity that have reached epidemic proportions. Reports on the prevalence of NAFLD have suggested that 27–34 % of the general population in the USA and 40–90 % of the obese population worldwide have this disease. Increasing urbanisation rate and associated inappropriate lifestyle changes are not only the risk factors of diabetes, but also unmask genetic predisposition in various populations for the metabolic syndrome and its manifestations including NAFLD and NASH. Lifestyle modifications and balanced nutrition are among the foremost management strategies along with ursodeoxycholic acid, metformin, vitamin E and pentoxifylline. Although weight reduction associated with current therapeutic strategies has shown some promise, maintaining it in the long run is largely unsuccessful. With the safety of pharmacotherapy still being uncertain and can be started only after confirmation, other reasonable interventions such as nutrition hold promise in preventing disease progression. The role of dietary components including branched-chain amino acids, methionine, choline and folic acid is currently being evaluated in various clinical trials. Nutritional approaches sought to overcome the limitations of pharmacotherapy also include evaluating the effects of natural ingredients, such as silymarin and spirulina, on liver disease. Understanding the specific interaction between nutrients and dietary needs in NAFLD and maintaining this balance through either a diet or a nutritional product thus becomes extremely important in providing a more realistic and feasible alternative to treat NAFLD. A planned complete nutritional combination addressing specific needs and helping to prevent the progression of NAFLD is the need of the hour to avert people from ending up with complications. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This study is a trial pilot study that investigated if there is a relationship between the method of teaching dietary knowledge in the classroom and students' conceptual understanding and practical skills acquisition of dietary knowledge of children aged 10-11 years. The research was carried out in a school within the Healthy School Scheme Award in rural mid Wales, United Kingdom. The methodology included eliciting the conceptions held by students on the concept of balanced diet and healthy eating using questionnaire, diary and interview before and after a teaching intervention on the concept of balanced diet. The teaching intervention involved comparing a Teaching/Learning Sequence (TLS) with the Regular Teaching Method (RTM) to determine if there will be increase in both conceptual understanding of dietary knowledge and encouragement of healthy eating habits. Parental influence as well as their opinion about their children's conceptual understanding of healthy eating was also elicited via parent questionnaire. The findings from this study clearly indicated some fundamental flaws and misconceptions in participants' knowledge and understanding of balanced diet in both TLS and RTM groups before the intervention but after the intervention, there was a statistically significant improvement of the TLS group over the RTM group and participants opting for healthier snack (less sugar/ fat snack). A high percentage of the sampled parents agreed that children should be encourage to cook at home though some considered it to be too risky. The conclusion and implication of this study is that the contexts in which students learn about healthy eating are key factors in determining how receptive they are to nutrition education. The policies that a school adopts, the physical and social environment it provides, the curriculum it chooses, and the quality and methods of instruction all have the potential to significantly affect nutrition education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]