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OBJECTIVES: To determine the difference in underlying factors related to child nutritional status between pastoral and agro pastoral based communities in Ethiopia. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted in two rural pastoral communities located in the Somali region and agro pastoral community located in Southern Nations. Pairs of mothers and their infants aged 6 to 52 months were randomly selected to participate in the survey. Data was collected using the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale, Dietary Diversity, and Sanitation for Household Survey. Anthropometric measurements taken included height, length, and weight using WHO Anthro version 3.2.2. Chi-square tests were used to assess differences between communities. Logistic regression were used to analyze factors that contributed to infant health status. RESULTS: A total of 232 participants from both communities completed the survey. The agro pastoral community reported a higher food insecurity rate at 87% than the pastoral community at 70%. The prevalence of women not achieving the minimum dietary diversity was significantly higher in the pastoral community than the agro pastoral community (94% vs 68%, P

Childhood adversities are linked with mental health problems throughout the life course, including personality pathology. Less is known about consequences in the next generation, particularly in non-Western populations. In the Barbados Nutrition Study, we assessed associations of two parental (G1) childhood adversities- (1) maltreatment history using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form (CTQ-SF), and (2) clinically ascertained infant malnutrition limited to the first year of life-on PD symptoms in their G2 offspring, using NEO FFM PD prototypes. In linear regression models clustered by family and adjusted for other G1 childhood adversities and family socioeconomic status, we found that G1 parental history of childhood maltreatment was significantly associated with increased G2 offspring Borderline, Histrionic, Narcissistic, and Dependent PD scores. When G1 childhood malnutrition was the exposure of interest, we found a significant association with Schizoid PD scores. When the sample was restricted to offspring of G1 mothers, even more extensive associations with G2 personality pathology were observed. This study supports a link between parental exposure to childhood adversities and increased personality maladaptivity in the next generation, with some specific patterns worthy of further exploration.

Consumption of nutritionally inadequate diets results in infant malnutrition. This study is aimed at formulating complementary foods from blend of orange-fleshed sweet potato, brown teff, and dark red kidney beans for infants aged 6–23 months. The Design-Expert 6.0.8 Software was used to formulate flour blends. Proximate, mineral, and antinutrient characterizations of flour blends were determined by using standard methods. The crude protein, crude fat, carbohydrate, and energy contents of raw flour blends were varied from 4.90–14.25%, 1.63–1.99%, 67.10–76.29%, and 339.07–343.63 Kcal/100 g, respectively. The crude protein, crude fat, carbohydrate, and energy contents of extruded blends were varied from 3.65–12.41%, 0.16–0.31%, 72.66–83.96%, and 343.07–356.74 Kcal/100 g, respectively. The crude protein, crude fat, carbohydrate, and energy contents of drum-dried blends were varied from 4.45–14.08%, 1.21–1.70%, 69.30–80.45%, and 347.20–356.57 Kcal/100 g, respectively. The products meet the recommended daily intake of protein (5.2–10.9 g), carbohydrate (≥65 g), energy (202–894 Kcal), and potassium (60–160 mg) for infants. However, the products are in short of meeting some of the recommendations given by international standards regarding daily intake of fats and minerals. Therefore, it requires some enhancement by including studied amount of butter and other micronutrient dense foodstuffs.

Background This study aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of maternal risk factors, infant risk factors and maternal infant feeding practices among refugees and migrants along the Thailand-Myanmar border. Methods This study employed a mixed-methods approach with two components: (1) cross-sectional survey (n = 390) and (2) focus group discussions (n = 63). Participants were chosen from one of three clinics providing antenatal and delivery services for Karen and Burman refugees and migrants along the border. Participants were pregnant women and mother-infant dyads. Results Refugee and migrant mothers demonstrated high rates of suboptimal breastfeeding and low rates of minimum dietary diversity and acceptable diet. Multivariable regression models showed infant stunting (AOR: 2.08, 95% CI: 1.12, 3.84, p = 0.020) and underweight (AOR: 2.26, 95% CI: 1.17, 4.36, p = 0.015) to have increased odds among migrants, while each 5 cm increase in maternal height had decreased odds of stunting (AOR: 0.50, 95% CI: 0.38, 0.66, p p = 0.002). In addition, small-for-gestational-age adjusted for length of gestation, infant age and gender increased odds of infant’s stunting (AOR: 3.42, 95% CI: 1.88, 6.22, p p Conclusions Inadequate infant feeding practices are widespread in refugee and migrant communities along the Thailand-Myanmar border. Risk factors particular to maternal nutrition and infant birth should be considered for future programming to reduce the burden of chronic malnutrition in infants.

Mark Greener discusses the impact of malnutrition on children in the UK

Childhood malnutrition and maltreatment (abuse, neglect) are both prevalent, particularly in resource-limited settings. Despite their known negative impact on child development, there is surprisingly little research documenting their interrelationships. To address this gap, we administered the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form (CTQ-SF), a retrospective structured self-report of childhood abuse and neglect, in a Barbadian cohort of 77 adult survivors of infant malnutrition, limited to the first year of life, and 62 healthy controls from the same classrooms and neighborhoods (mean age ± SD = 43.8±2.3 years). This cohort has been followed since birth. Using factor analysis and comparison with archival data addressing similar constructs, we found evidence for reliability and validity of the CTQ-SF in this population. Linear regression analyses, with and without adjusting for childhood household standard of living at three childhood ages, revealed that a history of infant malnutrition was significantly associated with increased levels of self-reported physical neglect in childhood, and, to a somewhat lesser degree, emotional neglect. This study highlights the co-occurrence of infant malnutrition and self-reported maltreatment in childhood in Barbados, with potential public health implications.

Cereals products enriched with leguminous or oleaginous are used in Burkina Faso as food complement or to avoid infant malnutrition. Infant formulas from cereals are consumed as food supplements after the weaning age. They are produced in Burkina Faso with a mixture of several cereals (maize, millet, rice, or sorghum), leguminous (bean), oleaginous (peanut, soya or sesame), sugar or salt and sometimes milk powder. The production is artisanal or semi-industrial. These infant foods from cereals should be free from mycotoxins and pathogenic bacteria. The objective of this work was to determine the occurrence of mycotoxins like aflatoxins, ochratoxin A and fumonisins in infant formulas and grains in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso). The mycotoxins (aflatoxins, ochratoxin A and fumonisins) were determined by HPLC-FLD in 248 samples of infant formulas produced by the Recovery and Nutrition Education Centers (CRENs) and sold on the market places in Burkina Faso. Results showed that the majority of samples of infant formulas presented high levels of mycotoxins. The frequency of contaminated samples by aflatoxin B1, ochratoxin A and fumonisins in analyzed samples were 83.9% (167/199), 7.5% (15/199) and 1.5% (3/199), respectively. The highest values registered in infant formulas were 900, 6 and 3 times higher for aflatoxin B1 (EU limit: 0.1 μg/kg), ochratoxin A (EU limit: 0.5 μg/kg) and fumonisins (EU limit: 200 μg/kg), respectively, than the EU regulation limits (1881/2006). This study presents the first results concerning the safety assessment of infant formulas regarding mycotoxins in Burkina Faso.

La obesidad es una enfermedad crónica de comportamiento epidemiológico complejo que se origina de la interacción entre factores genéticos y ambientales, entre los que destacan los patrones de alimentación y el consumo calórico diario, así como el grado de actividad física. Según la Organización Mundial para la Salud (OMS), la obesidad se define como una acumulación anormal y excesiva de grasa corporal. Para el diagnóstico de esta condición en niños y adolescentes se utilizan tablas diseñadas por la OMS que definen a un individuo con sobrepeso como aquel con un IMC superior al percentil 85 pero inferior al percentil 95, y con obesidad aquellos individuos con un IMC por encima del percentil 95 para una edad y sexo específicos. La prevalencia de sobrepeso y obesidad en niños está en aumento en muchos países del orbe y pesar de ser un problema que ha sido estudiado sistemáticamente desde hace más de 40 años aún está lejos de ser resuelto, y contrariamente a lo que se cree, su mayor crecimiento e impacto está ocurriendo en los países pobres y en vías de desarrollo, así, en el ámbito mundial para el año 2018 el número de niños menores de 5 años con sobrepeso era de 38 millones, de los cuales, 27.2 millones vivían en Asia y África. Actualmente en las Américas 5.6 millones de niños son portadores de sobrepeso u obesidad, los cuales coexisten con un número aún importante de niños con desnutrición lo cual se conoce como “doble carga de la malnutrición y obesidad”, un hecho que forma parte del fenómeno de la transición nutricional. En Colombia la última encuesta nacional de nutrición ha reportado una prevalencia de exceso de peso de un 6.3% en niños menores de 5 años, un 24.4% en escolares y un 17.9% en adolescentes. Por su parte, en el Norte de Santander los estudios realizados sobre obesidad infantil son muy escasos y con tamaños de muestra reducidos, reportando que la prevalencia de sobrepeso se encuentra en un 23% y la de obesidad en un 17%, cifras que deben llamar la atención para la realización de estudios controlados y con marcos muestrales apropiados. Obesity is a chronic disease with a complex epidemiological behaviour originated from the interaction between genetic and environmental factors, among which are the patterns of diet and daily caloric consumption, as well as the degree of physical activity. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), obesity is defined as an abnormal and excessive accumulation of body fat. For the diagnosis of this condition in children and adolescents, tables designed by the WHO define overweight as a BMI higher than the 85th percentile but lower than the 95th percentile, and obesity as those individuals with a BMI above of the 95th percentile for a specific age and sex. Overweight and childhood obesity is rising in many countries, and despite being a problem systematically studied for more than 40 years, it is still far from being solved. Contrary to generalised believing, the most significant impact in terms of prevalence is occurring in both poor and low-income countries. Thus, -in a global scope for 2018, the number of children with obesity under five years old was 38 million, of which 27.2 million lived in Asia and Africa. Currently, 5.6 million children are carriers of overweight or obesity in the Americas coexisting with a significant number of children with malnutrition as a part of the nutritional transition phenomenon. In Colombia, the latest national nutrition survey has reported 6.3% and an overall prevalence of “weight-excess” (Obesity + overweight) in children less than five years, 24.4% in schoolchildren and 17.9% in adolescents. On the other hand, in the North of Santander, studies on childhood obesity are both very scarce and with small sample sizes, reporting an overweight and obesity prevalence of 23% and 17% respectively, a landscape that should be a call of attention for conducting more controlled studies with an appropriate sampling frame.

This chapter describes the issues around maternal eating during pregnancy and infant and preschool feeding. The varied practices of “eating during pregnancy” are described in terms of how they are dictated by cultural and socioeconomic factors. Feeding is strongly influenced by culture, superimposed on ethological predispositions of mother and infant. The meaning of food and the manner in which young children are fed are constructed by cultural influences. Breastfeeding, apparently a purely biological phenomenon, is determined by cultural values. It is more frequently practiced in poor countries in which it may be the only way to maintain the infant’s weight. The timing if weaning also has an impact on the weight of the baby and the introduction of new foods. The size and weight of the baby is also determined by cultural representations; in some countries, mothers may prefer “small babies.” Feeding the infant is par excellence an interpersonal process that may be transformed into pure introduction of food in the mouth even in young children. This may be the case in childcare centers where many “rules of feeding” may be imposed by well-meaning caregivers. The nutritional status of young children is still threatened by poverty in many countries, leading to a high prevalence of malnutrition and growth stunting, which have long-term consequences for the child.

6 p., Objective. To determine the relation between the motor development and the nutritional state in children of 0 to 5 years of the Kankuamo ethnic group. Materials and methods. Investigation of quantitative approach with design of analytical cross-sectional type, the population was constituted by 135 children of 0 5 children of the Kankuama ethnic group from who a no probabilistic sample by deliberate selection was obtained that fulfilled the inclusion criteria and exclusion, For the evaluation The anthropometric evaluation of the motor development was used to develop the state of the art. Results and Discussion: the collected data of the study corresponded to 135 children of the Kankuama ethnic group of who 54% corresponded to the feminine and 60% to the masculine, the ages oscillated between the 49 and 71 months with a 29.6%, in the results of a EAD the population is in the middle with a 45.2%, followed by the average group with a 27.4%, thirdly the alert group with 25.2% and single to 2.2% are in stop, as far as the nutritional state 16.3 % is in severe acute undernourishment, the 31.9 in moderate acute undernourishment, the 21.5 in acute undernourishment and a 14.1% in overweight. Conclusion. Relation between the nutritional state exists and the motor development of the children of 0 to 5 years of the Kankuama ethnic group, the statistical tests were positive for strong association, this is related to different factors between which the Kankuamo town has had cultural changes and has adopted a globalized style of life more due to the process of violence that it had to suffer, also adds the lack of education on the importance of foods, supplements and medicines to him that the boy must consume., Objetivo. Determinar la relación entre el desarrollo motor y el estado nutricional en niños de 0 a 5 años de la etnia Kankuamo. Materiales y métodos. Investigación de enfoque cuantitativo con diseño de tipo transversal analítico, la población estuvo constituida por 135 niños de 0 a 5 niños de la etnia Kankuama, de los cuales se obtuvo una muestra no probabilística por selección intencionada que cumplía con los criterios de inclusión y exclusión, Para la evaluación del desarrollo motor se utilizó la escala abreviada del desarrollo, para establecer el estado nutricional se utilizó la evaluación antropométrica. Resultados y Discusión: los datos obtenidos del estudio correspondieron a 135 niños de la etnia Kankuama de los cuales el 54% correspondían al género femenino y el 60% al género masculino, las edades oscilaron entre los 49 y 71 meses con un 29,6%, en los resultados de la escala abreviada del desarrollo la población se encuentra en medio con un 45,2%, seguido del grupo medio alto con un 27,4%, en tercer lugar se encuentra el grupo alerta con 25,2% y solo un 2,2% se encuentra en alto, en cuanto al estado nutricional el 16,3% se encuentra en desnutrición aguda severa, el 31,9 en desnutrición aguda moderada, el 21,5 en desnutrición aguda y un 14,1% en sobrepeso. Conclusión. Existe relación entre el estado nutricional y el desarrollo motor de los niños de 0 a 5 años de la etnia Kankuama, las pruebas estadísticas resultaron positivas para asociación fuerte, esto se relaciona con diferentes factores entre estos que el pueblo Kankuamo ha tenido cambios culturales y ha adoptado un estilo de vida más globalizado debido a todo el proceso de violencia que tuvo que padecer, así mismo se le suma la falta de educación sobre la importancia de los alimentos, suplementos y medicamentos que el niño debe consumir.

Early infection from enteropathogens is recognised as both a cause and effect of infant malnutrition. Specifically, evidence demonstrates associations between growth shortfalls and Campylobacter infection, endemic across low-income settings, with poultry a major source. Whilst improvements in water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) should reduce pathogen transmission, interventions show inconsistent effects on infant health. This cross-sectional, formative study aimed to understand relationships between infant Campylobacter prevalence, malnutrition and associated risk factors, including domestic animal husbandry practices, in rural Ethiopia. Thirty-five households were visited in Sidama zone, Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples’ region. Infant and poultry faeces and domestic floor surfaces (total = 102) were analysed for presumptive Campylobacter spp. using selective culture. Infant anthropometry and diarrhoeal prevalence, WASH facilities and animal husbandry data were collected. Of the infants, 14.3% were wasted, 31.4% stunted and 31.4% had recent diarrhoea. Presumptive Campylobacter spp. was isolated from 48.6% of infant, 68.6% of poultry and 65.6% of floor surface samples. Compared to non-wasted infants, wasted infants had an increased odds ratio (OR) of 1.41 for a Campylobacter-positive stool and 1.81 for diarrhoea. Positive infant stools showed a significant relationship with wasting (p = 0.026) but not stunting. Significant risk factors for a positive stool included keeping animals inside (p = 0.027, OR 3.5), owning cattle (p = 0.018, OR 6.5) and positive poultry faeces (p

Infant malnutrition remains an important cause of death and disability, and Haiti has the highest prevalence in the Americas. Therefore, preventive strategies are needed. Our aims were (1) To assess the prevalence of malnutrition among young children seen at a health center in Haiti; (2) Examine adherence to infant feeding practices recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the association to nutritional status. This cross-sectional study recruited children from the Saint Espri Health Center in Port Au Prince in 2014. We recorded feeding practices, socio-demographic data, and anthropometric measurements (WHO-2006). We evaluated 278 infants and children younger than two years old, aged 8.08 ± 6.5 months, 53.2% female. 18.35% were underweight (weight/age

Objective: To identify the characteristics and risk factors of chronically malnourished children age ≤24 months. Methods: A case-control study was conducted at two outpatient pediatric clinics. The WHO reference population for height-for-age Z-scores was utilized to determine chronic malnutrition. Cases are children with mild (“at-risk”), moderate, or severe chronic malnutrition, determined by a Z-score < -1SD; controls are children with Z-scores between -1SD and +2SD. Cases …

This paper reviews indigenous Beninese food resources as potential ingredients for complementary infant foods with the aim to develop affordable formulations for low-income households in each agro-ecological zone of the country. Potential ingredients were selected on their documented nutritional value. The selected foods encompass 347 food resources, namely 297 plant products from home gardens or collected from natural vegetation and 50 animals, either domesticated or from the wild. The compiled data reveal that the distribution of the available food resources was unbalanced between agro-ecological zones. Only a few animal ingredients are obtainable in northern Benin. Most resources are seasonal, but their availability may be extended. A high variation was observed in energy and nutrient contents. Antinutritional factors were identified in some resources, but processing techniques were reported to reduce their presence in meals. In general, ingredients from local tree foods (Adansonia digitata, Parkia biglobosa) were adequate as sources of nutrients for complementary infant foods. Based on this review, local foods for the development of complementary food formulas for Beninese infants and children may be selected for each agro-ecological zone. The approach used is exemplary for other sub-Saharan African countries in need of complementary infant foods. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.; © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Child malnutrition is an obstacle to human capital and a deprivation of capabilities. In Cameroon, malnutrition is a public health problem and rural areas suffer more from child malnutrition than the urban areas. The objective of this study is to identify the factors that explain inequality in the distribution of child malnutrition between urban and rural areas in Cameroon. The methodology used is based on the Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition. The data used is from the Demographic and Health Survey organized in 2011 by the National Institute of Statistics. Differences in endowments of children and mothers explain 75% of the weight difference of children under 5 years between urban and rural areas. We specifically find that a paid job for the mother reduces by approximately 2.56 % the differences in the weights of children of less than 5 years between urban and rural areas. Also, the education of the mother reduces the difference in weight between the rural and urban children by 2.44% for primary education, 5.48% for secondary education and 3.54% for higher education. Lastly, the difference in weight between the children of rural and urban areas increases when the households are poor. The reduction inequalities of child malnutrition between urban and rural areas in Cameroon thus passes through the improvement of the education of the mother, the strengthening of the economic capacities of women in rural areas and the improvement of the living conditions of rural households.

The international development cooperation in child health arouses special interest in paediatric settings. In the last 10 years or so, new evidence has been presented on factors associated with morbidity and mortality in the first years of life in the least developed countries. This greater knowledge on the causes of health problems and possible responses in the form of interventions with impact leads to the need to disseminate this information among concerned professional paediatricians. Serious efforts are needed to get a deeper insight into matters related to global child health and encourage paediatricians to be aware and participate in these processes. This article aims to provide a social paediatric approach towards international cooperation and child health-related matters. Resumen: La cooperación internacional al desarrollo en salud infantil despierta un especial interés en el ámbito pediátrico. En los últimos decenios se han ido revelando nuevas evidencias en torno al análisis de los factores vinculados a la morbimortalidad en las primeras etapas de la vida en los países menos adelantados. Este mayor conocimiento del origen de los problemas de salud y las posibles respuestas en forma de intervenciones con impacto determina la necesidad de su divulgación entre los profesionales de Pediatría interesados. Se hacen necesarios mayores esfuerzos para profundizar en materias relacionadas con salud global infantil y favorecer el que los pediatras conozcan y participen en estos procesos. Este artículo pretende ofrecer un acercamiento pediátrico social hacia los elementos relacionados con cooperación internacional y salud infantil.

Antenatal and post-natal depression has demonstrated a significant burden in sub-Saharan Africa with rates ranging from 10% to 35%. However perinatal women living with HIV in Tanzania have reported an even greater prevalence of depression (43-45%). The primary goal of this study was to examine the relationship between maternal depression and infant malnutrition among women living with HIV. The design was a retrospective cohort study within the context of a randomized controlled trial among women living with HIV and their infants. Within this trial 699 mother-child pairs were analyzed for the present study. Although antenatal depression was not associated with infant malnutrition and post-natal depression was negatively associated [relative risk (RR = 0.80 P = 0.04] cumulative depression demonstrated a positive association with infant wasting (RR =1.08 P

Background and aims Nutrition is important for a harmonious development, especially to the low birth weight children. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the risk factors present in low birth weight children (Bw), by evaluating the status and the feeding practices in infants and establishing the factors which influence infant malnutrition. Methods We have made a retrospective study of the malnutrition cases from the Department of Paediatrics Recovery of St Mary Clinical Hospital in Iasi, between 2013 and 2015. The lot included 74 infants of 2000–2500g, which presented malnutrition when hospitalised. The data were extracted from the observation files, complying with the ethical and deontological code of scientific research. Results The study highlighted that the home environment as well as her social and economic level influenced the baby’s health, most of them coming from the countryside, 97.30% of the mothers of low social and economic level and 2.70% coming from the middle level. There can be noticed from the study that 22.68% of the mothers were under 20, 24.32% of them were between 21 and 25 years old, 17.57% between 26 and 30, 20.27% between 31 and 35% and 12.16% over 35 years old. As for the analysis of the civil status and the education level of the mother: 47.30% not married, 17.57% in a relationship, 35.14% married, 39% illiterate, 39% of elementary educational level and 22% of an average educational level. Out of these, 95% were housewives and 5% unemployed. As for the nutrition given before the hospitalisation, 74.32 of the infants were wrongly fed, 17.57% mixed fed and 8.11% received inappropriate food. The obtained results show that 40.54% of the infants presented a weight increase of less than 500g, 37.84% between 500–1000g, 10.81% between 1001–1500g, 6.76% between 1501–2000g and 4.05% more than 2000g. The hospitalisation period lasted less than 15 days (7%), between 15 and 30 days (65%), between 31 and 60 days (21%) and more than 60 days (7%). Conclusions Malnutrition is the most frequent malnutrition deficiency due to feeding errors and social and economic factors. There has been noticed that more than half of the mothers are younger than 25, which is correlated to their lack of education; also, more than half were not married. The social and economic level as well as the poor education of the mother influences the infant’s health. The proper nutrition regarding the quantities as well as the quality of the food led to weight recovery.

Background: Infants exposed to maternal HIV infection who remain HIV-uninfected (HIV-exposed/uninfected; HIV-EU) may be at increased risk of growth retardation, which could be due both to directly HIV-related effects and to socio-economic factors overrepresented among HIV-positive women. Objective: To investigate growth development at 9–12 months of age in HIV-EU infants participating in prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) care compared to HIV unexposed (HIV-U) infants in relation to socio-economic conditions. Methods: Anthropometric and socio-economic data were collected retrospectively from PMTCT registers (for HIV-EU infants), with HIV-U controls recruited at measles vaccination at public health facilities in Ethiopia. Growth was compared with regard to HIV exposure and socio-economic variables in multivariate regression analysis. Results: The following growth measurements were found for 302 HIV-EU and 358 HIV-U infants at 9–12 months of age, respectively: mean weight-for-age z-score (WAZ) 0.04 and −0.21, p

Guinea-Bissau is a severely resource constrained country, in search of political stability and development in every sector of public life. International aid is permanent and healthcare is one of the most targeted fields, focusing mostly on infectious diseases, maternity, infant malnutrition, access to healthcare and gender inequality in health. As in the rest of Sub-Saharan Africa, cervical cancer is gathering increasing attention from the community and ruling officers. The potential of screening for control of cervical cancer raised the interest of adapting screening methods to low-resource settings. This started the search for the best resource-adapted strategies, which promoted several trials that currently shape the development of screening programs in these countries. Prevention and control strategies are also being adapted taking into account the availability of human Papillomavirus vaccination. Nonetheless, several barriers are still in place for widespread vaccination programs, and cervical cancer screening and treatment remain central in the control of cervical cancer in low-resource settings. We intend to discuss current cervical cancer screening approaches in low-resource countries and opportunities for their implementation in Guinea-Bissau.

Infants depend almost entirely on breastfeeding for their nutrition. This article highlights the role that exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life can play in the survival and development of infants and in preventing malnutrition. It also describes why it is so important to tackle infant malnutrition and analyzes reasons why mothers adopt poor feeding practices. The link between malnutrition and poor feeding practices and thus the need for action is detailed. Since there are major gaps both in policies and programs on breastfeeding/infant and young child feeding practices, a national process is recommended towards logical application of WHO standards of the Global Strategy for infant and young child feeding practices to protect, promote and support women for breastfeeding.

SummaryThis study seeks to explore and explain the socio-cultural factors responsible for the incidence of infant malnutrition in Cameroon with particular emphasis on northern Cameroon where it is most accentuated. It combines quantitative data drawn from the 1991, 1998, 2004 and 2011 Cameroon Demographic and Health Surveys, as well as a literature review of publications by the WHO and UNICEF. This is further complemented with qualitative data from various regions of Cameroon, partly from a national ethnographic study on the ethno-medical causes of infertility in Cameroon conducted between 1999 and 2000. Whereas socio-cultural factors related to child feeding and maternal health (breast-feeding, food taboos and representations of the colostrum as dangerous for infants) are widespread throughout Cameroon, poverty-related factors (lack of education for mothers, natural disaster, unprecedented influx of refugees, inaccessibility and inequity in the distribution of health care services) are pervasive in northern Cameroon. This conjunction of factors accounts for the higher incidence of infant malnutrition and mortality in northern Cameroon. The study suggests the need for women's empowerment and for health care personnel in transcultural situations to understand local cultural beliefs, practices and sentiments before initiating change efforts in infant feeding practices and maternal health. Biomedical services should be tailored to the social and cultural needs of the target population – particularly women – since beliefs and practices underpin therapeutic recourse. Whereas infant diarrhoea might be believed to be the result of sexual contact, in reality, it is caused by unhygienic conditions. Similarly, weaning foods aimed at transmitting ethnic identity might not meet a child's age-specific food needs and might instead give rise to malnutrition.

Background: While malnutrition is an important concern in the developing world, Western countries are experiencing a pandemic of obesity and metabolic diseases. Objective: This work reviews the current state of knowledge of the effects of malnutrition during early life on metabolism in older age. Methods: The impact of early-life determinants on diabetes and related metabolic diseases in later life is elucidated by three different methodological approaches. First, results from animal studies in dietary manipulation models are reviewed. Second, findings from epidemiological studies that often use natural experiments to determine the effects of famines on the health status of the population are discussed. Finally, the relation between maternal or childhood malnutrition and diabetes in adulthood is explored in a big-data study using the entire population of a country across a century. Results: We present overwhelming evidence that the maternal or early childhood nutritional status negatively affects both the short- and long-term health status and development of the offspring, thereby providing starting points to formulate intervention and prevention strategies. In particular, it was found that in the case of early-life exposure to famine, the risk of the offspring to develop type 2 diabetes in older age is up to 125% higher than without famine exposure. Conclusion: Due to its inherent complexity, an understanding of the long-term effects of maternal and childhood malnutrition on metabolism in older age necessitates interdisciplinary and big-data approaches. Only then can we hope to prevent chronic diseases at their earliest beginning.

Bangladesh is one of the countries with a high rate of infant malnutrition and the major cause is inappropriate breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices. To improve the situation, both GO/NGO organizations are working intensively on the issue. I...

Aims The study aims to assess the effects of switching from National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) growth references to World Health Organization (WHO) growth standards on health-care workers' decisions about malnutrition in infants aged

Analisar práticas alimentares de crianças desnutridas menores de dois anos. Estudo exploratório e descritivo, com análise qualitativa dos dados, realizado a partir de observação participante e entrevistas. Participaram 42 sujeitos. Os dados foram submetidos à análise temática. Ao explorar as práticas alimentares dessas crianças, os temas que emergiram foram: quem prepara a alimentação e o que é preparado; como são preparados os alimentos; a rotina alimentar das crianças; onde e como as crianças são servidas. A alimentação era pouco variada; láctea, no café da manhã e lanches, e no almoço com alimentos como arroz, batata, feijão e, às vezes, carnes. Frutas e hortaliças eram escassas, e alimentos industrializados estavam presentes em todos os domicílios. Foi possível apreender o cotidiano das práticas alimentares, suas inadequações, insuficiência de alimentos, higiene precária dos alimentos complementares, influência das avós, ambiente inadequado às refeições e situação de vida das famílias. Analizar los hábitos alimentarios de niños malnutridos menores de dos años. Estudio exploratorio descriptivo cualitativo, con análisis temático de datos, recolectados por observación participante y entrevistas. Participaron 42 sujetos. Los siguientes temas emergieron de indagaciones acerca de los hábitos alimentarios de los niños: quién prepara la alimentación y qué se prepara; cómo se preparan los alimentos; cómo es la rutina alimentaria de los niños; dónde y cómo los niños son servidos. La alimentación era variada poco, con alimentos lácteos en el desayuno y meriendas; y alimentos como arroz, patatas, frijoles y carne a veces para el almuerzo. Frutas y verduras eran escasas y alimentos procesados estaban presentes en todas las casas. Fue posible saber acerca del cotidiano de las prácticas alimentarias, sus inadecuaciones, insuficiencia de alimentos, higiene precaria de alimentos complementarios, influencia de las abuelas, ambiente inadecuado para comidas y situación de vida de las familias. OBJECTIVE: Analyze food practices of unnourished children under two years old. METHOD: Exploratory, descriptive and qualitative study. Data were collected through participant observation and interviews. Participants were 42 subjects. The data were subjected to thematic analysis. RESULTS: The following themes emerged when addressing the eating habits of those children: Who prepares the food and what is prepared; How foods are prepared; Children's eating routine; Where and how children are served. Food was varied little, with lacteous food at breakfast and snacks, and with food such as rice, potatoes, beans and sometimes meat at lunch. Fruits and vegetables were scarce and processed foods were present in all homes. CONCLUSION: It was possible to learn the daily eating habits, their inadequacies, insufficient food, poor hygiene of complementary food, influence of grandmothers, inappropriate environment for meals and families' living situation.

ObjectivesAnalyse the effect of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), a wage-for-employment policy of the Indian Government, on infant malnutrition and delineate the pathways through which MGNREGA affects infant malnutrition.HypothesisMGNREGA could reduce infant malnutrition through positive effects on household food security and infant feeding.MethodMixed methods using cross-sectional study and focus group discussions conducted in Dungarpur district, Rajasthan, India.ParticipantsInfants aged 1 to OutcomesInfant malnutrition measured using anthropometric indicators - underweight, stunting, and wasting (WHO criteria).ResultsWe included 528 households with 1,056 participants. Out of 528, 281 households took part in MGNREGA between August'10, and September'11. Prevalence of wasting was 39%, stunting 24%, and underweight 50%. Households participating in MGNREGA were less likely to have wasted infants (OR 0·57, 95% CI 0·37-0·89, p = 0·014) and less likely to have underweight infants (OR 0·48, 95% CI 0·30-0·76, p = 0·002) than non-participating households. Stunting did not differ significantly between groups. We did 11 focus group discussions with 62 mothers. Although MGNREGA reduced starvation, it did not provide the desired benefits because of lower than standard wages and delayed payments. Results from path analysis did not support existence of an effect through household food security and infant feeding, but suggested a pathway of effect through low birth-weight.ConclusionParticipation in MGNREGA was associated with reduced infant malnutrition possibly mediated indirectly via improved birth-weight rather than by improved infant feeding. Addressing factors such as lack of mothers' knowledge and inappropriate feeding practices, over and above the social and economic policies, is key in efforts to reduce infant malnutrition.

Provision Of Formula 100, The Toddler Nutritional Status. Malnutrition is still a serious problem in Indonesia which frequently occur in groups of children aged under five years. The incidence of malnutrition if not addressed will cause a negative effect on children, among other death and chronic infections. Number of children under five in the region Puskesmas Sukoharjo in late December 2013 as many as 4109 children, identified under five suffering from severe malnutrition as many as 32 children. This study was to determine the effect of formula 100 to the nutritional status of children in the region Puskesmas Sukoharjo. Ekspriment quasi design with the design of one group pre test post test design. Populations of all infants with malnutrition in Puskesmas Sukoharjo Sukoharjo number 32 toddlers. Purposiv Sampling Techniques number 26 toddlers. Statistical test bivariate analysis with paired sample t-test with a confidence level of 95% or a = 5%. Results of the study, the average age of a toddler 30.77 a month and 76.9% of women. Nutritional status of children before giving formula 100 wholly severe malnutrition. After administration of 100 formula, infant malnutrition status as much as 69.2% 26.9% good nutritional status and poor nutritional status 1 child (3.8%). The test results paired sample t-test showed no effect of formula 100 to the nutritional status of children in the region Puskesmas Sukoharjo (p = 0.001). In conclusion there is the influence of formula 100 to the nutritional status of children in the region Puskesmas Sukoharjo Link OJS 3 artikel PENINGKATAN STATUS GIZI BALITA DENGAN GIZI BURUK MELALUI PEMBERIAN FORMULA 100

The response of 185 infants to their mothers’ departure was assessed in a rural area of Bangladesh. Despite their poor health and nutritional status, this group of infants showed the same peak in separation protest around the end of the first year that has been documented for healthier samples in several cultural contexts; correlational analysis suggests that the healthier infants were more likely to display protest. In addition, there was an earlier rise and decline in distress at maternal departure in the first half year of life, not seen in other reports. In this case, poor health appeared to dispose toward upset, indicating that the most fragile infants were least able to cope with the regulatory demands imposed by maternal departure. Overall, the results are evidence for a very strongly canalized transformation of cognitive and emotional functioning toward the end of the first year of life.

Infantile malnutrition is known to be associated with cognitive and behavioral impairment during childhood and adolescence. Data pertaining to longer-term effects on behavioral outcomes in adulthood are limited. In this study, we report associations between infantile malnutrition and attention problems in adults at midlife. Attention problems were assessed by the Conners Adult ADHD Rating Scales (CAARS) and the Conners Continuous Performance Test (CPT) in 145 Barbadian adults (aged 37–43 y) who had been followed longitudinally since childhood. Previously malnourished participants (n = 80) had experienced moderate to severe protein-energy malnutrition in the first year of life and were successfully rehabilitated thereafter. They were compared with healthy adults (n = 65) who were former classmates of the index cases and who had been matched for age, sex, and handedness in childhood. Multiple regression analyses showed persisting effects of childhood malnutrition on both the CAARS and the CPT, independent of effects of household standard of living assessed in childhood. The malnutrition effect on the CAARS ratings was independent of IQ, whereas this effect was attenuated for the CPT after adjustment for IQ. Teacher-reported attention problems in childhood predicted attention problems in adulthood, indicating continuity over the life span. Infantile malnutrition may have long-term effects on attentional processes nearly 40 y after the episode, even with excellent long-term nutritional rehabilitation and independent of socioeconomic conditions in childhood and adolescence. This finding has major public health implications for populations exposed to early childhood malnutrition.

Infant malnutrition in sub-Saharan Africa is a public health priority and a challenge in high HIV prevalence areas. The Drug Resources Enhancement Against AIDS and Malnutrition program, with multiple medical centers in Sub-Saharan Africa, developed an innovative intervention for the surveillance and control of malnutrition. In a pilot initiative, 36 HIV-exposed children were evaluated at baseline upon presentation for malnutrition and at six months post- treatment. Parameters included HIV-free survival, nutritional status and change in diet. Food diary data was entered and processed using the Nutrisurvey (WHO) software. At 6 months post-intervention, a significant improvement in anthropometric parameters was noted. Slowing of linear growth was observed in patients with malaria with a mean gain in centimetres of 4.4 ± 1.7 as compared to 5.6 ± 1.7 in children with no malaria, p < 0.048 (CL 95%: −2.32, −0.01). Dietary diversity scores increased from 5.3 ± 1.9 to 6.5 ± 1.3, p < 0.01 at 6 months. A significant increase (+25%, p < 0.02) in the number of children eating fish meals was noted. Our pilot data describes positive outcomes from a rehabilitative nutritional approach based on use of local foods, peer education, anthropometric and clinical monitoring in areas of high food insecurity. The relationship between malaria and linear growth retardation requires further investigation.

We observed that maternal exposure to diesel exhaust (DE) and diesel exhaust particles (DEPs) damaged the reproductive and central nervous systems in mice and rats. These observations suggest that impairment of early development induced by maternal exposure to DE and DEP causes several disorders after growing up. To elucidate the effects of maternal exposure to environmental substances, we review here a hypothesis of fetal and early developmental origins of adult disease. Recent studies influenced by Dr. Barker’s Thrifty Phenotype Hypothesis have led to advances in understanding how fetal and infant malnutrition can permanently and adversely alter the development of tissues and organs. Several epidemiological surveys in humans have uncovered links between maternal malnutrition and effects on the organs such as the kidney, pancreas, liver, muscles, adipocytes, and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. These observations were examples of critical period programming. The idea has been applied to examining possible fetal and early origins of other diseases. Interestingly, many reports showed that similar phenomena were induced by perinatal exposure to airborne environmental pollutants. Studies have shown that maternal DE exposure disrupts reproductive development and damages the central nervous system. In addition, perinatal exposure to tobacco smoke has been linked to several respiratory disorders. These results show that early development is a critical determinant of adult physiology and much care should be taken to ensure the proper environment for fetal development. This idea is especially topical currently, where rapid industrialization in Asia has accelerated changes in environment and increased pollution.

The aim of this study was to compare the evolution of nutritional deficits and overweight in one-year-old children from three birth cohorts started in 1982, 1993 and 2004 in Pelotas, Southern Brazil. Samples from the 1982 and 1993 cohorts and all children from 2004 were weighed and measured, and their mothers interviewed. Anthropometric deficits and overweight were assessed using both NCHS and WHO growth standards. A comparison of the existence of nutritional deficits showed that, after a decline between 1982 and 1993, its prevalence stabilized between 1993 and 2004. Across the whole period, a decrease in all deficits was observed. Obesity, on the other hand, increased. A deficit in the ratio of body length to age was found to be strongly associated with family income. The group with income below one minimum wage was the only to present a significant reduction of stunting during the study period. The most significant improvements in the reduction of nutritional deficits occurred in the first half of the study period, while social differentials remained. Fighting malnutrition is still necessary among the 40% of the population considered poor, and must be accompanied by efforts to combat overweight which is being observed in all social strata. O estudo teve como objetivo comparar a evolução dos déficits nutricionais e sobrepeso em crianças de um ano, com base em três coortes de nascimentos iniciadas em 1982, 1993 e 2004 em Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. Amostras das coortes de 1982 e 1993 e todos as crianças da coorte de 2004 foram pesadas e medidas, e suas mães foram entrevistadas. Déficits antropométricos e sobrepeso foram analisados utilizando os padrões de crescimento definidos pelo NCHS e OMS. A comparação dos déficits nutricionais mostrou que, depois de declinar entre 1982 e 1993, a prevalência se estabilizou entre 1993 e 2004. Durante o período inteiro, foi observada uma diminuição em todos os déficits. Inversamente, houve um aumento na obesidade. Baixa estatura para a idade esteve fortemente associada com renda familiar. O grupo de renda familiar abaixo de um salário mínimo foi o único que mostrou uma redução significativa em baixa estatura para idade durante o período estudado. Houve melhorias importantes na redução dos déficits nutricionais na primeira metade do período de estudo, embora ainda persistam desigualdades sociais. Combater a desnutrição ainda é necessário nos 40% mais pobres da população, em paralelo com a luta contra o sobrepeso, que vem sendo observado em todas as classes sociais.

Background: Breastfeeding is vital for the growth and development of infants and young children. Early initiation within the half hour of birth fosters optimal breastfeeding practice, promotes growth and development. Objective: To evaluate breastfeeding practices and the growth of infants. Method: This was a crosssectional survey at three immunisation clinics in Asaba metropolis of Delta state. Using a structured questionnaire, we assessed breastfeeding practice of attendees and the growth of babies and documented information on the socio demographic characteristics, breastfeeding practices, previous weights of infants’ and their Anthropometric measurements. Results: There were 97 motherinfant/ pairs. 49 males, 48 females; giving a male to female ratio of 1:1. 20.6% were neonates, 74.2% were less than 6 months while 25.8% were older. About 50% of the mothers initiated breastfeeding within an hour of delivery, 25% of mothers gave pre-lacteal feeds. 49.5% of babies were optimally breastfed; of these, 68.7% mothers had initiated breastfeeding within an hour of birth (p=0.001). Underweight and stunting was only seen among babies of mothers who did not practice optimal breastfeeding. It was observed that babies’ weights were not documented routinely in the road to health chart of the immunization cards after the measurements were taken. This was a missed opportunity for counselling and health promotion. Conclusion: Early initiation of breastfeeding increases the probability of optimal breastfeeding practice and prevents infant malnutrition. Even though growth was assessed, the information was not utilized for feed back to the mothers at the well-baby clinics, growth monitoring and promotion was not supported at the well-baby clinics in the health centres. Keywords: Breastfeeding Initiation, Growth

Resumen: La cooperación internacional al desarrollo en salud infantil despierta un especial interés en el ámbito pediátrico. En los últimos decenios se han ido revelando nuevas evidencias en torno al análisis de los factores vinculados a la morbimortalidad en las primeras etapas de la vida en los países menos adelantados. Este mayor conocimiento del origen de los problemas de salud y las posibles respuestas en forma de intervenciones con impacto determina la necesidad de su divulgación entre los profesionales de Pediatría interesados. Se hacen necesarios mayores esfuerzos para profundizar en materias relacionadas con salud global infantil y favorecer el que los pediatras conozcan y participen en estos procesos. Este artículo pretende ofrecer un acercamiento pediátrico social hacia los elementos relacionados con cooperación internacional y salud infantil. Abstract: The international development cooperation in child health arouses special interest in paediatric settings. In the last 10 10 years or so, new evidence has been presented on factors associated with morbidity and mortality in the first years of life in the least developed countries. This greater knowledge on the causes of health problems and possible responses in the form of interventions with impact, leads to the need to disseminate this information among concerned professional pediatricians. Serious efforts are needed to get a deeper insight into matters related to global child health and encourage pediatricians to be aware and participate in these processes. This article aims to provide a social pediatric approach towards international cooperation and child health-related matters

In Chile in low income populations research shows that the longer infants breast feed the lower the incidence of malnutrition (p

9 p., Hypertension affects one billion individuals worldwide and is considered the leading cause of cardiovascular death, stroke, and myocardial infarction. This increase in the burden of hypertension and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) is principally driven by lifestyle changes such as increased hypercaloric diets and reduced physical activity producing an increase of obesity, insulin resistance, and low-grade inflammation. Visceral adipocytes are the principal source of proinflammatory cytokines and systemic inflammation participates in several steps in the development of CVD. However, maternal and infant malnutrition also persists as a major public health issue in low- to middle-income regions such as Latin America (LA). We propose that the increased rates of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases in these countries could be the result of the discrepancy between a restricted nutritional environment during fetal development and early life, and a nutritionally abundant environment during adulthood. Maternal undernutrition, which may manifest in lower birth weight offspring, appears to accentuate the relative risk of chronic disease at lower levels of adiposity. Therefore, LA populations may be more vulnerable to the pathogenic consequences of obesity than individuals with similar lifestyles in high-income countries, which may be mediated by higher levels of proinflammatory markers and lower levels of muscle mass and strength observed in low birth weight individuals.

Submitted by Guilherme Lemeszenski (guilherme@nead.unesp.br) on 2013-08-22T18:56:58Z No. of bitstreams: 1 S0102-311X2006000100025.pdf: 57110 bytes, checksum: e136bb73acc56e305f81711d853b82ed (MD5) Made available in DSpace on 2013-08-22T18:56:58Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 S0102-311X2006000100025.pdf: 57110 bytes, checksum: e136bb73acc56e305f81711d853b82ed (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006-01-01 Made available in DSpace on 2013-09-30T19:51:19Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 S0102-311X2006000100025.pdf: 57110 bytes, checksum: e136bb73acc56e305f81711d853b82ed (MD5) S0102-311X2006000100025.pdf.txt: 17623 bytes, checksum: da996446f959c73aa9de5595c422a9c8 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006-01-01 Submitted by Vitor Silverio Rodrigues (vitorsrodrigues@reitoria.unesp.br) on 2014-05-20T15:13:20Z No. of bitstreams: 2 S0102-311X2006000100025.pdf: 57110 bytes, checksum: e136bb73acc56e305f81711d853b82ed (MD5) S0102-311X2006000100025.pdf.txt: 17623 bytes, checksum: da996446f959c73aa9de5595c422a9c8 (MD5) Made available in DSpace on 2014-05-20T15:13:20Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 S0102-311X2006000100025.pdf: 57110 bytes, checksum: e136bb73acc56e305f81711d853b82ed (MD5) S0102-311X2006000100025.pdf.txt: 17623 bytes, checksum: da996446f959c73aa9de5595c422a9c8 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006-01-01 Este trabalho teve como proposta estudar o estado nutricional de crianças indígenas e conhecer condições de saúde materno-infantil. Trata-se de um estudo transversal, com uma amostra de 137 crianças de zero a 59 meses de idade, das comunidades Kaiowá e Guaraní, Área Indígena de Caarapó, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brasil. Foram realizadas entrevistas com a aplicação de um questionário sobre as condições de saúde materno-infantil. A avaliação nutricional foi obtida por meio de medidas antropométricas (peso e estatura). Verificou-se que 19,7% das mães não realizaram o pré-natal e 53,3% tiveram parto domiciliar. A ocorrência de desnutrição para o índice peso/idade foi de 18,2% e para o índice altura/idade foi de 34,1%. A proporção de crianças desnutridas quando separadas por sexo, faixa etária e escolaridade materna não apresentou diferença estatisticamente significante para ambos os índices. Este estudo evidenciou elevada ocorrência de desnutrição infantil e uma preocupante situação de saúde materno-infantil. The objective of this study was to evaluate the nutritional status of indigenous children and to determine the conditions of mother-child health. A cross-sectional study was performed with a sample of 137 children from 0 to 59 months of age from Kaiowá and Guarani indigenous communities, Caarapó Reserve, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. Interviews were carried out using a questionnaire covering the conditions of mother-child health. Nutritional evaluation was performed using anthropometric measurements (weight and height). Results showed that 19.7% of mothers had not undergone prenatal examination and 53.3% had home births. Malnutrition in children was 18.2% and 34.1% for the weight/age and height/age indexes, respectively. The proportion of children with malnutrition, when separated by sex, age and education level of the mother, did not show a significant statistical difference for both indexes. This study documented a high occurrence of infant malnutrition and a worrisome mother-child health situation. Universidade de São Paulo Faculdade de Saúde Pública Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul Departamento de Tecnologia de Alimentos e Saúde Pública Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu

Background: Helicobacter pylori is one of the commonest causes of chronic infection of mankind, yet the natural history of acute infection is poorly understood. Some studies suggest that gastric colonisation with H pylori is associated with suboptimal nutrition and growth in childhood. Aims: To describe the clinical features of early H pylori colonisation and assess its role in the development of infant malnutrition and growth faltering. Methods: Two consecutive prospective longitudinal cohort studies were conducted at the Medical Research Council Laboratories in a rural community in The Gambia, West Africa. The first birth cohort of 125 infants was followed by a second of 65 children from the same community. H pylori colonisation was detected by sequential 13 C urea breath tests, and infant growth was monitored by serial measurements. Results: Children with early H pylori colonisation became significantly lighter, shorter, and thinner than their peers in late infancy. The association was found in both cohorts. No socioeconomic or demographic confounding variables were identified to explain this, and the weight deficit was no longer detectable when the children were aged 5–8 years. Conclusions: Results suggest that H pylori colonisation in early infancy predisposes to the development of malnutrition and growth faltering, although the effect did not persist into later childhood.

Infant malnutrition and mortality are common in Africa, although Africa is endowed with agricultural produce that could be harnessed through processing to produce adequate infant food. This project was set up to explore the possibility of using local raw materials to develop a nutritious, low-dietary-bulk, cheap infant food. The materials used included cereal (maize), pulses (soybean and groundnut) and tuberiferous plants (cooking banana). The grains were first germinated and dried or kilned before milling and formulation. The malted products were compared with fermented ones in terms of nutritional, dietary bulk and acceptability criteria. Malting increased the nutrient content, reduced the dietary bulk and enhanced the taste of the infant food. In terms of protein content, least gelation concentration and overall acceptability, malted samples had values in the range of 138-151 mg g -1 , 150-175 g l -1 and 7.2-8.82 respectively, while the control (fermented) sample had values of 54mg g -1 , 100 g l -1 and 6.29 respectively. Roasting of malted cereals above 55 °C reduced the bulk reduction ability but enhanced the taste of the products. A combination of malted maize and soybean, roasted groundnut and cooking banana in the ratio of 50:15:15:20 gave a very recommendable weaning food for infants between the ages of 6 months and 2 years. L'Afrique est dotee de produits agricoles qui pourraient etre valorises par la transformation en aliments de sevrage pour palier a la malnutrition des enfants. Dans cette etude, les materiaux evalues sont une cereale, le mais, des legumineuses, soja et arachide et une plante tubereuse, la banane a cuire. Les graines sont d'abord germees et sechees avant la mouture et la formulation. Les resultats montrent que le produit obtenu avec 50% mais malte, 15% soja malte, 15% arachide grillee et 20% banane, constitue un aliment de sevrage bien adapte pour les enfants de 6 mois a 2 ans.

Objective. To assess the nutritional status of children attending the Instituto Alteno para el Desarrollo de Jalisco (Highlands Institute for Development of Jalisco State, Inadej) in Arandas, Jalisco and to discuss the classification criteria of infant malnutrition in Mexico. Material and Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 775 children aged between twelve and one hundred and twenty months, who attended Inadej, including 432 children recently registered in INADEJ. Measurements included weight/age, height/age, and weight/height indices. The prevalence of malnutrition was compared using the WHO’s criteria and the Mexican Official Norm Classification (NOM-SSA) criteria. The weight/ age, height/age and weight/ height indices were compared using the chi-squared test. Results. Parents’ schooling level was low (mean=3.6 years); the mean family income was U.S. $198.00 dollars per month, with each family member receiving 0.56 dollars per day for three daily meals. The prevalence of malnutrition was significantly higher with any of the three indices when using the NOM-SSA criteria, as compared to the WHO criteria (weight/age 91.7 vs. 30.9%; height/age 66.9 vs 17.3%; and weight/height 62.5 vs. 9.5%, respectively). Conclusions. The weight/age index and the NOM-SSA criteria overestimate the prevalence of malnutrition and are not able to tell apart children with familial small size, nor those with acute and/or chronic or past Vasquez-Garibay EM, Romero-Velarde E, Napoles-Rodriguez F, Nuno-Cosio ME, Padilla-Gutierrez N. Interpretacion de indices antropometricos en ninos de Arandas, Jalisco, Mexico. Salud Publica Mex 2002;44:92-99. El texto completo en ingles de este articulo esta disponible en: http://www.insp.mx/salud/index.html

Food base approach is considered to be a more viable and sustainable method of addressing micronutrient deficiencies in developing countries. A study to develop suitable micronutrient-rich complementary infant foods was carried out and characterized using rice (Oryza sativa, var. Togo Marshal) and six other Ghanaian food ingredients; soybean (Glycine Max var. Afayak), cowpea (Vigna unguiculata, var. Bengpla), mango (Magnefera indica, var. Kent), red palm (Elaesis guineensis. var. Dura) oil, groundnut (Arachis hypogea, var. Otuhia) and eggs. The complementary foods were initially developed from six blends, LR-1 (70% rice, 20% soybean, 5% groundnut, 5% dried mango), LR-2 (70% rice, 20% soybean, 5% groundnut, 5% egg yolk), LR-3 (70% rice, 20% soybean, 5% cowpea, 5% dried mango), LR-4 (65% rice, 25% soybean, 5% palm oil, 5% egg yolk), LR-5 (70% rice, 20% cowpea, 5% groundnut, 5% egg yolk), LR-6 (70% rice, 25% soybean, 5% dried mango). Sensory evaluation of these initial blends was conducted and the three most preferred blends were selected for further acceptability studies as well as the nutritional analyses using standard methods. The most desirable product based on sensory attributes was the formulation containing mango flour and soybeans (LR-6) followed by formulation containing soybean, groundnut and mango (LR-1). However there were no significant differences ( p = 0.05) observed among the overall acceptability of the three best formulated products (LR-6, LR-1, LR-4). LR-4 had the highest amount of energy (427.6Kcal/100g), protein (15.82g/100g), fat (12.2g/100g), beta-carotene (5106.7 µg/100g) and iron (6.6mg/100g). LR-6 came out as the most preferred weaning food based on sensory evaluation. This study revealed the potential of using local ingredients including rice to produce micronutrient-rich complementary infant foods in developing countries. This will be of tremendous help to the less endowed households where the problem of infant malnutrition is most rife.

Introduction: The World Health Organization recommends that infants should be exclusively breastfed to achieve optimal growth, development, and health. Nonexclusive breastfeeding (EBF) causes infant malnutrition which is widespread in most developing countries and accounts for 11% of global disease burden. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of integrated nutritional intervention on maternal knowledge, practice of exclusive breastfeeding, and nutritional status of under-five children in two rural communities of Kaduna State, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: The study employed a quasi-experimental design, carried out between November 2014 and June 2015 with baseline, intervention, and postintervention phases in two rural communities of Kaduna State, Nigeria (Dangaiya (Sabon Gari Local Government Area [LGA] and Kufena [Zaria LGA] communities). The intervention was conducted among 167 mother/child pairs independently selected from the study and control areas through a multistage sampling technique. Data were collected using interviewer-administered questionnaire at baseline and 6 months after intervention from both communities. Weights and heights/length of recruited children were measured. Data were analyzed using SPSS statistics software version 20.0. (IBM). Results: The result indicated that malnutrition exists among under-five children in the study area. Postintervention, mothers of the children in the study community had better knowledge of EBF (P = 0.001), duration of EBF (P = 0.001), and recommended total breastfeeding duration (P = 0.001). The change in the malnutrition status of the children was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Conclusion: In this study, nutritional education of mothers only had positive impact on their level of knowledge of EBF but not on their practice; therefore, there is a need for the Kaduna State Ministry of Health and Local Government Authorities to put in place prolonged (>4 weeks) integrated nutritional interventions with emphasis on correct exclusive breastfeeding practices to improve the level of malnutrition in the state.