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Six baby foods based on milk and milk-cereal blends commonly used in Saudi Arabia were tested for their micro and macro nutrient contents. Chemical evaluation of the nutritive value of baby foods showed that calories and nutrients in some baby foods were not proportionate. Protein quality met the protein requirement of infants and toddlers as indicated by NDP allowance values. Furthermore, milk-based products showed a high metabolized energy compared to milk and cereal blends.

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the peroxidative damage and hypercholesterolemia induced in male Wistar albino rats by diets enriched either with 1% oxidized cholesterol (OC) (containing 49.8% of cholesterol oxidation products) or pure cholesterol (PC). The damage caused by the OC diet was revealed by a significant rise in red blood cell hemolysis, increased tissue lipid peroxidation and elevated aspartate amino transferase activity as compared with control and PC diets. Liver glutathione-S-transferase activity was decreased by both OC (P < 0.01) and PC (P < 0.05) diets, but glutathione was observed to be decreased only by the OC diet. Plasma triacylglycerol and cholesterol were increased significantly with both the OC and PC diets. Liver cholesterol and triacylglycerol were increased significantly with the OC diet only. These results indicate that the oxidative damage caused by the OC diet is much more pronounced than that caused by the PC diet.

The nutritive value of nine Saudi breads prepared from wheat, millet and corn were measured chemically by proximate, minerals and vitamins analyses. On fresh weight basis, the bread contained 26.4-44.7% moisture, 6.6-10.4% protein, 0.4-2.4% fat, 40.2-60.6% available carbohydrates, 1.8-5.7% dietary fibre, 0.6-2.4% ash and 190-273 Kcal (metabolizable) per 100 g. All the breads were low in Ca (2.2-12.5 mg/100 g), P ranged from 41.9-320.8, Na 83.2-794.6, K 0.7-224.2 and Fe 1.6-7.8 mg/100 g. The contents of vitamin A (RE), thiamin and riboflavin ranged from 0-145 micrograms, 0.01-0.26 mg, 0.02-0.13 mg/100 g respectively. The bread contributed 12-18, 2-8 and 77-84% of the total food energy from protein, fat and carbohydrates respectively. Wheat bread (355 g/head/day) provided 45 and 61% of energy and protein requirements respectively at national level per person per day.

The present study was conducted to identify the cholesterol-raising factor in coffee oil besides the other two well-known diterpenes, cafestol and kahweol. Female rats fed coffee oil for 4 weeks showed significantly higher level of plasma cholesterol (P < 0.01) and triacylglycerols (P < 0.01). Feeding unsaponifiable lipids of coffee oil caused significant decrease in plasma cholesterol; however, increase in triacylglycerol was observed. Rats given beta-sitosterol showed increase in plasma triacylglecerol and decrease in cholesterol levels, an effect similar to that observed with unsaponifiable lipids. beta-sitosterol is the major constituent of unsaponifiable lipids of the coffee oil. These results show that cafestol and kahweol diterpene alcohols are not the only cholesterol-raising factors in coffee oil.

The present study was undertaken to determine the incidence of malnutrition among hospitalized patients. A cross-sectional study of patients were evaluated for findings suggestive of protein calorie malnutrition (PCM). Hundred and sixty patients admitted to the medical and surgical wards over a period of five months were studied. Anthropometrics and biochemical measurements were used. Nutrition status was calculated based on some nutrition parameters weight for height, midarm, circumference, serum albumin and total lymphocyte count. Anthropometric measurements, weight for height and midarm circumference reflected malnutrition (PCM) of 33.8% and 30% respectively. The overall prevalence of obesity was 21%. A higher proportion (23.9%) of medical cases were found to be obese compared to surgical cases (19.7%). If malnutrition can be documented on hospital admission, attempts can be made to reverse malnutrition in the high risk patients.

Lipid composition of green Coffea arabica beans is reported with special emphasis on fatty acid composition. Triacylglycerols were found to be the major lipid constituents of the coffee oil along with sterol esters, sterols/triterpene alcohol, hydrocarbons and the hydrolyzed products of triacylglycerols as the minor components. Fatty acid composition of total oil, neutral lipids, polar lipids and pure triacylglycerols showed the presence of fatty acids of C14, C16, C18, and C20 carbon chains. Palmitic and linoleic acids were the major fatty acids and comprise about 38.7 and 35.9% respectively. Pancreatic lipase hydrolysis revealed that the linoleoyl and palmitoyl moieties are preferentially esterified at the Sn-2 and Sn-1,3 positions of triacylglycerols respectively. The presence of high amounts of palmitic acid at Sn-1,3 position in coffee oil may be partly responsible for its hypercholesterolemic effects.

The food habits during pregnancy were studied in Saudi women. The general plan of the study was to interview pregnant women about food cravings and avoidances during pregnancy. A systematic random sample of 321 pregnant women was chosen from three different primary health care centers in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. An interview questionnaire was used to collect data related to dietary habits during pregnancy and puerperium. The percentages of women with dietary cravings, pica and aversions were 38%, 8.8% and 66.4%, respectively. Saudi women craved for milk, salty and sour foods, sweets and dates. The avoidances included spicy foods and beverages. The study showed no relations between the literacy level and the food habits during pregnancy.