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The objective of the study was to corroborate or refute the hypothesis that farmers having a high intake of organic grown commodities have a high semen quality due to their expected lower level of dietary pesticides intake. Food frequency data and semen were collected from 256 farmers (171 traditional farmers and 85 organic farmers, overall participation rate: 32%) who were selected from central registers. Each farmer delivered one semen sample before the spraying season started. The farmers were divided into three groups where the commodities from organic production contributed no (N, 0%), medium (M, 1-49%), or a high (H, 50-100%) proportion of the fruit and vegetables consumed. Farmers having a high relative intake of organically grown fruit and vegetables also had a high relative consumption of organically produced meat, milk, and bread, and differences were observed comparing theactual mean intake of single commodities, such as rice, potato, and pork meat. The current individual dietary intake of 40 pesticides wasestimated using food frequencies and generalized serving size data in combination with data on pesticide concentrations in food commodities as obtained from the National Danish Food Monitoring Program. The estimated pesticide intake was significantly lower among farmers of group H, but for all three groups of farmers the average dietary intake of 40 pesticides was at or below 1% of the acceptable daily intake (ADI) except for the dithiocarbamates (max = 0.21 Mug/kg day = 2.2% ADI), methidathion, (max = 0.01 Mug/kg day = 1.4% ADI), and 2-phenylphenol (max = 0.21 Mug/kg day = 1.1% ADI). The median sperm concentration for the three groups of farmers was not significantly different (p= 0.40, median sperm concentration was N = 62, M = 44, and H = 75 million/ml). The group of men without organic food intake had a significant lower proportion of morphologically normal spermatozoa, but in relation to 14 other semen parameters no significant differences were fou [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social protection programmes are designed to help vulnerable populations - including pastoralists - maintain a basic level of well-being, manage risk, and cope with negative shocks. Theory suggests that differential targeting according to poverty status can increase the reach and effectiveness of budgeted social protection programmes. Chronically poor households benefit most from social protection designed to help them meet their basic needs and make vital investments necessary to graduate from poverty. Vulnerable non-destitute households benefit from protection against costly temporary shocks, but do not necessarily need regular assistance. Welfare gains occur when a comprehensive social protection programme considers the needs of both types of households. The authors use evidence-based understanding of poverty dynamics in the pastoralist-based economy of northern Kenya's arid and semi-arid lands as a case study to discuss and compare the observed impacts of two different social protection schemes on heterogeneous pastoralist households: a targeted, unconditional, cash-transfer programme designed to support the poorest, and an index-based livestock insurance programme, which acts as a productive 'safety net' to help stem a descent into poverty and increase resilience. Both types of social protection scheme have been shown to decrease poverty, improve food security and protect child health. However, the behavioural response for asset accumulation varies with the type of protection and the household's unique situation. Poor households that receive cash transfers retain and accumulate assets quickly. Insured households, who are typically vulnerable yet not destitute, protect existing herds and invest more in the livestock they already own. The authors argue that differential targeting increases programme efficiency, and discuss Kenya's current approach to implementing differentially targeted social protection.

The present study investigated the spontaneous, unintended body weight changes observed during the first 11 weeks of an eight months' ad libitum low-fat/high-fibre diet (25.5 energy-% fat, 58.5 energy-% carbohydrate, 3.9 g dietary fiber/MJ), primarily aimed at investigating changes in blood lipid concentrations. Subjects were normal-weight, young, healthy students, 24 in the intervention group, and 24 in the control group (no diet). After 11 weeks, an overall decrease in body weight (1.3 +/- 0.4 kg) (mean +/- SEM) (p < 0.01) and fat mass (1.6 +/- 0.2 kg, p < 0.001) was observed in the intervention group. Fat-free mass remained unchanged. Initial body weight and fat mass correlated significantly to changes in body weight and fat mass. No changes were observed in the control group. In conclusion, the ad libitum intake of a low-fat/high-fibre diet led to a spontaneous, small loss of body weight and fat mass in young, normal-weight subjects.

Objective: During the first 11 weeks of 8 months' ad libitum intake of a low fat/high fiber diet (25.5 energy-% fat, 58.5 energy-% carbohydrate, 3.9 g dietary fiber/MJ) primarily aimed at investigating the effect on blood lipids, spontaneous, unintended body weight changes occurred. The objective of the present paper was to elaborate the analyses on changes in body weight and composition during the 11 weeks' intervention period., Measurements: Dietary intake, body weight and composition., Subjects: Subjects in the intervention (I) (n = 24) and control group (C) (n = 24) were normal weight, young, healthy students., Results: In the intervention group an overall decrease in body weight (-1.3 +/- 0.4 kg) (mean +/- s.e.m.) (P < 0.01) and fat mass (-1.6 +/- 0.2 kg, P < 0.001) occurred. Fat free mass remained unchanged (0.1 +/- 0.3 kg, n.s.). Subjects with the initially lowest level of body fat (n = 10) gained fat-free mass (0.6 +/- 0.2 kg) (n.s.) and lost fat mass (-0.9 +/- 0.2) (P < 0.01). In the intervention group initial body weight and fat mass correlated significantly to change in body weight (r = -0.59, P = 0.003 and r = -0.53, P = 0.008) and fat mass (r = -0.52, P = 0.01, and r = -0.50, P = 0.01). No changes were observed in the control group., Conclusion: The ad libitum intake of a low fat/high fiber diet lead to a spontaneous loss of body weight and fat mass in young, normal weight subjects.