Covid-19 pandemic impacts on follow-up of child growth and development

OBJECTIVE To analyze the impact of the covid-19 pandemic on the use of primary health care services to follow-up the child growth and development in Brazil. METHOD A total of 7.9 million consultations of children (0–2 years old) across Brazil between March 2017 and May 2020 were studied. Differences between medians were analyzed using non-parametric tests, the Global Moran Index (IGM) and the Local Indicators of Spatial Association. RESULTS During the initial period of the pandemic, the median number of consultations was significantly lower than the same period in previous years, reducing more than 50%. The drop in 2020, compared to 2019, ranged from 49% to 62.2% across all regions of the country, except the South. The percentage reduction registered in 2019–2020 showed significant spatial autocorrelation (IGM = 0.20; p = 0.04), with the presence of low-low (states with reduction between 29% and 51%) and high-high (states with reduction between 55% and 69%) spatial clusters. CONCLUSION The covid-19 pandemic impacted the follow-up of child growth and development in primary health care services in Brazil, with a geographically uneven reduction

Efficacy of different strategies to treat anemia in children: a randomized clinical trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Anemia continues to be a major public health problem among children in many regions of the world, and it is still not clear which strategy to treat it is most effective.</p> <p>Objective</p> <p>To evaluate the efficacy and children's acceptance of several recognized strategies to treat anemia.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Non-breastfed children (n = 577), 6 to 43 mo of age, were screened for the trial; 267 were anemic (hemoglobin < 11.7 g/dL), and 266 of those were randomized into 1 of 5 treatments to received daily either: an iron supplement (IS), an iron+folic acid supplement (IFS), a multiple micronutrient supplement (MMS), a micronutrient-fortified complementary food as porridge powder (FCF), or zinc+iron+ascorbic acid fortified water (FW). The iron content of each daily dose was 20, 12.5, 10, 10 and 6.7 mg respectively. Hemoglobin (Hb), ferritin, total iron, weight and height were measured at baseline and after 4 months of treatment. Morbidity, treatment acceptability and adherence were recorded during the intervention.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>All treatments significantly increased Hb and total iron concentration; ferritin did not change significantly. Groups MMS, IS and IFS increased Hb (g/dL) [1.50 (95%CI: 1.17, 1.83), 1.48 [(1.18, 1.78) and 1.57 (1.26, 1.88), respectively] and total iron ((μg/dL) [0.15 (0.01, 0.29), 0.19 (0.06, 0.31) and 0.12(-0.01, 0.25), respectively] significantly more than FCF [0.92 (0.64, 1.20)] but not to FW group [0.14 (0.04, 0.24)]. The prevalence of anemia was reduced to a greater extent in the MMS and IFS groups (72% and 69%, respectively) than in the FCF group (45%) (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in anthropometry or in the number of episodes of diarrhea and respiratory infections among treatment groups. The supplements MMS and IS were less acceptable to children, than IFS, FCF and FW.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The three supplements IS, ISF and MMS increased Hb more than the FCF; the supplements that contained micronutrients (IFS and MMS) were more effective for reducing the prevalence of anemia. In general, fortified foods were better accepted by the study participants than supplements.</p> <p>ClinicalTrial.gov Identifier</p> <p>NCT00822380</p

CONHECIMENTOS, VIVÊNCIAS E CRENÇAS NO CAMPO SEXUAL: UM ESTUDO COM ALUNOS DO ENSINO MÉDIO COM PERFIS SOCIOECONÔMICOS DIFERENCIADOS

RESUMO O objetivo neste estudo foi analisar conhecimentos, vivências e crenças no campo sexual de estudantes do 1º e 2º anos do ensino médio, com perfis socioeconômicos diferenciados. Trata-se de uma investigação transversal, descritiva e analítica, com amostragem por conveniência. Aplicou-se questionário estruturado a 258 alunos de Belo Horizonte-MG, de escolas classificadas em A, B2 e C1, segundo critério de classificação econômica. Os resultados mostraram que o nível socioeconômico foi relevante na diferenciação entre os alunos das três escolas, no que se refere à iniciação sexual e a diversos conhecimentos. Essa diferença não foi, no entanto, significativa quanto à orientação sexual dada pela mãe e pai. Os alunos da escola A demonstraram mais domínio dos conteúdos, embora certos desconhecimentos essenciais a uma prática menos vulnerável tenham também se revelado independentes das condições socioeconômicas e do nível de escolaridade do responsável pela família. As limitações do conhecimento associadas aos mitos e crenças, identificadas nas três escolas, sinalizaram como uma contribuição para mais vulnerabilidade às ISTs, à gravidez na adolescência e às consequências relacionadas a sexo e violência sexual. Os resultados revelam a premência pela busca de alternativas investigativas e interventivas que deem amplitude às discussões sobre sexualidade com os adolescentes, incluindo abordagens como sexo, geração, violência nas relações de intimidade, direitos sexuais e reprodutivos e acessibilidade aos serviços de saúde, de forma que os adolescentes se vejam como protagonista em sua forma de ser e viver sua sexualidade

Effectiveness of communication campaign on iron deficiency anemia in Kyzyl-Orda region, Kazakhstan: a pilot study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In 2004, wheat flour fortification (WFF) with iron was implemented in Kazakhstan as a public health strategy to increase the iron intake of all women of childbearing age and of children. In 2003, before starting the flour fortification program, a communication campaign on health education took place in a region with a high prevalence of iron deficiency anemia (IDA). The present study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of anemia, iron deficiency and IDA before and after the campaign. In addition, knowledge about IDA and its prevention, as well as awareness about fortified wheat flour, was assessed.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The subjects of the study were women aged 15-49 years and children aged 2-14 years. The study was carried out in urban and rural areas of Kyzyl-Orda region in 2003 before (March) and after (December) the campaign. Blood samples were collected in order to measure hemoglobin and serum ferritin. In March 80 women and 57 children in the urban area, and 41 women and 41 children in the rural area, participated in the IDA testing. The corresponding participants in December numbered 62, 52, 52, and 57, respectively. The impacts of the communications and information received by participants during the campaign was surveyed with a questionnaire for 195 women in March and 198 women in December including some who participated in the IDA testing.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In March, the prevalence of anemia was 52.0% among 121 women and 58.1% among 98 children, and those with low iron reserve were 63.6%, 49.1% and IDA 40.5%, 11.0%, respectively. In December, the prevalence of anemia had significantly decreased among rural women (from 65.9% to 48.0%, p < 0.05) and among urban children (from 63.1% to 11.5%, p < 0.001). The prevalence of iron deficiency was significantly reduced among the children (from 51.1% to 24.8%, p < 0.001). IDA prevalence was meaningfully decreased among women in urban and combined areas (from 37.5% to 15.0% and 40.5 to 14.8%, respectively, p < 0.001) and among urban children (from 7.1% to 2.1%, p < 0.05). The surveys found that most women knew about IDA and its prevention and that the numbers were similar both in March and in December. The knowledge of the anti-anemic effect of wheat fortified flour improved significantly over the period of the campaign among women both in urban (from 48.5% to 80.9%, p < 0.001) and rural (from 69.8% to 88.6%, p < 0.001) areas.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The study demonstrated that the communication campaign before implementation of WFF program was effectively carried out, giving a biological impact on hematological indices.</p

Vitamins and minerals for women: recent programs and intervention trials

Women's nutrition has received little attention in nutrition programming, even though clinical trials and intervention trials have suggested that dietary improvement or supplementation with several nutrients may improve their health, especially in low-income settings, the main focus of this paper. Most attention so far has focused on how improvements in maternal nutrition can improve health outcomes for infants and young children. Adequate vitamin D and calcium nutrition throughout life may reduce the risk of osteoporosis, and calcium supplementation during pregnancy may reduce preeclampsia and low birth weight. To reduce neural tube defects, additional folic acid and possibly vitamin B12 need to be provided to non-deficient women before they know they are pregnant. This is best achieved by fortifying a staple food. It is unclear whether maternal vitamin A supplementation will lead to improved health outcomes for mother or child. Iron, iodine and zinc supplementation are widely needed for deficient women. Multimicronutrient supplementation (MMS) in place of the more common iron-folate supplements given in pregnancy in low-income countries may slightly increase birth weight, but its impact on neonatal mortality and other outcomes is unclear. More sustainable alternative approaches deserve greater research attention

Micronutrient fortification of food and its impact on woman and child health: A systematic review

Background: Vitamins and minerals are essential for growth and metabolism. The World Health Organization estimates that more than 2 billion people are deficient in key vitamins and minerals. Groups most vulnerable to these micronutrient deficiencies are pregnant and lactating women and young children, given their increased demands. Food fortification is one of the strategies that has been used safely and effectively to prevent vitamin and mineral deficiencies.Methods: A comprehensive search was done to identify all available evidence for the impact of fortification interventions. Studies were included if food was fortified with a single, dual or multiple micronutrients and impact of fortification was analyzed on the health outcomes and relevant biochemical indicators of women and children. We performed a meta-analysis of outcomes using Review Manager Software version 5.1.Results: Our systematic review identified 201 studies that we reviewed for outcomes of relevance. Fortification for children showed significant impacts on increasing serum micronutrient concentrations. Hematologic markers also improved, including hemoglobin concentrations, which showed a significant rise when food was fortified with vitamin A, iron and multiple micronutrients. Fortification with zinc had no significant adverse impact on hemoglobin levels. Multiple micronutrient fortification showed non-significant impacts on height for age, weight for age and weight for height Z-scores, although they showed positive trends. The results for fortification in women showed that calcium and vitamin D fortification had significant impacts in the post-menopausal age group. Iron fortification led to a significant increase in serum ferritin and hemoglobin levels in women of reproductive age and pregnant women. Folate fortification significantly reduced the incidence of congenital abnormalities like neural tube defects without increasing the incidence of twinning. The number of studies pooled for zinc and multiple micronutrients for women were few, though the evidence suggested benefit. There was a dearth of evidence for the impact of fortification strategies on morbidity and mortality outcomes in women and children.Conclusion: Fortification is potentially an effective strategy but evidence from the developing world is scarce. Programs need to assess the direct impact of fortification on morbidity and mortality

Local Foods Can Increase Adequacy of Nutrients Other than Iron in Young Urban Egyptian Women: Results from Diet Modeling Analyses

BACKGROUND: Nutrition transition and recent changes in lifestyle in Middle Eastern countries have resulted in the double burden of malnutrition. In Egypt, 88% of urban women are overweight or obese and 50% are iron deficient. Their energy, sugar, and sodium intakes are excessive, while intakes of iron, vitamin D, and folate are insufficient. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to formulate dietary advice based on locally consumed and affordable foods and determine the need for fortified products to meet the nutrient requirements of urban Egyptian women. METHODS: Food intakes were assessed using a 4-d food diary collected from 130 urban Egyptian women aged 19-30 y. Food prices were collected from modern and traditional markets to calculate diet cost. Population-based linear and goal programming analyses (Optifood tool) were used to identify "limiting nutrients" and to assess whether locally consumed foods (i.e., consumed by >5% of women) could theoretically improve nutrient adequacy at an affordable cost (i.e., less than or equal to the mean diet cost), while meeting recommendations for SFAs, sugars, and sodium. The potential of hypothetical fortified foods for improving intakes of micronutrients was also assessed. RESULTS: Iron was the most limiting nutrient. Daily consumption of fruits, vegetables, milk or yogurt, meat/fish/eggs, and tahini (sesame paste) were likely to improve nutrient adequacy for 11 out of 12 micronutrients modeled. Among fortified foods tested, iron-fortified rice, milk, water, bread, or yogurt increased the minimized iron content of the modeled diet from 40% to >60% of the iron recommendation. CONCLUSIONS: A set of dietary advice based on locally consumed foods, if put into practice, can theoretically meet requirements for most nutrients, except for iron for which adequacy is harder to achieve without fortified products. The acceptability of the dietary changes modeled needs evaluation before promoting them to young Egyptian women