7 research outputs found
The Food Environment of Primary School Learners in a Low-to-Middle-Income Area in Cape Town, South Africa
Rapid changes in food environments, where less nutritious foods have become cheaper and more accessible, have led to the double burden of malnutrition (DBM). The role food environments have played in shaping the DBM has attained global interest. There is a paucity of food environment research in low-to-middle-income countries. We conducted a case study of the food environments of school aged learners. A primary school in Cape Town was recruited. A multi-method design was used: a home food and eating behaviours questionnaire completed by 102 household respondents and four questions completed by 152 learners; learner participatory photography; a semi-structured school principal interview; a tuckshop inventory; observation of three-day tuckshop purchases. Foods that were commonly present in households: refined carbohydrates, fats/oils, chicken, processed meats, vegetables, fruit, legumes, snacks/drinks. Two thirds of households had rules about unhealthy drinks/snacks, ate supper together and in front of the TV, ate a home cooked meal five–seven times/week and ate breakfast together under two times/week. Vegetables were eaten under two times/week in 45% of households. A majority of learners (84%) took a lunchbox to school. Twenty-five learners photographed their food environment and 15 participated in semi-structured interviews. Six themes emerged: where to buy; what is available in the home; meal composition; family dynamics; peer engagement; food preparation. Items bought at informal food outlets included snacks, drinks and grocery staples. The principal interview revealed the establishment of a healthy school food environment, including a vegetable garden, although unhealthy snacks were sold at the tuckshop. Key dimensions of the food environment that require further investigation in disadvantaged urban and informal settlement areas include the home availability of unhealthy foods, eating behaviours in households and healthfulness of foods sold by informal food outlets
Mean ± Standard Deviation Intake Values for 1–<10-Year-Old South African Children for Application in the Assessment of the Inflammatory Potential of Their Diets Using the DII® Method: Developmental Research
This study aimed to develop a set of mean ± standard deviation (SD) intake values for South African (SA) children for 36 of the 45 food parameters included in the original Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII®) tool. The SA food composition database contains 30 of the 45 food parameters included in the original DII®, and a supplementary database was developed for six of the food parameters not included in the SA database. The SA child mean ± SD intake of macronutrients, micronutrients and select flavonoids was calculated by age in years, using eight data sets from dietary surveys conducted in SA in the last three decades. A total sample of 5412 children was included in the calculation of the mean ± SD. The current study sample was determined to be representative of 1–<10-year-old children in SA, and the plausibility of the mean intake values was confirmed by being in line with age-appropriate recommendations. Furthermore, an increase in energy, macronutrient, and most micronutrient intakes with increase in age was evident. The generated mean ± SD values for SA children can be used for calculation of the inflammatory potential of the dietary intake of SA children in the age range of 1–<10-year-old children
Satellite cell proliferation in response to a chronic laboratory-controlled uphill vs. downhill interval training intervention
Thesis (MSc (Physiological Sciences))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006.Despite a growing interest into the mechanisms of the repeated bout effect, little is known about the
consequences of chronic eccentrically biased training and the possible advantageous such training may offer
to athletes as well as patients with muscle-debilitating disease. This study investigated the role of satellite
cells in the muscle adaptation in response to either downhill or uphill high intensity training (HIT). Welltrained
endurance runners were divided into two training groups matched for training volume and 10 km
running times (n = 6, uphill training, UP; n = 6, downhill training, DH) and subjects in both groups
completed 10 HIT sessions over a period of 4 weeks. Running performance was tested before and after the
training intervention by a 10 km road race and peak treadmill speed (PTS) in horizontal and inclined (+5%)
laboratory incremental tests to exhaustion. Skeletal muscle biopsies were sampled at baseline, after 2 HIT
sessions, and after 4 weeks of HIT. Muscle was analysed immunohistochemically for satellite cell frequency
as identified by CD56 and M-cadherin (Mcad) expression. Myogenin protein contents of muscle homogenates
were determined by western blotting. Myosin heavy chain (MyHC) isoform proportions and mean fibre crosssectional
area was measured. During the HIT intervention, UP exercised at a higher percentage of their HRmax
than DH (mean ± SD, 97 ± 1 vs. 92 ± 3 %HRmax, p < 0.005), but at a similar rate of perceived exertion (RPE).
DH completed more intervals per session and covered greater distance per session than their UP
counterparts. Both training groups increased their training intensity but decreased their training volume
during the 4 weeks of HIT. The combined group of 12 athletes improved their PTSgradient (mean ± SD, 16.7 ±
0.8 vs. 17.3 ± 1.0 km/h, p < 0.05). No significant differences between groups were found for PTS, VO2max or
10 km performance. Satellite cell frequency in this cohort of trained runners (48.9 ± 10.3 km/week) at
baseline was similar to healthy young males (CD56+ cells/fibre, 0.19 ± 0.10). Satellite cell frequency
increased significantly in DH after 4 weeks (Mcad, 123%; CD56, 138%) and non-significantly in UP (Mcad,
45%, CD56, 39%). No significant differences were found after two training sessions or at any time between
groups. Mcad and CD56 expression correlated well (r = 0.95, p < 0.0001). Muscle myogenin content
increased for both groups (UP: 56%; DH: 60%) after 4 weeks. No notable changes were seen after two training
sessions. However, myogenin levels 2 days after session 1 correlated well (r= 0.99, p<0.005) with muscle pain
experienced on the same day, as measured by the visual analogue scale. No changes were seen in the MyHC
proportions or the fibre cross-sectional area after the training intervention. It was concluded that the training
intervention was too short to induce changes in MyHC distribution or fibre area. Is seems likely that satellite
cell proliferation was initiated as an early response to DOMS, but the response was maintained for 4 weeks.
However, due to the lack of change in fibre morphology and myonuclear number, the role of satellite cell
proliferation in fibre type transformation or muscle hypertrophy could not be established. Similarly, various
possible roles for increased myogenin protein are offered, but since the origin of myogenin expression
(satellite cells vs. myonuclei) was not determined, no definite conclusion regarding the precise function can
be made. In conclusion, this study is the first to definitively indicate satellite cell proliferation in well-trained
endurance runners in response to a change in training, including specifically downhill HIT. This response
was early and sustained. This study asks several questions about the role of satellite cells during muscle
adaptation to repetitive downhill training, and lays a foundation for further research into this unexplored
field
Assessment of the Dietary Intake of Schoolchildren in South Africa: 15 Years after the First National Study
There has not been a national dietary study in children in South Africa since 1999. Fortification of flour and maize meal became mandatory in October 2003 to address micronutrient deficiencies found in the national study in 1999. The purpose of this review was to identify studies done after 1999 in schoolchildren, 6–15 years old, in order to determine whether dietary intakes reflected improvements in micronutrients, namely: iron, zinc, vitamin A, folate, thiamine, riboflavin, vitamin B6, and niacin. An electronic and hand search was done to identify all studies complying with relevant inclusion criteria. The search yielded 10 studies. Overall, there is a paucity of dietary studies which have included the fortified nutrients; only four, of which only one, reported on all micronutrients; making it difficult to determine whether fortification has improved the micronutrient intake of schoolchildren. This is further complicated by the fact that different dietary methods were used and that studies were only done in three of the nine provinces and thus are not generalizable. The results of these studies clearly point to the importance of doing a national study on the dietary intake of schoolchildren in order to confirm the outcomes of the fortification process
Measurement methods used to assess the school food environment: A systematic review
Children consume approximately half of their total daily amount of energy at school. Foods consumed are often energy-dense, nutrient-poor. The school food environment represents an effective setting to influence children’s food choices when dietary habits are established and continue to track into adulthood. The aim of this review was to: (1) group methods used for assessing the school food environment according to four food environment dimensions: Physical, economic, socio-cultural and policy and (2) assess the quality of the methods according to four criteria: Comprehensiveness, relevance, generalizability and feasibility. Three databases were searched, and studies were used to assess food and beverages provided at school canteens, tuck shops or cafeterias were included. The review identified 38 global studies (including 49 methods of measuring the food environment). The physical environment was the primary focus for 47% of articles, aspects of policy environment was assessed by 37% articles and a small number of studies assessed the economic (8%) and socio cultural (8%) environment. Three methods were rated ‘high’ quality and seven methods received ‘medium’ quality ratings. The review revealed there are no standardized methods used to measure the school food environment. Robust methods to monitor the school food environment across a range of diverse country contexts is required to provide an understanding of obesogenic school environments