An analysis of dietary micronutrient intakes in two age groups of black South African women

ArticleOBJECTIVE: To assess micronutrient intake of black women living in Mangaung, South Africa. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: A sample of 500 pre-menopausal black South African women (496 qualified to participate) from two age groups (25-34 and 35-44 years) were selected randomly in Mangaung, the black residential area of Bloemfontein. A validated Quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire (QFFQ) was used to determine dietary intake of participants. Data were categorized into the two age groups. Median micronutrient intakes were compared to the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) and Adequate Intake (AI). The prevalence of women with intakes < or = 67% of the RDA was calculated. RESULTS: Median calcium and vitamin D intakes were lower than the AI. Of all women, 46.2% to 62.2% consumed < or = 67% of the RDA for total iron, selenium, folate and vitamin C, and more than 94% consumed < or = 67% of the RDA for selenium. At least 25% of all women consumed < or = 67% of the RDA for vitamin A and E. The vitamin B6 intake of older women was inadequate and a fairly large percentage of the total sample consumed < or = 67% of the RDA. CONCLUSION: Generally, micronutrient intakes were adequate in this population. Attention should be given to those micronutrients where median intakes were < or = 67% of the RDA and those that were not at or above the respective AI in these groups of women.National Research Foundatio

An analysis of dietary micronutrient intakes in two age groups of black South African women

ArticleOBJECTIVE: To assess micronutrient intake of black women living in Mangaung, South Africa. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: A sample of 500 pre-menopausal black South African women (496 qualified to participate) from two age groups (25-34 and 35-44 years) were selected randomly in Mangaung, the black residential area of Bloemfontein. A validated Quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire (QFFQ) was used to determine dietary intake of participants. Data were categorized into the two age groups. Median micronutrient intakes were compared to the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) and Adequate Intake (AI). The prevalence of women with intakes < or = 67% of the RDA was calculated. RESULTS: Median calcium and vitamin D intakes were lower than the AI. Of all women, 46.2% to 62.2% consumed < or = 67% of the RDA for total iron, selenium, folate and vitamin C, and more than 94% consumed < or = 67% of the RDA for selenium. At least 25% of all women consumed < or = 67% of the RDA for vitamin A and E. The vitamin B6 intake of older women was inadequate and a fairly large percentage of the total sample consumed < or = 67% of the RDA. CONCLUSION: Generally, micronutrient intakes were adequate in this population. Attention should be given to those micronutrients where median intakes were < or = 67% of the RDA and those that were not at or above the respective AI in these groups of women.National Research Foundatio

Anthropometric and biochemical profiles of black South African women

ArticleIt has been reported that the diet of rural women in most African countries differs considerably from that of their urban counterparts, with the urban diet composed of more refined carbohydrates and fatty food. This study examines anthropometric and biochemical profiles and the association between these parameters in pre-menopausal, post-pubertal black South African women. A representative sample of 500 participants, randomly selected in Mangaung, Bloemfontein in the Free State Province, using township maps obtained from the Bloemfontein Municipality were recruited to participate. Younger women were aged 25-34 years and older women 35- 44 years. Anthropometric and biochemical profiles were determined according to standard methods. From the original sample of 500 women, 496 were eligible to participate. Of the younger women 30.1% and of the older women 27.7% were overweight, while 23.3% of younger women and 24% of older women had a body mass index (BMI) ≥30 kg/m2 , indicating obesity. Most women had a waist-hip ratio (WHR) <0.8, indicating gynoid fat distribution. The majority of women from both age groups had a body fat percentage >25% (92.5% and 94% respectively of younger and older women). Of the younger women 6.8% and of the older women 13.8% had triglyceride (TG) levels higher than the reference range. Total cholesterol levels fell within the reference range for 79.8% of the younger women and 71.3% of the older women. Glucose and insulin levels were within reference ranges for most women of both age groups. A significant association was found between insulin sensitivity and BMI and between insulin sensitivity and TG levels in both age groups. No significant association was found between waist circumference and elevated glucose levels in both age groups. A significant difference between insulin sensitivity and WHR was observed in the older group of women. The prevalence of overweight and obesity reported in this population may pose a potential risk for the development of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes.The National Research Foundatio

Anthropometric and Biochemical Profiles of Black South African Women

It has been reported that the diet of rural women in most African countries differs considerably from that of their urban counterparts, with the urban diet composed of more refined carbohydrates and fatty food. This study examines anthropometric and biochemical profiles and the association between these parameters in pre-menopausal, post-pubertal black South African women. A representative sample of 500 participants, randomly selected in Mangaung, Bloemfontein in the Free State Province, using township maps obtained from the Bloemfontein Municipality were recruited to participate. Younger women were aged 25-34 years and older women 35-44 years. Anthropometric and biochemical profiles were determined according to standard methods. From the original sample of 500 women, 496 were eligible to participate. Of the younger women 30.1% and of the older women 27.7% were overweight, while 23.3% of younger women and 24% of older women had a body mass index (BMI) ³30 kg/m2, indicating obesity. Most women had a waist-hip ratio (WHR) <0.8, indicating gynoid fat distribution. The majority of women from both age groups had a body fat percentage >25% (92.5% and 94% respectively of younger and older women). Of the younger women 6.8% and of the older women 13.8% had triglyceride (TG) levels higher than the reference range. Total cholesterol levels fell within the reference range for 79.8% of the younger women and 71.3% of the older women. Glucose and insulin levels were within reference ranges for most women of both age groups. A significant association was found between insulin sensitivity and BMI and between insulin sensitivity and TG levels in both age groups. No significant association was found between waist circumference and elevated glucose levels in both age groups. A significant difference between insulin sensitivity and WHR was observed in the older group of women. The prevalence of overweight and obesity reported in this population may pose a potential risk for the development of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes

Grey matter abnormalities in social anxiety disorder: A pilot study

ArticleWhile a number of studies have explored the functional neuroanatomy of social anxiety disorder (SAD), data on grey matter integrity are lacking. We conducted structural MRI scans to examine the cortical thickness of grey matter in individuals with SAD. 13 unmedicated adult patients with a primary diagnosis of generalized social anxiety disorder and 13 demographically (age, gender and education) matched healthy controls underwent 3T structural magnetic resonance imaging. Cortical thickness and subcortical volumes were estimated using an automated algorithm (Freesurfer Version 4.5). Compared to controls, social anxiety disorder patients showed significant bilateral cortical thinning in the fusiform and post central regions. Additionally, right hemisphere specific thinning was found in the frontal, temporal, parietal and insular cortices of individuals with social anxiety disorder. Although uncorrected cortical grey matter volumes were significantly lower in individuals with SAD, we did not detect volumetric differences in corrected amygdala, hippocampal or cortical grey matter volumes across study groups. Structural differences in grey matter thickness between SAD patients and controls highlight the diffuse neuroanatomical networks involved in both social anxiety and social behavior. Additional work is needed to investigate the causal mechanisms involved in such structural abnormalities in SAD. © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2012

Pretoriana, no. 053, April 1967

Uit die onderwys in Pretoria gedurende die laaste jare van die Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek en daarna / N.A. Coetzee -- Oor die Nederlandse verenigingslewe in ou Pretoria / J. Ploeger -- Die ampswoning van Conyngham Greene / J.M. Schoeman -- The president and the rose / C.W.L. de Souza -- Die konsentrasiekamp te Meintjieskop / J.L. Hattingh -- Kultuuraktiwiteite van die Pretoriase jeug tussen 1883 en 1913 / G.J. van Eck -- Die voorstad Groenkloof, Pretoria, en die herkoms van sy straat- en parkname / K.M. (Ina) van Eck -- Die eerste poging tot koffieverbouing in die Pretoriase distrik / H.M. Rex -- Correspondence / C.J. Beane

Sample Size Matters: A Voxel-Based Morphometry Multi-Center Mega-Analysis of Gray Matter Volume in Social Anxiety Disorder

Stress-related psychiatric disorders across the life spa

Voxel-based morphometry multi-center mega-analysis of brain structure in social anxiety disorder

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is a prevalent and disabling mental disorder, associated with significant psychiatric co-morbidity. Previous research on structural brain alterations associated with SAD has yielded inconsistent results concerning the direction of the changes in gray matter (GM) in various brain regions, as well as on the relationship between brain structure and SAD-symptomatology. These heterogeneous findings are possibly due to limited sample sizes. Multi-site imaging offers new opportunities to investigate SAD-related alterations in brain structure in larger samples. An international multi-center mega-analysis on the largest database of SAD structural T1-weighted 3T MRI scans to date was performed to compare GM volume of SAD-patients (n=174) and healthy control (HC)-participants (n=213) using voxel-based morphometry. A hypothesis-driven region of interest (ROI) approach was used, focusing on the basal ganglia, the amygdala-hippocampal complex, the prefrontal cortex, and the parietal cortex. SAD-patients had larger GM volume in the dorsal striatum when compared to HC-participants. This increase correlated positively with the severity of self-reported social anxiety symptoms. No SAD-related differences in GM volume were present in the other ROIs. Thereby, the results of this mega-analysis suggest a role for the dorsal striatum in SAD, but previously reported SAD-related changes in GM in the amygdala, hippocampus, precuneus, prefrontal cortex and parietal regions were not replicated. Our findings emphasize the importance of large sample imaging studies and the need for meta-analyses like those performed by the Enhancing NeuroImaging Genetics through Meta-Analysis (ENIGMA) Consortium