Maternal daily work hours affect nutritional status of children in Northern Ghana.

BACKGROUND: Data on the effect of maternal daily work hours on child nutritional status is scarce in Ghana. Such data may be important in defining maternal employment policies for improved child nutrition. This study therefore sought to determine the effect of maternal daily work hours on the nutritional status of farmer and public service mothers in the northern region of Ghana. METHODS: An analytical cross-sectional survey was conducted among 320 mothers with children 6–59 months. Maternal daily work hours and dietary intake of children were assessed with a structured questionnaire. Anthropometric measurements of children were also taken to classify child nutritional status. The association between maternal daily work hours and child nutritional status was determined using both bivariate analysis and multivariate regression modelling. RESULTS: Majority of the children (45.1%) were aged between their second and third birthdays. The prevalence of stunting, wasting, and underweight were 17.8, 8.1, and 10.3% respectively. Only stunting (p = 0.031) associated significantly with maternal employment and was higher among children of farmers (22.1%) compared to public servants (12.8%). Even though maternal age (p = 0.035), minimum dietary diversity (p = 0.040), non-consumption of legumes (p = 0.031) and other vegetables (p = 0.006) associated with stunting at bivariate level, multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that only maternal daily work hours had significant effect on stunting. Compared to mothers who worked above 6 h a day, those who worked only a maximum of 4 h were 5.4 times more likely to have stunted children [AOR = 5.375; 95% CI (1.751–16.502); p = 0.003]. CONCLUSION: Present study results show that maternal daily work hours could be an important determinant of child stunting in northern region of Ghana

Effects of carrot consumption on intestinal cancer risk

PhD ThesisIntestinal cancer is a leading cause of death, and epidemiological studies associate high intakes of fruits and vegetables to reduced risk of the disease. This study investigated the effects of carrot consumption on intestinal tumourigenesis in the Apcmin/+mouse model, homologous to the human Familial Adenomatous Polyposis mutation. Mice were fed either standard RM3 mouse feed (control) or diets enriched with 20% freeze-dried carrot powder prepared from blanched carrots. In Experiment 1, both diets were fed as pellets, manufactured by SDS Diets by mixing, extruding and drying at 90-120oC for 20-30 minutes, while in experiment 2; both diets were fed to the mice as unprocessed powder. Dams were fed either carrot enriched or control diets from two weeks prior to mating with Apcmin/+ sires and throughout pregnancy and lactation. At weaning, all offspring were randomised to either carrot enriched diet or control diets. At 15 weeks post-natal, intestinal tumour number, size and location were recorded alongside body and organ weights. Using tissue from tumours and normal intestinal segments from min and wild-type mice in experiment 2, Total RNA was isolated, reverse transcribed and Real-time PCR performed, to assess expression of 6 potentially cancer related genes: Retinoid X receptor beta, (RXRb); Retinoid acid receptor alpha, (RARα); Cyclin D; ββ-Carotene 15,15-monooxygenese-1, (BCMO1); Cyclooxygenase-2, (COX-2); and Metrilysin-7, (MMP7). In experiment 1, consumption of carrot pellets post weaning increased total gut tumour number by 42% (P = 0.038) whereas in experiment 2, carrot powder feeding post weaning reduced the total gut tumour number by 21% (P = 0.037). The control diet tumour numbers did not differ between experiments and maternal/pre weaning diets did not affect tumour numbers in offspring significantly. Powdered diets did not affect expression of the measured genes. So while powdered carrot as expected reduced cancer severity, pellets had the opposite effect. According to Duan and Barringer, (2012) paper, using high temperature for drying of carrot causes formation of the volatile carcinogen furan, providing a possible explanation for this difference

Young maternal age is a risk factor for child undernutrition in Tamale Metropolis, Ghana

Abstract Objective Malnutrition is a common cause of morbidity and mortality in children. The aim of this study was to compare the nutritional status of children under 5 years of teenage and adult mothers in Tamale Metropolis, Ghana. A case–control study involving 300 (150 cases, 150 controls) mother–child pairs was carried out. A questionnaire was used to collect data on socio-demographic characteristics of mothers and children and anthropometry was used to assess the nutritional status of children. Anthropometric z-scores derived based on WHO Child Growth Standards were used to determine stunting, wasting and underweight statuses of children. Logistic regression analysis was used to compare the nutritional status of children of teenage and adult mothers. Results Children of teenage mothers, compared to those of adult mothers, were 8 times more likely to be stunted [Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) = 7.56; 95% confidence interval (CI) 4.20–13.63], 3 times more likely to be wasted (AOR = 2.90; 95% CI 1.04–8.04), and 13 times more likely to be underweight (AOR = 12.78; 95% CI 4.69–34.81) after adjusting for potential confounders. The risk of child malnutrition increases with young maternal age; interventions should be targeted at teenage mothers and their children to reduce the risk of malnutrition

Early initiation of breastfeeding, bottle feeding, and experiencing feeding challenges are associated with malnutrition

Abstract Malnutrition remains a public health concern amidst low proportions of the core infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices, yet, data on specific child feeding practices that are associated with undernutrition are rare. Hence, this study sought to assess child feeding practices and their association with undernutrition among young children. An analytical cross‐sectional design was used among mothers/caregivers with children aged 6–23 months, attending child welfare clinics in Techiman municipality, Ghana. Simple random sampling was used to select 8 health facilities, and 403 participants were selected from those facilities using proportional stratification. A 24‐h dietary recall based on seven food groups was used to collect data on children's dietary intake and used to derive WHO child feeding indicators. The length, weight, and age of children were taken and used to compute anthropometric z‐scores. The proportions of children who met their minimum dietary diversity (MDD), minimum meal frequency (MMF), and minimum acceptable diet (MAD) were 44%, 56%, and 36% respectively. Children 6–8 months [AOR=2.24, CI (1.037–4.841); p = .04] and 9‐11 months [AOR=2.47, CI (1.096–5.573); p = .029], those who were not breastfed within the first hour of delivery [AOR = 3.56, CI (1.833–6.912), p < .001], and those who were bottle fed [AOR = 2.87, CI (1.374–5.973); p = .005] were more likely to be wasted. Children 6–8 months [AOR = 0.29, CI (0.126–0.672); p = .004] and 9–11 months [AOR = 0.24, CI (0.104–0.544); p = .001] and those who experienced feeding challenges [AOR = 0.52, CI (0.301–0.905); p = 0.021] were protected against stunting. The percentages of children who met their MDD, MMF, and MAD were low and not associated with undernutrition. Early initiation of breastfeeding and bottle feeding were associated with acute malnutrition and experiencing feeding challenges was associated with chronic malnutrition. Promoting appropriate child feeding practices can reduce the risk of undernutrition

I got frightened and felt strange. I even cried a lot after the diagnosis; the experiences on the screening and management of gestational diabetes mellitus among diagnosed women

Abstract Introduction Understanding the experiences of women diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) can improve screening, management, and postpartum care. Therefore, this study sought to investigate experiences on the screening and management of GDM among diagnosed women. Methods This was a facility-based explorative qualitative design among five purposively sampled women diagnosed with GDM who were receiving care from healthcare professionals. Women were asked about their reaction to being diagnosed with GDM, their experiences with care, training, self-monitoring, and challenges with the management of GDM, and data obtained were analysed using thematic analysis. Results Based on the thematic analysis, three main themes and ten sub-themes were generated. They were emotional experience (prior information on GDM before being diagnosed, and feelings about the diagnosis and blood glucose measurement), information source and care experience (source of information on healthy diet, training on blood glucose measurement, experiences with follow-up, and general impressions on GDM care), and dietary and lifestyle experience ( perceptions on dietary approaches, difficulties in getting and adhering to dietary and lifestyle guidelines, alternative treatment methods patronized, and effectiveness of dietary and lifestyle approaches). Conclusion The themes generated had psycho-emotional underpinning, and underscores the importance of psychotherapy when disclosing disease status and initiating medical care. The findings of this study could be important for the optimisation of GDM care and services for affected women

Exclusive breastfeeding among beneficiaries of a nutrition enhancement programme and its associated factors in Ghana.

IntroductionDespite the gains on exclusive breastfeeding (EBF), recent nationwide surveys have consistently revealed a decline in EBF rates in Ghana. The World Food Programme implemented an intervention for Enhanced Nutrition and Value Chain (ENVAC) which was based on three pillars including pregnant women, lactating women, adolescent and children under two years old being beneficiaries of the third pillar since the first 1000 days are critical for averting malnutrition. The social behavior change communication (SBCC) interventions implemented as part of this project have a potential to increase EBF among beneficiaries but this has not been measured. Therefore, this study assessed the prevalence of EBF practice among mothers with children under two years old who were beneficiaries of the ENVAC project and its associated factors in northern Ghana.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study involving 339 mother-child pairs in two districts of the northern region of Ghana. Participants were mother-child pairs who benefitted from the ENVAC project, which used SBCC strategies to promote good feeding and care practices as well as address other causes of malnutrition during antenatal care and child welfare clinic services among pregnant women, lactating mothers, and children under two years. We used WHO standard questionnaire to assess breastfeeding practices. Factors associated with EBF were modelled using multivariable logistic regression.ResultsExclusive breastfeeding was 74.6% (95%CI = 69.5% -79.2%) in the ENVAC project areas, a 31.7% points higher than recent national levels. Adjusted analyses showed that EBF practice was associated with increasing maternal education: moderately educated women [aOR = 4.1 (95% CI = 2.17-7.66), PConclusionA social behaviour change communication strategy implemented by ENVAC to lactating mothers likely improved exclusive breastfeeding practice in two districts of northern Ghana. EBF practices were higher among beneficiaries with high education and households with access to pipe-borne water. A combination of SBCC strategies and maternal and household factors are likely the best way to increase EBF rates in impoverished communities and warrants further investigation through future research