Gender Differences In The Household-Headship And Nutritional Status Of Pre-School Children

Background: In genera self declared female headed-households in most developing countries tend to be poorer, own less and have less access to job opportunities.Objective: To assess the nutritional status of pre-schoolers by gender differentiation of heads of households.Design: A cross-sectional descriptive study carried out in February 2003.Setting: Four beneficiary villages registered under the Ethio-Danish joint community development programme in North Ethiopia.Subjects: A total of 144 heads of random systematically selected households regrouped as male-headed (n=96) and female-headed households (n=48) with their respective preschoolers.Main outcome measures: Nutritional status of two groups of children categorised by gender of the head of household.Results: The number of pre-schoolers from male-headed households was 1.54 as opposed to the female-headed households (1.08). The proportion of stunted and underweight pre-schoolers was significantly higher in female headed-households than in the male-headed households while the prevalence of wasting was practically similar. The proportion of vaccinated and breastfed children, although not statistically significant, was higher in male headed households while the practice of colostrumsfeeding, giving water and butter, vitamin A and appropriate weaning was better in female headed households. The difference noted in prevalence of feeding colostrums was significant. The energy, protein and vitamin A intake in almost all of the households was below the recommended daily allowances; showing a nutrient adequacy ratio of 50.2%, 48.8% and 17.9% respectively whereas iron intake exceeded 100%. The energy,protein, vitamin A and iron intake was better in the male-headed households than in female-headed households. The difference, however, was statistically significant for energy only.Conclusion: This study delineated that chronic child under-nutrition is not only higher among female children but also in female headed households and hence the implication of gender biased violation of the right to nutrition security. Other important implication of this study is that apart from gender issues alternative livelihood options that promote healthy behaviours, such as, improving the provision of health servicesand curbing the harmful traditional practices that may have a dual impact on the well being of mothers and children is recommended

Development and packaging of a leucine-rich composite flour for treatment of moderate wasting in children aged 6 – 24 months

Wasting, categorized as either severe or moderate, is a form of child malnutrition that manifests with a low weight-for-height Z-score. Previous treatment methods for moderate wasting, which affects approximately 300,000 children in Kenya, were ineffective as they lacked a mechanism to replace the accelerated loss of lean tissue.  Supplementation with leucine, may be a safe and effective method for treating moderate wasting. At a high dosage, leucine activates the mammalian target of rapamycin within the muscles which enhances gain of lean tissue. Leucine supplements are currently inaccessible to populations affected by moderate wasting in Kenya. The objective of this study was, therefore, to formulate a leucine-rich composite flour (TheraPEM) from locally available foods for treatment of moderate wasting. Six composite flours were prepared using combinations of beans (Phaseolus vulgaris), groundnuts (Voandzeia subterranea), and foxtail millet (Setaria italica) selected for their high leucine content, local availability and relatively low cost. Nutrient composition analysis and sensory evaluation were conducted on each of the six flours. The three preferred flours in terms of sensory attributes were subjected to accelerated shelf-life evaluation to determine changes in peroxide value, fat acidity, moisture content and total viable count. Kraft paper, gunny bags and plastic containers were the packaging materials used. All six flours met the Codex Alimentarius food standards for minimum energy density (80 kcal/100g) and maximum fat content (27 %) in processed cereal-based foods used for complementary feeding of infants and young children. They all also met the required >1050 mg leucine per 100 grams of flour. Formulations 2, 3 and 5 had the most preferred sensory attributes and were thus subjected to accelerated shelf-life evaluation. At the fifth month, fat acidity was least in the flours packaged in plastic containers. There was no peroxide formation in any of the three samples during the storage period. The study generated six formulations that meet the minimum requirement for leucine in treatment of moderate wasting but formulation 3, had the most preferred sensory attributes. It is recommended that formulation three be subjected to a study to further validate its effectiveness in the treatment of moderate wasting prior to release for up-scaled use.&nbsp

Leucine supplementation in the management of protein energy malnutrition: A review

Background: Wasting accounts for 4.7% of all deaths of children under five years of age globally. Currently there is no standard for treatment of moderate wasting in children resulting in high variability of treatment methods and low predictability  if recovery  outcomes. Leucine, a branched chain amino acid,has recently received significant attention as a therapeutic agent for the  treatment of numerous muscle wasting conditions. This is attributed to its ability to accelerate protein synthesis and reduces protein breakdown in the muscles.Objective: To establish if leucine could be used as a therapeutic agent in the treatment of protein energy malnutrition.Study selection: Based on defined key words a search was carried out on Pubmed to retrieve all publications on leucine  supplementation and muscle protein synthesis. Only studies that met the search criteria were retrieved and the required data obtained.Data synthesis: Eightunique studies obtained from 8 articles that met the study criteria were included. The publications were  analysed to establish whether leucine supplementation had any effect on muscle protein synthesis and protein break down. Dosage levels used in the studies if available were also duly noted.Results: The articles reviewed indicated that leucine supplementation either led to enhanced pr otein synthesis or reduced  muscle mass loss in both healthy participants and participants with wasting conditionsConclusion: Leucine supplementation is a safe and effective way to enhance muscle protein synthesis and reduce loss of lean mass in catabolic conditions. Given the low effectiveness of current therapeutic feeds used in the management of moderate malnutrition, leucine supplementation should be given significant consideration as a potential strategy for treating the condition

At a crossroad: the GATS telecom framework and neo-patrimonial states: the politics of telecom reform in Kenya

The liberalisation of domestic telecommunication (telecom) markets has become a worldwide trend. As a result, the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), evolving from deliberations within the World Trade Organisation (WTO), has been heralded as the mechanism with which to effect telecom liberalisation domestically. For countries in Africa, the GATS instruments have been translated as a means to establish the principles required for an effective telecom industry supported by key institutions in policy, regulation and implementation. However, the analysis of relevant literature on telecom in Africa has tended to focus on technological developments based on current observable outcomes. This methodology is inadequate because it fails to account for the context-specific nature of the policy arena and framework shaping telecom outcomes. I argue that we must consider telecom outcomes by understanding the nature of political institutions domestically and their interaction with the international arena. To explicate this intersection of ideas, I draw on two seemingly independent theories, Neopatrimonialism and New Institutional Economics (NIE) with reference to the works of van de Walle (2001) and North (1990) respectively, to shed light on the nature of the Kenyan political context and the value of the GATS as an instrument that facilitates credibility and reduces opportunistic ex-post behaviour. It is contended in this study, that for the Kenyan Government, the value of the GATS accession lies in the legitimising role that it facilitates in accessing funds from the international community. This study thus highlights the inevitable tension that arises when domestic policy-reform goals are juxtaposed with international trade obligations undertaken through treaty accession and informed by a liberalisation agenda. A qualitative approach was used to collect the data and involved interviews and documentary analysis. The findings suggest that Kenya is partially in compliance with its GATS telecom commitments. However, this partial reform results from patrimonial tendencies in Kenya and is exacerbated by the need to attract hard currency through aid packages that dictate the nature of the policy process and the relationship between Kenya and the international community. In conclusion, even with policy reforms, state agents always find ways to maintain or create clientelist practises. Unless such reform is accompanied by political changes that provide checks and balances on institutions and state agents, reform policies on their own will not create an effective telecom sector. To truly evaluate telecom reform therefore, we must appreciate the context-specific nature of policy making

Knowledge Matters: The Potential Contribution of the Coproduction of Research

The purpose of this paper is to share our experiences—as academics and professionals—in coproducing knowledge to improve urban development outcomes in the global South. The focus of the paper is on urban research and practice, a field in which academic work influences policy and programming, and professional knowledge (validated and certified by academic institutions) forms the basis for urban planning and management. Collaborative research coproduced with social movement activities highlights that four issues need to be addressed to establish more equitable relations. First, alternative theories of change about how research leads to social transformation must be recognised, even if they cannot be reconciled. Second, the contribution of social movement leaders to university teaching needs to be institutionalised. Third, the relative status of academics vis-à-vis non-academics must be interrogated and better understood. Fourth, the accountabilities of the researchers to the marginalised need to be established. We argue that academics are insufficiently self-critical about the power dynamics involved in knowledge production with social movements. And that long-term relations enable understandings to be built and some of these tensions to be alleviated. Our conclusion highlights the unequal power relations that under-pin these challenges and suggests some steps to address these inequalities and their negative consequences

Knowledge Matters: The Potential Contribution of the Coproduction of Research

The purpose of this paper is to share our experiences—as academics and professionals—in coproducing knowledge to improve urban development outcomes in the global South. The focus of the paper is on urban research and practice, a field in which academic work influences policy and programming, and professional knowledge (validated and certified by academic institutions) forms the basis for urban planning and management. Collaborative research coproduced with social movement activities highlights that four issues need to be addressed to establish more equitable relations. First, alternative theories of change about how research leads to social transformation must be recognised, even if they cannot be reconciled. Second, the contribution of social movement leaders to university teaching needs to be institutionalised. Third, the relative status of academics vis-à-vis non-academics must be interrogated and better understood. Fourth, the accountabilities of the researchers to the marginalised need to be established. We argue that academics are insufficiently self-critical about the power dynamics involved in knowledge production with social movements. And that long-term relations enable understandings to be built and some of these tensions to be alleviated. Our conclusion highlights the unequal power relations that under-pin these challenges and suggests some steps to address these inequalities and their negative consequences

Guidelines for the formulation of research project proposals

Copublished with IDR