Improving the Cognitive Development of Children in Rural Areas as Development Tool

Good health is a crucial requirement for every child for proper growth and development. To increase their future prospects the exact nutritional intervention is needed to boost the thinking and self-confidence of children. Adequate levels of omega-3 essential fatty acids are vital for children during pregnancy, breastfeeding, and few years post-weaning. This is not just for their perfect growth but including their cognitive development. Poverty levels continue to be high in rural areas and there are nutritional interventions that can be used to reverse the trends. However, omega-3 fatty acids, known to have a greater impact on brain development are not cheap and available in forms that are accessible by the rural poor. With the many complications attached to a rural lifestyle, little is known about culturally accepted local sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Therefore, alternative sources of nutritional intervention including the provision of eggs enriched with appropriate fatty acids, which are readily available, accessible, cheaper, and culturally accepted should be explored for children

Gender Differences in the Relationships between Perceived Stress, Eating Behaviors, Sleep, Dietary Risk, and Body Mass Index

Background: Obesity is a growing epidemic among university students, and the high levels of stress reported by this population could contribute to this issue. Singular relationships between perceived stress; engagement in restrained, uncontrolled, and emotional eating; sleep; dietary risk; and body mass index (BMI) have been reported in the current body of literature; however, these constructs interact with each other, and the complex relationships among them are infrequently examined. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to explore the complex relationships between these constructs using mediation and moderation analyses stratified by gender. Methods: A cross-sectional study, enrolling university students from the United States (U.S.), the Netherlands, South Korea, Malaysia, Ireland, Ghana, and China, was conducted between October 2020 and January 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Perceived stress; maladaptive eating behaviors including restrained, uncontrolled, and emotional eating; sleep duration and quality; dietary risk; and BMI were assessed using validated questionnaires, which were distributed through an online platform. Results: A total of 1392 students completed the online survey (379 male, 973 female, and 40 who self-identified as “other”). Uncontrolled and emotional eating mediated the relationship between perceived stress and dietary risk for both males and females; higher sleep quality weakened this relationship among female students but not males. Emotional eating mediated the relationship between perceived stress and BMI for both males and females, but higher sleep quality weakened this relationship only among females. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that students in higher education are likely to benefit from interventions to reduce uncontrolled and emotional eating. Programs that improve sleep quality, especially during highly stressful periods, may be helpful

Association of Whole Blood Fatty Acids and Growth in Southern Ghanaian Children 2–6 Years of Age

In Ghana, stunting rates in children below 5 years of age vary regionally. Dietary fatty acids (FAs) are crucial for linear growth. The objective of this study was to determine the association between blood FAs and growth parameters in southern Ghanaian children 2–6 years of age. A drop of blood was collected on an antioxidant treated card and analyzed for FA composition. Weight and height were measured and z-scores calculated. Relationships between FAs and growth were analyzed by linear regressions and factor analysis. Of the 209 subjects, 22% were stunted and 10.6% were essential FA deficient (triene/tetraene ratio > 0.02). Essential FA did not differ between stunted and non-stunted children and was not associated with height-for-age z-score or weight-for-age z-score. Similarly, no relationships between other blood fatty acids and growth parameters were observed in this population. However, when blood fatty acid levels in these children were compared to previously reported values from northern Ghana, the analysis showed that blood omega-3 FA levels were significantly higher and omega-6 FA levels lower in the southern Ghanaian children (p < 0.001). Fish and seafood consumption in this southern cohort was high and could account for the lower stunting rates observed in these children compared to other regions

Association of whole blood n-6 fatty acids with stunting in 2-to-6-year-old Northern Ghanaian children: A cross-sectional study

<div><p>In Northern Ghana, 33% of children are stunted due to economic disparities. Dietary fatty acids (FA) are critical for growth, but whether blood FA levels are adequate in Ghanaian children is unknown. The objective of this study was to determine the association between whole blood FAs and growth parameters in Northern Ghanaian children 2–6 years of age. A drop of blood was collected on an antioxidant treated card and analyzed for FA composition. Weight and height were measured and z-scores were calculated. Relationships between FAs and growth parameters were analyzed by Spearman correlations, linear regressions, and factor analysis. Of the 307 children who participated, 29.7% were stunted and 8% were essential FA deficient (triene/tetraene ratio>0.02). Essential FA did not differ between stunted and non-stunted children and was not associated with height-for-age z-score (HAZ) or weight-for-age z-score (WAZ). In hemoglobin adjusted regression models, both HAZ and WAZ were positively associated with arachidonic acid (p≤0.01), dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (DGLA, p≤0.05), docosatetraenoic acid (p≤0.01) and the ratio of DGLA/linoleic acid (p≤0.01). These data add to the growing body of evidence indicating n-6 FAs are critical in childhood linear growth. Our findings provide new insights into the health status of an understudied Northern Ghanaian population.</p></div

Factor analysis of fatty acids^a.

<p>Factor analysis of fatty acids<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0193301#t005fn001" target="_blank">^a</a>.</p

Nutrition and growth status of the children^a.

<p>Nutrition and growth status of the children<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0193301#t002fn001" target="_blank">^a</a>.</p

Regression results between HAZ, WAZ, and selected fatty acids (model: HAZ = fatty acid + hemoglobin; WAZ = fatty acid + hemoglobin; HAZ = ratio + hemoglobin; WAZ = ratio + hemoglobin)^a.

<p>Regression results between HAZ, WAZ, and selected fatty acids (model: HAZ = fatty acid + hemoglobin; WAZ = fatty acid + hemoglobin; HAZ = ratio + hemoglobin; WAZ = ratio + hemoglobin)<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0193301#t004fn001" target="_blank">^a</a>.</p

Median (Q1, Q3) of select fatty acid proportions in whole blood^a.

<p>Median (Q1, Q3) of select fatty acid proportions in whole blood<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0193301#t003fn001" target="_blank">^a</a>.</p

Sex differences are not associated with characteristics of participants^a.

<p>Sex differences are not associated with characteristics of participants<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0193301#t001fn001" target="_blank">^a</a>.</p

HAZ and WAZ regressed on calculated factors (HAZ or WAZ = Factor + Hb)^a.

<p>HAZ and WAZ regressed on calculated factors (HAZ or WAZ = Factor + Hb)<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0193301#t006fn001" target="_blank">^a</a>.</p