Acceptance and adoption of biofortified crops in low- and middle-income countries

Biofortification of staple crops through conventional plant breeding, genetic engineering or agronomic approaches, is a promising strategy for increasing dietary nutrient density to improve human health. Successful implementation depends, amongst others, on willingness of consumers and farmers to accept the newly bred crop varieties

Protein intake adequacy among Nigerian infants, children, adolescents and women and protein quality of commonly consumed foods

Protein is important for growth, maintenance and protection of the body. Both adequacy of protein quantity and protein quality in the diet are important to guarantee obtaining all the essential amino acids. Protein-energy malnutrition is widely present in developing countries such as Nigeria and might result in stunting and wasting. Needs for protein differ depending on age and physiological status and are higher during growth, pregnancy and lactation. The present review assessed protein quantity and quality in diets of Nigerian infants, children, adolescents, and pregnant and lactating women. Literature reviews and calculations were performed to assess adequacy of Nigerian protein intake and to examine the Nigerian diet. The digestible indispensable amino acid score was used to calculate protein quality of nine Nigerian staple foods and of a mixture of foods. The Nigerian population had mostly adequate protein intake when compared with the most recent protein recommendations by the FAO (2013) and WHO/FAO/UNU (2007). An important exception was the protein intake of adolescent girls and pregnant and lactating women. Most of the assessed Nigerian plant-based staple foods were of low protein quality and predominantly lacked the amino acid lysine. The addition of animal-source foods can bridge the protein quality gap created by predominance of plant-based foods in the Nigerian diet. The methodology of this review can be applied to other low- and middle-income countries where diets are often plant-based and lack variety, which might influence protein intake adequacy.</p

Tumour necrosis factor allele variants and their association with the occurrence and severity of malaria in African children: a longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND: Tumour necrosis factor (TNF) is central to the immune response to Plasmodium infection. Its plasma concentration is influenced by allele variants in the promoter region of TNF. The study's objectives were to assess TNF allele variants (TNF(-1031), TNF(-308)): (1) modulation of malaria rates in young Tanzanian children; (2) modulation of the severity of malaria as indicated by haemoglobin concentrations at the time of presentation with febrile episodes; and (3) the association between Plasmodium infection and haemoglobin concentration in symptomless parasite carriers. METHODS: Data from a placebo-controlled trial in which 612 Tanzanian children aged 6-60 months with height-for-age z-score in the range -3 SD to 1.5 SD was utilised. Those with Plasmodium infection at baseline were treated with artemether-lumefantrine. An episode of malaria was predefined as current Plasmodium infection with an inflammatory response (axillary temperature ≥37.5°C or whole blood C-reactive protein concentration ≥8 mg/L) in children reported sick. Linkage disequilibrium (LD) pattern assessment as well as haplotype analysis was conducted using HAPLOVIEW. Cox regression models used in the primary analysis accounted for multiple episodes per child. RESULTS: Genotyping of 94.9% (581/612) children for TNF(-1031) (TNF(-1031)T>C); allele frequency was 0.39. Corresponding values for rs1800629 (TNF(-308)G>A) were 95.4% (584/612) and 0.17. Compared to the wild type genotype (TT), malaria rates were increased in the TNF -1031CC genotype (hazard ratio, HR [95% CI]: 1.41 [1.01‒1.97] and 1.31 [0.97‒1.76] for crude analysis and adjusting for pre-specified baseline factors, respectively) but decreased in those with the TNF(-308)AA genotype (corresponding HR: 0.13 [0.02‒0.63] and 0.16 [0.04‒0.67]). These associations were weaker when analysing first episodes of malaria (P value -0.59 and 0.38, respectively). No evidence that allele variants of TNF(-1031) and TNF(-308) affected haemoglobin concentration at first episode of malaria, or that they modified the association between Plasmodium infection and haemoglobin concentrations at baseline was observed. CONCLUSION: In this cohort of Tanzanian children, the TNF (-1031)CC genotype was associated with increased rates of malarial episodes, whereas the TNF(-308)AA genotype was associated with decreased rates

Adolescent Nutrition — Developing a Research Agenda for the Second Window of Opportunity in Indonesia

Background: Recently, adolescence has been identified as a second window of opportunity for the correction of nutritional inadequacies. However, there is a lack of knowledge on evidence-based integrated nutrition strategies for adolescents in Indonesia. Objective: To provide a research agenda and the prioritization of research actions to tackle outstanding knowledge gaps on adolescent nutrition in Indonesia. Methods: A preliminary set of research topics was listed based on a desk study of the academic literature and policy documents. Second, a stakeholder meeting was held to further identify and discuss research topics related to adolescent nutrition in Indonesia. Third, an online survey was conducted in which respondents were asked to indicate priority research themes for the next 3 to 5 years and to rank a total of 23 research questions. Results: Most (52%) of the respondents who returned the survey (n = 27) prioritize research on implementation and program evaluation, while 30% prefer descriptive and explanatory research, and 19% place priority with intervention and discovery research. However, when we followed up with specific topics for each of these broad research areas, a more nuanced picture emerged, with intervention and discovery research taking a more prominent standing. Conclusions: In order to support the design, implementation, and effectiveness of integrated nutrition programs for Indonesian adolescents, in-depth studies should question the best intervention strategies, modes of delivery, and long-term outcomes, while nationwide and disaggregated data should investigate associations and trends over time and identify vulnerable groups.</p

Associations between Common Variants in Iron-Related Genes with Haematological Traits in Populations of African Ancestry.

BACKGROUND: Large genome-wide association (GWA) studies of European ancestry individuals have identified multiple genetic variants influencing iron status. Studies on the generalizability of these associations to African ancestry populations have been limited. These studies are important given interethnic differences in iron status and the disproportionate burden of iron deficiency among African ancestry populations. METHODS: We tested the associations of 20 previously identified iron status-associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 628 Kenyans, 609 Tanzanians, 608 South Africans and 228 African Americans. In each study, we examined the associations present between 20 SNPs with ferritin and haemoglobin, adjusting for age, sex and CRP levels. RESULTS: In the meta analysis including all 4 African ancestry cohorts, we replicated previously reported associations with lowered haemoglobin concentrations for rs2413450 (β = -0.19, P = 0.02) and rs4820268 (β = -0.16, P = 0.04) in TMPRSS6. An association with increased ferritin concentrations was also confirmed for rs1867504 in TF (β = 1.04, P = <0.0001) in the meta analysis including the African cohorts only. CONCLUSIONS: In all meta analyses, we only replicated 4 of the 20 single nucleotide polymorphisms reported to be associated with iron status in large GWA studies of European ancestry individuals. While there is now evidence for the associations of a number of genetic variants with iron status in both European and African ancestry populations, the considerable lack of concordance highlights the importance of continued ancestry-specific studies to elucidate the genetic underpinnings of iron status in ethnically diverse populations

Dietary Patterns and the Double Burden of Malnutrition in Mexican Adolescents: Results from ENSANUT-2006.

Mexico is facing the double burden of malnutrition, and adolescents are not an exception. Diet plays an important role, both in causing overweight and undernutrition. This study aimed to describe the dietary patterns (DPs) of Mexican adolescents and to examine its association with nutritional status using data from adolescents aged 12-19 years (n = 7380) from the National Survey of Health and Nutrition (ENSANUT-2006). Principal component analysis was used to derivate the DPs. Associations between DP and nutritional status were determined by prevalence ratio (PR). Four DPs were identified: nontraditional and breakfast-type, Western, plant-based, and protein-rich. The prevalence of overweight and obesity was higher in adolescents who scored high on the Western pattern (PR: 1.15, 95% CI: 1.08-1.21) or on the plant-based pattern (PR: 1.09, 95% CI: 1.03-1.17). The Western pattern was positively associated with anemia in girls (PR: 1.18, 95% CI: 1.03-1.35), while the nontraditional and breakfast-type pattern was inversely associated with anemia in adolescents aged 12-15 years (PR: 0.87, 95% CI: 0.76-0.99) and in girls (PR: 0.84, 95% CI: 0.75-0.97). The Western and plant-based patterns were simultaneously associated with overweight-obesity and at least one indicator of undernutrition. In the context of the double burden of malnutrition, dietary advice must consider malnutrition in all its forms