Child factors associated with complementary feeding practices in Uganda

Objectives: The objective of the study was to identify child factors that influenced complementary feeding practices in 2006 and 2011 in Uganda.Design: Trend analysis of Uganda Demographic and Health Surveys (UDHS) from 2006 and 2011.Subjects and setting: Children aged 6 to 23 months, Uganda.Results: Between 2006 and 2011, the percentage of children in Uganda consuming an adequate complementary diet increased by 3.1%. Duration of breastfeeding increased in this time from 11 months to 12 months, with the percentage of mothers who were still breastfeeding their children at two years decreasing from 55.2% to 46.5%. Factors such as child’s age, deworming for intestinal parasites and receiving DPT3 and measles vaccines, increased the likelihood of caregivers providing children with a minimum acceptable diet. Children aged 6 to 8 months and 12 to 17 months tended to receive adequate complementary in both 2006 and 2011. Although bottle-feeding was highest among the children aged 6 to 11 months, amongst those reported with a fever, acute respiratory infection (ARI) or diarrhoea, it had no statistically significant effect in either 2006 or 2011.Conclusion: Caregivers who take their children for deworming and DPT3 and measles vaccinations are more likely to feed them adequate diets, especially those aged 6 to 17 months. This is probably due to the mothers’ interaction with healthcare practitioners who teach and support complementary feeding. Telling caregivers about complementary feeding practices during immunisation and deworming consultations is likely to encourage beneficial complementary feeding practices in Uganda.Keywords: child age, complementary feeding, deworming, immunisation, Uganda Demographic and Health Surve

Opportunities for higher education institutions to develop sustainable food systems in Africa

DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT : The datasets presented in this study can be found in online repositories. The names of the repository/repositories and accession number(s) can be found below:https://summitdialogues. org/dialogue/4137.An African Vice-Chancellors’ Regional Food Systems Dialogue was hosted with the aim to provide a multi-stakeholder platform for stakeholders to explore various existing and emerging approaches that have the potential to deliver sustainable solutions at scale and encourage collaborative actions to directly transform Africa’s agriculture and food systems. Various food system experts and leaders from policy research institutions, universities, and other stakeholders participated. A lack of coherent linkages among stakeholders, youth restlessness, and silos within and between higher education institutions were some of the challenges identified to hindering the much needed transformation. Poor links with ministries and political red tape, inadequate programme funding and capital for coping with rising input costs, as well as unsustainable resource mobilization were also reported as having a negative effect. To address these, stakeholders must embrace collaboration and transdisciplinary practices, mobilize resources, and harness partnerships for greater leverage. In addition, a systems-thinking approach to dealing with complex issues should be adopted, while partners co-design and co-create research initiatives. Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and Big Data were identified as key enablers that can ensure relevant research with appropriate translation into practice while maintaining quality and excellence. This research—together with society-relevant curriculums with emphasis on agricultural sciences and practical on-farm skills—must inform policies and practice. Higher education institutions must be committed to driving the sustainable food system transformation agenda in partnership with other stakeholders. Institutions must be at the forefront of reimagining the sector’s role when it comes to transdisciplinary knowledge co-creation aimed at strengthening the continent’s agro-food systems.GCRF/UKRI and the Department of Science and Technology (DST)/National Research Foundation (NRF) South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChl) in the National Development Plan Priority Area of Nutrition and Food Security,https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sustainable-food-systemsam2024Animal and Wildlife SciencesSDG-02:Zero HungerSDG-04:Quality Educatio

Vitamin A content of fortified maize meal and porridge as purchased and consumed in South Africa

In 2003 the Department of Health of South Africa embarked on a mandatory fortification programme of maize meal as part of a nutrition programme to alleviate malnutrition. The aim of this study was to determine the vitamin A content in fortified white maize meal and the maize porridge prepared with it as purchased and consumed. The highest mean vitamin A concentration in the maize meal was 261 μgRE/100 g and the lowest mean vitamin A concentration was b19 μgRE/100 g. Pertaining to regulation the final minimum level of vitamin A in fortified maize meal shall not be less than 187.7 μg/100 g (Department of Health, 2003). The average retention of vitamin A in maize porridge as the difference in vitamin A concentration between raw maize meal and cooked porridge was calculated as 39.8%. Although fortification of maize meal can improve the vitamin A intake of the population, it must be regularly monitored and regulate in order to be beneficial. If not then fortification might as well be voluntary.The National Research Foundationhttp://www.elsevier.com/locate/ foodresnf201

Cholesterol, fatty acids profile and the indices of atherogenicity and thrombogenicity of raw lamb and mutton offal

Dietary fats may affect blood lipid levels and the development of cardiovascular diseases. Offal, may contribute to food security in marginalised communities and information on the contribution to dietary fat intake is needed to inform dietary guidelines and recommendations and consumers. This study aimed to describe the fatty acid profile, cholesterol content and indexes of lipid quality. The fatty acid profile and cholesterol were determined by gas chromatography coupled with flame ionisation detection (GC-FID). To evaluate lipid quality the indices of atherogenicity (IA) and thrombogenicity (IT) were calculated. Offal products can contribute beneficial fatty acids to the diet, not only in terms of essential fatty acids such as linoleic (C18:2n-6) and alpha linolenic (C18:3n-3) acids, but also the polyunsaturated fatty acids, arachidonic (C20:4n-6) and eicosapentaenoic (C20:5n3) acids. The offal studied in the present work showed a P/S ratio of 0.04–0.12 and the n-6/n-3 ratio varied between 3.9 and 12.5.The Department of Science and Technology (DST)/National Research Foundation (NRF) South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChl) in the National Development Plan Priority Area of Nutrition and Food Security (Unique number: SARCI170808259212), the Research Technology Fund of the National Research Foundation and Red Meat Research and Development of South Africa.http://www.elsevier.com/locate/foodchem2021-12-13hj2021Animal and Wildlife Science

Effect of different maize meal diets on growth and vitamin A : case-study on chickens

South Africa embarked on mandatory vitamin and mineral fortification of wheat flour and maize meal in 2003 as part of a multi-faceted approach to alleviate malnutrition. However, it was reported, in 2008, that vitamin A deficiency increased despite the mandatory fortification programme. This motivates an investigation into the absorption of vitamin A as fortificant in the maize meal. Relative absorption, in chickens as the biological model, was determined by evaluating growth and vitamin A status. The weight, cumulative feed intake and liver retinol stores of chickens on different diets were measured over a 6 week period. The fortified white maize meal diet was able to maintain the vitamin A status of the chickens. Poor absorption of the fortificant vitamin A is therefore not a constraint in combating vitamin A deficiency. It is in therefore also important to focus on the level of fortification delivered when consumed as a traditional prepared dish. In the traditional diet, maize porridge is often consumed with only a relish. The total fat content of the traditional meal is very low, lacking absorption enhancers.National Research Foundationhtt[p://www.elsevier.com/locate/foodchemhb201

Capacity building in food composition for Africa

Capacity building in food and nutrition involves more than formal training and individual development. Such a process is long term and continues, requiring lasting mentorship, coaching and leadership development, including individual commitment to continued self-development. It expands to include the development of knowledge and skills of an individual within his/her organizational or institutional arrangements, and requires buy-in and support from his/her institution or organization, as well as other funding bodies involved in agriculture and health. It needs to be supported by government and be part of the regional and international agenda for agriculture and health. Under the auspices of International Network of Food Data Systems (INFOODS), an African Network of Food Data Systems (AFROFOODS) was established in September 1994, and a number of training courses, educational and scientific publications, posters, presentations and visits were hosted, organized and delivered with the aim to build enthusiasm, long term commitment and capacity in food composition within the AFROFOODS region. Formal training and human resource development were the major focus to take food composition forward in Africa. Significant progress was made in food composition activities, but constraints including lack of organizational and institutional commitment and financial support are straining the pace of progress.http:// www.elsevier.com/locate/foodchemhb201

Dietary protein quality and malnutrition in Africa

The WHO (2007) Technical Report on protein and amino acid requirements in human nutrition states that the best estimate for a population average requirement is 105mg nitrogen/kg body weight per day, or 0•66 g protein/kg body weight per day. In many developing countries protein intake falls significantly short of these values. Apart from protein quantity, protein quality including bioavailability and digestibility, from different food sources, are currently on the global agenda. The 1st International Symposium on Dietary Protein for Human Health held in Auckland, in March 2011, and the consecutive Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Expert Consultation on Dietary Protein Quality, both highlighted the importance of assessing the quality of protein from different food sources through determination of amino acid content. Throughout the developed world, animal products and cereals are the two most important sources of protein; in developing countries this order is reversed. In low income countries only 3% of total dietary energy, as an indicator of diet composition, is derived from meat and offal, 11% from roots and tubers and 6% from pulses, nuts and oilseeds. The remainder of the dietary energy is mainly derived from cereal-based staple food. Although the production of livestock has increased in developing countries, the consumption of protein in these countries with people consuming the most limited amounts of protein are continually decreasing. Undernutrition, including insufficient consumption of protein, remains a persistent problem in the developing world, and although many diets within these developing countries are deficient in the quantity of protein compared to recommendations, the quality of the protein also strongly comes into focus.http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayJournal?jid=bj

Nutrient content of South African red meat and the effect of age and production system

Feeding systems, slaughter age and other production techniques notably influence the nutrient content of red meat. The modernization of the different South African production systems since the previous nutrient composition studies, justifies the necessity to update existing knowledge on the nutritional profile of South African produced beef. In addition, a need was identified to extrapolate the effect of the two different feeding systems (extensive and intensive) on this nutritional profile. Results indicate that the total lipid content of marketable young carcasses (age A, fat code 2) has decreased over time, in line with global health and nutrition trends for leaner foods. With the majority of beef from these young carcasses being produced on intensive grain-based feeding systems, South Africa has a unique advantage in terms of total lipid content of such grain-fed produce. Internationally, grain-fed red meat is in most cases higher in total and saturated fat content compared to grass-fed counterparts, while in South African the opposite was observed. In addition to total fat content, the role of various lipid fractions in human health has often been associated with specific produce positioning and marketing. South African grass-fed beef is significantly higher in healthy omega 3 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid, irrespective of degree of fat trimming. From a human nutrition perspective, it should be kept in mind that the total amount of omega 3 fatty acids per edible portion of beef produced in either production system is low in comparison to human dietary recommendations.Red Meat Research and Development South Africa (RMRDSA), the National Research Foundation (NRF) THRIP programme under grant number TP1208076284 and the University of Pretoria Institutional Research Theme on Food Nutrition and Well-being.http://www.sasas.co.zaam201

Total nitrogen vs. amino-acid profile as indicator of protein content of beef

In most cited food composition studies and tables, the proximate system measures protein as total nitrogen (N) (determined by Kjeldahl or Dumas method) multiplied by a specific factor. A factor of 6.25 is used for determining total protein from total N (Jones, Munsey, & Walker, 1942). Although more expensive, it is considered more accurate to base protein content of foods on amino acid data (Greenfield & Southgate, 2003). A study on the nutrient composition of beef analysed the full amino-acid profile of fifteen retail cuts from three age groups and six fat codes, as well as determined total nitrogen content to determine proximate protein composition. For all cuts, the correlation coefficient of total amino acids to protein (N × 6.25) was 0.635. This indicates a poor correlation for predicting actual protein content (as determined by total amino acid count), based on the nitrogen factor of 6.25. On average, the sum of amino acids per cut amounted to 91% of total determined protein (N × 6.25) for the same cut.http://www.elsevier.com/locate/foodchemhb201