Iron Incorporation and Post-Malaria Anaemia

BACKGROUND: Iron supplementation is employed to treat post-malarial anaemia in environments where iron deficiency is common. Malaria induces an intense inflammatory reaction that stalls reticulo-endothelial macrophagal iron recycling from haemolysed red blood cells and inhibits oral iron absorption, but the magnitude and duration of these effects are unclear. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We examined the red blood cell incorporation of oral administered stable isotopes of iron and compared incorporation between age matched 18 to 36 months old children with either anaemia post-malaria (n = 37) or presumed iron deficiency anaemia alone (n = 36). All children were supplemented for 30 days with 2 mg/kg elemental iron as liquid iron sulphate and administered (57)Fe and (58)Fe on days 1 and 15 of supplementation respectively. (57)Fe and(58)Fe incorporation were significantly reduced (8% vs. 28%: p<0.001 and 14% vs. 26%: p = 0.045) in the malaria vs. non-malaria groups. There was a significantly greater haemoglobin response in the malaria group at both day 15 (p = 0.001) and 30 (p<0.000) with a regression analysis estimated greater change in haemoglobin of 7.2 g/l (s.e. 2.0) and 10.1 g/l (s.e. 2.5) respectively. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: Post-malaria anaemia is associated with a better haemoglobin recovery despite a significant depressant effect on oral iron incorporation which may indicate that early erythropoetic iron need is met by iron recycling rather than oral iron. Supplemental iron administration is of questionable utility within 2 weeks of clinical malaria in children with mild or moderate anaemia

[Nutritional recommendations for the newborn infant]

The nutritional recommendations for newborn babies and infants change when there is an improvement on the technics and knowledge for evaluating requirements of each nutrient. In general, breast milk is enough for covering the nutritional requirements on healthy infants during the first six months of life. Therefore, the nutritional recommendations are focused to newborn babies and infants who do not receive exclusively breast milk or preterm infants whether they receive their own mother's milk or formula. The calculations are based on the assumption that mothers who breast fed their babies are healthy, well nourished and supplying daily a mean of 750 mL of breast milk during the period of lactation

[Nutritional recommendations for the newborn infant]

The nutritional recommendations for newborn babies and infants change when there is an improvement on the technics and knowledge for evaluating requirements of each nutrient. In general, breast milk is enough for covering the nutritional requirements on healthy infants during the first six months of life. Therefore, the nutritional recommendations are focused to newborn babies and infants who do not receive exclusively breast milk or preterm infants whether they receive their own mother's milk or formula. The calculations are based on the assumption that mothers who breast fed their babies are healthy, well nourished and supplying daily a mean of 750 mL of breast milk during the period of lactation

Iodine Deficiency in Relation to Iron Deficiency and Parasitosis: Effect of Iron Status and Parasites on Iodine Deficiency Disorders

At the beginning of the twenty-first century, salt iodization was the preferred strategy adopted to eliminate IDD through universal iodization. Iron deficiency adversely affects thyroid metabolism and reduces iodine prophylaxis efficacy in areas of endemic goiter. The therapeutic response to oral iodized oil is impaired in goitrous children with iron deficiency anemia. In pregnant women with chronic iodine deficiency, endemic goiter may aggravate anemia, while the severity of subclinical hypothyroidism increases in the presence of anemia. Parasites such as Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiuria and hookworms are the most common, chronic, subclinical infections in childhood. Nutritional deficiencies are important determining factors for fetal growth, body composition and childhood development. Some stages are more vulnerable than others, and the most vulnerable stages may differ according to particular nutritional deficiencies. Iodine deficiency may be associated with alterations in the progeny's psychoneuro-intellectual, developmental prognosis. ID and IDA are estimated to affect about half of the world's population, and young children are among the most severely affected. A possible relationship exists between iodine deficiency and toxoplasma infection. Hookworm species being transmitted in a community influence the burden of IDA and should be considered when prioritizing and planning programs for hookworm and anemia control. Salt iodization is the preferred strategy in eliminating IDD as a public health problem, and universal iodization is the target for the beginning of the twenty-first century. © 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Food taboos among nursing mothers of Mexico

This cross-sectional study was carried out in Guadalajara, Mexico, during 1998-1999 to identify food taboos among nursing mothers who participated in a breast-feeding support programme. The study included 493 nursing mothers who were interviewed 10-45 days after delivery. A chi-square test was used for finding an association among food taboos, mother's characteristics, and demographic variables. 50.3% of the mothers avoided at least one food in their diet after childbirth due to beliefs that it was harmful during breast-feeding. Forty-seven percent avoided three or more foods. Fruits and vegetables (62%) and legumes (20%) were the most-avoided foods. These food taboos were associated with living more than 10 years in Guadalajara city (odds ratio [OR] 1.95 [1.25-3.09], p=0.002), breast-feeding experience (OR 1.91 [1.18-3.12], p=0.005), no-prenatal information about breast-feeding (OR 1.59 [1.08-2.34], (p=0.01), and other people's suggestion to complement breast-feeding (OR 1.61 [1.09-2.38], p=0.01). A supportive approach and efficient communication, taking into account mother's characteristics, might reduce the gap between scientific recommendations and nutritional practices of mothers willing to nurse their infants

Effect of Fucoidan administration on insulin secretion and insulin resistance in overweight or obese adults

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of chronic iron deficiency on neuropsychological traits in infants. We established the nutritional iron status and assessed the neuropsychological characteristics of 58 Mexican 14- to 18-month-old infants. The Bayley Scales of Infant Development, preschool language scales and an environmental sound perception task designed expressly for the study, were used. The infants' mothers were asked to fill out 2 questionnaires concerning their child's sociodemographic background. Six different neuropsychological domains were analyzed. Results showed that the chronic iron deficiency group did show significantly lower scores on language, environmental sound perception, and motor measures, when compared with infants with normal nutritional iron status at 6 and 14 to 18 months. Our conclusion is that the development of language and motor skills and environmental sound perception appeared to be sensitive to the effects of chronic iron deficiency in infants. " The Author(s) 2012.",,,,,,"10.1177/0883073811416867",,,"http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12104/40915","http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84858690481&partnerID=40&md5=21b279c3bb6bbc96656dfc170a1e002

Breast feeding habits in marginated neighborhoods in Guadalajara [H�bitos de lactancia materna en colonias marginadas de Guadalajara.]

They were analyzed the reasons for avoiding or interrupting the breast feeding habits of infants. We included 701 pairs mother-child, who belonged to the marginal neighborhoods of Guadalajara City. Through an interview, it was gotten information about family, socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, and feeding patterns. In addition, it was carried out anthropometric measurements to all children for the evaluation of the nutritional status. Mothers with lower schooling (P less than 0.05), lower levels of life (P less than 0.01), higher parity (P less than 0.01), and with no social security had the higher prevalence of breast feeding practices. Insufficient production was the major cause of avoiding or interrupting breast feeding (65 and 35% respectively). Infant rejection of the breast milk was, the second cause in both cases, (7.6 and 21.6% respectively). Most of the cases, insufficient production and infant rejection of breast milk is due to defects on feeding techniques. Therefore, it is necessary to give more support and advise to the mother who is willing to breast feed her child. Breast feeding; interruption of; causes of; in marginal neighborhoods

Mortality in children under 5 years of age in families of marginal settlements in Guadalajara [Mortalidad en niños menores de cinco años en familias de colonias marginadas de Guadalajara.]

The purpose was, to determine the frequency of infant mortality in the marginal areas of Guadalajara and, find its association with sociodemographic and economical factors, which are known as determinant of the nutritional status of children. There were included 898 families in a cross sectional design among children who applied to the food supplementation program of ONI of Guadalajara. Through an interview and home visit, it was obtained information about sociodemographic and economical characteristics and food habits. The data was recorded and analyzed by the Dbase III Plus and Epi-Info program. It was also used Chi square test and Odds Ratio for the statistical analysis. Education of the mother and income per capita for feeding (as a percentage of the minimum salary) had a significantly and inverse association with infant mortality (P less than 0.0001 and P less than 0.001 respectively). There was also major mortality among children with no social security (P less than 0.05). The Odds Ratio for infant mortality was of 3.02 for education of the father, 8.42 for education of the mother and 6.8 for income per capita for feeding. Meanwhile the level of education and the economical situation of the studied population remain so low, it seems improbable to decrease the rate of infant mortality

Breast feeding habits in marginated neighborhoods in Guadalajara [Hábitos de lactancia materna en colonias marginadas de Guadalajara.]

They were analyzed the reasons for avoiding or interrupting the breast feeding habits of infants. We included 701 pairs mother-child, who belonged to the marginal neighborhoods of Guadalajara City. Through an interview, it was gotten information about family, socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, and feeding patterns. In addition, it was carried out anthropometric measurements to all children for the evaluation of the nutritional status. Mothers with lower schooling (P less than 0.05), lower levels of life (P less than 0.01), higher parity (P less than 0.01), and with no social security had the higher prevalence of breast feeding practices. Insufficient production was the major cause of avoiding or interrupting breast feeding (65 and 35% respectively). Infant rejection of the breast milk was, the second cause in both cases, (7.6 and 21.6% respectively). Most of the cases, insufficient production and infant rejection of breast milk is due to defects on feeding techniques. Therefore, it is necessary to give more support and advise to the mother who is willing to breast feed her child. Breast feeding; interruption of; causes of; in marginal neighborhoods