Northern Potosi is one of the poorest parts of Bolivia with the highest indicators of rural poverty, malnutrition and food insecurity in the Bolivian Andes. The objective of this research was to ...characterize the levels of malnutrition and describe infant feeding practices in Potosi, Bolivia and use this information to develop an effective, gender sensitive and culturally relevant intervention encouraging good infant feeding practices. Standard methods were used to collect anthropometric data. Weight and height data were collected for 400 children under five years of age from 30 communities. In six of these communities, interviews and focus group discussions were conducted with 33 mothers and other families in addition to household observational data that were collected to describe infant feeding practices. Nearly 20% of children were underweight; stunting was widespread as well. 38% of mothers initiated breastfeeding 12 hours or more after birth. 39% of mothers initiated complementary feeding in the first three months following birth. The type of complementary food given to children was usually inadequate. With this research we could see that nutritional deficiencies often begin when the mother starts breastfeeding and when first introduced complementary feeding. Interventions aimed at improving maternal and child nutrition will require changes in parents' behavior, greater recognition and community support of the importance of child feeding, and the inclusion of strategies to reach young people, involve men, and make high quality nutrition promotion more widely available in the communities.
Objetivo. Analizar la adecuacion del regimen alimentario en la zona andina, incluidas las ingestas de macro y micronutrientes, prestando especial atencion a las comunidades rurales; senalar las ...prioridades nutricionales en los Andes; y establecer las oportunidades de mejora. Metodos. Se llevo a cabo una exhaustiva busqueda bibliografica, en la que se seleccionaron documentos publicados y procedentes de la literatura gris, en ingles y espanol, relacionados con el regimen alimentario en los paises andinos centrales de Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador y Peru. Se incluyeron articulos que aportaran datos de encuestas alimentarias o intervenciones nutricionales. En el analisis final, se incluyeron 34 articulos o informes publicados desde 1969 a 2011. Se recopilaron las medias y las variaciones de las ingestas de todos los nutrientes presentados segun el sexo y el grupo de edad, y se calculo la correspondiente media de las medias. Resultados. Las ingestas de tiamina, niacina y vitamina C eran generalmente adecuadas. Las ingestas de la mayor parte de los restantes micronutrientes, incluidos el hierro, el cinc, la vitamina A, la riboflavina, la vitamina B12 y el folato, eran bajas, lo que probablemente ocasionaba altos niveles de inadecuacion. Los aportes energeticos eran inferiores a los requeridos, aunque es poco probable que ello constituya un problema frecuente; mas bien, este resultado podria deberse a la tendencia conocida de notificar insuficientemente la ingesta en la mayor parte de las encuestas alimentarias. Sin embargo, el aporte energetico procedente del consumo de grasas era muy reducido, generalmente por debajo del 20% del total, y en algunos lugares, por debajo del 10%. Conclusiones. La ingesta inadecuada de algunos micronutrientes es frecuente en muchos paises en desarrollo, aunque no es tan frecuente la ingesta extremadamente baja de grasa alimentaria observada en los Andes centrales. Un mayor consumo de alimentos de origen animal aumentaria la ingesta de grasas, al tiempo que abordaria las carencias en micronutrientes; sin embargo, debe tenerse en cuenta su posible repercusion sobre el fragil ecosistema de los Andes. Los cultivos autoctonos, como el frijol de altramuz, la quinoa y el amaranto, son tambien ricos en grasas o micronutrientes. Palabras clave Dieta; nutricion en salud publica; macronutrientes; ecosistema andino; Bolivia; Colombia; Ecuador; Peru. Objective. To examine dietary adequacy in the Andean area, including macro- and micronutrient intakes, with a particular focus on rural communities; to highlight nutrition priorities in the Andes; and to identify opportunities for improvement. Methods. A comprehensive literature search was conducted, identifying published and grey literature in English and Spanish related to diet in the central Andean countries of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Articles reporting data from dietary surveys or nutrition interventions were included. Thirty-four papers or reports published in 1969-2011 were included in the final review. The mean and variation in intakes by sex and age group of all presented nutrients were collated and the mean of means were calculated. Results. Thiamin, niacin, and vitamin C intakes were usually adequate. Intakes of most other micronutrients, including iron, zinc, vitamin A, riboflavin, vitamin B12, folate, and zinc were low, likely resulting in high levels of inadequacy. Energy intakes were lower than requirements, but it is unlikely to be a common problem, rather, this result was probably due to the known tendency of most dietary survey tools to underreport intake. However, energy from fat intakes was very low, usually less than 20% of the total, and in some settings, less than 10%. Conclusions. The inadequate intake of some micronutrients is common in many developing countries, but the extremely low intake of dietary fat found in the central Andes is not. Increased consumption of animal-source foods would increase fat intakes, while addressing micronutrient deficiencies; however, the impact on the fragile ecosystem of the Andes needs considering. Indigenous crops, such as lupine bean, quinoa, and amaranth are also rich in fat or micronutrients. Key words Diet; nutrition, public health; macronutrients; Andean ecosystem; Bolivia; Colombia; Ecuador; Peru.
Northern Potosí is one of the poorest parts of Bolivia with the highest indicators of rural poverty, malnutrition and food insecurity in the Bolivian Andes. The objective of this research was to ...characterize the levels of malnutrition and describe infant feeding practices in Potosi, Bolivia and use this information to develop an effective, gender sensitive and culturally relevant intervention encouraging good infant feeding practices. Standard methods were used to collect anthropometric data. Weight and height data were collected for 400 children under five years of age from 30 communities. In six of these communities, interviews and focus group discussions were conducted with 33 mothers and other families in addition to household observational data that were collected to describe infant feeding practices. Nearly 20% of children were underweight; stunting was widespread as well. 38% of mothers initiated breastfeeding 12 hours or more after birth. 39% of mothers initiated complementary feeding in the first three months following birth. The type of complementary food given to children was usually inadequate. With this research we could see that nutritional deficiencies often begin when the mother starts breastfeeding and when first introduced complementary feeding. Interventions aimed at improving maternal and child nutrition will require changes in parents’ behavior, greater recognition and community support of the importance of child feeding, and the inclusion of strategies to reach young people, involve men, and make high quality nutrition promotion more widely available in the communities El Norte de Potosí es una de las partes más pobres de Bolivia, contiene los indicadores más altos de pobreza rural desnutrición e inseguridad alimentaria de los Andes bolivianos. El propósito fue caracterizar los niveles de desnutrición y las prácticas de alimentación de infantes para desarrollar un programa de intervenciones efectivas, sensibles al género y culturalmente relevantes, fomentando las buenas prácticas de alimentación infantil. Para la toma de los datos antropométricos se usó métodos estándares. Se tomaron el peso y la talla de 400 niños/as menores de cinco años de 30 comunidades. En seis de estas comunidades, se usaron entrevistas y discusiones con grupos focales con 33 madres y otros familiares, además de observaciones en los hogares para describir las prácticas de alimentación de los infantes. Casi el 20% de los niños/as son de bajo peso; además los niños/as tienen altos niveles de retraso en la talla. El 38% de las mamás empezaron la lactancia materna después de 12 horas. El 39% inició la alimentación complementaria, en los primeros tres meses. El tipo de alimento complementario que se da al infante en general fue inadecuado. Con este estudio se pudo ver que las deficiencias nutricionales a menudo empiezan cuando la madre inicia la lactancia materna y cuando introduce por primera vez la alimentación complementaria. Para las intervenciones que estén destinadas a mejorar la nutrición maternoinfantil se requerirá cambios en el comportamiento personal, un mayor reconocimiento y apoyo comunitario; estrategias para llegar a la gente joven, hacer participar a los hombres y una mayor disponibilidad de servicios de calidad.
Objectives
This study aims to 1) determine the association of an infant and child feeding index (ICFI) to mean child height‐for‐age Z‐score (HAZ) and dietary adequacy in a rural region of Bolivia, ...and to 2) determine the effect of an agriculture‐centered nutrition intervention on infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices using the ICFI. Associations of outcomes to WHO IYCF indicators are also analyzed.
Methods
Baseline and endline surveys of 331 households with children aged 0–24 months and 390 households with children aged 0–36 months were conducted in 2009 and 2010, respectively. Dietary and feeding practice data were collected using quantitative questionnaires and diet recalls. Mixed model analyses controlling for several individual‐ and household‐level variables were conducted.
Results
The ICFI is significantly associated with mean child HAZ. The difference in mean HAZ between children of mothers with “good” vs. “poor” practices is 0.49 Z‐scores. The ICFI is also significantly positively associated with dietary adequacy. The WHO indicator “minimum dietary adequacy” is not associated with mean child HAZ. Mothers in intervention communities show significantly improved ICFI scores compared to control mothers over the same one‐year period.
Conclusions
An ICFI may be an appropriate tool for monitoring and evaluating community‐based programs targeting improvements in IYCF practices.
Grant Funding Source: NIH Nutrition Training Grant, The McKnight Foundation
Organochlorines and heavy metals have bioaccumulated in Arctic wildlife, which is an important food source for the Inuit. In this study, we have developed a statistical model to describe the ...population distribution of contaminant exposure and the usual intake of the high-end contaminant consumers. Monte Carlo methods are used to account for variations due to seasonal dietary pattern and contaminant concentrations. Distribution of the dietary intake of the contaminants of most concern-mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), chlordane, and toxaphenes-are described. Over 50% of the residents had dietary exposure levels exceeding the tolerable daily intake or provisional tolerable daily intake for Hg, toxaphene, and chlordane (83, 91, and 71% for men and 73, 85, and 56% for women, respectively). The high-end consumers (i.e. the 95th centile) have intake levels 6 times higher than the provisional tolerable weekly intake of Hg, and over 20 times the tolerable daily intake of chlordane and toxaphene. Assessment of health risks of the relative high contaminant exposure in this community must also consider the nutritional, economical, cultural, and social importance of these traditional foods. A comprehensive risk management scheme has yet to be developed.
Macroamylasemia is considered to be rarely associated with celiac disease (CD). We have evaluated patients in whom macroamylasemia or elevated total amylase (TA) led to the diagnosis of CD. These ...cases served as a catalyst for examining the prevalence of elevated TA and macroamylase (MA) in patients with active CD.
Total amylase and MA measurements were performed in the sera of 124 celiac patients with positive antiendomysium and tissue transglutaminase tests, in 100 patients on gluten-free diet (GFD) with negative serology test results, and in the sera of 89 healthy controls. Macroamylasemia was measured by using the PEG precipitation method.
Twenty-three newly diagnosed celiac patients had elevated serum amylase levels (>2 SD above the controls). The average TA and MA levels were significantly elevated in both celiac groups. The nonprecipitated amylase levels (pancreatic and salivary amylase fractions) were not different from those of the controls. Three controls (3.4%), 21 newly diagnosed celiac (16.8%), and seven patients on GFD (7%) had significantly elevated MA activity in their sera.
A significant percentage of the newly diagnosed patients with CD have macroamylasemia. Serum MA remained elevated in some patients on strict GFD. In addition, in the presence of an elevated amylase or MA the possibility of CD should be considered.
We propose a space-based interferometer surveying the gravitational wave (GW) sky in the milli-Hz to μ-Hz frequency range. By the 2040s, the μ-Hz frequency band, bracketed in between the Laser ...Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) and pulsar timing arrays, will constitute the largest gap in the coverage of the astrophysically relevant GW spectrum. Yet many outstanding questions related to astrophysics and cosmology are best answered by GW observations in this band. We show that a μ-Hz GW detector will be a truly overarching observatory for the scientific community at large, greatly extending the potential of LISA. Conceived to detect massive black hole binaries from their early inspiral with high signal-to-noise ratio, and low-frequency stellar binaries in the Galaxy, this instrument will be a cornerstone for multimessenger astronomy from the solar neighbourhood to the high-redshift Universe.
Estimates of daily energy expenditure are important for many areas of research in human ecology and adaptability. The most common technique for estimating human energy expenditure under field ...conditions, the factorial method, generally relies on activity‐specific energy costs derived from published sources, based largely on North American and European subjects. There is concern that such data may not be appropriate for non‐Western populations because of differences in metabolic costs. The present study addresses this concern by comparing measured vs. predicted energy costs at rest and during sub‐maximal exercise in 83 subjects (52 males, 31 females) from three subsistence‐level populations (Siberian herders and high‐land and coastal Ecuadorian farmers). Energy costs at rest (i.e., lying, sitting and standing) and while performing a standard stepping exercise did not significantly differ among the three groups. However, resting energy costs were significantly elevated over predicted levels (+16% in men, +11% in women), whereas exercising costs were comparable to predicted values (−6% in men, +3% in women). Elevations in resting energy needs appear to reflect responses to thermal stress. These results indicate that temperature adjustments of resting energy costs are critical for accurately predicting daily energy needs among traditionally living populations. o 1996 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
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