IntroductionPreadolescents are passing through an intensive growth and development period that will benefit from healthy eating practices. For those attending school, school environments offer ...several potential benefits and have been demonstrated to influence the quality of dietary intakes and consequentially, nutritional status of school-aged children (SAC). Considering the amount of time children spend in school and the enormous potential of evidence-based interventions, the purpose of this review is to critically appraise peer-reviewed literature addressing the impact of school-based interventions on the nutritional status of SAC aged 6–12 years in sub-Saharan Africa.Methods and analysisA systematic search will be conducted in the following databases and online search records: Medline, CINAHL, Web of Science, Embase, Global health, Global Index Medicus, Cochrane library, Hinari and Google Scholar using search terms and keywords codeveloped with two librarians. An additional search will also be conducted from the reference list of identified literature. Search results of titles and abstracts will be initially screened for eligibility criteria by two independent reviewers and where there is disagreement, a third reviewer will be consulted. Articles meeting these criteria will then undergo a full-text review for the eligibility and exclusion criteria. The Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tool will be used to assess the risk of bias. Data from articles meeting all study criteria will be extracted, analysed and synthesised. A meta-analysis will also be conducted if sufficient data are available.Ethics and disseminationThis systematic review is limited to publicly accessible data bases not requiring prior ethical approval to access. The results of the systematic review will be disseminated through publications in peer-reviewed journals as well as conference and stakeholder presentations.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42022334829.
The study aimed to examine the external validity of the Folate Food Frequency Questionnaire (F-FFQ) designed for assessing the folate intake in Serbian women of reproductive age. The F-FFQ was tested ...against repeated 24 h dietary recalls and correspondent nutritional biomarkers (red blood cells (RBC) and serum folate concentrations) using the method of triads. In a cross sectional study, 503 women aged 18-49 years completed dietary questionnaires and representative validation subsample (
= 50) provided fasting blood samples for biomarker analyses. Correlation coefficients were calculated between each of the dietary methods and three pair-wise correlations were applied for the calculation of validity coefficients. Correlation coefficients observed between F-FFQ and three 24 h recalls were
= 0.56 (
< 0.001) and
= 0.57 (
< 0.001) for total sample and validation group, respectively. Bland-Altman plot and cross-classification analyses indicated good agreement between methods. High validity coefficients were determined between the true intake (I) and dietary assessment methods, F-FFQ (Q) and 24 h dietary recalls (R) (ρQI
= 0.871 and ρQI
= 0.814; ρRI
= 0.652 and ρRI
= 0.698), and moderate ones for biomarkers (B) (ρBI
= 0.428 and ρBI
= 0.421). The F-FFQ is valid instrument for the assessment of dietary folate intake in women living in Serbia, a country without mandatory folic acid food fortification.
•EuroFIR identified lack of FCDB and Food Composition Data Management tools in CEE/B.•IMR created Food Composition Data Management software, harmonized with EuroFIR.•The 1st online Serbian FCDB was ...compiled and launched in 2007.•Serbian FCDB has 1046 foods and 129 traditional composite dishes.
Within the European Food Information Resource Network of Excellence (EuroFIR NoE; FP6) and EuroFIR Nexus (FP7) project paucity in food composition databases (FCDB) in the Central Eastern Europe/Balkan (CEE/B) region was identified. As a member of EuroFIR NoE, the Centre of Research Excellence in Nutrition and Metabolism, Serbia initiated creation of the 1st online Serbian FCDB employing EuroFIR quality framework and CEN Food Data Standard requirements, supporting capacity development and designing the web-based Food Composition Data Management (FCDM) software for FCDB building. The 1st online version of Serbian FCDB was launched in 2007, and then extended with food composition data from other Balkan countries (Balkan Food Platform-Regional FCDB). All foods are indexed using LanguaL Thesaurus and coded with EFSA FoodEx2 coding system. To date, upgraded Serbian FCDB with 1046 foods and 129 traditional/common Serbian composite dishes is a prerequisite for nutritional research in Serbia, CEE/B region and wider Europe.
•Identified lack of standardized dietary intake data and tools in CEEC region.•Need for harmonized dietary assessment, monitoring and nutrition surveillance.•DIET ASSESS & PLAN-DAP – software for ...standardized food consumption data collection.•DAP supports Capacity Development in nutrition research and surveillance in CEEC.•DAP is Research Infrastructure for public health nutrition epidemiology and policy.
In order to meet growing public health nutrition challenges in Central Eastern European Countries (CEEC) and Balkan countries, development of a Research Infrastructure (RI) and availability of an effective nutrition surveillance system are a prerequisite. The building block of this RI is an innovative tool called DIET ASSESS & PLAN (DAP), which is a platform for standardized and harmonized food consumption collection, comprehensive dietary intake assessment and nutrition planning. Its unique structure enables application of national food composition databases (FCDBs) from the European food composition exchange platform (28 national FCDBs) developed by EuroFIR (http://www.eurofir.org/) and in addition allows communication with other tools. DAP is used for daily menu and/or long-term diet planning in diverse public sector settings, foods design/reformulation, food labelling, nutrient intake assessment and calculation of the dietary diversity indicator, Minimum Dietary Diversity-Women (MDD-W). As a validated tool in different national and international projects, DAP represents an important RI in public health nutrition epidemiology in the CEEC region.
Vitamin D status positively relates to lean body mass in infants. This study tested the effect of vitamin D on body composition and growth-related hormones. It was hypothesized that low vitamin D ...status programs for higher fat mass accretion. Female weanling Sprague–Dawley rats (4 weeks; n = 6/diet) were randomized to AIN-93G diets with modified vitamin D contents for 8 weeks: group 1 (1 IU vitamin D3/g diet), group 2 (2 IU vitamin D3/g diet), and group 3 (4 IU vitamin D3/g diet). At week 0, 4, and 8 of study, measurements included: serum 25(OH)D3, IGF-1, IGFBP3, leptin, and whole body composition assessed with DXA. Differences among groups were tested using mixed model ANOVA with Tukey's post hoc t-tests. No differences were observed in baseline body composition and biomarkers, nor did body weight and food intake differ over the study. At week 8, serum 25(OH)D3 in group 3 was higher (P < .0001) compared to groups 1 and 2. At 8 weeks, lean mass (P < .05) and lean mass accretion (P < .05) were significantly higher in groups 2 and 3 compared to group 1. Serum IGF-1 concentration declined over time (P < .001) with smaller declines at week 8 in group 3 (P < .05). Serum IGFBP3 concentration was lower at week 4 in group 2 compared to groups 1 and 3. Serum leptin concentration and fat mass were not affected by diet. These results suggested that the achievement of higher vitamin D status may support a lean body phenotype without altering weight gain.
•Lack of harmonized/standardized food composition data and dietary assessment tools.•Identified training needs in dietary assessment tools development and application.•Regional FCDB harmonized by ...EuroFIR – cornerstone of the Balkan Food Platform.•Expose of design and implementation of FCDB and nutritional software tools.•CEE/B Capacity Development in nutrition tools application – workshops & trainings.•Synchronizing the regional FCDB and nutritional tools for nutritional surveillance.
The objective of this paper is to share experience and provide updated information on Capacity Development in the Central and Eastern Europe/Balkan Countries (CEE/BC) region relevant to public health nutrition, particularly in creation of food composition databases (FCDBs), applying dietary intake assessment and monitoring tools, and harmonizing methodology for nutrition surveillance. Balkan Food Platform was established by a Memorandum of Understanding among EuroFIR AISBL, Institute for Medical Research, Belgrade, Capacity Development Network in Nutrition in CEE – CAPNUTRA and institutions from nine countries in the region. Inventory on FCDB status identified lack of harmonized and standardized research tools. To strengthen harmonization in CEE/BC in line with European research trends, the Network members collaborated in development of a Regional FCDB, using web-based food composition data base management software following EuroFIR standards. Comprehensive nutrition assessment and planning tool – DIET ASSESS & PLAN could enable synchronization of nutrition surveillance across countries.
Abstract only
Objective
A single‐day cross‐sectional study was performed to assess folate intake and status of healthy young females in Serbia, a country without folic acid food fortification.
Method
...Dietary intake of folate was assessed on the sample of 420 women (aged 18 to 30) using validated semi quantitative food frequency and 24 hr recall questionnaires. Folate intake was calculated using DietAsses nutritional software and Serbian Food Composition Data Base. On 10% of participants’ folate status was determined by red blood cell (RBC) and serum folate concentrations.
Results
Mean daily intake of folate was more than 400 μg in 9. 77% of participants and only 0.71% of all participants were taking folic acid supplements. In a subpopulation of 40 female subjects, calculated mean daily intake of folate was 311.84 ± 81.20 μg DFE (dietary folate equivalents). The results of serum and RBC folate indicated that 32.5% of females in Serbia were folate deficiency and only 20% reached RBC folate concentrations needed to prevent fetal neural tube defect (>;400 ng/mL).
Conclusion
Folate was below the daily recommended intake (400 μg/day) in more than 90% of participants, and prevalence of folate deficiency was high among females of reproductive age. Our data demonstrates that there is a need for promotion of folic acid supplementation among young women in Serbia.
Source of research support: Ministry of Science, Serbia III grant 41030
The C-3α epimer of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol 3-epi-25(OH)D3 is elevated in infants.
We tested whether increasing cholecalciferol intake results in a dose-response in plasma 3-epi-25(OH)D3. We also ...examined bone and mineral metabolism in response to 3-epi-25(OH)D3 treatment.
Sprague Dawley rats (4 wk old) were randomly assigned (n = 6/group of each sex) to AIN-93G diets with cholecalciferol at 1 (control), 2, or 4 IU/g diet for objective 1 and to diets with 3-epi-25(OH)D3 at 0.5 or 1 IU/g diet or 25-hydroxycholecalciferol 25(OH)D3 at 0.5 IU/g diet for objective 2 for 8 wk. Measurements at weeks 0, 4, and 8 included body weight and length, plasma vitamin D metabolites, bone biomarkers, and bone mineral density determined by using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Lumbar vertebra 3 (L3) geometry and volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD) were measured using microcomputed tomography. Differences between groups were identified for males and females separately.
Weight and food intake were not different between groups. Elevated plasma 3-epi-25(OH)D3 was observed only in females in the 4 IU cholecalciferol/g diet group (mean ± SD: 24.7 ± 17.1 ng/mL), compared with the control group (5.3 ± 1.4 ng/mL; P = 0.001). By week 8, both male and female rats in the 3-epi-25(OH)D3 groups had >87% greater plasma 3-epi-25(OH)D3 concentrations relative to the 25(OH)D3 reference group (P < 0.0001). At week 8 in males only, parathyroid hormone was significantly lower (P = 0.019) in both 3-epi-25(OH)D3 groups than in the 25(OH)D3 group, and L3 total vBMD was higher (P = 0.004) in the 0.5 IU 3-epi-25(OH)D3 group than in the 25(OH)D3 group.
Endogenously generated 3-epi-25(OH)D3 is more prominent in female than in male rats. Exogenous 3-epi-25(OH)D3 was as effective as 25(OH)D3 in supporting bone mineral accretion in both sexes. It thus appears that 3-epi-25(OH)D3 has biological activity and should be further explored.
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