Diabetes as a risk factor for tuberculosis disease.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is amongst the leading causes of death from an infectious disease, with an estimated 1.3 million deaths from TB in 2022. Approximately 25% of the global population is estimated to be infected with the TB bacterium, giving rise to 10.

Emerging Evidence and Critical Issues with the Use of Single-Drop Capillary Blood for the Measurement of Hemoglobin Concentration in Population-Level Anemia Surveys.

Accurate and precise measurement of hemoglobin concentration is critical for reliable estimations of anemia prevalence at the population level. When systematic and/or random error are introduced in hemoglobin measurement, estimates of anemia prevalence might be significantly erroneous and, hence, limit their usefulness. For decades, single-drop capillary blood has been the most common blood source used for the measurement of hemoglobin concentration in surveys, especially in low-income and middle-income countries.

Daily oral iron supplementation during pregnancy.

Background: Iron and folic acid supplementation have been recommended in pregnancy for anaemia prevention, and may improve other maternal, pregnancy, and infant outcomes.

Objectives: To examine the effects of daily oral iron supplementation during pregnancy, either alone or in combination with folic acid or with other vitamins and minerals, as an intervention in antenatal care.

Search Methods: We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Trials Registry on 18 January 2024 (including CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, ClinicalTrials.

Undernutrition as a risk factor for tuberculosis disease.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is a leading cause of mortality due to an infectious disease, with an estimated 1.6 million deaths due to TB in 2022. Approximately 25% of the global population has TB infection, giving rise to 10.

A rapid landscape review of postpartum anaemia measurement: challenges and opportunities.

Background: Anaemia is a reduction in haemoglobin concentration below a threshold, resulting from various factors including severe blood loss during and after childbirth. Symptoms of anaemia include fatigue and weakness, among others, affecting health and quality of life. Anaemic pregnant women have an increased risk of premature delivery, a low-birthweight infant, and postpartum depression.

Association between maternal haemoglobin concentrations and maternal and neonatal outcomes: the prospective, observational, multinational, INTERBIO-21st fetal study.

Background: Anaemia in pregnancy is a global health problem with associated maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. We aimed to investigate the association between maternal haemoglobin concentrations during pregnancy and the risk of adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes.

Methods: In this prospective, observational, multinational, INTERBIO-21st fetal study conducted at maternity units in Brazil, Kenya, Pakistan, South Africa, and the UK, we enrolled pregnant women (aged ≥18 years, BMI <35 kg/m, natural conception, and singleton pregnancy) who initiated antenatal care before 14 weeks' gestation.

Comprehensive framework for integrated action on the prevention, diagnosis, and management of anemia: An introduction.

The World Health Organization (WHO) announced in 2021 a commitment to develop a comprehensive framework for integrated action on the prevention, diagnosis, and management of anemia and to establish an Anaemia Action Alliance to support the implementation of the framework. WHO commissioned four background papers to provide reflections about the most pressing issues to be addressed for accelerating reductions in the prevalence of anemia. Here, we provide a complete vision of the framework.

Diagnosing anemia: Challenges selecting methods, addressing underlying causes, and implementing actions at the public health level.

Accurate and affordable tools for diagnosing anemia and its main determinants are essential for understanding the magnitude and distribution of the problem and the appropriate interventions needed for its timely prevention and treatment. The objective of this review is to address methods, equipment, and sample-related and quality control aspects of hemoglobin measurement for anemia diagnosis. Also, other iron-, infectious-, and genetic-related causes of anemia are addressed in individuals and populations.

Nutrition-specific interventions for preventing and controlling anaemia throughout the life cycle: an overview of systematic reviews.

Background: Anaemia is a prevalent health problem worldwide. Some types are preventable or controllable with iron supplementation (pills or drops), fortification (sprinkles or powders containing iron added to food) or improvements to dietary diversity and quality (e.g.

Serum or plasma ferritin concentration as an index of iron deficiency and overload.

Background: Reference standard indices of iron deficiency and iron overload are generally invasive, expensive, and can be unpleasant or occasionally risky. Ferritin is an iron storage protein and its concentration in the plasma or serum reflects iron stores; low ferritin indicates iron deficiency, while elevated ferritin reflects risk of iron overload. However, ferritin is also an acute-phase protein and its levels are elevated in inflammation and infection.

Update on the Transmission of Zika Virus Through Breast Milk and Breastfeeding: A Systematic Review of the Evidence.

We systematically searched regional and international databases and screened 1658 non-duplicate records describing women with suspected or confirmed ZIKV infection, intending to breastfeed or give breast milk to an infant to examine the potential of mother-to-child transmission of Zika virus (ZIKV) through breast milk or breastfeeding-related practices. Fourteen studies met our inclusion criteria and inform this analysis. These studies reported on 97 mother-children pairs who provided breast milk for ZIKV assessment.

International values for haemoglobin distributions in healthy pregnant women.

Background: Anaemia in pregnancy is a global health problem with associated morbidity and mortality.

Methods: A secondary analysis of prospective, population-based study from 2009 to 2016 to generate maternal haemoglobin normative centiles in uncomplicated pregnancies in women receiving optimal antenatal care. Pregnant women were enrolled <14 weeks' gestation in the Fetal Growth Longitudinal Study (FGLS) of the INTERGROWTH-21 Project which involved eight geographically diverse urban areas in Brazil, China, India, Italy, Kenya, Oman, United Kingdom and United States.

Impact of flour fortification with calcium on calcium intake: a simulation study in seven countries.

Calcium intake is low in many countries, especially in low-income countries. Our objective was to perform a simulation exercise on the impact, effectiveness, and safety of a flour fortification strategy using the Intake Modelling, Assessment, and Planning Program. Modeling of calcium fortification scenarios was performed with available dietary intake databases from Argentina, Bangladesh, Italy, the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), Uganda, Zambia, and the United States.

Calcium-fortified foods in public health programs: considerations for implementation.

Low calcium intake is common worldwide and can result in nutritional rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults. Calcium-fortified foods could improve calcium intake. However, there is limited calcium fortification experience, with technical and practical issues that may hamper its adoption.

Current calcium fortification experiences: a review.

Low dietary calcium is very common in many populations, contributing to nutritional rickets/osteomalacia in children/adults and increasing the risk of several health problems. Calcium is a nutrient of concern as the recommended nutrient requirements are difficult to meet in the absence of dairy products. The provision of culturally acceptable calcium-fortified foods may improve calcium intake when it is a feasible and cost-effective strategy in a particular setting.

Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 through breast milk and breastfeeding: a living systematic review.

The pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by infection with a novel coronavirus strain, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). At present, there is limited information on potential transmission of the infection from mother to child, particularly through breast milk and breastfeeding. Here, we provide a living systematic review to capture information that might necessitate changes in the guidance on breast milk and breastfeeding given the uncertainty in this area.

Use and interpretation of hemoglobin concentrations for assessing anemia status in individuals and populations: results from a WHO technical meeting.

Anemia is an important public health problem that negatively affects health of individuals and economic potential of populations. An accurate case definition is critical for understanding burden and epidemiology of anemia, for planning public health interventions, and for clinical investigation and treatment of patients. The current threshold hemoglobin concentrations for diagnosis of anemia were proposed in 1968 and based on studies predominantly of Caucasian adult populations in Europe and North America.

Multiple micronutrient supplements in pregnancy: Implementation considerations for integration as part of quality services in routine antenatal care. Objectives, results, and conclusions of the meeting.

Health promotion, screening, diagnosis, and disease prevention are essential services of quality routine antenatal care for pregnant adult and adolescent women. Supplementation programmes in pregnancy, generally implemented in the context of antenatal care services, have had less than optimal results in many countries, generally attributed to limited access, low coverage, and reduced adherence to the recommended regimens and counselling. The World Health Organization Department of Nutrition for Health and Development, in collaboration with the United Nations Children's Fund and Nutrition International, convened the technical consultation "Multiple micronutrient supplements in pregnancy: Implementation considerations for successful incorporation into existing programmes.

Are Current Serum and Plasma Ferritin Cut-offs for Iron Deficiency and Overload Accurate and Reflecting Iron Status? A Systematic Review.

Background: Serum or plasma ferritin concentration is recommended by WHO as a biomarker to assess iron status in individuals and populations.

Methods: A systematic review was undertaken to summarise the evidence for ferritin reflecting iron status and to assess the cut-off points in different populations. Electronic databases were searched for studies evaluating ferritin concentrations compared against bone marrow aspirates for iron deficiency and to liver biopsies for risk of iron overload.

Risk of excessive intake of vitamins and minerals delivered through public health interventions: objectives, results, conclusions of the meeting, and the way forward.

The excessive consumption of certain vitamins and minerals could have deleterious consequences on health and development of individuals and populations. Simultaneous micronutrient-delivery interventions could be challenging in terms of safety as the target populations may overlap, posing a risk of excessive intake of certain micronutrients. The Evidence and Programme Guidance Unit of the Department of Nutrition for Health and Development of the World Health Organization convened a technical consultation on the risk of excessive intake of vitamins and minerals delivered through public health interventions in October 2017.

Consequences of Inadequate Intakes of Vitamin A, Vitamin B, Vitamin D, Calcium, Iron, and Folate in Older Persons.

Purpose Of Review: This review broadly discusses the consequences of inadequate consumption, by deficit or excess, of selected micronutrients on the quality of life and morbidity during aging, specifically considering increases in life expectancy and the costs of care in the older persons.

Recent Findings: A literature review of the periods 2012 to 2018, focusing on vitamins A, B, and D, calcium, iron and folate, was completed as these micronutrients are found to significantly affect the aging process. Causation and application of these micronutrients to disorders related to aging are controversial and mixed.

Staple crops biofortified with increased vitamins and minerals: considerations for a public health strategy.

Biofortification of staple crops has been proposed as a strategy to address micronutrient malnutrition, particularly with respect to insufficient intake of vitamin A, iron, zinc, and folate. The World Health Organization, in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the Sackler Institute for Nutrition Science at the New York Academy of Sciences, convened a technical consultation entitled "Staple Crops Biofortified with Vitamins and Minerals: Considerations for a Public Health Strategy" in April 2016. Participants of the consultation reviewed the definition of biofortification of staple crops, patterns of crops production, processing, consumption, seed varieties, and micronutrient stability and bioavailability, as well as farmers' adoption and acceptability of the modified crops.

Fortification of condiments with micronutrients in public health: from proof of concept to scaling up.

Fortification of condiments or seasonings may be useful for delivering micronutrients if they are consumed consistently by most of the population, as occurs in many countries. The World Health Organization, in collaboration with the Micronutrient Initiative and the Sackler Institute for Nutrition Science at the New York Academy of Sciences, convened a technical consultation on "Fortification of Condiments and Seasonings with Vitamins and Minerals in Public Health: from Proof of Concept to Scaling Up" to review the role of condiments and seasonings in improving micronutrient status, as constituents of regular diets and patterns of production and consumption worldwide. The consultation covered aspects related to implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and legal frameworks of fortification programs, as well as food safety and policy coherence for condiment fortification in the context of other public health strategies.