Development and validation of a tool to assess underlying factors of iron-rich food consumption among pregnant women.

Anaemia among pregnant women remains a public health concern globally. One major cause of this persistent problem is iron deficiency, which may be the result of limited iron intake in the diet. Using the extended version of the theory of planned behaviour (eTPB), this study aims to develop and validate a questionnaire assessing psychosocial and environmental factors that could influence the consumption of iron-rich foods (IRFs) among Senegalese pregnant women.

Plasma zinc concentration increases within 2 weeks in healthy Senegalese men given liquid supplemental zinc, but not zinc-fortified wheat bread.

The responsiveness of plasma zinc concentration to zinc fortification is uncertain. Our objective in this study was to determine whether plasma zinc concentration changes in response to consuming zinc-fortified foods or liquid zinc supplements. We conducted a 4-wk double-blind, randomized trial among 132 healthy Senegalese men ≥ 18 y.

Plasma zinc concentration responds to short-term zinc supplementation, but not zinc fortification, in young children in Senegal1,2.

Background: Simple, low-cost methods are needed to evaluate the effect of zinc-fortification programs. Plasma zinc concentration is a useful biomarker of zinc intake from supplementation, but responses to zinc fortification are inconsistent.

Objective: The objective was to compare the change in plasma zinc concentrations in young children who received zinc from either a liquid supplement or a zinc-fortified complementary food.