Fructans in the first 1000 days of life and beyond, and for pregnancy.

Inulin-based prebiotics are non-digestible polysaccharides that influence the composition of the gut microbiota in infants and children, notably eliciting a bifidogenic effect with high short chain fatty acid levels. Inulin, a generic term that comprises β-(2,1)-linked linear fructans, is typically isolated from the chicory plant root, and derivatives such as oligofructose and long chain inulin appear to have different physiological properties. The first 1000 days of a child's life are increasingly recognized as a critical timeframe for health also into adulthood, whereby nutrition plays a key role.

Species-Specific Associations Between Soil-Transmitted Helminths and Micronutrients in Vietnamese Schoolchildren.

Soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections and micronutrient deficiencies are closely related and often coexist among low-income populations. We studied the association between infections with specific STH species and micronutrient status in rural Vietnamese schoolchildren. Children (N = 510) aged 6-9 years were recruited from two primary schools.

Key strategies to further reduce stunting in Southeast Asia: lessons from the ASEAN countries workshop.

Background: To further reduce stunting in Southeast Asia, a rapidly changing region, its main causes need to be identified.

Objective: Assess the relationship between different causes of stunting and stunting prevalence over time in Southeast Asia.

Methods: Review trends in mortality, stunting, economic development, and access to nutritious foods over time and among different subgroups in Southeast Asian countries.

Long-term impact of community-based information, education and communication activities on food hygiene and food safety behaviors in Vietnam: a longitudinal study.

Background: Ingestion of contaminated water or food is a major contributor to childhood diarrhea in developing countries. In Vietnam, the use of community-based information, education and communication (IEC) activities could be a sustainable strategy to improve food hygiene and food safety behaviors. This study thus examined the long-term impact of community-based IEC activities on food hygiene and food safety behaviors.

Improvement of the Vietnamese diet for women of reproductive age by micronutrient fortification of staples foods and condiments.

Background: A micronutrient survey carried out in 2010 among randomly selected Vietnamese women in reproductive age indicated that anemia and micronutrient deficiencies are still prevalent. The objective of this study was thus to analyze the dietary micronutrient intakes of these women, to select the food vehicles to be fortified and to calculate their contributions to meet the recommended nutrient intake (RNI) for iron, zinc, vitamin A and folic acid.

Main Findings: Consumption data showed that the median intake was 38.

An assessment of the impact of fortification of staples and condiments on micronutrient intake in young Vietnamese children.

Targeted fortification programs for infants and young children are an effective strategy to prevent micronutrient deficiencies in developing countries, but the role of large-scale fortification of staple foods and condiments is less clear. Dietary modeling in children aged 6-60 months was undertaken, based on food consumption patterns described in the 2009 national food consumption survey, using a 24-h recall method. Consumption data showed that the median intake of a child for iron, vitamin A and zinc, as a proportion of the Vietnamese Recommended Dietary Allowance (VRDA), is respectively 16%-48%, 14%-49% and 36%-46%, (depending on the age group).

Monosodium glutamate is not associated with overweight in Vietnamese adults.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of and associated factors for overweight, especially to determine the relationship between the intake of monosodium glutamate (MSG) as a seasoning and overweight in Vietnam.

Design: A cross-sectional survey was conducted of Vietnamese adults aged ≥20 years in 2008. Dietary intake was assessed by the 24 h recall method for 3 d.

Multi-micronutrient-fortified biscuits decreased the prevalence of anaemia and improved iron status, whereas weekly iron supplementation only improved iron status in Vietnamese school children.

In Vietnam, nutrition interventions do not target school children despite a high prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies. The present randomised, placebo-controlled study evaluated the impact of providing school children (n 403) with daily multiple micronutrient-fortified biscuits (FB) or a weekly Fe supplement (SUP) on anaemia and Fe deficiency. Micronutrient status was assessed by concentrations of Hb, and plasma ferritin (PF), transferrin receptor (TfR), Zn and retinol.

Correlations between genetic variance and adiposity measures, and gene x gene interactions for obesity in postmenopausal Vietnamese women.

Although environmental factors are important, there is considerable evidence that genes also have a significant role in the pathogenesis of obesity. We conducted a population-based study to investigate the relationship between candidate genes for obesity (UCP1, UCP2, ADRA2B, ADRB3, LEPR, VDR and ESR1) and adiposity measures (body mass index, body fat percentage, weight, waist circumference and waist-hip ratio) in terms of individual gene and gene x gene interaction in models unadjusted and adjusted for covariates (age, years since menopause, educational level and total energy intake). Postmenopausal women with TC genotype of ESR1 gene had higher body fat percentage than those with TT genotype in the models unadjusted and adjusted for the covariates (P = 0.

Complementary foods fortified with micronutrients prevent iron deficiency and anemia in Vietnamese infants.

To investigate whether an intervention including micronutrient-fortified complementary foods can improve iron status, we conducted a randomized controlled trial in 5-mo-old Vietnamese infants (n = 246). Villages (n = 29) were randomly divided into those receiving instant flour (FF) or a food complement (FC) both fortified with micronutrients or nothing [control (C)]. FF and FC infants received daily for 6 mo at least 2 meals of fortified complementary foods.

Secular trends in growth and nutritional status of Vietnamese adults in rural Red River delta after 30 years (1976-2006).

In order to assess secular trends in growth of the Vietnamese population following a period of rapid economic growth, a follow-up study on physical growth and nutritional status of adults was carried out in a rural section of the Red River delta, Vietnam 30 years after the original study. The initial study in 1976 found that average height and weight of Vietnamese adults was similar to data collected by French experts Huard and Bigot in 1938. Hence, no noticeable secular trends were observed in almost 40 years.

Difructose anhydride III enhances bioavailability of water-insoluble iron in anemic Vietnamese women.

Difructose anhydride III (DFAIII) is an indigestible disaccharide and has been shown to enhance iron absorption in animal studies; however, the effect has not been investigated in anemic subjects. We investigated the efficacy of co-administration of DFAIII with water-insoluble iron in the treatment of iron deficiency anemia in Vietnamese women. One hundred sixty-eight moderately anemic women (80 g/L View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Relationship of serum carotenoids and retinol with anaemia among pre-school children in the northern mountainous region of Vietnam.

Objective: To characterize the relationship between serum carotenoids, retinol and anaemia among pre-school children.

Design: A cross-sectional study was conducted in two groups: anaemic and non-anaemic. Serum levels of retinol, α-carotene, β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutein and zeaxanthin were measured in the study subjects.

Nutritional status, feeding practice and incidence of infectious diseases among children aged 6 to 18 months in northern mountainous Vietnam.

Objective: To assess the prevalence of undernutrition, incidence of infectious diseases and the situation of feeding practices to determine the risk factors for undernutrition among children aged 6 to 18 months in rural Vietnam.

Design: A cross-sectional study was conducted among one hundred eighty-eight mother-child pairs in Bac Giang, Vietnam. Weight and height of the children were measured and referred to data from the WHO/CDC/NCHS.

Survey of food-hygiene practices at home and childhood diarrhoea in Hanoi, Viet Nam.

A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the potential factors of food-hygiene practices of mothers on the prevalence of diarrhoea among their children. Mothers who had children aged 6 months-5 years were recruited in a hamlet in Viet Nam. The food-hygiene practices included hand-washing, method of washing utensils, separation of utensils for raw and cooked food, and the location where foods were prepared for cooking.

Eating out of home in Vietnamese adolescents: socioeconomic factors and dietary associations.

Background: Out-of-home (OH) eating in developed countries is associated with suboptimal dietary intakes, but evidence is scarce on the situation in developing countries.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the nutritional contribution of OH eating and related socioeconomic determinants in Vietnamese adolescents.

Design: A 24-h recall was used to collect food intake data in a cross-sectional study of 1172 adolescents living in urban and rural areas.

Impact of milk consumption on performance and health of primary school children in rural Vietnam.

This is a follow-up study to an investigation on the prevalence of malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies among Vietnamese primary schoolchildren. A total of 454 children aged 7 to 8 years attending three primary schools in the Northern delta province of Vietnam were either provided with regular milk, milk fortified with vitamins, minerals and inulin or served as a reference control group. Children were monitored for anthropometrics, (micro)-nutritional status, faecal microbiota composition, school performance, and health indices.

Nutritional status of lactating mothers and their breast milk concentration of iron, zinc and copper in rural Vietnam.

Breast milk is considered to be the best nutrient source for infants. However, nutritional compositions of breast milk in developing countries, especially among malnourished women, have not been fully investigated. This study aimed to assess nutritional status and nutrient composition of breast milk in lactating mothers in rural Vietnam.

Cooking temperature, heat-generated carcinogens, and the risk of stomach and colorectal cancers.

Background: Food change due to cooking temperature and unrecognized heat-formed chemical carcinogens may impact on the risk of stomach and colo-rectal cancers. To test this hypothesis a case-control study was performed.

Methods: A total of 670 cases of stomach and colo-rectal cancers matched with 672 hospital controls for sex and -/+5 years age admitted to three hospitals in Hanoi city in the North Viet Nam from October 2006 to September 2007 were the subjects.

Multi-micronutrient-fortified biscuits decreased prevalence of anemia and improved micronutrient status and effectiveness of deworming in rural Vietnamese school children.

Concurrent micronutrient deficiencies are prevalent among Vietnamese school children. A school-based program providing food fortified with multiple micronutrients could be a cost-effective and sustainable strategy to improve health and cognitive function of school children. However, the efficacy of such an intervention may be compromised by the high prevalence of parasitic infestation.

Relationship of low serum selenium to anemia among primary school children living in rural Vietnam.

A cross-sectional study of 292 primary school children was conducted in rural Vietnam to investigate the relationship among micronutrient deficiencies, and other risk factors for anemia. Serum levels of iron, copper, zinc, selenium and magnesium were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and that of retinol by high performance liquid chromatography. Hemoglobin concentration in whole blood was measured by the cyanmethemoglobin method.

Development of a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire for dietary studies--focus on vitamin C intake.

The present work aimed to provide a basis for examination of intake of selected food items determined with a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (SQFFQ) and planned-food selection (PFS). From February to July of 2003, ninety one cancer patients and 90 matched (same sex and age within 5 years) non-cancer patients were directly interviewed by trained interviewers using the designed questionnaire at the inpatient-department of Viet Duc hospital, Ha Noi City, Viet Nam. Study subjects consumed more SQFFQ-food items than PFS-food items, so that the latter method might not accurately reflect dietary habits regarding estimation of nutrient intake, especially vitamins.

Folate and vitamin B12 status of women of reproductive age living in Hanoi City and Hai Duong Province of Vietnam.

Objectives: To assess the folate and vitamin B12 status of a group of Vietnamese women of reproductive age and to estimate the rate of neural tube defects (NTD) based on red blood cell (RBC) folate concentrations.

Design And Subjects: A representative sample of non-pregnant women (15-49 years) living in Hanoi City (n 244) and Hai Duong Province (n 245).

Measures: RBC folate, plasma vitamin B12 and plasma holo-transcobalamin (holoTC), a sensitive indicator of vitamin B12 status.

Association of low serum selenium with anemia among adolescent girls living in rural Vietnam.

Objective: We investigated the prevalence of anemia and deficiency in trace elements in adolescent girls living in rural Vietnam.

Methods: Two hundred forty-five adolescent girls 11-17 y of age from three schools in rural province of Ha Nam, Vietnam, were assessed.

Results: The prevalence of anemia was 20.