Drivers of Anemia Reduction among Women of Reproductive Age in Senegal: A Country Case Study.

Background: In Senegal, anemia prevalence among women of reproductive age (WRA) decreased from 59% in 2005 to 54% in 2017. However, determinants of reduction in disease burden under challenging public health conditions have not been studied.

Objective: To conduct a systematic in-depth assessment of the quantitative and qualitative determinants of anemia reduction among WRA in Senegal between 2005 and 2017.

Exclusive Breastfeeding Measured by Deuterium-Oxide Turnover Method is Associated with Motor Development in Rural Senegalese Infants.

Background: The findings on the relationship between breastfeeding and children's motor development are very poor, particularly in low and middle income countries, because of the use of inadequate measures of breastfeeding practices.

Objectives: To assess the relationship between exclusive breastfeeding, measured by the deuterium-oxide turnover method (DTM), and the acquisition of motor development in a cohort of Senegalese children.

Methods: One hundred forty mother-infant (4-5 mo) pairs were recruited and monitored up to 18 mo.

Evaluation and prioritisation of actions on food environments to address the double burden of malnutrition in Senegal: perspectives from a national expert panel.

Objective: To evaluate the extent of implementation of public policies aimed at creating healthy eating environments in Senegal compared to international best practice and identity priority actions to address the double burden of malnutrition.

Design: The Healthy Food Environment Policy Index (Food-EPI) was used by a local expert panel to assess the level of implementation of forty-three good practice policy and infrastructure support indicators against international best practices using a Likert scale and identify priority actions to address the double burden of malnutrition in Senegal.

Setting: Senegal, West Africa.

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.

Validity of impedance-based predictions of total body water as measured by 2H dilution in African HIV/AIDS outpatients.

Measurements of body composition are crucial in identifying HIV-infected patients at risk of malnutrition. No information is available on the validity of indirect body composition methods in African HIV-infected outpatients. Our first aim was to test the validity of fifteen published equations, developed in whites, African-Americans and/or Africans who were or not HIV-infected, for predicting total body water (TBW) from bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) in HIV-infected patients.

Comparison of the efficacy of a solid ready-to-use food and a liquid, milk-based diet for the rehabilitation of severely malnourished children: a randomized trial.

Background: The World Health Organization recommends a liquid, milk-based diet (F100) during the rehabilitation phase of the treatment of severe malnutrition. A dry, solid, ready-to-use food (RTUF) that can be eaten without adding water has been proposed to eliminate the risk of bacterial contamination from added water. The efficacies of RTUF and F100 have not been compared.

Stable isotope aided evaluation of community nutrition program: effect of food supplementation schemes on maternal and infant nutritional status.

The supplementation program of the community nutrition project (PNC) launched by the Senegalese Government in order to protect the most vulnerable groups (children and women) was evaluated. Using a stable isotope (deuterium), we assessed the effect of the PNC on breastmilk output, mother's body composition, and baby's growth at three months of lactation. Breastmilk triglycerides, lactose, protein, and zinc were also determined.

Use of Fourier transformed infrared spectrophotometer (FTIR) for determination of breastmilk output by the deuterium dilution method among Senegalese women.

Breastmilk output can be estimated from the mother's total body water and water turnover rates after oral administration of deuterium oxide. Usually the deuterium enrichments are determined using a isotope ratio mass spectrometer, which is expensive and requires a specialist for operation and maintenance. Such equipment is difficult to set up in developing countries.