ImpENSA eHealthy Conversation Skills training for healthcare professionals aimed at improving micronutrient status during the first 1000 days in South Africa.

Individuals' lifestyle behaviours determine health. Improving Early Nutrition and Health in South Africa ("ImpENSA"), an EU Erasmus+ co-funded project, aims to tackle the triple burden of malnutrition in South Africa through equipping healthcare professionals (HCPs) with knowledge and skills to effectively support healthy nutritional choices among pregnant women and mothers/infant caregivers. Healthy Conversation Skills (HCS) is a behaviour change intervention utilising open discovery questions, active listening, reflection on practice and goal-setting support through SMARTER (Specific, Measured, Action-oriented, Realistic, Timed, Evaluated and Reviewed) planning as core competences.

Feasibility Testing of the Health4LIFE Weight Loss Intervention for Primary School Educators Living with Overweight/Obesity Employed at Public Schools in Low-Income Settings in Cape Town and South Africa: A Mixed Methods Study.

Given the high prevalence of overweight and obesity amongst educators, this study investigated the feasibility of the 16-week Health4LIFE weight loss intervention for primary school educators living with overweight/obesity in low-income settings in Cape Town, South Africa. The research comprised two sub-studies, a pilot randomised controlled trial testing the intervention (10 intervention, = 79 and 10 control schools, = 58), and an investigation of the perceptions of participating educators and principals. Feasibility outcomes included reach, applicability, acceptability, implementation integrity, and a hypothesis-generating signal of effect on lifestyle factors and weight.

Urinary metabolomics signature of animal and plant protein intake and its association with 24-h blood pressure: the African-PREDICT study.

The contrasting relationships of plant and animal protein intake with blood pressure (BP) may be partially attributed to the differential non-protein (e.g., saturated fat and fibre) and amino acid (AA) compositions.

HIV infection and ART use are associated with altered plasma clot characteristics in Black South Africans.

Background: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and antiretroviral treatment (ART) are both associated with hypercoagulability. Altered clot properties could be a potential mechanism thereof. We aimed to investigate the association of HIV and ART, with fibrinogen and plasma clot properties in a group of Black South Africans.

Evaluation of ImpENSA technology-enabled behaviour change module delivered to healthcare professionals in South Africa to improve micronutrient nutrition during the first 1000 days.

Healthcare professionals (HCPs) have vital roles in providing evidence-based care to promote healthy micronutrient nutrition in early life. Providing such care requires scalable training to strengthen knowledge and confident application of effective behaviour change skills. Among 33 public and private HCPs (primarily dietitians) in South Africa, we evaluated the behaviour change aspects of a technology-enabled National Qualification Sub-Framework level 6 programme, Improving Early Nutrition and Health in South Africa ('ImpENSA').

Female rats consuming an iron and omega-3 fatty acid deficient diet preconception require combined iron and omega-3 fatty acid supplementation for the prevention of bone impairments in offspring.

We previously showed in rats that pre- and postnatal deficiencies in iron and omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids can impair bone development, with additive and potentially irreversible effects when combined. This study aimed to investigate, in female rats consuming a combined iron and n-3 fatty acid deficient (ID + n-3 FAD) diet preconception, whether supplementation with iron and docosahexaenoic/eicosapentaenoic acid (DHA/EPA), alone and in combination, can prevent bone impairments in offspring. Using a 2 × 2 factorial design, female Wistar rats consuming an ID + n-3 FAD diet preconception were randomised to receive an: 1) iron supplemented (Fe + n-3 FAD), 2) DHA/EPA supplemented (ID + DHA/EPA), 3) Fe + DHA/EPA, or 4) ID + n-3 FAD diet from gestational day 10 throughout pregnancy and lactation.

Micronutrient supplementation practices in relation to the World Health Organisation 2013 guidelines on management of severe acute malnutrition.

In 2013, the World Health Organisation (WHO) updated the recommendations for micronutrient deficiency correction in hospitalised under-5 children with complicated severe acute malnutrition (SAM). This study aimed to describe the micronutrient deficiency correction practices in relation to WHO 2013 recommendations. Data from medical records of under-5 children admitted for SAM management at two hospitals in South Africa and three tertiary hospitals in Ghana were extracted.

Effect of fatty acid profiles in varying recipes of ready-to-use therapeutic foods on neurodevelopmental and clinical outcomes of children (6-59 months) with severe wasting: a systematic review.

Context: In 2020, 13.6 million children under 5 years suffered from severe acute malnutrition (SAM)/wasting. Standard ready-to-use therapeutic foods (RUTFs) improve polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) status but contain suboptimal amounts of omega-3 (n-3) PUFAs with unbalanced n-6-to-n-3 PUFA ratios.

Metabolomic Insights on Potassium Excretion, Blood Pressure, and Glucose Homeostasis: The African-PREDICT Study.

Background: Low-potassium intake is associated with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes and hypertension. Both conditions occur more frequently in Black populations, who also consume less potassium-rich foods.

Objectives: Using metabolomics to identify dysregulated metabolic pathways associated with low-potassium excretion may procure more accurate entry points for nutritional prevention and intervention for type 2 diabetes and hypertension.

Physiological and nutrition-related challenges as perceived by spinal cord-injured endurance hand cyclists.

This study explored the perceptions of spinal cord-injured (SCI) endurance hand cyclists regarding their physiological and nutrition-related challenges and the perceived impact of these challenges on nutritional intake and exercise capacity. This was an interpretive qualitative descriptive study in which semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 adult South African national-level SCI endurance hand cyclists. Thematic analysis was used to explore perceptions regarding physiological and nutrition-related challenges and the impact thereof on nutritional practices and exercise capacity.

High-dose oral vitamin D supplementation for prevention of infections in children aged 0 to 59 months: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Context: Vitamin D plays an important role in immune function, and the deficiency thereof has been associated with several infections, most notably respiratory tract infections. However, data from intervention studies investigating the effect of high-dose vitamin D supplementation on infections have been inconclusive.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of evidence regarding the efficacy of vitamin D supplementation above the standard dose (400 IU) in preventing infections in apparently healthy children < 5 years of age.

Nutritional Practices and Body Composition of South African National-Level Spinal Cord-Injured Endurance Hand Cyclists.

Nutritional practices and body composition of para-athletes can impact their health and athletic performance. There is a paucity of research on the nutritional practices, including dietary and supplement intake, body composition and bone health of spinal cord-injured (SCI) endurance hand cyclists. This study assessed the body composition and dietary and supplement intake of 12 national-level SCI endurance hand cyclists (age: 44.

Potential of Egg as Complementary Food to Improve Nutrient Intake and Dietary Diversity.

The original aim was to determine the effect of egg consumption on infant growth in a low socioeconomic community in South Africa in a randomized controlled trial. Enrolment was, however, prematurely stopped due to COVID-19 lockdown regulations. The resultant small sample (egg group n = 70; control group n = 85) was followed up to assess the feasibility of egg consumption for eight months in terms of dietary intake, egg usage and perceived effects of lockdown on child feeding.

Retail Cost and Energy Adjusted Cost Are Associated with Dietary Diversity and Nutrient Adequacy for Diets of 6-24 Months Children.

Poor nutrition during the first two years of life has long term consequences, but resource-poor households often do not have the means to access nutrient-dense and diverse diets. Pooled data of 24-h dietary recalls ( = 3336) and 2019 retail food prices were analyzed to determine associations of retail cost and energy cost (per 100 kcal) with diet quality indicators for diets of 6-24-month-old South African children who were breastfed (BF-diet) and not breastfed (NBF-diet) during the 24-h recall period. Compared to the BF-diet, retail cost for the NBF-diet was three times higher for age 6-11 months, and double for age 12-17 months.

A demographic approach to assess elevated blood pressure and obesity in prepubescent children: the ExAMIN Youth South Africa study.

Background: Obesity and hypertension prevalence among children are a concern, with limited evidence available on sex and ethnic differences in childhood blood pressure. We aimed to determine the number of children with hypertension and obesity to identify unique adiposity and blood pressure characteristics by sex and ethnicity, and to estimate the odds of having elevated blood pressure with increasing adiposity.

Methods: We included 1062 healthy children (5-9 years of age) in an observational school-based study in South Africa.

Retinal vasodilatory responses are inversely associated with plasminogen activator inhibitor-1: The African-PREDICT study.

Aims: Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), traditionally associated with fibrinolysis, is increasingly implicated in impaired vascular function. However, studies on its association with microvascular function are limited to the cutaneous and coronary microvascular beds in older and diseased individuals. To better understand its potential involvement in the early stages of disease development, we investigated the associations of retinal vasodilatory responses to flicker light with PAI-1 activity (PAI-1) in young and healthy individuals.

Ready-to-use therapeutic foods for the treatment of malnourished children and infants.

Purpose Of Review: Ready-to-use therapeutic foods (RUTF) allow effective community-based management of severe acute malnutrition (SAM). Current interest focuses on their optimal composition and use.

Recent Findings: Studies of alternative RUTF have yielded differing results.

A Priori and a Posteriori Dietary Patterns among Pregnant Women in Johannesburg, South Africa: The NuPED Study.

Dietary pattern analyses allow assessment of the diet as a whole. Limited studies include both a priori and a posteriori dietary pattern analyses. This study aimed to explore the diet of pregnant women in urban South Africa through both a priori and a posteriori dietary pattern analyses and associated maternal and household factors.

The association of PAI-1 with 24 h blood pressure in young healthy adults is influenced by smoking and alcohol use: The African-PREDICT study.

Background And Aims: The association between plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) and blood pressure is well established, but it is debatable whether raised PAI-1 levels precede or result from raised blood pressure. Furthermore, it is unclear whether this association already exists in the absence of overt hypertension and to what degree it is influenced by health behaviours. Our aim was to investigate the association of 24 h blood pressure with PAI-1 activity (PAI-1) in a young, healthy cohort, and to assess the influence of alcohol consumption and smoking on these associations.

Associations of dietary diversity with anaemia and iron status among 5- to 12-year-old schoolchildren in South Africa.

Objective: To examine the associations of dietary diversity with anaemia and iron status among primary school-aged children in South Africa.

Design: An analysis was conducted with pooled individual data from the baseline surveys from three previously conducted independent intervention studies. Two different dietary diversity scores (DDS) were calculated based on data from 1-day (1-d) and 3-day (3-d) dietary recall periods, respectively.

Oxygen consumption rate of Caenorhabditis elegans as a high-throughput endpoint of toxicity testing using the Seahorse XF96 Extracellular Flux Analyzer.

Caenorhabditis elegans presents functioning, biologically relevant phenotypes and is frequently used as a bioindicator of toxicity. However, most C. elegans in vivo effect-assessment methods are laborious and time consuming.

Publisher Correction: Sphingolipid serum profiling in vitamin D deficient and dyslipidemic obese dimorphic adults.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

Lifestyle factors and risk of multimorbidity of cancer and cardiometabolic diseases: a multinational cohort study.

Background: Although lifestyle factors have been studied in relation to individual non-communicable diseases (NCDs), their association with development of a subsequent NCD, defined as multimorbidity, has been scarcely investigated. The aim of this study was to investigate associations between five lifestyle factors and incident multimorbidity of cancer and cardiometabolic diseases.

Methods: In this prospective cohort study, 291,778 participants (64% women) from seven European countries, mostly aged 43 to 58 years and free of cancer, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and type 2 diabetes (T2D) at recruitment, were included.

Dietary patterns of 6-24-month-old children are associated with nutrient content and quality of the diet.

We determined the associations of dietary patterns with energy/nutrient intakes and diet quality. Previously collected single 24-hr dietary recalls for children aged 6-11 months (n = 1,585), 12-17 months (n = 1,131), and 18-24 months (n = 620) from four independent studies in low socio-economic populations in South Africa were pooled. A maximum-likelihood factor model, with the principal-factor method, was used to derive dietary (food) patterns.

Sphingolipid serum profiling in vitamin D deficient and dyslipidemic obese dimorphic adults.

Recent studies on Saudi Arabians indicate a prevalence of dyslipidemia and vitamin D deficiency (25(OH)D) in both normal weight and obese subjects. In the present study the sphingolipid pattern was investigated in 23 normolipidemic normal weight (NW), 46 vitamin D deficient dyslipidemic normal weight (-vitDNW) and 60 vitamin D deficient dyslipidemic obese (-vitDO) men and women by HPTLC-primuline profiling and LC-MS analyses. Results indicate higher levels of total ceramide (Cer) and dihydroceramide (dhCers C18-22) and lower levels of total sphingomyelins (SMs) and dihydrosphingomyelin (dhSM) not only in -vitDO subjects compared to NW, but also in -vitDNW individuals.