Across the life cycle, energy and nutrient requirements vary depending on age, sex, physiological state, and physical activity levels. Universally, school meals are seen as a way of tackling malnutrition and poor eating behaviours in school children. The provision of meals by colleges of nursing is geared towards meeting the nutrient requirements of students, thereby, improving their nutritional status. The study focused on estimating the nutritional status and nutrient intake adequacy of stu...
Increasingly most people have their meals outside their homes and are vulnerable to illness caused by unsafe food. Unsafe food preparation and supply by vendors have made food safety a concern for public health. Tamale is a densely populated city in the northern part of Ghana and many food vendors abound. This study evaluated the nutrition knowledge, attitude, and food safety and hygienic practices of food vendors in the Tamale Metropolis of the Northern region, Ghana. An analytical cross-sec...
The Energy Drink (ED) market has grown into a multi-billion-dollar industry globally. In Ghana, the trend is similar with consumption among the youth on the rise. This is despite their association with short and long-term negative health outcomes. This study, therefore, sought to assess the prevalence and consumption pattern, perception, and factors associated with ED consumption among the youth of the Tamale Metropolis. It was a population-based cross-sectional study of 541 conveniently samp...
Dietary intake and Optimal gestational weight gain is an important factor linked with positive outcome for both mothers and their infants. Women who consume inadequate diet and gain inadequate weight during pregnancy are at risk of bearing a baby with low birth weight whereas those who gain excessive weight are at increased risk of preeclampsia, having microsomal babies and gestational diabetes. In developing countries, data on dietary intake gestational weight gain and its determinants are s...
Anaemia in pregnancy continues to be a major public health problem affecting 45% of pregnant women in Ghana and 47% in the Northern Region. This study examined the impact of anaemia during the third trimester of pregnancy on birth outcomes in Tatale- Sanguli and Zabzugu districts. The study employed a prospective cohort design using simple random sampling technique to sample 359 respondents. The data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analysed using the Statistical Package fo...
Abstract: Factors that influence the nutritional status of under-fives living with HIV/AIDS were assessed through a descriptive survey. These factors included feeding practices, health and socio-economic characteristics. The study was carried out at the Lea Toto Programme situated at Kangemi, Nairobi. Purposive sampling was used to select the under-fives. Stratified random sampling was done according to age and gender then random sampling done to obtain a proportionate number from each strat...
ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to determine the nutrient and phytochemical composition of fresh, sun and shade dried okra, bitter, scent, G. latifolium and roselle leaves. The vegetables were purchased from two markets. Okra, bitter, scent and G.latifolium leaves were purchased from Nsukka and roselle leaves were bought from Jos market. All the vegetables were washed, weighed and divided into two equal parts. Each part was sun, or shade dried, pulverized, packed and stored. The fresh samp...
ABSTRACT Background: Childhood undernutrition is prevalent worldwide especially in developing countries. It is associated with impaired physical growth and poor cognitive function among school children. Aim: To quantify the effect of consuming fortified groundnut based snack for four months on the nutritional status and academic performance of children (6-17years) enrolled on the GSFP in the Ashanti region. Design and methods: This was a quasi-experimental design that involved experimental ...
ABSTRACT Fish feed protein ingredients are the most expensive and often unavailable in subSaharan Africa especially in commercial aquaculture systems. The major fish feed protein ingredient in fish farming in Kenya is fishmeal (FM) that is often times expensive and adulterated leading to low productivity of fish farming. This problem has necessitated a need for exploring alternative less expensive and easily available protein sources such as black soldier fly larvae (BSFL). This study aimed...
ABSTRACT There is an increasing prevalence of lifestyle diseases in developing countries. The rise in these diseases reflects a significant change in dietary habits, physical activity levels and socio-economic status among other lifestyle factors. The study aimed at determining the association between selected risk factors for lifestyle diseases and the prevalence of diagnosed diabetes and hypertension among the Swahili community of Old Town and Kisauni districts in Mombasa County. Old Town ...
ABSTRACT An infant’s anthropometry (weight and length) at birth are important public health indicators for its survival and later development. Low birth weight (LBW) and stunting at birth are among the major causes of infant mortality which is still a worldwide problem. Despite the government’s effort to improve healthcare services, LBW is still a problem at the Provincial General Hospital (PGH) maternity, Nakuru. The main objective of this study was therefore to determine the relationshi...
ABSTRACT The causes of malnutrition among women of reproductive age are complex but it is mainly attributed to diets lacking diversity. Agro-biodiversity is widely perceived as a promising strategy to improve dietary diversity and ultimately nutritional status. The main objective of this study was to assess the relationship between agro-biodiversity, dietary diversity and nutritional status of women aged 15-49 years in two different agro-ecological zones (low and high agricultural potential a...
Commercial fermented milks have health benefit potential attributed to pure probiotics used as starter culture. Lactic acid bacteria (LABs) are the probiotics used. LABs promote stabilization of the gastrointestinal microecology of humans by producing secondary metabolites like lactic, acetic and propionic acid, hydrogen peroxide and bacteriocins (bactericidal proteins). These metabolites are health benefiting. Mursik, an indigenous fermented milk product is consumed by many Kenyan commu...
ABSTRACT The incorporation of whole chickpea (Kabuli) flour into sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) wheat composite flour could improve nutritional quality of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) bread. The aim of the study was to produce bread using sorghum genotype EUS130 and chickpea, compare physical and baking properties, nutrient levels, in vitro protein digestibility, shelf life and sensory acceptability. Randomized Complete Block Design was used to compare different breads. Sorghum-wheat com...
The prevalence of stunting is very high in Africa (33.9%) despite global decline from 32.6 to 22.2% between 2000 and 2017; and over 33% of all stunted children live in Sub Saharan Africa. In Malawi, 37.1% of under-five children are stunted, 12% are underweight and 3% are wasted. Dedza district has very high prevalence of stunting (43%) despite various interventions to improve child nutrition. The most mothers do not follow standard practices of ensuring food safety, hygiene and dietary d...