Research Articles (Human Ecology and Dietetics)

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Browsing by Subject "Children"

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    Dietary fat intake and red blood cell fatty acid composition of children and women from three different geographical areas in South Africa
    (Elsevier, 2016) Ford, Rosalyn; Faber, Mieke; Kunneke, Ernesta; Smuts, Cornelius M.
    Dietary fat intake, particularly the type of fat, is reflected in the red blood cell (RBC) fatty acid (FA) profile and is vital in growth, development and health maintenance. The FA profile (%wt/wt) of RBC membrane phospholipids (as determined by gas chromatography) and dietary intake (as determined by 24 h recall) was assessed in 2–6 y old South African children and their caregivers randomly selected from three communities, i.e. an urban Northern Cape community (urban-NC; n = 104), an urban coastal Western Cape community (urban-WC; n = 93) and a rural Limpopo Province community (rural-LP; n = 102). Mean RBC FA values across groups were compared using ANOVA and Bonferroni post-hoc test while controlling for age and gender (children); median dietary intake values were compared using a Kruskal–Wallis test. Dietary intakes for total fat, saturated FAs and polyunsaturated FAs were higher in the two urban areas compared to the rural area. Total fat intake in rural-LP, and omega-3 FA dietary intake in all three areas were lower than the South African adopted guidelines. Dietary SFA intake in both urban areas was higher than recommended by South African guidelines; this was reflected in the RBC membrane FA profile. Rural-LP children had the lowest intake of omega-3 and omega-6 FAs yet presented with the highest RBC docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) profile and highest arachidonic acid percentage. Although differences observed in dietary fat intake between the two urban and the rural area were reflected in the RBC membrane total phospholipid FA profile, the lowest total fat and α-linolenic acid (ALA) intake by rural children that presented with the highest RBC DHA profile warrants further investigation.
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    Intersectoral (in)activity: Towards an understanding of public sector department links between water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and childhood undernutrition in South Africa
    (Oxford University Press, 2020) Momberg, Douglas J.; Mahlangu, Pinky; Ngandu, Bwangandu C.
    Associations between different forms of malnutrition and environmental conditions, including water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), contribute to poor child health, nutritional status and physical growth. The primary responsibility for the provision of water and sanitation, as a basic service and human right, lies with the State, as such, a number of stakeholders are involved. Despite relatively high levels of WASH infrastructure coverage in South Africa, enteric infections and stunting remain high for a middle-income country. The aim of this study is to elucidate the landscape of WASH in South Africa in relation to nutritional status of children under the age of 5 years in the South African, Gauteng and City of Johannesburg contexts. The authors detailed the national and provincial public sector departments and through purposive sampling proceeded to map the various departments and associated policies that are responsible for the provision of WASH facilities, as well the nutritional status of children.
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    Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in sub-Saharan Africa and associations with undernutrition, and governance in children under five years of age: A systematic review
    (Cambridge University Press, 2021) Momberg, D.J; Ngandu, B.C; Voth-Gaeddert, L.E
    Associations between different forms of malnutrition and environmental conditions, including water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), may contribute towards persistently poor child health, growth and cognitive development. Experiencing poor nutrition in utero or during early childhood is furthermore associated with chronic diseases later in life. The primary responsibility for provision of water and sanitation, as a basic service and human right, lies with the State; however, a number of stakeholders are involved. The situation is most critical in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where, in 2015, 311 million people lacked a safe water source, and >70% of SSA populations were living without adequate sanitation. The aim of this paper was to conduct a systematic review to investigate the state of literature concerned with WASH and its association with nutritional status, and governance in children from birth to 5 years of age in SSA. Articles were sourced from PubMed Central, Science Direct and ProQuest Social Science databases published between 1990 and 2017. The PRISMA Statement was utilised and this systematic review is registered with PROSPERO (CRD42017071700).
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    Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) factors associated with growth between birth and 1 year of age in children in Soweto, South Africa: Results from the Soweto Baby WASH study
    (IWA Publishing, 2020) Saïd-Mohamed, Rihlat; Momberg, Douglas J.; Voth-Gaeddert, Lee E.
    Interventions to reduce undernutrition and improve child growth have incorporated improved water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) as part of disease transmission prevention strategies. Knowledge gaps still exist, namely, when and which WASH factors are determinants for growth faltering, and when WASH interventions are most effective at improving growth. This study drew cross-sectional data from a longitudinal cohort study and used hierarchical regression analyses to assess associations between WASH factors: water index, sanitation, hygiene index, and growth: height-forage (HAZ), weight-for-age (WAZ), weight-for-height (WHZ) at 1, 6, and 12 months postpartum among infants a priori born healthy in Soweto, Johannesburg. Household access to sanitation facilities that were not safely managed was associated with a decrease in HAZ scores at 1 month (/? = -2.24) and 6 months (/?=-0.96); a decrease in WAZ at 1 month (8=-1.21), 6 months (/?= -1.57), and 12 months (/3= -1.92); and finally, with WHZ scores at 12 months (/?= -1.94). Counterintuitively, poorer scores on the hygiene index were associated with an increase at 1 month for both HAZ (/? = 0.53) and WAZ (0 = 0.44). Provision of safely managed sanitation at household and community levels may be required before improvements in growth-related outcomes are obtained.