Inventory on the dietary assessment tools available and needed in africa: a prerequisite for setting up a common methodological research infrastructure for nutritional surveillance, research, and prevention of diet-related non-communicable diseases.

OBJECTIVE: To carry out an inventory on the availability, challenges, and needs of dietary assessment (DA) methods in Africa as a pre-requisite to provide evidence, and set directions (strategies) for implementing common dietary methods and support web-research infrastructure across countries. METHODS: The inventory was performed within the framework of the "Africa's Study on Physical Activity and Dietary Assessment Methods" (AS-PADAM) project. It involves international institutional and African networks. An inventory questionnaire was developed and disseminated through the networks. Eighteen countries responded to the dietary inventory questionnaire. RESULTS: Various DA tools were reported in Africa; 24-Hour Dietary Recall and Food Frequency Questionnaire were the most commonly used tools. Few tools were validated and tested for reliability. Face-to-face interview was the common method of administration. No computerized software or other new (web) technologies were reported. No tools were standardized across countries. CONCLUSIONS: The lack of comparable DA methods across represented countries is a major obstacle to implement comprehensive and joint nutrition-related programmes for surveillance, programme evaluation, research, and prevention. There is a need to develop new or adapt existing DA methods across countries by employing related research infrastructure that has been validated and standardized in other settings, with the view to standardizing methods for wider use.

Evaluation of the international standardized 24-h dietary recall methodology (GloboDiet) for potential application in research and surveillance within African settings.

BACKGROUND: Collection of reliable and comparable individual food consumption data is of primary importance to better understand, control and monitor malnutrition and its related comorbidities in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), including in Africa. The lack of standardised dietary tools and their related research support infrastructure remains a major obstacle to implement concerted and region-specific research and action plans worldwide. Citing the magnitude and importance of this challenge, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC/WHO) launched the "Global Nutrition Surveillance initiative" to pilot test the use of a standardized 24-h dietary recall research tool (GloboDiet), validated in Europe, in other regions. In this regard, the development of the GloboDiet-Africa can be optimised by better understanding of the local specific methodological needs, barriers and opportunities. The study aimed to evaluate the standardized 24-h dietary recall research tool (GloboDiet) as a possible common methodology for research and surveillance across Africa. METHODS: A consultative panel of African and international experts in dietary assessment participated in six e-workshop sessions. They completed an in-depth e-questionnaire to evaluate the GloboDiet dietary methodology before and after participating in the e-workshop. RESULTS: The 29 experts expressed their satisfaction on the potential of the software to address local specific needs when evaluating the main structure of the software, the stepwise approach for data collection and standardisation concept. Nevertheless, additional information to better describe local foods and recipes, as well as particular culinary patterns (e.g. mortar pounding), were proposed. Furthermore, food quantification in shared-plates and -bowls eating situations and interviewing of populations with low literacy skills, especially in rural settings, were acknowledged as requiring further specific considerations and appropriate solutions. CONCLUSIONS: An overall positive evaluation of the GloboDiet methodology by both African and international experts, supports the flexibility and potential applicability of this tool in diverse African settings and sets a positive platform for improved dietary monitoring and surveillance. Following this evaluation, prerequisite for future implementation and/or adaptation of GloboDiet in Africa, rigorous and robust capacity building as well as knowledge transfer will be required to roadmap a stepwise approach to implement this methodology across pilot African countries/regions.

The relationship between iron status and adiposity in women from developing countries: a review.

Scientific reports have shown that iron deficiency is positively associated with adiposity. With the high prevalence of iron deficiency and obesity in developing countries and women being particularly affected, this review was carried out with the aim of elucidating the link between iron status and adiposity in women from developing countries and to examine factors influencing this relationship. An extensive literature search was conducted using several search engines. A systematic approach with prespecified inclusion criteria was used in selecting relevant literature. Eight studies that met the inclusion criteria were selected for review. The relationship between iron status indices and adiposity in women in developing countries varied widely. While some studies observed negative relationships, some reported positive relationships, and others no significant relationships. Furthermore, other factors such as infection, alcohol consumption, type of diet, and genes were shown to affect the relationship between iron status and adiposity in women in developing countries. In conclusion, the possibility of iron status playing a role in adiposity in women from developing countries is likely, and it may be influenced by several other factors as described in the results. Thus, it is recommended that a special research effort should be directed toward this area.

Effect of thermosonication on quality attributes of hog plum (Spondias mombin L.) juice.

The use of thermosonication (TS) technique to preserve the qualities of fruit juice as an alternative to conventional pasteurization has attracted research interest in recent times. In the present study, freshly prepared hog plum juice (control), and the juice samples subjected to pasteurization (90 °C for 60 s) and thermosonication (40 kHz, 400 W at 40, 50 and 60 °C each for 5, 10, 20 and 30 min) were each analyzed for physicochemical, bioactive, microbial and sensory properties. After treatment, no significant changes in pH, total soluble solids and titratable acidity were observed. Notably, TS at 40 and 50 °C significantly (p < 0.05) improved color parameters, cloudiness and browning index. Furthermore, thermosonication increased ascorbic acid (11.40-18.55%), total phenolic content (17.98-18.35%), carotenoids (2.19-4.30%), flavonoids (10-16%) and antioxidant activity (32.52-48.5%) relative to the control. Both treatments significantly reduced the microbial count to non-detectable level after processing, while sensory attributes slightly improved. However, TS treatment at 60 °C decreased most of the quality parameters. Results showed that TS can improve quality, safety and economic potential of hog plum juice as a feasible alternative to pasteurization.