Infant and young child feeding practices, sociodemographic factors and their association with nutritional status of children aged <3 years in India: findings of the National Nutrition Monitoring Bureau survey, 2011-2012.

OBJECTIVE: To study infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices and their association with nutritional status among young children. DESIGN: A community-based, cross-sectional study was carried out in ten states of India, using a multistage random sampling method. Anthropometric measurements such as length/height and weight were conducted and nutritional assessment was done using the WHO child growth standards. SETTING: National Nutrition Monitoring Bureau survey, 2011-2012.ParticipantsChildren aged <3 years and their mothers. RESULTS: Only 36 % of infants received breast-feeding within an hour of birth and 50 % were exclusively breast-fed up to 6 months. Prevalence of underweight, stunting and wasting was 38, 41 and 22 %, respectively. The chance of undernutrition among <3-year-old children was significantly higher among those from scheduled caste/scheduled tribe communities, the lowest-income group, with illiterate mothers and lack of sanitary latrine. Among infants, the chance of undernutrition was significantly higher among low-birth-weight babies, and among children whose mother had not consumed iron-folic acid tablets during pregnancy. Immunization practices and minimum dietary diversity were observed to be associated with undernutrition among 12-23-month-old children. CONCLUSIONS: Undernutrition is still an important public health problem in India and observed to be associated with low socio-economic status, illiteracy of mother, low birth weight and dietary diversity. Improving socio-economic and literacy status of mothers can help in improving maternal nutrition during pregnancy and thus low birth weight. Also, improving knowledge of mothers about IYCF practices will help in improving children's nutritional status.

Antitumour activity of Sargassum wightii (Greville) extracts against Dalton's ascites lymphoma.

Seaweeds have been used by mankind as medicine and food for more than 13,000 years. Marine algae are considered to produce a valuable phytoconstituents characterized by a broad spectrum of antitumor activities. The aim of the present study was to explore the effect of different solvent extracts of Sargassum wightii, Greville against Dalton's Ascitic Lymphoma (DAL) in Swiss male albino mice. DAL cells were injected intraperitoneally 1 x10(6) cell to the mice. Two days after cells injection the animals were treated with different solvent extracts of Sargassum wightii at dose of 200 mg kg(-1) for 14 days. 5-fluorouracil (20 mg kg(-1)) was used as reference drug. On day 11, cancer cell number, packed cell volume, decrease in tumour weight of the mice, increase in life span and hematological parameters were evaluated and compared with the same parameters in control. A significant increase in the life span and a decrease in the cancer cell number and tumour weight were noted in the tumour-induced mice after treatment with the extract. The haematological parameters were also normalized by the ethanolic and chloroform extracts in tumour-induced mice. These observations are suggestive of the protective effect of ethanolic extract of Sargassum wightii is comparatively better than other two tested extracts against Dalton's Ascitic Lymphoma (DAL).

Clinical and sub-clinical vitamin A deficiency among rural pre-school children of Maharashtra, India.

BACKGROUND: Although a national vitamin A prophylaxis programme has been in operation for more than three decades, vitamin A deficiency (VAD) continues to be a major nutritional problem of public health significance in India. AIM: The present study was carried out with the aim of assessing the prevalence of clinical and sub-clinical VAD among rural pre-school children. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional study was carried out in rural areas of Maharashtra State during 2002-2003. A total of 8646 pre-school children were examined for the presence of signs and symptoms of VAD. A sub-sample (494) of them was used to estimate blood vitamin A levels. RESULTS: The prevalence of Bitot's spots (1.3%) and night blindness (1.1%) was higher than the WHO cut-off levels used to define a public health problem, and it increased significantly (p<0.001) with increase in age. The prevalence of Bitot's spots was 13 times higher among children belonging to the Scheduled Caste (OR=12.8), and 20 times higher among the children of labourers (OR=19.8). The prevalence of sub-clinical VAD (55%) was significantly (p<0.001) high among the children with night blindness (100%) and Bitot's spots (89%). CONCLUSIONS: Increased vitamin A supplementation, health and nutrition education and consumption of vitamin A rich foods are essential to prevent VAD.

Listening to music decreases need for sedative medication during colonoscopy: a randomized, controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Music played during endoscopic procedures may alleviate anxiety and improve patient acceptance of the procedure. A prospective randomized, controlled trial was undertaken to determine whether music decreases the requirement for midazolam during colonoscopy and makes the procedure more comfortable and acceptable. METHODS: Patients undergoing elective colonoscopy between October 2003 and February 2004 were randomized to either not listen to music (Group 1; n=40) or listen to music of their choice (Group 2; n=38) during the procedure. All patients received intravenous midazolam on demand in aliquots of 2 mg each. The dose of midazolam, duration of procedure, recovery time, pain and discomfort scores and willingness to undergo a repeat procedure using the same sedation protocol were compared. RESULTS: Patients in Group 2 received significantly less midazolam than those in Group 1 (p=0.007). The pain score was similar in the two groups, whereas discomfort score was lower in Group 2 (p=0.001). Patients in the two groups were equally likely to be willing for a repeat procedure. CONCLUSION: Listening to music during colonoscopy helps reduce the dose of sedative medications and decreases discomfort experienced during the procedure.