Different fatty acid composition of serum phospholipids of small and appropriate for gestational age preterm infants and of milk from their mothers.

BACKGROUND: Placental supply of fatty acids (FA) is essential for normal foetal development but in premature infants this supply is interrupted. To investigate the association of intrautrine growth restriction with serum phospholipid and breast milk FA composition, we compared preterm infants small for gestational age (SGA) and matched appropriate for gestational age (AGA), and their mothers' milk during the first 4 weeks of postnatal life. METHODS: Sera from 11 SGA and 12 AGA infants born 34-36 weeks of gestation were collected at birth, 14(th) and 28(th) day, and breast milk on 14(th) and 28(th) day after birth. FA composition was analyzed by gas chromatography. RESULTS: Preterm SGA infants had significantly lower oleic, total monounsaturated FA (MUFA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and n-3 polyunsaturated FA (PUFA) and higher levels of stearic and linoleic acid at birth than AGA infants (p<0.05). DHA was significantly lower, whereas docosatetraenoic and docosapentaenoic acids were higher in SGA infants after 28 days. Mothers of AGA infants had markedly lower levels of MUFA and higher levels of total and n-6 PUFA in their breast milk. CONCLUSION: SGA infants have altered serum phospholipid FA composition at birth and during their first month of life, probably due to inadequate transplacental supply and activity of desaturase system. RESULTS on human milk suggest that pregnancies with AGA or SGA would later influence breast milk FA composition.

Capacity development in food composition database management and nutritional research and education in Central and Eastern European, Middle Eastern and North African countries.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Capacity development (CD) in food and nutrition is much more than formal training and includes human resource development, and organisational, institutional and legal framework development with the aim of enhancing nutrition-relevant knowledge and skills to support infrastructural development. The goal of the European Food Information Resource (EuroFIR) Network of Excellence has been to develop and integrate food composition data throughout Europe. EuroFIR joined forces in CD with the United Nations (UN) University and UN System Standing Committee on Nutrition, the Network for Capacity Development in Nutrition in Central and Eastern Europe, the Central and Eastern European Countries Food Data Systems network and with the Middle East and North African Capacity Building Initiative. The aim of this paper is to discuss an inventory of the status of food composition databases (FCDBs) and the training needs of compilers in non-EuroFIR countries in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), and to present the CD achieved through EuroFIR and other network collaborations. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Two online questionnaires were created addressing the FCDB status and specific training needs in countries of the targeted regions. Data were collected during 2006-2008 and then analysed. Subsequently, CD activities were organised. RESULTS: Contacts were established in 19 CEE and 7 MENA countries, of which several had national food composition tables, but no electronic versions. Education, training, workshops, networking and the sharing of experiences were uniformly requested. Subsequently, CD activities in EuroFIR were organised focussing on food composition courses, exchange visits, workshops and individual training for PhD students, junior scientists and other staff categories, as well as conferences linked to food composition research and food information. To facilitate CD activities, EuroFIR has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia and Estonia. CONCLUSIONS: EuroFIR has created training activities that complement national activities. Collaboration with other networks has provided an overview of FCDB status and training needs, providing directions for CD activities in those countries. This provides a platform for new funding and further development and networking for CD, which would be conducive to European Commission objectives and public health strategies for CD.

Nutri-RecQuest: a web-based search engine on current micronutrient recommendations.

BACKGROUND: The EURRECA (EURopean micronutrient RECommendations Aligned) Network of Excellence collated current micronutrient recommendations. A user-friendly tool, Nutri-RecQuest, was developed to allow access to the collated data and to create a database source for use in other nutritional software tools. METHODS: Recommendations, that is, intakes of micronutrients sufficient to meet the requirements of the majority of healthy individuals of that population, from 37 European countries/organizations and eight key non-European countries/regions comprising 29 micronutrients were entered into a database. General information on the source of the recommendations, as well scientific background information, was added. RESULTS: A user-friendly web-based interface was developed to provide efficient search, comparison, display, print and export functions. CONCLUSION: Easy access to existing recommendations through the web-based tool may be valuable for bodies responsible for setting recommendations, as well as for users of recommendations including scientists, policy makers, health professionals and industry. Adding related dietary reference values such as average nutrient requirements and upper limits may extend the utility of the tool.