Promoting weaning practices and growth of Egyptian infants by using communication for behavioral development approach.

BACKGROUND: Access to various affordable and nutritious foods is considered a challenging factor for households with limited resources affecting the proper weaning practices. In order to motivate communities to adhere to the right and proper weaning practices, the social aspect should be considered through close communication with the targeted communities. This study aimed to evaluate how impactful the use of the principles of Communication for Development (C4D) that respect parents' beliefs and their cultural norms is in improving the weaning practices and growth of infants in an Egyptian village. METHODS: An interventional three-phase study was conducted for three years. The intervention targeted 464 mothers of infants up to 2 years of age. C4D interventions encouraged each mother to provide her baby with nutritious and varied options through age-appropriate introduction and diversification of nutrient-rich complementary foods under the slogan " enjoy meals like a baby". The effectiveness of the approach was measured by five essential weaning practices: Introduction of solid, semi-solid, or soft foods, Minimum dietary diversity, minimum meal frequency, Minimum acceptable diet, and consumption of iron-rich foods. RESULTS: There was marked and significant improvement in the awareness and of the majority of the weaning practices' indicators as a result of the interventions. This was noticed for the timely introduction of complementary foods which increased from 36.7% to 82.0%, the minimum meal frequency indicator (3-5) which increased from 25.3% to 67.3%, iron-rich or fortified food (68.0% to 82%) as well as a regular checkup for baby health at the health unit (71.3%). Indicators that were improved but failed to achieve the target were the "Minimum Dietary Diversity" (reached 32%) and the minimum acceptable diet (reached 22.0%). A significant effect on linear growth especially for females is evidenced by the remarkable decrease in wasting (from 31.5% to 11.1%) and obesity (from 12.0% to 0%) associated with a considerable decrease in underweight (from 40% to 16.7%). CONCLUSION: Targeting caregivers through the C4D approach have succeeded in providing them with the support required for the provision of adequate nutrition for their infants that had significantly marked improvement in growth indices of their infants.

Inter - Relationship of Awareness, Knowledge, Attitude, Some Socio-Economic Variables and Osteoporosis in Sample of Egyptian Women.

BACKGROUND: Osteoporosis is a global health problem, and its prevalence is rapidly increasing worldwide. AIM: The aim was to assess the awareness concerning some nutritional and socio-economic variables causes the disease in a sample of Egyptian women. METHODS: This study was done among 116 female volunteers. They were divided into two groups, pre and post-menopausal, with a mean age of 42.05 ± 8.25 & 51.13 ± 5.82 years and mean body mass index (BMI) of 30.83 ± 8.18 & 34.24 ± 8.80 kg/m2. A standardised questionnaire, socioeconomic and food frequency chart were used to assess osteoporosis and food intake awareness. Bone mineral density was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). Statistical analyses were done using simple percentage and Chi-square test. RESULTS: Data revealed that a low percentage of pre and post-menopausal women were aware of osteoporosis and fracture (16.67% & 12.96% and 30.65% & 19.35%). They had incomplete knowledge about the sources and the beneficial effects of consumption of calcium and vitamin D rich diet. Non-osteoporotic women showed more awareness. Odds ratio predict occupations and educations levels as risk factors for osteoporosis. CONCLUSION: Awareness about osteoporosis and consumption healthy diet were low among Egyptian women, so it is important to implement special osteoporosis prevention program.

Sleep Deficiency is a Modifiable Risk Factor for Obesity and Cognitive Impairment and Associated with Elevated Visfatin.

AIM: To study the interaction between sleep deprivation, obesity and cognitive functions, and the effect of following a balanced low caloric diet and increasing sleep duration on those variables. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Ninety two obese females with mean age 47.00 ± 2.00 years and body mass index (BMI) 36.14 ± 3.00 kg/m² were divided into 3 groups according to their sleeping hours. They followed balanced low-caloric diet and were instructed to increase sleeping hours. Full clinical examination, 24 hours dietary intake recall, anthropometric measurements, mini mental state test, questionnaire for subjective sleep and life style evaluation were performed at baseline and after 2 months. Serum visfatin, fasting blood glucose and C-peptide were assessed; Modified homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance was calculated. RESULTS: About one third of our sample slept less than 6 hours daily, group (1), all patients had elevated visfatin serum level (33.87 ± 2.8 ng/ml) with the highest level in group (1). At base line, group (1) showed the highest BMI, lowest cognitive functions, highest visfatin level and highest insulin resistance (P < 0.05). After 2 months of intervention, improvement was recorded in all variables, with the best improvement in group (1) after extending sleep duration (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Sleep deprivation may be a modifiable risk factor for obesity, cognitive impairment and visfatin elevation.

Biochemical Assessment of Bone Health in Working Obese Egyptian Females with Metabolic Syndrome; the Effect of Weight Loss by Natural Dietary Therapies.

AIM: To investigate the relation between bone parameters and the metabolic syndrome criteria, before and after the administration of two different natural dietary supplements in middle aged working obese Egyptian women suffering from metabolic syndrome (MetS). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Fifty eight middle aged obese female volunteers suffering from metabolic syndrome were divided into two groups. During the first period, group (A) consumed a low caloric diet and nutritional supplement consisting of doum flour biscuits, while group (B) consumed whole meal wheat flour biscuit with the same instructions. During the second period, both supplements were omitted. Assessment of blood pressure, relevant anthropometric parameters, lipid accumulation product, fasting blood glucose, uric acid, 25 hydroxy vitamin D (25 (OH) D), parathyroid hormone (PTH) and bone-specific alkaline phosphatase were performed. RESULTS: Data showed that although both supplements improved the MetS criteria and the bone health parameters, the supplement containing the doum flour proved to be more effective. CONCLUSION: These results confirm the benefit of doum in improving bone health parameter [25 (OH) D/PTH axis] in the MetS patients, beside the MetS criteria. So, we can conclude that natural effective supplements lead towards the optimization of biochemical parameters in favor of a healthy outcome.