• Title/Summary/Keyword: Nutritional Assessment

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Effect of diabetes-specific oral nutritional supplements with allulose on weight and glycemic profiles in overweight or obese type 2 diabetic patients

  • Jihye Tak;Minkyung Bok;Hyunkyung Rho;Ju Hyun Park;Yunsook Lim;Suk Chon;Hyunjung Lim
    • Nutrition Research and Practice
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    • v.17 no.2
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    • pp.241-256
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    • 2023
  • BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Diabetes-specific oral nutritional supplements (ONS) have anti-hyperglycemic effects, while D-allulose exerts anti-diabetic and anti-obesity effects. In this study, we investigated the efficacy and safety of diabetes-specific ONS, including allulose, on glycemic and weight changes in overweight or obese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). SUBJECTS/METHODS: A single-arm, historical-control pilot clinical trial was conducted on 26 overweight or obese patients with T2DM (age range: 30-70 yrs). The participants were administered 2 packs of diabetes-specific ONS, including allulose (200 kcal/200 mL), every morning for 8 weeks. The glycemic profiles, obesity-related parameters, and lipid profiles were assessed to evaluate the efficacy of ONS. RESULTS: After 8 weeks, fasting blood glucose (FBG) level significantly decreased from 139.00 ± 29.66 mg/dL to 126.08 ± 32.00 mg/dL (P = 0.007) and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) improved (7.23 ± 0.82% vs. 7.03 ± 0.69%, P = 0.041). Moreover, the fasting insulin (δ: -1.81 ± 3.61 μU/mL, P = 0.017) and homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (δ: -0.87 ± 1.57, P = 0.009) levels decreased at 8 weeks, and body weight significantly decreased from 67.20 ± 8.29 kg to 66.43 ± 8.12 kg (P = 0.008). Body mass index (BMI) also decreased in accordance with this (from 25.59 ± 1.82 kg/m2 to 25.30 ± 1.86 kg/m2, P = 0.009), as did waist circumference (δ: -1.31 ± 2.04 cm, P = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: The consumption of diabetes-specific ONS with allulose in overweight or obese patients with T2DM improved glycemic profiles, such as FBG, HbA1c, and HOMA-IR, and reduced body weight and BMI.

Exploration of nutritional and bioactive peptide properties in goat meat from various primal cuts during in vitro gastrointestinal digestion and absorption

  • Pichitpon Luasiri;Papungkorn Sangsawad;Jaksuma Pongsetkul;Pramote Paengkoum;Chatsirin Nakharuthai;Saranya Suwanangul;Sasikan Katemala;Narathip Sujinda;Jukkrapong Pinyo;Jarunan Chainam;Chompoonuch Khongla;Supaluk Sorapukdee
    • Animal Bioscience
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    • v.37 no.6
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    • pp.1096-1109
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    • 2024
  • Objective: This research aims to explore the nutritional and bioactive peptide properties of goat meat taken from various primal cuts, including the breast, shoulder, rib, loin, and leg, to produce these bioactive peptides during in vitro gastrointestinal (GI) digestion and absorption. Methods: The goat meat from various primal cuts was obtained from Boer goats with an average carcass weight of 30±2 kg. The meat was collected within 3 h after slaughter and was stored at -80℃ until analysis. A comprehensive assessment encompassed various aspects, including the chemical composition, cooking properties, in vitro GI digestion, bioactive characteristics, and the bioavailability of the resulting peptides. Results: The findings indicate that the loin muscles contain the highest protein and essential amino acid composition. When the meats were cooked at 70℃ for 30 min, they exhibited distinct protein compositions and quantities in the sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis profile, suggesting they served as different protein substrates during GI digestion. Subsequent in vitro simulated GI digestion revealed that the cooked shoulder and loin underwent the most significant hydrolysis during the intestinal phase, resulting in the strongest angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP-IV) inhibition. Following in vitro GI peptide absorption using a Caco-2 cell monolayer, the GI peptide derived from the cooked loin demonstrated greater bioavailability and a higher degree of ACE and DPP-IV inhibition than the shoulder peptide. Conclusion: This study highlights the potential of goat meat, particularly cooked loin, as a functional meat source for protein, essential amino acids, and bioactive peptides during GI digestion and absorption. These peptides promise to play a role in preventing and treating metabolic diseases due to their dual inhibitory effects on ACE and DPP-IV.

Bone mineral density and nutritional state according to milk consumption in Korean postmenopausal women who drink coffee: Using the 2008~2009 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (한국 폐경 후 여성 커피소비자에서 우유섭취여부에 따른 골밀도와 영양상태 비교 : 2008~2009년 국민건강영양조사 자료 이용)

  • Ryu, Sun-Hyoung;Suh, Yoon Suk
    • Journal of Nutrition and Health
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    • v.49 no.5
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    • pp.347-357
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    • 2016
  • Purpose: This study investigated bone mineral density and nutritional state according to consumption of milk in Korean postmenopausal women who drink coffee. Methods: Using the 2008~2009 Korean National Health & Nutrition Examination Survey data, a total of 1,373 postmenopausal females aged 50 yrs and over were analyzed after excluding those with diseases related to bone health. According to coffee and/or milk consumption, subjects were divided into four groups: coffee only, both coffee & milk, milk only, and none of the above. All data were processed after application of weighted values and adjustment of age, body mass index, physical activity, drinking, and smoking using a general linear model. For analysis of nutrient intake and bone density, data were additionally adjusted by total energy and calcium intake. Results: The coffee & milk group had more subjects younger than 65 yrs and higher education, urban residents, and higher income than any other group. The coffee only group showed somewhat similar characteristics as the none of the above group, which showed the highest percentage of subjects older than 65 and in a lower education and socio-economic state. Body weight, height, body mass index, and lean mass were the highest in coffee & milk group and lowest in the none of the above group. On the other hand, the milk only group showed the lowest values for body mass index and waist circumference, whereas percent body fat did not show any difference among the groups. The coffee and milk group showed the highest bone mineral density in the total femur and lumbar spine as well as the highest nutritional state and most food group intakes, followed by the milk only group, coffee only group, and none of the above group. In the assessment of osteoporosis based on T-score of bone mineral density, although not significant, the coffee and milk group and milk only group, which showed a better nutritional state, included more subjects with a normal bone density, whereas the none of the above group included more subjects with osteoporosis than any other group. Conclusion: Bone mineral density in postmenopausal women might not be affected by coffee drinking if their diets are accompanied by balanced food and nutrient intake including milk.

A Study on Nutritional Status of Young Children in Rural Korea (농촌영유아의 영양상태(營養狀態)에 관(關)한 조사연구(調査硏究))

  • Kim, Kyoung-Sik;Kim, Pang-Ji;Nam, Sang-Ok;Choi, Jung-Shin
    • Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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    • v.7 no.1
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    • pp.1-28
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    • 1974
  • The writers have conducted the investigation to assess the nutritional status of young rural Korean children aged from 0 to 4 years old in August 1971. The survey areas were Kaejong-myon. Daeya-myon, Okku-gun, Jeonra-bukdo, Korea. These survey areas were typical agricultural plain areas. The total numbers of children examined were 2,706 comprising 1,394 male and 1,312 female. The weight, height, and chest circumference of children were measured and means and standard deviations. were calculated for each measurement. In addition, the nutritional status of each child was classified by the four levels of malnutrition and the Gomez classification, The examination of red blood cell count, haematocrit value, and intestinal parasite infection were carried out at the same time. In general, recent work tend to suggest that environmental influences, especially nutrition, are of great importance than genetic background or other biological factors for physical growth and development. Certainly the physical dimensions of the body are much influenced by nutrition, particularly in the rapidly growing period of early childhood. Selected body measurements can therefore give valuable information concerning protein-calory malnutrition. Growth can also be affected by bacterial, viral, and parasitic infection. For the field workers in a developing country, therefore, nutritional anthropometry appears to be of greatest value in the assessment of growth failure and undernutrition, principally from lack of protein and calories. In order to compare and evaluate the data obtained, the optimal data of growth from the off-spring of the true well-fed, medically and socially protected are needed. So-called 'Standards' that have been compiled for preschool children in Korea, however, are based on measurement of children from middle or lower socio-economic groups, who are, in fact, usually undernourished from six months of age onwards and continuously exposed to a succession of infective and parasitic diseases. So that, the Harvard Standards which is one of the international reference standards was used as the reference standards in this study. Findings of the survey were as follows: A. Anthropometric data: 1) Comparing the mean values for body weight obtained with the Korean standard weight of the same age, the rural Korean children were slightly haevier than the Korean standard values in both sexes. Comparing with the Japanese children values, the rural Korean children were slightly haevier in male and in the infant period of female but lighter in female of the period of 1 to 4 years old than Japanese children. 2) Comparing the mean values for height obtained with the Korean standard height of the same age, the rural Korean children were taller than the Korean standard values except the second half of infatn period in both sexes. Comparing with the Japanese children, the rural Korean children were slightly smaller than Japanese children except the first half of infant peroid in both sexes. 3) Mear values of chest circumference of rural Korean children obtained were less than the Korean standard values of the same ages in both sexes. B. Prevalence of Protein-Calory Malnutrition: Children examined were devided into two groups, i. e., infant(up to the first birthday) and toddler (1 to 4 fears old). 1) Percentages of four levels of malnutrition: a) When the nutrtional status of each child was classified (1) by body weight value, the percentages for male and female of children attained standard growth were 52.8%(infant 83.3%, toddler 44.4%) and 39.7% (infant 74.5%. toddler 30.5%), the first level of malnutrition were 31.9%(infant 13.7%, toddler 36.9%) and 31.7%(infant 15.3%, toddler 36,0%), the second level of malnutrition were 12.3%(infant 1.7%, toddler 15.3%) and 23.3% (infant 7.7%, fodder 27.5%), the third level of malnutrition were 2.7%(infant 0.7%, toddler 3.2%) and 4.6%(infant 1.8%, toddler 5.3%) the fourth level of malnutrition were 0.3% (infant 0.7%, toddler 0.2%) and 0.7% (0.7% for infant and toddler) respectively. (2) by height value, the percentages for male and female of children attained standard growth were 80.3% (infant 97.3%, toddler 75.6%) and 75.1% (infant 96.4%, toddler 69.5), the first level of malnutrition were 17.9% (infant 2.0%, toddler 22.3%) and 23.6% (infants 3.6%, toddler 28.8%), the second level of malnutrition were 1.2% (infant 0.3%, toddler 1.5%) and 1.1% (infant 0%, toddler 1.4%), the third level of malnutrition were 0.4%(infant 0.3%, toddler 0.5%) and 0.2%(infant 0%, toddler 0.3%), the fourth level of malnutrition were 0.1%(infant 0%, toddler 0.1%) and 0% respectively. (3) by body weight in relation to height, the percentages for male and female of children attained standard growth were 87.9% (infant 77.6%, toddler 87.9%) and 78.2% (infant 77.4%, toddler 78.2%), the first level of malnutrition were 12.2% (infant 18.4%, toddler 10.6%) and 18.2% (infant 17.9%, toddler 18.3%), the second level of malnutrition were 1.9%(infant 3.3%, toddler 1.5%) and 3.0%(infant 3.3%, toddler 2.9%), the third level of malnutrition were 0.1%(infant 0%. toddler 0.1%) and 0.5% (infant 0%, toddler 0.6%), the fourth level of malnutrition were 0.1%(infant 0.7%, toddler 0%) and 0.3% (infant 1.5%, toddler 0%) respectively. b) When the nutritional status of each child according to the mother's age at perturition, i. e., young aged mother (up to 30 years old), middle aged mother (31 to 40 years old) and old aged mother (41 years or above) was classified (1) by body weight, among infants and toddlers, at each year of age, with increasing the mother's age, there was an increase in percentage of subjects underweight. This tendency of increasing percentage of underweight was more significant in the infant period than the toddler period. (2) by height value, no significant differences between each mother's age group were found. c) When the nutritional status of each child according to the birth rank, i. e., lower birth rank (first to third) and higher birth rank (fourth or above) was classified (1) by weight value, children of higher birth rank were slightly more often underweight than those of lower birth rank, but not significant. (2) by height value, no differences were found between children of lower and higher birth rank. 2) Gomez Classification: When the nutritional status of each child was classified a) by body weight value, the percentages for male and female of children. attained standard growth were 53.1% (infant 82.6%, toddler 44.9%) and 39.2% (infant 73.4%, toddler 30.1%), the first degree of malnutrition were 39.4% (infant 14.7%, toddler 46.2%) and 47.1% (infant 21.9%, toddler 53.8%), the second degree of malnutrition were 7.3%(infant 2.3%, toddler 8.6%) and 12.9% (infant 4.0%, toddler 15.2%). and the third degree of malnutrition were 0.2%. (infant 0.3%, toddler 0.2%) and 0.8% (infant 0.7%, toddler 0.9%) respectively. b) by height value, the percentages for male and female of children attained standard growth were 80.8% (infant 97.0%, toddler 76.3%) and 73.8%(infant 95.6%, toddler 68.0%), the first degree of malnutrition were 18.5% (infant 2.7%, toddler 22.9%) and 24.6% (infant 4.4%, toddler 30.0%), the second degree of malnutrition were 0.6%(infant 0.3%, toddler 0.7%) and 0.5% (infant 0.1%, toddler 0.7%), and the third degree of malnutrition were 0.1%(infant 0%, toddler 0.1%) and 1.1% (infant 0%, toddler 1.3%) respectively. C. Results of clinical laboratory examination: 1) Red blood cells: The ranges of mean red blood cell counts for male and female were $3,538,000/mm^3\;to\;4,403,000/mm^3\;and\;3,576,000/mm^3\;to\;4,483,000/mm^3$ respectively. The lowest red cell counts were seen at the age of 0-3 months for male and 1-2 months for female. 2) Haematocrit value : The ranges of haematocrit value of male and female were 35.1% to 38.8% and 34.7% to 38.8% respectively. The lowest haematocrit values were seen at the age of 2-3 months for male and 1-2, months for female. 3) The prevalence rates of intestinal parasites for male and female children with Ascaris lumbricoides were 34.1% (infant 18.8%, toddler 38.1%) and 36.0%(infant 18.4%, toddler 40.7%), with Trichocephalus trichiuris were 6.8% (infant 2.9%, toddler 7.9%) and 9.0% (infant 3.0%, toddler 10.6%), with Hookworm were 0.3% (infant 0.5%, toddler 0.2%) and 0.3% (infant 0.5%, toddler 0.3%), with Clonorchis sinensis were 0.4%(infant 0%, toddler 0.5%) and 0.1%(infant 0%, toddler 0.1%) respectively.

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A Study of Fish Community on Up and Downstream of Hwabuk Dam Under Construction in the Upper Wie Stream. (위천 상류에 건설 중인 화북댐 상 하류 어류군집에 관한 연구)

  • Seo, Jin-Won;Kim, Hee-Sung
    • Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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    • v.42 no.2
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    • pp.260-269
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    • 2009
  • Hwabuk Dam has been under construction to reduce flood damage in Nakdong River watershed and to supply stable water for middle area of Gyeongbuk Province. Therefore, fish investigation in up and downstream of the dam was conducted from 2004 to 2008 in order to determine any negative effect on fish community due to dam construction and to use as fundamental data for conserving species diversity and maintaining stream health. According to data analysis on water quality, temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, suspended solids, and total E-coli had seasonal variation, but they did not significantly differ in sites. However, biological and chemical oxygen demand, chlorophyll-a, nitrogen, and phosphorus representing organic matter and nutrient concentration were higher in upper site and decreased to lower site so that they differed by site. Concentration of arsenic among the heavy metals was less than 0.05 mg $L^{-1}$, which is regulated for protection of human health in water quality standard, except for 0.092 mg $L^{-1}$ in June 2005. During the study period, the total number of fish caught from the 6 sites was 10,263 representing 7 families 19 species. Among them, dominant and subdominant species were Korean chub (Zacco koreanus, 62.5%) and Chinese minnow (Rhynchocypris oxycephalus, 10.6%) which inhabit mostly in mid and upper streams, Korea. Among the 19 species, Korean endemic species were 9 species (47.4%) including Korean slender gudgeon (Squalidus gracilis majimae), Korean dark sleeper (Odontobutis platycephala), and Korean shiner (Coreoleuciscus splendidus). There was several individuals of the $1^{st}$-class endangered species, Naktong nose loach (Koreocobitis nahtongensis), caught in 2005${\sim}$2007, and no introduced species of fish was found in entire sampling period. According to result of community analysis, dominance index decreased toward lower site, but diversity and richness indices increased toward lower site. The equation of length-weight relationship on the dominant species was TW=0.000003$(TL)^{3.2603}$. The parameter b in the equation was greater than 3.0 indicating good nutritional condition in the populations. Compared to populations of Korean chub in other streams, the population in Hwabuk Dam watershed had higher mean of condition factor by size indicating better growth rate. With fish fauna and multi-metric health assessment model in each sampling attempt, index of biotic integrity (IBI) was evaluated and it resulted mostly in good (26${\sim}$35) and excellent (36${\sim}$40) condition in all sites, and the mean of IBI was the highest in site 5. The results indicate that it is very important to study not only environmental impact assessment with fish composition but also stream health assessment in order to conserve healthy aquatic ecosystem.

A study on the Characteristics in Lifestyle, Eating Habits and Food Preferences of Overweight and Obese Children in Pocheon Area

  • Lee, Hongmie;Park, Kyungsuk
    • Journal of Community Nutrition
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    • v.1 no.1
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    • pp.10-15
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    • 1999
  • This study was undertaken with 542 fifth-grade elementary school children to investigate the characteristics in lifestyle, eating habits, food preferences of overweight and obese children in the Pocheon area of Korea. Anthropometry was conducted to determine obesity, and data was obtained on lifestyle, eating habits and food preferences by using questionnaires. The prevalence rate of obesity was 19.5% for boys and 8.5% for girls, and 14.3% of boys and 14.4% of girls were overweight. No significant differences was found in the body size and education years of parents, family income and the empolymental status of mother. Boys did not show any significant difference between subgroups in lifestyle, eating habits and food preferences. Obese girls watched TV longer and liked physical education less than normal and overweight groups, suggesting that an inactive lifestyle can be related to girls' obesity in this study. Overweight girls answered that they had significantly lower preferences for empty-calorie foods such as candies/caramels and cookies as well as high-fat foods such as samgyupsal(pork belly) than normal weight girls, implicating the fear of obesity for overweight girls, although more studies should be done including an assessment of actual intake of these foods. The preferences of obese girls for these foods were not higher than those of normal-weight girls, suggesting that the preference for certain foods may not be the characteristic of obese girls in this study. A special program for nutritional education with a different focus should be developed to combat the problems of each subgroup depending on gender and obesity status to improve the physical fitness of the children in this area.

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Development of a Semi-quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire Based on Dietary Data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

  • Younjhin Ahn;Lee, Ji-Eun;Paik, Hee-Young;Lee, Hong-Kyu;Inho Jo;Kim, Kuchan m
    • Nutritional Sciences
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    • v.6 no.3
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    • pp.173-184
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    • 2003
  • Objective : This study was carried out to develop a semi-quantitative food frequency Questionnaire (SQFFQ) for estimating average dietary intake to determine the risk factor for lifestyle-related diseases in a conjoint cohort study. Design : We developed an SQFFQ for genomic epidemiological studies based on the data in the'98 Korea Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. A subset of data on informative food items was collected using the 24-hr recall method with 2,714 adults aged 40 or older living in middle-sized cities or in rural areas in Korea. The cumulative percent contribution and cumulative multiple regression coefficients of 17 nutrients (energy, fat, carbohydrate, protein, fiber, iron, potassium, sodium, calcium, phosphorus, vitamin A, retinol, $\beta$-carotene, vitamin $B_1$, vitamin $B_2$, niacin and vitamin C) of each food were computed. Results : Two hundred and forty-nine foods, which were selected based on their 0.9 cumulative percent contribution, and 254 foods, which were selected based on their 0.9 cumulative multiple regression coefficients, respectively, were grouped into 97 food groups according to their nutrient contents. Several popular Korean foods, which were missing from the list due to the seasonality of the survey, were included. The portion sizes were derived from the same data set. The SQFFQ covered 84.8 percent of the intake of 17 nutrients in the one day diet record data of our 326 cohort study subjects. Conclusions . The final list included 103 food items. The foods list in the SQFFQ described herein accounted for 84.8 percent of the average intake of 17 nutrients. Therefore, the list could be used for the assessment of the baseline dietary intakes of the conjoint cohort studies.

Assessment of Foodservice Management Practices in the Educare Centers in Jeonbuk Province (전북지역 영유아 보육시설의 급식관리 실태평가)

  • Lee, Young-Eun;Kim, Hyang-Sook
    • Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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    • v.7 no.1
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    • pp.217-233
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    • 1998
  • Foodservice management practices in 52 educare centers in Jeonbuk province were evaluated in order to provide basic informations and guidelines for the standardization of foodservice management and facilities in the educare centers. The survey was conducted using the structured questionnaire. The results are summarized as follows: 1. Only 10% of the centers investigated had the stationed dietitian, therefore most of foodservice management was not conducted by a professional personnel. The average number of kitchen employees was 1.3 and significantly different with type(p<0.05) and size(p<0.001) of the centers, which was not enough to meet the regulation. 2. Menu planning was performed mostly(59.6%) by managers and teachers of educare centers. Food items were purchased(94.7%) and recieved(91.6%) by kitchen employees or center managers and teachers. Produced foods were also evaluated(97.7%) and distributed(100%) by kitchen employees or center managers and teachers depending on their experience without any supervision of the professional personnel for the mass production. 3. Among the centers studied, 84.6% of them conducted nutrition education programs regularly by teachers. About 77.3% of them evaluated that these programs did not accomplish the proper training for good food habit because of the lack of nutritional knowledge(54.5%) and educational media(27.3%). 4. In general, the hygienic maintenance was evaluated as fair state to need the improvement. 5. Kitchen facilities and equipments were similar to those of home cooking and did not meet the standards for institutional practices. Besides, automated machinery and tools for safety, sanitation and improvement of work efficiency were far short. 6. Log book for the foodservice management was not prepared properly, which made the systematic planning and operation of the foodservice facilities difficult.

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Growth and Tolerance Assessment of a Lutein-fortified Infant Formula

  • Kon, Igor Ya.;Gmoshinskaya, Maria V.;Safronova, Adilya I.;Alarcon, Pedro;Vandenplas, Yvan
    • Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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    • v.17 no.2
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    • pp.104-111
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    • 2014
  • Purpose: To evaluate safety, gastrointestinal tolerance, and growth of a new experimental starter formula (NESF) fortified with lutein, prebiotics, probiotics, nucleotides and beta-carotene, fed to infants within the first months of life. Methods: This was a non-randomized, open, uncontrolled study conducted from December 2010 to May 2011. Twenty-three healthy infants aged 10 days to 2 months old were enrolled. Outcomes included gastrointestinal tolerance, physical growth and safety. Prior to the initiation of the trial, the Scientific Research Institute of Nutrition of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences confirmed that the NESF met all safety and nutritional parameters. Results: NESF was well tolerated. The majority of infants fed this formula passed semi-liquid, yellow or yellow-brown. The mean stool frequency/day was $2.5{\pm}0.4$ on study-day 14 and $1.8{\pm}0.5$ on study-day 28. The mean daily weight gain was $30.9{\pm}3.8$ grams and the mean length gain during the 28 days of follow up was $3.1{\pm}0.8cm$, corresponding to the average physical growth normally seen in the first months of life in Russian infants. Six children left the study: one refused to drink the formula, one left the study as parents changed residence; and one child's parents have recalled their informed consent due to adverse event unrelated to the product. Three infants presented adverse events possibly related to the product (rash; colic and abdominal pain; constipation). Seventeen infants completed the trial. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that lutein-fortified formula is safe, well-tolerated and supported physical growth of evaluated infants.

Changes in Metabolites Concentration in Nguni and Crossbred Calves on Natural Pasture

  • Mapekula, M.;Mapiye, C.;Chimonyo, M.
    • Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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    • v.24 no.11
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    • pp.1569-1576
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    • 2011
  • Accurate assessment of the nutritional status of Nguni cattle is becoming increasingly important in determining their mechanism for adaptation to challenging environments. Changes in body weights and concentrations of total protein (TP), albumin, globulin, glucose, cholesterol, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), phosphorus (SIP), calcium and magnesium were determined in Nguni and crossbred calves raised on natural pasture from birth until weaning. At an early age, TP concentration in crossbreds was higher (p<0.05) than that of Nguni calves. However, TP levels increased with age in Nguni calves so that Nguni's had higher (p<0.05) TP levels than crossbreds at weaning. Nguni calves had higher (p<0.05) glucose concentrations than crossbreds in all the ages except in the third month. Serum NEFA levels in Nguni calves were higher (p<0.05) than in crossbreds at all ages except for the second month. Calcium levels decreased (p<0.05) with age in both genotypes. The blood TP concentrations tended to decrease (p<0.05) as body weight increased up to 80 kg, thereafter blood TP concentration increased (p<0.05) as body weight increased. Calcium concentrations in crossbred calves decreased (p<0.05) quadratically as the body weight increased. There was, however, a linear increase (p<0.05) in calcium concentrations in Nguni calves. The higher NEFA and TP concentrations at weaning and the TP increase in Nguni calves beyond 80 kg suggest that Nguni's utilise fibrous feeds better than crossbreds.