Contents of Nutrition and Health Volume 17 issue 1
Copyright 2003 A B Academic Publishers
I.F. Pryme and R.
Lembcke
In Vivo Studies on
Possible Health Consequences of Genetically Modified
Food and Feed—with Particular Regard to Ingredients Consisting of Genetically
Modified Plant Materials
A short review of in vivo studies on
possible health consequences of genetically modified food, where the
ingredients in question have consisted of genetically modified plant materials.
Items not taken into consideration are - ingredients consisting of genetically
modified microorganisms or parts of animals/fish; ingredients produced
by/from genetically modified organisms but without any DNA present; and studies
on consequences for the environment or biodiversity or in vitro studies or computer simulations
J. Brug, R.A.C.
Ruiter and P. van Assema
Persuasive health education messages can
either stress the positive consequences of performing a healthy behaviour
(gain-frame) or the negative consequences of not performing a healthy behaviour
(loss-frame). Based on studies on topics such as sun protection and breast
self-examination there is evidence that messages in different action frames
may differ in persuasive effects. Three randomised controlled trials
were conducted to test framing effects in nutrition education on specific
nutrition-related attitudes and intentions. The results of the
present studies suggest that action-frame choice has a very limited impact on
the effectiveness of nutrition education in changing precautionary motivation.
E.O. Ojofeitimi, O.O.
Owolabi, A. Aderonmu, A.O. Esimai
and S.O.H. Olasanmi
A Study on Under
Five Nutritional Status and its Determinants in a
Semi-Rural Community of Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria
Ten variables were assessed as they
influence the under five nutritional status of children at Oranfe, a
semi-rural community in Ife East Local Government Area of Osun state, Nigeria. Of the 230 children assessed using Waterlow's technique, 23% and 22.6% were stunted and wasted respectively.
The results confirmed that mothers' educational level, age, parity, types of family and
children's immunization status and age are some of the key determinants of nutritional status of
U5 children. Intensification of exclusive
breast feeding, female education, compulsory food demonstration unit in all health centres, use of complementary feeds
from 7 months upwards, growth
monitoring and promotion are some of the strategies being used to improve
matters.
I. Colić
Barić and Zvonimir Šatalic
Breakfast Food Patterns Among Urban and Rural
Croatian Schoolchildren
The aim of this study was to report breakfast
food patterns among rural and urban Croatian schoolchildren during the post-war
socioeconomic changes. A quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire was used on 7-18 year old schoolchildren. Urban subjects tend to choose healthier options when older, while the rural
subjects displayed the opposite trend.
The same applied to age versus iron intake (urban positive, rural a negative
correlation). Breakfasts providing
20-30% RDA for energy, and more than 300 mg of calcium were consumed by 20.7 and 32.4% of the urban and rural subjects
respectively. Cereal products and milk and dairy products were the major breakfast constituents everywhere. Meat and its
products, and eggs seem to be
uncommon breakfast foods.
A.S. Khan and A.
Hoffmann
Computer-assisted menu design still remains
a difficult task. Usually knowledge that aids in menu design by a
computer is hard-coded and because of that a computerised menu planner cannot
handle the menu design problem for an unanticipated client. To address this
problem we developed a menu design tool, MIKAS (menu construction
using incremental knowledge acquisition system), an artificial intelligence
system that allows the incremental development of a knowledge-base for menu
design. We allow an incremental knowledge acquisition process in which the
expert is only required to provide hints to the system in the context of actual
problem instances during menu design using menus stored in a so-called Case
Base. Our system incorporates Case-Based Reasoning (CBR), an Artificial
Intelligence (AI) technique developed to mimic human problem solving
behaviour. Ripple Down Rules (RDR) are a proven technique for the
acquisition of classification knowledge from expert directly while they are
using the system, which complement CBR in a very fruitful way.
A. Withnell
Following the development of coronary heart
disease in 1989. I was introduced to an alumnus of the PritiKin
Longevity Center in California and I adopted the regimen of diet and exercise. Within
five months I was able to abandon all medication and was symptom free. My
medical colleagues maintained that, because I had recovered, the Consultant's
diagnosis must have been wrong—there can be no cure of coronary heart disease
by lifestyle changes alone.
As a result of my experience I
decided to review the literature to study the natural history of coronary heart disease. My findings
strongly suggest that the increase in incidence in the last hundred years from virtually nil to
epidemic proportions is due to lifestyle changes and that the disease can be reversed. I list a
number of doctors who have influenced large numbers of people to change their lifestyles with great
success. They have utilised mainly plant-based diets whose composition is the
same or similar to that which Pritikin originally used and which is still
extant at the Longevity Center. These findings have
profound implications I
suggest.
S.K. Yadav and S. Sehgal
Note: Effect of Domestic Processing and
Cooking Methods on Total, HCL Extractable Iron and In
Vitro availability of
Iron in Bathua and Fenugreek Leaves
Micronutrient
malnutrition poses a serious threat to the health of a vulnerable group of
developing countries. In India, green leafy vegetables account for about 16% of total vegetable production. Bathua and fenugreek
leaves are abundantly available in the
winter season. Bathua plants grow as a weed along with main crops of wheat, mustard, rice, Bengal gram etc. during
winter season in Haryana State of India.
These leaves are relatively inexpensive, easy and quick to cook, and are rich
in several nutrients essential for human health (Gopalan et al., 1971). For this study, Bathua (Chenopodium album) and fenugreek (Trigonella
foenum graecum) leaves were cooked in an open pan and a pressure
cooker, and analyzed for
total iron, its availability and antinutrient content.
S.T. Cheung
Note: The Effects of Chocolates Given by
Patients on the Well-Being of Nurses and Their
Support Staff
Chocolate has a number of extremely
appealing sensory qualities, and often is given by patients to those
working in hospital wards as a token of their gratitude. This study examines
whether this has any harmful effects. Eighty nine qualified nurses completed
a structured questionnaire, showing that on average 5.4 chocolates were eaten
each day, while a few (3% ) ate more than 20 per day. The most common reason
given for eating them was simply because they were there. However,
a quarter felt that a healthier alternative would be an adequate alternative gift.
Around a third of those surveyed felt that the chocolates had a detrimental
effect on their well-being.
R. Goyal and R.B. Grewal
Note: The
Influence of Teent (Capparis decidua) on Human
Plasma Triglycerides, Total Lipids and Phospholipids
Teent is an unripe fruit of
Ker (Capparis decidua) a xerophytic bush. It contains 15.1% protein and
42.88% fibre. Being a rich source of fibre, the process for preparation of teent
powder and other recipes were standardized for feeding
hyperlipidemic subjects. The diet of 15 hyperlipidemic adults
(40-60 yrs.) was supplemented with teent for three months and plasma triglycerides, total lipids and
phospholipids were analysed before and at the end of the experiment. Significant reductions in plasma
triglycerides, total lipids and phospholipids concentration were noticed
Letter by T. Stockdale , Human Evolution
Letter by W.W. Yellowlees, Asthma
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