Food Fortification (food + fortification)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Fortification Strategies to Combat Zinc and Iron Deficiency

NUTRITION REVIEWS, Issue 2 2002
Maria Jimena Salgueiro B.Sc.
Food fortification is an important strategy to combat iron and zinc deficiency. This review covers the basic concepts of food fortification, as well as its advantages and disadvantages. The main characteristics of the most common zinc and iron compounds used in this procedure are also analyzed. [source]


Primary prevention of neural tube defects with folate in Western Australia: the value of the Western Australian Birth Defects Registry

CONGENITAL ANOMALIES, Issue 2 2006
Carol Bower
ABSTRACT This paper reviews the role of the Western Australian Birth Defects Registry in the primary prevention of neural tube defects. The Registry provides complete and up-to-date information on all neural tube defects (NTD), including terminations of pregnancy. These data have been used to determine a baseline rate of NTD and to monitor trends in NTD over time, when health promotion of folic acid supplement use and voluntary fortification of food with folate were introduced. The register has also been used to investigate NTD in special populations (Indigenous infants in Australia) and as a sampling frame for case control studies. The data derived from these studies have been used to assist in assessing whether mandatory food fortification in Australia is indicated to prevent NTD. [source]


A service evaluation to determine the effectiveness of current dietary advice in treating human immunodeficiency virus-associated weight loss and to highlight potential service improvements

JOURNAL OF HUMAN NUTRITION & DIETETICS, Issue 4 2008
C.A. Hunt
Background:, Weight loss and muscle wasting are experienced by many patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (Grinspoon et al., 2003). Malnutrition is an important predicator of morbidity and mortality; people who are malnourished who received antiretroviral treatment are six times more likely to die than those who are adequately nourished (Paton et al., 2006). The physical manifestations of muscle wasting can have significant psychosocial implications for HIV patients (Power et al., 2003; Sattler, 2003). The aim of this study to evaluate provision of dietetic care to patients referred for acute weight loss advice and identify areas for potential service improvement. Methods:, The data were gathered from the departmental dietetic activity statistics in 2007, diagnosis code ,HIV , acute weight loss'. Fifty-nine cards were located and baseline weight, height and body mass index (BMI) were recorded (two female, 57 male). Qualitative data on dietetic intervention were extracted from record cards , little and often eating approach, food fortification (FF), high energy high protein oral nutritional supplement (ONS) prescribed. Data were collected on body image, exercise and weight at follow-up visits during 2007. Results:, Forty-three percent of the patients referred for ,HIV-acute weight loss' were lost to follow-up. Forty-seven percent of the remaining patients had a BMI <20 kg m,2. Following their initial dietetic intervention, 81% of these patients had gained weight at the first follow-up. All had received nutritional counselling on little and often eating approach and FF; 75% had ONS prescribed. Average weight gain with nutritional counselling alone was 1.3 kg (2.1 kg) and for nutritional counselling plus supplementation was 2.1 kg (1.8 kg). This represented 2.5% (4.1%) and 3.9% (3.4%) weight gain, respectively. Discussion:, This evaluation has highlighted that patient follow-up frequency is an area for service improvement. Fifty-three per cent of patients (excluding those lost to follow up) had a BMI ,20 kg m,2 and were inaccurately recorded in the statistics as being referred for ,HIV-acute weight loss'. Fifty-two percent of these patients reported lipodystrophy and body image concerns, similar to findings of other studies. Fifty-six percent reported weight improvements following dietetic consultation. Body image is a frequent referral trigger, therefore improvements should be made to identify and treat patients with body shape issues. Conclusions:, Dietitians are effective at achieving weight gain in HIV positive patients with a BMI <20 kg m,2 using nutritional counselling methods with or without oral nutritional supplementation; these patients experienced a 3.3% weight gain. Strategies need to be implemented to reduce the number of patients lost to follow-up, as weight loss is a key morbidity and mortality indicator in HIV. References, Grinspoon, S. & Mulligan, K. (2003) Weight loss and wasting in patients infected with HIV. Clin. Infect. Dis.36 (Suppl. 2): 69,78. Nerad, J., Romeyn, M., Silverman, E., Allen-Reid, J., Dieterich, D., Merchant, J., Pelletier, V., Tinnerello, D. & Fenton, M. (2003) General nutritional management in patients infected with HIV. Clin. Infect. Dis.36 (Suppl. 2): 52,62. Ockenga, J., Grimble, R., Jonkers-Schuitema, C., Macallan, D., Melchior, J.C., Sauerwein, H.P., Schwenk, A. & Suttmann, U. (2006) ESPEN guidelines on enteral nutrition: wasting in HIV and other chronic infectious diseases. Clin. Nutr.25, 319,329. Paton, N.I., Sangeetha, S., Earnest, A. & Bellamy, R. (2006) The impact of malnutrition on survival and the CD4 count response in HIV-infected patients starting antiretroviral therapy. HIV Med.7, 232,330. Power, R., Tate, H.L., McGill, S.M. & Taylor, C. (2003) A qualitative study of the psychosocial implications of lipodystrophy syndrome on HIV positive individuals. Sex. Transm. Infect.79, 137,141. Sattler, F. (2003) Body habitus changes related to lipodystrophy. Clin. Infect. Dis36 (Suppl. 2): 84,90. [source]


The production of provitamin A-rich vegetables in home-gardens as a means of addressing vitamin A deficiency in rural African communities

JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE, Issue 3 2007
Mieke Faber
Abstract Vitamin A deficiency remains a public health problem in the developing world. The highest prevalence of vitamin A deficiency is in Africa and Asia (>30%). Dietary modification, a long-term strategy to address vitamin A deficiency, complements food fortification and vitamin A supplementation programmes. Provitamin A carotenoids from foods of plant origin are more affordable than preformed vitamin A from animal foods, and many resource-poor households rely on yellow/orange-fleshed vegetables and fruits and dark-green leafy vegetables as their main source of vitamin A. The provitamin A carotenoid content in plant foods varies widely and differences among cultivars of the same food exist. Several factors influence the bioavailability of provitamin A carotenoids. The potential contribution of plant foods to vitamin A status depends on the retention of provitamin A carotenoids after storage, preparation and processing. Home-gardens can provide households with direct access to provitamin A-rich vegetables that are not readily available or within their financial reach. The components and critical issues of home-garden projects are described. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry [source]


Fortification Strategies to Combat Zinc and Iron Deficiency

NUTRITION REVIEWS, Issue 2 2002
Maria Jimena Salgueiro B.Sc.
Food fortification is an important strategy to combat iron and zinc deficiency. This review covers the basic concepts of food fortification, as well as its advantages and disadvantages. The main characteristics of the most common zinc and iron compounds used in this procedure are also analyzed. [source]


A survey of folate knowledge and consumer behaviours in Western Australia prior to the introduction of mandatory food fortification

AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, Issue 6 2009
Caron Molster
Abstract Objectives: Prior to the introduction of mandatory folic acid fortification in September 2009, this study collected baseline data on folate awareness, knowledge of pregnancy-relevant public health messages and consumer behaviours in Western Australia. Methods: One thousand residents aged 18 years or older participated in a cross sectional telephone survey in September 2006. Respondents were recruited randomly from the electronic residential telephone directory. Results: Most respondents reported knowing little or nothing about folate (86%). Women of childbearing age were more likely than other adults to know the association between folate intake and birth defects (82% v 56%) but 41% did not know that folate should be consumed periconceptionally to reduce the risk of spina bifida. Overall, half the respondents did not take supplements and two-thirds did not know if the food products they ate were fortified with folic acid. Associations were detected between knowledge, consumer behaviours and socio-economic indicators such as age, income, highest level of education, area of residence and parental status. Implications: A mix of public health strategies that includes mandatory fortification and the promotion of supplement use should improve the timely and sufficient intake of folate across all socio-economic strata of the Australian population. Strategies that support the introduction of mandatory fortification, such as awareness and education campaigns should be built on a solid understanding of the drivers and barriers to knowledge acquisition and desired consumer behaviours. [source]


Folate intake and the primary prevention of non-neural birth defects

AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, Issue 3 2006
Carol Bower
Objectives: To investigate whether maternal periconceptional folate intake is associated with a reduction in selected non-neural birth defects in Western Australia (WA). Methods: Case-control study of folate intake in women whose infants had orofacial clefts (62); congenital heart defects (151); urinary tract defects (117); limb reduction defects (26); or other major birth defects (119); and 578 control women. Results: Neither folic acid supplements nor dietary folate intake in women not using supplements was significantly associated with a reduction in risk in any of the case groups. In contrast to neural tube defects, WA population data for orofacial clefts, heart defects, limb reduction defects and urinary tract defects showed no fall in prevalence since the introduction of folate promotion and voluntary food fortification. Conclusions: This study provides no evidence of folate being an important factor in the prevention of birth defects other than neural tube defects. [source]


Neural tube defect rates before and after food fortification with folic acid,

BIRTH DEFECTS RESEARCH, Issue 11 2004
James L. Mills
Abstract BACKGROUND Since 1998, enriched cereal grains sold in the United States have been fortified with folic acid, to reduce the incidence of neural tube defects (NTDs). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently reported that NTD rates have decreased 26% since fortification, but that additional effort is needed to achieve the national goal of a 50% reduction. However, accurate determination of NTD rates requires counting antenatally detected cases; the CDC study noted that the number of prenatally diagnosed cases was likely underestimated. METHODS AND RESULTS We examined studies from the United States and Canada that compared rates of NTDs before and after very similar fortification programs were instituted in each country. U.S. studies had incomplete ascertainment of prenatally diagnosed NTD cases, and as a result, underreported the number of NTDs prevented. Canadian studies, in which ascertainment was more complete, showed decreases in NTD rates up to 54%. CONCLUSIONS There is a strong correlation between the completeness of ascertainment and the percentage decrease in NTD rates. Studies that identify cases best show that folic acid fortification is preventing around 50% of NTDs. The percentage of NTDs that are folate-preventable in the United States is uncertain, but is probably 50,60%. Thus, we may be quite close to achieving the optimum level of protection at current fortification levels. Birth Defects Research (Part A), 2004. Published 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]