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Poor Nutrition (poor + nutrition)
Selected AbstractsNutritional Risk Factors for Older RefugeesDISASTERS, Issue 1 2003Simone Pieterse This study describes risk factors for poor nutrition among older Rwandan refugees. The most important areas of nutritional risk for older refugees are: physical ability and mobility; income and access to land; access to appropriate food rations; meeting basic needs such as water, fuel, shelter; equal access to essential services (food distribution, health services, mills, feeding programmes); and psycho-social trauma. Women and older elderly (>70 years) are significantly more often in disadvantaged positions, such as having poor socio-economic status, poor health, poor mobility, lower food intake, diminished social status, respect and social network. Older refugees are at higher risk than younger refugees and at higher risk than older people in stable situations. They should remain in good nutritional and general health for their own well-being and that of their dependants. In addition to an adequate diet, a support network seems to be an important preventive aspect. [source] The oral health of street-recruited injecting drug users: prevalence and correlates of problemsADDICTION, Issue 11 2008Anne-Marie Laslett ABSTRACT Aims To examine the effects of a series of injecting drug users' (IDU) characteristics and drug use behaviours upon the self-reported oral health of a sample of IDU. Design Cross-sectional survey. Setting Melbourne, Australia. Participants A total of 285 IDU recruited through needle and syringe programmes, snowballing and outreach across six sites. Measurements Structured survey that collected information on current drug use patterns, self-reported blood-borne virus status and general health factors, including open-ended questions on past-year dental health problems. Findings Sixty-eight per cent of the sample reported dental problems that were commonly severe and caused dental pain. Despite these reported problems, almost half the sample had not visited the dentist in the 12 months prior to the survey. Participants who were older, and reported homelessness, not eating every day and more common injection of amphetamines rather than heroin in the previous month, were more likely to report having a past-year dental problem. Conclusions Dental problems in IDUs are common but few receive treatment. Further, those using amphetamines, with poor housing, hygiene and poor nutrition, are most at risk. Programmes designed to improve the oral health of IDU need to be developed and implemented in a manner amenable to the varying social circumstances of this marginalized group in the community. [source] Skipped spawning in female iteroparous fishesFISH AND FISHERIES, Issue 1 2005Rick M Rideout Abstract It is often assumed that iteroparous fishes spawn annually once reaching sexual maturity, but this is not always the case. This paper reviews available information on skipped spawning in female teleost fishes. All instances of non-annual spawning are described as one of three types (retaining, reabsorbing, resting), depending on where in the normal spawning cycle development has been interrupted. Retaining ripe eggs is caused by conditions experienced during the spawning season (fish density, mate availability, pollution), whereas failure to start vitellogenesis (resting) or the breakdown of all oocytes that enter into vitellogenesis (reabsorbing) is caused by factors experienced prior to the spawning season (primarily temperature and poor nutrition). It is speculated that the relative shortage of data on non-annual spawning may be because of difficulties in identifying non-reproductive individuals. In an attempt to rectify this situation, the criteria needed to identify females undergoing the three forms of spawning omission are presented in terms of external appearance of gonads, gonad indices, and histological analysis. The energy saved by not spawning in a poor year may lead to increased survival and the probability of spawning in subsequent years. As the cumulative number of progeny gained by surviving to spawn in multiple subsequent years outweighs the number of progeny lost by not spawning in a given single year, occasional omission of spawning may constitute an adaptive trait in long-lived iteroparous fishes. [source] Bone disorders in chronic liver disease,HEPATOLOGY, Issue 4 2007Jane Collier Osteomalacia rarely occurs in adult patients with chronic liver disease despite a low serum vitamin D level being reported in up to two-thirds of patients with cirrhosis. In contrast, osteoporosis, which increases the risk of vertebral fractures, occurs in 12%-55% of patients with cirrhosis. Although the prevalence is probably falling, as shown by a fall from 57%-26% in patients with biliary disease requiring liver transplantation over the last 2 decades, it still accounts for significant patient morbidity. Bone density also falls in the first 3 months after liver transplantation, and pretransplant fractures are predictive of posttransplant fractures. Many of the known risk factors for postmenopausal osteoporosis exist in the cirrhotic population, such as excess alcohol intake, steroid use, poor nutrition, and hypogonadism. There is also an increased risk of osteoporosis in patients without cirrhosis, particularly those with hemochromatosis and biliary disease. The diagnosis is made with bone density measurements. The effective treatment is largely based on evidence from postmenopausal osteoporosis as there have been only a few small clinical trials of patients with chronic liver disease. Bisphosphonates are the mainstay of treatment; they have been shown to be effective in biliary disease and are well tolerated. (HEPATOLOGY 2007.) [source] Determinants of health status and the influence of primary health care services in Latin America, 1990,98INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HEALTH PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT, Issue 4 2003David Moore Abstract Primary health care (PHC) services have been advocated as a means by which less developed countries may improve the health of their populations even in the face of poverty, low levels of literacy, poor nutrition and other factors that negatively influence health status. Using aggregated data from the World Bank and UNICEF this study examined which factors, both within the health care system and outside of it, are associated with under-5 mortality rates in 22 countries of Latin America and the Caribbean during the 1990s. In a multivariate analysis using generalized estimating equations for repeated measures, five factors were found to be independent predictors of lower under-5 mortality rates (U5MRs). These were vaccination levels, female literacy, the use of oral rehydration therapy, access to safe water and GNP per capita. When the magnitude of these associations were assessed, higher levels of GNP per capita was found to be very weakly associated with lower U5MRs, compared with female literacy and vaccination rates. These findings suggest that government policies which focus only on promoting economic growth, while not making important investments in PHC services, female education and access to safe water are unlikely to see large improvements in health status. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Bark borer Semanotus japonicus (Col., Cerambycidae) utilization of Japanese cedar Cryptomeria japonica: a delicate balance between a primary and secondary insectJOURNAL OF APPLIED ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 7-8 2000E. Shibata To understand how S. japonicus is affected by host nutrition and resin flow, newly hatched larvae were introduced into stressed cedar trees. Stress was induced by either heavy pruning, stem cutting (i.e. removing the side branches and top of tree), or girdling. Larval mortality due to resin flow in the ,heavy pruning treatment' and the ,stem cutting treatment' tended to be lower than that in the untreated control cedar trees where all larvae were drowned by resin flow. Parasitism to the larval stage was observed in the stem-cutting trees, not in living trees, suggesting that S. japonicus may avoid parasitism in living cedar trees because few volatiles are produced. In the ,stem-girdling treatment', although more than 90% of the introduced larvae died due to poor nutrition below the girdle, 7.8% of the larvae above the girdle reached the adult stage. The live body weight of the adults collected from above the girdle was similar to those taken from naturally infested cedar trees. These results suggest that S. japonicus requires adequate host nutrition but that larvae are defenceless against high resin flow. Thus, S. japonicus seems to be in a transition state between being primary or secondary with respect to its attack behavior on living cedar trees. [source] Dietary and Physical Activity Behaviors of Middle School Youth: The Youth Physical Activity and Nutrition Survey,JOURNAL OF SCHOOL HEALTH, Issue 1 2008Lauren B. Zapata MSPH ABSTRACT Background:, Obesity has become a national epidemic among youth. Declining physical activity and poor nutrition contribute to this epidemic. The purpose of this study was to obtain data on middle school students' physical activity and nutrition knowledge and practices. Methods:, The Youth Physical Activity and Nutrition Survey was developed and distributed to a probability sample of Florida public middle schools (n = 73) in spring 2003, producing data from 4452 students in grades 6-8. Results:, Results showed that less than one fourth of youth met expert recommendations for daily fruit and vegetable intake and less than one fifth identified the daily fruit and vegetable serving recommendation. Less than half of students reported eating breakfast daily. More non-Hispanic black youth reported not engaging in vigorous or moderate physical activity during the previous 7 days, and more girls and Hispanic youth reported not attending any physical education classes during the average school week. Conclusion:, These findings demonstrate that dietary and physical activity behaviors and knowledge among these middle school youth are setting the stage for the obesity epidemic to continue. [source] Trading Nutrition for Education: Nutritional Status and the Sale of Snack Foods in an Eastern Kentucky SchoolMEDICAL ANTHROPOLOGY QUARTERLY, Issue 2 2003Deborah L Crooks Overweight and poor nutrition of children in the United States are becoming issues of increasing concern for public health. Dietary patterns of U.S. children indicate they are consuming too few fruits and vegetables and too many foods high in fat and sugar. Contributing to this pattern of food consumption is snacking, which is reported to be on the increase among adults and children alike. One place where snacking is under increased scrutiny, and where it is being increasingly criticized, is in U.S. schools, where snack foods are often sold to supplement inadequate budgets. This article takes a biocultural approach to understanding the nutritional status of elementary school children in a rural community in eastern Kentucky. It pays particular attention to the ways in which the schools nutrition environment shapes overweight and nutritional status for many of the children, focusing on the sale of snack foods and the reasons behind the principal's decision to sell snack foods in the school [nutritional anthropology, overweight, snack foods, Appalachia] [source] Regulation of Mineral and Trace Elements in Human Milk: Exogenous and Endogenous FactorsNUTRITION REVIEWS, Issue 8 2000Bo Lönnerdal Ph.D. Breast-fed infants are dependent on an adequate supply of minerals and trace elements for normal growth and development. For most of these elements, the mammary gland appears to have developed mechanisms to regulate their concentrations, even when the maternal diet varies considerably or maternal conditions are affected by different challenges. For some elements, however, there appears to be little or no such regulation. Increased knowledge about these mechanisms, or their absence, and to what extent they may compensate for adverse maternal conditions, including poor nutrition, will help identify infants and women at risk for deficiencies of these nutrients. [source] Management of children with holoprosencephaly,AMERICAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL GENETICS, Issue 1 2010Eric B. Levey Abstract Holoprosencephaly (HPE) is the most common malformation of the embryonic forebrain in humans. Although HPE occurs along a continuous spectrum, it has been categorized into four types from most severe to least severe: alobar, semilobar, lobar, and middle interhemispheric (MIH) variant. Facial malformations are often associated with HPE and usually correlate with the severity of brain malformation. With the most severely affected newborns, there is a high mortality rate in the first month of life, however, with milder forms of HPE, the majority survive beyond infancy. The Carter Centers for Brain Research in Holoprosencephaly and Related Malformations have enrolled 182 living children in a prospective research study. Based on previously published reports using this database, reports from other investigators, as well as our experience and personal observations, the range of developmental, neurological, and medical problems found in children with HPE is described in this article. Virtually all children with HPE have some developmental disability and the severity correlates with the severity of the brain malformation on neuroimaging. Common medical problems include hydrocephalus, seizures, motor impairment, oromotor dysfunction with risk of poor nutrition and aspiration, chronic lung disease, gastroesophageal reflux, constipation, hypothalamic dysfunction with disturbed sleep,wake cycles and temperature dysregulation, as well as endocrine dysfunction. Diabetes insipidus in particular is found in about 70% of children with classic HPE. Recommendations for management of these problems are given based on experiences of the authors and familiarity with the literature. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Changing Times, Changing Needs, Changing ProgramsPUBLIC HEALTH NURSING, Issue 3 2005Article first published online: 24 JUN 200 EDITOR's NOTE, The following reprint of the unsigned editorial for the April 1952 issue of Public Health Nursing describes the historical needs and the continuing development of school health nursing from the early to mid-20th century. Twenty-first century schools continue to deal with some of the same issues such as hunger, poor nutrition, and the adverse effects of overly burdensome work schedules on adolescent health and mental well-being. The goal, so optimistically anticipated by the editors of Public Health Nursing in 1952, of continuous, well-coordinated health supervision from birth to maturity continues to elude us. Of course, school nurses and other health personnel address problems not openly discussed in the 1950s,substance abuse, violence, sexually transmitted diseases, and teen pregnancy. The theme of this historical editorial is the power of advocacy,and the responsibility public health nurses have to use our talents to improve child health. [source] Forms of Reproductive Disorders in Cattle and Buffaloes in Middle EgyptREPRODUCTION IN DOMESTIC ANIMALS, Issue 4 2009A Ali Contents The objective of this study was to investigate the common forms of reproductive disorders and trends of fertility in cattle and buffaloes in Middle Egypt, and investigate nutritional deficiencies or imbalances as a cause of infertility. During the period from 2003 to 2006 a total of 4276 animals (2755 cattle and 1521 buffaloes) were examined, during winter and summer at three districts of Middle Egypt. Based on the owner complains, animals were categorized as anestrum, repeat breeder and those for pregnancy diagnosis. Feedstuffs of these districts were assessed for nutrient and mineral contents. Animals were examined by rectal palpation and by transrectal ultrasonography. The results showed that, ovarian inactivity was the most common cause of anestrum, whereas endometritis was the main frequent finding of repeat breeding. District, season and year affected the incidences of infertility. The pregnancy rate remained constant (cattle) or increased (buffaloes) from 2003 to 2006. The incidence of ovarian inactivity in both species decreased over the same period. In winter, the commonly used feedstuffs would be adequate to supply the animals with needs, but in summer, rations seem to be deficient in many essential nutrients. In conclusion, ovarian inactivity is the main cause of infertility in cattle and buffaloes in Middle Egypt. There is a link between poor nutrition in summer and the high incidence of ovarian inactivity. Fertility trends during the past few years are encouraging. [source] Brief intervention resource kits for Indigenous Australians: generally evidence-based, but missing important componentsAUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, Issue 2010Anton Clifford Abstract Objective: Little is known about the content and quality of brief intervention kits specifically targeting SNAP risk factors (smoking, poor nutrition, alcohol misuse or physical inactivity) among Indigenous Australians. This paper reviews the type and quality of these kits. Methods: Brief intervention kits were primarily identified by contacting 74 health-related organisations in Australia between 1 February 2007 and 4 March 2007. Results: Ten brief intervention kits met inclusion criteria: four targeted smoking; three targeted alcohol; one targeted alcohol, smoking and other drugs; one targeted alcohol, other drugs and mental health; and one targeted all SNAP risk factors. Brief intervention kits were reviewed using criteria developed from clinical guidelines for SNAP risk factors and guidelines for evaluating health promotion resources. Three kits met all review criteria. Five kits were consistent with evidence-based guidelines, but lacked a training package, patient education materials and/or behavioural change strategies. All kits used images and language identifiable with Indigenous Australia, however, their cultural appropriateness for Indigenous Australians remains unclear. Conclusions and implications: The specific content of the missing components should be guided by the best-available evidence, such as established mechanisms for health care provider feedback to patients as a behaviour change strategy, as well as the needs and preferences of health care providers and patients. [source] Nutrition and exercise behavior among patients with bipolar disorder,BIPOLAR DISORDERS, Issue 5 2007Amy M Kilbourne Objectives:, There have been few comprehensive studies of nutrition and exercise behaviors among patients with bipolar disorder (BPD). Based on a national sample of patients receiving care in the Veterans Affairs (VA) health care system, we compared nutrition and exercise behaviors among individuals diagnosed with BPD, others diagnosed with schizophrenia, and others who did not receive diagnoses of serious mental illness (SMI). Methods:, We conducted a cross-sectional study of patients who completed the VA's Large Health Survey of Veteran Enrollees section on health and nutrition in fiscal year (FY) 1999 and who either received a diagnosis of BPD (n = 2,032) or schizophrenia (n = 1,895), or were included in a random sample of non-SMI VA patients (n = 3,065). We compared nutrition and exercise behaviors using multivariable logistic regression, controlling for patient socio-economic and clinical factors, and adjusting for patients clustered by site using generalized estimating equations. Results:, Patients with BPD were more likely to report poor exercise habits, including infrequent walking (odds ratio, OR = 1.33, p < 0.001) or strength exercises (OR = 1.28, p < 0.001) than those with no SMI. They were also more likely to self-report suboptimal eating behaviors, including having fewer than two daily meals (OR = 1.32, p < 0.001) and having difficulty obtaining or cooking food (OR = 1.48, p < 0.001). Patients with BPD were also more likely to report having gained ,10 pounds in the past 6 months (OR = 1.59, p < 0.001) and were the least likely to report that their health care provider discussed their eating habits (OR = 0.84, p < 0.05) or physical activity (OR = 0.81, p < 0.01). Conclusions:, Greater efforts are needed to reduce the risk of poor nutrition and exercise habits among patients diagnosed with BPD. [source] | ||||||||||||||||