The relationship between genetic factors and plasma lipids in Vietnamese living in rural areas

Background: Plasma lipids are affected not only by dietary intake and life style but also by genetic factor. Objective: To discover the relationship between plasma lipids and the presence of LPL S447X and PAF-AH V279F in the bodies of rural Vietnamese population. Subject and Method: One hundred and ninety three subjects were randomly selected from rural areas in Ho Chi Minh city. The presence of LPL S447X and PAF-AHV279F polymorphism was determined using an Invader assay, and the plasma lipid levels were measured by an enzymatic method. A profile regarding the dietary intake was also made for each subject. Result and Conclusion: The frequency of LPL 447SX/XX (12.2%) polymorphism, PAF-AH Val279Phe mutation allele frequency (5.4%) in the Vietnamese was closely similar to that of other Asian populations. LPL447X polymorphism was found to be significantly associated with a higher HDL-C level in comparison to LPL 447S. LPL S447X affects plasma HDL-C and TG concentration in Vietnamese rural population.

Nutritional status, body composition in school children aged 11-14 years old as assessed by body mass index, percentage body fat, and the relationship between the two indicators

Background: Previously, most studies evaluating nutritional status in Vietnam are based on the weight, height indexes or body mass index (BMI). Recently, Ha Huy Tue and his colleagues conducted a study to evaluate body composition in adults in both rural and urban\r\n', u'Objectives: To evaluate nutritional status and body composition and analyze the roleof BMI and percentage body fat (% BF) in determining the status of overweight and obesity\r\n', u'Subjects and method: A cross \u2013sectional study was carried out in 2.671 pupils (male/female: 50.6%/49.4%) aged 11-14 years old of 6 secondary schools in Hanam province Binh Luc district. BMI and %BF are the two indicators used for analyzing. \r\n', u'Results: The prevalence of subjects with BMI\ufffd?5th percentile was less than 1% for both males and females. Mean %BF ranged from 17.4-18.3% and from 13.9-20.2% for males and females, respectively. One unit of BMI corresponds to a large range of %BF. %BF has a goof sensitivity to detect high body fat in males; %BF can be a indicator to identify early overweight and obesity in pupils.\r\n', u'Conclusion: Proportion of overweight and obesity in 11-14 year-old schoolchildren of Binh Luc district, Ha Nam province is low. Therefore, obesity is not significant issue for the public health in the local. % BF can be used for the prevention of overweight, obesity in the community, especially the schoolchildren.\r\n', u'\r\n', u'\r\n', u'

Weekly iron complementation for women with ages of 15- 35 - A solution of effective preventive complementation can be expanded

Preventive supplementation of iron/folate is required to prevent iron- deficiency anemia during pregnancy. Recently there are a number of studies showed the efficacy of weekly iron/folate supplementation is comparable to daily approach. However there is lack of effective study that conducts at the routine iron supplementation program in the community. Since 1997, we have implemented the iron/folate supplementation program for women of reproductive age in Huong Son district, Ha Tinh province. Non-pregnant women aged 15- 35 were received a weekly dose of iron/folate for 16 weeks a year. Evaluation was conducted in 2 selected communes after 3 years. The results showed that anemia was remarkable decreased (24.2% in 1999 compared with 39.2% in 1997, p< 0.001). The awareness and practices of women about anemia and taking tablets was improved significantly. This approach may be feasible and realistic for further expanding intervention program in the anemia high rate areas

Slow perception of primary school pupils related with malnutrition type stunting in the past

A retrospective 46 stunting and 47 children without stunting when they were at 18-30 months in 1994 and who were at 7-8 ages in 2000 at a commune of Hatay province was carried out to evaluate the relation between the perception ability and stimulate environment of families. The results have shown that the perception score of children with stunting was lower 7 than this of children without stunting and practical score of children with stunting was lower 5 than this of children without stunting. The perception level of pupil related with the stimulate environment of families

It should consider to the micronutrient deficiency prevention and control

For the past years, the health sector had many efforts to deploy the nutritional program, generally, and the program of micronutrient deficiency prevention and control. Ups to now, the clinical types of eye dry due to the vitamin A deficiency leading to the blind were mainly eliminated. The nutritional anemia in women and pregnant women was also reduced. The knowledge of health staffs and people in the micronutrient deficiency was significantly enhanced.

Vitamin A deficiency control: current knowledge and the interventive solutions for coming years in Vietnam

Vitamin A is an important micronutrient for human health. It has a good effect on many diseases such as diarrhea, malnutrition, HIV/AIDS, malaria... Vitamin A and/or -carotene as well as other micronutrients contribute to many physiological and pathological process of the body. In Vietnam, the rate of Vitamin A deficiency remains high. Therefore, it should have a strategy for mass complement of vitamin A, high dose and periodical complement of vitamin A for children, vitamin A containing diets and health education.

Improvement of the meal and nutritional status basing on the food approach in Thanh Mien district, Hai Duong province

Evaluating efficacy of the nutrition improvement by educating and encouraging use of available food in the households at the communes of Thanh MiÖn district, H¶i D­¬ng province. Results: the diet was significantly improved. Average energy per capital a day was 2002 kcal, was higher than this in 1994. Content of carotene and vitamin A in the diet in 1998 was higher 4 times than this 1994 and higher 2 times than this in 1996. The rate of malnutrition type under weight was significantly reduced. The rate of malnutrition type height was reduced 2% every year but still was high rate (40.2%). The knowledge and practice of mothers and families were improved obviously

Early childhood stunting is associated with slow physical growth of primary school children

We selected 93 primary school children aged 7-8 years old living in a rural commune in which 46 children were classified as stunting and 47 children were not stunting during their period of under 5 years old. The anthropometric data and other socio-economic data of children and their family in two groups were collected. The results show that there is a catch-up growth in group of children with early stunting. However, their mean height was shorter than group without early stunting. HAZbefore is determinant factor for HAZ present. We found also that the birth weight is a positive factor that influences on both HAZ in two points of observation (in period of under 5 and in present time of study). We concluded that early stunting has the negative impact on physical growth in later age. Prevention of early stunting is very important action toward long-term nutritional benefits of children.