ABSTRACT
Human beings are only capable of synthesizing ten of twenty naturally occurring amino acids. The other essential amino acids are obtained from the diet. Cereal grains are often limiting for lysine, tryptophan and threonine, while the legume seeds have an adequate level of lysine but are limiting for the sulphurcontaining amino acids, methionine and cysteine. Animals can convert methionine into cysteine, but not the reverse. Low level of methionine in plants diminishes their value as a source of dietary protein for human and animals. There are several attempts to improve the methionine level in plants. This study gives an overview of various technology for enhancement of methionine level in plants, including traditional plant breeding methods and selection of mutant; synthesis an artificial gene rich in methionine and cysteine residue; genetic modification to increase methionine storage in protein; genetic modification to increase methionine biosynthesis and co-expressing methionine-rich storage proteins with enzymes that lead to high soluble methionine level, with minimal interference on plant growth, phenotype and productivity. The studies have resulted in the identification of steps important for the regulation of flux through the pathways and for the production of transgenic plants having increased free and protein bound methionine. The goal of increasing methionine content, and therefore nutritive value, of plant protein is presently being achieved and will no doubt continue to progress in the near future.
ABSTRACT
This study evaluated the effect of nutritional improvement of 0~5 year children of financially poor families after nutrition supplement of children and nutrition education in parents/guardians. The subject selected among applicants for lowincome family financing of the government included 198 children (0~12 months:92, 1~5 years:106), and the average ages were 5.3 months and 2.4 years respectively. Food that includes each nutrient factor was provided to the subject for six months. Nutrition education was performed in two ways, through class and private education, once a month for both. Nutritional improvement was evaluated by body measurement and anemia prevalence rate. As to the survey on breastfeeding, complete breast-feeding accounted for 58.7%, weaning food 27.3%, and combined feeding 14.1% respectively, which shows that breast-feeding accounted for the largest percentage. The education program improved knowledge and attitude of the parents/guardians, which brings in positive effects on growth of children as well. The nutrition knowledge score was improved after nutrition education in 0~12 month children (8.5 +/- 1.75 to 8.9 +/- 1.69) and 1~5 year children (7.3 +/- 1.39 to 7.8 +/- 1.30). The nutrition attitude score was significantly improved in 0~12month children (52.0 +/- 6.99 to 53.5 +/- 5.21, p < 0.001) and 1~5year children (45.1 +/- 7.30 to 49.0 +/- 5.96, p < 0.001). In evaluation on nutritional improvement based on body measurements, it turned out that the wasting was reduced as for children in consideration of the height and weight according to the subject's age. The concentration of hemoglobin after the nutrient treatment for six months was significantly improved, and the anemia prevalence rate as well was reduced from 40.6% to 13.5%, which indicates the significant improvement. Based on the findings above, it turned out that providing quality food to children and nutrition education to the parents/guardians poorly fed in low-income families improved knowledge and attitude of the guardians and prevents anemia and improves growth, which brings in positive effects on growth of children. In the results regarding attitude and knowledge on nutrient/dietary life; however, the improvement level was relatively low when the extent before the education was too small, which indicates the need to revise and complement the contents and methods. In addition, as shown in the result of body measurement, long-term and consistent investigation is necessary since it is difficult to judge the effect on growth only based on short-term nutrient supplement.
Subject(s)
Child , Humans , Anemia , Breast Feeding , Complement System Proteins , Hemoglobins , Nutritional Status , Prevalence , WeaningABSTRACT
<B>Introduction</B><br> Currently Cambodia depends on imported foods from Viet Nam and Thailand. To address this situation, the Asian Sustainable Village Network OKAYAMA that the author belongs to, has been cooperating with Cambodian Federal Farmers Organization, a local NGO to undertake a farming project. The importance of agricultural promotion mainly in vegetable farming sector was examined and it is hoped that this project will reduce malnutrition in Cambodia, particularly among the rural poor who suffer with malnutrition, disease and disorder related conditions and will make Cambodia a sustainable society.<br><B>Method</B><br> In order to determine agricultural conditions, we investigated market places in Phnom Penh and examined utilizing farmland in Kampong Cham. In addition, we visited market places in rural districts and farmers' homes to gain more information about eating habits of the population. To find out farming production we referred to statistical data from Cambodian Ministry of Agriculture. A PubMed review was undertaken to determine aspects of malnutrition.<br><B>Results</B><br> Phnom Penh is a very busy place for the daily sale of perishable vegetables which are predominantly transported from Viet Nam. Cambodia, despite of its little irrigation system, and another technical problems is sufficient in its production due to its large farming area. Recently, cassava cultivation has increased in Cambodia in order to meet increasing demands in bio-fuel. We came to know that Cambodians do not have a favorable opinion about vegetables imported from Viet Nam. One of the dissatisfaction voted by the people in Cambodia is that the vegetables from Viet Nam have excessive chemical contamination and they lack in freshness. Restaurants and supermarkets in Phnom Penh preferred local products if they were available. In farming areas the production and consumption of vegetables are limited. For many, vegetables are a luxury. Meals predominantly consist of rice, small dried salted fish and some herbs. This situation is considered a leading factor of malnutrition. <br><B>Conclusion</B><br> As a result of the limited production and supply of vegetables in Cambodia, vegetable consumption is limited and viewed as a luxury. This situation has led to a mal-balanced diet and requires considerable effort to uplift vegetable production in Cambodia to reverse the imbalance of nutritional intake. Thus it can be very well said that agricultural promotion in Cambodia, particularly in vegetable sector is deemed extremely important for the future development of Cambodia.
ABSTRACT
Protein-calories malnutrition is common among patients in the hospital. In particular, elderly patients with neurologic disorders has more risk of nutritional deficiency due to swallowing difficulty. Enteral tube feeding is more economical, physiological and immunological than parenteral nutrition for patients who have adequate gastrointestinal function. This study was conducted patients with neurologic disorders who received enteral nutrition at Asan Medical Center from February 1 to October 10, 2002. The control group (48 patients) were given traditional feeding methods 4 times a day while the treatment group (45 patients) were given improved feeding methods 3 times a day. We assessed nutritional status of patients and compared to both groups. We investigated body weight, serum albumin, hemoglobin, total lymphocyte count by means of nutrition markers. The objectives of this study is to reduce the time needed for nutritional requirement of patients without an increase in gastrointestinal intolerances. The results of this study are as follows: 1. Nutritional status of many patients in both groups were either malnourished or at risk for malnutrition. 2. The time to arrive to the nutritional requirements were 6.21 +/- 0.35 days for the control group and 4.24 +/- 0.52 days for the treatment group. The treatment group showed a significantly shorter amount of time. 3. The changes of the nutritional marker in the control group showed a significant drop in body weight, serum albumin and serum hemoglobin while the treatment group experienced a significant increase in body weight, serum albumin and total lymphocyte count. 4. Feeding intolerane such as diarrhea, high residual volume, ileus, nausea and vomiting were investigated. Diarrhea found in 25.1% (12 patients) of the control group and 22.2% (10 patients) of the treatment group and these findings are not significant.