Exclusive breast feeding and nutritional status of infants

A longitudinal study was conducted to assess the nutritional status of 60 breast fed infants [37 females and 23 males] after delivery and up to the age of 6 months from different MCH Centers in rural areas. Weight, length an arm circumference were measured monthly as well as blood samples were collected to etermine hemoglobin and hematocrit. Wight-for-age, height-for-age, arm circumference for-age and incremental data for weight and length gains was used to determine nutritional status. Acute malnutrition tends to occur from about 2 months and 4 months of age among male and female infants respectively. Weight gains of female infants were greater than that of male infants. The sex related differences in length gain is manifested only at 2-4 months increments where it reached to 50 the percentile in male as compared to 5 the perecentile in female infants. Arm circumference-for-age revealed the presence of malnutrition among those infants irrespective of the sex. With the increase in age, the mean no. of epidoes of diarrhea and the average duration per individual per months were increased. Haemoglobin and hematocrit values showed a nor mal physiological pattern. So, growth failure of those infants may result from the prevalence of diarrhea among them as well as from a low quality of breast milk

Nutrition and health beliefs of mothers during pregnancy and labour

Rapid assessment procedures were used to study women's knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding antenatal care during pregnancy, care during labor, nutrition and health knowledge in the presence of different kinds of health facilities. 100 mothers whose last child did not exceed 2 years of age from Menial Shiha Village, Giza Governorate were chosen for this study. 58 said that pregnant women do not need care during pregnancy because it is a normal event and so no interference should be done. Only 6 mothers mentioned that immunization is essential for their children to maintain their health. 63 mothers preferred delivery at home and are accustomed to be attended by traditional birth attendant [TBA] or [daya] because they fell comfortable and secure. In 47 cases, sister-in-law or mother in- law usually attends delivery because they live in the same home. Any sharp unsterilized household tool was used to cut umbilical cord in 61 cases. 60 mothers delayed breast feeding until the 3rd day after delivery. 71 mothers believed that there was no need for special food during pregnancy, but 77 of them mentioned that large quantities of food should be eaten during pregnancy irrespective of its quality. On the other hand, 37 mothers believed that some foods; e.g., fried onion, meat, tea, coffee, pickles should not be eaten or drunk during pregnancy because it was bad for health. Boiled egg was given during labor in 32 cases because it leads to more frequent uterine contraction. Protein foods such as meat and poultry [especially chicken] was offered to 76 mothers immediately after delivery because they believed that the uterus felt sorrow from losing its baby and there must be immediate replacement by chicken

Effect of some sweeteners commonly used in Egypt on bodyweight gain and protein digestibility of rats

Casein diet containing either aspartame or saccharin at 0.2, 1.5 and 3 gm.% levels were fed to 6 groups of adult male albino rats in addition a group of control for a period of six weeks. Body weight gain in control and aspartame groups showed a significant progressive increase during the first five weeks while saccharin groups showed a progressive increase in weight during the first four weeks after. which showed a decline. The rate of body weight gain was highest in the control group followed by aspartame groups while the rate was lowest in saccharin groups. There was no apparent effect of the added sweeteners on the quantity of food consumed. However the addition of sweeteners a decrease in protein digestibility. The effect was more marked in the saccharin groups, where the decrease in protein digestibility was more marked with increasing the level of saccharin. Serum total proteins were increased slightly in rats fed different levels of aspartame compared to other groups