Effects of Moringa oleifera leaves on the blood glucose, blood pressure, and lipid profile of type 2 diabetic subjects: A parallel group randomized clinical trial of efficacy.

BACKGROUND: There is a paucity of information on the antidiabetic potential of graded amounts of Moringa leaves on diabetes human subjects. AIM: To ascertain the effeccts of Moringa leaves on type 2 diabetic subjects' blood glucose, blood pressure, and lipid profile levels in a rural Nigerian community. METHODS: This study adopted a parallel group randomized control design. Participants included 40 adult male and female diabetic subjects who met the inclusion criteria and consented to participate in the study. The participants were randomly assigned to four groups. The control group was fed diets without Moringa oleifera leaves while the experimental groups received 20, 40, and 60 g of Moringa leaves respectively daily for 14 days in addition to the diets. The subjects' baseline data and post-intervention data were collected before and after the intervention, respectively. Data were analyzed using paired-sample t-test and analysis of covariance. Significance was accepted at p < 0.05. RESULTS: The mean fasting blood glucose levels in all the groups did not differ significantly from one another. Group 3 had significantly (p = 0.01) lower mean systolic pressure (from 136.40 ± 7.66 to 123.90 ± 13.82) after the intervention. Group 3 subjects had a significant (p = 0.04) increase in their triglyceride values (from 123.80 ± 53.69 before intervention to 151.20 ± 41.47) after intervention. After adjusting for the pre-intervention values, there was no significant (p > 0.05) difference in all the parameters at the end of the intervention. CONCLUSION: There were marginal improvements in the parameters assessed which were not dose-dependent.

Prevalence and factors associated with anthropometric failure, vitamin A and iron deficiency among adolescents in a Nigerian urban community.

BACKGROUND: Under nutrition is a problem of severe magnitude in low income countries like Nigeria. Adolescent school children might also be vulnerable. The dearth of data hinders planning of school health and nutrition programmes for school children. OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of stunting, thinness; vitamin A and iron deficiencies among adolescent students in Nsukka urban, Nigeria and to determine factors that are associated with these nutritional problems. METHODS: A total of 400 participants were randomly selected from 717 students aged 12 - 18 years in 3 randomly selected secondary schools. Questionnaires, anthropometric measurements, and blood analyses were the data collection methods employed. RESULTS: The prevalence of stunting was 33.3% and thinness 31.0%. Neither overweight nor obesity was observed. While 64.0% were anaemic; 44.0% had vitamin A deficiency (VAD). A total of 48.0% had both anaemia and stunting, 42% had VAD + thinness; while 40% had anaemia + VAD. Household income was a predictor of vitamin A status. Children from medium/high income households had higher odds of having VAD than those from low income households (AOR=0.14; 95% CI=0.031, 0.607; P=0.009). Household income (AOR=0.12; 95% CI=0.021, 0.671; P=0.016), and age (AOR=0.09; 95% CI=0.014, 0.587; P=0.012) were independent determinants of height-for-age status. CONCLUSION: Among urban adolescent students in Nigeria, stunting, thinness, anaemia and VAD were problems of public health significance. Age and household monthly income played major roles.