Dietary exposure and health risk assessment for 11 minerals and trace elements in Yaoundé: the Cameroonian Total Diet Study.

Dietary exposure to 11 elements was assessed by the Total Diet Study (TDS) method. Sixty-four pooled samples representing 96.5% of the diet in Yaoundé, Cameroon, were prepared as consumed before analysis. Consumption data were sourced from a household budget survey. Dietary exposures were compared with nutritional or health-based guidance values (HBGV) and to worldwide TDS results. Elevated prevalence of inadequate intake was estimated for calcium (71.6%), iron (89.7%), magnesium (31.8%), zinc (46.9%) and selenium (87.3%). The percentage of the study population exceeding the tolerable upper intake levels was estimated as <3.2% for calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc and cobalt; 19.1% of the population exceeded the HBGV for sodium. No exceedance of the HBGV for inorganic mercury was predicted in the population. The margin of exposure ranged from 0.91 to 25.0 for inorganic arsenic depending on the reference point. The "Fish" food group was the highest contributor to intake for calcium (65%), cobalt (32%) and selenium (96%). This group was the highest contributor to the exposure to total arsenic (71%) and organic mercury (96%). The "Cereals and cereal products" highly contributed to iron (26%), zinc (26%) and chromium (25%) intakes. The "Tubers and starches" highly contributed to magnesium (39%) and potassium (52%) intakes. This study highlights the dietary deficiency of some essential elements and a low dietary exposure to toxic elements in Yaoundé.

Dietary exposure to pesticide residues in Yaoundé: the Cameroonian total diet study.

Dietary exposure to pesticide residues was assessed in Yaoundé, Cameroon, using the total diet study (TDS) method. Sixty-three composite samples, representative of the foods as consumed in Yaoundé, were collected, prepared, and analysed for residues of pesticides including organochlorine, organophosphorous, and pyrethroids. A multi-residue method was used with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.005 mg kg(-1). Additional analyses were performed for dithiocarbamates (LOD=0.050 mg kg(-1)), glyphosate (LOD=0.005 mg kg(-1)) and chlordecone (LOD=0.0008 mg kg(-1)) on certain composites samples. The overall contamination was low with 37 out of 46 pesticides below the LOD in all samples. The estimated upper bound (for values less than the LOD equal the LOD; and values less than the LOQ equal the LOQ) of the mean dietary exposures ranged from 0.24% (cypermethrin) to 3.03% (pirimiphos-methyl) of the acceptable daily intakes (ADIs) for pesticides for which at least one analysis was greater than the LOD. This study suggests a low dietary exposure to pesticide residues in Yaoundé.

Etude de cinq indicateurs de Sante en zone tropicale de foret tropicale sempervirente du Sud-Cameroun

Cette etude presente cinq indicateurs de sante des populations Bantous et pygmees Baka du Canton Bulu du Dja (village principal: Mekas) au sud du Cameroun parmi lesquels: un indicateur de l'etat nutritionnel de la population; statut en vitamine A des enfants de moins de 6 ans; un indicateur genetique ou drepanocytose; le paludisme; les infections par le virus C des hepatites (VHC) et le virus HTLV-1. Ce travail a ete realise du 21 au 30 janvier 1993. Cette etude n'a pas permis de dresser un bilan de sante exhaustif des populations; elle a revele cependant un certain nombre de constatations. Sur le plan nutritionnel; il apparait que les deux populations; Bulu et Pygmee; sont en situation carentielle moderee du fait d'une alimentation trop exclusivement basee sur le manioc. Cet etat pourrait etre ameliore par le changement chez la mere des conduites d'allaitement et par une modification des pratiques de sevrage. L'etude de l'hemoglobine montre plutot une difference entre les deux groupes ethniques