Fatty acid, amino acid, mineral and antioxidant contents of acha (Digitaria exilis) grown on the Jos Plateau, Nigeria.

Digitaria exilis (Kippist) Stapf (also known as acha, hungry rice) has been cultivated for millennia in the dry savannahs of West Africa, but much remains to be learned about its nutritional properties. Acha was collected in four villages in Northern Nigeria and analyzed for fatty acids, minerals, amino acids and antioxidant content. Fatty acids accounted for 1.91% of the dry weight, with 47.4% linoleic acid and 30.5% oleic acid. The content of the essential minerals, copper, magnesium, molybdenum, zinc and calcium averaged 4.88, 1060, 0.23, 23.0 and 172 µg/g, respectively. The protein content was 6.53% and the essential amino acid pattern, except for lysine, compared favorably to a World Health Organization (WHO) reference protein. The total polyphenolic content of methanolic extracts of acha matched that of common cereals (for example, maize, rice, wheat) and the extracts contained substantial amounts of free-radical scavenging substances. Thus, acha is a source of many nutrients critical to human health.

Skilled attendance: the key challenges to progress in achieving MDG-5 in north central Nigeria.

The importance of skilled attendance at delivery, as reflected in the MDG 5, is being promoted in developing countries to address the high maternal/perinatal morbidity and mortality. Evaluation of personnel skills and availability of material resources are central to elimination of barriers to delivery of basic Emergency Obstetric Care (EOC) to the community. We designed a semi-structured, interviewee-administered questionnaire for 54 certified Nurse-Midwives working in Primary Health Care (PHC) clinics in Nasarawa State, central Nigeria, and examined their knowledge and competencies in the five major areas responsible for maternal mortality in sub-Saharan Africa, including power supply, referral linkages and motivation to work. Majority 51 (94.4%) of PHCs neither used the Partograph nor performed manual vacuum aspiration. Referral systems and feedback mechanisms were practically non-existent, 38 (70.4%) of facilities were >5 km from the nearest referral centre, with 14 (29.5%) connected to the national grid. Majority (68.5%) of respondents would want to work abroad. The quality of skilled attendance is low and basic EOC facilities are lacking, a situation further threatened by potential emigration to greener pastures. Governments and development partners need to address facility and skilled manpower shortages in developing countries to make a modest attempt at meeting the MDG on maternal health.

Skilled attendance: the key challenges to progress in achieving MDG-5 in North Central Nigeria

The importance of skilled attendance at delivery, as reflected in the MDG 5, is being promoted in developing countries to address the high maternal/perinatal morbidity and mortality. Evaluation of personnel skills and availability of material resources are central to elimination of barriers to delivery of basic Emergency Obstetric Care (EOC) to the community. We designed a semi-structured, interviewee-administered questionnaire for 54 certified Nurse-Midwives working in Primary Health Care (PHC) clinics in Nasarawa State, central Nigeria, and examined their knowledge and competencies in the five major areas responsible for maternal mortality in sub-Saharan Africa, including power supply, referral linkages and motivation to work. Majority 51 (94.4%) of PHCs neither used the Partograph nor performed manual vacuum aspiration. Referral systems and feedback mechanisms were practically non-existent, 38 (70.4%) of facilities were >5km from the nearest referral centre, with 14(29.5%) connected to the national grid. Majority (68.5%) of respondents would want to work abroad. The quality of skilled attendance is low and basic EOC facilities are lacking, a situation further threatened by potential emigration to greener pastures. Governments and development partners need to address facility and skilled manpower shortages in developing countries to make a modest attempt at meeting the MDG on maternal health (Afr. J. Reprod. Health 2010; 14[2]: 129-138)

Risk factors for heart failure in adult Nigerians.

OBJECTIVES: Heart failure (HF) is a lethal disorder most common in blacks. Available treatment options have little impact on prognosis, making primary prevention a priority. We aimed to describe the spectrum of established HF risk factors and clinical features in Nigerian adults. METHODS: We recruited consecutive adults with HF diagnosed using the Framingham criteria in a Teaching Hospital, and recorded clinical findings with a structured form. Blood was drawn for haematocrit, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and serum cholesterol. RESULTS: 102 subjects were studied. Common HF risk factors were hypertension 45 (44%), obesity 26 (25%), alcohol intake 25 (24%) and hypercholesterolaemia 22 (21%). Both tachycardia (OR 5.5, 95%CI 1.7-14.9) and S3 gallop (OR 4.05, 95%CI 1.53-10.76) were significantly related with NYHA class IV HF. BMI was strongly related with total serum cholesterol (r = 0.70, P < 0.001). Low ESR (< 5 mm/h) was protective of NYHA class IV HF (OR 0.40, 95%CI 0.16-0.88). CONCLUSION: Hypertension, obesity, alcohol intake and hypercholesterolaemia were common in blacks with HF. Both S3 gallop and high ESR indicated more severe HF.

Assessment of the bone density of nomadic Fulani Herdsmen in northern Nigeria using calcaneal ultrasonography.

CONTEXT: Osteoporosis is characterized by decreased bone density and increased bone fragility. Genetics, diet, and physical activity are established determinants of bone density. The seminomadic Fulani of northern Nigeria trek long distances on foot daily to graze and water their animals, and have access to calcium-rich dairy products. OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine whether the high level of physical activity and presumed calcium-rich diet of the Fulani would promote a higher bone density, compared with their relatively inactive counterparts in the general population. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Three Fulani settlements (Toro, Tilden Fulani, and Magaman Gumau) within 5 to 15 kilometers of Jos Metropolis on the Jos Plateau in northern Nigeria. PATIENTS: We assessed the calcaneal characteristics of a consecutive sample of 51 active seminomadic Fulani men using the Lunar Achilles+ ultrasonometer. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Calcaneal broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA), speed of sound (SOS), stiffness index (SI), and SI T-scores. RESULTS: The mean age of the herdsmen was 26 +/- 9 years (range, 16 to 49), and the mean BMI was 19.9 +/- 2.3 kg/m(2). The mean BUA was 124 +/- 13 dB/MHz (95% CI, 120 to 128), the mean SOS was 1572 +/- 33 m/s (95% CI, 1563 to 1581), the mean SI was 102 +/- 17 (95% CI, 97 to 107], and the mean SI T-score was -0.74 +/- 0.97 (95% CI, -0.47 to 1.01]. The mean SI was 1 T-score unit below that of an age-matched cohort in the general population. CONCLUSION: Fulani herdsmen have a theoretically increased risk for bone fracture in a background of low BMI and potentially high calcium intake.

Assessment of the bone quality of black male athletes using calcaneal ultrasound: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Lifestyle, genetics and environmental factors are established determinants of bone density. We aimed to describe the bone characteristics of competitive top-ranked Nigerian male athletes using calcaneal ultrasound and to assess whether intensive training promotes higher bone density in an environment with reportedly low calcium intake; to compare the bone characteristics of footballers with runners and other sportsmen; and to assess the correlation of stiffness index (SI) with activity level, since energy expenditure correlates with length of training and by extension, magnitude of skeletal loading. METHODS: We recruited 102 male athletes: these included football (n = 68), running (n = 15), handball (n = 7), taekwando (n = 6), cycling (n = 2), judo (1), badminton (1) and high jump (1). Anthropometric data were first recorded on a structured form and energy expenditure was indirectly estimated with a validated questionnaire. Bone density was assessed using the Lunar Achilles+ calcaneal ultrasonometer. RESULTS: The mean age of athletes was 25 +/- 6 years. The means of BMI and energy expenditure were 21.9 +/- 2.0 kg/m2 and 35.0 +/- 13.7 kcal/kg/day, respectively. Footballers were younger (p < 0.001) and heavier (p < 0.001) than runners. Football was a significant determinant of BUA independent of age, BMI and energy expenditure (p = 0.001). Football was also a significant determinant of SOS independent of age, height, weight and BMI (p < 0.001). The mean SI was 127 +/- 16 and the median T-score was 0.82 (-1.88, 3.35). The mean SI of footballers (130 +/- 15), runners (130 +/- 12) and other sportsmen (115 +/- 18) differed significantly (p = 0.001). Multivariate analyses revealed that football (p < 0.001) and running (p < 0.001) were significant determinants of SI independent of age and BMI. Footballers when compared with other sportsmen had a higher mean SI independent of age and BMI (p < 0.001). Age was not correlated with SI. The median T-score of footballers, 0.94 (-1.0, 3.35) was higher than that of other sportsmen. CONCLUSION: Repetitive skeletal loading at the heel has the potential to improve bone density in black male athletes. The magnitude of increase may be higher in medium impact sports such as soccer and running compared with low or non-impact sports such as judo or taekwando, and is independent of age and BMI. However, future longitudinal data will be required to support our observations.