Associations of body composition with physical activity, nutritional intake status, and chronotype among female university students in Japan.

BACKGROUND: Having higher muscle mass in early adulthood is an important factor in preventing sarcopenia. However, university students undergo lifestyle changes compared to their high school years, which may lead to changes in body composition, such as an increase in body fat and a decrease in muscle mass. The study aimed to investigate the association between body composition and lifestyle behaviors, including chronotype, among Japanese female university students, due to the prevalence of underweight among young females in the country. METHODS: The physical activity level (PAL), daily dietary intake status, morningness-eveningness questionnaire (MEQ) score, and body composition of 230 students were assessed in this cross-sectional study. Body composition was measured using a multifrequency bioelectrical impedance analyzer, and body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage (%BF), and skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) were determined. RESULTS: Individuals who were evening type (ET) had a higher %BF and lower SMI than those who were non-ET, but no differences in body weight or BMI were found. Although ET individuals had lower total energy intake, protein intake, and PALs than non-ETs, the differences were small. However, multiple regression analyses showed that SMI was significantly positively associated with MEQ and PAL, and %BF was significantly negatively associated with MEQ and PAL. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that female university students with lateness of chronotype and low physical activity have a body composition imbalance resulting in higher body fat and lower muscle mass. Therefore, young females may need to take chronotype-specific measures (especially ET individuals) to help them maintain an appropriate body composition.

Taste alteration and its relationship with nutritional status among cancer patients receiving chemotherapy, cross-sectional study.

The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of taste alterations (TAs) during chemotherapy and their association with nutritional status and malnutrition. In addition to the associated factors with TA, including sociodemographic health-related factors and clinical status, and to investigate coping strategies to manage TA. A multicenter cross-sectional design study was conducted on 120 cancer patients aged at least 18 who had been undergoing at least one round of chemotherapy. TAs were evaluated using the chemotherapy-induced taste alteration scale (CiTAS), the malnutrition universal screening tool (MUST) was used for nutritional screening, the antineoplastic side effects scale (ASES) was used for subjective assessment of chemotherapy side effects, and the Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) was used for comorbidity assessment. SPSS21 software was used to analyze the data, and the independent T-test and one-way ANOVA test were used to determine the association between TAs and a variety of related variables. The prevalence of TAs was 98.3%. Among participants, 48.3% were at low risk of malnutrition, 20% at medium risk, and 31.7% at high risk. Malnutrition risk was associated with taste disorders (p<0.05). Patients' age, gender, educational level, and physical status were associated with TAs (p<0.05). Type of cancer, chemotherapy regimen, and number of chemotherapy cycles were also associated with TAs (p<0.05). A variety of antineoplastic side effects were associated with TAs (p<0.05), including nausea, vomiting, dry mouth, sore mouth and throat, excessive thirst, swallowing difficulty, appetite changes, weight loss, dizziness, lack of energy, disturbed sleep, anxiety, and difficulty concentrating. TAs were associated with an increased number of comorbidities, and individuals with diabetes, pulmonary diseases, and hypertension were associated with TAs (P<0.05). Patients in this study rarely practice self-management strategies to cope with TAs. A high prevalence (98.3%) of TAs in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy was found, and it was linked to a variety of negative outcomes. Chemotherapy-induced TAs are an underestimated side effect that requires more attention from patients and health care providers.

Effects of different nutrition interventions on sarcopenia criteria in older people: A study protocol for a systematic review of systematic reviews with meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Sarcopenia, a subject of extensive research, has led to numerous clinical trials and systematic reviews (SR). These reviews aid healthcare professionals by summarizing results and conducting meta-analyses, enhancing reliability. However, the abundance of reviews complicates decision-making on sarcopenia management. To address this, SR of SR have emerged, consolidating data from various sources into comprehensive documents. OBJECTIVE: To assess the isolated impact of dietary interventions on sarcopenia's diagnostic criteria for older individuals. METHODS: A study protocol for a SR of SR, following Cochrane and PRISMA recommendations. The search strategy includes the MeSH 'sarcopenia' and its subheadings; 'aged' and its subheadings; 'nutrition' and its subheadings; and filter 'systematic review', performed at main databases. Selected studies must include older adults, submitted to nutritional interventions compared to control groups. Quantitative analyses will use inverse variance statistic method (random effects); the effect measures mean difference. Heterogeneity measured with Q-Test. RESULTS: The results of this SR of SR may provide valuable information about the sarcopenia treatment, deepening the knowledge about. CONCLUSION: This protocol is reproducible, requires low cost and personnel, and may allow a higher understanding on sarcopenia treatment and management on older people.

Vitamin Nutritional Status in Patients with Pancreatic Cancer: A Narrative Review.

Due to the high mortality rate in Western countries, pancreatic cancer is considered one of the big killers, leaving patients and their families with little hope upon diagnosis. Although surgical and drug therapies are critical for cancer patients to improve life expectancy and alleviation of suffering, nutrition plays a key role in improving cancer treatment outcomes. This narrative review, conducted as part of the activities of the Italian Society of Human Nutrition (SINU) working group in oncology, focuses on the prevalence of vitamin malnutrition among pancreatic cancer patients. The results of the literature search show that pancreatic cancer patients are at a heightened risk of water-soluble vitamin deficiencies, particularly of vitamins B1, B3, and B6. Additionally, they also face an increased risk of deficiency of fat-soluble vitamins. Among these vitamins, the potential role of vitamin D in pancreatic cancer has garnered the most attention, with its plasma levels being identified as a significant factor in patient survival. Investigating vitamin nutritional status could provide valuable insights for incorporating nutritional approaches into the prevention and treatment of pancreatic cancer, thereby reducing the exacerbation of symptoms associated with the diagnosis.

Pathways in formulating foods for the elderly.

The growth of the elderly population worldwide is posing significant challenges to human society. The progressive physical and physiological changes occur with aging, including decreased appetite, incomplete digestion, and reduced absorption of nutrients. A common feature of many elderly people's diets is a deficiency in proteins (especially easily digestible ones) and micronutrients (e.g., vitamins, zinc, iron, and calcium). One of the solutions to this problem is the incorporation of these components into suitably texture-modified foods. There is a dearth of products that meet the needs of the elderly with special medical/health conditions such as dysphagia, osteoporosis, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, as well as those who are in hospital and palliative care. Future research and development of foods for the elderly must address specific dietary needs of different subgroups of elderly people with underlying health conditions. The existence of different physical and physiological stages of the elderly means that their specific dietary requirements must be considered. This review summarizes current knowledge on nutritional requirements including those with underlying health problems and outlines the research and innovation pathways for developing new foods considering nutrition, texture, flavor, and other sensory aspects.

There is a correlation between nutritional status, Self-Rated Health and Life Satisfaction? Evidence from 2018 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children cross sectional study in a sample of Italian adolescents living in Tuscany Region.

Background: Overweight has been associated with several social and phycological problems and is perceived as one of the major health care challenges to focus on in the future. The purpose of the study is to investigate the correlations among nutritional status, assessed by the Body Mass Index, the perception of one's own health status and Life Satisfaction, detected in Italian adolescents living in Tuscany Region, and to investigate the influence of gender on them. Methods: A statistically representative sample of 2760 Tuscan adolescents aged 11, 13 and 15 was involved in the 2018 Health Behaviours at School-aged Children survey. The participants were divided into three nutritional status class: underweight, normal weight and overweight (overweight + obese). Results: The results show that there is a statistically significant difference in all categories between boys and girls aged 13 and 15 years; in girls aged 11 and 13 years, the Life Satisfaction of the overweight group is statistically lower than that of normal and underweight groups; Self-Rated Health is statistically lower in all age groups for overweight individuals compared to normal weight children, except for 11-year-old females. Conclusions: Viewing the psychosocial problems related to overweight, more attention and care must be placed on adolescents to ensure their healthier development.

Apparent digestibility and nutritional status of capuchin monkeys (Sapajus sp.) under human care.

BACKGROUND: Studing the nutritional needs and dietary habits of primates is essential to ensure their health and well-being. This includes the understanding of the use of nutrients and its correlation with health parameters. METHODS: Diet and nutritional parameters of 13 captive capuchin monkeys (Sapajus sp.) were assesed. Apparent digestibility of dry matter and nutrients were evaluated. Nutritional status was established based on body condition score (BCS) and muscle mass score (MMS). RESULTS: High apparent digestibility coefficients (ADC) were observed for crude protein and ether extract, but low for minerals and crude fiber. The ADC of EE and CF were related to MMS, and the biochemical parameters did not correlate with the AD coefficients obtained in the group. The nutritional status of the animals remained inadequate in 84.6% of the individuals, suggesting a reformulation of the diet and nutritional management.

Geriatric nutritional risk index is associated with the occurrence of acute kidney injury in critically ill patients with acute heart failure.

Background: During the acute heart failure (AHF), acute kidney injury (AKI) is highly prevalent in critically ill patients. The occurrence of the latter condition increases the risk of mortality in patients with acute heart failure. The current research on the relationship between nutritional risk and the occurrence of acute kidney injury in patients with acute heart failure is very limited. Methods: This retrospective cohort study utilized data from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV (MIMIC-IV, version 2.1) database. We included adult patients with AHF who were admitted to the intensive care unit in the study. Results: A total of 1310 critically ill patients with acute heart failure were included. The AUC of geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI) (0.694) is slightly superior to that of controlling nutritional status (CONUT) (0.656) and prognostic nutritional index (PNI) (0.669). The Log-rank test revealed a higher risk of acute kidney injury in patients with high nutritional risk (p < 0.001). Multivariate COX regression analysis indicated that a high GNRI (adjusted HR 0.62, p < 0.001) was associated with a reduced risk of AKI during hospitalization in AHF patients. The final subgroup analysis demonstrated no significant interaction of GNRI in all subgroups except for diabetes subgroup and ventilation subgroup (P for interaction: 0.057-0.785). Conclusion: Our study findings suggest a correlation between GNRI and the occurrence of acute kidney injury in patients hospitalized with acute heart failure.

Determinants of nutritional status of children aged 6-59 months in the case of Itang special woreda, Gambella, Ethiopia.

Nutritional status is one of the most important causes of improper physical and mental development in children. The study attempts to assess the factors affecting the severity status of children aged 6-59 months' malnutrition based on the weight-for-age anthropometric index (z-score) and examine between-kebeles-level differences in determinants of the nutritional status of children. A community-based, cross-sectional study design was conducted from October 12 to November 12, 2022. A sample of 397 children aged 6-59 months primary data by applying multi-stage clustered sampling technique was used by considering their heterogeneity. The data were entered by SPSS and analyzed by using R version 3.4.0 and STATA 14.2 statistical software package using a multilevel ordinal logistic regression model and inferences were conducted at a 5% significance level. The results show that birth interval ≥ 24 months (OR = 1.431253, 95% CI 1.221337 1.6763421, P-value = 0.008), economic status of households medium (OR = 16.21466, 95% CI 1.221403 1.423929, P-value = 0.000), economic status of households rich (OR = 223.2856, 95% CI 1.34295 2.582325, P-value = 0.000), employment status of the mother unemployed (OR = 0.2291348, 95% CI 0.0529511 0.9966281, P-value = 0.049), No toilet facility (bush field) (OR = 0.3163329, 95% CI 0.1825356 0.5481975, P-value = 0.000), number of household members (OR = 0.9100682, 95% CI 0.8313481 0.9967315, P-value = 0.042), breastfeeding < 12 months (OR = 0.53803, 95% CI 0.322315 0.898135, P-value = 0.018), educational level of father Primary (OR = 4.601687, 95% CI 1.758009 2.22053, P-value = 0.000), educational level of father Secondary above (OR = 99.65229, 95% CI 2.533502 4.788896, P-value = 0.000) and geographical area (kebeles) were found to be important factors that affect a child's nutritional status between 6 and 59 months. 15% of the overall variation is attributable to the Kebeles level, according to two-level multilevel ordinal logistic regressions with estimates of the variation attributable to the Kebeles level equal to 0.569 and an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.15. Due to the nature of the response variable random intercept model with random coefficients fitted the data adequately in predicting the severity status of children aged 6-59 months' malnutrition for the multilevel ordinal logistic regression model analysis. So, the researcher recommended that implementing primary health care and nutrition programs that would fit each kebeles' features in Itang Special Woreda to safeguard children from nutritional deficiency.

Impact of increased protein intake in older adults: a 12-week double-blind randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Emerging evidence suggests health-promoting properties of increased protein intake. There is increased interest in plant protein but a dearth of information in relation to its impact on muscle function. The objective of the present work was to examine the impact of intake of different types of proteins on muscle functional parameters including handgrip strength, biomarkers of metabolic health, sleep quality and quality of life in a group of older adults. METHODS: Healthy men and women aged 50 years and older entered a double-blinded, randomised, controlled nutritional intervention study with three parallel arms: high plant protein, high dairy protein and low protein. Participants consumed once daily a ready-to-mix shake (containing 20 g of protein in high protein groups) for 12 weeks. Changes in handgrip and leg strength, body composition, metabolic health, quality of life and sleep quality were analysed by linear mixed models in an intention-to-treat approach. RESULTS: Eligible participants (n = 171) were randomly assigned to the groups (plant: n = 60, dairy: n = 56, low protein: n = 55) and 141 completed the study. Handgrip strength increased after the intervention (Ptime = 0.038), with no significant difference between the groups. There was no significant difference between groups for any other health outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: In a population of older adults, increasing protein intake by 20 g daily for 12 weeks (whether plant-based or dairy-based) did not result in significant differences in muscle function, body composition, metabolic health, sleep quality or quality of life, compared with the low protein group.

Dietary characteristics of community-dwelling older adults with poor appetite: a cross-sectional analysis.

RATIONALE: Poor appetite is considered a key factor in the development of malnutrition, a link that can be explained by alterations in dietary intake. Given the limited data on dietary characteristics in community-dwelling older adults with poor appetite, the present study aimed to examine whether poor appetite is associated with lower nutrient intake and more unfavourable food choices. METHODS: In 569 participants of the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam aged ≥70 years appetite was assessed using the Simplified Nutritional Appetite Questionnaire and dichotomised into normal (>14) and poor (≤14). Intake of energy, 19 nutrients, 15 food groups, the Dutch Healthy Diet Index 2015 (DHD15) and Mediterranean Diet Score (MDS) were calculated from a food frequency questionnaire. Dietary differences between appetite groups were examined using Mann-Whitney U test and binary logistic regression adjusted for potential confounders. RESULTS: Mean age was 78 ± 6 years and 52% were female. Appetite was poor in 12.5% of participants. Energy intake was 1951 (median; quartiles 1-3: 1,653-2,384) kcal/day with no difference between appetite groups. Poor appetite was associated with lower intake of protein (OR 0.948, 95%CI 0.922-0.973), folate (0.981, 0.973-0.989), zinc (0.619, 0.454-0.846), vegetables (0.988, 0.982-0.994) and lower scores of DHD15 (0.964, 0.945-0.983) and MDS (0.904, 0.850-0.961), as well as higher intake of carbohydrates (1.015, 1.006-1.023), and vitamins B2 (4.577, 1.650-12.694) and C (1.013, 1.005-1.021). CONCLUSIONS: Community-dwelling older adults with poor appetite showed poorer diet quality with a lower intake of protein, folate, zinc and vegetables, compared with those reporting normal appetite and should be advised accordingly.

Association of dietary and nutritional factors with cognitive decline, dementia, and depressive symptomatology in older individuals according to a neurogenesis-centred biological susceptibility to brain ageing.

Hippocampal neurogenesis (HN) occurs throughout the life course and is important for memory and mood. Declining with age, HN plays a pivotal role in cognitive decline (CD), dementia, and late-life depression, such that altered HN could represent a neurobiological susceptibility to these conditions. Pertinently, dietary patterns (e.g., Mediterranean diet) and/or individual nutrients (e.g., vitamin D, omega 3) can modify HN, but also modify risk for CD, dementia, and depression. Therefore, the interaction between diet/nutrition and HN may alter risk trajectories for these ageing-related brain conditions. Using a subsample (n = 371) of the Three-City cohort-where older adults provided information on diet and blood biobanking at baseline and were assessed for CD, dementia, and depressive symptomatology across 12 years-we tested for interactions between food consumption, nutrient intake, and nutritional biomarker concentrations and neurogenesis-centred susceptibility status (defined by baseline readouts of hippocampal progenitor cell integrity, cell death, and differentiation) on CD, Alzheimer's disease (AD), vascular and other dementias (VoD), and depressive symptomatology, using multivariable-adjusted logistic regression models. Increased plasma lycopene concentrations (OR [95% CI] = 1.07 [1.01, 1.14]), higher red meat (OR [95% CI] = 1.10 [1.03, 1.19]), and lower poultry consumption (OR [95% CI] = 0.93 [0.87, 0.99]) were associated with an increased risk for AD in individuals with a neurogenesis-centred susceptibility. Increased vitamin D consumption (OR [95% CI] = 1.05 [1.01, 1.11]) and plasma γ-tocopherol concentrations (OR [95% CI] = 1.08 [1.01, 1.18]) were associated with increased risk for VoD and depressive symptomatology, respectively, but only in susceptible individuals. This research highlights an important role for diet/nutrition in modifying dementia and depression risk in individuals with a neurogenesis-centred susceptibility.

Nutrition for dementia prevention: a state of the art update for clinicians.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Dementia prevalence continues to rise. It is therefore essential to provide feasible and effective recommendations to encourage healthy brain ageing and reduce dementia risk across the population. Appropriate nutrition represents a potential strategy to mitigate dementia risk and could be recommended by clinicians as part of mid-life health checks and other health initiatives to reduce dementia prevalence. The purpose of this review is to provide a clinician-focused update on the current state of the knowledge on nutrition and dementia prevention. METHODS: Narrative review. RESULTS: Strong evidence exists to support the consumption of healthy, plant-based dietary patterns (e.g. Mediterranean, MIND or Nordic diet) for maintaining cognitive function and reducing dementia risk in later life and is supported by dementia prevention guideline from leading public health bodies (e.g. World Health Organization). Emerging evidence suggests potential cognitive benefits of consuming specific nutrients/foods (e.g. n-3 fatty acids or fish, flavonols and B-vitamins) and multi-nutrient compounds (e.g. Fortasyn Connect). Challenges and opportunities for integrating nutritional/dietary interventions for dementia prevention into clinical practice are explored in this review. CONCLUSIONS: Appropriate nutrition represents an important factor to help facilitate healthy cognitive ageing and allay dementia risk. The information provided in this article can help clinicians provide informed opinions on appropriate nutritional strategies as part of mid-life Health Checks and other risk reduction initiatives.

Growth charts of Brazilian youngs: 20-years data of 95,000 children and adolescents from "Projeto Esporte Brasil".

This article aims to present growth curves for height, weight, and BMI of 95,000 Brazilian youths aged 6 to 17 years, including the five regions of the country, the Amazon region, and indigenous populations, and compare them with the World Health Organization (WHO) growth references. The final sample consisted of 52,729 boys and 42,731 girls from the "Projeto Esporte Brasil" database. Body mass and height information were used to derive the curves. The generalized additive model for location, scale, and shape was employed. In this study, we present smoothed weight-for-age, height-for-age, and BMI-for-age curves for boys and girls. Differences were observed between the results of the Brazilian curves and the WHO growth references. The developed curves will be valuable for professionals in medicine, public health, nutrition, physical education, and other related fields, regarding the assessment of physical growth in Brazilian children and adolescents and monitoring the nutritional status of this population. Additionally, these curves will facilitate the identification of individuals or subgroups at risk of diseases and delayed growth, with a greater focus on specific country-related factors.

Assessment of nutritional status, physical fitness and physical activity of school going adolescents (12-15 years) in Delhi.

BACKGROUND: Adolescence is a distinct period that is crucial for setting the foundation for long-term health. OBJECTIVE: To assess the nutritional status, physical fitness, and physical activity of adolescents. METHODS: The present cross-sectional study recruited 100 adolescents purposively. Information regarding general profile and lifestyle-related factors was collected using a questionnaire. Anthropometric data such as height, weight, BMI, and body fat% were collected using appropriate equipment. Physical fitness was assessed using a battery adapted from FITNESSGRAM® and PAQ-A assessed the physical activity. Dietary intake was analysed using a 2-day 24-hour dietary recall. RESULT: The study revealed, 19% of the participants were overweight and 6% were obese. The majority (74%) were physically inactive and 15% had high body fat %. There was lower consumption of energy, carbohydrates, iron, and calcium, than the recommendations. Also, physical activity scores were negatively associated with macronutrient intake and trunk lift (strength and flexibility) [p < 0.05]. Data showed lower physical fitness scores. BMI and hand-grip strength was positively correlated [p < 0.05]. Push Ups (endurance) and Standing Broad Jump (power) showed a negative correlation with body fat%. Tennis ball throw and PACER (cardiorespiratory fitness) were positively associated with protein intake. A multiple regression analysis significantly showed that a unit increase in cell phone usage increases body fat% by 11.64 units. Standing broad jump increases by 38.6 cm and decreases with 28.76 cm with a unit increase in playing outside and tuitions timings respectively. CONCLUSION: Poor nutritional status, physical fitness, and physical activity were reported among adolescents. It is imperative to plan intervention strategies to improve the overall health of adolescents.

Do nutritional assessment tools (PNI, CONUT, GNRI) predict adverse events after spinal surgeries? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Nutritional assessment tools are used to predict outcomes in cancer. However, their utility in patients undergoing spinal surgery is unclear. This review examined if prognostic nutritional index (PNI), controlling nutritional status (CONUT), and geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI) can predict adverse events after spinal surgeries. METHODS: PubMed, CENTRAL, Scopus, and Embase were screened by two reviewers for relevant studies up to 26th January 2024. The primary outcome of interest was total adverse events after spinal surgery. Secondary outcomes were surgical site infections (SSI) and mortality. RESULTS: 14 studies were included. Meta-analysis showed that while reduced PNI was not associated with an increased risk of SSI there was a significant association between PNI and higher risk of adverse events. Meta-analysis showed that high CONUT was not associated with an increased risk of complications after spinal surgeries. Pooled analysis showed that low GNRI was associated with an increased risk of both SSI and adverse events. Data on mortality was scarce. CONCLUSIONS: The PNI and GNRI can predict adverse outcomes after spinal surgeries. Limited data shows that high CONUT is also associated with a non-significant increased risk of adverse outcomes. High GNRI was predictive of an increased risk of SSI. Data on mortality is too scarce for strong conclusions.

Evidence of potential impacts of a nutrition-sensitive agroecology program in Andhra Pradesh, India, on dietary diversity, nutritional status, and child development.

INTRODUCTION: While a number of studies have examined the nutritional impacts of agroecological interventions, few have examined impacts on child development, maternal and child anemia, and men's dietary diversity. Moreover, there have been few such evaluations at scale. We evaluated the impact of a large-scale, multi-component food-based nutrition intervention involving homestead food production, nutrition counselling, cooking demonstrations, and crop planning exercises. METHODS: A cross-sectional assessment was conducted in 2021-2022 of 50 intervention villages where the nutrition-sensitive agroecology program had been implemented since 2018 and 79 control villages where only the agroecology program had been implemented. Data on self-reported dietary intake, caregiver-reported early child development, anthropometric measurements, and hemoglobin concentrations were collected using standardized procedures by trained Nutrition Farming Fellows, who were also responsible for implementing the program. RESULTS: A sample of 3,511 households (1,121 intervention and 2,390 control) participated in the survey. Dietary diversity scores (DDS) among women and men were mean (SD) 6.53 (±1.62) and 6.16 (±1.65), respectively, in intervention villages and 5.81 (±1.58) and 5.39 (±1.61), respectively, in control villages (p<0.01). DDS among children 6-24 months of age in intervention and control villages was 2.99 (±1.52) and 2.73 (±1.62), respectively (p<0.01). Children <2 years of age were less likely to be anemic in intervention versus control villages (59% versus 69%, p<0.01). Children 18-35 months age in intervention villages had higher child development scores than children in control villages (all p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Nutrition-sensitive agroecological programs may be effective in improving diets, nutrition, and child development in rural India.

Nutritional status of primary school children and their caregiver's knowledge on malnutrition in rural and urban communities of Ekiti State, Southwest Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Nutritional imbalance is an underlying cause of 2.6million death annually and a third of child's death globally. This study assessed and compared the nutritional status of primary school children and their caregiver's knowledge on malnutrition in rural and urban communities of Ekiti State. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional comparative study carried out among 983 urban and rural primary school children in Ekiti State (495 in urban and 488 in rural) using interviewer-administered semi-structured questionnaire. A multi-stage sampling technique was used and data collected was analyzed using SPSS 23 with level of statistical significance set at p < 0.05. RESULTS: Underweight and stunting were relatively higher in rural (6.5% and 22.7% respectively) than in urban (6.3% and 19.4% respectively) and these differences are not statistically significant (p = 0.898, p = 0.197). However, wasting, overweight and obesity were higher in urban (12.7%, 6.1% and 7.7% respectively) than rural (11.5%, 3.7% and 7.5% respectively) but the difference is not statistically significant. (p = 0.242). Majority of the caregivers in both settings had good knowledge of malnutrition though higher in urban mothers (89.5%) with statistical significance than their rural counterparts (71.5%). However, there is no significant association between caregiver's knowledge and malnutrition in this study. Being in lower primary school class, relationship with caregiver, educational status of caregiver and occupation of caregiver were the common predictors of malnutrition among the school children in both community settings. CONCLUSION: Generally, the prevalence of malnutrition was high in both urban and rural primary school children in this study. However, while underweight and stunting were more prevalent among the children in the rural communities, wasting, overweight and obesity were more prevalent in the urban. The caregivers in both communities had good knowledge of malnutrition (better in the urban) but this is not good enough to bring a significant relationship with the occurrence of malnutrition in the children. Common predictors of malnutrition in both community settings are being in lower primary school class, relationship with caregiver, educational status of caregiver and occupation of caregiver. It is therefore recommended that regular continuous public enlightenment, nutritional education programmes and other programmes targeted at improving the economic power of the caregivers are measures that will improve the nutritional status of the primary school children.

Determinants of low birth weight and its effect on childhood health and nutritional outcomes in Bangladesh.

BACKGROUND: The high incidence of low birth weight (LBW) is associated with an increased risk of infant mortality, adverse pregnancy outcomes for mothers, and a decline in overall health and well-being. The current study aimed to identify the various determinants of LBW and its effect on adverse health and nutritional outcomes of children aged 0-23 months in Bangladesh. METHODS: Bangladesh Demography and Health Survey (BDHS) 2017-18 data was used. A chi-square test and multivariable logistic regression analysis were used to find out the associations between independent variables and outcomes (e.g., LBW, child illness and undernutrition). RESULTS: The overall prevalence of LBW among was 16.3%. Mother with no formal education (AOR = 2.64, 95% CI = 0.55-3.30, p = 0.01), female child (AOR = 1.31, 95% CI = 1.04-1.65, p = 0.023); and poorest economic status (AOR = 1.69, 95% CI = 1.13-2.51, p = 0.010), were identified significant determinants of LBW. Of home environment and hygiene factors, unimproved toilet facilities (AOR = 1.38, 95% CI = 1.03-1.84, p = 0.030) had a significant effect on LBW. In addition, children born with LBW were more likely to suffer fever (AOR = 1.26, 95% CI = 1.05-1.60, p = 0.050), stunting (AOR = 2.42, 95% CI = 1.86-3.15, p = < 0.001), wasting (AOR = 1.47, 95% CI = 1.02-2.25 p = 0.049), and underweight (AOR = 3.19, 95% CI = 2.40-4.23, p = < 0.001). CONCLUSION: One out of five children was LBW in Bangladesh. Maternal education, sex of child, wealth index, and toilet facilities had significant effects on LBW. In addition, LWB contributed to children's poor health and nutritional outcomes. Enhancing maternal pregnancy, and child health outcomes necessitates policies addressing poverty, gender inequality, and social disparities. Key strategies include promoting regular prenatal care, early medical intervention, reproductive health education, and safe hygiene practices. To combat the negative impacts of LBW, a comprehensive strategy is vital, encompassing exclusive breastfeeding, nutritional support, growth monitoring, accessible healthcare, and caregiver education.