National fortification of staple foods can make a significant contribution to micronutrient intake of South African adults

BACKGROUND: A national survey found that micronutrient deficiencies are prevalent in South African children, particularly calcium, iron, zinc, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, folate, vitamin A, E and C. Mandatory fortification of maize meal and wheat flour were introduced in 2003 to combat some of the deficiencies found in children. To date however, there has not been a national survey on dietary intake in adults. OBJECTIVES: The main objectives of this study were to evaluate the micronutrient intake of the diet consumed by the average adult South African by means of secondary data analyses and secondly to evaluate the effects of fortification on selected nutrient intakes. STUDY DESIGN: Secondary data analysis was carried out with numerous dietary surveys on adults to create a database that included sampling (and weighting) according to ethnic/urban-rural residence in line with the population census, of which 79% were black Africans and the majority resided in rural areas. The effect of fortification was evaluated by substituting fortified foods in the diet for the unfortified products. SUBJECTS: The combined database used in this study comprised 3229 adults. RESULTS: Mean calcium, iron, folate and vitamin B6 intakes were very low particularly in women. Mean intakes of most micronutrients were lower in rural areas. Fortification of maize meal and wheat flour (bread) raised mean levels of thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6 and folate above the recommended nutrient intakes (RNIs). In women, despite fortification, mean iron intakes remained below the RNIs, as did calcium since it was not in the fortification mix. CONCLUSION: The average dietary intake of adults was of poor nutrient density, particularly in rural areas. Fortification of maize meal and wheat flour (bread) considerably improved mean vitamin B6, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, folate and iron intakes as well as the overall mean adequacy ratio of the diet.     

A transgenic RNAi approach for developing tomato plants immune to Pepino mosaic virus

RNA interference (RNAi) or gene silencing is a natural defence response of plants to invading viruses. Here, we applied this approach against pepino mosaic virus (PepMV) isolates in their natural host, tomato. PepMV isolates differ in their genetic sequences, the severity of the disease they induce, and their worldwide distribution. PepMV causes heavy crop losses, mainly due to impaired tomato fruit quality. Resistant varieties are not yet available, despite many years of resistance breeding efforts within the tomato seed industry. To generate broad resistance to PepMV strains, conserved sequences from three different strains of PepMV (US1, LP, and CH2) were synthesized as a single insert and cloned in a hairpin configuration into a binary vector, which was used to transform tomato plants. Transgenic tomato lines that expressed a high level of transgene-siRNA exhibited immunity to PepMV strains, including a new Israeli isolate. This immunity was maintained even after graft inoculation, in which a transgenic scion was grafted onto nontransgenic infected rootstocks. However, an immune transgenic rootstock was unable to induce resistance in a nontransformed scion. These results provide the first example of engineered immunity to diverse PepMV strains in transgenic tomato based on gene silencing.     

Erhebungen zur Anwendung von chemischen Pflanzenschutzmitteln in Zuckerrüben

Freely available information on the actual use of chemical plant protection products (PPPs) in agriculture is highly necessary for a number of scientific questions and political discussions. Therefore, since 2000, regular surveys on the use of PPPs have been carried out for the most important agricultural and horticultural crops in Germany (NEPTUN projects). In 2011, they were adjusted to legal framework changes. Since then they are known as PAPA surveys with “PAPA” being an abbreviation for Panel Pesticide Applications. For each crop a network of farms was built up. In each network, the PPP application data are collected annually, anonymized and forwarded to the Julius Kühn-Institute (JKI).All surveys and analyses based on the panel refer to the Federal Republic of Germany. The participating farms are distributed throughout Germany proportionally to the production area per crop.In sugar beet cultivation the results of PAPA surveys show that the plant protection intensity has increased slightly in recent years comparing the PAPA results with the years 2005 to 2010. There are diverse reasons for this development. Difficult-to-control weeds occurred on an increasing acreage in recent years. At the same time, an early appearance of foliar diseases (approximately beginning of July) combined with warm and humid weather during the following weeks leads to the development of the main pathogen causing leaf spot diseases in sugar beet (Cercospora beticola) in many regions. A continuing development of leaf spots increases the need for repeated fungicide applications. A high infestation with aphids was the dominating reason for increased insecticide applications in some years. Additional influences on the treatment index are due to changes in the authorization of PPPs.     

Development and validation of instruments measuring body image and body weight dissatisfaction in South African mothers and their daughters

OBJECTIVE: We sought to validate questionnaires concerning body image perception, body size dissatisfaction and weight-related beliefs in multi-ethnic South African mothers and their daughters. SETTINGS AND SUBJECTS: Girls attending primary school (ages 9-12 years, n = 333) and their mothers (n = 204) were interviewed regarding their demographics and body image. Weight, height and skinfold thicknesses were measured. Body image questions and body mass index (BMI) were compared with silhouettes adapted from the Pathways Study for girls and Stunkard's body image figures for mothers. A Feel-Ideal Difference (FID) index score was created by subtracting the score of the silhouette selected by the participants as 'Ideal' from the one selected as most closely representing their current appearance or 'Feel'. We hypothesised that a higher FID index score would be associated with greater body size dissatisfaction. RESULTS: BMI percentiles in girls (r = 0.46, P < 0.05) and BMI in mothers (r = 0.68, P < 0.05) were positively correlated with the selected silhouettes based on size. Participants who reported feelings of being 'fat' and those who perceived that their family and friends were more dissatisfied with their body size had significantly higher FID index scores. Scores were lower in black than white girls (all P<0.05). No differences were found in FID index scores between ethnic groups of mothers. Internal reliability of the 'thin' and 'fat' belief constructs for girls was demonstrated by standardised Cronbach's alpha values > or = 0.7. CONCLUSION: Silhouettes, FID index, 'fat' and 'thin' belief constructs (in girls) are age-appropriate, culturally sensitive and can be used in further intervention studies to understand body image.     

Workforce development in South Africa with a focus on public health nutrition

OBJECTIVES: The present paper aims to review and report on the current and predicted future public health nutrition workforce in South Africa. Additionally, it examines ways in which the Department of Health (DOH) is striving to meet the increasing burden of nutrition-related diseases in South Africa. METHODS: The primary sources of data used for the review were reports from the Census office, South African health reviews, mortality and morbidity statistics, and documents from the Health Professions Council of South Africa. RESULTS: There are fewer than 2000 registered dietitians in South Africa and fewer than 600 of them work in the public health sector. Furthermore, professional nurses - who are the backbone of the primary health-care system and deliver the rudiments of basic nutritional care - are not being trained in sufficient numbers to meet population growth; in 2004 there was only one nurse per 4000 persons. This situation is aggravated by the growing burden of conditions associated with both overnutrition and undernutrition, as well as the enormous demands of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The DOH is striving to meet these increasing needs by means of the Integrated Nutrition Programme as well as a National Human Resources Plan which includes numerous strategies to improve the quantity and quality of health professionals' training, including dietitians and nutritionists. This plan includes the objective of increasing the public health nutrition workforce to more than 250 newly trained dietitians and nutritionists per annum by 2010.     

Prevalence and determinants of stunting and overweight in 3-year-old black South African children residing in the Central Region of Limpopo Province, South Africa

OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of stunting, wasting and overweight and their determinants in 3-year-old children in the Central Region of Limpopo Province, South Africa. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Rural villages in the Central Region of the Limpopo Province, South Africa. SUBJECTS: One hundred and sixty-two children who were followed from birth were included in the study. Anthropometric measurements and sociodemographic characteristics of the children were recorded. RESULTS: Height-for-age Z-scores were low, with a high prevalence of stunting (48%). The children also exhibited a high prevalence of overweight (22%) and obesity (24%). Thirty-one (19%) children were both stunted and overweight. Gaining more weight within the first year of life increased the risk of being overweight at 3 years by 2.39 times (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.96-4.18) while having a greater length at 1 year was protective against stunting (odds ratio (OR) 0.41; 95% CI 0.17-0.97). Having a mother as a student increased the risk for stunting at 3 years by 18.21 times (95% CI 9.46-34.74) while having a working mother increased the risk for overweight by 17.87 times (95% CI 8.24-38.78). All these factors also appeared as risks or as being protective in children who were both overweight and stunted, as did living in a household having nine or more persons (OR 5.72; 95% CI 2.7-12.10). CONCLUSION: The results of this study highlight the importance of evaluating anthropometric status in terms of both stunting and overweight. Furthermore, it is important to realise the importance of normal length and weight being attained at 1 year of age, since these in turn predict nutritional status at 3 years of age.