Asia Pacific Clinical Nutrition award for 1996 -Takehiko Tanaka. A OKADA
Editorial. Internet and the International Nutritional Community. BH-H HSU-HAGE, M-C WANG
Abstracts
Patrick Kolsteren
Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition (1996) Volume 5, Number 2: 59-69
The relationship between early post-natal growth and the possible links with intra-uterine development is emphasised in this review. In some Asian populations linear growth faltering starts very early after birth and the deficit is most marked in the first six months of life. Catch-up growth, later in life, is possible. Children in developing countries, however, will most often become short adults. The environment is not permissive for a catch-up growth. A conceptual model has been constructed and divided in two parts: intra-uterine factors and factors in the first year of life. Only those determinants which the author considered important for the link between fetal life and early post-natal linear growth are analysed.
Anthony Worsley BSc(Hons) PhD
Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition (1996) Volume 5, Number 2: 70-78
Two surveys examined supermarket shoppers' views of food label nutrition information terms. Approximately four out of five of the respondents were women. The first study, conducted among 941 shoppers in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide showed that information about cholesterol, fats, additives and health claims was perceived to be most important among 15 items of food label information. Extensive differences between the perceptions of members of different demographic groups were observed.
Principal components analysis of the ratings data derived three components which were named Positive Nutrition, Additives and Cholesterol, Calories and Claims. Women had significantly higher scores on all three components.
The second study of 631 shoppers in Sydney examined their ratings of the usefulness of 25 food and nutr 1000 ition terms. The results confirmed the findings from the first study; information about negative as well as positive food constituents was perceived to be most useful and important. The study showed:
Divergence between consumers' and experts' views of the usefulness of label information; consumers were less interested in energy content, dietary fibre and more interested in a variety of other constituents such as cholesterol and flavourings.
Differences in desired label information between groups of consumers according to their gender, educational background, and other demographic characteristics.
Principal components analysis of the ratings broadly confirmed the findings of the first study: attitudes toward food label information were distributed along five components named Positive Nutrients, Additives, Fats, Salt and Sugars, and, Unfamiliar Concepts. Several statistically significant but small demographic differences were found.
The studies' findings suggest that there is a need for food product labels which more fully reflect consumers' perceptions of foods, especially information about "additives" and "negative nutrients. Negotiation is required between the different perspectives of consumer groups, regulators, nutrition educators and industry personnel about label design and content.
B Rabe MSc, MH Thamrin MD, R Gross PhD, NW Solomons MD, W Schultink PhD
Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition (1996) Volume 5, Number 2: 79-83
The body mass index (BMI) has been promoted as a useful indicator for chronic energy deficiency, and to a lesser extent to indicate obesity. For the growing sector of elderly in developing countries, such as Indonesia, both issues are taking on public health relevance. The aging process leads to a progressive loss of height, and questions have been raised as to the appropriate value to include in the denominator of the BMI formula, WT(kg)/HT(m2), when applied in this age-group. The armspan has been advanced as a surrogate for height, correcting for the lifelong loss of stature. In a data-set from 69 elderly in Indonesia, 36 women and 33 men, aged 60 to 69 y, we have examined the interrelationships of height and armspan. The correlation coefficient for the regression of the two measures were r = 0.83 and r = 0.81 (p < 0.001), for women and men, respectively.
Substituting the armspan term in the denominator to compose a Body Mass using Armspan (BMA) Index, we observe for this population a 32% increase in estimates for Chronic Energy Deficiency (CED) for women and 24% increase in estimates of CED for men. Corresponding estimates for obesity rates declined by 45% and 81% respectively. The senescent changes in stature raise important questions for our capacity to estimate prevalences of body composition disorders in the older population.
Prasong Tienboon MD(Chiang Mai), Mark L Wahlqvist MD(Adel), MD(Uppsala), FRACP
Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition (1996) Volume 5, Number 2: 84-87
This paper on the experience in Chiang Mai, Thailand, highlighted some of the features of the nature of the paediatric human immunodeficiency virus infection. In Chiang Mai, the incidence of positive HIV tests in pregnant women was 1- 2% and the perinatal transmission rate was approximately 40%. One particular characteristic of HIV infection in Chiang Mai is the association with Penicillium marneffei skin infection. Common clinical features of HIV-infected children are similar to protein energy malnutrition. Once malnutrition occurs in HIV-infected children, the disease deteriorates and the prognosis is worsened. In order to reduce morbidity and mortality in Thai HIV-infected children, early and aggressive nutrition support seems to be a crucial factor in their management. However, Thailand is in a difficult situation as the country is already trying to eradicate malnutrition in children, pregnant and lactating women and is now faced with the added burden of dealing with the secondary malnutrition resulting from the HIV/AIDS epidemic. A preliminary study of 24 HIV positive children (12 boys, 12 girls) aged 1-26 months admitted to the Chiang Mai University Hospital was conducted. Eighty-eight percent of the subjects were malnourished, and a quarter had percent weight for age less than or equal to 60% (third degree protein energy malnutrition). Five (21%) subjects had birthweights less than or equal to 2,500g. To date, over 100 cases of paediatric HIV have been admitted to the Chiang Mai University Hospital. Nutrition plays and important role in HIV infection. Further research is urgently needed in various areas of nutrition and paediatric HIV/AIDS to improve clinical care. A case history of paediatric AIDS was also shown.
Fatimah Arshad PhD(UBC), MS, BS(LSU), PostGradDip(London) SRD, Md Idris Mohd Nor MD(UKM) MPH(Hawaii), Romzi Md Ali BScDietetic(UKM) and Faizah Hamzah BSc(UKM)
Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition (1996) Volume 5, Number 2: 88-91
Diet is one of the major factors contributing to the development of obesity, apart from heredity and energy balance. The objective of this cross-sectional study is to assess energy, carbohydrate, protein and fat intakes in relation to bodyweight status among government office workers in Kuala Lumpur. A total of 185 Malay men and 196 Malay women aged 18 and above were randomly selected as the study sample. Height and weight were taken to determine body mass index (BMI). The dietary profile was obtained by using 24-hour dietary recalls and food frequency methods. This was analysed to determine average nutrient intake per day. Other information was ascertained from tested and coded questionnaires. The subjects were categorised into three groups of bodyweight status namely underweight (BMI < 20 kg/m 1000 2), normal weight (BMI 20-25 kg/m2) and obese (BMI > 25 kg/m2). The prevalence of obesity was 37.8%. The study showed that the mean energy intake of the respondents was 1709 637 kcal/day. The energy composition comprised of 55.7 7.6% carbohydrates, 29.7 21.7 % fat and 15.6 3.8% protein. There was no significant difference in diet composition among the three groups. The findings indicate that normal weight and overweight individuals had a lower intake of calories and carbohydrates than the underweight individuals (p<0.05). However, there were no significant differences in fat intakes.
RA Warden BSc DipNutrDiet MHPEd, BJ Wallis BSc BA(Hons) DipEd MAPS
Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition (1996) Volume 5, Number 2: 92-95
Objective: To identify nutrition topics
considered important for inclusion in Newcastle undergraduate
medical education, and compare them to those from a traditional
medical school.
Design: A survey, using a mailed questionnaire, listing 38
major nutrition topics. Respondents were instructed to rank
topics as essential, important, desirable, does not belong or
don't know. Responses were identified by participant group
only.
Participants: All members of the University of Newcastle
medical faculty, general practitioners (GPs) available for final
year teaching and dietitians working in the region of the medical
school.
Main outcome measures: Rated
importance of listed nutrition topics; comparison between
participant groups and previous survey.
Results: More than 60% of the Newcastle respondents
overall nominated 30 of the 38 topics essential or important.
For 31 of the 38 topics, a higher percentage of respondents in
the Newcastle survey ranked the topic as essential or important.
Newcastle medical faculty considered nutrition education
significantly more essential (p=0.03) than their peers from a
traditional medical faculty.
Conclusions: Both Newcastle Medical Faculty and GPs have a
strong commitment to nutrition in medical education. Differences
between the level of interest in Nutrition education in problem
based and traditional courses are postulated to be due to beliefs
regarding the importance of nutrition in the practice of
medicine, the structure of the course and the extent of
integration within the curriculum.
N Nalini MSc, S Chitra MSc, K Sabitha MSc, P Viswanathan MD and Venugopal P Menon MSc PhD
Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition (1996) Volume 5, Number 2: 96-99
Effect of Cocos nucifera and red chilli on intestinal B-glucuronidase and faecal mucinase activity, was studied in rats given 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH). The average weight gain by the animals given coconut kernel was more than the DMH and chilli treated groups. The activity of B-glucuronidase decreased in the kernel groups, in most of the tissues studied, as compared to the DMH and chilli treated groups. A similar pattern was observed in the case of mucinase. Morphological studies showed that the number of visible malignant tumours decreased in the colon and intestine of the animals, when their diet was supplemented with coconut kernel. Histopathological studies also showed that the animals had fewer papillae, lesser infiltration into the sub-mucosa and lesser changes in the cytoplasm with decreased mitotic figures, when kernel was included in the diet. Coconut kernel, thus reduced the mutagenic and carcinogenic effect of chilli and DMH respectively.
Ima-Nirwana S, Z Merican, Jamaluddin M and Khalid BAK
Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition (1995) Volume 4, Number 3:100-104
The atherogenic potential of soybean oil (Sb) and palm oil (PO) was compared by measuring lipid profile, lipid peroxidation (LP) and activity of the antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx) in rat sera and liver and heart homogenates. Male Rattus norwegicus rats were fed a basal diet, or basal diet fortified with 20% weight/ weight Sb or PO for 4 or 9 months. There was no difference in high density lipoprotein cholesterol:low density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio between the two groups, but triglyceride concentrations were higher in the PO fed rats compared to the Sb fed rats, although the difference diminished after 9 months. No differences in serum LP and GSHPx activity were seen between the two groups. In the liver and heart, LP was lower in PO after 4 months feeding, but the reverse was seen after 9 months. Liver and heart GSHPx activity was higher in the PO group after both treatment periods. In conclusion, both PO and Sb fed rats appeared comparable in their lipid profile, but the PO food had a temporary beneficial effect on the LP process in liver and heart. GSHPx activity however did not correlate well with LP in liver and heart, suggesting involvement of other antioxidants.
Colquhoun DM MBBS FRACP, Hicks BJ RN BHMS, Reed AW Mphil(Sc)
Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition (1996) Volume 5, Number 2:105-107
Three grades of olive oil and ten vegetable cooking oils were analysed for their phenolic content. It was hypothesised that as olive oil passed through the chemical extraction process, polyphenols would 706 also be removed, thus reducing the antioxidant properties of olive oil. Other commonly used edible vegetable oils were analysed for comparative reasons. Extra virgin olive oil was found to have the greatest amount (48 mg/gram of oil) of polyphenols, when compared with other olive or vegetable oils. No polyphenols were detected in sunflower, walnut, peanut or almond oils. All other oils tested had a polyphenolic content between 2 and 10 mg/gram of oil. The results of the study confirms the above hypothesis that the phenolic content of olive oil is reduced by chemical extraction and refining.
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