Department of Human Nutrition and Dietetics
http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/1460
2024-03-29T08:16:11ZDietary Patterns and Obesity among Pre- Adolescents in Nairobi, Kenya
http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/1890
Dietary Patterns and Obesity among Pre- Adolescents in Nairobi, Kenya
Malla, Janet Kajuju; Waudo, Judith; Kithinji, Ciriaka T.
Abstract: Food continues to be a major factor in the development of the whole person throughout the growing years. Food becomes a means of communication; it is intimately associated with the emotions; and its acceptance or rejection is highly personal. The pattern for obesity is often set in infancy where sometimes overeating becomes a habit. Continued nibbling of food between meals and night eating syndrome where patients suffer from a voracious appetite after the usual evening meal is also associated with obesity. This was a descriptive study aimed at investigating the relationship between dietary patterns and obesity among Pre-adolescents. Systematic random sampling was used to select pupils from two day private primary schools in Nairobi making a sample of 120 pupils. Quantitative data were analyzed by computer through the use of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Linear regression analysis was used to test the hypothesis. The study showed a significant relationship between dietary patterns of the pre-adolescents and obesity. Regression Analysis results showed that eating food three times a day and eating any time were positively correlated with obesity. Skipping meals was significant at (p<0.05) significant level.
Research Article
2017-04-01T00:00:00ZA Review of Dietary Intake and Nutritional Status of Children with Cerebral Palsy
http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/1889
A Review of Dietary Intake and Nutritional Status of Children with Cerebral Palsy
Malla, Janet Kajuju
Abstract
Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of neurologic disorders typically caused by a non-progressive lesion or abnormality of the developing brain that appears in infancy or early childhood and permanently affects body movement, muscle coordination, and balance. It is the most common cause of physical disability in childhood and is a significant health problem with major effects over the lifespan. The global prevalence of CP ranges between 2-10 per 1000 children in community-based samples with prevalence varying widely from country to country. Children are vulnerable to protein energy malnutrition (PEM) as well as micronutrient deficiencies because of their continuing growth that hikes their bodies’ demand for nutrients. This risk of malnutrition is increased in neurologically impaired (NI) children due to a number of nutritional and non-nutritional factors. Among the nutritional factors is insufficient dietary intake due to feeding difficulties resulting from impaired chewing and swallowing. Cerebral palsy may be associated with a host of comorbidities such as undernutrition (46% to 90% of the patients), Studies have reported increased prevalence of morbidity and mortality secondary to compromised nutritional status among children with CP compared to their normal counterparts in the same age group. This review is aimed at assessing the effect of dietary intake on nutrition status of children with cerebral palsy. A review of various publications was conducted using the key words, Cerebral Palsy, disability, and feeding difficulties. This review shows that feeding difficulties due to motor dysfunction is common in children with CP and may reduce their dietary intake resulting to poor health and nutritional status. There is need to develop effective interventions aimed at improving the dietary intake of children with CP. Such interventions could help mitigate poor nutritional status as well as improve their quality of life.
Research Article
2022-04-01T00:00:00ZEffect of Moringa Oleifera fortified porridge consumption on protein and vitamin A status of children with cerebral palsy in Nairobi, Kenya: A randomized controlled trial
http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/1888
Effect of Moringa Oleifera fortified porridge consumption on protein and vitamin A status of children with cerebral palsy in Nairobi, Kenya: A randomized controlled trial
Malla, Janet Kajuju; Ochola, Sophie; Ogada, Irene; Munyaka, Ann
Abstract
Background
Malnutrition due to inadequate dietary intake is commonly reported in children with Cerebral palsy (CP). Poor dietary intakes are majorly caused by feeding dysfunctions secondary to oro-motor impairment characteristic of the condition. Strategies that improve nutrient densities in foods can help enhance nutrient intakes by these children.
Objective
This study investigated the effect of consumption of fermented finger millet porridge fortified with Moringa oleifera leaf powder (MoLP) on the protein and vitamin A status of children with CP.
Design
A randomized controlled trial was conducted among 113 children aged 5–11 years with CP. The study had two arms (intervention [N = 57] and control [N = 56]). The intervention group received a daily serving of fortified finger millet porridge for 3 months while the control group received non-fortified finger millet porridge servings. All children received the same amounts of porridge servings. The levels of serum albumin and retinol between the groups were compared
at both baseline and end line. The BMI-for-age Z-scores (BMIAZ) and morbidity prevalence of the children were also assessed.
Results
At baseline, the two study groups were similar in all demographic and socio-economic characteristics, nutrient intakes, serum levels of albumin and retinol, weight status and morbidity. At end line, the children from the intervention group had significantly higher intakes of vitamin A at 717.12±432.7 μg/d (p = 0.038) and protein at 44.367±17.2 g/d (p = 0.031) respectively. The serum nutrients levels increased significantly from baseline by 0.456±0.12 g/dL (p<0.001) for albumin and by 0.243±0.10 μmol/L (p<0.001) for retinol among children in the
intervention group. Among the children in the control group, the changes in the levels of both serum albumin 0.012±0.07 g/dL (p = 0.868) and serum retinol [0.0021±0.02 μmol/L (p= 0.890)] were not significant. At endline, the BMI-for-age Z-scores results showed that 10.52% and 34.0% of children from intervention and control group respectively were undernourished [χ2 = 30.985; p = 0.037]. Among the children in the intervention, group there was a significant change in the weight status between baseline and endline (p = 0.036). The weight status among children in the control group was not significantly different between
baseline and endline (p = 0.109). Significant difference in morbidity prevalence between the two groups was also observed at endline (p = 0.003) with the prevalence being 24.6% and 51.8% among children in the intervention and control group respectively.
Conclusion
Consumption of M. oleifera fortified porridge significantly improved the children’s serum albumin and retinol levels, as well as BMIAZ.
Journal Article
2022-11-04T00:00:00ZNutritional Value and Sensory Acceptability of M. oleifera Fortified Finger Millet Porridge for Children with Cerebral Palsy in Nairobi County, Kenya
http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/1887
Nutritional Value and Sensory Acceptability of M. oleifera Fortified Finger Millet Porridge for Children with Cerebral Palsy in Nairobi County, Kenya
Malla, Janet Kajuju; Ochola, Sophie; Ogada, Irene; Munyaka, Ann
Abstract
Nutritional deficiencies and other nutritional comorbidities commonly affect children with cerebral palsy. Interventions through fortification to enhance nutrient densities of foods for these groups may improve their intakes and consequently their nutritional and health status. This study was undertaken to determine the
nutritional value and sensory acceptability of a finger millet porridge fortified with Moringa oleifera leaf powder. Standard methods approved by the Association of Official Analytical Chemists were adopted for determination of nutrient and anti-nutrient content of samples. Sensory evaluation was conducted according to the method of Larmond (1977). Statistical analysis was conducted with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Sciences software version 20. One-way analysis of variance with a post-hoc test of Least Significant Difference to separate the means was used to compare the nutrient and anti-nutrient content of samples. Independent t-test was used to test difference in mean sensory scores between fortified and control porridge. The results showed that Moleifera leaf powder had significantly higher contents of protein and β-carotene, which were the target nutrients for fortification of the fermented finger millet flour. Fermentation reduced the levels of anti-nutrients in finger millet flour. Fortification of the fermented finger millet flour with M. oleifera leaf powder at the ratio of 9:1 significantly improved the protein and β-carotene content of the fortified flour and did not significantly affect the sensory acceptability of the fortified porridge. This study confirmed the potential for Moleifera as suitable fortificant in finger millet porridge formulations to improve both protein and β-carotene intake in target populations
Journal Article
2021-10-10T00:00:00Z