Barriers To Health facility-based Dietary Approaches To Stop Hypertension among Older Persons in Gweru Urban settings, Zimbabwe

Low diet quality is a driver of general and micronutrient malnutrition in urban and rural areas. The objective was to compare malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies linked to dietary intake among urban and rural schoolchildren from food insecure settings in Kenya. The cross-sectional study was conducted among urban and rural schoolchildren aged 7–9 years. Height and weight were measured, venous blood samples were assessed and data on dietary intake was collected. After screening out children with hemoglobin >12.2 g/dL and moderate or severe undernutrition, a total of 36 urban and 35 rural children participated. The prevalence of moderate underweight, wasting, and stunting were lower in urban than in rural children, with significant differences in median z-scores for underweight (p < 0.001) and wasting (p < 0.001). Significantly higher values for serum ferritin (p = 0.012) and zinc (p < 0.001) were found in urban children. Yet, the median adequacy ratios were higher for vitamin C (p = 0.045), iron (p = 0.003), and zinc (p = 0.003) in rural than in urban children. General nutritional, iron, and zinc status were significantly better in slightly anemic urban children than in rural ones. Improving the nutrition of schoolchildren in urban and rural settings requires different dietary approaches.

BACKGROUND: The increased prevalence of obesity and function limitations associated with aging are major public health problems in the U.S. The risk of developing obesity and functional limitations is higher in minority populations living in urban settings and previous research has shown that Tai Chi, resistance training, and diet individually result in increased levels of physical function and facilitate healthy weight loss. However, the combination of these specific interventions has yet to be examined in obese older women in an urban setting. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to examine a combined resistance training (RT), Tai Chi, and a behaviorally-based dietary intervention on physical function. METHODS: Using a non-randomized design, 28 obese women (65.2 ± 8.1 yr) completed a 12-week intervention; participants were assigned to an intervention group (EXD, BMI = 38.83 ± 5.06) or a control group (CON, BMI = 36.57 ± 3.39). The EXD group (n = 19) participated in Tai Chi three times per week for 45 minutes, RT twice per week for 45 minutes (2-3 sets, 10-15 reps), and a dietary session using a modified Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension Diet once per week for 45 minutes. The CON group (n = 9) was asked to continue their normal lifestyle. Outcomes measured were the short physical performance battery (SPPB), the timed up and go (TUG), chair-sit and reach to measure flexibility, and leg and grip strength. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used for between-group comparisons adjusted for baseline values. RESULTS: TUG time was significantly reduced by 0.64 ± 2.1 sec (p = 0.04) in the EXD group while the CON group saw a significant increase of 0.71 sec (p = 0.051). Flexibility measurements improved by 2.31 ± 5.4 cm in the EXD group (p = 0.08), however, the CON group saw no significant changes from baseline (1.69 cm ± 6.97; p = 0.51). CONCLUSION: Tai Chi, RT, and dietary changes helped improve performance on TUG time and flexibility, but there were no statistically significant increases in muscle strength measures or SPPB scores. Further research should be conducted using this combination of interventions with a larger sample size to verify these findings.

Purpose: This study aims to investigate entrepreneurship pedagogy to enhance entrepreneurship intention among secondary school students. Research methodology: The researchers self-administered 100 questionnaires to educators in secondary schools in Gweru Urban Schools, obtaining a response rate of 92%. Quantitative data were analyzed using regression to establish a relationship between entrepreneurship pedagogy and entrepreneurship intention. Results: Results showed that entrepreneurship Experiential learning was positively correlated with entrepreneurship intention. In addition, the results showed that entrepreneurship design thinking, problem-based learning, and collaborative pedagogy were positively correlated with entrepreneurship intention. Limitations: This study faced methodological constraints because it used a population from an urban setting. However, further studies covering developing countries in Africa are recommended. Contribution: This study contributes to policy and curriculum changes in the way entrepreneurship pedagogies are implemented in developing countries. Novelty: This study integrates entrepreneurship pedagogies applicable to entrepreneurship education to achieve entrepreneurship intention in secondary schools in developing countries using Sociocultural Theory.

Obesity is a public health problem affecting approximately 35.4% of Americans 60 years of age or older and African-American women are considered at high-risk for obesity. Exercise and diet are effective at reducing the risk of chronic diseases. Resistance training (RT) has been reported to preserve or increase skeletal muscle mass, functional status, well-being, and improve memory. Tai Chi (TC), a form of martial art, is an exercise composed of slow deliberate movements that can result in improvements in cardiovascular disease risk factors including body composition, but no studies have combined diet, RT and TC in a community-based study in obese older women with a strong minority representation. Purpose: To examine the effects of combined TC, RT and diet on percent body fat (%BF) in obese older women in an urban setting. Methods: A 12-week intervention with 26 obese women (65% AfricanAmerican), using a non-randomized design to a TC, RT, plus Diet group (EXD, n=19, age 65.1 ± 8.1 years, BMI = 38.8 ± 5.1 kg/m 2 ) or a control group (CON, n=9, age 65.5 ± 8.6 years, BMI = 36.5 ± 3.4 kg/m 2 ). Height and weight were assessed using standard techniques. Percent BF was assessed using a bioelectrical impedance analysis at baseline and at the end of the intervention in the morning in a fasted state. The EXD group participated in three, 45 min TC sessions, two, 45 min RT sessions and a one day, 45 min per week behaviorally-based dietary lesson using the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet. The CON group was asked to maintain their normal diet and daily routine. Between-group (EXD vs. CON) changes in the primary and exploratory outcome variables from baseline to post-testing were determined via analysis of covariance. Results: There were no significant withinor between-group differences in %BF (EXD: -0.33 ± 1.5, p = 0.39 vs. CON: 0.31 ± 3.2, p = 0.55; between-group p = 0.55). Conclusion: This combination of TC, RT, and dietary modifications study did not have a substantial effect on lowering %BF in this urban population of obese women, but a larger, more comprehensive study may need to be done to verify these results.

Social problem solving training for African Americans: Effects on dietary problem solving skill and DASH diet-related behavior change

A Healthy Asian A Posteriori Dietary Pattern Correlates with A Priori Dietary Patterns and Is Associated with Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors in a Multiethnic Asian Population

FIGURE 3. Neocosella laurifolia n. sp. CGF—coxigenital area of female; D—dorsal view of female; E—empodium; IG—internal genitalia of female; L—lateral view of female; L1—legs І; L2—legs І. (Scale bar: CGF, IG—21; D, L— 31; L1, L2—17).