Children's Diets Research Articles

Dental Erosion and Diet in Young Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review

Dental erosion is the irreversible loss of tooth enamel caused by acid attack without any bacterial involvement. Interest in dental erosion has increased considerably during the past decade. This paper aims to determine the prevalence of and association of dental erosion with diet or beverages in children. A systematic review of the literature has been carried out in accordance with the PRISMA recommendations. A search was performed in PubMed, Embase Scopus and Web of Science databases, and completed manually. Those studies that dealt with erosive risk factors related to diet and that included their effect on deciduous or mixed dentition were selected. Dual independent screening, data extraction and risk of bias assessment were concluded. A total number of 708 articles were identified from the initial electronic search of the four databases. Some 466 articles were selected after duplicated articles were discarded. After reading the title and abstract, we eliminated 376 articles; the remaining 90 were meant to be read in order that we could dispatch the ones that did not answer the research question or the inclusion criteria. A total of 25 articles remained for the systematic review. Erosive lesions are favored by the consumption of carbonated and isotonic drinks, fruit juices and acid sauces. Carbonated, isotonic drinks and fruit drinks favor the development of erosive lesions, not so the consumption of fruit juices mixed with dairy products such as milkshakes, yogurts and/or tea. The findings of this article will help researchers, academics and students to characterize the scientific results regarding dental erosion and diet, to evaluate management strategies and to identify significant topics and questions that will help to design future research with the aim of the prevention of the disease. Registration number: CDR42023389750.

A147 “ALREADY GLUTEN-FREE”: A CASE REPORT AND INTERNAL REVIEW OF CHALLENGES IN THE DIAGNOSTIC WORK-UP FOR CHILDREN WITH CELIAC DISEASE

Abstract Background A single positive tissue transglutaminase IgA (TTG) result does not diagnose celiac disease (CeD). Starting a gluten free diet (GFD) without the proper approach to diagnosis can result in misdiagnosis and inappropriate lifelong gluten restriction. Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection can be a mimicker of CeD symptomatically, biochemically, and histologically. Purpose We report a case of a patient referred for CeD with a false-positive TTG and severe iron deficiency anemia who had started a GFD at the time of referral. Method In addition to the case review, we reviewed referrals for possible CeD from June 1 to September 1, 2022 at McMaster Children’s Hospital to identify the proportion of patients started on a partial or full GFD before their initial gastroenterology consultation. Result(s) Case Report: A 10-year-old female was referred for a positive TTG result 6x the upper limit of normal (72 U/mL; ULN 12U/mL) and iron deficiency anemia with a hemoglobin (Hb) of 85 and MCV of 62. She had been informed her blood work was diagnostic for CeD and to start a GFD prior to referral to Pediatric Gastroenterology. At the time of consultation she had symptoms of GERD, diarrhea, and epigastric pain. Following her consultation, she started a 6-month gluten challenge to proceed to endoscopy. During this time her TTG normalized (2.7 U/ml), however her iron deficiency anemia persisted and was refractory to iron supplementation (Hb 90, MCV 65.9). Endoscopy revealed flattened mucosa in D2 but was otherwise normal. Villous blunting in D1 with severe lymphoplasmacytic gastritis in the body with microabscesses was seen on biopsies. H. pylori was negative on Warthin-Starry staining and the pathologist reported a Marsh stage of 3a. Despite the villous blunting, due to the normalized TTG and ongoing epigastric pain, anemia, and presence of lymphoid follicles, a carbon-14 urea breath test was completed which was positive for H. pylori (count rate 286 dpm, normal < 50 dpm). The patient received treatment for H. pylori infection for 14 days with 8 week follow-up revealing a negative breath test. There was complete resolution of symptoms, normalization of laboratory results (Hb 143, MCV 82), and negative TTG at 6 months. Quality improvement review On internal review of the patients seen in celiac clinic as new referrals from June 1 to September 1 2022, 22/55 patients (42%) had already started a full or partial GFD, therefore requiring gluten challenge and delay in diagnostic investigations. Conclusion(s) This case demonstrates the importance of following confirmational testing pathways for CeD. It highlights the role of considering potential causes of false positive TTG and the differential diagnosis of CeD such as H. pylori, NSAIDs, and Crohn’s disease. The identification of 42% of patients referred for suspected CeD who were already on a GFD, suggests a need for improved education of primary care providers to prevent misdiagnosis and unnecessary life-long gluten elimination diets in children. Please acknowledge all funding agencies by checking the applicable boxes below None Disclosure of Interest None Declared

The Child and Adult Care Food Program and young children's health: a systematic review.

The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) is a federal nutrition program that supports young children's nutrition. Its potential impacts on child well-being have not been summarized. The objective of this review was to summarize the evidence for the impact of CACFP on children's diet quality, weight status, food insecurity, and cognitive development. Databases searched included MEDLINE, CAB Abstracts, Web of Science Core Collection, ERIC, PsycInfo, Dissertations & Theses Global (Proquest), EconLit, NBER, and the USDA's Economic Research Service (ERS), from database inception to November 12, 2021. Studies were included if the sample drew from child care programs serving children between the ages of 2years and 18years and if a comparison group of nonparticipating programs was included. Two reviewers independently extracted data on study design, year(s) of data collection, region, sample size, participant demographics, outcomes, and risk of bias. Due to the heterogeneity of the studies, a narrative synthesis was used. Nineteen articles were reviewed, most of which had been published since 2012. Seventeen used cross-sectional designs. Twelve evaluated foods and beverages served; 4 evaluated dietary intake; 4 evaluated the child care nutrition environment; 2 evaluated food insecurity, 1 evaluated weight status; none evaluated cognitive outcomes. Studies typically found either a small beneficial association with CACFP or no significant association. Currently, evidence for an association between CACFP and children's health is inconclusive, though it is slightly suggestive of a benefit for some dietary quality outcomes. More research, with stronger study designs, is needed. A protocol for this systematic review was registered with the PROSPERO systematic review protocol registry (PROSPERO 2021 CRD42021254423).

Clinical application of souvenir design based on Cao’s kite visual elements in the treatment of autistic children

BackgroundAutism occurs in infancy. Its clinical symptoms are mainly social disorder, communication disorder, interest limitation, etc., and are accompanied by different degrees of intellectual development disorders. Cao’s kite was carved by descendants of the Kong Xiangze family according to the kite binding method recorded in Cao Xueqin’s works. The kite contains the pursuit and yearning for a better life inside, and its external patterns and composition features are quite attractive. Therefore, the research applies the souvenir design of Cao’s kite visual elements to the treatment of autistic children for clinical auxiliary diagnosis and treatment.Subjects and MethodsThe more obvious externalization of autistic children is their picky eating behavior. Therefore, 30 autistic children were taken as the research object, of which 18 children were still treated in the traditional way as the control group, and the other 12 children were treated as the experimental group using the souvenir design of Cao’s kite visual elements as an auxiliary way of diagnosis and treatment. The mental health status was analyzed by observing the behavioral changes in their diet. A total of three experimental interventions were carried out to calculate the average number of nausea and retching during the three intervention periods, and SPSS20.0 statistical software was used to conduct statistics and analysis of relevant data. The results are shown in Table 1.Table 1.The number of retching after intervention in two groups of autistic childrenExperience groupControl groupDays1-1010-2020-301-1010-2020-30CategoryFirstSecondThirdFirstSecondThirdLeek100124Eggs0.512.5122.5Melons and vegetables2201.523Dried beans and soybean milk20.5023.55Steamed buns62.5077.58Black rice-42-34ResultsThe picky eating behavior of autistic children is manifested by their tolerance to food, which will lead to the physiological manifestations of nausea and retching. In the experimental results, the number of times of retching of children in the experimental group decreased except the number of eggs, among which the number of leeks, melons, dried beans, soybean milk and steamed bread decreased to zero; The control group showed an upward trend. The results show that the assistant diagnosis and treatment method designed by the souvenir of Cao’s kite visual elements is effective in treating children with autism.ConclusionsIn addition to the problems of autistic temperament, the diet and health of autistic children are also the focus of clinical attention. The effect of traditional diagnosis and treatment is limited, and the effect is not obvious. The souvenir design of Cao’s kite visual elements, as an auxiliary diagnosis and treatment method with visual impact, has strong appeal among children’s patients, and can effectively alleviate the symptoms of children’s autism.

Community Empowerment to Prevent Stunting Through Integrated Health Promotion in Cilayung Village, Jatinangor Sub-District

ABSTRACT Stunting is a growth disorder or a short (dwarf) child's height compared to his age standard. Of the problems that occurred in Cilayung Village, out of 517 toddlers, 12 experienced stunting and delays in thinking processes. This report provides an overview of community empowerment to increase community knowledge and skills in stunting prevention through integrated health promotion programs. This community empowerment program is carried out using a hybrid method. Preparatory activities are carried out offline and online, while extension and training implementation activities are carried out directly or offline. The results of the community empowerment program show that it can increase community knowledge and participation in efforts to prevent stunting in Cilayung Village, Jatinangor District. Much of the increase in public understanding and awareness is related to the importance of exclusive breastfeeding for infants, food processing for toddlers aged 2-5 years, maternal reproductive health and nutritious diets for children, and early stimulation for children in preventing stunting. The integrated stunting prevention health promotion program is expected to become one of the additional programs that aim to prevent stunting in Indonesia by developing capabilities and independence through community empowerment. Keywords: Community Empowerment, Health Promotion, Integrated Programs, Prevention, Stunting

Pharmacology and non-pharmacology treatment in a way of well controlled childhood asthma

Introduction and purpose: Asthma is a chronic disease of air pathways which is characterized by episodic or persistent reversible airflow obstruction with chronic inflammation of respiratory tract and increased bronchial reactivity. Our aim is to broaden patients’ knowledge concerning suitable diet and exercises which can help in controlling asthma symptoms. Description of the state of knowledge: A diet rich in vegetables and fruit contains a huge amount of fiber and anti-inflammatory flavonoids. introducing plant products into the diet of children with asthma improves parameters such as FEV1, FVC and PEF. Dairy products, on the other hand, are associated with worsening of these parameters and are not recommended for patients with asthma. The aforementioned effects are related to the presence of cow's milk protein and increased activity of interleukin 17. The Western diet being rich in animal fats and low in fiber is not recommended for patients with asthma. This is primarily due to resulting difficulty in maintaining a healthy body weight and the pro-inflammatory properties of animal fats. Conclusions: In light of the impact of a suitable diet on the reduction of asthma symptoms, it is recommended to increase the share of vegetables and fruit in the daily menu of asthmatics and to limit their consumption of animal fats. In addition, young patients are encouraged to undertake physical activity adapted to their individual abilities.

Use of zinc deposited in deciduous teeth as a retrospective measurement of dietary zinc exposure during early development.

We proposed that zinc (Zn) deposition in deciduous teeth would be a timed record of exposure to this essential micronutrient over very early life. We tested this hypothesis by gathering information on the maternal and child's diet during pregnancy and early infancy and measuring mineral deposition in the dentine at points during deciduous tooth development. We developed a short food frequency questionnaire (S-FFQ) to record consumption of food containing Zn during pregnancy and over the first year of life of the child in an Indonesian population. Zn, Sr and Ca were measured by laser ablation ICP-MS in a series of points across the developmental timeline in deciduous teeth extracted from 18 children undergoing the process as part of dental treatment whose mothers completed the SFFQ. Mothers and children were classified into either high Zn or low Zn groups according to calculated daily Zn intake. The Zn/Sr ratio in dentine deposited over late pregnancy and 0-3 months post-partum was higher (p < 0.001, 2-way ANOVA; p < 0.05 by Holm-Sidak post hoc test) in the teeth of children of mothers classified as high Zn consumers (n = 10) than in children of mothers classified as low Zn consumers (n = 8). The S-FFQ was validated internally as adequately accurate to measure zinc intake retrospectively during pregnancy and post-partum (∼7 years prior) by virtue of the correlation with measurements of zinc in deciduous teeth. The ratio of Zn/Sr in deciduous teeth appears to be a biomarker of exposure to zinc nutrition during early development and offers promise for use as a record of prior exposure along a timeline for research studies and, potentially, to identify individuals at heightened risk of detrimental impacts of poor early life zinc nutrition on health in later life and to implement preventative interventions.

ANALISIS PENGARUH FAKTOR MATERNAL DAN POLA ASUH TERHADAP PSIKOMOTORIK BAYI USIA 3-24 BULAN SEBAGAI SKRINING PENCEGAHAN STUNTING DI KABUPATEN BONE BOLANGO

This study intends to analyze the influence of maternal factors and parenting styles on the psychomotor of infants aged 3-24 months in preventing stunting. The test method with partial and simultaneous logistic regression to analyze maternal factors and parenting patterns consists of: Age at marriage, Knowledge of stunting, and Child's eating patterns, which are then associated with the infant's psychomotor. In 2021 and 2022, Ulantha Village will rank first as a Priority Village in preventing and overcoming stunting in Bone Bolango Regency. Although the stunting rate has decreased, it is not much different from previous years. These insignificant changes prompted research to analyze the influence of maternal factors and parenting styles on the psychomotor aspects of infants aged 3-24 months to determine the potential for stunting as a basis for making Regional Stunting Prevention Policies in Bone Bolango District. The results are based on partial logistic regression testing that the variables Age at marriage, Diet and Knowledge about stunting have a significant effect on children's psychomotor. Through simultaneous logistic regression analysis it is known that age at marriage, Knowledge about stunting and children's diet also has a significant effect on children's psychomotor skills. In conclusion, stunting prevention needs to be done as early as possible by screening children before the golden period ends, namely before the child is 2 years old, one of which is by monitoring the growth and development of children through the psychomotor abilities of children under 2 years of age, so it is hoped that stunting can be prevented and restored.

The Ketogenic Diet in Children with Epilepsy: A Focus on Parental Stress and Family Compliance

(1) Background: The aim of our study was to evaluate parental stress after 6 and 12 months of a ketogenic diet, considering demographic and clinical variables (epilepsy type, epilepsy duration, seizure number, antiseizure medications, comorbidities, efficacy, and adverse events). (2) Methods: We consecutively enrolled 36 children aged between 3 and 10 years who had been diagnosed with various types of drug-resistant epilepsy and who were in therapy with a ketogenic diet for better seizure control. A standardized neuropsychological questionnaire (Parenting Stress Index-PSI) was administered to the parents evaluating parental stress at baseline (T0), after 6 (T1) months, and after 12 months (T2). (3) Results: After 6 and 12 months of dietary treatment, Parental Distress and Total Stress mean scores were statistically significantly increased. Post hoc analysis showed no significant changes in the scores between T0 and T1, although there was a significant increase between T1 and T2. We did not find statistically significant relationships between parental stress and the other variables considered. (4) Conclusions: The ketogenic diet can be challenging for parents and can affect the perception of parental stress, especially in the long term. Parents may feel inadequate in their role; therefore, they should be helped and encouraged through additional supports in order to maximize the adherence to diet therapy.

Low bioavailability of dietary iron among Brazilian children: Study in a representative sample from the Northeast, Southeast, and South regions.

Despite all efforts, iron deficiency anemia remains a serious public health problem among Brazilian children. To evaluate dietary iron intake and dietary practices that interfere with the absorption of this nutrient from three regions of Brazil. Brazil Kids Nutrition and Health Study is a cross-sectional dietary intake study in children aged 4-13.9 years old designed to investigate nutrient intakes and gaps of Brazilian children in a representative sample of households from Northeast, Southeast and South regions. Nutrient intake was assessed based on multiple-pass 24-h dietary recall and U.S. National Cancer Institute method was used to estimate usual micronutrients intakes and compliance with Dietary Reference Intakes. Five hundred sixteen individuals participated in the study (52.3% male). The top three most consumed food sources of iron were products of plant origin. Food sources of animal origin contributed with <20% of the total iron intake. Vitamin C intake was adequate, but the concomitant consumption of food sources of vitamin C with plant food sources of iron was not common. On the other hand, the concomitant intake of plant food sources of iron with food sources of iron chelators (e.g., coffee and teas) was frequent. Adequate iron intake was observed in all three regions in Brazil. Children's diet showed low iron bioavailability and insufficient consumption of food sources of iron absorption stimulants. Frequent presence of iron chelators and inhibitors of iron absorption might help to explain the high prevalence of iron deficiency in the country.

Self-Reported Parental Healthy Dietary Behavior Relates to Views on Child Feeding and Health and Diet Quality.

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate whether parental views on child feeding and its impact on health differ between those parents whose self-perception was that they followed a healthy diet to those who do not. Furthermore, differences in the child's diet quality and weight were compared between the groups. Parents of 2-6-year-old children (n = 738), recruited from child health clinics throughout Finland, answered semi-structured questionnaires on their views on child feeding and health as well as their child's diet quality. Participants were divided into two groups based on their self-perceived report of following a healthy diet: health-conscious (HC, n = 396) and non-health-conscious (non-HC, n = 342) parents. HC parents considered health, eating behavior, and nutrient-related factors more often when feeding their child than non-HC parents (<0.001 < p < 0.03). Moreover, they more commonly considered diet to have an important impact on their child's long-term health than the non-HC parents (<0.001 < p < 0.05). Children of HC parents were more likely to have a good diet quality (p = 0.01) and lower BMI-SDS values (p = 0.015) than those of non-HC parents. Parental health consciousness was linked with better diet quality and healthier weight in their children. This information may be useful in the regular clinical monitoring of children's health.

Plant-based diets: a fad or the future of medical nutrition therapy for children with chronic kidney disease?

Plant-based diets are growing in popularity worldwide due to the importance of reducing the population's ecological footprint as well as an emerging role in the prevention and treatment of chronic human diseases. In adults, plant-based diets have been shown to be beneficial for preventing and controlling conditions that are common in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), such as obesity, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, and metabolic acidosis. Emerging evidence suggests that the higher fiber content of plant-based diets may help to modulate production of uremic toxins through beneficial shifts in the gut microbiome. The effects of the plant-based diet on progression of CKD remain controversial, and there are no data to support this in children. However, knowledge that the bioavailability of potassium and phosphorus from plant-based foods is reduced has led to recent changes in international kidney-friendly diet recommendations for children with CKD. The new guidelines advise that high potassium fruits and vegetables should no longer be automatically excluded from the kidney-friendly diet. In fact, a plant-based diet can be safely implemented in children with CKD through building the diet around whole, high fiber foods, avoiding processed foods and using recommended cooking methods to control potassium. The health benefits of the plant-based diet compared to omnivorous diets in children with CKD need investigation.

A Prepandemic Nutrition-Sensitive Social Protection Program Has Sustained Benefits for Food Security and Diet Diversity in Myanmar during a Severe Economic Crisis

BackgroundOne-third of preschool children in Myanmar were stunted in 2015–2016, and three-quarters of children 6–23 mo had inadequate diet diversity. In response, a large-scale nutrition-sensitive social protection program was implemented over 2016–2019. In 2020, however, Myanmar’s economy was hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic and harder still by a military takeover in 2021. ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to examine whether former beneficiaries of this program experienced better food security, food consumption, and diet diversity outcomes in the wake of major economic shocks. MethodsIn a previous cluster-randomized controlled trial conducted over 2016–2019, pregnant women and their children aged <2 y were randomly assigned to either: 1) CASH; 2) CASH + social and behavioral change communication (SBCC); or 3) a control group. Subsamples of these former participants were then resurveyed 10 times from June 2020 to December 2021 during Myanmar’s protracted economic crisis. Randomized treatment exposure was used in a regression analysis to test for postprogram impacts on Food Insecurity Experience Scale indicators, household food consumption, and maternal and child diet diversity. We also examined the impacts on household income as a secondary outcome and potential impact pathway. ResultsBoth intervention arms reported lower food insecurity, more frequent consumption of nutritious foods, and more diverse maternal and child diets compared with households in the control group. However, the improved dietary outcomes were larger for mothers and children exposed to CASH+SBCC compared with CASH, as was their monthly household income. ConclusionsThe findings suggest that a program combining cash transfers with nutrition-related education can yield sustained benefits 1–2 y after the program was completed. This strengthens the evidence to support the expansion and scale-up of nutrition-sensitive social welfare programs to redress chronic malnutrition and enhance nutritional resilience in the face of a severe economic crisis.

Baked Egg Oral Food Challenges: Modifying Decision Points for Success

Including baked egg into the diet for children with egg allergy has nutritional and quality of life benefits. Current data on recommended IgE decision points for baked egg challenges are variable. We investigated whether specific egg white IgE and age are associated with passing a baked egg food challenge and if our institutional decision point of 10-15 kU/L should be modified.

Donkey Milk: An Overview of its Chemical Composition and Main Nutritional Properties or Human Health Benefit Properties.

The donkey milk has a remarkable similarity to human milk, in addition to its valuable nutritional composition and content of numerous immune factors. The donkey milk is the subject of research worldwide, and data from the literature suggest significant differences with respect to the contents of individual components. However, some basic characteristics of donkey milk have been established: low contents of fat and cholesterol, total proteins and casein and high contents of lactose, whey proteins, calcium, selenium, and Vitamin D3. The donkey milk is rich in various protective proteins (α-lactalbumin, lysozyme, lactoferrin, lactoperoxidase, and immunoglobulins), and shows strong antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, hypoglycemic, antiparasitic, and antitumor activity. Donkey milk can be considered functional food, having in mind that its fatty-acid profile and content of essential fatty acids are beneficial for cardiac health. The total fat content in donkey milk is low compared to human milk, and for this reason it is necessary to enrich donkey milk with other fat in order to provide enough calories in a diet for children. Commercialization of donkey milk and dairy products is still limited due to low production levels, that is lack of products on the market, and lack of product information. Considering the research data from the literature, there is a need for human clinical trials in order to obtain a stronger evidence of the therapeutic properties of donkey milk.

Dietary Protein Intake in Young Children in Selected Low-Income Countries Is Generally Adequate in Relation to Estimated Requirements for Healthy Children, Except When Complementary Food Intake Is Low

Background Previous research indicates that young children in low-income countries (LICs) generally consume greater amounts of protein than published estimates of protein requirements, but this research did not account for protein quality based on the mix of amino acids and the digestibility of ingested protein.Objective: Our objective was to estimate the prevalence of inadequate protein and amino acid intake by young children in LICs, accounting for protein quality.Methods: Seven data sets with information on dietary intake for children (6–35 mo of age) from 6 LICs (Peru, Guatemala, Ecuador, Bangladesh, Uganda, and Zambia) were reanalyzed to estimate protein and amino acid intake and assess adequacy. The protein digestibility–corrected amino acid score of each child's diet was calculated and multiplied by the original (crude) protein intake to obtain an estimate of available protein intake. Distributions of usual intake were obtained to estimate the prevalence of inadequate protein and amino acid intake for each cohort according to Estimated Average Requirements.Results The prevalence of inadequate protein intake was highest in breastfeeding children aged 6–8 mo: 24% of Bangladeshi and 16% of Peruvian children. With the exception of Bangladesh, the prevalence of inadequate available protein intake decreased by age 9–12 mo and was very low in all sites (0–2%) after 12 mo of age. Inadequate protein intake in children <12 mo of age was due primarily to low energy intake from complementary foods, not inadequate protein density.Conclusions Overall, most children consumed protein amounts greater than requirements, except for the younger breastfeeding children, who were consuming low amounts of complementary foods. These findings reinforce previous evidence that dietary protein is not generally limiting for children in LICs compared with estimated requirements for healthy children, even after accounting for protein quality. However, unmeasured effects of infection and intestinal dysfunction on the children's protein requirements could modify this conclusion.

Lean-Season Food Transfers Affect Children's Diets and Household Food Security: Evidence from a Quasi-Experiment in Malawi

Lean-Season Food Transfers Affect Children's Diets and Household Food Security: Evidence from a Quasi-Experiment in Malawi

تقدير الكمية الكلية لفيتامين ج في بعض العصائر المعلبة لشركات محلية في ليبيا

Fruit juices are known to contain many organic acids, the most important of which is ascorbic acid (vitamin C), because of its nutritional values and benefits for human health and disease prevention. These acids are found in fresh fruits from which the juice is made or are added as a nutritional supplement during manufacturing. This study aims to evaluate the quality of some local packaged juices available in the Libyan market for 5 local companies: (Al-Rayhan, Al-Mazraa, Judy, Al-Morouj, and Zain), with the results of previous studies and Libyan standards. in terms of the total amount of vitamin C, due to the large use of these packaged juices in the diet of adults and children in particular, as samples of packaged juices of different types (pineapple, orange, pear, guava, peaches, grapes, and others) available in various commercial markets and in a random manner after a storage period ranging between 6-10 months from the date of production, at a rate of 3 samples for each. It was analyzed spectrophotometrically using a molecular absorption spectrometer for visible and ultraviolet radiation (JENWAY 6405 UV/Vis. Spectrophotometer). The resultes shown that the amount of vitamin C in all samples was with in the limit and conformed to Libyan standards, and the best in vitamin C content was at Al-Rayhan Company and the least was at Zain Company. Keywords: Ascorbic acid, Vitamin C, packaged juices, spectrophotometric method, standard curve, (UV/Vis. Spectrophotometer)

The Relationship Between Food Habits, Eating Behavior, and Nutritional Knowledge of High School Female Students and Their Demographic Attributes

Background: The importance of promoting a balanced diet and physical activity in children and adolescents cannot be overstated because the habits that develop during these years tend to persist throughout adulthood. Objectives: The aim of this study is to analyze the relationship between food habits, eating behavior, and nutritional knowledge of high school female students and their demographic attributes Methodology: The descriptive correlational design, sometimes referred to as the simple correlational design, is a subtype of correlational study whose main goal is to analyze relationships between and among variables. Results:The study results reveal that there is no statistically significant difference in their Self-Efficacy, barriers to change, nutritional knowledge, knowledge about food safety, and knowledge about food safety and behavior among the groups of grade. Conclusion:Most do not eat breakfast. Most have poor nutritional knowledge. Most drink soft drinks (cola, orange, soda, iced tea, tonic water, etc.) between meals. Most never practice physical activity. Recommendations:There is a pressing for the community health nurses to collaborate with the directorates of education and schools’ administration to reactivate the physical activity lesson in the schools.

Combination of the effect of ginger and anti-inflammatory diet on children with obesity with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: A randomized clinical trial.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common cause of liver disease in children. Following earlier reports on an increase in the prevalence of childhood obesity, NAFLD is now becoming increasingly common in children. Although no definitive cure exists, early management, early diagnosis, and treatment can reduce its complications. This study aims to determine the effectiveness of the combination of ginger and an anti-inflammatory diet (AID) in children with obesity on fatty liver management. This randomized clinical trial was conducted on 160 children with obesity aged 8-11 years, with a mean (SD) weight of 65.01(9.67) kg, mean (SD) height of 139.87(7.37) cm, and mean (SD) body mass index of 33.40(5.59) kg/m2. The study duration was 12 weeks. Children were divided into four groups: ginger (G), AID, ginger plus an AID (GPA), and control. Ginger capsules comprised 1000 mg of ginger, whereas the AID comprised fruits and vegetables, fish, turkey, and chicken (without skin) with lean meat, omega-3 sources, nuts, legumes, probiotic products, and elimination of inflammatory food. Following the intervention, serum fasting blood sugar and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels were significantly decreased in the AID (p=.006 and .002, respectively), G (p=.04 and <.001, respectively), and GPA (p <.001 in both cases, respectively) groups. Further, in the G and GPA groups, there was a significant decrease in body mass index (p=.04 in both cases, respectively), waist circumference (p=.009 and .003, respectively), waist-to-height ratio (p=.02 and .005, respectively), alanine aminotransferase (p=.004 and <.001, respectively), total cholesterol (p=.0002 and .0001, respectively) and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (p < .001 and <.001, respectively). Eventually, serum aspartate aminotransferase was decreased (p < .001) and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (p=.03) was increased significantly in the GPA group. As a main finding of this study, hepatic steatosis significantly decreased in the G and GPA groups. Ginger supplementation can effectively improve NAFLD in children, and its effectiveness was further increased when combined with an AID.