Dietary Diversity Research Articles

The Nexus between Cluster Farming and Household Dietary Diversity among Smallholder Wheat Farmers in Ethiopia

This study examined the nexus between cluster farming and household dietary diversity among smallholder wheat farmers in Oromia region, Ethiopia. Three-stage sampling procedures were employed to gather data from 384 household heads on a cross-sectional survey that was carried out in June 2022. Descriptive statistics and a binary logistic regression model were used for data analysis. The average, minimum, and maximum household dietary diversity scores were 7.10, 1, and 11, respectively. A significant difference was observed: participants in cluster farming had 14% more dietary diversity than their counterparts. Sex, marital status, participation in wheat cluster farming, home gardening, off-farm income, number of crops grown, cooperative membership, and access to training determined household dietary diversity. The study indicates that dietary diversity in households is influenced by a variety of factors. While wheat cluster-based farming is heavily promoted, household food and nutrition security also need to consider other elements like home gardening, off-farm income, cooperative membership, and training access.

Double-Edged Sword Effect of Diet and Nutrition on Carcinogenic Molecular Pathways in Breast Cancer.

Environmental exposure to a mixture of chemical xenobiotics acts as a double-edged sword, promoting or suppressing tumorigenesis and the development of breast cancer (BC). Before anything else, we are what we eat. In this review, we highlight both "the good" and "the bad" sides of the daily human diet and dietary patterns that could influence BC risk (BCR) and incidence. Thus, regularly eating new, diversified, colorful, clean, nutrient-rich, energy-boosting, and raw food, increases apoptosis and autophagy, antioxidation, cell cycle arrest, anti-inflammation, and the immune response against BC cells. Moreover, a healthy diet could lead to a reduction in or the inhibition of genomic instability, BC cell stemness, growth, proliferation, invasion, migration, and distant metastasis. We also emphasize that, in addition to beneficial compounds, our food is more and more contaminated by chemicals with harmful effects, which interact with each other and with endogenous proteins and lipids, resulting in synergistic or antagonistic effects. Thus, a healthy and diverse diet, combined with appropriate nutritional behaviors, can exert anti-carcinogenic effects and improve treatment efficacy, BC patient outcomes, and the overall quality of life of BC patients.

Dietary intake and growth of HIV exposed and unexposed 6-12 months old infants in South Africa.

Factors affecting the growth of HIV-exposed-uninfected (HEU) children are multi-factorial, with limited information available on the dietary intake from 6 months. This study compared the dietary intake, micronutrient composition of breastmilk, and growth of HEU and HIV-unexposed-uninfected (HUU) infants aged 6 and 12 months in an urban setting. A repeated cross-sectional study used structured questionnaires to collect socio-demographic, dietary intake, food group data, and anthropometric measurements in the Siyakhula study. The HEU (48%) and HUU (52%) infants were included (total n = 181). At 6 months, HEU infants had lower weight-for-age z-scores (WAZ) (-0.6 ± 1.1 vs. 0.1 ± 1.2; p < 0.001), length-for-age z-scores (-0.8 ± 1.4 vs. -0.1 ± 1.2; p < 0.001), and mid-upper-arm circumference-for-age z-scores (MUACAZ) (0.5 ± 1.1 vs. 1.0 ± 0.9; p < 0.001) than HUU infants. At 12 months, HEU infants had lower WAZ, MUACAZ, and weight-for-length z-scores compared to HUU infants (p < 0.05). Stunting was found at 6 (15%) and 12 (12%) months in HEU infants. The micronutrient composition of breastmilk fed to both groups was similar. Breastfeeding rates were lower in HEU than in HUU infants at 6 (49% vs. 64%; p = 0.005) and 12 (24% vs. 46%; p = 0.002) months. Less than 3% of HEU and HUU infants achieved minimal dietary diversity scores at 12 months. Dietary intake of fat was similar in all breastfed infants, but iron and vitamin B12 were higher in non-breastfed HEU infants at 12 months. HEU infants had lower breastfeeding rates than HUU infants. A lack of dietary diversity was found in all infants. Nutrition education and counselling in the complementary feeding phase are essential for optimal growth.

Limited gut bacterial response of tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus) to dietary manipulation and captivity.

The bacteria of a host's digestive tract play crucial roles in digestion and pathogen resistance. Hosts living in captivity often have more human interaction and antibiotic use, in addition to differences in diet and environment, compared to their wild counterparts. Consequently, wild and captive animals frequently harbour different bacterial communities. We tested whether diversity of diet provided in captivity shifts the gut bacteria of tuatara, an endemic New Zealand reptile, at three captive sites, and examined how the gut community of these tuatara compares to those in the wild. Dietary manipulation did not cause a strong overall shift in tuatara gut bacteria, but individual tuatara did experience bacterial shifts during manipulation, which subsequently reverted after manipulation. We found that Bacteroides, a genus common in most vertebrate guts but rare in tuatara, increased significantly in the gut during manipulation, then decreased post-manipulation. Finally, the gut bacteria of captive tuatara significantly differed from those of wild tuatara, though most of the dominant bacterial genera found in wild tuatara persisted in captive tuatara. This work represents a first investigation of the captive tuatara bacterial community, and establishes the sensitivity of the gut community to dietary manipulation and captivity for this relict reptile.

Oral Frailty as a Risk Factor for Malnutrition and Sarcopenia in Patients on Hemodialysis: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Oral frailty is a concept that encompasses various aspects of impaired oral function in elderly people, leading to reduced food intake and less dietary diversity, which can result in sarcopenia and physical frailty. However, there have been no studies on the relationship between oral frailty and malnutrition, sarcopenia, and physical frailty in patients on hemodialysis (HD). This prospective observational cohort study assessed the oral status of patients on HD. The patients were divided into an oral frailty group and non-oral frailty group using the Oral Frailty Index-8. Malnutrition was assessed using the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI), the Nutritional Risk Index for Japanese Hemodialysis Patients (NRI-JH), and the Short-Form Mini-Nutritional Assessment (MNA-SF). Sarcopenia was assessed using the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia 2019's criteria. Physical frailty was assessed using the Japanese version of the Cardiovascular Health Study criteria. One year later, the changes in nutritional status, sarcopenia, and physical frailty risk categories were compared between the oral frailty and non-oral frailty groups. The study enrolled 201 patients (non-oral frailty group, 123; oral frailty group, 78). After 1 year, the oral frailty group had a significantly higher proportion of patients with worsening nutrition status (GNRI, p = 0.0011; NRI-JH, p = 0.0019; MNA-SF, p < 0.001) and sarcopenia (p = 0.0024). There was no significant between-group difference in the proportion of patients in a worse risk category for physical frailty after 1 year. Oral frailty predicts future malnutrition and the progression of sarcopenia in HD patients. In particular, our results strongly suggested that oral frailty was a strong determinant of worsening malnutrition and sarcopenia in HD patients aged ≥65 years.

Geographical variation, socioeconomic inequalities of low birth weight, and its relationship with maternal dietary diversity: Insights from the maternal infant and young child nutrition programme in Bangladesh.

Globally, every year, 20 million neonates are born with weights below 2500 g and are considered low birth weight (LBW). About 90% of these births occur in low- and middle-income countries. Information regarding the geographical variation, socioeconomic inequalities of LBW neonates, and the relationship between maternal inadequate dietary diversity and LBW is limited in rural areas of Bangladesh. We aimed to explore the geographical disparities and socioeconomic inequalities in the prevalence of LBW and its association with inadequate maternal dietary diversity. We extracted data from a large-scale evaluation programme conducted as a part of the maternal infant and young child nutrition phase two in Bangladesh, implemented by BRAC. We used the concentration index (CIX) to measure the socioeconomic inequalities of LBW. We performed a cluster-adjusted multiple logistic regression analysis to determine the association between LBW and maternal dietary diversity. A total of 4651 children aged <5 years with their mother's information were included. The overall prevalence of LBW was 13.5%. About 16% of mothers living in the poorest wealth quintile gave birth to LBW babies, whereas 10% of mothers living in the richest households gave birth to LBW babies. The CIX exhibited LBW babies were more prevalent among the socioeconomically worst-off (poorest) group (CIX = -0.08), indicating mothers of the poorest households are vulnerable to giving birth to normal-weight babies. An adjusted multiple logistic regression model indicated that mothers with inadequate dietary diversity had higher odds (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1.27; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.04, 1.54) of giving birth to LBW babies. Notably, in the interaction of mothers' age and dietary diversity, we found that adolescent mothers (aged ≤ 19 years) with inadequate dietary diversity had 2.56 times (AOR = 2.56; 95% CI = 1.14, 5.76) higher odds of giving birth to LBW babies compared to adult mothers (aged >19 years) who consumed diversified foods. Intervention strategies for reducing LBW prevalence should target the poorest households. Also, interventions for improving the dietary diversity of adolescent pregnant mothers are expected to reduce the number of LBW babies from the rural areas of Bangladesh.

Preventing Stunting Through Mujaer Fish Nuggets in Early Childhood Education

Background: Stunting significantly affects early childhood development, highlighting the need for effective nutritional interventions. Specific Background: The development of fish nugget products offers a novel strategy to enhance dietary diversity among young children through parental engagement. Knowledge Gap: However, there is limited understanding of how parental participation influences nutritional programs and stunting prevention in early childhood settings. Aims: This study investigates fish nugget production as a nutritional strategy and the role of parental involvement in a preschool context. Results: Through qualitative methods, including interviews and observations, the study reveals that 90.48% of parents expressed interest in preparing fish nuggets at home, leading to increased nutritional awareness and strengthened community ties. Novelty: This research presents a community-based model that utilizes local resources to address stunting while promoting parental engagement. Implications: The findings underscore the importance of collaborative efforts in nutritional education, suggesting that similar initiatives could be adopted in other communities to effectively combat stunting. Highlights : Emphasizes the role of parental involvement in improving children's nutrition. Highlights the effectiveness of community-based interventions in combating stunting. Demonstrates increased interest in healthy food preparation among parents. Keywords: Stunting, Nutritional Education, Parental Engagement, Fish Nuggets, Early Childhood

The comparative morphology of the oral cavity glands in captive South African painted dogs (Lycaon pictus pictus) and captive fennec foxes (Vulpes zerda) (Carnivora: Canidae)

BackgroundThe African painted dog is classified as a relic canid lineage, inhabiting areas south of the Sahara. The fennec fox is the smallest member of the Canidae family, found in the Arabian Peninsula and northern Sahara.MethodsThe gross anatomy and light microscopic examination of the oral cavity glands were studied in five adult captive South African painted dogs and five adult captive fennec foxes from the Wroclaw Zoological Garden, Poland. In this research, the zygomatic gland, monostomatic sublingual gland, polystomatic sublingual gland, mandibular gland, and parotid gland were examined for their topography, morphometry, histology, and histochemistry using hematoxylin and eosin, azan trichrome, mucicarmine, PAS, AB pH 1.0, AB pH 2.5, AB pH 2.5 PAS, and HID.ResultsWe found that the parotid glands were consistently the largest, followed by the mandibular and sublingual glands (both monostomatic and polystomatic). The zygomatic gland was the smallest in both South African painted dogs and fennec foxes. Interestingly, there were noticeable differences in the size, shape, and even composition of the secretory products between the two species. The zygomatic and polystomatic sublingual glands in the South African painted dog and the fennec fox were complex branched tubular. In the South African painted dog, the monostomatic gland was a branched tubular compound gland, while in the fennec fox, it was a branched tubuloalveolar compound gland. The mandibular gland in hunting dogs was a branched tubular compound gland, while in the fennec fox a branched tubuloalveolar compound gland. The parotid gland in the fennec fox was a branched acinar compound gland, whereas in the painted dog was a branched tubuloacinar.ConclusionsThe basic structure of their glands is similar to that of other terrestrial carnivores, indicating a shared evolutionary origin and function. However, differences in the composition of their secretory products can reflect adaptations to their specific diets. This research provides valuable insights for veterinary medicine and underscores the importance of further studies. By analyzing wild canid populations and including a broader range of species with diverse diets, we could gain a deeper understanding of how diet influences salivary gland morphology within the Canidae.

Food choice, embodied knowledge and circumscribed agency: factors influencing adolescent girls' and boys' dietary practices in three states in northern Nigeria.

The objective of this study was to explore adolescent dietary practices, related norms and acceptable communication platforms in northern Nigeria to inform future nutrition project design. This was a qualitative formative research study. We used purposive sampling and conducted thirty focus group discussions with male and female adolescents aged 10-14 and 15-19 years (n 180) and six with adult influencers (n 36). We also administered a 24-h dietary recall with the adolescents using the Diet Quality Questionnaire. The study was conducted in urban and rural areas in three states in northern Nigeria. Adolescents reported consuming six nutritious food groups the previous day on average. However, there was a wide disparity and only half consumed all five recommended food groups. Adolescents' food choices were influenced by perceptions of the functional and physical benefits of nutritious foods and preferences for satisfying foods. Diverse foods were available in the food environment, but affordability constrained access to nutritious foods. Limited access to income and gender norms constrained adolescent agency over food choice. Girls, particularly those who were pregnant, had less agency related to food than boys. Adolescents thought that peers should be reached through group discussions, radio and phones, among other communication platforms. Adolescents consumed relatively diverse diets. Adolescent food choice was influenced by their embodied experience and knowledge related to nutrition and taste, home food environment and circumscribed agency. Opportunities exist to support healthy diets for adolescents by strengthening adolescents' embodied knowledge, food environments and social support.

Dietary diversity contributes to delay biological aging.

As aging is a major risk factor for chronic diseases, strategies to promote healthy aging are essential. Dietary diversity has been reported to be beneficial for human health, however, the role in the biological aging process remains underexplored. Our aim was to analyse the potential link between diet diversity and aging. Twenty-two thousand six hundred participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were included in this study. Dietary diversity was assessed by the dietary diversity score (DDS), which aggregated data on participants' self-reported dietary categories for the 5 major food groups (18 subgroups) over 2 rounds. Biological age was determined using the phenotypic age, with the residual between biological age and chronological age, phenotypic age acceleration, representing biological aging advance. Weighted multivariate regressions analysis were used to examine the relationship between DDS and phenotypic age acceleration. Sensitivity, subgroup interaction and mediation analyses were employed for further analysis. Higher DDS was consistently associated with slower phenotypic age acceleration (β < 0, p < 0.001). Subgroup analyses revealed that the inverse relationship persisted across categories, with minimal interaction effects. Sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of results. The oxidative stress indicator glutamyltransferase partially mediated the relationship between DDS and aging [4.9% (3.6, 6.0%), p < 0.001]. Dietary diversity is associated with a slower rate of biological aging, which may be due in part to reduced oxidative stress. These findings underscore the potential of a rich, broad-spectrum diet to promote healthy aging and reduce the burden of age-related diseases.

The influence of minimum dietary diversity on undernutrition among children aged 6-23 months in Ethiopia: a multilevel mixed-effect analysis based on 2019 Ethiopian mini demographic and health survey.

Undernutrition persists as a critical issue in developing countries like Ethiopia due to poor feeding practices for infants and young children. The impact of dietary diversity on children's health in Ethiopia remains unclear, necessitating further investigation to develop effective prevention strategies. To examine the association between minimum dietary diversity and undernutrition among children aged 6-23 months in Ethiopia. Data from the 2019 Ethiopian Mini Demographic and Health Survey, including 1,501 women with children aged 6-23 months, were analyzed using STATA version 17 software. Child stunting, wasting, and underweight were assessed using Z-scores. Dietary diversity was measured using minimum dietary diversity. Multilevel logistic regression analysis determined associations, presenting results as crude odds ratios (COR) and adjusted odds ratios (AOR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Overall, 10.99% of children had adequate minimum dietary diversity, with Addis Ababa (44.57%) and Somalia (1.47%) showing the highest and lowest prevalences, respectively. The highest stunting prevalence was in the Amhara region (45.86%), while Addis Ababa had the lowest (9.78%). Wasting was lowest in Addis Ababa (1.09%) and highest in Tigray (17.07%). Underweight prevalence ranged from 2.17% in Addis Ababa to 33.33% in Tigray. Children with adequate minimum dietary diversity (MDD) had significantly lower odds of stunting (AOR = 0.68, 95% CI = 0.45, 0.96), underweight (AOR = 0.51, 95% CI = 0.27, 0.99), and wasting (AOR = 0.40, 95% CI = 0.17, 0.97) compared to those who had inadequate minimum dietary diversity (MDD). This study highlights the association between minimum dietary diversity and stunting, wasting, and underweight among Ethiopian children aged 6-23 months. Urgent nutrition-specific interventions are needed, particularly in regions with high undernutrition rates and low dietary diversity. Targeted interventions focusing on promoting diverse and nutritious diets for children, along with improving access to essential healthcare services, are imperative to mitigate the burden of undernutrition and ensure the well-being of Ethiopia's youngest population and reinforcing existing programs is crucial to address this public health issue effectively.

Effect of Covid-19 pandemic on Food security and Maternal Nutrition Status of Selected peri-urban and urban communities in Mbale, Uganda

The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly impacted global food security and maternal nutrition, with vulnerable populations in low- and middle-income countries being particularly affected. This study investigates the effects of the pandemic on food availability, dietary diversity, and maternal nutritional status in peri-urban and urban communities of Mbale, Uganda. A cross-sectional survey design was employed, combining quantitative data, analyzed using SPSS, and qualitative data through thematic analysis from 177 households and health workers. Results indicate a significant deterioration in food security during the pandemic, characterized by a 20% reduction in meal frequency, a 14% increase in food sharing, and a 22.3% rise in households with inadequate dietary diversity. Despite these challenges, 90% of pregnant women maintained normal BMI, though some instances of malnutrition were observed. The findings underscore the urgent need for targeted interventions to safeguard food security and maternal health during future crises globally. These insights are crucial for policymakers in designing pandemic-responsive food and health systems.

Excess dietary sugar and its impact on periodontal inflammation: a narrative review.

Sugar is omnipresent in the current food environment and sugar consumption has drastically risen over the past century. Extensive evidence highlights the negative health consequences of consuming excess dietary sugars, leading the World Health Organization (WHO) and the American Heart Association (AHA) to devise guidelines to restrict sugar intake. According to the WHO's Global Oral Health Status Report of 2022, oral diseases and severe periodontitis are a massive public health problem, and dietary sugars are a modifiable risk factor. We conducted a literature review using key databases to summarise the health effects of excessive sugar consumption and their potential role in periodontal inflammation. Available evidence suggests that excess dietary fructose and sucrose can cause low-grade systemic inflammation; and induce dysbiosis in both gut and the oral microbiota. Also, dietary sugar is potentially addictive and hypercaloric and its overconsumption can lead to obesity, metabolic syndrome, and other risk factors for periodontal inflammation. Hence, an unbalanced diet with excess dietary sugars holds the potential to initiate and aggravate periodontal inflammation. In the modern food environment that enables and facilitates a high-sugar diet, adopting a diverse diet and restricting sugar intake according to WHO and AHA guidelines seem beneficial to systemic and periodontal health. Since clinical evidence is limited, future research should study the effectiveness of dietary interventions that control sugar consumption in preventing and managing the global public health problem of periodontal inflammation.

Prevalence and determinants of stunting and anaemia in children aged 6-23 months: A multilevel analysis from rural Ethiopia.

Low- and middle-income countries shoulder the greatest burden of stunting and anaemia in children. This calls for prompt and effective intervention measures, while the contributing factors are not fully understood. This study evaluates determinants spanning from individual-, household- and community levels including agroecology and antinutrients as unique sets of predictors. Primary data were collected from 660 rural households representing the midland (ML), highland, and upper highland (UHL) agroecological zones from northern Ethiopia. The study relates several predictors to stunting and anaemia in children aged 6-23 months. We found 49.1% and 49.7% of children were stunted and anaemic, respectively. Children living in the ML are approximately twice more likely to be stunted adjusted odds ratio (AOR: 1.869; 95% CI: 1.147-3.043) than in the UHL. The risk of stunting increases by 16.3% and 41.9% for every unit increase in phytate-to-zinc and phytate-to-iron molar ratios, respectively. A 10% increase in mean aggregated crop yield was observed to reduce the likelihood of stunting occurrence by 13.6%. Households lacking non-farm income-generating opportunities, travel longer time to access the marketplace and poor health service utilisation were associated with increased risk of stunting. Low diversity of child's diet, age of the child (18-23 months) and mothers at a younger age are significantly associated with stunting. Risk of anaemia in children is high amongst households with unimproved water, sanitation, and hygiene practices, younger age (6-11 months) and mostly occurs amongst boys. Children in the ML had a 55% reduced risk of being anaemic (AOR: 0.446; 95% CI: 0.273-0.728) as compared to the UHL. Therefore, the influence of these factors should be considered to tailor strategies for reducing undernutrition in children of 6-23 months in rural Ethiopia. Interventions should go beyond the administrative boundaries into targeting agroecological variation.

Determinants of nutrition security status of women in rural households in Northwest Ethiopia

The nutrition security of women is critically important for society’s well-being. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the determinants of the nutrition security status of rural women in Northwest Ethiopia. Data collected from rural women in 197 randomly selected households were analyzed using a binary logit regression model. The results show that 72.6% of the women are nutritionally insecure. The determinants that significantly affect nutrition security status are family size (a negative effect), women’s daily feed frequency, milk consumption, feeding habits of fruits and vegetables, feeding habits of animal products, and women empowerment (all positive effects). The weight, height, and BMI of nutritionally insecure women were significantly lower than those of nutritionally secure women. These findings reveal the need for government and other stakeholders’ interventions to increase access to nutritious food products and to provide training on feeding culture and dietary diversity to women. The findings of this study can help the Government of Ethiopia to focus on the significant determinants to achieve its National Development Priorities focusing on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN, particularly Goals 2, 3, and 5.

Dietary pattern and prevalence of malnutrition among lactating mothers and their under-five children attending primary health centres in Owo, Ondo State

Background: The lactation period is crucial in developing countries due to its positive impact on infant health and nutrition. Objective: This study assessed the dietary patterns and malnutrition among lactating mothers and their under-five children attending primary health centres in Owo, Ondo State. Method: A simple random sampling method was used to select 250 healthy lactating mothers with infants aged 0-59 months. Information on socio-demographic variables, health-seeking behaviours, food consumption patterns, and nutritional status was obtained using a well-structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS, version 25. The chi-square test determined associations between variables, with significance considered at p&lt;0.05. Result: The study revealed that 68.4% of the mothers were aged 20-29, 94.4% were married, and 48.0% had household sizes of 1-3. About 97.6% of the mothers had babies of normal birth weight, while 54.0% received health services at the health centres. Approximately 89% of the mothers did not consume alcohol, and 55.2% ate cereal or cereal products daily. The Food Consumption Score (FCS) showed that 53.6% had an acceptable score, while 8.4% had a poor score. For the Dietary Diversity Score (DDS), 73.6% had a highly diverse diet, while 19.6% had low dietary diversity. The prevalence of obesity among the mothers was 31.2% based on BMI, 38.8% based on waist circumference, and 68.0% based on waist-hip ratio. Among the children, 17.4% of males and 11.1% of females were underweight, while 72.0% had a normal weight for their age. Only 14% were overweight, and stunting was observed in 16% of the children, more prevalent among males. Wasting was seen in 10.0% of the under-five children. Conclusion: There was a high prevalence of a double burden of malnutrition among the mothers and their children.

Complementary feeding and food handling practices among caregivers in a semi-urban setting in Northern Uganda

Background: Complementary feeding practices influence the nutritional status and health of children, especially in developing countries where sub-optimal infant feeding practices are the major cause of childhood undernutrition, morbidity, and mortality. This study sought to characterize the adequacy of complimentary feeding and food handling practices among caregivers of children aged 6-23 months in a semi-urban setting. Methods: Exploratory cross-sectional study was conducted in Adyel division, Lira district in Northern Uganda among 127 child-caregiver pairs randomly selected from three villages. Caregivers were interviewed about their child-feeding practices, complementary foods used, and common practices in handling and preparation of foods used as complementary feeds. Results: Overall, children’s feeding patterns met the recommended dietary intake when assessed using the child feeding index (CFI) whereby children aged 6-8, 9-11, and 12-23 months scored 8.03, 9.17, and 7.59, respectively. However, most children were complemented with foods from the household meals and dietary diversity was limited by frequent use of food leftover from the previous meals. Conclusions: Inappropriate meal patterns and food handling practices identified are likely to compromise child nutrition and health. Nutrition education is needed to improve the caregivers’ child-feeding and food handling practices within their socio-economic and cultural context. Keywords: Complementary feeding practices; food handling; diet quality; food safety; children; Uganda.

A Comprehensive Review of Nutritional Requirements for Women's Health

Nutrition is the key aspect of a healthy life; a man or woman both equally need nutrition to stay healthy. The diet helps keep nutrition intake in check. It makes it so that the human body intakes most nutrition to stay healthy and keep life prosper. The study aims to understand the diet and nutritional needs of women in their day-to-day life during pregnancy and while birthing a new life. Several of the past literature were studied to understand and find the descriptive review regarding the topic. These reviews were taken from places like google scholar, web of science, and Scopus database to find the best possible analysis. Various authors' research is reviewed and interpreted to draw the conclusion that breastfeeding moms may promote their own and their children's health by adhering to a nutritious diet. Many diverse diets are available at various points in time. Eating a healthy, balanced diet, as outlined in the Balance of Good Health model, is the primary piece of advice.

Evolution and functional implications of stinger shape in ants.

Trait diversification is often driven by underlying performance tradeoffs in the context of different selective pressures. Evolutionary changes in task specialization may influence how species respond to tradeoffs and alter diversification. We conducted this study to investigate the functional morphology, evolutionary history, and tempo and mode of evolution of the Hymenoptera stinger using Ectatomminae ants as a model clade. We hypothesized that a performance tradeoff surface underlies the diversity of stinger morphology and that shifts between predatory and omnivorous diets mediate the diversification dynamics of the trait. Shape variation was characterized by X-ray microtomography, and the correlation between shape and average values of von Mises stress, as a measure of yield failure criteria under loading conditions typical of puncture scenarios, was determined using finite element analysis. We observed that stinger elongation underlies most of the shape variation but found no evidence of biomechanical tradeoffs in the performance characteristics measured. Additionally, omnivores have increased phenotypic shifts and accelerated evolution in performance metrics, suggesting the evolution of dietary flexibility releases selection pressure on a specific function, resulting in a greater phenotypic evolutionary rate. These results increase our understanding of the biomechanical basis of stinger shape, indicate that shape diversity is not the outcome of simple biomechanical optimization, and reveal connections between diet and trait diversification.

Terrestrial generalist predators have larger isotopic niches but rely less on aquatic prey at a natural compared to a post-mining lakeshore

The flooded pits from former opencast mining (post-mining lakes) are young aquatic ecosystems often with low primary productivity due to the high acidity. The limited availability of nutrients and simplified aquatic food webs in these artificial lakes may affect the matter fluxes towards food webs in adjacent terrestrial habitats. To understand the impact of emerging prey from a post-mining lake on terrestrial food webs and associated arthropod communities, we compared the emergence and activity of arthropods as well as the isotopic niches of generalist predators and their potential prey between lakeshores of a post-mining and a natural lake. We used aquatic and terrestrial emergence tents to sample potential prey that emerged locally (Collembola and Diptera) and pitfall traps to sample terrestrial arthropod predators (Carabidae and Araneae) from lakeshores. Community and stable isotope (δ13C and δ15N) analyses were performed to compare diversity and isotopic niches of generalist arthropod predators between the natural and post-mining lakeshores. The number of emerging aquatic and terrestrial prey did not differ significantly between lakes, but the δ15N values of aquatic emerging dipterans differed between the two lakes. Predator community diversity did not differ significantly between lakeshores, but generalist predator species from the natural lakeshore generally had larger isotopic niche sizes than the same species at the post-mining lakeshore indicating a more diverse diet. Additional estimates of diet composition suggest that predators at the natural lakeshore utilized aquatic prey to a lesser degree than at the post-mining lake, but still had a more diverse diet.