scholarly journals Dietary Intakes of Arachidonic Acid and Docosahexaenoic Acid in Early Life - With a Special Focus on Complementary Feeding in Developing Countries

2017 ◽  
Vol 70 (3) ◽  
pp. 217-227 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stewart Forsyth ◽  
Sheila Gautier ◽  
Norman Salem Jr.
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Arachidonic Acid ◽  
Docosahexaenoic Acid ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Complementary Feeding ◽  
Food Sources ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Dietary Intakes ◽  
Complementary Foods

Background: In developing countries, dietary intakes of arachidonic acid (ARA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in early life are lower than current recommended levels. This review specifically focusses on the contribution that complementary feeding makes to ARA and DHA intakes in medium- to low-income countries. The aims of the review are (1) to determine the availability of ARA and DHA food sources in developing countries, (2) to estimate the contribution of complementary feeding to dietary intakes of ARA and DHA in infants aged 6-36 months, and (3) to relate the dietary ARA and DHA intake data to key socioeconomic and health indicators. Summary: The primary dietary data was collected by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) using Food Balance Sheets, and fatty acid composition was based on the Australian food composition tables. There is evidence of wide variation in per capita dietary intake for both DHA and ARA food sources, with low intakes of meat and seafood products being highly prevalent in most low-income countries. In children aged 6-36 months, the supply of ARA and DHA from the longer duration of breastfeeding in low-income countries is counterbalanced by the exceptionally low provision of ARA and DHA from complementary foods. The lowest tertile for ARA intake is associated with higher percentages of childhood stunting, birth rate, infant mortality, and longer duration of breast feeding. Key Message: In developing countries, intakes of DHA and ARA from complementary foods are low, and public health organisations need to adopt pragmatic strategies that will ensure that there is a nutritional safety net for the most vulnerable infants.

scholarly journals Estimated Dietary Intakes of Arachidonic Acid and Docosahexaenoic Acid in Infants and Young Children Living in Developing Countries

2016 ◽  
Vol 69 (1) ◽  
pp. 64-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stewart Forsyth ◽  
Sheila Gautier ◽  
Norman Salem Jr.
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Arachidonic Acid ◽  
Fatty Acid Composition ◽  
Fatty Acid ◽  
Young Children ◽  
Docosahexaenoic Acid ◽  
Acid Composition ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Infants And Young Children

Background/Aims: There are only few data on dietary arachidonic acid (ARA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) intake in infants from developing countries, and current global recommendations on intake during early life may not reflect the needs of the world's most vulnerable infants. The aim of the study was to provide estimates of intake of ARA and DHA in infants and young children aged 6-36 months who live in developing countries. Methods: FAO Food Balance Sheets and fatty acid composition data from Australian food composition tables were utilized to generate mean per capita intake estimates for DHA and ARA in developing countries. The median daily intake of DHA and ARA in children age 6-36 months in each country was determined by combining the fatty acid composition of breast milk and complementary foods with the estimated intakes being weighted according to median duration of any breastfeeding. Results: The median daily dietary intake for ARA and DHA across 76 developing countries was 64.0 and 48.9 mg/day, respectively. The lowest complementary food intake of ARA and DHA was present in countries with the lowest gross national income and highest birth rates. Conclusion: Global recommendations on ARA and DHA in early life need to reflect the specific needs of infants and families living in low income countries, and country-specific food policies should address gaps between recommended and achieved intakes.

scholarly journals Dietary Docosahexaenoic Acid and Arachidonic Acid in Early Life: What Is the Best Evidence for Policymakers?

2018 ◽  
Vol 72 (3) ◽  
pp. 210-222 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stewart Forsyth ◽  
Philip C. Calder ◽  
Francis Zotor ◽  
Paul Amuna ◽  
Barbara Meyer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Arachidonic Acid ◽  
Docosahexaenoic Acid ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Dietary Intakes ◽  
Pragmatic Approach ◽  
Functional Roles ◽  
Beneficial Effects

Background: A wealth of information on the functional roles of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (ARA) from cellular, animal, and human studies is available. Yet, there remains a lack of cohesion in policymaking for recommended dietary intakes of DHA and ARA in early life. This is predominantly driven by inconsistent findings from a relatively small number of randomised clinical trials (RCTs), which vary in design, methodology, and outcome measures, all of which were conducted in high-income countries. It is proposed that this selective evidence base may not fully represent the biological importance of DHA and ARA during early and later life and the aim of this paper is to consider a more inclusive and pragmatic approach to evidence assessment of DHA and ARA requirements in infants and young children, which will allow policymaking to reflect the marked diversity of need worldwide. Summary: Data from clinical RCTs is considered in the context of the extensive evidence from experimental, animal and human observational studies. Although the RCT data shows evidence of beneficial effects on visual function and in specific cognitive domains, early methodological approaches do not reflect current thinking and this undermines the strength of evidence. An outline of a framework for an inclusive and pragmatic approach to policy development on dietary DHA and ARA in early life is described. Conclusion: High-quality RCTs that will determine long-term health outcomes in appropriate real-world settings need to be undertaken. In the meantime, a collective pragmatic approach to evidence assessment, may allow public health policymakers to make comprehensive reasoned judgements on the merits, costs, and expediency of dietary DHA and ARA interventions.

scholarly journals The Rotavirus Vaccine Landscape, an Update

Pathogens ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 520
Author(s):  
Roberto Cárcamo-Calvo ◽  
Carlos Muñoz ◽  
Javier Buesa ◽  
Jesús Rodríguez-Díaz ◽  
Roberto Gozalbo-Rovira
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Mortality Rate ◽  
Low Income ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
The State ◽  
Cold Chain ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Rotavirus Vaccine ◽  
Oral Vaccines

Rotavirus is the leading cause of severe acute childhood gastroenteritis, responsible for more than 128,500 deaths per year, mainly in low-income countries. Although the mortality rate has dropped significantly since the introduction of the first vaccines around 2006, an estimated 83,158 deaths are still preventable. The two main vaccines currently deployed, Rotarix and RotaTeq, both live oral vaccines, have been shown to be less effective in developing countries. In addition, they have been associated with a slight risk of intussusception, and the need for cold chain maintenance limits the accessibility of these vaccines to certain areas, leaving 65% of children worldwide unvaccinated and therefore unprotected. Against this backdrop, here we review the main vaccines under development and the state of the art on potential alternatives.

scholarly journals Why Do Developing Countries Tax So Little?

2014 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 99-120 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy Besley ◽  
Torsten Persson
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Low Income ◽  
News Media ◽  
Weak Sense ◽  
Cultural Factors ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Tax Revenue ◽  
Weak Institutions ◽  
Social And Cultural Factors ◽  
A Share

Low-income countries typically collect taxes of between 10 to 20 percent of GDP while the average for high-income countries is more like 40 percent. In order to understand taxation, economic development, and the relationships between them, we need to think about the forces that drive the development process. Poor countries are poor for certain reasons, and these reasons can also help to explain their weakness in raising tax revenue. We begin by laying out some basic relationships regarding how tax revenue as a share of GDP varies with per capita income and with the breadth of a country's tax base. We sketch a baseline model of what determines a country's tax revenue as a share of GDP. We then turn to our primary focus: why do developing countries tax so little? We begin with factors related to the economic structure of these economies. But we argue that there is also an important role for political factors, such as weak institutions, fragmented polities, and a lack of transparency due to weak news media. Moreover, sociological and cultural factors—such as a weak sense of national identity and a poor norm for compliance—may stifle the collection of tax revenue. In each case, we suggest the need for a dynamic approach that encompasses the two-way interactions between these political, social, and cultural factors and the economy.

Application of high-throughput serological tests for controlling zoonotic viral infection in Amazon rainforest and as a strategy to prevent future pandemics (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcela Santiago Pacheco De Azevedo ◽  
Daniela Gomes Ribeiro ◽  
Felipe Rocha Da Silva Santos ◽  
Siomar De Castro Soares ◽  
Vasco Ariston De Carvalho Azevedo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
High Throughput ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Dna Sequences ◽  
Scientific Information ◽  
Preventive Health Care ◽  
Amazon Rainforest ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Sequencing Data ◽  
Serological Tests

UNSTRUCTURED From the bubonic plague on the 14th century to the new Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), pandemics have profoundly changed societies function. Infectious disease outbreaks are getting shorter and shorter due to our densely populated cities, global travel, and nature mass exploration. In this regard, there is a particular concern about fires occurring in Brazil's Amazon rainforest, one of the most biodiverse places on earth that facilitates cross-species transmission giving rise to the emergency of new virulent pathogens. Situation is further complicated because Amazon spans across eight developing countries with limited preventive health care services. In this perspective, this review highlights the role of new methodologies best suited for epidemiological monitoring in low-income countries, such as high-throughput serological tests. Phage immunoprecipitation sequencing (Phip-Seq), for example, can evaluate antibody-repertoire binding specificities using oligonucleotides libraries encoding epitopes covering the DNA sequences from all human pathogenic viruses or all Arboviruses already described. After incubation with an individual's serum, these libraries can be immunoprecipitated for subsequent analysis by DNA sequencing. Data are analyzed revealing peptides recognized by the antibodies present in the sample. Being a technique at a relatively low cost, its implementation in developing countries is feasible and can generate very interesting scientific information.

A Systems Approach for Sustainably Reducing Childhood Diarrheal Deaths in Developing Countries

2016 ◽  
pp. 1208-1227
Author(s):  
Monica Gray
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Systems Approach ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Industrialized Nations ◽  
Sub Saharan

Diarrhea is the second leading cause of death and is the major cause of malnutrition in children under age 5 worldwide. More than 50 percent of the cases occur in developing countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia. Open defecation, substandard fecal disposal systems, and contaminated water supplies are the typical causes of diarrheal diseases. This public health crisis in low income countries mirrors the experiences of today's industrialized nations two centuries ago. The lessons learned from their sanitary evolution can be instructive in charting a sustainable path towards saving the lives of almost 2 million children annually. In this chapter a case study of Cuba's sanitary reformation is also presented to showcase successes, similar to those of developed countries, within a developing country and economically challenging context.

scholarly journals Evaluating farm-level livestock interventions in low-income countries: a scoping review of what works, how, and why

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Johanna F. Lindahl ◽  
Florence Mutua ◽  
Delia Grace
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Good Evidence ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Livestock Products ◽  
Development Outcomes

Abstract Livestock interventions can improve nutrition, health, and economic well-being of communities. The objectives of this review were to identify and characterize livestock interventions in developing countries and to assess their effectiveness in achieving development outcomes. A scoping review, guided by a search strategy, was conducted. Papers needed to be written in English, published in peer-reviewed journals, and describe interventions in animal health and production. Out of 2739 publications systematically screened at the title, abstract, and full publication levels, 70 met our inclusion criteria and were considered in the study. Eight relatively high-quality papers were identified and added, resulting in 78 reviewed publications. Only 15 studies used randomized controlled trial designs making it possible to confidently link interventions with the resulting outcomes. Eight studies had human nutrition or health as outcomes, 11 focused on disease control, and four were on livestock production. Eight interventions were considered successful, but only four were scalable. We found good evidence that livestock-transfer programs, leveraging livestock products for nutrition, and helping farmers manage priority diseases, can improve human well-being. Our report highlights challenges in garnering evidence for livestock interventions in developing countries and provides suggestions on how to improve the quantity and quality of future evaluations.

2017 Handbook of IMF Facilities for Low-Income Countries

Policy Papers ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Poverty Reduction ◽  
Safety Net ◽  
Policy Coordination ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Executive Board ◽  
Reference Tool ◽  
Financial Safety Net ◽  
Comprehensive Reference

This Handbook provides guidance to staff on the financial facilities and non-financial instruments for low-income countries (LICs), defined here as all countries eligible to obtain concessional financing from the Fund. It updates the previous version of the Handbook that was published in February 2016 (IMF, 2016d) by incorporating modifications resulting from Board papers and related decisions since that time, including Financing for Development—Enhancing the Financial Safety Net for Developing Countries—Further Considerations (IMF, 2016c), Review of Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust – Review of Interest Rate Structure (IMF, 2016b), Eligibility to Use the Fund’s Facilities for Concessional Financing (IMF, 2017a), Large Natural Disasters—Enhancing the Financial Safety Net for Developing Countries (IMF, 2017b) and Adequacy of the Global Financial Safety Net – Proposal for a New Policy Coordination Instrument (IMF, 2017c). Designed as a comprehensive reference tool for program work on LICs, the Handbook also refers, in summary form, to a range of relevant policies that apply more generally to IMF members. As with all guidance notes, the relevant IMF Executive Board decisions, including the terms of the various LIC Trust Instruments that have been adopted by the Board, remain the sole legal authority on the matters covered in the Handbook

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document