Prevalence and determinants of dietary practices among pregnant women in eastern Ethiopia

Introduction Appropriate dietary practices in pregnancy are critical to meet the increased metabolic and physiological demands; however, information about dietary practices among pregnant women, particularly rural residents, is limited. The study aimed to assess the level of appropriate dietary practices and associated determinants among pregnant women in Haramaya District, eastern Ethiopia, 2021. Methods A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 448 pregnant women in Haramaya District, Eastern Ethiopia. Data was collected through face-to-face interviews by trained research assistants, using a validated frequency questionnaire. The pregnant women were labeled as “appropriate dietary practice” when they consumed at least four meals daily, had a good food variety score, high dietary diversity score, and high consumption of animal source foods during the reference period. Otherwise, they were defined as “inappropriate.” A Poisson regression model with robust variance estimation was used to investigate the association of the independent variables with the dietary practice. An adjusted prevalence ratio with a 95% confidence interval was reported to show an association using a p-value < 0.05. Results The appropriate dietary practice among the study participants was 15.2% (95% CI = 12–18%). Of the respondents, 29.46, 37.5, and 24.7% had a high dietary diversity, high food variety score, and high consumption of animal source foods. The appropriate dietary practice was more prevalent among merchant women (APR = 2.07; 95% CI 1.07–4.02) and those whose husbands have at least a high school educational level (APR = 1.96; 95% CI 1.06–3.46). However, the prevalence of appropriate dietary practice was significantly lower among those who chewed khat (APR = 0.58; 95% CI 0.37–0.90) and among respondents who reported restriction of the intake of some foods (APR = 0.36; 95% CI 0.20–0.65). Conclusion We found sup-optimal appropriate dietary practice among pregnant women in this predominantly rural setting. Additionally, the lower appropriate dietary practice was observed among women who reported chewing khat and experienced restriction of dietary consumption during pregnancy. Therefore, nutrition policy programs and interventions aimed at encouraging maternal nutritional guidance and counseling are recommended.

Circularity in animal production requires a change in the EAT-Lancet diet in Europe

It is not known whether dietary guidelines proposing a limited intake of animal protein are compatible with the adoption of circular food systems. Using a resource-allocation model, we compared the effects of circularity on the supply of animal-source nutrients in Europe with the nutritional requirements of the EAT-Lancet reference diet. We found the two to be compatible in terms of total animal-source proteins but not specific animal-source foods; in particular, the EAT-Lancet guidelines recommend larger quantities of poultry meat over beef and pork, while a circular food system produces mainly milk, dairy-beef and pork. Compared with the EAT-Lancet reference diet, greenhouse gas emissions were reduced by up to 31% and arable land use reduced by up to 42%. Careful consideration of the feasible substitutability between animal-source foods is needed to define potential roles of animal products in circular human diets.

Color measurement of animal source foods

Rapid and objective assessment of food color is necessary in quality control. The color evaluation of animal source foods using a computer vision system (CVS) and a traditional colorimeter is examined. With the same measurement conditions, color results deviated between these two approaches. The color returned by the CVS had a close resemblance to the perceived color of the animal source foods, whereas the colorimeter returned not typical colors. The effectiveness of the CVS is confirmed by the study results. Considering these data, it could be concluded that the colorimeter is not representative method for color analysis of animal source foods, therefore, the color read by the CVS seemed to be more similar to the real ones.

Improvement of Growth Retardation and Related Immunodeficiency by Dietary Intervention with Crackers Containing Animal Source Ingredients in Malnourished Rats

Hidden hunger is a risk factor for many health problems, including stunting, which is one of the globally prevalent signs of malnutrition. Stunting can be reduced through feeding on animal source foods. In our study, some animal source foods (egg, butter, yoghurt, and white cheese) in addition to other nutritious ingredients (wheat flour, minced fresh carrot, wheat germ, yeast, and iodine salt) were used to prepare four samples of crackers, with different taste (cumin, paprika, tomato, and cheese). The dough from all ingredients was prepared, flattened, cut then baked to prepare the crackers. These crackers were organoleptically and physically evaluated. Antioxidant activity, total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid contents of the crackers’ samples were determined. The cumin-flavored crackers (the highest in TPC, flavonoids, and antioxidant activity) was evaluated for its macro-and micronutrients and studied in malnourished rats. Two groups of rats (each of 12) were fed on a balanced diet and a protein-deficient diet, respectively for 3 weeks. Six rats from each group were sacrificed and the remaining rats were fed on a balanced diet and diet supplemented with the cumin-flavored crackers, respectively for 5 weeks. The cumin-flavored crackers (100 g) contained 15.64 g protein, 231.00 mg calcium, 4.00 mg zinc, 83.75 µg iodine, arginine (16.53 mg/g protein), and lysine (19.30 mg/g protein). Malnutrition, immunodeficiency (as evidenced by a drop in cluster of differentiation 4 (CD4), cluster of differentiation 8 (CD8) and CD4/CD8 ratio), and stunting (as evidenced by a decrease in rat length, femur length, and insulin growth factor-1) were all observed in rats fed a protein-deficient diet for 3 weeks. Also, femur calcium and magnesium decreased in the malnourished rats. The dietary intervention with the cumin-flavored crackers reversed the reduction in aforementioned parameters in the malnourished rats. The cumin-flavored crackers may improve growth retardation and related immunodeficiency in previously malnourished rats.

Cross-scale trade-off analysis for sustainable development: linking future demand for animal source foods and ecosystem services provision to the SDGs

Dietary transition towards higher consumption of animal source foods (ASF) associated with higher incomes across low and middle-income countries could have negative impacts on environmental systems and their potential in the long run to provide services necessary for achieving multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In this article, we integrate economic, land use allocation, and biophysical models to investigate trade-offs between the five ecosystem services and their contributions to various SDGs associated with agricultural expansion to meet future demand for ASF, using Tanzania as a case study. Our results show that under the scenario of sustainable socio-economic development, between 2010 and 2030 in Tanzania, per capita income grows by 169% and the share of population at risk of hunger declines from 34.8% to 23%. These changes can be associated on a macro-level with positive contributions to achievement of SDG 1 (No Poverty) and SDG 2 (Zero Hunger). To satisfy feed demand for increased livestock production domestically, an increase by 21.4% of biomass production as compared to 2010 is needed. Analysis of alternative scenarios for meeting this new demand shows potential threats on a landscape level to achieving numerous SDGs and more generally to attaining sustainable food systems. Ecosystem-based contributions primarily decline to SDGs: SDG 3 (Health), SDG 6 (Clean Water), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities), SDG 13 (Climate) and SDG 15 (Terrestrial Life). We find that higher crop productivity and redesign of agro-ecosystems to increase on-farm tree cover could significantly limit these losses. Alternatively, the growing demand for ASF could be satisfied with imports, which would allow for reducing the trade-offs locally. However, this would result in at least partially only displacing ecosystem service losses to the exporting countries.

The future of animal-source food demand and supply in Africa

Demand for animal-source foods (ASF) has grown substantially in Africa over the last four decades, fueled mainly by population growth, urbanization, and modest gains in per capita incomes. Further growth over the medium and longer terms is expected as these trends in external drivers continue, with implications of this growth reflecting a multitude of economic, environmental, and public health trade-offs. This paper provides a focused, forward-looking perspective on key emerging issues around changes in ASF consumption and supply in Africa.

Assessment of Compliance to Animal Source Foods Quality and Safety Standards in Uganda. A Case of Kampala and Mbarara Districts

Animal source foods (ASFs) can be sources of illness when poorly handled both at the farms and during processing. Efforts have been undertaken by government to promote good food standards, quality and safety but have not paid off due to limited holistic involvement of all ASFs value chain actors like the farmers, transporters, traders, and the consumers. An assessment was conducted in Kampala and Mbarara districts to determine the level of compliance to existing food control standards.The findings are to help inform policies to adapt, promote and implement standards and quality of ASF products free or with minimal contamination, services to promote local industries and protect consumers as well as facilitate access to international markets. This assessment was carried out in Kampala and Mbarara district with major objective of mapping various institutions involved in designing and implementing food control standards with the core mandate lying with Uganda National Bureau of Standards and assessing of compliance to food control standards along the ASFs value chain.The studies were conducted in Kampala, Uganda’s capital and Mbarara, the second biggest city in the country. These districts constitute the major market hub of agricultural products due to their high consumer population. The ASFs value chain assessments were conducted through workshops using focus group discussions with stakeholders in the meat, milk, poultry and fish value chains.A number of organisations along the food chain were involved in designing and implementing of food safety standards and regulations, as well as regulatory norms for setting and controlling of quality standards for animal source foods in Uganda. These included; farmers, transporters, processors, academia, researchers, trade organisations, government institutions, private organisations, international bodies and consumers’ organisations.Majority of the outlet operators had both operating certificates and health certificates, however the remaining proportion that was noncompliant is still significant considering that they still distribute ASFs products. The study also observed that most of the measures required to ensure safety of ASFs are not followed along the food chain such as; poor transportation of animals and their products and use of antibiotics in animal feeds. It was also observed that product quality and cost of the product greatly contribute to the consumers’ demand and confidence for a particular animal source product.

The role of seafood in sustainable diets

Recent discussions of healthy and sustainable diets encourage increased consumption of plants and decreased consumption of animal-source foods for both human and environmental health. Seafood is often peripheral in these discussions. This paper examines the relative environmental costs of sourcing key nutrients from different kinds of seafood, other animal-source foods, and a range of plant-based foods. We linked a nutrient richness index for different foods to life cycle assessments of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the production of these foods to evaluate nutritional benefits relative to this key indicator of environmental impacts. The lowest GHG emissions to meet average nutrient requirement values were found in grains, tubers, roots, seeds, wild-caught small pelagic fish, and farmed bivalve shellfish. The highest GHG emissions per nutrient supply are in beef, pork, wild-caught prawns, farmed catfish, tilapia and farmed crustaceans. Among animal-source foods, some fish and shellfish have GHG emissions at least as low as plants and merit inclusion in food systems policymaking for their potential to support a healthy, sustainable diet. However, other aquatic species and production methods deliver nutrition to diets at environmental costs at least as high as land-based meat production. It is important to disaggregate seafood by species and production method in ‘planetary health diet’ advice.

Constraints to using livestock to meet dietary needs in developing countries: role of vaccines.

Animal agriculture and animal-source foods (ASF) play a critical role in food security, childhood nutrient sufficiency, and economic development in sub-Saharan Africa. Here, we consider constraints to production of ASF in Africa with a focus on infectious animal diseases and climate stress and their control, by vaccines and selective breeding, respectively. This is not a meta-analysis but rather is meant to act as an overview or primer for discussing the value of livestock in developing countries, constraints to this, possible solutions, and finally some roadblocks to accomplishing this. The material provided is based on our own knowledge gained through careers in this field as well as discussions with colleagues.