A Solution for Sustainable Utilization of Aquaculture Waste: A Comprehensive Review of Biofloc Technology and Aquamimicry

Biofloc technology (BFT) is gaining traction as a strategic aquaculture tool for boosting feed conversions, biosecurity, and wastewater recycling. The significant aspect of BFT is aquaculture with highest stocking density and minimal water exchange. It not only improves the water quality of a system by removing inorganic nitrogen from wastewater but also serves as a suitable feed supplement and probiotic source for cultured species. This technology is commonly used for shrimp and tilapia culture and can be used for both semi-intensive and intensive culture systems. Biofloc, when combined with formulated diets, forms a balanced food chain that improves growth performance. Nutrients in this system are continuously recycled and reused and form an efficient alternative system in aquaculture. In addition to the reduction in water exchange, it is also considered as a bio-security measure, since it prevents entry of disease from outside sources. Aquamimicry is an innovative concept that simulates natural estuarine conditions by developing copepods that act as supplementary nutrition especially for shrimp culture. The review highlights the process, significance, and development of BFT, its microbial interactions, nutritional value, transition from biofloc to copefloc, and concept of aquamimicry to sustainably improve aquaculture production.

Access to Nutrition in Odisha

Celebrated as a nutrition champion, Odisha state in India has achieved significant improvements in nutrition of its women and children. The overall progress, however, masks familiar inequities, evidenced in significantly higher levels of stunting, wasting and underweight in children. The article examines access, a key underlying determinant of undernutrition, to two nutrition government schemes of Odisha—the Supplementary Nutrition Programme and Mamata—for the most vulnerable groups in the state’s Angul district. The study identifies limited awareness and lack of proactive disclosure of scheme information, excessive distance from centres that provide the schemes, caste-based power dynamics and weak monitoring institutions as key factors restricting access of specific social groups to these two schemes. The article examines the factors constraining access and considers potential solutions to overcome these bottlenecks in order to provide more effective protection mechanisms.

Revising “Nutritional Reference Values for Feeding at Evacuation Shelters” According to Nutrition Assistance by Public Health Dietitians Based on Past Major Natural Disasters in Japan: A Qualitative Study

It is important to provide nutritionally adequate food in shelters to maintain the health of evacuees. Since the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has released the “Nutritional Reference Values for Evacuation Shelters” (Reference Values) after every major natural disaster. There is clear evidence, however, that the Reference Values have only been used infrequently. This study aims to revise these guidelines to include the actual situation in the affected areas and the feasibility of the endeavor. This qualitative study uses group interviews with local government dietitians to propose revisions to Japan’s Reference Values. These revisions include the following: issuing Reference Values within 1 week of a disaster, showing one type of values for meal planning for each age group, showing the minimum values of vitamins, upgrading salt to basic components, creating three phases of nutrition (Day 1, Days 1–3, and After Day 4), stipulating food amounts rather than nutrient values, and creating a manual. Local government officials could use the Reference Values as guidelines for choosing food reserves, and dietitians could use them while formulating supplementary nutrition strategies for a model menu in preparation for disasters.

Enhancing nutrition knowledge and dietary diversity among rural pregnant women in Malawi: a randomized controlled trial

Background In many sub-Saharan African countries, such as Malawi, antenatal care (ANC) services do not deliver sufficient nutrition awareness to improve adequate dietary intake in pregnancy. We therefore compared the effects of supplementary nutrition education and dietary counselling with routine ANC service on nutrition knowledge and dietary intakes among Malawian pregnant women. Methods We used data from a two-armed cluster randomised controlled trial (RCT) of which the intervention group received supplementary nutrition education, dietary counselling and routine ANC services whereas the controls received only routine ANC services. The RCT was conducted in 10 control and 10 intervention villages in Mangochi, Southern Malawi and included pregnant women between their 9th and 16th gestational weeks. We examined the changes in nutrition knowledge and dietary diversity from enrolment (baseline) to study end-point of the RCT (two weeks before expected delivery). We used three linear multilevel regression models with random effects at village level (cluster) to examine the associations between indicators of nutrition knowledge and diet consumption adjusted for selected explanatory variables. Results Among 257 pregnant women enrolled to the RCT, 195 (76%) were available for the current study. The supplementary nutrition education and counselling led to significant improvements in nutrition knowledge, dietary diversity and nutrition behaviour in the intervention group compared with controls. Most women from both study groups had a moderate consumption of diversified foods at study end-point. A significant positive association between nutrition knowledge and consumption of a diversified diet was only observed in the intervention group. Conclusions Nutrition knowledge and dietary diversity improved in both study groups, but higher in the intervention group. Increased nutrition knowledge was associated with improved dietary diversity only in the intervention women, who also improved their nutrition perceptions and behaviour. Antenatal nutrition education needs strengthening to improve dietary intakes in pregnancy in this low resource-setting. Trial registration Clinical trials.gov ID: NCT03136393 (registered on 02/05/2017).

Utilisation of Supplementary Nutrition Service at Anganwadi Centres in a Block of Ganjam District, Odisha: A Cross-sectional Study

Introduction: In India, the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme provides a package of services to different groups of the target population. The Anganwadi Centre (AWC) is the focal point for delivery of these services. At AWCs, supplementary food is provided to children below six years, adolescent girls, pregnant women and lactating mothers. Aim: To assess the pattern of utilisation of supplementary nutrition by the beneficiaries and to explore the factors leading to non utilisation of supplementary nutrition. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted from October 2016 to October 2018 in AWCs in Ganjam district, Odisha, India. Multistage random sampling was used to select the AWCs. By using table of random numbers, 24 AWCs were selected. From each AWC, 12 beneficiaries were selected randomly. So a total of 288 beneficiaries were selected. Out of 288 beneficiaries, 240 beneficiaries were eligible for supplementary nutrition. Rates and proportions were calculated. The Chi-square test was used for testing association between variables. Results: All the AWCs were providing supplementary food as per menu chart and were using standard measure for distribution of raw food. Supplementary food was consumed by 188 (78.3%) beneficiaries. The reason given by most of the respondents {28 (53.8%)} for non utilisation of supplementary nutrition was that they did not like the taste of the food. A statistically significant association was found between utilisation of supplementary nutrition and factors like education, socio-economic status and occupation of women. Conclusion: Although supplementary nutrition was provided by all the AWCs, it was not consumed by some beneficiaries due to lack of variety, taste and bad quality of food. The Take Home Ration (THR) was shared among the family members resulting in dilution of the service.

POGODNOST ZEMLJIŠTA ZA GAJENJE MALINE

In intensive raspberry growing, in order to achieve high, stable and regular yields, it is necessary to properly balance the mineral nutrition. For this purpose, an experiment with three variants of fertilization was set up (control, NPK 15:15:15 (800 kg ha-1), NPK 15:15:15 (800 kg ha-1) + KAN (400 kg ha-1)), on two plots Donja and Konopljak. The obtained results show that the lowest yield of raspberries was achieved in the control, while the application of NPK fertilizers and KAN determined an increase in the yield of raspberries, on both examined plots. The supplementary nutrition of KAN has shown positive effects on increasing the yield of raspberries. A higher average yield of raspberries was achieved on the plot Konopljak (17,380 kg ha-1) compared to the plot Donja (14,673 kg ha-1).

Review on Public Health Services among School-Going Adolescents in Kerala

Background: Global investment in adolescent health is crucial. Adolescents aged 10-19 years constitute around one sixth of the world’s population, account for 6% of the global burden of disease and injury, and suffer over 1.2 million deaths each year. India is home to 253 million adolescents, accounting for 20.9% of the country’s population. Methods: The study was cross sectional and implemented in government and government aided schools in central Kerala, Pathanamthitta district. Study assessed the public health services availed in the type of schools. Total 869 schools going adolescent selected from class 5th to 12th standard and the age group between 10-18 years across the 20 schools among government and government aided school in rural, urban and semi-urban areas. Selected random sample of 50 respondents in each classes and self-administrated questionnaire were distributed. Result: Public health services provided by schools to the adolescents were studied and it was revealed that 86.8 % of adolescents were provided with iron tablets, 91.7% de-worming completed. School authorities were not engaging students in anaemia education and less than half 44.6%. 27.9% had their blood test done last five years. Two-third of the students 59.1% said that there were timely health visits by the health professionals. On account of supplementary nutrition 48.2% agreed on proper supply of cooked food within the school, Moreover 70% girls said anthropometric measurements were taken during health visits. Conclusion: The study found the need to improve adolescent public health services periodic health check-up, strengthening the school monitoring system to ensure the health, nutrition and wellbeing in largely to the aided and governments schools. Priority has to be given for improving mental health, knowledge about contraception and school retention.