Irene Hatsu

Effect of infant feeding on maternal body composition

BackgroundWomen gain total body weight and accrue body fat during pregnancy. Breastfeeding has been suggested as an efficient means of promoting postpartum weight loss due to its high energy cost. We investigated the effect of infant feeding mode on maternal body composition.MethodsThis study evaluated maternal weight and percent body fat changes in exclusively breastfeeding versus mixed feeding mothers during the first 12 weeks postpartum using the BOD POD. Twenty four mothers aged 19 – 42 years were studied. Participants were recruited from Athens-Clarke County and surrounding areas of the State of Georgia, USA. The study was conducted between November 2005 and December 2006.ResultsPrepregnancy weight was higher in mixed feeding mothers than in exclusively breastfeeding mothers (68.4 kg vs. 61.4 kg) but the difference was not statistically significant. At 12 weeks postpartum, exclusively breastfeeding mothers had lost more total body weight than mixed feeding mothers (4.41 ± 4.10 kg versus 2.79 ± 3.09 kg; p = 0.072). There was no significant difference in fat weight change between the two groups (4.38 ± 2.06 kg versus 4.17 ± 2.63 kg). However, mixed feeding mothers lost slightly more percent body fat than exclusively breastfeeding mothers (1.90 ± 4.18 kg versus 1.71 ± 3.48 kg), but the difference was not statistically significant. The trend in percent body fat loss was significant among exclusively breastfeeding mothers (p = 0.034) but not mixed feeding mothers (p = 0.081). Exclusively breastfeeding mothers consumed more calories than mixed feeding mothers (1980 ± 618 kcal versus 1541 ± 196 kcal p = 0.08). Physical activity levels were, however, higher in mixed feeding mothers than exclusively breastfeeding mothers.ConclusionOur results provide further evidence that exclusive breastfeeding promotes greater weight loss than mixed feeding among mothers even in the early postpartum period. This suggests that there is the need to encourage mothers to exclusively breastfeed as a means of overweight and obesity prevention.

Association of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) with food security and nutrition status among persons living with HIV.

Aims: Nutritional status can be compromised by food insecurity which is common among HIV infected persons. Providing food assistance is expected to improve food insecurity and nutritional status among persons infected with HIV. This study aimed at examining the relationship of participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the largest food assistance program in the United States, with food security and nutritional status among HIV infected adults. Study Design : A cross - sectional study de sign was used in this study. Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted in Miami, FL, USA, between April 2011 and August 2012. Methodology: We included 159 HIV infected individuals in this study, 113 participants were SNAP recipients while 46 w ere not. All study participants were, however, eligible to participate in SNAP. Each participant completed demographic and food security surveys as well as dietary and nutrition status assessment. Statistical analyses were conducted using univariate and mu ltivariate analyses.

Poor General Health is Associated with Higher Percent Body Fat and Lower Appearance Satisfaction in African American Women

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the feasibility of using digital template photos to estimate children’s dietary intake in childcare settings. Study Design, Setting, Participants, Intervention: Photos of preschool children’s meals were taken before consumption, when any additional servings were provided, and after consumption. Weights and template photos of each meal component were taken separately, at decreasing portion sizes beginning with the serving size given during mealtime and ending at approximately onequarter to one-eighth of the original serving size, such that if any more were eaten, it would be considered finished. Three trained undergraduate research assistant coders compared photos of actual mealtime plates with the digital template photos side by side on a split screen. Coders used the digital template photos to visually estimate the portion size of each meal component as it had been served and consumed. Outcome Measures and Analysis: Preliminary data from ongoing data collection consisting of 10 mealtimes composed of 35 food and beverage components in total were independently coded. Inter-rater reliability was evaluated by intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). Results: Across the 10 preliminary trials, ICC was 0.931 suggesting trained coders can reliably estimate food quantities using digital template photos. Conclusions and Implications: As a feasible and costeffective method, digital template photos may create opportunities for assessing children’s dietary intake in research and intervention projects where it has been otherwise prohibitive to do so. Funding: USDA.

Food Sources for Homeless Youth: An Evaluation of Food Availability at a Homeless Youth Drop-In Center

Objective We utilized a validated food inventory questionnaire to assess the types and quality of food available at a homeless youth drop‐in center. Methods Scores for 13 food categories were computed; higher scores indicated a greater availability of foods found in that category. A summative score was computed to assess the presence of obesogenic foods. Results Dry cereal, vegetables, and meat, were the most available foods; 83.3%, 60.9%, and 56.3% of food items in each category, respectively, were available. The food categories with least available items included candy and dairy: 26.6% and 25.4% of items in those categories, respectively. Mean obesogenic food availability score was 31 ± 4.2 (range 23–34), out of a possible score of 71. Conclusions and Implications It is possible for a drop‐in center to provide healthful foods to homeless youth. Further studies examining the extent to which drop‐in centers contribute to the homeless youth food environment are warranted.

Unaccompanied homeless youth have extremely poor diet quality and nutritional status

ABSTRACT A lack of in-depth assessment of the nutritional status of homeless youth precludes interventions that achieve nutritional adequacy. We enrolled 118 unaccompanied homeless youth to obtain sociodemographic and health data along with dietary, anthropometric, biochemical, and clinical assessments. As a reference, homeless youth data were compared to a convenience sample of 145 college students. Obesity was prevalent among homeless youth than among college students (29% vs. 8% respectively (CI: 11.2, 29.9). Among homeless youth, 74% of females versus 41% of males were overweight/obese (CI: 14.9, 51.2). Homeless youth also had poor diet quality (44.37 (SD: 12.64)). Over 70% of homeless youth had inadequate intakes of vitamins A, C, D3 and E, as well as calcium and magnesium. Our findings show increased weight, adiposity, and suboptimal intakes of essential nutrients among unaccompanied homeless youth. Further studies are needed to inform evidence-based nutrition interventions that will aid in improving their nutritional health.