PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

E O Ojofeitimi

Publications and source records attributed to E O Ojofeitimi.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1996

Maternal education, breastfeeding behaviours and lactational amenorrhoea: studies among two ethnic communities in Ile Ife, Nigeria.

Breastfeeding is an important child survival strategy. This report aims to describe the unique contributions of education, ethnicity, and other variables to breastfeeding outcomes. The study was conducted among two groups of lactating mothers in Ile Ife, southwestern Nigeria, using structured questionnaires focusing on their breastfeeding history and current practice. Breastfeeding initiation was delayed in both groups, and primary education is the most significant predictor of initiation of breastfeeding within 6 hours of delivery (OR = 3.92, p = 0.0117). Breastfeeding duration (SD) was 13.7 (4.3) months for the Yorubas and 17.5 (3.4) for the Hausas. Its only significant predictors are education (p < = 0.0001), with an average decrease in breastfeeding duration of 3.2 and 6.6 months with mother's education to the primary and post-primary levels respectively, compared with mothers with no education. In turn, breastfeeding duration is the most significant predictor of the duration of lactational amenorrhoea (p = 0.0000). Mothers with some formal education are also more likely to start feeding human milk substitutes at 2 weeks (OR = 3.83, p = 0.024). The most important variable determining breastfeeding in this study is education. The educated mother is more likely to be involved in economic activity away from the home. To protect breastfeeding in these communities, there is a need for programmes to support the breastfeeding mother who works.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Prevention of nutrient loss during preparation of the most popular weaning diet in Nigeria--practical considerations.

A pilot study is presented as an attempt to modify the traditional method of preparing maize gruel 'ogi', the most popular weaning diet in Nigeria. The modification consists of completely grinding the food to a fine paste without sieving. Cooked samples of the unsieved maize gruel were taken for proximate chemical analysis and organoleptical evaluation. Analysis revealed that protein, fat and mineral losses in the unsieved maize gruel were much less. The majority (58%) of mothers of malnourished children rated the cooked modified maize gruel favourably and the overall acceptability was positively rated by 61%. The inference to be drawn is that through food demonstrations and nutritional health information at the nursing mothers' level, the traditional method of preparing the most popular weaning diet in Nigeria can be modified to advantage.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Plasma ferritin concentration in relation to vitamin A and E status of children with severe oedematous malnutrition.

The association between plasma ferritin concentration and vitamin A and E status was studied in 17 children aged 15-72 months with severe oedematous malnutrition. The controls were 10 children of similar age who were apparently well and with no obvious signs of clinical malnutrition. Plasma ferritin concentration in the patients was significantly higher than that in the control children. Conversely, the plasma concentrations of beta-carotene, alpha-tocopherol and retinol in patients were significantly lower than those in plasma of control children. The median (interquartile range) plasma alpha-tocopherol concentration of patients, 6.03 (5.29-9.50) mumol/l, is below the threshold of vitamin E deficiency (11.6 mumol/l). Fifteen of 17 (88%) malnourished patients were found to have plasma tocopherol concentrations below the normal threshold. However, all the patients had a tocopherol: cholesterol ratio greater than 2.22, indicating adequate vitamin E status for the level of cholesterol present in plasma. Twelve of 17 patients (70.5%) had plasma retinol concentration less than 0.70 mumol/l, indicative of marginal vitamin A status, while 3 patients had plasma retinol concentrations less than 0.35 mumol/l, indicating vitamin A deficiency. The median (interquartile range) plasma retinol concentration of patients, 0.51 (0.41-0.93) mumol/l, is significantly less than that of control children, 0.96 (0.74-1.09) mumol/l; p less than 0.01 Mann Whitney U test. Furthermore, anaemia (Hb less than 110 g/l) was widespread in the patients. The results also indicate no significant correlation between elevated ferritin concentration and the concentrations of beta-carotene, retinol and alpha-tocopherol in the patients' plasma.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Child Nutrition Disorders↗
PubMed1988

Food consumption patterns and bowel movements of final-year nursing students in Ile-Ife, Nigeria: an implication for applied nutrition in the nursing curriculum.

A study was made of the food consumption patterns and bowel movements of final-year Nigerian nursing students. The percentage frequencies for refined carbohydrates, animal protein and fats were higher than those for legumes and fruits which are rich in fibre. Of the 115 participants, 31 per cent had less than four bowel movements per week. Knowledge of the role of nutrition in preventing chronic non-contagious diseases was poor. It is suggested that more should be done to make the public aware of the role of diet in the aetiology, treatment and prevention of degenerative diseases and that a course of applied nutrition should be included in the nursing curriculum.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Factors affecting delayed walking skill in malnourished children.

This research examined children between 13 and 23 months of age with developmental delays in walking. Children in the experimental group received intensive infant stimulation and, subsequently approximately 71% were able to walk by themselves. In contrast, 32% of those children receiving only verbal instruction were able to achieve this important milestone. There was a significant difference (p less than 0.05) between the control and experimental group in acquiring walking skills. Mothers' lack of awareness about infant stimulation and lack of supervision on the part of health workers are the major contributing factors to delayed walking skill in these children. The study highlights the importance of taking health care to the home of clients, the most neglected aspect of primary health in this part of the world.

Female↗
PubMed1984

Effect of cariogenic food exposure on prevalence of dental caries among fee and non-fee paying Nigerian schoolchildren.

Dental caries status, frequency of sweet consumption and method of toothcleaning of 180 Nigerian elementary schoolchildren aged 8-15 yr were investigated by clinical examination and questionnaire technique. The highest frequency of sweet consumption was recorded for the fee-paying pupils, who also had statistically significantly higher caries prevalence than in non-fee paying schools (P less than 0.001). About 48% and 24% of the fee and non-fee paying pupils respectively had dental caries. There was no significant difference in the sex distribution of the disease (P greater than 0.05). However, there was a significant difference (P less than 0.001) between methods of cleaning the teeth in the two types of schools. The majority (95%) of the fee-paying pupils used only a toothbrush while 51% of the non-fee paying pupils used a chewing stick. Methods for restricting the use of sweet snacks in addition to oral hygiene instruction are discussed as important means to reduce the increasing caries prevalence in schoolchildren in developing countries.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Early initiation of weaning foods and proliferation of bacteria in Nigerian infants.

Ninety-five children, age range from 1 to 18 months, were followed for the types of weaning foods. Forty-five of the 95 children were evaluated for intestinal bacteria colonization. The most frequently isolated pathogens were enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) and Staphylococcus aureus. Children who were not subjected to early initiation of weaning and supplementary foods had lower bacteria counts than their counterparts.

Bacteria↗
PubMed1984

Traditional treatment of pregnancy anaemia in Nigeria. An indication for modern therapeutics.

Investigation of 122 women early in the second trimester of pregnancy who complained of constant dizziness during pregnancy, and used traditional "black rings on their middle fingers" as a prophylactic measure, revealed that 59% were anaemic (haemoglobin less than 10 g/100 ml). None of them had blood pressure above 120/70 mmHg. After two months of treatment with ferrous gluconate 300 mg three times daily, folic acid, weekly antimalarial drug, and individual regular nutrition counselling, the incidence of anaemia was reduced to 22.7%. The mean haemoglobin levels before and after initiation of drug therapy were 8.5 and 10.8 g/100 ml respectively. There was a significant difference between the two means (P less than 0.05). There was also a marked difference between the mean haemoglobin levels of ring-wearers and non-ring-wearers in the less educated members of the two groups (P less than 0.001). It can be inferred from this study that the wearing of black rings indicates that the patients are likely to be anaemic, and that educated women seem less likely to rely on this type of traditional treatment of pregnancy anaemia.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Diet restriction by pregnant women in Nigeria.

The reasons for food aversions given by selected low income, illiterate women during pregnancy fell into four categories: health, tradition, economy and religion. More than two thirds of these mothers strongly avoided milk, cowpea seeds and bournvita for fear of having big babies which they thought would lead to difficult labor and cesarean section. Only one of the respondents associated infantile rickets with nutrition. Nutritional counseling, coupled with a fear-mechanism technique for a minimum of four months, served to correct these erroneous assumptions. The effects of the counseling sessions were evaluated by monitoring patterns of maternal weight gain and the baby's weight. The experimental group had a significant pattern of monthly weight gain (P less than 0.02) and heavier babies (P less than 0.01) than the control group. The authors conclude that diet restrictions of this nature can be modified positively through regular nutritional counseling and, in extreme cases, by the use of a fear-mechanism technique.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

Assessment of marginal nutrition and means of preventing communicable diseases in twins: an implication for intensive follow-up.

Of the 101 mothers who delivered twins at the Ife State Hospital in 1979, 58 mothers were traceable. The twins were assessed for growth by weighing; mothers were interviewed as to feeding practices, means of protecting children from common diseases. Seventy-six percent of the children were underweight for age; 9 of the children died of preventable diseases. Corn pap (maize gruel) in addition to breast milk was the major weanling food among the lower socio-economic mothers. Sixty-two percent of the mothers employed traditional methods, either singly or combined with immunization, to protect their infants from preventable disease. The role of regular home visits by the health workers in developing countries to monitor the growth progress and health status of twins in the first 18 months is emphasized.

Birth Weight↗