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Biomedical subjects

G M Guthrie

Publications and source records attributed to G M Guthrie.

14 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1990

Nutritional intervention: a key to child survival.

In a collaborative relationship, researchers from the Cebu Institute of Medicine and from the United States have carried out a series of longitudinal studies of breast feeding and infant growth in a rural Philippine community. On the basis of our findings, we have conducted field experiments designed to have mothers improve their infants' diets using locally available food. Contingent reinforcement strategies were used successfully to get mothers to change their behavior and beliefs about infant feeding practices. The use of reinforcements resulted in improved diets and very high rates of continuation of participation in the field experiments. We believe that this is a highly productive and cost effective way to approach the problem of gaining cooperation and continued involvement in a nutrition intervention effort.

Attitude to Health↗
PubMed1985

Infant formula samples and breast feeding among Philippine urban poor.

An experiment was performed on the maternity wards of three public hospitals in Cebu City, Philippines to determine whether the distribution of free samples of infant formula reduced the likelihood that mothers would breast feed or caused mothers to terminate nursing early. Samples were given or withheld alternately for 2 week intervals to mothers as they left maternity wards. They were followed for 8 months in the first experiment (N = 273) and for 2 months in a replication (N = 284). We found that there were no statistically significant differences between those who received samples and those who did not in initiation or maintenance of breast feeding. Mothers in both groups frequently turned to mixed schedules, but these varied from day to day depending on money to buy other forms of milk, or on the mother's health, or her plan to be away from the baby for one or more feeding periods. After the baby reached an age of 2-3 months, mothers, with few exceptions, used diluted sweetened condensed milk as a supplement and/or substitute for their own milk. It was found that, while mothers recognize the nutritional, economic and health benefits of breast feeding, they may terminate early on the basis of folk beliefs. Receiving formula samples, however, had no measured effect on their breast feeding practices.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Belief systems and breast feeding among Filipino urban poor.

Mothers living in squatter areas of a Philippine city were interviewed each month for a year beginning from 3 months prior to 3 months after delivery. Special attention was paid to beliefs and practices that influenced the continuation of lactation. During pregnancy women severely restricted their gain in weight, thereby limiting fat reserves for later milk production. Rituals were observed after delivery to assure adequate milk of good quality. Once established, lactation might be interrupted if the mother felt that her temperature was different from the baby's. These differences in temperature might come from warm or cold food or drinks, being caught in the rain or working in the sun. Breast feeding was often terminated if the baby developed diarrhea or if mother or child became ill. A program designed to support and encourage breast feeding must take indigenous belief systems into account. Mothers want to nurse their babies and they want to have an adequate supply of what they consider good milk. Their belief systems, beginning with weight gain during pregnancy, and including the need for rituals after delivery may curtail and/or delay early lactation. Subsequently, they may terminate breast feeding if the baby or mother have certain folk-defined illnesses. Women hold these beliefs and at the same time accept many of the beliefs and practices of modern medicine. Family and neighborhood pressures may prompt them to curtail or eliminate breast feeding when indigenous beliefs are invoked even though these beliefs are contrary to currently accepted medical opinions. We do not have satisfactory education and persuasion programs to deal with traditional beliefs and practices that we believe to be harmful.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1976

Physical and intellectual development in Philippine children fed five different dietary staples.

Assessments of dietary intake, intelligence, physical growth, and clinical signs of malnutrition were made on 600 children from five Philippine communities. Five boys and five girls each at ages 8,9, and 10 from poor and less poor families drawn from town and rural schools in each community were examined. Dietary staples were rice, fish, corn, coconuts, and sweet potatoes, respectively, at the five sites. Analyses of variance indicated marked differences among communities in nutrient intake based on 24-hr recall, in intellectual and anthropometric measures and in clinical signs of malnutrition. There were few significant F ratios for urban-rural residence, socioeconomic status, sec, or age. There were positive correlations of approximately 0.20 between intake of calories and carbohydrates and intelligence; between calories and carbohydrates and anthropometric measures; and between intelligence and anthropometric measures. Clinical signs in the eye and on the skin showed low correlations of about-0.20 with dietary intake of protein, fat, thiamin, and riboflavin but not with vitamin A. In all communities energy intake was low reflecting limited fat consumption. Where rice or corn was the staple, thiamin and riboflavin were also frequent deficiencies; with fish, ascorbic acid; with sweet potatoes and coconuts, calcium, riboflavin, and thiamin. A very high incidence of eye changes, suggestive of a vitamin A deficiency, was found even where vitamin A intake seemed adequate.

Anthropometry↗