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Biomedical subjects

U E MacIntyre

Publications and source records attributed to U E MacIntyre.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Dietary intakes and caries experience in children in Limpopo Province, South Africa.

INTRODUCTION: The identification of a rural village with a very low incidence of dental caries among the children provided the opportunity to study the diets of children apparently not exposed to risk factors for dental caries and compare them with children who were at risk. OBJECTIVE: To compare the diet, nutritional status and dental caries experience of 10- and 15-year-olds in an urban town (Malamulele) and a rural village (Mahonisi) in the Limpopo Province, South Africa. METHODS: Dental examinations and anthropometric measurements were done according to standard procedures. Dietary intakes were assessed by four 24-hour recalls. RESULTS: Mean dft/DMFT (decayed and filled deciduous teeth/Decayed, missing and filled permanent teeth) scores were 1.21 and 0.65 for 10- and 15-year-olds in urban Malamulele compared to 0.33 and 0.02 in rural Mahonisi. The percentage caries free in Malamulele was 36% compared to 88% in Mahonisi. The children in Mahonisi were shorter and lighter than those in Malamulele. Estimated fluoride intakes were significantly lower in Malamulele than in Mahonisi (p = 0.01). Mean total added sugar (all sugar not naturally occurring in foods) intake in Malamulele was significantly higher than in Mahonisi (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The most significant dietary differences between the two areas were total added sugar and fluoride intakes. The lower added sugar and higher fluoride intake among the rural Mahonisi children contributed to the lower dental caries experience.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

A combination of statistical methods for the analysis of the relative validation data of the quantitative food frequency questionnaire used in the THUSA study. Transition, Health and Urbanisation in South Africa.

OBJECTIVE: To apply structural equation modelling (SEM) and estimation of variance components to the relative validation data obtained from the quantitative food frequency questionnaire (QFFQ) used in the Transition, Health and Urbanisation in South Africa (THUSA) study. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. SETTING: A community-based field study in an African population conducted during 1996. SUBJECTS: Residents of the North West Province, South Africa, aged between 15 and 65 years. METHODS: Relative validity of the QFFQ was tested against 7-day weighed food records, 24-hour urinary nitrogen (UN) excretion and estimated basal metabolic rate (BMR). SEM and estimation of variance components were applied to the log-transformed energy, protein, fat, calcium, iron, vitamin A and vitamin C intakes. UN excretion was used as a biomarker in the application of the SEM to protein and estimated BMR to energy intakes. RESULTS: Constant bias (alphaQ) derived by the SEM varied from 0.85 (vitamin C) to 5.8 (energy). There was significant proportional bias for all nutrients except vitamin C. Validation coefficients (ro(Q,T) varied from 0.3 (fat, calcium, iron) to 0.7 (vitamin C). The inclusion of estimated BMR in the SEM for energy increased ro(Q, T) from 0.38 to 0.42. The estimation of variance components gave slightly lower correlations for the relationship between intakes from the QFFQ and the unknown true intake. CONCLUSIONS: Robust statistical methods were successfully applied in a relative validation study for a QFFQ in an African population. Estimated BMR as a biomarker for energy intake produced more meaningful results than UN excretion as a biomarker for protein intake.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

A culture-sensitive quantitative food frequency questionnaire used in an African population: 1. Development and reproducibility.

OBJECTIVE: To develop and assess the reproducibility of a quantitative food frequency questionnaire (QFFQ) sensitive to the culture of the African population of the North West Province, South Africa. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. SETTING: A community-based field study in a population stratified according to level of urbanization from deep rural to urban upper class. SUBJECTS: A total of 144 (99 women and 45 men) residents of the North West Province, aged between 15 and 65 years. participated in the study. METHODS: A culture-sensitive. 145-item interviewer-administered QFFQ was designed to cover the whole diet. Portion sizes were estimated from a food portion photograph book (FPPB) showing foods in three portion sizes. The QFFQ was administered twice, 6-12 weeks apart. RESULTS: Spearman rank correlation coefficients between the two administrations varied from 0.14 for calcium to 0.75 for alcohol. The mean percentage difference between intakes was 8.5 (standard deviation= 9.9). Energy. protein, carbohydrate and calcium gave differences within 10%. Few significant differences among correlation coefficients or percentage difference for gender, age group or strata of urbanization were present. Bland-Altman plots showed significant proportional bias for protein, fibre and vitamin C. More than 70% of the participants were classified into adjacent quintiles for all nutrients. For food groups, correlation coefficients ranged from 0.25 for milk to 0.45 for vegetable and maize meal groups and 809/a of participants were classified into adjacent quintiles. CONCLUSIONS: The QFFQ appeared to be a reproducible dietary intake assessment instrument.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

A culture-sensitive quantitative food frequency questionnaire used in an African population: 2. Relative validation by 7-day weighted records and biomarkers.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the relative validity of the culture-sensitive quantitative food frequency questionnaire (QFFQ) developed for the Transition, Health and Urbanisation in South Africa (THUSA) study by 7-day weighed food records, urinary nitrogen excretion and basal metabolic rate (BMR). DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. SETTING: A community-based study in a population stratified according to level of urbanization. SUBJECTS: Residents of the North West Province, South Africa. aged between 15 and 65 years. The weighed food record study comprised 74 participants while 104 participants collected 24-hour urine samples. METHODS: All participants were interviewed using the QFFQ. For the weighed food record study, participants kept detailed weighed food diaries for seven consecutive days. For the urinary nitrogen study, participants made one 24-hour urine collection. Completeness of the urine collections was checked against 240 rug pan-aminobenzoic acid. BMR was estimated by the Schofield equations. RESULTS: Spearman rank correlation coefficients between the QFFQ and weighed food record ranged between 0.14 (fibre) and 0.59 (vitamin C). The QFFQ tended to underestimate intakes compared with the weighed records. Quintile distributions were similar for both methods. The correlation between urinary nitrogen excretion and dietary intake was poor. Possible underreporting was identified for 43% of the participants with the QFFQ and 28% with the weighed food record. CONCLUSIONS: The QFFQ appeared to be a relatively valid instrument for the assessment of dietary intakes of the population of the North West Province. The use of biomarkers in this population was difficult and needs further investigation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Increase in childhood asthma admissions in an urbanising population.

OBJECTIVE: In South Africa, rapid urbanisation has increased the risk of childhood asthma. This report reviews the pattern of asthma admissions to the Paediatric Department of Ga-Rankuwa Hospital, South Africa, from 1986 to 1996. DESIGN: Inpatient admission data were reviewed for 1986-1996. A detailed analysis of the records of asthma patients admitted between 1992 and 1996 was done. Outpatient data were reviewed from 1992. SETTING: Ga-Rankuwa Hospital, situated on the border of the Gauteng and North West provinces of South Africa and serving a large black population in various stages of urbanisation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Trends in admission numbers and demographic characteristics. RESULTS: Asthma admissions were 2.5 times higher in 1996 than 1986. The greatest increase in admissions was in the 1-47-month age group. The male to female ratio was 1.5:1. More patients came from urban than from rural areas. Admissions peaked during the summer. Re-admissions occurred most frequently within 3 months of the first admission. CONCLUSION: Paediatric asthma admissions have shown an increase in the past decade. This may be associated with changes in the environment of the community. There is a need for preventive programmes for asthma at community and national level.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Lactation--how important is it?

In Africa, with poverty rising, and health care diminishing, a nutritional question is-what are the limits of successful physiological adaptation to low dietary intakes? In this review the practice of lactation is discussed, from both past and present viewpoints. Orthodox Recommended Allowances for lactation are scarcely ever met. Yet, through various adaptations, the huge majority of African and similarly placed mothers lactate successfully and produce milk of good quantity and quality. The benefits from supplements are discussed; broadly, results have been disappointing. Some good and adverse non-dietary practices are considered. Benefits for infant and mother from lactation, even for protracted periods, far exceed drawbacks.

Africa↗
PubMed1991

Combating protein-energy-malnutrition in a rural/peri-urban southern African black population.

PROTEIN-ENERGY-malnutrition (PEM) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in young children in Africa. In South Africa, in 1987, to help combating and preventing PEM in the rural black population, the Gold Fields Nutrition Unit was inaugurated at the Medical University of Southern Africa. In 1987-9, 442 patients (rural/peri-urban) plus their mothers or child carers were admitted, and 406 attended as outpatients. Average age was 15.4 +/- 7.6 months, weight 7.0 +/- 1.6kg, stay in hospital, 12 +/- 10.8 days, and daily weight gain during treatment was 31 +/- 48g. Mothers mainly were young and unmarried. Primary causative factors were infections, ignorance, and insufficiency of food. Since results from rehabilitation are usually poor, mothers and carers were taught how best to prepare meals using local foodstuffs. The interventions included teaching and demonstrations of how to grow vegetables, maintain an orchard, a fowl-run, and improve kitchen and laundry facilities. In 1990, in a follow-up of 73 patients, no deaths had occurred within a 12 month period. This far better than usual outcome is being furthered by setting up satellite nutrition clinics.

Black People↗