Stunting is associated with impaired cognitive and motor function. The effect of an education intervention including nutrition, stimulation, sanitation, and hygiene on child growth and cognitive/language/motor development, delivered to impoverished mothers in Uganda, was assessed. In a community-based, open cluster-randomized trial, 511 mother/children dyads aged 6-8 months were enrolled to an intervention (n = 263) or control (n = 248) group. The primary outcome was change in length-for-age z-score at age 20-24 months. Secondary outcomes included anthropometry and scores on the 2 developmental scales: Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development-III and the Ages and Stages Questionnaire. There was no evidence of a difference in mean length-for-age z-score at 20-24 months between the 2 study groups: 0.10, 95% CI [-0.17, 0.36], p = .49. The intervention group had higher mean composite development scores than the controls on Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development-III, the mean difference being 15.6, 95% CI [10.9, 20.2], p = .0001; 9.9, 95% CI [6.4, 13.2], p = .0001; and 14.6, 95% CI [10.9, 18.2], p = .0001, for cognitive, language, and motor composite scores, respectively. The mean difference in scores from the Ages and Stages Questionnaire were 7.0, 95% CI [2.9, 11.3], p = .001; 5.9, 95% CI [1.2, 10.3], p = .01; 4.2, 95% CI [1.7, 6.7], p = .001; 8.9, 95% CI [5.3, 12.3], p = .0001; and 4.4, 95% CI [0.0, 8.8], p = .05, for communication, gross motor, fine motor, problem solving, and personal-social development, respectively. The intervention education delivered to mothers promoted early development domains in cognitive, language, and motor development but not linear growth of small children in impoverished rural communities in Uganda. Our study showed that child development may be improved with a relatively low cost intervention strategy. This trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT02098031.

No abstract

Field drying is a traditional practice carried out by farmers in Uganda and it is one of those practices reported to affect the postharvest quality of maize. A study was therefore conducted to establish the effects of delayed harvest on moisture content, insect damage, moulds and aflatoxin contamination of maize in Mayuge district. Sixteen farmers were selected from Bayitambogwe sub-county, eight from each of the villages of Bugodi and Musita. Maize was sampled from each farmer's field in 2003B and 2004A seasons at harvest stages of physiological maturity and after delayed harvest for 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks. Each sample was analysed for mould incidence, moisture content, insect damage and aflatoxin contamination. In each season, mould incidence, insect damage and aflatoxin levels significantly (P < 0.05) increased with delayed time of harvest. Moisture content reduced with delayed harvest time but the maize did not dry to the required safe storage moisture content of ≤15%. Seasonal effects were only significant for moisture content: the 2003B crop had consistently lower moisture content than 2004A crop. These results indicate that, for improved harvest quality of maize, farmers should harvest no later than 3 weeks after maize has attained physiological maturity.

Objective: To determine the contribution of forest foods to dietary intake and estimate their association with household food insecurity. Design: Cross-sectional survey conducted among 279 households. Using a 7 d recall questionnaire, information on household food consumption was collected from women and used to determine the household dietary diversity score, food variety score and forest food consumption score (FFCS). Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) score was determined and Spearman rank correlation was used to establish the relationship between consumption of forest foods and HFIAS score. Women's dietary intake was estimated from two 24 h recalls. The contribution of forest foods to women's nutrient intakes was calculated and women's nutrient intakes were compared with estimated average nutrient requirements. Setting: Rural forest-dependent households in twelve villages in eastern and southern Cameroon. Subjects: Household heads and their non-pregnant, non-lactating spouses. Results: Forty-seven unique forest foods were identified; of these, seventeen were consumed by 98 % of respondents over the course of one week and by 17 % of women during the two 24 h recall periods. Although forest foods contributed approximately half of women's total daily energy intake, considerably greater contributions were made to vitamin A (93 %), Na (100 %), Fe (85 %), Zn (88 %) and Ca (89 %) intakes. Despite a highly biodiverse pool of foods, most households (83 %) suffered from high food insecurity based on the HFIAS. A significant inverse correlation was observed between the HFIAS score and the FFCS (r 2 = −0·169, P = 0·0006), demonstrating that forest foods play an important role in ensuring food security in these forest-dependent communities. Conclusions: Forest foods are widely consumed by forest-dependent communities. Given their rich nutrient content, they have potential to contribute to food and nutrition security.

Abstractobjectives The fungal metabolite aflatoxin is a common contaminant of foodstuffs, especially when stored in damp conditions. In humans, high levels can result in acute hepatic necrosis and death, while chronic exposure is carcinogenic. We conducted a pilot study nested within an existing population cohort (the General Population Cohort), to assess exposure to aflatoxin, among people living in rural south-western Uganda.methods Sera from 100 adults and 96 children under 3 years of age (85 male, 111 female) were tested for aflatoxin-albumin adduct (AF-alb), using an ELISA assay. Socio-demographic and dietary data were obtained for all participants; HIV serostatus was available for 90 adults and liver function tests (LFTs) for 99.results Every adult and all but four children had detectable AF-alb adduct, including five babies reported to be exclusively breastfed. Levels ranged from 0 to 237.7 pg/mg albumin and did not differ significantly between men and women, by age or by HIV serostatus; 25% had levels above 15.1 pg/ mg albumin. There was evidence of heterogeneity between villages (P = 0.003); those closest to trading centres had higher levels. Adults who consumed more Matooke (bananas) had lower levels of AF-alb adduct (P = 0.02) than adults who did not, possibly because their diet contained fewer aflatoxin-contaminated foods such as posho (made from maize). Children who consumed soya, which is not grown locally, had levels of AF-alb adduct that were almost twice as high as those who did not eat soya (P = 0.04).conclusions Exposure to aflatoxin is ubiquitous among the rural Ugandans studied, with a significant number of people having relatively high levels. Sources of exposure need to be better understood to instigate practical and sustainable interventions.