Breastfeeding has an important role in the prevention of different forms of childhood malnutrition, including wasting, stunting, over- and underweight and micronutrient deficiencies. This chapter reviews research that demonstrates how improved breastfeeding rates have the potential to improve childhood nutrition, with associated impacts on infectious and noninfectious disease prevention. The unique composition of breastmilk, the importance of breastfeeding in infectious disease prevention, the iron status of breastfed infants, and breastfeeding's protective effect on overweight and obesity are discussed based on currently available research. Early and tailored dietary counseling is needed to improve maternal diets, which can affect the nutritional status of breastmilk. Promotion and support of breastfeeding are important to prevent childhood morbidity and mortality. A review of the literature reveals key factors shown to be effective in improving breastfeeding rates, especially including legislation to control the marketing of breastmilk substitutes. In conclusion, breastfeeding is shown to be the best natural resource to improve childhood nutrition throughout the world.

The present narrative review outlines the use of milk products in infant and young child feeding from early history until today and illustrates how research findings and technical innovations contributed to the evolution of milk-based strategies to combat undernutrition in children below the age of 5 years. From the onset of social welfare initiatives, dairy products were provided by maternal and child health services to improve nutrition. During the last century, a number of aetiological theories on oedematous forms of undernutrition were developed and until the 1970s the dogma of protein deficiency was dominant. Thereafter, a multifactorial concept gained acceptance and protein quality was emphasised. During the last decades, research findings demonstrated that the inclusion of dairy products in the management of severe acute malnutrition is most effective. For children suffering from moderate acute malnutrition the evidence for the superiority of milk-based diets is less clear. There is an unmet need for evaluating locally produced milk-free alternatives at lower cost, especially in countries that rely on imported dairy products. New strategies for the dietary management of childhood undernutrition need to be developed on the basis of research findings, current child feeding practices, socio-cultural conditions and local resources. Exclusive and continued breast-feeding supported by community-based nutrition programmes using optimal combinations of locally available complementary foods should be compared with milk product-based interventions.

Background: Depression is a common mental disorder. Globally, more than 340 million people of all ages suffer from depression. The aim of our study was to determine the association between major dietary patterns and depression among type 2 diabetes patients. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 480 type 2 diabetes patients attending primary healthcare centers in Gaza Strip, Palestine. The depression, anxiety, stress scales (DASS, 21-items) questionnaire was used to measure the score of depression. The participants' demographic, socioeconomic and medical history data was collected and the 98-items semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire was used for evaluating the dietary patterns. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 20. Results: Based on depression scale, 29.0% of type 2 diabetes patients had depression, (58.3% females, and 41.7% males). The prevalence of mild, moderate, severe, and very severe depression was 11.7%, 8.5%, 6.7%, and 2.1%, respectively. Furthermore, two major dietary patterns were identified by factor analysis: The Western, and the grains-vegetables, and fruits patterns. After adjusting for the potential confounders, patients in the lowest tertile (T1) of the grains-vegetables, and fruits dietary pattern had a lower odds for depression (OR 0.763 95% CI (0.667-0.871), P value = 0.001); where as a higher odds for healthy (OR 1.443 95% CI (1.131-1.839), P value = 0.004), compared to those in the highest tertile (T3). Conclusion: The grains-vegetables, and fruits dietary pattern may be associated with a lower prevalence of depression, and has been shown to be the healthiest dietary

Objectives Breast cancer (BC) consider as the most common malignant disease among women in Palestine. It is a leading cause of cancer mortality among women. It is estimated that 1 in 8 women will develop BC in their lifetime. The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between serum levels of folic acid among BC women in Gaza strip (Palestinian territories). It's also aim to determine other factors that can increase BC risk. Explore the correlation between dietary intake of folic acid and incidence of BC among women. Methods Case-control study conducted on 90 women aged 30 years and above in Gaza strip. 45 subjects who are newly diagnosed with BC and 45 healthy subjects examined to be free from the disease. All subjects were interviewed and blood sample were collected to measure folic acid levels. Results There is weak inverse correlation between BC incidence and folic acid serum levels, meanwhile, total folic acids intake showed no difference between case and control groups. Conclusions There is weak association between folic acid levels and BC risk in our sample. Funding Sources University of Palestine, Nutrition Department and AlAzhar University, Clinical Nutrition Program.

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