We investigated the effects of a high walnut diet and a high unsalted cashew nut diet on selected markers of the metabolic syndrome. In a randomized, parallel, controlled study design, sixty-four subjects having the metabolic syndrome (twenty-nine men, thirty-five women) with a mean age of 45 (SD 10) years and who met the selection criteria were all fed a 3-week run-in control diet. Hereafter, participants were grouped according to gender and age and then randomized into three groups receiving a controlled feeding diet including walnuts, or unsalted cashew nuts or no nuts for 8 weeks. Subjects were required to have lunch at the metabolic ward of the Nutrition Department of the North-West University (Potchefstroom Campus). Both the walnut and the unsalted cashew nut intervention diets had no significant effect on the HDL-cholesterol, TAG, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, serum fructosamine, serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, blood pressure and serum uric acid concentrations when compared to the control diet. Low baseline LDL-cholesterol concentrations in the cashew nut group may have masked a possible nut-related benefit. Plasma glucose concentrations increased significantly (P¼ 0·04) in the cashew nut group compared to the control group. By contrast, serum fructosamine was unchanged in the cashew nut group while the control group had significantly increased (P¼ 0·04) concentrations of this short-term marker of glycaemic control. Subjects displayed no improvement in the markers of the metabolic syndrome after following a walnut diet or a cashew nut diet compared to a control diet while maintaining body weight.

Although the inclusion of walnuts and cashew nuts into a prudent diet resulted in an increased antioxidant capacity (ORAC) of the nut diets, compared to the control diet, it did not improve the serum antioxidant profiles of subjects with metabolic syndrome.

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The significant improvements in BRS obtained by a diet rich in cashew nuts underline the beneficial cardiovascular effects of nuts. However, the opposite result was obtained with a diet rich in walnuts. These significant changes observed might indicate that BRS is particularly sensitive and influenced by changes in diet without changes in obesity.

This current pilot trial assessed the feasibility of implementing a point-of-use (PoU) micronutrient fortification in preschool settings. Preschool children (n = 151) aged 36-79 months were randomized into intervention (n = 76) and control (n = 75) groups, both receiving breakfast maize-porridge with added micronutrient or placebo powder for 52 school days. Process evaluation and early childhood development indicators were used to assess trial feasibility. Process evaluation results showed that the implementation components were feasible and could be delivered with high fidelity. The improvement in hemoglobin concentration in intervention and control groups were not significantly different (P = 0.250). There was medium likelihood for practical significance for the two global cognitive scores assessed: non-verbal index (intervention effects: 7.20; 95% confidence interval: 2.60, 11.81; P = 0.002, effect size: 0.55) and mental processing index (intervention effects: 2.73; 95% confidence interval: 0.25, 5.70; P = 0.072, effect size: 0.36) on the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children, Second Edition. The lessons from this trial could help in planning/implementing future PoU micronutrient fortification trial among South African preschool children.

Aim: The aim of this review is to explore the validity and/or reproducibility of dietary assessment methods used to assess food and nutrient intakes of adolescents. Method: A detailed literature search was undertaken to trace articles reporting on the validity and/or reproducibility of food records, food frequency questionnaires (FFQs) and 24-hour recalls for the dietary assessment of adolescents, especially among South Africans, in the following databases: Medline, Science Direct, Academic Search Premier, Health Source, PubMed and the South African e-publications database (SAE). Original studies published between 1990 and 2009, and relevant original articles published before 1990, were included. Of these, only three were South African-based studies reporting testing for reproducibility and/or validity. Results: Results indicated that adolescents comply better with estimated food records than with weighed food records. However, energy intake was underestimated in adolescents (by 18-42%) when using food record methods. The relative validity of FFQs among adolescents was moderate, with correlation coefficients of > 0.3 for most measured nutrients and food items. Reproducibility was fair to good among female adolescents (0.3-0.83) for most nutrients and foods, but was lower in a South African Tswana-speaking group. The 24-hour recall method showed the least over-and underestimation of all the reviewed methods. When comparing the 24-hour recall method to an observed intake method among adolescents, < 11% underestimation of energy intake was found, while < 4% underestimation was found when the 24-hour recall method was tested against the doubly labelled water method. Conclusion: Based on these outcomes it was concluded that FFQs and 24-hour recalls are valid and reproducible dietary assessment methods that can be used when collecting dietary data from adolescents. Factors to consider when choosing the best suitable method should include the gender and ethnicity of the population as well as the time frame for the collection of dietary data.

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