Social media and electronic communication usage by South African dietitians
Access to the Internet has radically changed the way people connect, communicate and obtain information. In January 2022, 62.5% of the world’s total population had Internet access and 58.4% were social media users. The South African population spent on average 10 hours 46 minutes per day online. The power of social media such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram lies in the direct transmission of information, sharing of information, and the ability to generate content easily and provide social support in an online community.
Estimation accuracy of bean bags as portion size estimation aids for amorphous foods
Dietary assessment is an important starting point for appropriate nutrition care as intake deficiencies and excesses are linked to ill-health. The challenges in measuring the diet of children as well as younger and older adults have repeatedly been voiced. When quantitative intake information is needed, lack of portion size estimation accuracy is a major contributor to under- and overestimations. It appears that estimation accuracy is, among other factors, related to food type (e.g. liquids vs. solids vs. amorphous foods). Portion size estimation of amorphous foods may be particularly challenging.
Perceptions of dietitians and key role players regarding their role in reporting food labelling transgressions in South Africa
In South Africa non-communicable disease (NCD) prevalence is increasing year on year, with 51% of all deaths in 2018 being attributable to NCDs according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Accurate nutrition information and food labelling are recognised as one of the best strategies to combat obesity and NCD prevalence worldwide. Food labels are important communication tools from manufacturers to consumers as they provide critical information concerning the food product. The current food labelling regulation in South Africa (R.146 of 2010), which came into effect in 2012, was meant as interim legislation until the publication of more comprehensive labelling legislation. In the past decade, two draft regulations were published for comment, the most recent draft being published in April 2023 (R.3337). The newest draft regulation (R.3337) is a much more comprehensive regulation, including information on various claims, front-of-pack warning labels, mandatory nutrition labelling and more. However, for the foreseeable future, the limited R.146 regulation remains the current and enforceable labelling regulation in South Africa. No guidelines exist within R.146 on how to report food labelling transgressions.
Muscle ultrasound: a reliable bedside tool for dietitians to monitor muscle mass
Despite a marked decline in intensive care unit (ICU) mortality over recent years, ICU survivors often suffer from severe muscle loss with extensive impairment of physical functioning and health-related quality of life, which may carry on for years after hospital discharge.
Risk factor profile for non-communicable diseases: findings of a STEPS survey among the support staff at the University of Pretoria, South Africa
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) cause an alarming 74% of deaths globally, and three-quarters of these deaths and 86% of premature deaths occur in middle- and low-income countries. In 2019 NCDs caused 37% of deaths and are predicted to be the main cause of mortality in sub-Saharan Africa by 2030. Four main kinds of NCDs account for over 80% of all premature NCD deaths, namely: cardiovascular diseases, cancers, diabetes mellitus, and respiratory diseases. People of all ages are vulnerable to several interacting modifiable behavioural and physiological NCD risk factors. Behavioural risk factors include unhealthy eating, physical inactivity, tobacco smoke exposure, or alcohol abuse. The key physiological risk factors are raised blood pressure, overweight/obesity, hyperglycaemia, and hyperlipidaemia.
Change in the prevalence of extra-uterine growth restriction in very low birthweight infants, following the introduction of a written nutrition protocol, in a tertiary neonatal unit
Advances in neonatal medicine, resulting in improved survival, have brought the concept of extra-uterine growth restriction (EUGR), defined as postnatal growth failure secondary to protein and energy deficits, to the forefront as an important cause of morbidity, particularly in very low birthweight (VLBW) and extremely low birthweight (ELBW) neonates. The National Institute of Child and Human Development (NICHD) Neonatal Research network reported that 97% of VLBW neonates and 99%of ELBWneonates suffered fromEUGR at 36 weeks corrected age in 1996, with the incidence of EUGR being inversely proportional to birth weight and gestational age (GA). The Vermont Oxford Network (VON) recently reported the EUGR prevalence at 50.3% in a cohort of VLBW neonates from 2000 to 2013.6 However, there is a paucity of South African (SA) data, with four published studies reporting on postnatal growth of infants at or before discharge who weighed < 1 500 g at birth, with one study reporting on two different groups of infants.8 All studies were performed in tertiary neonatal units in the public sector. Only one of these studies on ELBW infants reported on EUGR, with a prevalence of 81% (weight for gestational age ≤ 10th percentile on day 49 of life).
Estimating portion size in dietary assessment
Poor diets have a profound impact on global health. In 2019, 7.9 million deaths and 187.7 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) were attributable to dietary risk factors. Accurate data on dietary intake are therefore needed to enhance the understanding of the relation between diet and disease, and to develop dietary interventions and policies to improve dietary intake and health. According to Boeing, accurately estimating dietary exposure and modelling the relationship between diet and disease are central to nutritional epidemiology.
Lung transplantation in cystic fibrosis, a South African case study
Cystic fibrosis (CF), an autosomal recessive genetic disorder, is characterized by mutations in the genetic material encoding the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) protein. More than 2 000 CFTR mutations and defects have been described that may result in defects or deficiencies of this channel protein, but not all of these are diseasecausing. The role of the CFTR protein is to transport sodium and chloride ions across cell membranes throughout the body. Defective or insufficient transportation of these ions results in poor hydration of the cell membrane, thus resulting in thick, sticky mucus formation, which affects the functioning of organs and creates a breeding ground for pathogens. The result is organ dysfunction and, in some cases, eventual organ failure. Organs most commonly affected are the lungs, pancreas, liver, kidneys, intestines, and reproductive organs.