World Journal of Nutrition and Health

Effect of Breastfeeding Education on Knowledge and Intention-To-Practice Exclusive Breastfeeding among Pregnant Women Attending Antenatal Clinic in Ile-Ife, Nigeria

2025-04-01

Mothers have been encouraged to practice exclusive breastfeed for the first six months of child’s life. Breastfeeding education improves knowledge and intention to practice exclusive breastfeeding among pregnant women. The study assessed the effect of breastfeeding education on the knowledge and intention to practice exclusive breastfeeding among pregnant women attending antenatal clinic in Ile-Ife, Nigeria. The study was conducted among 200 pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in the two Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Ile-Ife. It was a quasi-experimental study conducted in three phases: pre-intervention/baseline, intervention and post-intervention phases. Baseline data were collected from both intervention and control groups using pre-tested interviewer-administered questionnaire. The intervention group received breastfeeding education while the control group did not. After 12 weeks from the start of the intervention, post-intervention data were collected from both the intervention and control groups using the same questionnaire at baseline. Data collected were analyzed with the use of IBM Statistical Package for Service Solutions (SPSS) version 25 software. Descriptive analysis was done for all variables. The outcome variables were compared at pre and post-intervention using chi-square and McNemar’s chi-square (binomial distribution) as test of association. The level of significance was set at p value less than 0.05. In the intervention group, knowledge of EBF increased from 29.8% to 95.2% at post-intervention respectively, and this was statistically significant at p < 0.001. Similarly, the intention to practice EBF improved from 75.0% to 94.0% at post-intervention. This difference was statistically significant at p = 0.045. In the control group, knowledge of EBF increased from 30.4% to 57.6% at post-intervention, however, this difference was not statistically significant i.e. p > 0.05. There was no increase in the intention to practice EBF. The study concluded that breastfeeding education significantly improved knowledge of exclusive breastfeeding but not the intention to practice exclusive breastfeeding.

Vitamin B Supplementation and Homocysteine Reduction in Nigerian Children with Nephrotic Syndrome: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Bose E. Orimadegun, Adebowale A. Ademola, Adanze O. Asinobi — 2025-04-24

Nephrotic syndrome (NS) in children is associated with hyperhomocysteinemia, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. The deficiency of vitamins B6, B12, and folate contribute to elevated homocysteine levels, yet limited interventional studies have evaluated the effects of vitamin supplementation in pediatric NS patients. This study investigated the effect of folic acid, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12 supplementation on plasma homocysteine levels in Nigerian children with NS. A single-blind, randomized controlled trial was conducted at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria. Forty-eight children with NS and plasma homocysteine >10 μmol/L were randomly assigned to receive either daily supplementation (5 mg folic acid, 50 mg vitamin B6, and 1 mg vitamin B12) or placebo for six months. The primary outcome was homocysteine reduction, while secondary outcomes included changes in vitamin levels, renal function, and lipid profiles. At baseline, demographic and biochemical parameters were similar between groups. After six months, the intervention group showed a significant reduction in homocysteine levels (12.8 ± 1.4 µmol/L to 6.9 ± 2.1 µmol/L, p < 0.001), while the control group had minimal change (13.3 ± 1.8 µmol/L to 12.9 ± 1.9 µmol/L, p = 1.000). The intervention group also had greater reductions than the control group in total cholesterol (-13.2 mg/dL vs. -4.9 mg/dL, p < 0.001) and LDL cholesterol (-9.8 mg/dL vs. -3.6 mg/dL, p < 0.001). Renal function parameters improved similarly in both groups. No serious adverse effects were reported, and adherence was 91.7%. Vitamin B supplementation significantly reduced plasma homocysteine and improved lipid profiles in children with NS. These findings suggest potential cardiovascular benefits, warranting further research with larger cohorts and longer follow-up.

Iron Release from Lucky Iron Fish® Across pH Levels and Acidification Treatments: Effects Relevant to Food Fortification

Rachel Meek, Steven McGeehan, Kathy Beerman — 2025-10-10

Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is a critical public health issue in populations living in resource-limited regions of the world. While iron-rich diets and iron supplementation can reverse IDA, settings characterized by economic hardship and limited access to nutritious foods may require more practical, sustainable approaches. The Lucky Iron Fish (LIF), an iron ingot used in cooking, has been shown to improve iron status. Iron release from LIF is influenced by pH and boiling time, but the impact of different acidifying agents at varying pH levels remains unclear. Thus, optimum acidification and cooking methods to maximize iron enrichment of food have not been determined. This study evaluated the effects of water acidification treatments and pH levels on iron release from LIF and its ability to fortify black beans and white rice. Experiments, conducted in triplicate, used acetic acid, ascorbic acid, and lemon juice at pH levels 4.0, 4.5, 5.0, and 5.5. Foods were cooked with iron-fortified water using non-fortified tap water as a control. Total iron concentrations were measured for both aqueous and food samples. The results show aqueous iron concentrations significantly increased as pH decreased for all acid treatments, but only minor differences were found when acid types were compared. Using acetic acid (pH 4.5) as the acidification treatment, the iron content of both black beans and white rice doubled compared to the control. The iron content of black beans nearly tripled when pre-soaked in iron-fortified water prior to cooking in iron-fortified water. These results suggest that proper acidification and cooking preparation methods can enhance iron fortification of black beans and rice, both of which are staple foods in many regions of the world. Fortifying food with iron using the LIF provides a straightforward, affordable strategy that could have a significant global impact in preventing and treating IDA.