Cognitive function and associated factors among school age children in Goba Town, South-East Ethiopia

Burden of selenium deficiency and cost-effectiveness of selenium agronomic biofortification of staple cereals in Ethiopia

Selenium (Se) deficiency among populations in Ethiopia is consistent with low concentrations of Se in soil and crops that could be addressed partly by Se-enriched fertilisers. This study examines the disease burden of Se deficiency in Ethiopia and evaluates the cost-effectiveness of Se agronomic biofortification. A disability-adjusted life years (DALY) framework was used, considering goiter, anaemia, and cognitive dysfunction among children and women. The potential efficiency of Se agronomic biofortification was calculated from baseline crop composition and response to Se fertilisers based on an application of 10 g/ha Se fertiliser under optimistic and pessimistic scenarios. The calculated cost per DALY was compared against gross domestic product (GDP; below 1-3 times national GDP) to consider as a cost-effective intervention. The existing national food basket supplies a total of 28·2 µg of Se for adults and 11·3 µg of Se for children, where the risk of inadequate dietary Se reaches 99·1 %-100 %. Cereals account for 61 % of the dietary Se supply. Human Se deficiency contributes to 0·164 million DALYs among children and women. Hence, 52 %, 43 %, and 5 % of the DALYs lost are attributed to anaemia, goiter, and cognitive dysfunction, respectively. Application of Se fertilisers to soils could avert an estimated 21·2-67·1 %, 26·6-67·5 % and 19·9-66·1 % of DALY via maize, teff and wheat at a cost of US$129·6-226·0, US$149·6-209·1 and US$99·3-181·6, respectively. Soil Se fertilisation of cereals could therefore be a cost-effective strategy to help alleviate Se deficiency in Ethiopia, with precedents in Finland.

Association of dietary diversity and cognition in preschoolers in rural China

OBJECTIVES

We sought to investigate the cognition of preschoolers in rural China and examine the relationship between dietary diversity and cognition.

METHODS

We performed a cross-sectional survey analysis. In 1334 preschoolers ages 3 to 5, from 26 preschools in two nationally designated poverty counties in Hunan Province in China, we calculated the dietary diversity score (DDS) using a 24-h recall method. To measure children's cognitive ability, we assessed the Working Memory Index and Verbal Comprehension Index on the Mandarin-language version of the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence, Fourth Edition. Multiple linear regression models were used to estimate the association between DDS and cognitive test scores.

RESULTS

A total of 22% of children had a Working Memory Index that was either extremely low or borderline, and 31% of children had a Verbal Comprehension Index that was either extremely low or borderline. The mean (± SD) DDS was 5.65 ± 1.30. Those preschoolers with medium DDS (5 or 6) or high DDS (7 to 9) scored higher on both Working Memory Index-respectively, mean difference (MD), 1.327; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.246-3.901; and MD, 2.067, 95% CI, 0.261-4.641-and Verbal Comprehension Index-MD, 0.168; 95% CI, 0.072-2.135; and MD, 0.398; 95% CI, 0.032-2.137-than did those with low DDS (0 to 4).

CONCLUSIONS

Consuming a more diverse diet may contribute to better cognition in preschoolers. Future research is needed to better understand the possible causal effect of dietary diversity on cognitive development.

Regional variations of child development index in Bangladesh

Early development is a vital phase in childhood life. The study aimed to identify factors that were associated with the early development of 36–59 months children in Bangladesh. The findings of this study will formulate the design of appropriate policy and programmed responses.

Utilizing Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey data, influencing components of child development status were evaluated for both rural and urban areas of Bangladesh. A total of 23,099 children under the age of five were included in this analysis. Chi-square analysis was conducted to assess the association between outcome variables and selected covariates. At the same time, this study uses two separate multivariate binary logistics regression models (respectively for urban areas and rural areas) to determine the risk factors that are primarily related to child development.

Our research estimates that more than 70 percent of children develop early throughout the country. The multivariate analysis on the determinants of child development index among children aged between 36 and 59 months old regarding residence discovered a significant impact on child age and sex, maternal education, child education, wealth status, reading children's books. The adjusted odds of child nutrition status, playthings, and maternal functional difficulties have had a major impact on early child development in rural Bangladesh.

Based on the findings, educational status, nutritional status, wealth-status, and some determinants of children care the most noteworthy findings in this study. Hence, policymakers should emphasize on such factors for improving children's development in residence.

Iron status predicts cognitive test performance of primary school children from Kumasi, Ghana

Background

Good nutritional status of school-aged children is crucial in achieving improved cognition. The objective of this study was to assess the relationship between nutritional status and cognition of school-aged children in the Kumasi metropolis, Ghana.

Methods

389 children were selected from ten government-owned schools. Socio-demographic and anthropometric data were collected. Blood samples were collected and analyzed for nutrients levels. Dietary intakes were assessed using food frequency questionnaire and previous day’s nutrients intake. Cognition test was performed using the Ravens Colored Progressive Matrix (RCPM).

Results

Mean age of participants was 8.9±1.4 years, mean RCPM score was 17.9±5.4. More girls scored RCPM below the 40^th percentile (45.5%) than boys (33.7%), while mother’s level of education significantly associated with RCPM percentiles of the children (p = 0.037). Four dietary patterns were generated from food frequency data, and scores of the second pattern, depicting vegetables, non-fruits, bread and cereals, showed a weak negative correlation (r = -0.132, p = 0.026) with previous day’s dietary zinc intake. Cognitive status did not vary by anthropometric and dietary patterns. More anemic (54.4%) than non-anemic (33.3%) children were below the 40^th RCPM percentile. Mean previous day’s intake for folate (p<0.001), vitamin B₆ (p = 0.018), iron (p<0.001), and zinc (p = 0.001) differed significantly between the cognitive test score percentiles of the children. Spearman rank correlation showed weak positive associations between RCPM score and hemoglobin (r = 0.246, p = 0.003) and serum ferritin (r = 0.176, p = 0.036). Binary regression analysis showed anemic children (aOR = 0.4; 95%CI = 0.2–0.8, p = 0.014), compared with non-anemic had decreased odds, while boys, compared with girls had increased odds (aOR = 2.0 95%CI = 1.0–4.0, p = 0.035) for scoring above the 50^th RCPM percentile.

Conclusions

Iron status, especially hemoglobin levels, correlated with the cognitive performance of school-aged children in the metropolis. Thus nutritional strategies aimed at reducing iron deficiency anemia are needed.

Child development and nutritional status in 12-59 months of age in resource limited setting of Ethiopia

BACKGROUND

Early years of life are period of maximal growth and development of human brain. Development of young child is influenced by biological endowment and health of child, nutritional status of child, relationships with primary caregivers, family, and support systems in the community. This study was aimed to assess childhood development in relation to their nutritional status.

METHOD

Community-based cross-sectional study was employed. Multi-stage systematic random sampling technique was used to select 626 children aged 12-59 months with mother/caregivers' pairs in Wolaita district in 2015. Child development assessment was done using third edition of age and stage questionnaire. Height and weight were measured by trained data collectors then the WHO Anthro version 3.2.2 software was used to convert nutritional data indices. Data were entered into Epi-info version 3.3.5 and was exported and analyzed using STATA version 14. Correlation and multiple logistic regression were used.

RESULT

High risk of developmental problem in children were 19.0% with 95% CI (16.06%, 22.3%), and it is expressed as communication 5.8%, gross motor 6.1%, fine motor 4.0%, personal social 8.8%, and problem solving 4.1%. One-third (34.1%) of the study participants were stunted while 6.9% and 11.9% of them were wasted and underweight respectively. Weight-for-age (WAZ) and height-for-age positively correlated with all five domains of development, i.e., with communication, gross motor, fine motor, personal social, and problem solving (r = 0.1 - 0.23; p < 0.0001, and r = 0.131 - 0.249; p < 0.0001) respectively.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

Overall child development was directly related with nutritional status. So, available resources should be offered to decrease children undernutrition. Further assessment on childhood development of children is necessary.