A food‐based systems approach to improve the nutritional status of Australian aborigines: A focus on zinc

Evaluating Food-Based Programmes for Their Reduction of Vitamin A Deficiency and Its Consequences

Food-based approaches, using foods naturally rich in micronutrients, are one strategy for combating micronutrient deficiencies. They can have both a direct impact on nutritional status and health by changing the production, preparation, and consumption of foods, and an indirect impact by changing associated aspects such as income, expenditure, and empowerment of women. This combination of a direct and an indirect impact, each of which can also be confounded by other factors, complicates the evaluation of the impact of food-based approaches. in order to develop food-based approaches into a sound and well-recognized strategy for combating micronutrient deficiencies, with appropriate appreciation of their possible impact as well as of their limitations, food-based programmes have to be evaluated for their impact on nutritional status and health. This paper suggests ways to do this by using a conceptual framework for designing the programme and evaluating its impact, studying the relationship between the consumption of particular foods and nutritional status, and assessing the contribution of a food-based programme to reducing the risk of vitamin A deficiency relative to other programmes. One of the main conclusions is that intervention studies can be used to study particular relationships identified by the conceptual framework, such as the relationship between increased consumption of leafy vegetables and vitamin A status, but that specific evaluations are necessary to assess the impact of a particular food-based programme, because of the many confounding factors that are difficult to take into account in a smaller-scale intervention study.

Ethnoveterinary medicines used for ruminants in British Columbia, Canada

BACKGROUND

The use of medicinal plants is an option for livestock farmers who are not allowed to use allopathic drugs under certified organic programs or cannot afford to use allopathic drugs for minor health problems of livestock.

METHODS

In 2003 we conducted semi-structured interviews with 60 participants obtained using a purposive sample. Medicinal plants are used to treat a range of conditions. A draft manual prepared from the data was then evaluated by participants at a participatory workshop.

RESULTS

There are 128 plants used for ruminant health and diets, representing several plant families. The following plants are used for abscesses: Berberis aquifolium/Mahonia aquifolium Echinacea purpurea, Symphytum officinale, Bovista pila, Bovista plumbea, Achillea millefolium and Usnea longissima. Curcuma longa L., Salix scouleriana and Salix lucida are used for caprine arthritis and caprine arthritis encephalitis. Euphrasia officinalis and Matricaria chamomilla are used for eye problems. Wounds and injuries are treated with Bovista spp., Usnea longissima, Calendula officinalis, Arnica sp., Malva sp., Prunella vulgaris, Echinacea purpurea, Berberis aquifolium/Mahonia aquifolium, Achillea millefolium, Capsella bursa-pastoris, Hypericum perforatum, Lavandula officinalis, Symphytum officinale and Curcuma longa. Syzygium aromaticum and Pseudotsuga menziesii are used for coccidiosis. The following plants are used for diarrhea and scours: Plantago major, Calendula officinalis, Urtica dioica, Symphytum officinale, Pinus ponderosa, Potentilla pacifica, Althaea officinalis, Anethum graveolens, Salix alba and Ulmus fulva. Mastitis is treated with Achillea millefolium, Arctium lappa, Salix alba, Teucrium scorodonia and Galium aparine. Anethum graveolens and Rubus sp., are given for increased milk production. Taraxacum officinale, Zea mays, and Symphytum officinale are used for udder edema. Ketosis is treated with Gaultheria shallon, Vaccinium sp., and Symphytum officinale. Hedera helix and Alchemilla vulgaris are fed for retained placenta.

CONCLUSION

Some of the plants showing high levels of validity were Hedera helix for retained placenta and Euphrasia officinalis for eye problems. Plants with high validity for wounds and injuries included Hypericum perforatum, Malva parviflora and Prunella vulgaris. Treatments with high validity against endoparasites included those with Juniperus communis and Pinus ponderosa. Anxiety and pain are well treated with Melissa officinalis and Nepeta caesarea.