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Child undernutrition is a persistent problem in Africa, especially in areas where the poor largely depend on starchy staples with limited access to diverse diets. The purpose of this study was to determine the protein quality, growth and rehabilitating potential of composite foods made from quality protein maize.

Four composite diets were prepared from quality protein maize, namely quality protein maize-soybeans; quality protein maize-soybeans-cowpeas; quality protein maize-soybeans-common beans and quality protein maize alone. A fifth diet was prepared from common maize alone. The control diet (Chesta®) was made from maize, soybeans, fish, bone and blood meal. The formulations were made to meet the greatest amino acid score and the desired amount of energy and fat according to the FAO/WHO (1985) recommendation for pre-school children. Albino rats were used in evaluating the protein quality of the formulations.

The food intake was significantly different (p < 0.05) among diets; with a trend of intake decreasing from quality protein maize-based to conventional maize alone diets (apart from the control diet). Protein efficiency ratio and net protein ratio varied significantly (p < 0.05) across the experimental diets. Protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score (PDCAAS) was 80 per cent (quality protein maize-soybeans-cowpeas), 87 per cent (quality protein maize-soybeans), 103 per cent (common maize alone), 98 per cent (quality protein maize), 80 per cent (quality protein maize-soybeans-common beans) and 53 per cent (control).

Two diets, namely quality protein maize-soybeans-common beans and quality protein maize-soybeans-cowpeas, showed the greatest potential to support growth and rehabilitation of undernourished rats. Human trial is proposed to validate the findings.

Despite adoption of quality protein maize in several parts of the country, there are no studies that have been done to determine the potential of quality protein maize to support optimal growth and rehabilitation of undernourished children. The objective of this study was, therefore, to evaluate the protein quality, growth and rehabilitating potential of composite foods made from quality protein maize.

To provide evidence that elimination diet based on food‐specific IgG test results is an effective, reliable and valid aid to the management of chronic medical conditions.

A postal survey, commissioned by Allergy UK, was carried out with 5,286 subjects reporting a wide range of chronic medical conditions, who had taken a food‐specific IgG enzyme‐linked immunosorbant assay blood test. Questionnaires, issued three months after the results, were analysed to investigate the effect of eliminating the foods identified by the test. To check for response bias, a separate group of patients who had not responded were interviewed by telephone. The analysis and reporting of the data was carried out at the University of York.Findings – Of patients who rigorously followed the diet 75.8 per cent had a noticeable improvement in their condition. Of patients who benefited from following the recommendations 68.2 per cent felt the benefit within three weeks. Those who reported more than one condition were more likely to report noticeable improvement. 81.5 per cent of those that dieted rigorously and reported three or more co‐morbidities showed noticeable improvement in their condition. For those who dieted rigorously and reported high benefit, 92.3 per cent noticed a return of symptoms on reintroduction of the offending foods.

These data provide evidence for the use of elimination diet based on food‐specific IgG blood test results as an aid to management of the symptoms of a range of chronic medical conditions.

The objective of this work is to prepare two complementary diets based on the enrichment of the traditional Ogi with soybeans and crayfish and comparatively evaluate the compositional and sensory attributes of the two diets.

The diets were formulated by mixing Ogi with soybean flour in the ratio of 7:3 to produce diet A, and with the crayfish flour in the same ratio, giving rise to diet B. These diets were evaluated for their nutritive value using proximate analysis. Sensory evaluation was also carried out to assess the acceptability of the diets.

Chemical analysis showed that diet A (Ogi‐soybeans) contained 14.16 per cent protein, 18.6 per cent fat, 2.0 per cent crude fibre and 2.14 per cent ash, while diet B (Ogi‐crayfish) contained 17.66 per cent protein, 12.6 per cent fat, 2.45 per cent crude fibre and 5.35 per cent ash. Sensory evaluation showed that diet A was generally more acceptable in terms of colour, tastes, consistency and aroma. However, this difference was not statistically significant (p<0.05).

The methods employed in this study are very simple and ingredients used are available and acceptable to local tastes. Both prepared diets, in their present form, are compared favourably with industrially prepared Nutrend. It is therefore possible for small‐scale and cottage industries to engage in suitable complementary food production in Nigeria, utilizing local resources.

The epidemic of obesity is escalating worldwide. This paper aims to focus on feasible and affordable measures to reduce obesity among sedentary persons aged 30 to 50 years, to provide suitable intervention to overcome excess body weight and to prevent further weight gain. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to examine such effects in India.

In total, 288 sedentary office going people were motivated to reduce weight and on the basis of their being obese and willingness to participate in the study, 144 of them were selected for the intervention study. They were randomly divided into four groups. Subjects of Group I formed the control, Group II were given a high fiber and low glycemic diet mix, Group III participated in an exercise program and Group IV followed both. Anthropometric measurements were measured initially and at 30 days of interval up to 120 days, and biochemical tests were done before and after the intervention.

The subjects in Groups II, III and IV had 5 per cent reduction in anthropometric measurements. The biochemical tests revealed that the rate of decrease of mean total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol were greatest in Group II. In Group IV, there was maximum decrease of mean total cholesterol and high density lipoprotein (HDL) ratio, mean LDL and HDL ratio, mean fasting blood glucose and also a favorable increase of HDL cholesterol. In Group III, there was maximum increase of hemoglobin. All the central obesity measures, except body mass index, are highly and positively correlated with the biochemical parameters.

It was observed that, in some individuals, the weight loss was 8 to 10 kg, and for a few, the weight loss was less in the range of 1 to 2 kg. This indicated that the same kind of diet and exercise brought about weight reduction to different extents due to individual response. Because of the individual differences, there is a need to highlight the response of the intervention by examining the individual variability referring to age and gender rather than pooling the mean data.

It was observed that the inclusion of high fiber and low glycemic diet in the intervention had a profound influence in the reduction of weight. Exercise alone may not be very effective when opted as a single measure for reducing obesity, and it can only act as a complementary program along with diet for any weight reduction program.

The purpose of this paper is to analyze how meanings of body and identity are constructed when dieting. The paper utilizes cultural approach and focuses on the ways meanings of body and identity are constructed in social interaction.

A netnographic research design connected to qualitative diary research was applied in the study. Three web diaries including notes from a period longer than one year were analysed inductively. That is, the research questions were approached data driven.

Three themes showing the cultural meanings of dieting body were identified: “towards a better body”, “the ashamed body” and “back into control”. Moreover, two themes address the negotiating with the contradictory meanings of identity. They were labeled as “from invisible to visible” and “the humanlike scales”. The identified themes were further analysed in relation to previous findings presented by Thompson and Hirschman in their analysis of consumers' experiences of their embodied selves.

Little attention has been paid to dieting in previous cultural consumption studies even though meanings body and identity and their intertwining have been addressed. As the present findings are based on the naturally occurring data, they offer new ways to understand the meanings related to dieting. Maintaining the body project seems to be the project of becoming something (better) and therefore it asks the consumer to negotiate continuously with her body and identity. Consequently, the paper brings forth social and marketing implications that are developed on the grounds of findings.

Healthy diet and lifestyle have been shown to be important for obese patients in the management of diet‐related diseases especially in the improvement of cardiovascular disease risk indicators. The purpose of this paper is to determine the effects of a calorie‐restricted low‐fat diet on body weight, cardiovascular disease risk and liver function indicators in an obese, cardiology outpatient with type II diabetes.

A male, obese cardiology outpatient was assigned to a calorie‐restricted (6,694.4 kJ/d) low‐fat (not to exceed 20 per cent of total energy intake) diet for 12 weeks. His body mass index (BMI), blood pressure (BP), pulse rate, fasting glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride, low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, high‐density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, alanine aminotranseferase, aspartate aminotranseferase (AST) concentration and TC/HDL ratio were measured prior to the start of the diet and during weeks four, eight and 12 of the diet.

The patient found it difficult making changes to his diet and only reduced his weight by 1 kg. He significantly reduced his serum triglyceride by about 20 per cent, TC/HDL ratio by 13 per cent and fasting blood glucose concentration by 31 per cent. However, there was no significant change in his BP, pulse rate, total and LDL cholesterol concentration. He also reduced his AST concentration by 20 per cent and alanine aminotranseferase (ALT) by 19 per cent.

This paper usefully shows how healthier food choices involving increased intake of fruits and vegetables and restricted intake of total and saturated fat reduced the risk of cardiovascular death in a male cardiology outpatient with type II diabetes.

The purpose of this paper is to provide a comprehensive summary of the effect of different dietary approaches on polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

This review represents the history of PCOS, the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment. It also includes up‐to‐date research articles on different types of diets that have been shown some promising effects in the treatment of PCOS.

PCOS is nowadays considered the most common endocrine abnormality, with a range of 4‐12 per cent of women affected by the syndrome. It has been proven that diet, in addition to exercise and medication, plays an important role in the treatment of PCOS. The proper dietary approach for women with PCOS should focus on the PCOS symptoms and also improve weight loss, increase fertility, and decrease risks of cardiovascular diseases.

This paper provides accessible and comprehensive information on PCOS (since its discovery in 1935) to researchers, nutritionists, and women with PCOS who are interested in the effect of the diet on PCOS management.

Three events of significance to this country took place in 1899 – the British Food Journal was launched, Australia retained the Ashes, and the Boer War hostilities commenced. If challenged on the order of their importance, cricketers and Empire‐builders may be excused their preference. However, looking at it purely from the standpoint of pro bono publico, the dispassionate observer must surely opt for the birth of a certain publication as being ultimately the most beneficial of the three.

The purpose of this paper is to review the Mediterranean diet and its association to disease and health benefits derived from the adherence to it.

The review includes the most updated studies found in PubMed all in relation to the adaptation of the Mediterranean diet.

The cardioprotection of Mediterranean diet has been established. A number of cancer types could be prevented by following the Mediterranean type diet and the specific ingredients of it are also investigated to find their impact on health. Longevity is also favored by the adoption of this dietary pattern as is the population group diagnosed with metabolic syndrome and mental health disorders. The results about its consumption and obesity need further investigation. Patients with HIV, being on specific treatment, are advised not to follow the Mediterranean diet.

This paper gives a concise, up‐to‐date overview to nutritionists and dietitians on the Mediterranean diet and its relation to health and disease.

Members of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food's Consumer Panel have raised questions about the cost of diets designed to meet the latest nutritional advice. They had noted assertions that a healthy diet could well cost more than present diets and asked for more information. The aim of this article, provided by MAFF, is to explore these issues and consider whether this belief is soundly based.