The South African journal of clinical nutrition 

About: The South African journal of clinical nutrition is an academic journal published by Taylor & Francis. The journal publishes majorly in the area(s): Population & Malnutrition. It has an ISSN identifier of 1607-0658. It is also open access. Over the lifetime, 659 publications have been published receiving 7167 citations. The journal is also known as: SAJCN.

'Big is beautiful' - an exploration with urban black community health workers in a South African township

Abstract: Objectives: To explore perceptions about factors associated with body weight and body image among black female community health workers (CHWs) living and working in Khayelitsha, Cape Town.

1. An introduction to the revised food-based dietary guidelines for South Africa

Abstract: Food-based dietary guidelines (FBDGs) are short, positive, science-based messages that aim to change the eating behaviour of the general population towards more optimal diets that meet energy and nutrient requirements, while simultaneously helping to protect against the development of noncommunicable diseases. Recently, a national working group revised the South African set of FBDGs (i.e. the draft paediatric FBDGs and the general FBDGs). Expert working groups have written technical support papers for each of the individual revised FBDGs published in this supplement of the journal. The recognition that child malnutrition remains a major public health problem in South Africa led to the formulation of a specific set of guidelines for the mothers and caregivers of infants and young children from birth to five years of age, based on existing paediatric nutrition-related health issues and local dietary habits. In this introductory paper, the process of the development and revision of the FBDGs for South Africa is briefly reviewed. The need for specific FBDGs is motivated by prevailing health risk factors and dietary intakes in South Africa. Potential barriers to the implementation of the guidelines are identified and recommendations are made for the development of educational material, as well as for the design of implementation, monitoring and evaluation programmes. It is concluded that the use of guidelines to educate and empower mothers and caregivers, as well as schoolchildren, adolescents and adults, on how to follow a healthier diet, could be a powerful tool in combating both under- and overnutrition-related public health problems throughout the life course.

Development of food-based dietary guidelines for South Africa - the process.

Abstract: This paper reviews the motivation behind and the process of development of positive practical affordable sustainable and culturally sensitive food-based dietary guidelines (FBDGs) to help South Africans over the age of 5 years to choose an adequate but prudent diet. The guidelines are based on the existing consumption of locally available foods and aim to address identified nutrition-related public health problems. The FBDGs consist of 10 short clear and simple messages which have been tested for comprehension appropriateness and applicability in consumer groups of different ethnic backgrounds in both rural and urban areas. (authors)

African leafy vegetables consumed by households in the Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal provinces in South Africa

Abstract: Objectives: The objectives of this study were to determine the availability of, access to and nutrition-related uses of African leafy vegetables in rural and urban households; and to determine the β-carotene content of the dominant African leafy vegetable. Design: The study consisted of a qualitative explorative phase (field walks, semi-structured interviews with key informants, focus group discussions) at two rural sites; and a quantitative household survey (questionnaire) at two rural and one urban site. Amaranth leaves were analysed for β-carotene content. Setting and subjects: The household survey included households at a rural site in Limpopo province (n = 100); and a rural (n = 101) and urban (n = 391) site in KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa. Results: A variety of edible plants were identified during field walks at the two rural sites. Focus group discussions narrowed this down to ten plants at the rural Limpopo site and six at the rural KwaZulu-Natal site. The most popular leaves were amaranth (Amaranthus spp), spider plant (Cleome gynandra), wild watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) and blackjack (Bidens spinosa), consumed individually or mixed with other leaves. Rural households procured leaves mostly from the wild whereas urban households relied more on informal markets. In Limpopo, leaves were dried and stored for consumption during winter. KwaZulu-Natal households considered African leafy vegetables food for the poor. Leaves were boiled in salted water, or steamed and then fried in oil. Fried and boiled amaranth leaves contained 627 and 429 µg retinol activity equivalents/100 g respectively. Conclusions: Availability of, access to and nutrition-related uses of African leafy vegetables are context-specific, with inter- and intraprovincial rural/urban differences. Information collected during small studies within a specific area can therefore not be generalised for the overall SouthAfrican population. Amaranth can potentially contribute significantly to vitamin A requirements of nutritionally vulnerable communities.

South African food-based dietary guidelines : Testing of the preliminary guidelines among women in KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape

Abstract: The aim was to assess the appropriateness of the preliminary South African food-based dietary guidelines (FBDGs) as a nutrition education tool for women in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and the Western Cape (WC) in terms of comprehension interpretation and implementation. This was a qualitative study using focus group discussions. Focus groups were held in five magisterial districts within KZN and the Cape Town metropolitan area of the WC to evaluate the comprehensibility and applicability of the FBDGs. Groups were randomly selected according to settlement type (non-urban urban informal urban formal) and ethnicity (black coloured (of mixed origin) Indian white) to reflect the KZN and WC population. Focus groups were conducted in the home language of the participants namely English Zulu Xhosa and Afrikaans. Participants included 137 women aged 19 - 63 years with no formal nutrition training and who were responsible for food purchasing and food preparation decisions in the household. In general women understood many of the FBDGs and the suggested food categories and could construct a days meals using the FBDGs. Areas of confusion were identified regarding certain terminology and concepts such as the terms legumes foods from animals and healthier snacks. Primary constraints to implementation of the FBDGs included cost and availability of food household taste preferences routine food purchasing habits habitual or traditional food preparation and cooking methods time constraints accessibility (primarily transport difficulties) and underlying attitudes towards health and nutrition. The findings from this study have been used to revise the preliminary FBDGs in order to provide an appropriate tool for effective nutrition education for the purpose of improving nutrition knowledge attitudes and dietary behaviours of South Africans. (authors)