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Food-based dietary guidelines for South Africans: an under-utilised tool for improving nutritional well-being.
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Acceptability of a moringa-added complementary soft porridge to caregivers in Hammanskraal, Gauteng province and Lebowakgomo, Limpopo province, South Africa
Full text linkObjectives: This study determined caregivers’ (mothers’) acceptability and perceptions of a soft, white maize porridge (traditional complementary food (TCF)) that was modified by substituting maize meal with Moringa oleifera Lam. leaf powder at different levels, 1%, 2% and 3% weight for weight (w/w).
Design: A cross-sectional study was conducted.
Setting: The study was conducted in Stinkwater, Hammanskraal, Gauteng province (25° 23’ 59.99” S: 28° 16’ 60.00” E) and Ga-Mphahlele village, Lebowakgomo, Limpopo province (24°18’0.83”S: 29°32’33.61”E), South Africa.
Subjects: Sixty mothers were sampled, separately, from Hammanskraal and Lebowakgomo communities.
Outcome measures: The sensory acceptability of the complementary soft porridges was evaluated by caregivers from Hammanskraal and Lebowakgomo communities using a five-point facial hedonic scale (n = 60 per study area). A series of three focus-group discussions were conducted per study area (n = 12 persons per group) to assess caregivers’ perceptions on the inclusion of moringa in complementary foods.
Results: Sensory evaluation results showed that the acceptability of the two traditional complementary foods decreased as the level of moringa leaf powder increased. Caregivers indicated in the focus-group discussions that moringa-based soft porridges had a bitter taste, which would not be suitable for children. Only the Lebowakgomo modified traditional complementary food (MTCF) containing 1% of moringa was rated similar in overall acceptability to the corresponding TCF (control). Nevertheless, all caregivers expressed willingness to use moringa in complementary foods provided they would be trained on how to process it.
Conclusions: Varying product formulation and processing methods may contribute to increased acceptability of moringa-based foods. Overall, moringa appears to have the potential for use in complementary foods
Breastfeeding practices among mothers of children aged 1–24 months in Egor Local Government Area of Edo State, Nigeria
Full text linkObjective: The aim was to determine the breastfeeding practices of mothers of children two years and below in Egor Local Government Area (LGA) of Edo State.
Design: This is a community-based descriptive cross-sectional study. Subjects were recruited consecutively by multi-staged sampling technique. A semi-structured researcher-administered questionnaire was used to obtain information from the respondents.
Setting: Subjects were from the Edaiken community in Egor LGA State, Nigeria.
Subjects: Mother and child pairs were recruited.
Outcome measures: The early initiation of breastfeeding rate, prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding and the duration of breastfeeding were calculated from the information obtained from the mothers. Factors associated with the practice of early initiation of breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding were also determined.
Results: A total of 186 mothers (44.5%) of the 418 recruited initiated breastfeeding (early) within one hour of delivery. The prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) was 36.6%. Maternal education was significantly associated with the practice of EBF while maternal age and delivery facility were significantly associated with early initiation of breastfeeding. The median duration of breastfeeding was 15.1 ± 2.3 months.
Conclusion: Less than half of the mothers of children aged 1–24 months in Egor LGA practised early initiation of breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding. Nutritional education at the community level should be embarked upon by the Local Health Authority of Egor LGA to improve these practices
Nutritional and socio-economic analyses of processed catfish (Clarias gariepinus) using three kilns in Lagos State, Nigeria
Full text linkSmoke-drying is a major way of processing catfish and this prompted the study of nutritional and socio-economic assessment of smoke-dried catfish in Makoko fish market in Lagos State, Nigeria. Standard methods were utilised for the analyses of proximate content and the administration of 25 structured questionnaires to the catfish processors in the Fish Market. The fish smoked-dried in Traditional Drum Kiln (TDK) had the highest protein content (61.42±1.86g/100g), highest ash content (10.73±1.80g/100g) but lowest fat (3.19±0.91g/100g) and fibre content (1.84±0.36g/100g). However, the highest contents of fat (12.81±1.72g/100g), fibre (4.50±1.13g/100g) and moisture (37.58±7.10g/100g) were obtained in fish smoked-dried with Oil Drum Kiln (ODK). Fifty percent (50%) of processors who smoke-dried catfish in Makoko fish market used TDK, 30% used ODK while 20% of the processors used Lagos State Kiln (LSK). Weekly fixed cost of smoke-drying was found to be lowest using TDK at ₦500 while the highest weekly costs was found with LSK at ₦1,250. The variable costs were the same regardless of the type of kiln to be used in the smoke-drying process. The weekly profit was estimated at ₦49,750, ₦50,450 and ₦50,500 for LSK, ODK and TDK, respectively. The study showed that smoke-drying business is profitable and TDK yields more profit with good quality smoke-dried catfish
Diversity, distribution and abundance of fish species in Lake Asejire, Oyo State, Nigeria
Full text linkAquatic systems in Nigeria have suffered stress induced by human activities which alter the natural composition of the water resources. This study investigated the diversity, distribution and abundance of fish species in Lake Asejire. The lake was partitioned based on accessibility into upper, middle and lower sections for the study. Fish species were sampled using monofilament gill nets with stretched mesh sizes ranging from 44.45-169.33mm. Water and fish species were sampled fortnightly for a period of twelve months. Water quality parameters: temperature (28.96±0.28oC), dissolved oxygen (5.6±0.13mg/l), pH (6.73±0.19) and conductivity (159.8±0.32μS/cm) measured were within suitable standard ranges for fish production in natural waters. A total of 16 species from 10 families were identified from the lake. Cichlids had the highest number of fish species (4) and relative abundance (66.82%) and Coptodon zillii was the most abundant fish species across the months and sampling stations (27.53%). The lower section of the lake had the highest relative abundance (52.90%) while the upper section of the lake had the least (16.14%) and the highest fish catch (13.35%) was in November. The species richness of the lake decreased from lower (S=16) to upper section (S=14), the middle section was highly diversified (H=0.73) with a combined value of H=0.67 for the lake. The fish species were evenly distributed across the lake with the highest evenness in the upper section (E=0.22). Simpson’s index was highest in the lower region (D=0.30) and there was a high probability of picking different fish species at random. Trophic grouping showed forage to carnivore (F/C) ratio of 2.06 indicating an unbalanced fish population based on food habit, which should be addressed. There is need for proper regulation such as enforcement of fishing seasons and fishing across the trophic levels to ensure sustainability of the fish resources in the lake
Loss of military equipment by the SADF at the Battle at Indungo during the Border War, 31 October 1987
Full text linkThis article takes the form of an investigation regarding the loss of military equipment by the South African Defence Force (SADF) at the Battle at Indungo, in an operation that was assigned the codename Operation Firewood, on 31 October 1987 during the Angolan Border War. The war was waged from 1966 to 1989 in Southern Africa. The case study of Operation Firewood illustrates some of the circumstances under which the SADF lost military equipment in Angola during the war.
Operation Firewood was one of more than 300 SADF general operations201 that occurred in Angola. In the final stages of the war, the area north of Cuvelai provided the setting for the launching of Operation Firewood, some 285 kilometres north of the border with South West Africa/Namibia. The aim of this military operation was to eliminate an enemy base that housed elements of the People’s Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN), the military wing of the South West Africa People’s Organisation (SWAPO)
Professional military instructor identity in the South African National Defence Force
Full text linkIn 2015, the chief of human resources at the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) ordered the improvement of the instructional quality and military ethos of military instructors. This article, based on a comprehensive study in this regard, reports on the perceptions of a sample of military instructors in the SANDF on the existence of a construct, known as the professional military instructor identity and its effect on military ethos and instructional quality. A qualitative approach was followed, using an interpretivist/constructivist paradigm, involving data collection by means of a focus group discussion and expert interviews and using thematic networks analysis as data analysis method. A conceptual framework for the professional military instructor identity, consisting of sub-identities, influencing factors and identifying indicators, was constructed. Findings suggest that the professional military instructor identity is not recognised as a construct in the SANDF; however, the elements are known, although only vaguely. The findings also support the view that this situation may have affected the current declining military ethos and instructional quality of military instructors. It is concluded that the institutionalisation and popularisation of the professional military instructor identity, as well as professional recognition of military instructors in the SANDF, could improve the current situation
