Intake and food sources of sodium in the population residing in urban areas of Ecuador: results from ELANS study

BACKGROUND

In 2021, WHO notes that globally, 32% of annual deaths worldwide are due to cardiovascular causes, which have been attributed to excessive sodium intake, and therefore recommends a reduction in salt intake to less than 5 g/day. Ecuador does not have data on sodium consumption in the population. Hence, this study sought to determine the association between sodium consumption and sociodemographic variables in subjects living in urban areas of Ecuador.

OBJECTIVES

Determine the main dietary sources of sodium in subjects living in urban areas of the Coast and Highlands of Ecuador, and the association between sodium intake and sociodemographic variables such as: sex, region, marital status, socio-economic and educational level of this population.

METHODS

Sodium intake was studied in 800 subjects of both sexes aged 15 to 65 years living in urban areas in Ecuador, originating from the Latin American Nutrition and Health Study (ELANS) between 2014 and 2015. Data were obtained through two 24-hour recalls, and were accessed according to sex, region, age, marital status, socio-economic and educational levels.

RESULTS

The mean sodium intake was 4900 mg/day (SD ± 1188.32 mg/day), and both sexes exceeded the recommendations. Adjusting for energy intake, sodium consumption is higher in participants aged 50-65 years, from low socio-economic status and with basic education level. A positive relationship was found between sodium and energy intake. Around 48% of the sodium sources included the spices, condiments and herbs group. Within this group, salt itself constitutes 99% of sodium sources.

CONCLUSIONS

The Ecuadorian population consumes more than double the sodium recommendations, which vary according to gender and age. The first source of sodium is salt itself, which is part of spices and condiments food group. This data is important to formulate public health policies and interventions in Ecuador, especially in the population at risk.

Undervalued professionals: placement of nutritionist in the Ecuadorian health system

BACKGROUND

Currently, many public health issues are directly related to malnutrition, and are made worse by social inequities. Nutrition professionals must be a key player in improving epidemiological aspects of nutrition-related diseases and must be part of clinical teams to control nutritional concerns.

OBJECTIVE

To identify and analyze the nutritionists´ employment situation in Ecuador and areas of work covered and determine if type of university has an impact over work situation.

METHODOLOGY

A cross-sectional study was conducted, approved by the ethics committee of Universidad San Francisco de Quito. It included 442 nutritionists in Ecuador who graduated in 13 universities (5 private (PR) and 8 public (PU)) between 2008 and 2019. It implied an online survey that questioned their satisfaction with their education and current work situation. All the statistical analyses were performed using R version 4.0.3, two-sided weighted chi-square test was performed to estimate the difference between public and private university graduates, IC 95%, p between 0.01 and 0.05.

RESULTS

38,6% of participants are unemployed, 68,28% private university graduates (PR) are currently employed and 58.87% work as nutritionists, compared to 56,86% from a public university (PU) currently working and 44.69% working in the field. 76% have reported being unemployed at some point in their careers, being difficulty finding jobs the main reason. Regarding the professional field, most professionals have their own business, and the less common area of work was public and community nutrition. One third of the participants had another paid activity. The main salary is 800USD per month and graduated from PR perceived better salaries than from PU.

CONCLUSION

There is a lack of job opportunities for Ecuadorian nutritionists despite the high demand in every level of the health system. Most have been unemployed at some point in their careers due to difficulties finding jobs. There is a minimum nutrition staff working in community and public health nutrition.

A comparative study of nutrition and health of mothers in Japan and the Philippines

When comparing nutrition and health among mothers in both Japan and Philippines, it can be concluded that, in regard to nutrition, the results of the total dietary scores for mothers in divided into pregnant and after-delivery stages showed that pregnant Filipino mothers' average are lower than those of pregnant Japanese mothers. Pregnant Filipino mothers and those just after delivery to 4 months had lower average dietary scores than Filipino mothers 5 months and later after delivery. These results are thought to be an important factor in the improvement of health condition and life expectancy of Filipino mothers and their children. In Japanese mothers, such differences were not found. When comparing individual dietary scores and the rate of nutrients consumed to the optimum amounts, significant differences were found among mothers in both countries. Analysis of food diaries of mothers from both countries found that Japanese mothers had average intakes of nutrients such as energy, protein, fat, vitamin B1 and vitamin B2 and were deficient in calcium, iron and vitamin A. Filipino mothers took in average amounts of protein, calcium, iron, vitamin B2 and vitamin C and were deficient in energy, fat and vitamin B1.

Nuclear and cytoplasmic maturation of pig oocytes cultured in the amniotic fluid of developing chick embryos

Studies were conducted to determine if the amniotic fluid of a developing chick embryo (CEAm) could be used as a co-culture system for the maturation of pig oocytes. In Exp. 1, the pig oocytes were cultured in mTCM-199 (control) or day 3, 4 and 5 CEAm. The maturation rate of pig oocytes in the control vs CEAm was significantly higher (P < 0.001). The maturation rate of pig oocytes cultured in day 3 vs day 4 and 5 CEAm was significantly higher (P < 0.001). In Exp. 2, the pig oocytes were cultured in day 3 CEAm maintained either in a conventional incubator with 40-70% relative humidity or incubator with 5% CO2 in air atmosphere at 37 degrees C or 39 degrees C. A significantly lower maturation rate (P < 0.001) was obtained when CEAm were maintained in an incubator with 5% CO2 gas atmosphere regardless of the temperature. In Exp. 3, pig oocytes cultured in day 3 CEAm and mTCM-199 (control) were fertilized in vitro (IVF). The penetration and male pronucleus (MPN) formation of pig oocytes cultured in day 3 CEAm was significantly lower (P < 0.01) than those cultured in mTCM-199 medium. The results presented here demonstrate that CEAm could be used to induce maturation of pigs oocytes, however its efficacy is influenced by factors such as developmental stages of chick embryos, temperature and gas atmosphere.

Development to the blastocyst stage of pig embryos cultured in the amniotic fluid of developing chick embryos

Early-stage pig embryos were collected from superovulated donor gilts (60-72 hr post hCG injection) and co-cultured in modified Brinster medium for ovum culture (mBMOC-2) + porcine oviduct epithelial cells (POEC) or in the amniotic fluid of a developing chick embryo (CEAm). The development rate to the compacted morulae or blastocyst stage was significantly higher (P < 0.01) in embryos co-cultured in CEAm (60.0%) than those co-cultured in mBMOC-2 + POEC (18.0%). The results indicate that CEAm could be used for production of compacted morulae or blastocysts from early-stage pig embryos. This culture system could also be valuable in situations where a CO2 controlled incubator is not available.

Timing of sequential changes in chromosome configurations during the 1st meiotic division of pig oocytes cultured in vitro

This study examines the timing of changes in chromosome configurations of pig oocytes derived from small antral follicles of follicular and/or inactive stage donors using modified 199 medium supplemented with gonadotropins (Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH), 10 IU/ml; Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG), 10 IU/ml) and Glucosamine (0.539 mg/ml). Oocytes (n = 1,215) were fixed at the end of 3 hourly intervals from 0-48 hr of culture. Results were expressed as the percentage of oocytes at each stage of maturation for each time point. The germinal vesicle (GV) stage was observed for the first 17.6 hr; germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) stage between 17.6-26.4 hr; metaphase I (M-I) from 26.4-30.9 hr; anaphase I (A-I) ranged from 30.9-33.4 hr; telophase I (T-I) at 33.4-34.4 hr; and metaphase II (M-II) at 34.4-48 hr.