Theses and Dissertations

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Browsing Theses and Dissertations by Subject "613.20968257"

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    Nutritional practices and health status of health care workers in Makhado Municipality of Limpopo Province, South Africa
    (2022-07-15) Masala, Itani Faith; Mushaphi, L. F.; Masia, T. A.
    Background: Health care workers spend 80% of their time daily at work and workplaces are sedentary settings for many workers. Energy-dense food and beverages are commonly consumed, resulting in increased overweight and obesity, which are health-risk factors, especially for non-communicable diseases. The study aimed to describe the nutritional practices and health status of health care workers in the Makhado municipality. Methodology: Cross-sectional survey design using a quantitative research method was applied. Study participants were health care workers who were registered with professional boards and working in the health facilities at the Makhado municipality. A total of 336 health care workers were randomly selected from 25 health care facilities across the municipality. Data were analysed by description and inferential statistics using version 2020 of the statistical package for social sciences. Results: The current study indicates that 62% of total participants was obese, 26% was overweight, 18.2% had body fat percentage in the overweight range and a total of 67.6% of participants had a total body fat percentage in the obese range. More than two-thirds (at 72%) of total participants had waist circumference above normal. Biochemically, there were disorders of blood glucose, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein and high-density lipoprotein among participants. The majority of female participants and 45% of male participants prepared their meals and they usually ate home-prepared breakfast and lunch while at work. About 60% of participants in both groups ate three meals a day, and 34% of male and 27% of female participants ate food from takeaway restaurants once a week. Above half (at 54.1%) of female participants and 39% of male participants had very good lifestyle habits. The majority of participants in both groups had fair and poor nutritional knowledge (with male = 80.7%, female = 83.6%). Conclusion: The majority of participants had acceptable nutritional practices, except 30.1% of participants who skipped meals. Health status is of high concern because very few of the total participants had normal weight. The majority of participants had abdominal obesity and there were participants with disorders in biochemical and clinical parameters.
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    Relationship of feeding practices, anthropometric status and gut function in infants in Dzimauli Community in South Africa
    (2015-02-11) Mahopo, Tjale Cloupas; Bessong Pascal; Nesamvuni Cebisa
    Background and objectives: Inappropriate feeding practices affect gut function in infants by damaging the mucosa of the small intestine. Feeding practices such as formula feeding and early introduction of weaning food can have profound consequences on growth, development, and survival chances of infants and young children. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between feeding practices and gut function in infants in Dzimauli community in South Africa. Methods: A prospective birth cohort study was carried out in Dzimauli community in Limpopo Province, South Africa. One hundred and thirty three children were recruited. Length and weight were measured monthly for the duration of 12 months for anthropometric assessment. Data on feeding practices was collected twice weekly using the 24 hour recall methods. Lactulose: mannitol data was obtained at 3, 6 and 9 months intervals. Bivariate analysis was used to correlate the relationships. Result: Although almost all infants (92.5%) 123/133 were breastfed, none were breastfed exclusively for six months. On average, exclusively breastfeeding was only for 21 days. Water and formula milk were the first foods introduced to infants. Intestinal permeability was mostly poor at three months (67.6%) but improved with time as shown by 43.5% by month nine. No significant relationship was observed between any forms of feeding in exception of feeding colostrum which correlated positively with intestinal permeability. Children who were introduced to water and semi solids before three months had poorer anthropometric status at months 6 and 9. Mother's age had a negative influence on introduction of solid foods as older mothers introduced solids food earlier. Conclusion: Poor trends of infant feeding still prevail in Dzimauli community shown in the current study. Infants fed colostrum showed better intestinal permeability as compared to their counterpart. Gut function was not associated with any of the reported feeding practices. Stunting was also observed as one of the challenges in the current study. Health education campaigns focusing on mothers to exclusively breastfeed up to six months in Dzimauli are needed. Studies to discover why mothers still introduce non-breast milk food earlier to their infants need to be conducted. Key words: Feeding practices, gut function, lactulose:Mannitol, anthropometric status