BMC Nutrition最新文献

{"title":"Investigating inequality of childhood obesity in Bangladesh: a decomposition analysis.","authors":"Abdur Razzaque Sarker","doi":"10.1186/s40795-025-01018-0","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40795-025-01018-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Due to rapid changes in global food systems, urbanisation, changes in lifestyle and dietary intake, many developing countries, including Bangladesh, are experiencing overweight-related issues among children and mothers. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of obesity among under-five children and to examine the factors that are potentially contributing to socio-economic inequalities of childhood obesity in Bangladesh.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Data were extracted from the latest Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS) 2017-18 - a nationally representative cross-sectional survey which utilised a two-stage stratified sampling frame to cover the entire population of the country. Children under 5 years of age with weight-for-height-z-score (WHZ) > 3SD were defined as obese in this analysis. The concentration curve was plotted, and concentration indices (CIs) were calculated to observe inequality. A regression-based decomposition method was applied to assess the socioeconomic contributors to inequality in childhood obesity.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The overall prevalence of childhood obesity was 10.89% whereas the prevalence was higher among the urban children (14.27%) and the children aged 36 to 47 months of age (14.09%). Children of mothers with obesity (30.68%), small households (16.44%) and richest quintiles (15.19%) experienced the highest prevalence of obesity. The concentration curve lies below the line of equality and the value was 0.095 which implies that childhood obesity was highly concentrated among the upper (richer & richest) wealth quintiles. Wealth index of household (78.9%), childhood illness history (20.8%), overweight or obesity status of mothers (16.7%), administrative divisions (13.46%) and place of residence (10.4%) were the main contributors of the inequality of childhood obesity in Bangladesh.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Disparities in childhood obesity remain a significant issue in Bangladesh and require urgent attention. Childhood obesity is more common among wealthier households and is linked to factors such as maternal obesity, childhood illness, and geographic location. Public health policies and interventions must address these risk factors to effectively combat childhood obesity across all segments of society.</p>","PeriodicalId":36422,"journal":{"name":"BMC Nutrition","volume":"11 1","pages":"164"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12344960/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144849285","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Youth exposure to unhealthy digital food marketing in relation to race/ethnicity and income adequacy in Canada.","authors":"Laura Vergeer, Carolina Soto, Mariangela Bagnato, Elise Pauzé, Ashley Amson, Tim Ramsay, Dana Lee Olstad, Vivian Welch, Monique Potvin Kent","doi":"10.1186/s40795-025-01148-5","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40795-025-01148-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Youth of racial/ethnic minority groups and lower-income households are disproportionately exposed to unhealthy food marketing on television; however, there is limited evidence concerning digital marketing. This study examined differences in Canadian youth's exposure to digital food marketing by race/ethnicity and household income adequacy.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Frequency of food marketing exposure via digital platforms and digital food marketing techniques were self-reported by 996 youth in Canada aged 10-17 years. Proportional odds and logistic regression models explored differences between racial/ethnic (White vs. racial/ethnic minority) and income adequacy groups (low vs. medium vs. high), adjusted for sociodemographic and digital device usage variables.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>White participants had lower odds of more frequent exposure to digital marketing of sugary drinks (OR: 0.70; 95% CI: 0.52-0.94), sugary cereals (OR: 0.56; 95% CI: 0.42-0.76), fruits/vegetables (OR: 0.63; 95% CI: 0.45-0.87), salty/savoury snacks (OR: 0.63; 95% CI: 0.47-0.85), fast food (OR: 0.74; 95% CI: 0.55-0.99), and desserts/sweets (OR: 0.68; 95% CI: 0.50-0.91) than racial/ethnic minority youth. Compared to youth from low income adequacy households, those with medium income adequacy were less likely to report more frequent exposure to marketing of sugary drinks (OR: 0.67; 95 CI: 0.51-0.89), fast food (OR: 0.66; 95% CI: 0.50-0.87), and desserts/sweets (OR: 0.65; 95% CI: 0.49-0.87). White youth were less likely than racial/ethnic minority youth to report exposure to unhealthy food marketing on ≥ 1 social media platform(s) (OR: 0.45; 95% CI: 0.30-0.68) and gaming/TV/music streaming platform/website(s) (OR: 0.71; 95% CI: 0.51-0.99); no differences were observed between income groups. White youth were less likely than racial/ethnic minority youth to report exposure to marketing featuring incentives/premiums (OR: 0.72; 95% CI: 0.52-0.99) and cross-promotions (OR: 0.71; 95% CI: 0.51-0.99). Participants of higher (OR: 0.68; 95% CI: 0.49-0.95) and medium (OR: 0.69; 95% CI: 0.50-0.93) income adequacy were less likely to report exposure to marketing featuring celebrities than those with low income adequacy.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Youth of racial/ethnic minorities report more frequent exposure to digital food marketing, especially for unhealthy foods, than White youth in Canada. Differences were also observed between income groups. Comprehensive marketing regulations are needed to limit all youths' exposure to unhealthy digital food marketing.</p>","PeriodicalId":36422,"journal":{"name":"BMC Nutrition","volume":"11 1","pages":"163"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12337367/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144822796","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Optimizing antepartum and post-partum health care support and practices and its association with dietary intake among the reproductive women: a national level study from Indian context.","authors":"Priya Das, Subhadeep Saha, Tanu Das, Partha Das, Tamal Basu Roy","doi":"10.1186/s40795-025-01150-x","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40795-025-01150-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Access to adequate nutritious food is a basic requirement for good & reproductive health as it ensures healthy pregnancy and birth outcomes. The main essence of the present study was to show the association of antepartum and post-partum health care support and practices with dietary intake of the women of reproductive age in India.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Data were drawn from the fifth round of National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), conducted in India during 2019-2021. A total of 112,058 women aged 15-49 years participated in this present study. Descriptive analysis, cross-tabulation along with Pearson's test of association significance test and multivariate logistic regression analysis were applied to accomplish study objectives.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Healthcare supports during antepartum and post-partum periods and practices adopted had a significant association with dietary intake practices. Attending antenatal care, breastfeeding practices (fruits-AOR:1.44; 95% CI: 1.15-1.53; milk-AOR: 1.34; 95% CI: 1.21-1.46; and protein-AOR: 1.34; 95% CI: 1.13-1.58), availing ASHA services (fruits-AOR: 1.13; 95% CI: 1.02-1.24; protein-AOR: 1.21; 95% CI: 1.16-1.27), and financial assistance received from Janani Suraksha Yojana (fruits-AOR:1.23; 95% CI: 1.09-1.37; milk-AOR: 1.34; 95% CI: 1.15-1.46; and protein-AOR: 1.38; 95% CI: 1.27-1.43) and others scheme provided from Government's end along with different socio-economic factors were found to have significant association with dietary intake practices.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Emphasis should be laid on access to maternal healthcare services including adequate ANC follow up and taking extra precaution in providing the services for different Governmental schemes for pregnant women with the aim of promoting of appropriate dietary practices.</p>","PeriodicalId":36422,"journal":{"name":"BMC Nutrition","volume":"11 1","pages":"162"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12337502/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144822795","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of probiotic supplementation on serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor: GRADE-based dose-response meta-analysis.","authors":"Reza Hashemi, Mohammad M Hussein M Raouf, Tanya S Salih, Marzieh Feyzpour, Maryam Eskandarioun, Najmeh Nezamabadipour, Hossein Gandomkar","doi":"10.1186/s40795-025-01152-9","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40795-025-01152-9","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":36422,"journal":{"name":"BMC Nutrition","volume":"11 1","pages":"161"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12337545/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144822794","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Saudi healthy plate-2024: framework for developing, modeling, and evaluating Saudi Arabia's dietary guidelines.","authors":"Omar A Alhumaidan, Sarah M Alkhunein, Shihana A Alakeel, Ghadir A Fallata, Madhawi M Aldhwayan, Asalah Y Alfaifi, Wala M Albalwi, Haya AlZeer","doi":"10.1186/s40795-025-01146-7","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40795-025-01146-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are a leading cause of global mortality, accounting for 71% of deaths annually, with similar trends observed in Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Healthy Plate 2024 (SHP-2024) was developed by the National Nutrition Committee of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority to address the population's nutritional needs and reduce the burden of NCDs. SHP-2024 provides balanced and culturally appropriate dietary recommendations.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>SHP-2024 was designed using optimization modeling techniques, incorporating global best practices, expert consultations, and rigorous validation processes. The dietary patterns were calibrated to ensure nutritional adequacy and economic feasibility. Monte Carlo simulations with 10,000 iterations were used to evaluate nutrient intake adequacy across various calorie levels (1,600-3,200 kcal). Nutritional constraints and economic assessments adhered to Saudi regulatory standards and data from the General Authority for Statistics.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>SHP-2024 met the average requirements for most macronutrients and micronutrients, including protein, key vitamins, and minerals, across all calorie patterns. However, the amount of vitamin E provided by SHP-2024, relative to the average requirement of 12.00 mg (95% CI: 8.40-15.60), covered only 60.93% of requirement in males and 60.61% in females. Choline intake with average requirement of 320.00 mg (95% CI: 224.00-416.00), met 73.71% of requirement in males and 73.36% in females. The cost of dietary patterns ranged from 380.70 to 762.70 SAR, indicating overall affordability.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>SHP-2024 provides optimized dietary guidance suited to Saudi needs, supporting efforts to reduce NCD burdens. While most nutritional targets were achieved, persistent gaps in vitamin E and choline intake require targeted strategies in future updates to enhance dietary adequacy.</p>","PeriodicalId":36422,"journal":{"name":"BMC Nutrition","volume":"11 1","pages":"160"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12330179/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144800512","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluation of Bangladesh Healthy Eating Index (BD-HEI).","authors":"Ahmed Jubayer, Abira Nowar, Saiful Islam, Md Hafizul Islam, Md Moniruzzaman Nayan","doi":"10.1186/s40795-025-01091-5","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40795-025-01091-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The Healthy Eating index can be used to evaluate overall diet quality. Based on the methodological approaches published recently, we assessed the validity of the Bangladesh Healthy Eating Index (BD-HEI) as an indicator of dietary quality.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1080 reproductive-aged women of Bangladesh. Quantitative dietary data were collected following multiple pass 24-h dietary recall method. Repeated 24-h dietary data (of two consecutive days) were collected from almost one-third of the respondents. Evaluating usual food and nutrient intake utilizing the Multiple Source method (MSM), the study examined the validity of the index. To measure the construct validity, the HEI score was compared with scores obtained from sample menus using the same scoring standards. In addition, correlation analyses were performed between the HEI score and energy and nutrient intake. Principal Component analysis (PCA) was performed on dietary data to explore whether more than one item underlies the total score. As a part of the reliability analysis, Cronbach's alpha was calculated.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The mean HEI total score was 44.45 (range of 25.22-67.33) among the study population. The first and fifth-percentile scores were consistently low across all component categories, while the component scores for the 99th percentile were generally high suggesting that the index shows a lot of individual diversity. However, a moderate to weak correlation was found between the total HEI score, index component, and calorie consumption. A weak to moderate correlation was observed between HEI score and nutrient intake (both macro and micronutrients), suggesting that the index can evaluate dietary quality apart from quantity. A high value was observed for the sample menu provided in Food-based dietary guideline (FBDG). In principal component analysis, it has been found that a minimum of five factors were required to account for 55% of the total score variation, indicating the multidimensional nature of the index. The standardized Cronbach's alpha of 0.66 indicates moderate consistency among the index items.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The study findings indicate that the BD-HEI is a trustworthy index for evaluating diet quality. It can help policymakers and public health officials understand the current state of dietary habits and identify areas needing improvement.</p><p><strong>Clinical trial number: </strong>Not applicable.</p>","PeriodicalId":36422,"journal":{"name":"BMC Nutrition","volume":"11 1","pages":"159"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12329886/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144800511","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploratory study on the association of fish consumption with serum cotinine levels in the general adult population.","authors":"Ning Zhu, Yusheng Li, Xiaoyan Jin, Mei Chen, Linfeng Wang, Chao Cao","doi":"10.1186/s40795-025-01139-6","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40795-025-01139-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>This cross-sectional study examined the association between fish consumption and serum cotinine levels, a biomarker of tobacco exposure, among adults in the United States.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Data were obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) conducted between 2001 and 2018. A total of 32,766 participants were included after applying eligibility criteria. Fish consumption frequency was assessed via dietary questionnaires, and serum cotinine levels were measured using validated high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Multiple linear regression and restricted cubic spline (RCS) models were used to evaluate the association between fish consumption and serum cotinine levels, adjusting for potential confounders.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Higher fish consumption was significantly associated with lower serum cotinine levels across all models. Participants who consumed ≥ 6 fish meals per month had significantly lower serum cotinine levels compared to non-consumers (β = -0.20, 95% CI: -0.30 to -0.10; P < 0.001) after adjustment for confounding variables. RCS analysis revealed a non-linear relationship, with an inflection point at 4.53 meals per month (P for nonlinearity < 0.01). Stratified analyses by smoking status showed similar inverse associations among never smokers, former smokers, and current smokers, with no significant interaction observed (P for interaction = 0.218).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>In this nationally representative sample of U.S. adults, higher fish consumption was independently associated with lower serum cotinine levels. These findings provide novel epidemiological evidence linking dietary habits to tobacco exposure biomarkers and suggest a potential role for fish consumption in supporting healthier lifestyle behaviors.</p>","PeriodicalId":36422,"journal":{"name":"BMC Nutrition","volume":"11 1","pages":"158"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12320362/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144785555","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Maternal dietary diversity and associated factors with a focus on the food environment in the Tigray region, Northern Ethiopia.","authors":"Shewit Engdashet Berhe, Gina Kennedy, Selamawit Asfaw Beyene, Freweini Gebrearegay Tela, Mestawet Gebru, Kebede Haile Misgina","doi":"10.1186/s40795-025-01133-y","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40795-025-01133-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Women's diet diversity is a proxy indicator of micronutrient adequacy. Low diet diversity affects the health of pregnant women and their offspring, eventually hindering productivity and economic development. Despite its significant influence on nutrition, the food environment has been considered to a lesser extent in international research and advocacy. Currently, influencing the food environment and increasing nutritional sensitivity are emerging strategies for addressing nutritional challenges. Therefore, this study aimed to assess diet diversity and associated factors, with a special focus on the food environment, among pregnant women in the Kilteawlaelo district, Tigray, northern Ethiopia.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A mixed cross-sectional study design was used. The quantitative part of the study consisted of a total of 423 randomly selected pregnant women. Seven focus group discussions and seven in-depth interviews were also conducted in the qualitative study. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS version 21. The maternal diet diversity score was defined as adequate if it was greater than or equal to five food groups. Bivariate and multivariable binary logistic regressions were used to analyze the data. Qualitative data were transcribed and entered into the Atlas Ti version 7.5 software for coding, and inductive thematic analysis was used.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Only 48.2% (95% CI: 43.00, 52.70) of pregnant women had adequate diet diversity. Being a farmer (p = 0.010), having low food availability perceptions (p = 0.003), and having only one local market day (p = 0.013) were associated with low diet diversity. Pregnant women reported in their group discussions that foods were not available at home in sufficient quantities, were not affordable in the market, and they had to travel far to reach the local food markets.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>A large number of pregnant women had inadequate dietary diversity scores, which can imply micronutrient deficiencies. While occupation, perceived food availability, and number of market days in a week had significant effects on diet diversity, food desirability, convenience, and market accessibility were not associated with it. Improving the food environment by increasing the availability of food and expanding local food markets and the number of market days can lower the prevalence of inadequate diet diversity among pregnant women.</p>","PeriodicalId":36422,"journal":{"name":"BMC Nutrition","volume":"11 1","pages":"155"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12317437/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144769168","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Kenyan dietitians' knowledge of ketogenic dietary therapies for drug-resistant epilepsy.","authors":"Pauline Samia, Violet Naanyu, Perry Ndila, J Helen Cross, Richard Idro, Paul Boon, Jo M Wilmshurst, Stanley Luchters","doi":"10.1186/s40795-025-01144-9","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40795-025-01144-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Ketogenic dietary therapy (KDT) has been proven to be efficacious for people with drug-resistant epilepsy. However, it is rarely utilized in low-resource settings. Due to the complexity of implementation, dietitians play a crucial role in managing KDT.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 253 out of the 1,000 registered dietitians. We assessed their knowledge of and interest in further training in KDT.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Most participants were female (78%), with a median age of 33 years (IQR = 28-38). A total of 171 (67.6%) reported knowledge of KDT. However, only 13 respondents (7.6%) answered all five knowledge-specific questions correctly. A total of 83 of the 171 (48.5%) dietitians indicated the capacity to formulate weekly KDT meal plans for patients with epilepsy. Almost one-third (n = 51, 29.8%) knew the contraindications of KDT, 30 respondents (17.5%) correctly listed the adverse effects of KDT, while 41 (24%) correctly outlined the role of the dietitian. The majority, 245 out of 253 (96.8%), indicated interest in further training, with 109 out of 245 (44.5%) opting for online courses.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Dietitians in Kenya have poor knowledge and low experience with KDT but are highly motivated to engage in further training. Formulating a national policy on KDT is imperative to provide a framework that supports capacity building and fosters dietitian experience with KDT. The adoption of targeted training programs could contribute significantly to the advancement of KDT in this context.</p>","PeriodicalId":36422,"journal":{"name":"BMC Nutrition","volume":"11 1","pages":"157"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12318377/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144769167","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Understanding facilitators and barriers to vitamin A supplementation uptake among children under five in the Kasaï-Oriental province, Democratic Republic of the Congo: a qualitative study.","authors":"Landry Egbende, Mala Ali Mapatano, Luthuli Silondile, Pierre Z Akilimali, Ingunn M S Engebretsen","doi":"10.1186/s40795-025-01142-x","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40795-025-01142-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is a major public health problem in sub-Saharan Africa. Vitamin A supplementation (VAS) - the main strategy used to combat VAD - does not have optimal coverage in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and several disparities exist between provinces, particularly in the health zones of Kasaï-Oriental province. Over two decades since the implementation of the VAS, no evaluation has been carried out to improve this strategy compared to other countries. This study aimed to identify the facilitators and barriers of the VAS campaigns conducted in Kasaï-Oriental province, aiming to enhance the overall comprehension of implementation challenges and opportunities in similar low-resource environments.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A qualitative exploratory approach was used, involving stakeholders at national, provincial, health zone, and community levels. It comprised key informant interviews, in-depth interviews, and focus groups. Inductive thematic analysis was carried out, supported by NVivo 14 software.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Several factors were recognised as facilitators of VAS, including heightened awareness of its benefits, the communication strategies employed during campaigns, and the properties of vitamin A supplements. Conversely, this strategy was impeded at the community level by certain beliefs, lack of motivation of healthcare providers, and insufficient vitamin A capsules.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study identified facilitators and barriers to VAS affecting the current VAS programme. Interventions will need to address barriers related to the health system and the community level by increasingly involving relevant stakeholders in VAS implementation.</p>","PeriodicalId":36422,"journal":{"name":"BMC Nutrition","volume":"11 1","pages":"156"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-08-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12318374/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144769169","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}