Browsing by Author "Fenton, J. I."

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Evaluation of fatty acid and mineral content of Tanzanian seeds and oils
(ELSEVIER, 2016) Jumbe, T. J.; Li, W.; Kinabo, J. L.; Fenton, J. I.; Adjepong, M.; Pickens, C. A; Valentini, K.
Fatty acids (FA) and micronutrients are required for normal growth and development. Deficiency in FA and micronutrients is prevalent in several African countries. The objective of this study was to determine mineral and FA composition of seeds and oils available to residents of Rudewa-Mbuyuni village in Tanzania. Samples were analyzed for FA and mineral composition by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and, inductively coupled plasma (ICP) emission spectroscopy, respectively. Linoleic acid (LA) and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) were higher in sunflower (Helianthus sp) oil, 252 mg/g and 0.58 mg/g, and pumpkin seeds (Cucurbita pepo), 126 mg/g and 0.17 mg/g, respectively. Pumpkin seeds contained 9170 mg/kg of potassium, 115 mg/kg of iron and 62 mg/kg of zinc, which are important cofactors for FA metabolism. Pumpkin seeds and sunflower oil are dietary sources of essential FA (EFA) that could be incorporated into Tanzanian diets, especially where there is a high prevalence of growth stunting, cognitive impairment, and EFA deficiency, such as in Rudewa-Mbuyuni. Since the sunflowers and pumpkin analyzed in this study are widely distributed throughout Africa, these data may be beneficial to various regions where EFA and mineral deficiencies are common.
Whole blood levels of the n-6 essential fatty acid linoleic acid are inversely associated with stunting in 2-to-6 year old Tanzanian Children: A cross-sectional study
(PLOS ONE, 2016-05-03) Jumbe, T.; Comstock, S. S.; Hahn, S. L.; Harris, W. S.; Kinabo, J.; Fenton, J. I.
Background In Tanzania, 35% of all children below five years of age are stunted. Dietary fatty acids (FA) are critical for growth and development. However, whole blood FA levels in Tanzanian children are poorly described. Objective The objectives of this cross-sectional study were to assess 1) whole blood levels of essential fatty acids and 2) the association between whole blood FA levels and growth parameters in Tanzanian children 2–6 years of age. Methods A drop of blood was collected on an antioxidant treated card and analyzed for FA composition. Weight and height were measured and z-scores calculated. Relationships between FAs and growth parameters were analyzed by linear regression. Results Of the 334 children that participated, 30.3% were stunted. The average whole blood level of Mead acid was 0.15%. The anthropometric z-score height-for-age (HAZ) was inversely associated with Mead acid, the Mead acid to arachidonic acid (T/T) ratio, and total n-9 FA. Additionally, HAZ was positively associated with linoleic acid and total n-6 FA. BMI-for-age was positively associated with oleic acid, total n-9 FA and T/T ratio but inversely associated with arachidonic acid and total n-6 FA. Weight-for-height was inversely associated with arachidonic acid and total n-6 FAs and positively associated with oleic acid and total n-9 FA. Weight-for-age was not associated with any FA tested. Total n-3 FAs were not associated with any growth parameters measured. Conclusions The EFA linoleic acid and the markers of FA deficiency were associated with HAZ, an indicator for stunting in 2–6 year old Tanzanian children. Total n-6, total n-9, and a number of individual FAs were associated with growth. Increasing dietary intake of EFA and n-6 FAs may be a strategy to combat stunting in this population.
Whole-blood fatty acids are associated with executive function in Tanzanian children aged 4–6 years: a cross-sectional study
(Cambridge University Press, 2016) Jumbe, T.; Comstock, S.; Harris, W. S.; Kinabo, J.; Pontifex, M. B.; Fenton, J. I.
Essential fatty acids (EFA) are PUFA that are metabolised to long-chain PUFA and are important for brain development and cognitive function. The objective of this study was to determine the association between whole-blood EFA and cognitive function in Tanzanian children. A total of 325 2–6-year-old children attempted the dimensional change card sort (DCCS) tasks to assess executive function. Blood samples were collected for fatty acid (FA) analysis by GC. Associations between executive function and FA levels were assessed by regression. Among the 130 4–6-year-old children who attempted the DCCS tasks, whole-blood levels of linoleic acid were positively associated with executive function, whereas whole-blood levels of α-linolenic acid and nervonic acid were inversely associated with executive function. A full model including all twenty-five FA explained 38% of the variation in executive function, whereas a reduced model including only the EFA (α-linolenic acid and linoleic acid), DHA and EPA explained 25% of the variation in executive function. Children who had sufficient whole-blood levels of EFA were 3·8 times more likely to successfully complete all DCCS tasks compared with children with insufficient EFA. These results suggest that whole-blood FA levels are associated with cognitive abilities. Intervention trials that include assessment of wholeblood FA levels are required to determine the relationships between intake, blood levels and executive function in Tanzanian children.