International Journal of Recent Innovation in Food Science & Nutrition

Eating ourselves to Cancers: Is there an Association between Cancers and Nutrition?

2024-02-26T15:13:25+00:00

Malignant neoplasms, which are widely referred to as cancers, are among the top ten leading causes of mortality in the World as well as in Jamaica. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (and, a) classified cancers into six (6) main groups: 1. Carcinoma, 2. Sarcoma, 3. Myeloma, 4. Leukemia, 5. Lymphoma, and 6. Mixed types. In 2020, statistics published by the World Health Organization (WHO, 2021) indicated that cancers accounted for 4,576 deaths (male, 53.7%, n=2457; female, 46.3%, n=2119) in Jamaica with the leading cause being prostate (18.5%, n=844), breast (13.9%, n=637), lung (10.2%, n=468), colorectum (8.7%, n=398), Cervix uteri (5.4%, n=247), Stomach (4.2%, n=192), Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (3.3%, n=150), and corpus uteri (141). There is a similarity between the types of cancer in Jamaica and the rest of the World. The nutritional habits of high meat and animal product consumption are linked with several types of cancer. Across many nations, the cancer rate rises and falls because of different environmental and nutritional factors. Countries with meat-eating diets as their predominant source of protein are equipped with evidence of the incidence and prevalence of colorectal and another specific types of cancer. Jamaicans have crossed a nutritional fault line and are eating themselves to cancer and, by extension, death, and this means there is a need to implement a national public health campaign on healthy and responsible eating as well as punitive measures for fast/junk food and high-sugar beverages.

Evaluation of Total Cyanide and Proximate Analysis of Garri Produced from Cassava Manihot esculeuta Crantz Variety from Five Local Government Area in Ekiti State, Nigeria

2024-04-03T05:10:17+00:00

Cassava is traditionally processed, fermented and converted to garri and has become a major source of daily carbohydrate intake in Nigeria and other African countries. The cyanide content and proximate composition of garri produced from cassava Manihot esculeuta Crantz variety collected from five local government areas of Ekiti state were studied. The results showed that cyanide content in all the samples ranges between 1.02 ± 0.01to 1.34 ± 0.02 mg/kg except for Gbonyin LGA with 0.09mg/kg, the low cyanide level was attributed to fermentation of at least three days before roasting. The outcome of proximate analysis revealed that moisture contents ranged 9.78 ± 0.01 to 10.76 ± 0.02 %, ash contents ranged 0.09 ± 0.01 to 0.18 ± 0.01 %, fat contents from 0.87 ± 0.01 to 1.23 ± 0.01 %, crude fibre from 1.21 ± 0.01 to 1.42 ± 0.01 %, crude protein from 0.28 ± 0.01 to 1.81 ± 0.01 % and carbohydrate contents ranged from 84.71 ± 0.02 to 87.67 ± 0.01 % are within the recommended levels. The low moisture content and the moderate level of other compositions make the garri products suitable nutritional food items.

The Consumption of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages (SSBs) Among a Group of Primary School Students in Western Jamaica: Eating to Ill-Health

2024-06-11T08:29:51+00:00

This study investigates the high consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) among primary school students in Western Jamaica. The research aims to evaluate the prevalence of SSB consumption, assess students' awareness of the associated health impacts, and develop effective intervention strategies. Utilising a descriptive research design, data was collected through surveys and interviews with Grade 6 students and teachers from the school. Findings indicate that all the sampled respondents consumed SSBs (100%). They all consumed bag juice and fruit-flavoured juice drinks, followed by 15 (93.8%) consuming sweetened milk drinks. Most (68.8%) consumed SSBs two to three times per day, 56.3% consumed SSBs six to seven times per week, purchased the items from the school's tuck shops (81.3%), vendors close to the school (68.8%), 62.5% believed drinking excess SSBs can result in diabetes. The results revealed that students consumed the same quantity of SSBs each week following the intervention (i.e., most students consumed SBB six or seven times a week (56.3%). Despite awareness of the adverse health effects, high SSB consumption persists. An intervention involving a water challenge was implemented, where SSB sales were suspended, and students were encouraged to drink water. However, the results showed minimal change in SSB consumption patterns, highlighting challenges such as the availability of SSBs from external vendors and limited healthy alternatives. The study underscores the need for comprehensive strategies, including broader availability of healthy beverages and more robust collaboration among stakeholders, to effectively reduce SSB consumption and promote healthier habits among students.