Browsing by Author "Benade, A. J. S."

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    Endemic goitre in a rural community of KwaZulu-Natal
    (Health & Medical Publishing Group, 1997) Benade, J. G.; Oelofse, A.; Van Stuijvenberg, M. E.; Jooste, P. L.; Weight, M. J.; Benade, A. J. S.
    Objective. To quantify the prevalence of goitre and iodine deficiency. Setting. Ndunakazi, a rural community of approximately 8 000 people in KwaZulu-Natal. Design. A cross-sectional community-based survey and a school-based survey. Participants. The 127 mothers and 114 children aged 6 -11 years, selected during the cross-sectional survey, and 304 children aged 6 -14 years, from the school-based survey. Methods. Urinary iodine levels and thyroid size were determined and categorised according to guidelines proposed jointly by the WHO, UNICEF and the ICCIDD. Z-score anthropometric indicators were calculated, and mid-year exam marks of goitrous and non-goitrous pupils for Zulu and mathematics were compared. Results. In school-aged children, both surveys demonstrated a goitre prevalence in the 20 - 29.9% range and a median urinary iodine level in the 2 - 4.9 ug/dl range, indicating iodine deficiency of moderate severity. Goitrous subjects scored consistently worse in their Zulu exam papers than those without goitre. Stunting was not more prevalent than in the rest of KwaZulu-Natal. Iodised salt was not available in any of the three community shops. Conclusion. This level of iodine deficiency in children can adversely affect their neuropsycho-intellectual development. Factors contributing to deficient iodine intake in Ndunakazi are present in many rural areas, and South Africa cannot afford to be overly confident about the apparent absence of iodine deficiency as a public health problem.
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    Mitochondrial function and free fatty acid levels in rats with portacaval shunt
    (Health & Medical Publishing Group, 1979) Lochner, A.; Benade, A. J. S.; Kotze, J. C. N.
    The effects of portacaval shunting on the oxidative phosphorylation process of mitochondria isolated from rat liver and skeletal muscle were evaluated and correlated with mitochondrial free fatty acid (FFA) contents. ADP/O ratios, respiratory control index and Q02 values were significantly depressed in liver mitochondria from portacaval- shunted rats; these changes were associated with decreased mitochondrial FFA contents. The mitochondrial function of skeletal muscle was unaltered.
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    The effect of iron fortification on the fatty acid composition of plasma and erythrocyte membranes in primary school children with and without iron-deficiency
    (1994) Smuts, C. M.; Tichelaar, H. Y.; Van Jaarsveld, P. J.; Badenhorst, C. J.; Kruger, M.; Laubscher, R.; Mansvelt, E. P. G.; Benade, A. J. S.
    An intervention study was designed to evaluate the fatty acid (FA) status of children aged 6-11 years before and after iron fortification. Iron deficient (ID) and matched controls without ID (n = 30) were selected. All children received soup (160 mL) fortified with 20 mg iron and 100 mg vitamin C for 15 weeks on school days. Measurements before and after intervention included dietary intake, haematological and iron status and FA composition of plasma and erythrocyte membranes (EMBs). The prevalence of low plasma ferritin concentration and transferrin saturation decreased in the ID children by 40% and 56%, respectively, with intervention. Plasma FAs reflected dietary FA intake. In comparison with controls, the ID group presented with increased percentage total saturated FAs (SFAs; p = 0.0002) in their EMB phosphatidylcholine (PC) and reduced percentage total polyunsaturated FAs (PUFAs; p = 0.0037) before intervention. Lower total n-3 FAs (p = 0.0070) including eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA; p = 0.0034), docosapentaenoic acid (DPA; p = 0.0048) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; p = 0.0058) were observed in the ID group. The EMB phosphatidylethanolamine (PEA) of the ID children presented with lower percentages of α-linolenic acid (ALA; p = 0.0001), EPA (p = 0.0051) and DHA (p = 0.0084) compared to controls before intervention. Iron intervention was associated with an increase (p < 0.05) in the percentage of n-3 FAs in the EMB-PC and -PEA of the ID group to percentages comparable to that in the control group. It appears that iron status can influence FA metabolism of specific n-3 FAs in the EMBs of young children.