Dietary intake of berry fruits has been demonstrated to positively impact human health. Interest in exploring new and exotic types of berries has grown in recent years. This article provides botanical descriptions and reviews the chemistry, biological activities, and commercialization of berry-producing plants from South America, specifically Aristotelia chilensis, Euterpe oleracea, Malpighia emarginata, Ugni molinae, Fragaria chiloensis, Rubus glaucus, Rubus adenotrichus, and Vaccinium floribundum. These species possess a rich and diversified composition of bioactive compounds with health-promoting properties. The most significant health benefits have been attributed to phenolic compounds and vitamin C, potentially protective against cardiovascular disease and cancer. Although both traditional folk medicine and composition of these berries suggest significant health benefits, few studies to date have investigated these potentials.

BACKGROUND Childhood obesity among Hispanic children is a public health concern in the United States and Mexico. Although experiences from school‐based intervention programs aimed at influencing obesity‐related behaviors have been positive, the understanding of those framework elements that are associated with successful outcomes is limited. The purpose of this study was to examine the frameworks used within school‐based intervention programs in the United States and Mexico that showed improvements in obesity‐related outcomes among Hispanic children. METHODS A systematic review of the literature was conducted using 4 electronic databases. Inclusion criteria included: incorporating a framework or aspects of frameworks within an intervention, more than 50% of Hispanic children used in the study and obesity‐related outcomes (eg, dietary behaviors and anthropometric measurements). Data extraction and evaluation were completed using the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Evidence Analysis Manual. RESULTS Ten articles (United States = 4; Mexico = 6) meeting inclusion criteria were evaluated. Eight studies that included a community‐based framework, intensive nutrition education, and continuous communication among stakeholders resulted in improvements in dietary behaviors and anthropometric measurements among children compared to control groups. CONCLUSIONS Incorporating community‐based frameworks may increase the efficacy of school‐based intervention programs to reduce obesity‐related outcomes among Hispanic children.

In resource-limited settings, mass food fortification is a common strategy to ensure the population consumes appropriate quantities of essential micronutrients. Food and government organizations in these settings, however, lack tools to monitor the quality and compliance of fortified products and their efficacy to enhance nutrient status. The World Health Organization has developed general guidelines known as ASSURED (Affordable, Sensitive, Specific, User-friendly, Rapid and Robust, Equipment-free, and Deliverable to end-users) to aid the development of useful diagnostic tools for these settings. These guidelines assume performance aspects such as sufficient accuracy, reliability, and validity. The purpose of this systematic narrative review is to examine the micronutrient sensor literature on its adherence towards the ASSURED criteria along with accuracy, reliability, and validation when developing micronutrient sensors for resource-limited settings. Keyword searches were conducted in three databases: Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus and were based on 6-point inclusion criteria. A 16-question quality assessment tool was developed to determine the adherence towards quality and performance criteria. Of the 2,365 retrieved studies, 42 sensors were included based on inclusion/exclusion criteria. Results showed that improvements to the current sensor design are necessary, especially their affordability, user-friendliness, robustness, equipment-free, and deliverability within the ASSURED criteria, and accuracy and validity of the additional criteria to be useful in resource-limited settings. Although it requires further validation, the 16-question quality assessment tool can be used as a guide in the development of sensors for resource-limited settings.

Positive postprandial blood glucose responses have been related to low glycemic index (GI) and low glycemic load (GL) diets. The objective was to determine the effect of protein profile on glycemic response of low glycinin soymilk (high in β-conglycinin) (LGS) and conventional soymilk (S) in overweight and obese men. Twenty-four subjects, 23 - 45 years old, average BMI of 29 (26 - 38) with triglycerides <200 mg/dL consumed 250 mL of LGS, S with identical macronutrient content, with bovine milk (M) as reference. Fasting blood samples were followed by samples at 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 min after the milk consumption. One-day diet record, anthropometrics, and a demographic interview were completed. LGS and S presented a GI of (average ± standard deviation) 41.0 ± 29.9 and 40.4 ± 37.2, respectively. M showed a GI of 29.2 ± 25.3, however, treatment effect was not significant (P = 0.338). Similarly, GL for LGS (4.52 ± 3.29), S (4.44 ± 4.09) and M (2.33 ± 1.01) were not significantly different (P = 0.107). Postprandial glucose concentration curves for LGS, S and M presented the same tendency throughout 120 min (P = 0.331). Fasting blood glucose correlated with GI (r = -0.553; P = 0.032) and GL (r = -0.567; P = 0.028). LGS, S and M are low GI products and postprandial glycemic responses were not different. The high content of the protein β-conglycinin in LGS did not have an effect in postprandial blood glucose response in over-weight and obese men

BackgroundIn Honduras, undernutrition disproportionately affects women, children and rural inhabitants living from subsistence agriculture. Organizations that provide agriculture extension services (AES) are often well positioned to bring the most up to date information to farming communities at the different information transfer points associated with the agricultural food supply chain (e.g., production, marketing, processing, and finance). Nonetheless, AES has traditionally focused on productivity aspects for basic staples (e.g., corn and beans), rather than the well‐being of farmers beyond improved incomes. Therefore, there is strong interest in developing or strengthening the capacity of AES organizations to improve nutrition. The purpose of this study was to characterize the nutrition‐related knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) and household dietary diversity (HDD) amongst employees of AES organizations (EAES) and their beneficiaries (BAES) in the Dry Corridor of Honduras.MethodsA convenience sample of BAES households (n=51) located in Copan and Ocotepeque was interviewed. Male and female heads of household were interviewed whenever possible (n=86 total; 56% female). In‐home, in‐person interviews were conducted to complete surveys: nutrition KAP (constructs include: dietary guidelines, iron deficiency anemia, vitamin A, overweight/obesity, water safety/sanitation), HDD, coping strategies index (CSI), and demographics. Housing quality (HQ) was evaluated by informal interviewer observation. A convenience sample of EAES (n=52 total; 75% male) self‐selected to complete KAP, HDD, and demographic questionnaires via online Qualtrics platform.ResultsA large proportion of BAES (71%) reported primary school as their highest level of education. More than 90% of EAES earned at least a high school diploma. Average composite nutrition knowledge scores between BAES and EAES differed (46.3% vs. 59.6%; P<0.01). Average composite healthy nutrition attitudes scores were similar between BAES and EAES (70% and 75%; P>0.05). Overall, knowledge and healthy attitudes toward nutrition were associated across groups (r=0.62; P<0.01). Knowledge scores varied by construct and differed between groups. On average, BAES and EAES knowledge scores were 22% vs. 74% in dietary guidelines (P<0.01), 51% vs. 41% in anemia (P<0.01), 29% vs. 31% in vitamin A (P>0.05), 68% vs. 68% in overweight/obesity (P>0.05), and 76% vs. 83% in water safety/sanitation (P<0.05). BAES total nutrition knowledge scores were correlated to HDD scores (r=0.288; P<0.01); EAES (P>0.05). BAES education level, but not that of EAES, correlated with HDD scores (r=0.305; P<0.01). Dietary diversity scores were higher in EAES than in BAES (10.5 ± 0.9 vs. 8.7± 1.8; P<0.01). On average, foods from animal sources contributed more to the dietary diversity of EAES than BAES (P<0.01). BAES CSI scores were indicative of food insecurity (45.6±36.0; range=0–154), however CSI was not associated with HHD (r=−0.2; P=0.07). Most BAES coped with food insecurity by reducing portion sizes or buying food on credit.ConclusionConsidering BAES relationship to EAES and that increased knowledge results in healthy nutrition attitudes, there is an urgent need for nutrition education interventions sensitive to both BAES and EAES demands, particularly pertaining to dietary guidelines for Honduras, anemia, and vitamin A.Support or Funding InformationUSAID/Integrating Nutrition and Gender within Agricultural Extension Services (INGENAES)