Chronic Energy Deficiency (CED) is one of the nutritional problems which prevalence in Southeast Sulawesi is 21.9%, Kendari City is 14.37%, and Puuwatu Public Health Center is 11.04% (the national target for CED is 5%). The direct cause of CED is low intake of macronutrients such as energy, protein, fat and carbohydrates. During the Covid-19 pandemic, everyone is advised to stay at home so that access to food is very limited and causes a lack of nutritional intake for pregnant women. The study aimed to determine the macronutrient consumption of pregnant women who suffer from CED during the Covid-19 Pandemic. The research was conducted descriptively with a survey design. This research was conducted in June – September 2020 in the Puuwatu Public Health Center, Kendari City, Southeast Sulawesi. The research sample was 35 pregnant women in the 3rd trimester who had CED and were taken using saturated samples. Data collection by interview using a form 2x24 hour recall and also anthropometric measurements using microtoice and weight scales. Data were analyzed descriptively and presented in tabular and narrative form. The results showed that the energy and carbohydrate intake of pregnant women was 100% in the category of severe deficit, 91.4% heavy deficit protein intake and 8.6% mild deficit, then fat intake 57.1% severe deficit, 20% mild deficit and 8,6% mild deficit. In conclusion, the intake macronutrient of pregnant women in CED during the Covid-19 pandemic is mostly a severe deficit.

Background: Biofortified yellow cassava has been developed to alleviate vitamin A deficiency. We examined the potential contribution of yellow cassava to total Retinol Activity Equivalent (RAE) intake if replacing white by yellow cassava among pre-school Nigerian children. Methods: Dietary intake was assessed as part of a randomized controlled trial. Preschool children (n=176) were randomly assigned to receive either white cassava (WC) or yellow cassava (YC) for 17 weeks. Dietary intake assessments were conducted during the intervention and one month after, when children had resumed their habitual diet. Differences in RAE intake between groups and time points were compared using a linear mixed model regression analysis. Results: During intervention, median RAE intake was 536 µg/day in the YC group and 301 µg/day in the WC group (p<0.0001). YC contributed ˜40% to total RAE intake. Nine percent of children in the YC versus 29% in the WC groups had RAE intake below the Estimated Average Requirement. After intervention, median RAE intake was 300 µg/day and did not differ between intervention groups (p=0.5). The interaction effect of group and time showed a 37% decrease in RAE intake in the YC group after the intervention (Exp(β) = 0.63 [95% CI 0.56, 0.72]). If WC was replaced by YC after intervention, the potential contribution of YC to total RAE intake was estimated to be ˜32%. Conclusions: Yellow cassava increased total RAE intake and showed a substantially lower inadequacy of intake. It is therefore recommended as a good source of provitamin A in cassava-consuming regions.

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