Can Millet Consumption Help Manage Hyperlipidemia and Obesity?: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Anitha, S.; Botha, Rosemary; Kane‐Potaka, Joanna; Givens, D.I.; Ananthan, R.; Tsusaka, Takuji W.; Bhandari, Raj Kumar

doi:10.3389/fnut.2021.700778

Cited by 50 publications

(39 citation statements)

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“…Finger millet is grown mainly for its grain, which is utilized to make traditional food and drinks, while the stalks are used for livestock feed, construction and fuel. Finger millet has various human health benefits such as reducing diabetes [5], obesity [6], osteoporosis [7,8], anemia [6], malaria [9,10] and diarrhea [9,10]. The health values of finger millet are linked to its high calcium, iron and dietary fiber content and being gluten-free.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Finger Millet Production in Ethiopia: Opportunities, Problem Diagnosis, Key Challenges and Recommendations for Breeding

et al. 2021

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Finger millet (Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn) is a highly nutritious crop, predominantly grown in the semi-arid tropics of the world. Finger millet has a niche market opportunity due to its human health benefits and being rich in calcium, iron and dietary fiber and gluten-free. Ethiopia is the center of the genetic diversity of the crop. However, the productivity of finger millet in the country is low (<2.4 tons ha−1) compared with its potential yield (6 tons ha−1). The yield gap in Ethiopia is due to a range of biotic and abiotic stresses and socio-economic constraints that are yet to be systemically documented and prioritized to guide future production and improved variety development and release. The objective of this study was to document finger millet production opportunities, constraints and farmer-preferred traits in Ethiopia as a guide to variety design in improvement programs. A participatory rural appraisal (PRA) study was undertaken in six selected districts of the Southern Nation Nationalities People Region (SNNPR) and Oromia Region in Ethiopia. Data were collected from 240 and 180 participant farmers through a semi-structured questionnaire and focus group discussion, respectively. Finger millet was the most important crop in the study areas grown mainly for a combination of uses, including for food, feed and cash (reported by 38.8% of respondent farmers), food and feed (14.5%), food and cash (13.7%), food (11.5%) and food, cash, feed and construction material (9.7%). Hand weeding was used by 59.2% of the respondent farmers, followed by hand weeding and chemical herbicides (40.8%). Finger millet was mainly planted as a sole crop (reported by 97.0% respondents), mixed (1.7%) and sole and mixed (1.3%). About 75.6% of respondent farmers only practiced finger millet rotation with other crops. Respondent farmers indicated their source of fresh seed was from the Bureau of Agriculture (49.1%), farmer-to-farmer seed exchange (22.1%), own saved seed (7.5%), local producers (7.5%), research institutions (5.8%), unknown sources (4.1%), local market (3.5%) and cooperatives (0.42%). The total cost of finger millet production per hectare was calculated at 1249 USD with a total income of 2139 USD/ha, making a benefit to cost ratio of 1.71:1.00 and indicating the relatively low yield gains using the currently grown varieties. The main constraints to finger millet production in the study areas were drought stress (reported by 41.3% respondents), lack of improved varieties (12.9%), lack of financial resources (11.3%), small land holdings (10.8%), limited access to seed (10.0%), a shortage of fertilizers (5.4%), poor soil fertility (4.6%), shortage of draught power (1.3%), labour shortages (1.3%) and high labour costs (1.3%). The most important farmer-preferred traits in a finger millet variety were high grain yield, compact head shape, ‘enjera’-making quality, high marketability and early maturity, resolved through principal component analysis. The above-mentioned production constraints and farmer-preferred traits are strategic drivers to enhance finger millet productivity and need to be incorporated into Ethiopia’s finger millet breeding and technology development.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Finger Millet Production in Ethiopia: Opportunities, Problem Diagnosis, Key Challenges and Recommendations for Breeding

et al. 2021

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“…The findings of this review paper provide scientific evidence supporting diversification of standard diets for children using millets as a solution to malnutrition. Furthermore, millets are a basket of a wide range of nutrients and have been scientifically shown to contribute to serving many of the significant nutrition and health needs globally [ 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 ], not only by tackling child undernutrition, but also by managing type 2 diabetes [ 12 ], lowering total cholesterol levels, obesity [ 13 ], and iron deficiency anaemia [ 14 ]. To bring this solution to reality, awareness about the nutritional value is needed to drive demand and investments in millets along the value chain, from fork to farm.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The year 2023 has been approved by the United Nations as the International Year of Millets, which is expected to attract major attention to millets. Previous systematic reviews and meta-analyses conducted on millets’ health and nutritional benefits showed that regular consumption of millets could help manage the risk of developing type 2 diabetes [ 12 ], reduce hyperlipidaemia, hypertension, and body mass index (BMI), thereby helping manage cardiovascular disease risk [ 13 ], improve haemoglobin level, and reduce anaemia [ 14 ], as well as helping calcium retention [ 15 ]. However, scientific evidence of millets’ role in addressing global crises, such as impaired growth, has had fewer studies undertaken in order to prioritize these crops in nutritional interventions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Can Feeding a Millet-Based Diet Improve the Growth of Children?—A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

et al. 2022

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Undernutrition, such as stunting and underweight, is a major public health concern, which requires multi-sectoral attention. Diet plays a key role in growth and should optimally supply all required nutrients to support the growth. While millets (defined broadly to include sorghum) are traditional foods, and climate smart nutritious crops, which are grown across Africa and Asia, they have not been mainstreamed like rice, wheat, and maize. Diversifying staples with millets can potentially provide more macro and micro nutrients, compared to the mainstream crops. However, there is little known scientific evidence to prove millets’ efficacy on growth. Therefore, a systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to collate evidence of the benefits of millets in improving the growth of children. Eight eligible randomized feeding trials were included in the meta-analysis. Results from the randomized effect model showed a significant effect (p < 0.05) of millet-based diets on mean height (+28.2%) (n = 8), weight (n = 9) (+26%), mid upper arm circumference (n = 5) (+39%) and chest circumference (n = 5) (+37%) in comparison to regular rice-based diets over for the period of 3 months to 4.5 years, which was based on largely substituting rice with millets. When an enhanced and diverse diet was served, replacing rice with millet had only minimal growth improvement on chest circumference (p < 0.05). The quality assessment using GRADE shows that the evidence used for this systematic review and meta-analysis had moderate quality, based on eight scoring criteria. These results demonstrate the value of adding millet as the staple for undernourished communities. Further understanding of the efficacy of millets on growth in a wider range of diets is important to develop appropriate dietary programs and improve the nutritional status of various age groups across Africa and Asia.

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“…Steadily increasing consumer preference to millets due to lifestyle related illness also demands a hike in millet production in the coming years (Kane‐Potaka et al, 2021). Millet‐based foods are increasingly recommended for healthy diet and to solve many health issues in recent times (Anitha et al, 2022; Anitha, Botha, et al, 2021; Anitha, Kane‐Potaka, et al, 2021). Millet consumption could also help meet SDG 3 (Good health and well‐being).…”

Section: Millets and Sdgsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of millets in attaining United Nation's sustainable developmental goals

Ceasar¹,

Maharajan²

2022

Plants People Planet

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Societal Impact Statement Strengthening food and nutrient security is crucial to feeding the ever‐growing world population. Millets provide energy and nutrients for millions of poor people in low‐ and middle‐income countries of Asia and Africa. Millets require less fertilizer and pesticide, unlike mainstream cereals, for cultivation. Millets supply superior nutrients and possess excellent climate resilience properties. Therefore, promotion of millets could help attain the sustainable developmental goals (SDGs) of the United Nations (UN).

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Can Millet Consumption Help Manage Hyperlipidemia and Obesity?: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Cited by 50 publications

References 35 publications

Finger Millet Production in Ethiopia: Opportunities, Problem Diagnosis, Key Challenges and Recommendations for Breeding

Finger Millet Production in Ethiopia: Opportunities, Problem Diagnosis, Key Challenges and Recommendations for Breeding

Can Feeding a Millet-Based Diet Improve the Growth of Children?—A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

The role of millets in attaining United Nation's sustainable developmental goals

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