Hunger relief agencies have a limited capacity to monitor the nutritional quality of their food. Validated measures of food environments, such as the Healthy Eating Index-2010 (HEI-2010), are challenging to use due to their time intensity and requirement for precise nutrient information. A previous study used out-of-sample predictions to demonstrate that an alternative measure correlated well with the HEI-2010. The present study revised the Food Assortment Scoring Tool (FAST) to facilitate implementation and tested the tool’s performance in a real-world food pantry setting.

We developed a FAST measure with thirteen scored categories and thirty-one sub-categories. FAST scores were generated by sorting and weighing foods in categories, multiplying each category’s weight share by a healthfulness parameter and summing the categories (range 0–100). FAST was implemented by recording all food products moved over five days. Researchers collected FAST and HEI-2010 scores for food availability and foods selected by clients, to calculate correlations.

Five food pantries in greater Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, USA.

Food carts of sixty food pantry clients.

The thirteen-category FAST correlated well with the HEI-2010 in prediction models (r = 0·68). FAST scores averaged 61·5 for food products moved, 63·8 for availability and 62·5 for client carts. As implemented in the real world, FAST demonstrated good correlation with the HEI-2010 (r = 0·66).

The FAST is a flexible, valid tool to monitor the nutritional quality of food in pantries. Future studies are needed to test its use in monitoring improvements in food pantry nutritional quality over time.

To describe the trends of self-reported past consumption of alcoholic beverages and ethanol intake from 1950 to 1995 within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC).

Data on consumption of beer/cider, wine and liqueur/spirits were obtained retrospectively at age 20, 30 and 40 years to calculate average consumption and ethanol intake for the time periods 1950–1975 (at age 20), 1960–1985 (at age 30) and 1970–1995 (at age 40). Regression analysis was conducted with the time period data to assess trends in past alcoholic beverage consumption and ethanol intake with time.

The EPIC project.

In total, 392 064 EPIC participants (275 249 women and 116 815 men) from 21 study centres in eight European countries.

Generally, increases in beer/cider consumption were observed for most EPIC centres for 1950–1975, 1960–1985 and 1970–1995. Trends in wine consumption differed according to geographical location: downward trends with time were observed for men in southern European EPIC centres, upward trends for those in middle/northern European study centres. For women, similar but less pronounced trends were observed. Because wine consumption was the major contributor to ethanol intake for both men and women in most study centres, time trends for ethanol intake showed a similar geographical pattern to that of wine consumption.

The different trends in alcoholic beverage consumption and ethanol intake suggest that information depicting lifetime history of ethanol intake should be included in analyses of the relationship between ethanol and chronic diseases, particularly in multi-centre studies such as EPIC.

Children in slums are at high risk of undernutrition, which has long-term negative consequences on their physical growth and cognitive development. Severe undernutrition can lead to the child’s death. The present paper aimed to understand the causes of undernutrition in children as perceived by various groups of community members in Nairobi slums, Kenya.

Analysis of ten focus group discussions and ten individual interviews with key informants. The main topic discussed was the root causes of child undernutrition in the slums. The focus group discussions and key informant interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. The transcripts were coded in NVivo by extracting concepts and using a constant comparison of data across the different categories of respondents to draw out themes to enable a thematic analysis.

Two slum communities in Nairobi, Kenya.

Women of childbearing age, community health workers, elders, leaders and other knowledgeable people in the two slum communities (n 90).

Participants demonstrated an understanding of undernutrition in children.

Findings inform target criteria at community and household level that can be used to identify children at risk of undernutrition. To tackle the immediate and underlying causes of undernutrition, interventions recommended should aim to: (i) improve maternal health and nutrition; (ii) promote optimal infant and young children feeding practices; (iii) support mothers in their working role; (iv) increase access to family planning; (v) improve water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH); (vi) address alcohol problems at all levels; and (vii) address street food issues with infant feeding counselling.

To review and update the most relevant research dealing with the antioxidant properties of fruits which can be useful in Mediterranean and other healthy diets.

Personal perspectives and late data.

International

The evaluation of total antioxidant capacity of fruits is of pivotal importance in assessing the nutritional attributes of these products. By means of specific breeding programmes, it is possible to select antioxidant-enriched fruit varieties. These features are susceptible to be improved through generations in order to release fruits with enhanced nutritional features.

The availability of high quality and nutritionally enriched fruit at competitive costs may be a useful tool in the planning of healthy diets.

To determine the prevalence of anaemia and associated factors among under-fives and their mothers in a rural area of Western Uganda.

A cross-sectional investigation using both qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection. Stratified multistage sampling methods were used to select the study sample. A haemoglobinometer was used to assess Hb levels in the blood.

A rural district in Western Uganda.

Children aged 6–59 months and their mothers aged 15–49 years.

The overall prevalence of Fe-deficiency anaemia among children and their mothers was 26·2 % and 17·9 %, respectively. There was a significant correlation (r = 0·5, P = 0·008) between the Hb levels of the mothers and their children. Place of birth, age of the child, factors related to complementary foods, and formal education and nutrition knowledge of the mother were major factors that were significantly associated (r = 0·05, P = 0·05) with low Hb levels among the children. The most important factors that were associated with low Hb levels of the mothers were their formal education, nutrition knowledge and health status.

Fe-deficiency anaemia was found to be a major problem in this cohort of children and their mothers. Dietary factors and sociodemographic factors were the major factors associated with high levels of anaemia among the children and their mothers. It is therefore recommended that rural mothers should be sensitized on best practices for prevention of anaemia among both women and children.

The present study examined food and beverage distributors’ sourcing, placement and promotion of obesogenic (energy-dense, nutrient-poor) product categories from the perspective of small food store owners/managers. The obesogenic product categories of interest were savoury snacks, sugary beverages, sweet snacks, confectionery and frozen treats. Specifically, we examined how frequently distributors sourced these products, and the types of agreements and expectations they had for their placement and promotion. Differences were explored by store size and ethnicity. Fresh produce was used as a comparison when examining differences in frequency of sourcing only, with implications for healthy food access.

Survey research involving in-person interviews.

Four urban areas in the USA: Baltimore, MD; Durham, NC; Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN; and San Diego, CA.

Seventy-two small food store owners/managers, 65 % consent rate.

Most distributors sourced obesogenic products weekly. Agreements to place products were predominantly informal (e.g. handshake) with sweet snack, confectionery and frozen treat distributors, and formal (e.g. contract) with savoury snack and sugary beverage distributors. Free-standing displays were the most common incentive provided by distributors and they expected some control over their placement and pricing. Free/discounted products and signage were also common incentives but slotting fees were not. Smaller stores and ethnic stores were less likely to receive various incentives, but among sweet snack distributors, they were more likely to control the price in ethnic v. non-ethnic stores.

Obesogenic products are ubiquitous. Influencing what is made available to consumers in the retail food environment needs to consider the distributor.

To determine the optimal cut-offs of BMI for Malaysian adults.

Population-based, cross-sectional study. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to determine the cut-off values of BMI with optimum sensitivity and specificity for the detection of three cardiovascular risk factors: diabetes mellitus, hypertension and hypercholesterolaemia. Gender-specific logistic regression analyses were used to examine the association between BMI and these cardiovascular risk factors.

All fourteen states in Malaysia.

Malaysian adults aged ≥18 years (n 32 703) who participated in the Third National Health and Morbidity Survey in 2006.

The optimal BMI cut-off value for predicting the presence of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia or at least one of these cardiovascular risk factors varied from 23·3 to 24·1 kg/m2 for men and from 24·0 to 25·4 kg/m2 for women. In men and women, the odds ratio for having diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia or at least one cardiovascular risk factor increased significantly as BMI cut-off point increased.

Our findings indicate that BMI cut-offs of 23·0 kg/m2 in men and 24·0 kg/m2 in women are appropriate for classification of overweight. We suggest that these cut-offs can be used by health professionals to identify individuals for cardiovascular risk screening and weight management programmes.

Suboptimal nutrition among children remains a problem among South Asian (SA) families. Appropriate complementary feeding (CF) practices can greatly reduce this risk. Thus, we undertook a systematic review of studies assessing CF (timing, dietary diversity, meal frequency and influencing factors) in children aged <2 years in India.

Searches between January 2000 and June 2016 in MEDLINE, EMBASE, Global Health, Web of Science, OVID Maternity & Infant Care, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, BanglaJOL, POPLINE and WHO Global Health Library. Eligibility criteria: primary research on CF practices in SA children aged 0–2 years and/or their families. Search terms: ‘children’, ‘feeding’ and ‘Asians’ and derivatives. Two researchers undertook study selection, data extraction and quality appraisal (EPPI-Centre Weight of Evidence).

From 45 712 abstracts screened, sixty-four cross-sectional, seven cohort, one qualitative and one case–control studies were included. Despite adopting the WHO Infant and Young Child Feeding guidelines, suboptimal CF practices were found in all studies. In twenty-nine of fifty-nine studies, CF was introduced between 6 and 9 months, with eight studies finding minimum dietary diversity was achieved in 6–33 %, and ten of seventeen studies noting minimum meal frequency in only 25–50 % of the study populations. Influencing factors included cultural influences, poor knowledge on appropriate CF practices and parental educational status.

This is the first systematic review to evaluate CF practices in SA in India. Campaigns to change health and nutrition behaviour and revision of nationwide child health nutrition programmes are needed to meet the substantial unmet needs of these children.

The predominance of marketing of products high in fat, sugar and/or salt to children has been well documented and implicated in the incidence of obesity. The present study aimed to determine whether foods marketed to children in UK supermarkets are nutritionally similar to the non-children's equivalent, focusing on food categories that may be viewed as healthier options.

Nutritional data were collected on yoghurts (n 147), cereal bars (n 145) and ready meals (n 144) from seven major UK supermarkets and categorised as children's or non-children's products based on the characteristics, promotional nature or information on the product packaging. Fat, sugar and salt content was compared per 100 g and per recommended portion size.

UK.

Per 100 g, children's yoghurts and cereal bars were higher in total sugars, fat and saturated fat than the non-children's; this was significant for all except sugar and total fat in cereal bars. Per portion these differences remained, except for sugars in yoghurts. Conversely children's ready meals were significantly lower in these nutrients per portion than non-children's, but not when expressed per 100 g. Children's yoghurts and ready meals had significantly lower sodium content than non-children's both per portion and per 100 g.

Significant differences between the nutritional composition of children's and non-children's products were observed but varied depending on the unit reference. A significant number of products marketed towards children were higher in fat, sugar and salt than those marketed to the general population.

The current meta-analysis evaluated the association between vitamin B12 intake and blood vitamin B12 level and colorectal cancer (CRC) risk.

The PubMed and EMBASE databases were searched. A dose–response analysis was performed with generalized least squares regression, with the relative risk (RR) and 95 % CI as effect values.

The meta-analysis included seventeen studies.

A total of 10 601 patients.

The non-linear dose–response relationship between total vitamin B12 intake and CRC risk was insignificant (P=0·690), but the relationship between dietary vitamin B12 intake and CRC risk was significant (P<0·001). Every 4·5 μg/d increment in total and dietary vitamin B12 intake was inversely associated with CRC risk (total intake: RR=0·963; 95 % CI 0·928, 0·999; dietary intake: RR=0·914; 95 % CI 0·856, 0·977). The inverse association between vitamin B12 intake and CRC risk was also significant when vitamin B12 intake was over a dosage threshold, enhancing the non-linear relationship. The non-linear dose–response relationship between blood vitamin B12 level and CRC risk was insignificant (P=0·219). There was an insignificant association between every 150 pmol/l increment in blood vitamin B12 level and CRC risk (RR=1·023; 95 % CI 0·881, 1·187).

Our meta-analysis indicates that evidence supports the use of vitamin B12 for cancer prevention, especially among populations with high-dose vitamin B12 intake, and that the association between CRC risk and total vitamin B12 intake is stronger than between CRC risk and dietary vitamin B12 intake only.

The present study investigates the changes and tracking of dietary behaviours in Norwegian 11-year-olds and examines the association between parental education and dietary tracking over a time period of 20 months.

Longitudinal data from the Norwegian HEalth In Adolescents (HEIA) cohort study followed up at three time points (2007–2009).

Intakes of fruits, vegetables and snacks were assessed by frequency and intakes of sugar-sweetened soft drinks and squash were assessed by frequency and amount. Tracking of dietary behaviours was assessed by adolescents’ relative position in rank over time and Cohen's kappa was used to measure tracking coefficients. Multinomial logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the association between parental education and the tracking of dietary behaviours.

In total, 885 adolescents from the HEIA cohort study participated by answering Internet-based questionnaires at three time points.

The results indicated that boys and girls maintained their relative position in rank of dietary intake over time, when grouped by baseline consumption. Fair to moderate tracking coefficients of dietary variables were observed. An inverse association was found between parental education and stability of soft drink and squash consumption during the 20 months.

The observed tracking pattern indicates the importance of promoting healthy dietary behaviours at an even earlier age. Furthermore, interventions should focus particularly on adolescents from families with low parental education and their consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages.

Breast-feeding is associated with positive maternal and infant health and development outcomes. To assist identifying women less likely to meet infant nutritional guidelines, we investigated the role of socio-economic position and parity on initiation of and sustaining breast-feeding for at least 6 months.

Prospective cohort study.

Australia.

Parous women from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health (born 1973–78), with self-reported reproductive and breast-feeding history (N 4777).

While 89 % of women (83 % of infants) had ever breast-fed, only 60 % of infants were breast-fed for at least 6 months. Multiparous women were more likely to breast-feed their first child (~90 % v. ~71 % of primiparous women), and women who breast-fed their first child were more likely to breast-feed subsequent children. Women with a low education (adjusted OR (95 % CI): 2·09 (1·67, 2·62)) or a very low-educated parent (1·47 (1·16, 1·88)) had increased odds of not initiating breast-feeding with their first or subsequent children. While fewer women initiated breast-feeding with their youngest child, this was most pronounced among high-educated women. While ~60 % of women breast-fed their first, second and third child for at least 6 months, low-educated women (first child, adjusted OR (95 % CI): 2·19 (1·79, 2·68)) and women with a very low (1·82 (1·49, 2·22)) or low-educated parent (1·69 (1·33, 2·14)) had increased odds of not breast-feeding for at least 6 months.

A greater understanding of barriers to initiating and sustaining breast-feeding, some of which are socio-economic-specific, may assist in reducing inequalities in infant breast-feeding.

A tax on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) was introduced in South Africa in April 2018. Our objective was to document perceptions and attitudes among urban South Africans living in Soweto on factors that contribute to their SSB intake and on South Africa’s use of a tax to reduce SSB consumption.

We conducted six focus group discussions using a semi-structured guide.

The study was conducted in Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa, 3 months before South Africa’s SSB tax was implemented.

Adults aged 18 years or above living in Soweto (n 57).

Participants reported frequent SSB consumption and attributed this to habit, addiction, advertising and wide accessibility of SSB. Most of the participants were not aware of the proposed SSB tax; when made aware of the tax, their responses included both beliefs that it would and would not result in reduced SSB intake. However, participants indicated cynicism with regard to the government’s stated motivation in introducing the tax for health rather than revenue reasons.

While an SSB tax is a policy tool that could be used with other strategies to reduce people’s high level of SSB consumption in Soweto, our findings suggest a need to complement the SSB tax with a multipronged behaviour change strategy. This strategy could include both environmental and individual levers to reduce SSB consumption and its associated risks.

To examine trends in stunting and overweight in Peruvian children, using 2006 WHO Multicentre Growth Reference Study criteria.

Trend analyses using nationally representative cross-sectional surveys from Demographic and Health Surveys (1991–2011). We performed logistic regression analyses of stunting and overweight trends in sociodemographic groups (sex, age, urban–rural residence, region, maternal education and household wealth), adjusted for sampling design effects (strata, clusters and sampling weights).

Peru.

Children aged 0–59 months surveyed in 1991–92 (n 7999), 1996 (n 14 877), 2000 (n 11 754), 2007–08 (n 8232) and 2011 (n 8186).

Child stunting declined (F(1, 5149) = 174·8, P ≤ 0·00) and child overweight was stable in the period 1991–2011 (F(1, 5147) = 0·4, P ≤ 0·54). Over the study period, levels of stunting were highest in rural compared with urban areas, the Andean and Amazon regions compared with the Coast, among children of low-educated mothers and among children living in households in the poorest wealth quintile. The trend in overweight rose among males in coastal areas (F(1, 2250) = 4·779, P ≤ 0·029) and among males in the richest wealth quintile (F(1, 1730) = 5·458, P ≤ 0·020).

The 2011 levels of stunting and overweight were eight times and three and a half times higher, respectively, than the expected levels from the 2006 WHO growth standards. The trend over the study period in stunting declined in most sociodemographic subgroups. The trend in overweight was stable in most sociodemographic subgroups.

In the fast growing city of Nairobi, women often combine the roles of mother and worker in trying to achieve better standards of living. The objective of this study was to document the effect of returning to work on breast-feeding by mothers in Kenya.

A cross-sectional survey.

Outpatient clinics of two major hospitals in Nairobi, one government hospital in an economically deprived area and one high-fee private hospital.

Four hundred and forty-four working mothers from low and higher socio-economic areas in Nairobi. All working mothers with infants aged 4 to 12 months attending during the survey period were invited to participate.

The prevalence of breast-feeding at the time of interview was found to be 94.1%. The lower socio-economic group exhibited a higher prevalence of breast-feeding (99%), 10% greater than the higher socio-economic group. The mean number of hours the mothers were away from home due to work was 46.2 hours each week. The majority (54.4%) of the mothers employed a ‘house-girl’ to care for their infant while they were at work, while 28.4% were able to take their infants to work. Most of the breast-feeding mothers (95%) breast-fed their infants at least three times a day and only 23 mothers reported not being able to breast-feed their infants during the day. The lower socio-economic group had a mean of 5.09 breast-feeding times per day while the higher socio-economic group had a mean of 3 times a day. In a logistic regression analysis the mode of work (fixed working hours vs. shift working hours) was associated with exclusive breast-feeding at one month (odds ratio (OR) = 0.45) and two months (OR = 0.39).

In Western countries ‘return to work’ is often cited as the reason that breast-feeding is discontinued prematurely. In this study we have shown how mothers in Kenya are able to successfully continue breast-feeding after they have returned to work, often for very long hours.

To elicit predictors of variation in likelihood to purchase foods rich inlong-chain omega-3 fatty acids.

Responses from a community sample (n =220) were elicited using a computer-administered questionnaire based on anadaptation of Protection Motivation Theory including measures of perceivedrisk and vulnerability to coronary heart disease (CHD). Other measuresincluded health status, body mass index (BMI), perceived risk/benefits ofnovel technologies and sociodemographics. Descriptions of model productswere presented, including farmed fish fed fishmeal (FFFF); farmed fish fedgenetically modified (GM) oilseed (FFFGM); bread, milk and supplementscontaining fish oil (SFO) or GM oilseed. It was hypothesised that perceivedvulnerability to CHD would enhance acceptance of GM products (H1).Furthermore, information describing the benefits of LCO3FA, limitations tofish supply and potential alternatives was given to a treatment group (50%)and hypothesised to have a positive effect on the acceptance of GM products(H2).

No evidence was found to support H1 or H2. FFFF was most likely to bepurchased (P < 0.01), followedby SFO and FFFGM. Multivariate regression analysis identified significant(P < 0.05) predictors(standardised β) forlikelihood to purchase FFFF: self-efficacy 0.56; behaviour (product)efficacy 0.19; belief that fishmeal is unnatural −0.14 (R2 = 0.44) and for FFFGM:self-efficacy 0.65; perceived severity of CHD 0.15; BMI −0.13;significant other has/had arthritis 0.11; belief that GM oilseed isunnatural 0.11 (R2 =0.49).

Self-efficacy (confidence to consume) was the most important predictor oflikelihood to purchase all products.

To compare dietary intake and sources of phylloquinone (vitamin K1) in 4-year-old British children between 1950 and the 1990s, and report their variation by sociodemographic factors.

Nationally representative samples of 4-year-olds from the longitudinal Medical Research Council National Survey of Health and Development (NSHD) (1950) and the cross-sectional National Diet and Nutrition Surveys (NDNS, 1992/93 and 1997).

Great Britain.

Subjects were 4599 children born on 3–9 March 1946 (NSHD) and 307 children in the 1990s (NDNS).

Geometric mean dietary phylloquinone intake was significantly higher in 1950 (39 μg day−1, 95% confidence interval (CI) 37, 40) compared with the 1990s (24 μg day−1, 95% CI 22, 25) (P < 0.001). This difference remained when intake was expressed per MJ energy intake and per kilogram body weight, and after accounting for sex, region and occupational social class of the family. In 1950, phylloquinone intake in Scotland was significantly lower than in the rest of Britain. By the 1990s these regional differences had disappeared. Food sources of phylloquinone intake changed significantly between 1950 and the 1990s, with fats and oils contributing more and vegetables less, although vegetables contributed most (60% and 48%, respectively) to phylloquinone intake in both surveys.

Phylloquinone intakes of children have decreased significantly since 1950. With the suggested need for adequate phylloquinone intake for optimal development and maintenance of bone and the cardiovascular system, the substantially lower phylloquinone intakes reported in children of the 1990s, compared with 1950, may have implications for the health of these two systems in later adulthood.

Breast cancer mortality and incidence rates in the Canary Islands, and particularly in Gran Canaria, are higher than those in the rest of Spain.

A case–control study was designed to assess the role of differential fatty acid intakes and olive oil consumption on breast cancer risk in the Canary Islands. The study was conducted between 1999 and 2001, including a total of 755 women: 291 incident cases with confirmed breast cancer and 464 controls randomly selected from the Canary Island Nutrition Survey (ENCA). A semi-quantitative food-frequency questionnaire was completed and potential confounders were adjusted using unconditional logistic regression.

Compared to the first quintile of intake, the highest quintile of monounsaturated fat intake was significantly related to a lower risk of breast cancer (odds ratio = 0.52; 95% CI 0.30–0.92). Regarding olive oil, the odds ratio for women in the three upper quintiles of consumption (≥8.8 g/day) was 0.27 (95% CI 0.17–0.42).

Our results support the protective role of olive oil consumption on breast cancer among Canaries women.

In response to The New Nutrition Science Project's Giessen Declaration, we provide here a case for a more fully described and integrated ‘social’ dimension within the nutrition sciences.

This paper explores what we mean when we argue for socially engaged nutrition sciences (SENS), and describes the disciplinary fields, epistemologies and methodologies that contribute to SENS’ potential rich diversity and value. Additionally, the current positioning of ‘social nutrition’ research within the nutrition sciences is critiqued.

There is fairly broad acceptance of the ‘social’ as an important contributor to successful public health nutrition situation analyses, intervention planning and implementation. However, we assert that the ‘social’ is not merely a contributor, the usual position, but is central. Implications for policy and practice that could follow from this shift in approach are outlined.

We call for researchers, educators, policy makers and practitioners alike to re-imagine the role and purpose of social science enquiry that could enable the delivery of more socially engaged nutrition sciences.

To determine the epidemiology of helminthic infections and the efficacy of parasite treatment among rural South African primary school children in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. To assess the South African government's parasite control policy.

The study recruited 268 school children, aged 8 to 10, and randomly allocated them into treatment and placebo groups (treatment consisted of a single dose of albendazole (400 mg) and praziquantel (40 mg/kg)). Anthropometric measurements and the prevalence and intensity of helminth infections were taken at baseline (prior to treatment) and 16 weeks post treatment. Two weeks after treatment prevalence and intensity were again measured for an approximate 50% sub-sample of the children to investigate efficacy of treatment. An analysis of the South African government's policies concerning parasite control is assessed in the light of these epidemiological findings.

Low levels of both stunting and wasting were observed throughout the study (approximately 10% and 1%, respectively), but did not vary significantly across either treatment group or time period (P>0.50). At baseline the observed prevalences for the three main helminths found in this study among the treated children were Ascaris lumbricoides 29.5%, Trichuris trichiura 51.9% and Schistosoma haematobium 22.3%. These prevalences declined significantly to 4.7% (P<0.0005), 38.0% (P<0.03) and 3.3% (P<0.0002), respectively, 16 weeks post treatment. The majority of infections observed at baseline were of light intensity, namely A. lumbricoides (50%), T. trichiura (80%) and S. haematobium (100%), and following treatment these levels were reduced significantly (P<0.0001, P<0.05 and P<0.005, respectively). The levels of both prevalence and intensity in the untreated group remained constant. The cure rates over the first two weeks of the study were found to be 94.4% for A. lumbricoides, 40% for T. trichiura and 72.2% for S. haematobium.

The benefits of targeted, school-based treatment in reducing the prevalence and intensity of infection supports the South African government's focus of using school-based interventions as part of an integrated parasite control programme. These strategies and programmes are consistent with recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) and The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).