Food determines your babies’ brain – Research

The kind of food mothers eat has its role in determination of the sought of brain their babies’ have at the end of order.

An extract from the latest research of the University of Manchester and made available to NaijaAgroNet, has also shown that twins are more prone to diabetes.

Chief Media Relations, Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences
The University of Manchester, Mr. Aeron Haworth, stated in a press statement that women who fall pregnant while dieting are more likely to have a child that could become obese or diabetic in later life, new research suggests.

While the study was carried out in sheep, he said, University of Manchester scientists suspect the findings may hold true for humans as well.

According to him, the research, carried out with colleagues in New Zealand and Canada, may also have found a reason why human twins are more likely to develop type-2 diabetes in adulthood after the team studied twin lambs.

The study investigated twin pregnancies in sheep, as well the pregnancies of ewes that received less food around the time the lamb was conceived.

He quoted the researchers as then looking at tissues from the brains of the unborn lambs, stressing that this was to see if there were changes in the structure of the DeoxyriboNucleic Acid (DNA); the hereditary material in humans and almost all other organisms that would alter genes involved in food intake and glucose levels after birth.

Study lead and professor of Endocrine Sciences, Prof. (Mrs) Anne White, was quoted as saying that they found that unborn twin lambs had changes in the structure of DNA in the region of the brain that regulates food intake and glucose that resulted in an increased chance of diabetes in adulthood.

“Our findings provide a reason why twins are more likely to get diabetes but we have also shown that mothers who don’t have enough food around the time of conception may have a child who grows up with an increased risk of obesity,” she said.

Although the study, published in the Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, was conducted in sheep, the researchers believe their findings are relevant to humans too, as they reveal a non-genetic or ‘epigenetic’ way in which the DNA of offspring could be altered.

Professor White of Manchester’s Faculties of Medical and Human Sciences and Life Sciences, further said that this is not an inherited change in the genes but a change in the structure of the DNA that affects the genes, and therefore much more unusual.

“What is significant is that the changes we have found are in genes that control food intake and glucose levels and alterations in these genes may lead to obesity and diabetes,” she said.

Additionally, she said, more people are becoming obese and getting diabetes, while rates of twins are steadily increasing as women have babies at older ages and rates of conception using artificial reproductive technologies increase.

“Dieting in young women is also very common and can occur in women who may not know they are pregnant,” she said, adding that the team’s findings in sheep, if replicated in humans, suggest that obesity and diabetes could be more likely in twins and in children from mothers who are not eating properly or dieting around the time of conception.

 “Our study is important because it shows that factors in the brain can be altered by non-hereditary mechanisms and this results in changes in the body, which could make people obese. The findings may provide a new understanding of why twins can develop diabetes and also suggests that dieting around the time a baby is conceived may increase the chance of the child becoming obese later in life,” she submitted.

While the study doesn’t have implications for the treatment of diabetes or obesity, the researchers say it could be important for disease prevention regimes whereby advice on eating is given to women who are planning a family that could reduce future health risks for their children.

Remmy Nweke

... Linking agrobiz, people & technology

Assessment shows a global decline in natural teak

An assessment report by Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) titled 'TEAK RESOURCES AND MARKET ASSESSMENT 2010' revealed that there is a decline in global natural teak forests.

The assessment which was conducted in 60 tropical countries, NaijaAgroNet gathered revealed that the quality of natural grown teak wood is deteriorating.

A press release made available to NaijaAgroNet also made known the result of a-day survey that planted teak forests are increasing in area where good management practices are applied thereby producing high quality wood.

Natural teak forests grow in only four countries of the world: India, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand with a total of 29 million hectares of land.

Commenting on the result of the assessment, a Forestry Officer at FAO, Walter Kollert said data provided by the survey must be handled with care as there is no better up-to-date information on teak resources available at the moment.

"It is difficult to obtain precise figures on teak forest loss, because teak trees do not grow in pure stands in nature. Natural teak forests are mixed deciduous or tropical evergreen forests which have a share of teak of between 4 and 35 percent," Walter Kollert.

NaijaAgroNet further gathered that Asia holds more than 90 percent of the world's teak resources, and India alone manages 38 percent of the world's planted teak forests.

Yinka Awosanya

... Linking agrobiz, people & technology

FAO appeals for N7.8 billion for Horn of Africa

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations has urgently appealed for a sum of $50 million, about N7.882 billion in order to assist funding gap for priority agricultural and pastoral activities to be carried out in the Horn of Africa.

FAO revealed to NaijaAgroNet in a press statement that the fund is necessary to execute a 90day plan aim at giving farmers and pastoralists the chances to improve their livelihoods and build resilience to any future shocks.

Commenting on the issue, FAO's Sub-regional Coordinator for Eastern Africa, Castro Camarada said the international community needs to continue to support the most vulnerable households in Somalia and other arid and semi-arid lands in the Horn of Africa to cope with another possible dry spell.

NaijaAgroNet also gathered that some activities like crop and livestock production, and cash-for-work programmes are already ongoing and need improvement.

According to FAO, although the situation in the drought-affected areas of the Horn of Africa has improved significantly in recent months it is estimated 8.1 million people there are still in need of assistance (Ethiopia: 3.2 million; Kenya: 2.2 million; Somalia: 2.5 million; Djibouti 180 000).

Distributions of crop and vegetable seeds form part of the urgent activities planned for the region, and helping implement small-scale irrigation schemes and running cash-for-work activities in order to restore vital agricultural infrastructure.

Despite an end of famine conditions declared a month ago in Somalia, over 2.5 million are still facing food crisis; unable to fully meet essential food and non-food needs, majority of which reside in the southern regions.

NaijaAgroNet further gathered that José Graziano da Silva, FAO Director General on his visit to Somalia recently pledged that the organization will continue to increase its efforts in the region. He also stressed the importance of continued and coordinated actions to build up the resilience of local populations and link relief with development.

"We can't avoid droughts, but we can put measures in place to try to prevent them from becoming a famine" José Graziano da Silva affirmed.

Yinka Awosanya

... Linking agrobiz, people & technology

Increasing food importation, a worry for SA

South African Minister of Trade and Industry, Rob Davies expresses worry over the rate of increase in food importation, reports BusinessDay.

Speaking at a workshop, Rob Davies affirmed that the increase importation dampened the rate of expansion in the sector, leading to slower job creation over the past decade despite South Africa's own capacity to manufacture food products.

NaijaAgroNet gathered that South African's traditional export markets are facing substantial challenges.

"Exports to the traditional markets of the European Union and US have been flat in recent years. Today they are still lower than they were in 2007, before the onset of the global financial crisis," he said. 

Department of Trade and Industry of South Africa revealed that import penetration ratio raised from 9 per cent in 2005 to 13 per cent in 2010. Read more

Admin/ED

... Linking agrobiz, people & technology

FAO predicts 690 million tonnes wheat production for the year

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has forecasted that the wheat production for the year will amount to 690 million tones.

The forecasted wheat production is 10 million tonnes less than 2011 wheat production; this was revealed to NaijaAgroNet in a press statement by FAO.

It was also gathered that planting is on the increase or predicted to increase in many countries this year in response to strong prices.

Further NaijaAgroNet noted that the forecast report revealed an expectation of a return to normal yields in areas where high records were achieved last year.

The report also made known that a global forecast of cereal output for the year is too early.

In Eastern Africa, despite some improvement, the food situation of vulnerable groups remains precarious, especially in pastoral areas affected by earlier drought. The food security situation in the Sudan and South Sudan is of concern following poor harvests. 

On another note, the FAO's Food Price index published on the 19th March, 2012 revealed a 1 per cent increase over January's. There have been also increased imports as a result of weaker US Dollar and plunging freight rates have also characterized world markets since the beginning of 2012.

Yinka Awosanya/LS

... Linking agrobiz, people & technology

Sahel region in dire need of action to avert humanitarian disaster - Group

In order to avert the impending food crisis in the Sahel region of Africa, a campaign, "Professional Football Against Hunger" hits hundreds of European football stadium with the main message that action is needed to avert a humanitarian disaster in the region as soon as possible.

Professional Football Against Hunger as revealed to NaijaAgroNet in a press statement made available by the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) is being promoted by the Association of European Professional Football Leagues (EPFL), the European Commission and FAO.

NaijaAgroNet gathered that the campaign, Match Day Against Hunger was launched in 2008, which its third edition this year and the biggest-ever match started on March 30 to spread the call for urgent action.

Commenting on the issue, The European Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response, Kristalina Georgieva affirmed that football is the perfect vehicle for highlighting the plight of the people in the Sahel region.

"To respond properly to this emergency, governments, donors and aid agencies need to be united. Together, we can save lives," said Kristalina Georgieva.

"At the same time, we need to build resilience in local communities to stop jumping from crisis to crisis, and to prevent droughts from leading inevitably to famine," said José Graziano da Silva, Director-General of FAO. "We must act now to help people help themselves."

FAO Goodwill Ambassador and Spanish football star Raúl González Blanco said, "We need public support for food crises like this one. No one knows like footballers how crucial it is to have the stadium on your side to win the match."

"We are all diminished when somebody, in any part of the globe, dies from hunger," said Roberto Carlos, a Brazilian star player.

Spanish international and campaign's ambassador from the Spanish professional football league, Roberto Soldado also said, "Together we can prevent this crisis from turning into a full scale catastrophe." 

NaijaAgroNet further gathered that other football ambassadors of the campaign include Felix Magath, a former footballer and active coach in the German Bundesliga; Herbert Prohaska, appointed by the Österreichische Fußball Bundesliga - Austria; Steffen Freund, DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga GmbH, Germany; Vidar Riseth, Norsk Toppfotball, Norway; Jerzy Dudek, Polish Professional Football League and Alexey Medvedev, Football National League of the Russian Federation.

Yinka Awosanya/LS

... Linking agrobiz, people & technology