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. 2023 Jun 28;9(7):e17737.
doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e17737. eCollection 2023 Jul.

Hydrothermally-treated soybean-fortified maize-based nsima (stiff porridge) could contribute towards alleviating seasonal body weight loss in farming communities in sub-Saharan Africa

Beatrice Mtimuni  1 , Grace Timanyechi Munthali  2 , Aggrey Pemba Gama  1 , Gabriella Chiutsi-Phiri  3 , Numeri Geresomo  1 , Lovemore Nkhata Malunga  4 , Limbikani Matumba  3
Affiliations

Hydrothermally-treated soybean-fortified maize-based nsima (stiff porridge) could contribute towards alleviating seasonal body weight loss in farming communities in sub-Saharan Africa

Beatrice Mtimuni et al. Heliyon. .

Abstract

Objective: This study explored the use of hydrothermally-treated soybean-fortified maize-based stiff porridge (nsima) in managing body weight losses among the farming family community in Malawi during the labour-intensive cropping (growing) season. We hypothesized that soybean-fortified maize-based nsima could prevent seasonal body weight losses in farming communities during labour-intensive seasons better than conventional 100% maize nsima.

Research methods & procedures: A single-blind parallel dietary intervention 90-day study. During energy stress months, 42 farming households in Malawi were supplied with 15 kg of blind formulation of soybean-fortified maize flour (soybean: maize, 1:4, wt/wt) per person per month except for under-fives who were allotted half the quantity. Forty households were provided with equivalent quantities of 100% maize flour and served as control. Body weights of participants were taken at baseline and endpoint.

Results: After 3 months, the experimental group registered 3.7, 4.2, 2.9, and 5.2% statistically higher body weight compared to the controls for the under-five, the 5-9-year-olds, the 10-19-year-olds, and the >20-year-olds, respectively.

Conclusion: Soybean-fortified stiff porridge could feasibly be used to alleviate wasting among the resource-constraint populace in Malawi and many other parts of sub-Saharan Africa that rely on maize as a major staple.

Keywords: Body-weight; Farming community; Fortified; Hydrothermally-treated-soybeans; Maize-soy-stiff-porridge; Nsima.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Figures

Image 1
Graphical abstract
Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Scatter plot of control and experimental populations showing differential increase in weight with age at baseline.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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