Ram Shrestha - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Ram Shrestha

Research paper thumbnail of Awareness of eye health and diseases among the population of the hilly region of Nepal

Journal of Ophthalmic and Vision Research, 2018

Purpose: To collect information regarding awareness and knowledge of eye health and diseases amon... more Purpose: To collect information regarding awareness and knowledge of eye health and diseases among the population of the hilly region of Nepal. Methods: In a population-based survey, 1834 participants were enrolled in to the study. Field procedures included the development of a survey questionnaire, field orientation, pretesting, and household data collection. Association between knowledge of eye diseases was derived using the Chi-square test and odds ratios with a 95% confidence interval. A P value of ≤0.05 was considered significant. Results: Most participants were 31-40 years old (33.4%), female (51.1%), of upper caste (43.4%), Hindus (83.3%), received secondary level of education (34.4%), and involved in agriculture (48.6%). Awareness of cataract, night blindness, glaucoma, strabismus, and systemic diseases was 74.6%, 53.4%, 17.4%, 70.8%, and 46.5%, respectively. Knowledge regarding these diseases among those aware was 39.1%, 72.2%, 50.9%, and 92.3%, respectively. Awareness of cataract was significantly higher (88.4%) among higher caste groups (P < 0.001; OR, 4.29; 95% CI, 3.34-5.54), followed by business as an occupation (88.2%; P = 0.001; OR, 2.65; 95% CI, 1.44-4.9). Awareness of night blindness was significantly higher among students (72.6%; P < 0.001; OR, 2.46; 95% CI, 1.65-3.67). Conclusion: There was a general lack of awareness and knowledge of common eye diseases. Improved awareness and knowledge are required for the prevention, early treatment, and access to eye care.

Research paper thumbnail of School atlas of Nepal

Research paper thumbnail of Variation of Physiochemical Components of Acid Lime (<i>Citrus aurantifolia</i> Swingle) Fruits at Different Sides of the Tree in Nepal

American Journal of Plant Sciences, 2012

Acid Lime (Citrus aurantifolia Swingle) is one of the important commercial fruits cultivated from... more Acid Lime (Citrus aurantifolia Swingle) is one of the important commercial fruits cultivated from terai to high hill of Nepal. It is an important source of vitamin "C" (ascorbic acid) for human nutrition. Amount of juice, TSS (Total soluble solids), TA (Titrable acid) and vitamin C are the determining factors of quality of acid lime fruits which may vary according to bearing sides of the trees. The main objective of this study is, to determine the variation of fruit quality at different sides of the tree. Total of 15 bearing trees were selected randomly (5 trees per site) from three different agro ecological domain representing terai (<600 m asl), mid hills (600 to 1200 m asl) and high hill areas (>1200 m asl) and samples were collected from the selected trees. Randomly ten fruits (from east, west, centre, north and south sides) were collected from each tree and analyzed for amount of vitamin C, TSS, TA and juice. Highest ascorbic acid 79.6 mg and 69.9 mg was observed in south side fruits whereas lowest 62.8 mg and 55.1 mg was observed in centre fruits in the high and mid hills zone respectively, but in terai, highest ascorbic acid 58.7 mg was observed in north side and lowest 41.8 mg was observed in centre. Highest amount of juice 43.9% was observed in south side fruits and lowest 36.6% in centre fruits, but amount of TSS 8.2% and TA 7.2% was observed in south side fruits and lowest 7.3% TSS and 7.0% TA was observed in centre fruits in high hills. In terai highest TSS 8.3% and TA 7.4% was observed in north side fruits and lowest TSS 7.3% and TA 6.7% was observed in centre fruits. Variation of TSS, TA percent and ascorbic acids was observed according to the agro ecological zone.

Research paper thumbnail of Recovery from impaired dark adaptation in nightblind pregnant Nepali women who receive small daily doses of vitamin A as amaranth leaves, carrots, goat liver, vitamin A-fortified rice, or retinyl palmitate

The American journal of clinical nutrition, 2005

It is not known whether daily consumption of vitamin A-containing foods is efficacious for treati... more It is not known whether daily consumption of vitamin A-containing foods is efficacious for treating nightblindness. We assessed the effect of supplementation with vitamin A from food or synthetic sources on dark adaptation and plasma retinol concentrations in nightblind pregnant Nepali women. Nightblind pregnant women were randomly assigned to 1 of 6 treatment groups to receive 6 d/wk for 6 wk either 850 microg retinol equivalents/d as retinyl palmitate, vitamin A-fortified rice, goat liver, amaranth leaves, or carrots or 2000 microg retinol equivalents/d as retinyl palmitate. Dark adaptation was assessed weekly by using the pupillary threshold (PT) test; plasma retinol concentrations were measured before and after the intervention. These outcomes were also assessed in a comparison group of nonnightblind pregnant women. In the nightblind women, the mean PT improved significantly (P<0.0001) from -0.71+/-0.04 to -1.42+/-0.02 log cd/m2, and the final mean PT did not differ significa...

Research paper thumbnail of Supplementation with iron and riboflavin enhances dark adaptation response to vitamin A-fortified rice in iron-deficient, pregnant, nightblind Nepali women

The American journal of clinical nutrition, 2007

Nightblindness affects 16-52% of pregnant women in areas of Nepal and in some cases persists afte... more Nightblindness affects 16-52% of pregnant women in areas of Nepal and in some cases persists after vitamin A treatment. Iron and riboflavin affect vitamin A utilization and photoreceptor function, respectively, and pilot data in the study population showed a high prevalence of iron and riboflavin deficiencies. The objective was to assess the effect of supplemental iron and riboflavin on pupillary threshold (PT) and plasma retinol in nightblind, pregnant Nepali women given vitamin A-fortified rice. Nightblind pregnant women were randomly assigned to receive, 6 d/wk under supervision for 6 wk, a vitamin A-fortified rice curry dish providing 850 microg retinal activity equivalents/d with either a 30-mg Fe and 6-mg riboflavin (FeR + VA) capsule or a placebo control (VA only) capsule. Hemoglobin, erythrocyte riboflavin, and plasma ferritin and retinol were measured before and after the intervention. Dark adaptation was assessed by PT score. Women who were iron deficient at baseline (n=38...

Research paper thumbnail of Risk factors associated with anemia, iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia in rural Nepali pregnant women

The Southeast Asian journal of tropical medicine and public health, 2012

We conducted a cross sectional study to investigate risk factors associated with severe anemia [h... more We conducted a cross sectional study to investigate risk factors associated with severe anemia [hemoglobin (Hb) < 8.0 g dl(-1)] and poor iron status among Nepali pregnant women. Socio-demographic, anthropometric, health and dietary data were collected from 3,531 women living in the southeastern plains of Nepal. Stool samples were analyzed for intestinal helminthes. Dark adaptation was assessed using the Night Vision Threshold Test (NVTT). Hb levels were measured in all subjects to detect anemia and the soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) was measured among a subsample of 479 women. The iron status categories were: 1) normal (Hb> or = 11.0 g/dl and sTfR < or = 8.5 mg/l); 2) anemia without iron deficiency (Hb<11.0 g/dl and sTfR < or = 8.5 mg/l); 3) iron deficiency without anemia (Hb > or = 11.0 g/dl and sTfR>8.5 mg/l); and 4) iron deficiency anemia (IDA): (Hb<11.0 g/dl and sTfR>8.5 mg/l). Factors associated with severe anemia and poor iron status were determ...

Research paper thumbnail of Erythrocyte Riboflavin for the Detection of Riboflavin Deficiency in Pregnant Nepali Women

Clinical Chemistry, 2005

Riboflavin deficiency is common among chronic alcoholics, the elderly, and vegetarians (1-4), but... more Riboflavin deficiency is common among chronic alcoholics, the elderly, and vegetarians (1-4), but intake in the United States is generally adequate (5, 6), unlike the widespread deficiency in regions of the world with limited animal food sources (7, 8). Riboflavin status has been assessed from measurements in urine, plasma, and erythrocytes (9-11). The erythrocyte glutathione reductase activity coefficient (EGRAC) is the commonly used test

Research paper thumbnail of Genetic Diversity Assessment of Acid Lime (<i>Citrus aurantifolia</i> Swingle) Landraces in Nepal, Using SSR Markers

American Journal of Plant Sciences, 2012

Acid lime (Citrus aurantifolia) is an important commercial fruits crop, cultivated in terai to hi... more Acid lime (Citrus aurantifolia) is an important commercial fruits crop, cultivated in terai to high hills of Nepal. High variation of acid lime fruits are observed in existing landraces due to crossing within the other citrus species. Determination of genetic variation is important to the plant breeders for development of high yielding variety and hybrids. Therefore, an attempt has been made to study the genetic diversity of 62 acid lime landraces, collected from different altitudinal range in the eastern part of Nepal, using SSR markers. Twelve Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) primer pairs were used to assess the genetic diversity of acid lime. The average genetic similarity level among the 62 accessions was 0.77, ranging from 0.54 to 1.0 and separated five major cluster groups. Total of 33 alleles were detected by eleven primer pairs and size of alleles ranged from 50 to 225. Average polymorphic information content (PIC) value was 0.50, whereas highest 0.75 and lowest 0.18 was observed in CAT01 and GT03 loci respectively. The results of the study clearly indicated that, SSR markers are highly polymorphic and more informative for the assessment of genetic diversity of acid lime landraces.

Research paper thumbnail of Characterization of the Genetic Diversity of Acid Lime (Citrus aurantifolia (Christm.) Swingle) Cultivars of Eastern Nepal Using Inter-Simple Sequence Repeat Markers

Plants, 2018

Acid lime (Citrus aurantifolia (Christm.) Swingle) is an important fruit crop, which has high com... more Acid lime (Citrus aurantifolia (Christm.) Swingle) is an important fruit crop, which has high commercial value and is cultivated in 60 out of the 77 districts representing all geographical landscapes of Nepal. A lack of improved high-yielding varieties, infestation with various diseases, and pests, as well as poor management practices might have contributed to its extremely reduced productivity, which necessitates a reliable understanding of genetic diversity in existing cultivars. Hereby, we aim to characterize the genetic diversity of acid lime cultivars cultivated at three different agro-ecological gradients of eastern Nepal, employing PCR-based inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers. Altogether, 21 polymorphic ISSR markers were used to assess the genetic diversity in 60 acid lime cultivars sampled from different geographical locations. Analysis of binary data matrix was performed on the basis of bands obtained, and principal coordinate analysis and phenogram construction were performed using different computer algorithms. ISSR profiling yielded 234 amplicons, of which 87.18% were polymorphic. The number of amplified fragments ranged from 7-18, with amplicon size ranging from ca. 250-3200 bp. The Numerical Taxonomy and Multivariate System (NTSYS)-based cluster analysis using the unweighted pair group method of arithmetic averages (UPGMA) algorithm and Dice similarity coefficient separated 60 cultivars into two major and three minor clusters. Genetic diversity analysis using Popgene ver. 1.32 revealed the highest percentage of polymorphic bands (PPB), Nei's genetic diversity (H), and Shannon's information index (I) for the Terai zone (PPB = 69.66%; H = 0.215; I = 0.325), and the lowest of all three for the high hill zone (PPB = 55.13%; H = 0.173; I = 0.262). Thus, our data indicate that the ISSR marker has been successfully employed for evaluating the genetic diversity of Nepalese acid lime cultivars and has furnished valuable information on intrinsic genetic diversity and the relationship between cultivars that might be useful in acid lime breeding and conservation programs in Nepal.

Research paper thumbnail of Household Food Insecurity and Nutritional Status of Children and Women in Nepal

Food and Nutrition Bulletin (forthcoming)

Background. Food insecurity and malnutrition among children are common in Nepal. However, inadequ... more Background. Food insecurity and malnutrition among children are common in Nepal. However, inadequate data exist on the association between household food insecurity and the nutritional status of children. Objective. To assess the relationship between household food insecurity and malnutrition among children aged 6 to 23 months in Kailali District of Nepal. Methods. We analyzed data from families of 368 children 6 to 23 months of age who completed a crosssectional survey in January 2009. The data contained information on sociodemographic characteristics, food insecurity, child feeding practices, use of preventive health services, and height, weight, and hemoglobin levels of children and mothers. Results. More than two-thirds (69%) of households were classified as food insecure (had insufficient access to adequate food). The prevalence rates of stunting, underweight, and wasting among children were 41%, 24%, and 9%, respectively. The prevalence of anemia was 58%. There were no significant associations between household food insecurity and stunting, underweight, or anemia. Stunting and underweight were associated with maternal height and household wealth (p < .05). Underweight was also associated with maternal education (p < .05). Anemia was associated with low maternal hemoglobin concentration (p < .05). Conclusions. Food insecurity was common in households with children 6 to 23 months of age in Kailali District of Nepal. The rates of stunting, underweight, wasting, and anemia were also high. However, there was no significant association between household food insecurity and malnutrition among children. Therefore, not just access to food, but an integrated approach that improves the overall socioeconomic well-being of families, maternal education, and knowledge of optimal nutrition practices, together with adequate maternal nutrition, is needed to address malnutrition among young children.

Research paper thumbnail of Household Food Insecurity and Nutritional Status of Children and Women in Nepal

Food and Nutrition Bulletin (forthcoming)

Background. Food insecurity and malnutrition among children are common in Nepal. However, inadequ... more Background. Food insecurity and malnutrition among children are common in Nepal. However, inadequate data exist on the association between household food insecurity and the nutritional status of children. Objective. To assess the relationship between household food insecurity and malnutrition among children aged 6 to 23 months in Kailali District of Nepal. Methods. We analyzed data from families of 368 children 6 to 23 months of age who completed a crosssectional survey in January 2009. The data contained information on sociodemographic characteristics, food insecurity, child feeding practices, use of preventive health services, and height, weight, and hemoglobin levels of children and mothers. Results. More than two-thirds (69%) of households were classified as food insecure (had insufficient access to adequate food). The prevalence rates of stunting, underweight, and wasting among children were 41%, 24%, and 9%, respectively. The prevalence of anemia was 58%. There were no significant associations between household food insecurity and stunting, underweight, or anemia. Stunting and underweight were associated with maternal height and household wealth (p < .05). Underweight was also associated with maternal education (p < .05). Anemia was associated with low maternal hemoglobin concentration (p < .05). Conclusions. Food insecurity was common in households with children 6 to 23 months of age in Kailali District of Nepal. The rates of stunting, underweight, wasting, and anemia were also high. However, there was no significant association between household food insecurity and malnutrition among children. Therefore, not just access to food, but an integrated approach that improves the overall socioeconomic well-being of families, maternal education, and knowledge of optimal nutrition practices, together with adequate maternal nutrition, is needed to address malnutrition among young children.

Research paper thumbnail of Awareness of eye health and diseases among the population of the hilly region of Nepal

Journal of Ophthalmic and Vision Research, 2018

Purpose: To collect information regarding awareness and knowledge of eye health and diseases amon... more Purpose: To collect information regarding awareness and knowledge of eye health and diseases among the population of the hilly region of Nepal. Methods: In a population-based survey, 1834 participants were enrolled in to the study. Field procedures included the development of a survey questionnaire, field orientation, pretesting, and household data collection. Association between knowledge of eye diseases was derived using the Chi-square test and odds ratios with a 95% confidence interval. A P value of ≤0.05 was considered significant. Results: Most participants were 31-40 years old (33.4%), female (51.1%), of upper caste (43.4%), Hindus (83.3%), received secondary level of education (34.4%), and involved in agriculture (48.6%). Awareness of cataract, night blindness, glaucoma, strabismus, and systemic diseases was 74.6%, 53.4%, 17.4%, 70.8%, and 46.5%, respectively. Knowledge regarding these diseases among those aware was 39.1%, 72.2%, 50.9%, and 92.3%, respectively. Awareness of cataract was significantly higher (88.4%) among higher caste groups (P < 0.001; OR, 4.29; 95% CI, 3.34-5.54), followed by business as an occupation (88.2%; P = 0.001; OR, 2.65; 95% CI, 1.44-4.9). Awareness of night blindness was significantly higher among students (72.6%; P < 0.001; OR, 2.46; 95% CI, 1.65-3.67). Conclusion: There was a general lack of awareness and knowledge of common eye diseases. Improved awareness and knowledge are required for the prevention, early treatment, and access to eye care.

Research paper thumbnail of School atlas of Nepal

Research paper thumbnail of Variation of Physiochemical Components of Acid Lime (<i>Citrus aurantifolia</i> Swingle) Fruits at Different Sides of the Tree in Nepal

American Journal of Plant Sciences, 2012

Acid Lime (Citrus aurantifolia Swingle) is one of the important commercial fruits cultivated from... more Acid Lime (Citrus aurantifolia Swingle) is one of the important commercial fruits cultivated from terai to high hill of Nepal. It is an important source of vitamin "C" (ascorbic acid) for human nutrition. Amount of juice, TSS (Total soluble solids), TA (Titrable acid) and vitamin C are the determining factors of quality of acid lime fruits which may vary according to bearing sides of the trees. The main objective of this study is, to determine the variation of fruit quality at different sides of the tree. Total of 15 bearing trees were selected randomly (5 trees per site) from three different agro ecological domain representing terai (<600 m asl), mid hills (600 to 1200 m asl) and high hill areas (>1200 m asl) and samples were collected from the selected trees. Randomly ten fruits (from east, west, centre, north and south sides) were collected from each tree and analyzed for amount of vitamin C, TSS, TA and juice. Highest ascorbic acid 79.6 mg and 69.9 mg was observed in south side fruits whereas lowest 62.8 mg and 55.1 mg was observed in centre fruits in the high and mid hills zone respectively, but in terai, highest ascorbic acid 58.7 mg was observed in north side and lowest 41.8 mg was observed in centre. Highest amount of juice 43.9% was observed in south side fruits and lowest 36.6% in centre fruits, but amount of TSS 8.2% and TA 7.2% was observed in south side fruits and lowest 7.3% TSS and 7.0% TA was observed in centre fruits in high hills. In terai highest TSS 8.3% and TA 7.4% was observed in north side fruits and lowest TSS 7.3% and TA 6.7% was observed in centre fruits. Variation of TSS, TA percent and ascorbic acids was observed according to the agro ecological zone.

Research paper thumbnail of Recovery from impaired dark adaptation in nightblind pregnant Nepali women who receive small daily doses of vitamin A as amaranth leaves, carrots, goat liver, vitamin A-fortified rice, or retinyl palmitate

The American journal of clinical nutrition, 2005

It is not known whether daily consumption of vitamin A-containing foods is efficacious for treati... more It is not known whether daily consumption of vitamin A-containing foods is efficacious for treating nightblindness. We assessed the effect of supplementation with vitamin A from food or synthetic sources on dark adaptation and plasma retinol concentrations in nightblind pregnant Nepali women. Nightblind pregnant women were randomly assigned to 1 of 6 treatment groups to receive 6 d/wk for 6 wk either 850 microg retinol equivalents/d as retinyl palmitate, vitamin A-fortified rice, goat liver, amaranth leaves, or carrots or 2000 microg retinol equivalents/d as retinyl palmitate. Dark adaptation was assessed weekly by using the pupillary threshold (PT) test; plasma retinol concentrations were measured before and after the intervention. These outcomes were also assessed in a comparison group of nonnightblind pregnant women. In the nightblind women, the mean PT improved significantly (P<0.0001) from -0.71+/-0.04 to -1.42+/-0.02 log cd/m2, and the final mean PT did not differ significa...

Research paper thumbnail of Supplementation with iron and riboflavin enhances dark adaptation response to vitamin A-fortified rice in iron-deficient, pregnant, nightblind Nepali women

The American journal of clinical nutrition, 2007

Nightblindness affects 16-52% of pregnant women in areas of Nepal and in some cases persists afte... more Nightblindness affects 16-52% of pregnant women in areas of Nepal and in some cases persists after vitamin A treatment. Iron and riboflavin affect vitamin A utilization and photoreceptor function, respectively, and pilot data in the study population showed a high prevalence of iron and riboflavin deficiencies. The objective was to assess the effect of supplemental iron and riboflavin on pupillary threshold (PT) and plasma retinol in nightblind, pregnant Nepali women given vitamin A-fortified rice. Nightblind pregnant women were randomly assigned to receive, 6 d/wk under supervision for 6 wk, a vitamin A-fortified rice curry dish providing 850 microg retinal activity equivalents/d with either a 30-mg Fe and 6-mg riboflavin (FeR + VA) capsule or a placebo control (VA only) capsule. Hemoglobin, erythrocyte riboflavin, and plasma ferritin and retinol were measured before and after the intervention. Dark adaptation was assessed by PT score. Women who were iron deficient at baseline (n=38...

Research paper thumbnail of Risk factors associated with anemia, iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia in rural Nepali pregnant women

The Southeast Asian journal of tropical medicine and public health, 2012

We conducted a cross sectional study to investigate risk factors associated with severe anemia [h... more We conducted a cross sectional study to investigate risk factors associated with severe anemia [hemoglobin (Hb) < 8.0 g dl(-1)] and poor iron status among Nepali pregnant women. Socio-demographic, anthropometric, health and dietary data were collected from 3,531 women living in the southeastern plains of Nepal. Stool samples were analyzed for intestinal helminthes. Dark adaptation was assessed using the Night Vision Threshold Test (NVTT). Hb levels were measured in all subjects to detect anemia and the soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) was measured among a subsample of 479 women. The iron status categories were: 1) normal (Hb> or = 11.0 g/dl and sTfR < or = 8.5 mg/l); 2) anemia without iron deficiency (Hb<11.0 g/dl and sTfR < or = 8.5 mg/l); 3) iron deficiency without anemia (Hb > or = 11.0 g/dl and sTfR>8.5 mg/l); and 4) iron deficiency anemia (IDA): (Hb<11.0 g/dl and sTfR>8.5 mg/l). Factors associated with severe anemia and poor iron status were determ...

Research paper thumbnail of Erythrocyte Riboflavin for the Detection of Riboflavin Deficiency in Pregnant Nepali Women

Clinical Chemistry, 2005

Riboflavin deficiency is common among chronic alcoholics, the elderly, and vegetarians (1-4), but... more Riboflavin deficiency is common among chronic alcoholics, the elderly, and vegetarians (1-4), but intake in the United States is generally adequate (5, 6), unlike the widespread deficiency in regions of the world with limited animal food sources (7, 8). Riboflavin status has been assessed from measurements in urine, plasma, and erythrocytes (9-11). The erythrocyte glutathione reductase activity coefficient (EGRAC) is the commonly used test

Research paper thumbnail of Genetic Diversity Assessment of Acid Lime (<i>Citrus aurantifolia</i> Swingle) Landraces in Nepal, Using SSR Markers

American Journal of Plant Sciences, 2012

Acid lime (Citrus aurantifolia) is an important commercial fruits crop, cultivated in terai to hi... more Acid lime (Citrus aurantifolia) is an important commercial fruits crop, cultivated in terai to high hills of Nepal. High variation of acid lime fruits are observed in existing landraces due to crossing within the other citrus species. Determination of genetic variation is important to the plant breeders for development of high yielding variety and hybrids. Therefore, an attempt has been made to study the genetic diversity of 62 acid lime landraces, collected from different altitudinal range in the eastern part of Nepal, using SSR markers. Twelve Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) primer pairs were used to assess the genetic diversity of acid lime. The average genetic similarity level among the 62 accessions was 0.77, ranging from 0.54 to 1.0 and separated five major cluster groups. Total of 33 alleles were detected by eleven primer pairs and size of alleles ranged from 50 to 225. Average polymorphic information content (PIC) value was 0.50, whereas highest 0.75 and lowest 0.18 was observed in CAT01 and GT03 loci respectively. The results of the study clearly indicated that, SSR markers are highly polymorphic and more informative for the assessment of genetic diversity of acid lime landraces.

Research paper thumbnail of Characterization of the Genetic Diversity of Acid Lime (Citrus aurantifolia (Christm.) Swingle) Cultivars of Eastern Nepal Using Inter-Simple Sequence Repeat Markers

Plants, 2018

Acid lime (Citrus aurantifolia (Christm.) Swingle) is an important fruit crop, which has high com... more Acid lime (Citrus aurantifolia (Christm.) Swingle) is an important fruit crop, which has high commercial value and is cultivated in 60 out of the 77 districts representing all geographical landscapes of Nepal. A lack of improved high-yielding varieties, infestation with various diseases, and pests, as well as poor management practices might have contributed to its extremely reduced productivity, which necessitates a reliable understanding of genetic diversity in existing cultivars. Hereby, we aim to characterize the genetic diversity of acid lime cultivars cultivated at three different agro-ecological gradients of eastern Nepal, employing PCR-based inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers. Altogether, 21 polymorphic ISSR markers were used to assess the genetic diversity in 60 acid lime cultivars sampled from different geographical locations. Analysis of binary data matrix was performed on the basis of bands obtained, and principal coordinate analysis and phenogram construction were performed using different computer algorithms. ISSR profiling yielded 234 amplicons, of which 87.18% were polymorphic. The number of amplified fragments ranged from 7-18, with amplicon size ranging from ca. 250-3200 bp. The Numerical Taxonomy and Multivariate System (NTSYS)-based cluster analysis using the unweighted pair group method of arithmetic averages (UPGMA) algorithm and Dice similarity coefficient separated 60 cultivars into two major and three minor clusters. Genetic diversity analysis using Popgene ver. 1.32 revealed the highest percentage of polymorphic bands (PPB), Nei's genetic diversity (H), and Shannon's information index (I) for the Terai zone (PPB = 69.66%; H = 0.215; I = 0.325), and the lowest of all three for the high hill zone (PPB = 55.13%; H = 0.173; I = 0.262). Thus, our data indicate that the ISSR marker has been successfully employed for evaluating the genetic diversity of Nepalese acid lime cultivars and has furnished valuable information on intrinsic genetic diversity and the relationship between cultivars that might be useful in acid lime breeding and conservation programs in Nepal.

Research paper thumbnail of Household Food Insecurity and Nutritional Status of Children and Women in Nepal

Food and Nutrition Bulletin (forthcoming)

Background. Food insecurity and malnutrition among children are common in Nepal. However, inadequ... more Background. Food insecurity and malnutrition among children are common in Nepal. However, inadequate data exist on the association between household food insecurity and the nutritional status of children. Objective. To assess the relationship between household food insecurity and malnutrition among children aged 6 to 23 months in Kailali District of Nepal. Methods. We analyzed data from families of 368 children 6 to 23 months of age who completed a crosssectional survey in January 2009. The data contained information on sociodemographic characteristics, food insecurity, child feeding practices, use of preventive health services, and height, weight, and hemoglobin levels of children and mothers. Results. More than two-thirds (69%) of households were classified as food insecure (had insufficient access to adequate food). The prevalence rates of stunting, underweight, and wasting among children were 41%, 24%, and 9%, respectively. The prevalence of anemia was 58%. There were no significant associations between household food insecurity and stunting, underweight, or anemia. Stunting and underweight were associated with maternal height and household wealth (p < .05). Underweight was also associated with maternal education (p < .05). Anemia was associated with low maternal hemoglobin concentration (p < .05). Conclusions. Food insecurity was common in households with children 6 to 23 months of age in Kailali District of Nepal. The rates of stunting, underweight, wasting, and anemia were also high. However, there was no significant association between household food insecurity and malnutrition among children. Therefore, not just access to food, but an integrated approach that improves the overall socioeconomic well-being of families, maternal education, and knowledge of optimal nutrition practices, together with adequate maternal nutrition, is needed to address malnutrition among young children.

Research paper thumbnail of Household Food Insecurity and Nutritional Status of Children and Women in Nepal

Food and Nutrition Bulletin (forthcoming)

Background. Food insecurity and malnutrition among children are common in Nepal. However, inadequ... more Background. Food insecurity and malnutrition among children are common in Nepal. However, inadequate data exist on the association between household food insecurity and the nutritional status of children. Objective. To assess the relationship between household food insecurity and malnutrition among children aged 6 to 23 months in Kailali District of Nepal. Methods. We analyzed data from families of 368 children 6 to 23 months of age who completed a crosssectional survey in January 2009. The data contained information on sociodemographic characteristics, food insecurity, child feeding practices, use of preventive health services, and height, weight, and hemoglobin levels of children and mothers. Results. More than two-thirds (69%) of households were classified as food insecure (had insufficient access to adequate food). The prevalence rates of stunting, underweight, and wasting among children were 41%, 24%, and 9%, respectively. The prevalence of anemia was 58%. There were no significant associations between household food insecurity and stunting, underweight, or anemia. Stunting and underweight were associated with maternal height and household wealth (p < .05). Underweight was also associated with maternal education (p < .05). Anemia was associated with low maternal hemoglobin concentration (p < .05). Conclusions. Food insecurity was common in households with children 6 to 23 months of age in Kailali District of Nepal. The rates of stunting, underweight, wasting, and anemia were also high. However, there was no significant association between household food insecurity and malnutrition among children. Therefore, not just access to food, but an integrated approach that improves the overall socioeconomic well-being of families, maternal education, and knowledge of optimal nutrition practices, together with adequate maternal nutrition, is needed to address malnutrition among young children.