Souheila Abbeddou - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Souheila Abbeddou

PLOS global public health, Mar 21, 2024

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

BACKGROUND Psoriasis is a complex disease associated with multiple comorbidities, including metab... more BACKGROUND Psoriasis is a complex disease associated with multiple comorbidities, including metabolic syndrome and leaky gut syndrome. Dietary lifestyle interventions have been reported to affect the disease in terms of lesional severity. It remains unclear how diets affect these comorbidities and the general health in psoriasis patients. Modified Intermittent Fasting (MIF) on 2 non-consecutive days has shown beneficial effects on metabolic parameters. A significant advantage of MIF over the currently investigated dietary changes is its feasibility. OBJECTIVE Here, we aim to study the effects of MIF on skin, gut and metabolic health in psoriasis patients. METHODS A two-arm pilot prospective cross-over randomized control trial (RCT) will be performed in 20 patients with psoriasis as a pilot study. Patients will be randomized 1:1 to either start with MIF and subsequent regular diet for 12 weeks each or to start with regular diet and subsequent MIF for 12 weeks each. The following parameters will be assessed: demographics, disease phenotype, medical and familial history, psoriasis severity, dermatology-specific and general quality of life, nutritional and physical habits, mental and intestinal health, intestinal and cutaneous integrity, inflammatory and metabolic markers, and satisfaction. RESULTS The aim is to uncover the effects of MIF on psoriasis severity and gut health integrity through clinical and molecular investigation. More precisely, we want to map the evolution of the different markers in response to MIF as compared to the regular diet, such as psoriasis severity, permeability and inflammation. CONCLUSIONS Understanding how dietary lifestyles can affect epithelial lineages such as the skin and gut, will greatly improve our understanding on the development of psoriasis and may pose a non-pharmacological venue for treatments. CLINICALTRIAL ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04418791. Registered June 5 2020, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04418791. Current protocol date/version: May 20 2020

medRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Feb 18, 2021

Title: Small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements for children age 6-24 months: a systematic... more Title: Small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements for children age 6-24 months: a systematic review and individual participant data meta-analysis of effects on developmental outcomes and effect modifiers

Journal of Investigative Dermatology, Oct 1, 2021

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Nov 1, 2021

Background: Small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements (SQ-LNSs) have been shown to reduce t... more Background: Small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements (SQ-LNSs) have been shown to reduce the prevalence of child anemia and iron deficiency, but effects on other micronutrients are less well known. Identifying subgroups who benefit most from SQ-LNSs could support improved program design. Objectives: We aimed to identify study-level and individuallevel modifiers of the effect of SQ-LNSs on child hemoglobin (Hb), anemia, and inflammation-adjusted micronutrient status outcomes. Methods: We conducted a 2-stage meta-analysis of individual participant data from 13 randomized controlled trials of SQ-LNSs provided to children 6-24 mo of age (n = 15,946). We generated study-specific and subgroup estimates of SQ-LNSs compared with control, and pooled the estimates using fixed-effects models. We used random-effects meta-regression to examine potential studylevel effect modifiers. Results: SQ-LNS provision decreased the prevalence of anemia (Hb < 110 g/L) by 16% (relative reduction), iron deficiency (plasma ferritin < 12 μg/L) by 56%, and iron deficiency anemia (IDA; Hb < 110 g/L and plasma ferritin <12 μg/L) by 64%. We observed positive effects of SQ-LNSs on hematological and iron status outcomes within all subgroups of the study-and individuallevel effect modifiers, but effects were larger in certain subgroups. For example, effects of SQ-LNSs on anemia and iron status were greater in trials that provided SQ-LNSs for >12 mo and provided 9 (as opposed to <9) mg Fe/d, and among later-born (than among first-born) children. There was no effect of SQ-LNSs on plasma zinc or retinol, but there was a 7% increase in plasma retinolbinding protein (RBP) and a 56% reduction in vitamin A deficiency (RBP < 0.70 μmol/L), with little evidence of effect modification by individual-level characteristics. Conclusions: SQ-LNSs can substantially reduce the prevalence of anemia, iron deficiency, and IDA among children across a 68S

European journal of nutrition, Jul 13, 2022

Purpose Public health interventions to address stunting and wasting should be evaluated for possi... more Purpose Public health interventions to address stunting and wasting should be evaluated for possibly contributing to obesity risk. The present study tested the hypothesis that small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements (SQ-LNS) might increase fat deposition, and that additional zinc provided via SQ-LNS or in the form of dispersible tablets would increase fat-free mass (FFM) accretion. Methods Using a two-stage, cluster-randomized trial design, 34 communities were randomly assigned to the intervention cohort (IC) or non-intervention cohort (NIC), and family compounds within the IC were randomly assigned to receive different amounts of zinc (0, 5 or 10 mg zinc) incorporated in SQ-LNS or 5 mg zinc in the form of dispersible tablets along with treatment for diarrhea, malaria and fever. Body composition was assessed in a subset of IC (n = 201) and NIC (n = 74) children at 9 and 18 months using the deuterium dilution method. A mixed linear model was used to examine average change in FFM and % fat mass (%FM) among intervention groups and by cohort. Results Children in the IC had significantly greater change in FFM (Mean (95% Confidence Interval)) (1.57 (1.49, 1.64) kg) compared to the NIC (1.35 (1.23, 1.46) kg; p = 0.005). There were no significant differences in the change in %FM between the NIC and IC or among the intervention groups. Conclusion SQ-LNS, along with morbidity treatment increased weight gain and FFM in young children from 9 to 18 months of age without increasing FM deposition. Additional zinc supplementation did not affect changes in FFM or %FM. Trial registration The study was registered as a clinical trial with the US National Institute of Health (www. Clini calTr ials. gov; NCT00944281).

European journal of nutrition & food safety, Jan 10, 2015

The search for alternative feed resources for livestock not competing with human nutrition is get... more The search for alternative feed resources for livestock not competing with human nutrition is getting increasingly important during the current food crisis. In semi-urban areas of dry regions of the Middle-East, there are quite a number of under-utilized feeds which include both agroindustrial by-products and forages. However, these alternatives probably differ largely in nutritional value. So far only few studies investigated and compared such under-utilized feeds. Two comparative experiments using 2x5 diets, characterized by one feed each, were conducted in the present study. Per diet, six castrated male Awassi (fat-tailed) sheep were employed. Diets in Expt. 1 had a barley straw:concentrate ratio of 0.5:0.5 with 2/3 of the concentrates being either barley/wheat bran (control), tomato pomace, olive cake, sugar beet pulp or broken lentils. In Expt. 2, diets with a forage:concentrate ratio of 0.73:0.27 contained either barley straw (control), olive leaves, lentil straw, Atriplex halimus foliage or vetch hay as the only forages. Feed amount offered was 1.1 kg dry matter/day. In Expt. 1, palatability of olive cake was low, and comparative calculations from dietary organic matter (OM) digestibility (0.48 of intake) suggest that metabolizable energy is only 1.9 MJ/kg dry matter. Diets based on sugar beet pulp (0.68) and broken lentil (0.69) were similar to control (0.66), while the tomato pomace diet ranged slightly lower in digestibility (0.59). The Atriplex-based diet had a relatively high digestibility of fiber (NDF, 0.58) and OM (0.71), but content of digestible OM was limited by its high salt content. Additionally, Atriplex leaves at that level were either not completely consumed or caused diarrhea and 2.5-fold water intakes. The other forages were quite similar in digestibility, except the well-digestible vetch hay, and no significant effects on body N-balance were noted. The study showed some promising alternatives to traditional feeds, while others (e.g. olive cake) might be used at low levels only. Atriplex is a special case, where also the extra water expenditure might restrict its use.

medRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Apr 12, 2023

doi: medRxiv preprint NOTE: This preprint reports new research that has not been certified by pee... more doi: medRxiv preprint NOTE: This preprint reports new research that has not been certified by peer review and should not be used to guide clinical practice.

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

Background Meta-analyses show that small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements (SQ-LNSs) redu... more Background Meta-analyses show that small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements (SQ-LNSs) reduce child wasting and stunting. There is little information regarding effects on severe wasting or stunting. Objectives We aimed to identify the effect of SQ-LNSs on prevalence of severe wasting (weight-for-length z score…

Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases

Background and aims: This study aims to examine the associations of food portion size (PS) with m... more Background and aims: This study aims to examine the associations of food portion size (PS) with markers of insulin resistance (IR) and clustered of metabolic risk score in European adolescents. Methods: A total of 495 adolescents (53.5% females) from the Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence (HELENA) study were included. The association between PS from food groups and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index, VO2 max, and metabolic risk score was assessed by multilinear regression analysis adjusting for several confounders. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to determine the mean differences of food

PLOS Global Public Health

Evidence about innovative methods to facilitate nutrition education counseling and promote the in... more Evidence about innovative methods to facilitate nutrition education counseling and promote the intended behavior change at scale is limited. We assessed the acceptability and feasibility of a video-based health education intervention aiming to promote community care for pregnant women, mothers, and infants in the Dirashe District, Ethiopia. Using a phenomenological study design, the experiences of study participants in a trial testing the effectiveness of video-based health education on birth outcomes and nutritional status of mothers and their infants six months postpartum were assessed. Focus group discussions (FGDs) and key informant interviews (KIIs) were used to collect the data. The study was conducted in the Dirashe District, South Ethiopia. Five FGDs and 41 KII were conducted among video implementers, mothers, nurses, and health extension workers (HEWs) in eight intervention villages. All data were collected with a tape recorder. The tape-recorded data were transcribed and t...

PLOS ONE

Background Iron deficiency is negatively associated with children’s cognitive development. Eviden... more Background Iron deficiency is negatively associated with children’s cognitive development. Evidence showed that iron supplementation improves cognitive development. Nearly 50% of anemia is caused by iron deficiency. Anemia affects more school-age children, at an age where their brain development continues. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to review the evidence from published randomized controlled trials to evaluate the effects of iron supplementation on cognitive development and function among school-age children. Method Five databases including MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science and CENTRAL were used to search for articles on April 20th, 2021. The search was reconducted on October 13th, 2022 to retrieve new records. Studies were eligible if they included school children 6–12 years of age, were randomized controlled trials, and if they tested iron supplementation and measured cognitive development. Result Thirteen articles were included in the systematic ...

HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), 2006

Background Sexual risk-taking behavior (SRTB) is a well-documented pathway to HIV acquisition in ... more Background Sexual risk-taking behavior (SRTB) is a well-documented pathway to HIV acquisition in emerging adults (EmA) and remains common amongst African EmA. We aimed to describe the relationship between disordered eating behavior (DEB) and SRTB amongst EmA attending a tertiary educational institution at the Kenyan Coast. Methods We applied a cross-sectional design nested in a young adults’ cohort study. Eligibility included sexually active EmA aged 18-24 years. Three DEBs (emotional, restrained and external eating) were assessed using the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire and analyzed using exploratory factor analysis. Seven SRTB indicators were assessed: i) non-condom use ii) casual sex iii) multiple sex partners iv) transactional sex v) group sex vi) age-disparate relationship and vii) anal sex, and grouped into low vs. high SRTB using latent class analysis. Logistic regression was used to assess the association between DEB and SRTB. Results Of 273 eligible participants (femal...

Small ruminants constitute an integral part of the farming system in many dry areas of the Medite... more Small ruminants constitute an integral part of the farming system in many dry areas of the Mediterranean basin. Alternative feeds may provide a solution to overcome the frequent shortage of feeds but their successful integration depends on their ability for improving milk production without negatively affecting the quality of milk and dairy products. In the present study, five alternative feeds were compared to a control diet in an experiment conducted at ICARDA, Syria. Per diet, ten Awassi ewes (51.0±6.5 kg) were allocated in a randomised block design considering days-in-milk, milk yield and composition. Diets were isonitrogenous and isoenergetic, and had forage:concentrate ratios of 0.3:0.7. The test feeds constituted 30 % of the diets replacing control diet ingredients (barley straw by lentil straw, olive leaves or Atriplex leaves; and wheat bran/cottonseed meal by olive cake or tomato pomace). Animals were group-fed with 2.5 kg dry matter/day and water ad libitum. The experiment...

PLOS global public health, Mar 21, 2024

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

BACKGROUND Psoriasis is a complex disease associated with multiple comorbidities, including metab... more BACKGROUND Psoriasis is a complex disease associated with multiple comorbidities, including metabolic syndrome and leaky gut syndrome. Dietary lifestyle interventions have been reported to affect the disease in terms of lesional severity. It remains unclear how diets affect these comorbidities and the general health in psoriasis patients. Modified Intermittent Fasting (MIF) on 2 non-consecutive days has shown beneficial effects on metabolic parameters. A significant advantage of MIF over the currently investigated dietary changes is its feasibility. OBJECTIVE Here, we aim to study the effects of MIF on skin, gut and metabolic health in psoriasis patients. METHODS A two-arm pilot prospective cross-over randomized control trial (RCT) will be performed in 20 patients with psoriasis as a pilot study. Patients will be randomized 1:1 to either start with MIF and subsequent regular diet for 12 weeks each or to start with regular diet and subsequent MIF for 12 weeks each. The following parameters will be assessed: demographics, disease phenotype, medical and familial history, psoriasis severity, dermatology-specific and general quality of life, nutritional and physical habits, mental and intestinal health, intestinal and cutaneous integrity, inflammatory and metabolic markers, and satisfaction. RESULTS The aim is to uncover the effects of MIF on psoriasis severity and gut health integrity through clinical and molecular investigation. More precisely, we want to map the evolution of the different markers in response to MIF as compared to the regular diet, such as psoriasis severity, permeability and inflammation. CONCLUSIONS Understanding how dietary lifestyles can affect epithelial lineages such as the skin and gut, will greatly improve our understanding on the development of psoriasis and may pose a non-pharmacological venue for treatments. CLINICALTRIAL ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04418791. Registered June 5 2020, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04418791. Current protocol date/version: May 20 2020

medRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Feb 18, 2021

Title: Small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements for children age 6-24 months: a systematic... more Title: Small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements for children age 6-24 months: a systematic review and individual participant data meta-analysis of effects on developmental outcomes and effect modifiers

Journal of Investigative Dermatology, Oct 1, 2021

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Nov 1, 2021

Background: Small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements (SQ-LNSs) have been shown to reduce t... more Background: Small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements (SQ-LNSs) have been shown to reduce the prevalence of child anemia and iron deficiency, but effects on other micronutrients are less well known. Identifying subgroups who benefit most from SQ-LNSs could support improved program design. Objectives: We aimed to identify study-level and individuallevel modifiers of the effect of SQ-LNSs on child hemoglobin (Hb), anemia, and inflammation-adjusted micronutrient status outcomes. Methods: We conducted a 2-stage meta-analysis of individual participant data from 13 randomized controlled trials of SQ-LNSs provided to children 6-24 mo of age (n = 15,946). We generated study-specific and subgroup estimates of SQ-LNSs compared with control, and pooled the estimates using fixed-effects models. We used random-effects meta-regression to examine potential studylevel effect modifiers. Results: SQ-LNS provision decreased the prevalence of anemia (Hb < 110 g/L) by 16% (relative reduction), iron deficiency (plasma ferritin < 12 μg/L) by 56%, and iron deficiency anemia (IDA; Hb < 110 g/L and plasma ferritin <12 μg/L) by 64%. We observed positive effects of SQ-LNSs on hematological and iron status outcomes within all subgroups of the study-and individuallevel effect modifiers, but effects were larger in certain subgroups. For example, effects of SQ-LNSs on anemia and iron status were greater in trials that provided SQ-LNSs for >12 mo and provided 9 (as opposed to <9) mg Fe/d, and among later-born (than among first-born) children. There was no effect of SQ-LNSs on plasma zinc or retinol, but there was a 7% increase in plasma retinolbinding protein (RBP) and a 56% reduction in vitamin A deficiency (RBP < 0.70 μmol/L), with little evidence of effect modification by individual-level characteristics. Conclusions: SQ-LNSs can substantially reduce the prevalence of anemia, iron deficiency, and IDA among children across a 68S

European journal of nutrition, Jul 13, 2022

Purpose Public health interventions to address stunting and wasting should be evaluated for possi... more Purpose Public health interventions to address stunting and wasting should be evaluated for possibly contributing to obesity risk. The present study tested the hypothesis that small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements (SQ-LNS) might increase fat deposition, and that additional zinc provided via SQ-LNS or in the form of dispersible tablets would increase fat-free mass (FFM) accretion. Methods Using a two-stage, cluster-randomized trial design, 34 communities were randomly assigned to the intervention cohort (IC) or non-intervention cohort (NIC), and family compounds within the IC were randomly assigned to receive different amounts of zinc (0, 5 or 10 mg zinc) incorporated in SQ-LNS or 5 mg zinc in the form of dispersible tablets along with treatment for diarrhea, malaria and fever. Body composition was assessed in a subset of IC (n = 201) and NIC (n = 74) children at 9 and 18 months using the deuterium dilution method. A mixed linear model was used to examine average change in FFM and % fat mass (%FM) among intervention groups and by cohort. Results Children in the IC had significantly greater change in FFM (Mean (95% Confidence Interval)) (1.57 (1.49, 1.64) kg) compared to the NIC (1.35 (1.23, 1.46) kg; p = 0.005). There were no significant differences in the change in %FM between the NIC and IC or among the intervention groups. Conclusion SQ-LNS, along with morbidity treatment increased weight gain and FFM in young children from 9 to 18 months of age without increasing FM deposition. Additional zinc supplementation did not affect changes in FFM or %FM. Trial registration The study was registered as a clinical trial with the US National Institute of Health (www. Clini calTr ials. gov; NCT00944281).

European journal of nutrition & food safety, Jan 10, 2015

The search for alternative feed resources for livestock not competing with human nutrition is get... more The search for alternative feed resources for livestock not competing with human nutrition is getting increasingly important during the current food crisis. In semi-urban areas of dry regions of the Middle-East, there are quite a number of under-utilized feeds which include both agroindustrial by-products and forages. However, these alternatives probably differ largely in nutritional value. So far only few studies investigated and compared such under-utilized feeds. Two comparative experiments using 2x5 diets, characterized by one feed each, were conducted in the present study. Per diet, six castrated male Awassi (fat-tailed) sheep were employed. Diets in Expt. 1 had a barley straw:concentrate ratio of 0.5:0.5 with 2/3 of the concentrates being either barley/wheat bran (control), tomato pomace, olive cake, sugar beet pulp or broken lentils. In Expt. 2, diets with a forage:concentrate ratio of 0.73:0.27 contained either barley straw (control), olive leaves, lentil straw, Atriplex halimus foliage or vetch hay as the only forages. Feed amount offered was 1.1 kg dry matter/day. In Expt. 1, palatability of olive cake was low, and comparative calculations from dietary organic matter (OM) digestibility (0.48 of intake) suggest that metabolizable energy is only 1.9 MJ/kg dry matter. Diets based on sugar beet pulp (0.68) and broken lentil (0.69) were similar to control (0.66), while the tomato pomace diet ranged slightly lower in digestibility (0.59). The Atriplex-based diet had a relatively high digestibility of fiber (NDF, 0.58) and OM (0.71), but content of digestible OM was limited by its high salt content. Additionally, Atriplex leaves at that level were either not completely consumed or caused diarrhea and 2.5-fold water intakes. The other forages were quite similar in digestibility, except the well-digestible vetch hay, and no significant effects on body N-balance were noted. The study showed some promising alternatives to traditional feeds, while others (e.g. olive cake) might be used at low levels only. Atriplex is a special case, where also the extra water expenditure might restrict its use.

medRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Apr 12, 2023

doi: medRxiv preprint NOTE: This preprint reports new research that has not been certified by pee... more doi: medRxiv preprint NOTE: This preprint reports new research that has not been certified by peer review and should not be used to guide clinical practice.

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

Background Meta-analyses show that small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements (SQ-LNSs) redu... more Background Meta-analyses show that small-quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements (SQ-LNSs) reduce child wasting and stunting. There is little information regarding effects on severe wasting or stunting. Objectives We aimed to identify the effect of SQ-LNSs on prevalence of severe wasting (weight-for-length z score…

Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases

Background and aims: This study aims to examine the associations of food portion size (PS) with m... more Background and aims: This study aims to examine the associations of food portion size (PS) with markers of insulin resistance (IR) and clustered of metabolic risk score in European adolescents. Methods: A total of 495 adolescents (53.5% females) from the Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence (HELENA) study were included. The association between PS from food groups and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index, VO2 max, and metabolic risk score was assessed by multilinear regression analysis adjusting for several confounders. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to determine the mean differences of food

PLOS Global Public Health

Evidence about innovative methods to facilitate nutrition education counseling and promote the in... more Evidence about innovative methods to facilitate nutrition education counseling and promote the intended behavior change at scale is limited. We assessed the acceptability and feasibility of a video-based health education intervention aiming to promote community care for pregnant women, mothers, and infants in the Dirashe District, Ethiopia. Using a phenomenological study design, the experiences of study participants in a trial testing the effectiveness of video-based health education on birth outcomes and nutritional status of mothers and their infants six months postpartum were assessed. Focus group discussions (FGDs) and key informant interviews (KIIs) were used to collect the data. The study was conducted in the Dirashe District, South Ethiopia. Five FGDs and 41 KII were conducted among video implementers, mothers, nurses, and health extension workers (HEWs) in eight intervention villages. All data were collected with a tape recorder. The tape-recorded data were transcribed and t...

PLOS ONE

Background Iron deficiency is negatively associated with children’s cognitive development. Eviden... more Background Iron deficiency is negatively associated with children’s cognitive development. Evidence showed that iron supplementation improves cognitive development. Nearly 50% of anemia is caused by iron deficiency. Anemia affects more school-age children, at an age where their brain development continues. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to review the evidence from published randomized controlled trials to evaluate the effects of iron supplementation on cognitive development and function among school-age children. Method Five databases including MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science and CENTRAL were used to search for articles on April 20th, 2021. The search was reconducted on October 13th, 2022 to retrieve new records. Studies were eligible if they included school children 6–12 years of age, were randomized controlled trials, and if they tested iron supplementation and measured cognitive development. Result Thirteen articles were included in the systematic ...

HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), 2006

Background Sexual risk-taking behavior (SRTB) is a well-documented pathway to HIV acquisition in ... more Background Sexual risk-taking behavior (SRTB) is a well-documented pathway to HIV acquisition in emerging adults (EmA) and remains common amongst African EmA. We aimed to describe the relationship between disordered eating behavior (DEB) and SRTB amongst EmA attending a tertiary educational institution at the Kenyan Coast. Methods We applied a cross-sectional design nested in a young adults’ cohort study. Eligibility included sexually active EmA aged 18-24 years. Three DEBs (emotional, restrained and external eating) were assessed using the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire and analyzed using exploratory factor analysis. Seven SRTB indicators were assessed: i) non-condom use ii) casual sex iii) multiple sex partners iv) transactional sex v) group sex vi) age-disparate relationship and vii) anal sex, and grouped into low vs. high SRTB using latent class analysis. Logistic regression was used to assess the association between DEB and SRTB. Results Of 273 eligible participants (femal...

Small ruminants constitute an integral part of the farming system in many dry areas of the Medite... more Small ruminants constitute an integral part of the farming system in many dry areas of the Mediterranean basin. Alternative feeds may provide a solution to overcome the frequent shortage of feeds but their successful integration depends on their ability for improving milk production without negatively affecting the quality of milk and dairy products. In the present study, five alternative feeds were compared to a control diet in an experiment conducted at ICARDA, Syria. Per diet, ten Awassi ewes (51.0±6.5 kg) were allocated in a randomised block design considering days-in-milk, milk yield and composition. Diets were isonitrogenous and isoenergetic, and had forage:concentrate ratios of 0.3:0.7. The test feeds constituted 30 % of the diets replacing control diet ingredients (barley straw by lentil straw, olive leaves or Atriplex leaves; and wheat bran/cottonseed meal by olive cake or tomato pomace). Animals were group-fed with 2.5 kg dry matter/day and water ad libitum. The experiment...