Biofortified yellow-fleshed cassava is important in countries with high cassava consumption, to improve the vitamin A status of their populations. Yellow- and white-fleshed cassava were evaluated over three locations for proximate composition and cyanide content as well as retention of carotenoids after boiling. There was significant variation in the crude fiber, fat, protein and ash content of the genotypes. All but one of the yellow-fleshed cassava genotypes recorded higher protein values than the white-fleshed local genotypes across locations. The cyanide content of the genotypes varied between locations but was within the range of sweet cassava genotypes, but above the maximum acceptable recommended limit. Micronutrient retention is important in biofortified crops because a loss of micronutrients during processing and cooking reduces the nutritional value of biofortified foods. Total carotenoid content (TCC) ranged from 1.18–18.81 μg.g⁻¹ and 1.01–13.36 μg.g⁻¹ (fresh weight basis) for fresh and boiled cassava, respectively. All the yellow-fleshed cassava genotypes recorded higher TCC values in both the fresh and boiled state than the white-fleshed genotypes used as checks.

Many children in Ghana do not meet the dietary and physical activity recommendations for their health due to several reasons including limited nutrition education intervention (NEI) programmes. NEI provides children with information on knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAPs) required to ensure proper dietary intake and physical activity. In this intervention study, we recruited eighty (80) overweight and obese students aged 11-15 years from two schools in the Ga-East municipality of Ghana. Anthropometric, biochemical, dietary and physical activity information were collected on the two groups before and after three months of NEI. Between group comparisons (test and control); before and after interventions were performed using student t-tests. It was shown that NEI improved nutrition knowledge (mean change = 5.13, p<0.01), attitude (mean change = 2.75, p<0.01) but not practice (mean change = -1.42, p<0.05) in overweight and obese children. Although anthropometric indicators did not improve with NEI, serum lipid profile of participants improved as indicated by the following mean changes: TC [-1.22, 95%CI (-1.90 -0.55)] mg/dL, HDL-c [-0.19, 95% CI (-0.38, 0.00)] mg/dL, LDL-c [-0.90, 95%CI (-1.52, -0.28)] mg/dL and TG [(-0.66, 95%CI (-1.23, -0.09)] mg/dL. Our findings show that NEI undertaken within a relatively short period of time could have positive effects on lipid profile, knowledge and attitudes of school children, and in turn, promote the fight against childhood obesity, and improve the health and wellbeing of children.

Lysine is one of the essential amino acids and in cereal based diets it is known to be the most limiting and therefore determines the quality of dietary protein in such diets. This study investigated the effect of lysine supplementation on blood pressure of hypertensive adults in selected peri-urban community in Accra, Ghana. The study was a randomized double-blind controlled study made up of adults men and women assigned to a lysine supplemented group and a placebo-supplemented (control) group. The subjects aged between 18 – 45 years and totaling 180. Total of 50 (28%) of the participating were hypertensive defined as Systolic Blood Pressure (SBP) ≥140 mmHg. The mean SBP of lysine-supplemented group significantly dropped from 146.11 ± 11.92 to 128.95 ± 10.44 mmHg (p = 0.02). That of women also dropped from 144.12 ± 10.41 to 132.28 ± 10.69 mmHg, (p = 0.06 while the control group had there SBP remained fairly constant after 112 days of intervention with changes in men from 145.79 ± 12.56 to 142.79 ± 11.07 mmHg (p = 0.32) and women in the control had very little drop from 145.15 ± 14.79 to 145.00 ± 17.93 mmHg (p = 0.96). Lysine supplementation resulted in normalization/reduction of blood pressure of hypertensive subjects who have suboptimal lysine intake.

INTRODUCTION: this study assessed the microbial quality of clay samples sold on two of the major Ghanaian markets. METHODS: the study was a cross-sectional assessing the evaluation of processed clay and effects it has on the nutrition of the consumers in the political capital town of Ghana. The items for the examination was processed clay soil samples. RESULTS: staphylococcus spp and fecal coliforms including Klebsiella, Escherichia, and Shigella and Enterobacterspp were isolated from the clay samples. Samples from the Kaneshie market in Accra recorded the highest total viable counts 6.5 Log cfu/g and Staphylococcal count 5.8 Log cfu/g. For fecal coliforms, Madina market samples had the highest count 6.5 Log cfu/g and also recorded the highest levels of yeast and mould. For Koforidua, total viable count was highest in the samples from the Zongo market 6.3 Log cfu/g. Central market samples had the highest count of fecal coliforms 4.6 Log cfu/g and yeasts and moulds 6.5 Log cfu/g.

Neural tube defects and orofacial clefts are serious congenital anomalies that can substantially affect a child’s survival and long-term well-being. Folate deficiency is a well-established cause of neural tube defects and may also contribute to the risk of orofacial clefts. This narrative review summarizes Ghana-relevant evidence on folate deficiency and related birth defects, with attention to prevalence patterns, plausible determinants, and policy and program responses. Evidence was drawn from peer-reviewed literature and key national and partner reports identified through targeted searches of major biomedical databases and Google Scholar, supplemented by publicly available materials from institutions such as the Ghana Health Service, Ministry of Health, and UNICEF Ghana. National data on folate status are limited. In the only national survey reporting folate biomarkers, 53.8% (47.6–60.0) of non-pregnant women were folate deficient, defined as plasma folate <10 nmol/L. National epidemiological data on neural tube defects and orofacial clefts remain limited and are largely derived from facility-based studies, constraining inference on population-level trends. Current responses include iron–folic acid supplementation for adolescent girls and pregnant women and wheat flour fortification policies, though implementation and compliance challenges persist. Overall, folate deficiency remains an important public health concern in Ghana, supporting the need to strengthen program coverage and quality, improve monitoring, and advance surveillance for folate status and major folate-related birth defects.

Background: Limited access to fruits and vegetables remains a significant barrier among underserved populations, particularly within Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Evidence from previous studies suggests that prescription programs, which provide incentives for fresh produce consumption, are effective in enhancing dietary quality and alleviating food insecurity. Objective: This pilot investigation assessed the impact of a tailored produce prescription intervention on changes in fruit and vegetable consumption among students at a Historically Black College and University (HBCU). Methods: Fifty-five students were assigned to an intervention (n = 28) or control group (n = 27); both received nutrition education and cooking demonstrations, while the intervention group additionally received biweekly personalized produce bags. Fruit and vegetable intake was assessed using a 10-item dietary screener, supported by 24-hour recalls and food frequency questionnaires. Changes in intake were evaluated using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. Results: Compared with the control group, the intervention group reported higher intake frequencies of cooked beans (χ ² = 17.63, p = 0.014), while the intake of non-deep-fried vegetables approached statistical significance (χ ² = 16.82, p = 0.052). Notably, only the intervention group experienced increases from baseline to endline in the intake of 100% fruit juice (Z = −2.199, p = 0.028), fruits (Z = −2.199, p = 0.028), green leafy vegetables (Z = −2.195, p = 0.028), cooked beans (Z = −2.776, p = 0.005), other non-deep-fried vegetables (Z = −2.292, p = 0.022), and tomato sauce (Z = −2.026, p = 0.043). Conclusion: The results of a modified produce prescription program revealed favorable within-group changes in the frequency of consumption of several fruit- and vegetable-related foods. While most between-group differences at endline were not statistically significant, observed patterns suggest potential promise and support the need for larger, adequately powered studies to evaluate the impact more rigorously.