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Previous studies have shown that improving vitamin D status among the elderly may lead to an improvement in muscle mass and muscle strength. In our study, vitamin D supplementation showed significant improvements in vitamin D concentrations as well as appendicular muscle mass in pre-sarcopenic older Lebanese people. However, we found no significant effect on muscle strength. Improving vitamin D status might improve muscle function and muscle mass that lead to sarcopenia in older subjects. The aim of this randomized, controlled, double-blind study was to examine the effect of vitamin D supplementation on handgrip strength and appendicular skeletal muscle mass in pre-sarcopenic older Lebanese subjects. We also examined whether this effect differs in normal vs. obese subjects. Participants (n = 128; 62 men and 66 women) deficient in vitamin D (25(OH)D = 12.92 ± 4.3 ng/ml) were recruited from Saint Charles Hospital, Beirut, Lebanon. The participants were given a supplement of 10,000 IU of cholecalciferol (vitamin D group; n = 64) to be taken three times a week or a placebo tablet (placebo group; n = 64) for 6 months. One hundred fifteen subjects completed the study: 59 had normal weight, while 56 were obese. Strength and functional assessment and biochemical analysis were performed at the start and after 6 months. Compared to placebo, the vitamin D supplemented group showed significant improvements in appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASMM) (P

We propose an empirical method for improving food assistance scoring and targeting, which minimizes under-coverage and leakage of food and cash assistance programs. The empirical strategy relies on a joint econometric estimation of food insecurity and economic vulnerability indicators at the household level, using data-driven instead of predetermined quantiles. We applied the method to recent micro data on Syrian refugees in Lebanon, to explore how regional and community-based aggregates can improve the targeting effectiveness of aid programs, notably food aid by the World Food Program in Lebanon. Our results confirm that using regional aggregates are useful for augmenting the Balanced Poverty Accuracy Criterion, and our method performs much better than the current policy in terms of targeting effectiveness and accuracy for economically vulnerable households.

PURPOSE: The aim of this paper is to review the evidence of the association between energy balance and obesity. METHODS: In December 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), Lyon, France convened a Working Group of international experts to review the evidence regarding energy balance and obesity, with a focus on Low and Middle Income Countries (LMIC). RESULTS: The global epidemic of obesity and the double burden, in LMICs, of malnutrition (coexistence of undernutrition and overnutrition) are both related to poor quality diet and unbalanced energy intake. Dietary patterns consistent with a traditional Mediterranean diet and other measures of diet quality can contribute to long-term weight control. Limiting consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages has a particularly important role in weight control. Genetic factors alone cannot explain the global epidemic of obesity. However, genetic, epigenetic factors and the microbiota could influence individual responses to diet and physical activity. CONCLUSION: Energy intake that exceeds energy expenditure is the main driver of weight gain. The quality of the diet may exert its effect on energy balance through complex hormonal and neurological pathways that influence satiety and possibly through other mechanisms. The food environment, marketing of unhealthy foods and urbanization, and reduction in sedentary behaviors and physical activity play important roles. Most of the evidence comes from High Income Countries and more research is needed in LMICs.

The experiment was conducted to assess the effects of an intermittent watering regime on physiological indicators of lactating Shami goats. Twelve does in late lactation were equally distributed to two treatments: control and watered once every four days. Several serum and milk variables were assessed at the beginning of the experiment and on four subsequent days. The does' body weight was assessed at the beginning and at the end of the experiment while milk production was recorded daily. The intermittently watered animals showed increased serum osmolarity, urea, protein and albumin concentrations, denoting dehydration. Milk production and body weight were not affected by the treatment. In addition, milk composition was similar between the control and the intermittently watered animals. It was concluded that the Shami goats could tolerate the intermittent watering regime during late lactation with minimal physiological disturbances. However, the long-term consequences of the treatment on production and health warrant further research.

This project aims to assess the effect of a short episode of water restriction on high producing lactating goats. Water was withheld from eight Saanen and eight Alpine goats after the afternoon milking and until the following morning, on two consecutive days. Water and feed intake, body weight and major blood parameters were assessed daily for one day before, during water restriction, and two days after. Milk production and composition was also measured on a daily basis. The results showed that the animals experienced some dehydration due to the treatment, although they were able to maintain a total water intake similar to the control values recorded on day 1. A drop in feed intake was observed on the days of water restriction although body weight was not affected. Several blood indicators also pointed to the state of dehydration the animals were experiencing namely the increase in albumin, urea, osmolality and Na+. The goats were able to maintain milk production although milk composition was altered; milk urea and lactose increased under water restriction thus keeping milk isotonic with the blood. The observed changes reflect the activated mechanisms that limit body water loss and prevent further dehydration. It was concluded that high producing goats were able to sustain two short consecutive cycles of dehydration and rehydration, as indicated by their maintained body weight and milk production, with only transient physiological and milk changes.

Responses to a heat stress episode in lactating Saanen and Alpine goats. 64. Annual Meeting of the European Federation of Animal Science (EAAP)

The effect of a heat stress episode was studied in eight dairy goats bred under temperate climate with ad libitum access to water. The increase in temperature from 19 to 28°C (recorded at 5 pm) modified neither feed intake nor the global shapes of feed and water intake patterns. However, there was a 40% increase in water intake and the latency from the beginning of the afternoon meal to the first water intake decreased from 35 to 26 min. Blood PCO2 decreased because the animals hyperventilated to reduce their body temperature, whereas rectal temperature increased by around 0.6°C. Milk production was not modified, but milk fat content decreased. A significant goat effect was observed for almost all the results. Goats from the Alpine breed drunk more water when expressed on a dry matter intake basis than those from the Saanen breed. This could be explained either by their higher level of feed intake which enhanced the post-prandial heat production or by the difference in latent heat dissipated through sweating linked to coat colour., L'effet d'un stress de chaleur a été étudié chez huit chèvres laitières élevées en climat tempéré et disposant d'eau à volonté. L'augmentation de la température de 19 à 28°C (mesurée à 17 h) n'a modifié ni la quantité de ration ingérée, ni l'allure globale de la cinétique d'ingestion des aliments et d'eau. Par contre, la quantité d'eau bue a été accrue de 40 % et le temps de latence entre le début du repas et la première buvée, réduit de 35 à 26 min. La teneur en CO2 du sang a diminué, car les animaux ont hyperventilé pour réduire leur température corporelle, alors que leur température rectale a augmenté de 0,6°C. La production laitière n'a pas été modifiée, mais le taux butyreux du lait a diminué. Un effet chèvre significatif a été observé sur la majorité des paramètres étudiés. En moyenne, les chèvres de race Alpine ont bu plus d'eau par rapport à la quantité de matière sèche ingérée que les chèvres de race Saanen. Ceci pourrait être dû à leur niveau d'ingestion plus élevé qui accroîtrait le dégagement de chaleur post-prandial, ou à une différence de chaleur latente dégagée par sudation liée à la couleur de leur pelage.