Nelia P Steyn
Biographic Data
| ID | 7188417 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Nelia P Steyn |
| GIVEN NAMES | Nelia P |
| FAMILY NAME | Steyn |
| SIGNATURE | STEYN N P |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Cape Town |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-8297-6231 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 40 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 3 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 40 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2001 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 1 |
Prevalence and socio-demographic predictors of malnutrition in under 5-year-olds in the Western Cape, South Africa
Nutrition policies and regulations promulgated in South Africa to address malnutrition in young children are implemented by the nine provincial governments. To facilitate malnutrition management at provincial level, robust provincial statistics for malnutrition and associated risk factors should be available. We set out to obtain this information for the Western Cape province. We surveyed 1214 under 5-year-olds, measured their weight and height/l…
Has Food Security and Nutritional Status Improved in Children 1–<10 Years in Two Provinces of South Africa between 1999 (National Food Consumption Survey) and 2018 (Provincial Dietary Intake Study (PD…
The 1999 National Food Consumption Survey in South Africa showed that food insecurity (hunger) was prevalent in households with children aged one to <10 years. A repeat of the survey in two provinces: Gauteng (GTG) and the Western Cape (WC) was undertaken in 2018. Results showed that in all domains (living areas) in GTG, food shortage prevalence decreased between 1999 and 2018, from 55.0% to 29.6% in urban informal areas, from 34.1% to 19.4% in u…
The Nutrition Transition and the Double Burden of Malnutrition in Sub-Saharan African Countries: How Do These Countries Compare With the Recommended Lancet Commission Global Diet
SSA countries are in different stages of the nutrition transition. By superimposing clusters generated using macronutrient intake values on a map of the climatic regions in Africa, one can clearly see the importance of climate on the availability of food and food intake patterns. Climate change presents a great challenge to healthy eating, as the link between climate regions and diets is illustrated
Association between food intake and obesity in pregnant women living with and without HIV in Cape Town, South Africa: A prospective cohort study
Diet modification may promote healthy weight in pregnant women living with and without HIV
Dietary Practices and Adolescent Obesity in Secondary School Learners at Disadvantaged Schools in South Africa: Urban–Rural and Gender Differences
South Africa has a high prevalence of obesity in black female adolescents and a paucity of knowledge regarding contributing dietary practices. The aim of this study was to assess the dietary practices and weight status of male and female adolescents at secondary schools in the Eastern Cape province in urban and rural areas. Sixteen schools and grade 8-12 learners (N = 1360) were randomly selected from three health districts comprising poor disadv…
Provincial Dietary Intake Study (PDIS): Micronutrient Intakes of Children in a Representative/Random Sample of 1- to <10-Year-Old Children in Two Economically Active and Urbanized Provinces in South A…
In 1999, the National Food Consumption Survey found serious risk of dietary deficiency for a number of micronutrients in 1- to 9-year-old children in South Africa. To address these shortfalls, fortification with vitamin A, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, folic acid, iron and zinc of maize meal and bread flour was made mandatory in 2003. The aim of this study was to examine micronutrient intakes of 1- to <10-year-old children after nearl…
Provincial Dietary Intake Study (PDIS): Energy and Macronutrient Intakes of Children in a Representative/Random Sample of 1–<10-Year-Old Children in Two Economically Active and Urbanized Provinces in …
In 1999, the National Food Consumption Survey found serious risk of dietary deficiency for a number of micronutrients in 1- to 9-year-old children in South Africa. To address these shortfalls, fortification with vitamin A, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, folic acid, iron and zinc of maize meal and bread flour was made mandatory in 2003. The aim of this study was to examine micronutrient intakes of 1- to <10-year-old children after nearl…
Provincial Dietary Intake Study (PDIS): Prevalence and Sociodemographic Determinants of the Double Burden of Malnutrition in A Representative Sample of 1 to Under 10-Year-Old Children from Two Urbaniz…
The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and socio-demographic predictors of malnutrition in two urbanized economically active provinces (Gauteng N = 733, Western Cape N = 593) in South Africa. A multistage stratified cluster random sampling design was applied. Fieldworkers visited homes, measured children aged 1- +2 SD ≤ +3 SD] and 7.0% obese (BAZ > +3 SD). In 5- 1 (OR 2.39), while being in the third wealth quintile was protec…
The HealthKick Study: Modifiable Lifestyle Factors in Primary Caregivers of Primary School Learners from Two School Districts in the Western Cape Province, South Africa
Caregivers of children in the HK study population presented with a large number of modifiable health risk behaviors. These results highlight the importance of engaging caregivers, as part of a whole school intervention, to promote healthy eating and physical activity
Primary School Children’s Nutrition Knowledge, Self-Efficacy, and Behavior, after a Three-Year Healthy Lifestyle Intervention (HealthKick)
The HK intervention improved nutrition knowledge and self-efficacy significantly in primary schoolchildren; however, it did not improve their eating behavior
Health status of primary school educators in low socio-economic areas in South Africa
The findings of this study demonstrated a number of characteristics of educators in the two study areas that may influence their risk for developing NCDs and their potential as role models for learners. These included high levels of obesity, high blood pressure, high waist circumference, high cholesterol levels, and high levels of blood glucose. Furthermore, many educators had a wrong perception of their actual body size and a lack of awareness a…
Did HealthKick, a randomised controlled trial primary school nutrition intervention improve dietary quality of children in low-income settings in South Africa
The HK intervention did not significantly improve quality of diet of children
Implementation of the HealthKick intervention in primary schools in low-income settings in the Western Cape Province, South Africa: A process evaluation
The implementation of the HealthKick intervention was not as successful as anticipated. Actions required for future interventions include increased parental involvement, greater support from the Department of Basic Education and assurance of sufficient motivation and 'buy-in' from schools
Effects of agricultural biodiversity and seasonal rain on dietary adequacy and household food security in rural areas of Kenya
Important significant relationships were found in this study: between agricultural biodiversity and dietary adequacy; between agricultural biodiversity and household food security and between dietary adequacy and household food security. Furthermore, the effect of seasonality on household food security and nutrient intake was illustrated
Impact of a South African School-based Intervention, HealthKick, on Fitness Correlates
The lack of a specific intervention effect on fitness levels and physical activity-related KAB indicates that a "low intensity" intervention is not effective in South African primary school settings
Obesity and the nutrition transition in Sub‐Saharan Africa
This review illustrates the outcomes of the nutrition transition in Sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA) and its association with overweight and obesity; the relationship with the double burden of malnutrition is also explored. We describe the increase in overweight in nearly all Sub‐Saharan African countries and present data on associated increased gross domestic product, and availability of energy, protein, fat, and sugar at country national levels. Predic…
A proposed method to determine fumonisin exposure from maize consumption in a rural South African population using a culturally appropriate FFQ
Objective To develop an FFQ for estimating culture-specific maize intake that can distinguish between home-grown and commercial maize. Home-grown maize is more likely to be contaminated with fumonisins, mycotoxins that are associated with increased risk of oesophageal cancer. Design An existing FFQ developed for use in urban Xhosa populations was used as the initial framework for the maize-specific FFQ (M-FFQ). The existing questionnaire containe…
Urban–rural and gender differences in tobacco and alcohol use, diet and physical activity among young black South Africans between 1998 and 2003
BACKGROUND: Non-communicable chronic diseases (NCDs) have increased in South Africa over the past 15 years. While these usually manifest during mid-to-late adulthood, the development of modifiable risk factors that contribute to NCDs are usually adopted early in life. OBJECTIVE: To describe the urban-rural and gender patterns of NCD risk factors in black adolescents and young adults (15- to 24-year-olds) from two South African Demographic and Hea…
Content analysis of television food advertisements aimed at adults and children in South Africa
Objective To determine the frequency and content of food-related television (TV) advertisements shown on South African TV. Design Four national TV channels were recorded between 15.00 and 21.00 hours (6 h each day, for seven consecutive days, over a 4-week period) to: (i) determine the number of food-related TV advertisements; and (ii) evaluate the content and approach used by advertisers to market their products. The data were viewed by two of t…
Health promotion services for patients having non-comminicable diseases: Feedback from patients and health care providers in Cape Town, South Africa
The majority of patients attending PHC facilities want to receive lifestyle modification education. There is not however, one specific method that can be regarded as the gold standard. Patients' preferences regarding health education methods differ, and they are more likely to be susceptible to methods that do not involve much reading. Health education materials such as posters, pamphlets and booklets should be used to supplement information rece…
HealthKick”: Formative assessment of the health environment in low-resource primary schools in the Western Cape Province of South Africa
The formative findings of this study contribute to the knowledge of key environmental and policy determinants that may play a role in the health behaviour of learners, their parents and their educators. Evidently, these show that school environments are not always conducive to healthy lifestyles. To address the identified determinants relating to learners it is necessary to intervene on the various levels of influence, i.e. parents, educators, an…
Predictors of overweight and obesity in adult women in Nairobi Province, Kenya
The predictors of overweight and obesity showed that urbanization and the nutrition transition were well established in the sample of women studied in the high SE groups. They exhibited a sedentary lifestyle and consumed a diet high in energy, protein, fat, cholesterol, and alcohol and lower in fibre and carbohydrate compared with those in the low SE groups
Overweight among children decreased, but obesity prevalence remained high among women in South Africa, 1999–2005
Objective The aim of the present study was to assess anthropometric status in South African children and women in 2005 in order to document temporal trends in selected anthropometric parameters. Design Heights and weights were measured in a cross-sectional study of children aged 1–9 years and women aged 16–35 years. The WHO reference values and BMI cut-off points were used to determine weight status. Setting South Africa, representative sample ba…
Challenges for efficient health service delivery: Experiences of dietitians completing their compulsory community service year in South Africa
Objective To evaluate the successes and shortcomings of the community service programme implemented by the Department of Health (DOH) in South Africa by evaluating community service dietitians’ experiences and challenges during the 2009 community service year. Design The study employed both quantitative and qualitative research designs. A national survey was conducted using a questionnaire to illicit information on community service dietitians’ w…
Diet and mortality rates in Sub-Saharan Africa: Stages in the nutrition transition
Countries in SSA are clearly undergoing a nutrition transition. More than half of them are still in the early stage, while a few have reached a point where changes in dietary patterns are affecting health outcomes in a large portion of the population. Those in the early stage of the transition are especially important, since primordial prevention can still be introduced
Evaluation of Body Shape, Eating Disorders and Weight Management Related Parameters in Black Female Students of Rural and Urban Origins
This study examined body shape dissatisfaction, eating disorder and weight management-related parameters as well as assimilation of Western cultural norms regarding body shape in black female students of urban and rural origins. Subjects (n=180; 20 ± 4,4 years old) were weighed, their height was measured and they completed the Body Shape Questionnaire, EAT-26, Eating Inventory (restraint scale), Adolescent Self-Concept Scale and a questionnaire c…
Evaluation of Body Shape, Eating Disorders and Weight Management Related Parameters in Black Female Students of Rural and Urban Origins
This study examined body shape dissatisfaction, eating disorder and weight management-related parameters as well as assimilation of Western cultural norms regarding body shape in black female students of urban and rural origins. Subjects (n=180; 20 ± 4,4 years old) were weighed, their height was measured and they completed the Body Shape Questionnaire, EAT-26, Eating Inventory (restraint scale), Adolescent Self-Concept Scale and a questionnaire c…
Dietary intake and barriers to dietary compliance in black type 2 diabetic patients attending primary health-care services
Objective: To determine the dietary intake, practices, knowledge and barriers to dietary compliance of black South African type 2 diabetic patients attending primary health-care services in urban and rural areas. Design: A cross-sectional survey. Dietary intake was assessed by three 24-hour recalls, and knowledge and practices by means of a structured questionnaire ( n =133 men, 155 women). In-depth interviews were then conducted with 25 of the p…
Stability of somatotypes in 4 to 10 year-old rural South African girls
In 1996, a mixed Ellisras longitudinal study (ELS) was initiated to assess the stability of somatotypes in 408 girls who comprised 99 pre-school and 309 primary school children in Ellisras rural area in the Northern Province of South Africa. The children's somatotype was assessed using the Heath-Carter anthropometric method. Anthropometric dimensions were taken according to the protocol of the International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthr…
Secondary data analyses of dietary surveys undertaken in South Africa to determine usual food consumption of the population
Objective: The primary objective of this study was to generate a reference table of food items and average amounts of these items consumed by South Africans, for the Department of Health. The reference table was required to be representative of foods and beverages eaten frequently by children and adults from all age and ethnic groups in order for the Department of Health to test for contaminants in these foods. Design: The National Food Consumpti…
Prevalence and determinants of stunting and overweight in 3-year-old black South African children residing in the Central Region of Limpopo Province, South Africa
Objectives To determine the prevalence of stunting, wasting and overweight and their determinants in 3-year-old children in the Central Region of Limpopo Province, South Africa. Design Prospective cohort study. Setting Rural villages in the Central Region of the Limpopo Province, South Africa. Subjects One hundred and sixty-two children who were followed from birth were included in the study. Anthropometric measurements and sociodemographic chara…
Development and validation of instruments measuring body image and body weight dissatisfaction in South African mothers and their daughters
Objective We sought to validate questionnaires concerning body image perception, body size dissatisfaction and weight-related beliefs in multi-ethnic South African mothers and their daughters. Settings and subjects: Girls attending primary school (ages 9–12 years, n = 333) and their mothers (n = 204) were interviewed regarding their demographics and body image. Weight, height and skinfold thicknesses were measured. Body image questions and body m…
The 18th International Congress of Nutrition takes place on African soil
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National fortification of staple foods can make a significant contribution to micronutrient intake of South African adults
Background A national survey found that micronutrient deficiencies are prevalent in South African children, particularly calcium, iron, zinc, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, folate, vitamin A, E and C. Mandatory fortification of maize meal and wheat flour were introduced in 2003 to combat some of the deficiencies found in children. To date however, there has not been a national survey on dietary intake in adults. Objectives The main objectives of…
Workforce development in South Africa with a focus on public health nutrition
Objectives The present paper aims to review and report on the current and predicted future public health nutrition workforce in South Africa. Additionally, it examines ways in which the Department of Health (DOH) is striving to meet the increasing burden of nutrition-related diseases in South Africa. Methods The primary sources of data used for the review were reports from the Census office, South African health reviews, mortality and morbidity s…
Development of a performance-rating scale for a nutrition knowledge test developed for adolescents
Objective The objectives of the present study were to (i) develop and validate a norm-referenced performance-rating scale to interpret a nutrition knowledge test developed for urban adolescents and (ii) develop a prototype for other researchers to follow when developing nutrition knowledge tests. Design For norm development the nutrition knowledge test (questionnaire) was administered to a sample representative of the questionnaire target group, …
A questionnaire for screening the micronutrient intake of economically active South African adults
Objective The aim of the present study was to develop (phase 1) and validate (phase 2) a screening questionnaire to assess the adequacy of micronutrient intake of economically active South African adults. Design For identification of indicator foods to be included in the screening questionnaire (phase 1), a comprehensive, eighty-six-item, quantified FFQ that reflected the food sources of thirteen selected micronutrients associated with the nutrit…
HealthKick: A nutrition and physical activity intervention for primary schools in low-income settings
This study continues to highlight the key role that educators play in implementing a school-based intervention, but that developing capacity within school staff and stakeholders is not a simple or easy task. In spite of the challenges experienced thus far, valuable findings are being produced from this study, especially from Phase 1. Materials developed could be disseminated to other schools in low-income settings both within and outside of South…
Diet and mortality rates in Sub-Saharan Africa: Stages in the nutrition transition
Countries in SSA are clearly undergoing a nutrition transition. More than half of them are still in the early stage, while a few have reached a point where changes in dietary patterns are affecting health outcomes in a large portion of the population. Those in the early stage of the transition are especially important, since primordial prevention can still be introduced
Protocol for the modeling the epidemiologic transition study: A longitudinal observational study of energy balance and change in body weight, diabetes and cardiovascular disease risk
METS will provide insight on the relative contribution of physical activity and diet to excess weight, age-related weight gain and incident glucose impairment in five populations' samples of young adults at different stages of economic development. These data should be useful for the development of empirically-based public health policy aimed at the prevention of obesity and associated chronic diseases
What's in the lunchbox? Dietary behaviour of learners from disadvantaged schools in the Western Cape, South Africa
Objective To identify and describe factors associated with food shop (known as tuck shop in South Africa) and lunchbox behaviours of primary-school learners in South Africa. Design Analysis of data collected in 2008 from a cross-sectional survey. Setting Sixteen primary schools in the Western Cape, South Africa. Subjects A total of 717 grade 4 learners aged 10–12 years. Results A 24 h recall established that 69 % of learners carried a lunchbox to…
They think they know but do they? Misalignment of perceptions of lifestyle modification knowledge among health professionals
Objective The present study aimed to evaluate the knowledge and practices of public-sector primary-care health professionals and final-year students regarding the role of nutrition, physical activity and smoking cessation (lifestyle modification) in the management of chronic diseases of lifestyle within the public health-care sector. Design A comparative cross-sectional descriptive quantitative study was conducted in thirty primary health-care fa…
Health promotion services for patients having non-comminicable diseases: Feedback from patients and health care providers in Cape Town, South Africa
The majority of patients attending PHC facilities want to receive lifestyle modification education. There is not however, one specific method that can be regarded as the gold standard. Patients' preferences regarding health education methods differ, and they are more likely to be susceptible to methods that do not involve much reading. Health education materials such as posters, pamphlets and booklets should be used to supplement information rece…
HealthKick”: Formative assessment of the health environment in low-resource primary schools in the Western Cape Province of South Africa
The formative findings of this study contribute to the knowledge of key environmental and policy determinants that may play a role in the health behaviour of learners, their parents and their educators. Evidently, these show that school environments are not always conducive to healthy lifestyles. To address the identified determinants relating to learners it is necessary to intervene on the various levels of influence, i.e. parents, educators, an…
Predictors of overweight and obesity in adult women in Nairobi Province, Kenya
The predictors of overweight and obesity showed that urbanization and the nutrition transition were well established in the sample of women studied in the high SE groups. They exhibited a sedentary lifestyle and consumed a diet high in energy, protein, fat, cholesterol, and alcohol and lower in fibre and carbohydrate compared with those in the low SE groups
Overweight among children decreased, but obesity prevalence remained high among women in South Africa, 1999–2005
Objective The aim of the present study was to assess anthropometric status in South African children and women in 2005 in order to document temporal trends in selected anthropometric parameters. Design Heights and weights were measured in a cross-sectional study of children aged 1–9 years and women aged 16–35 years. The WHO reference values and BMI cut-off points were used to determine weight status. Setting South Africa, representative sample ba…
Challenges for efficient health service delivery: Experiences of dietitians completing their compulsory community service year in South Africa
Objective To evaluate the successes and shortcomings of the community service programme implemented by the Department of Health (DOH) in South Africa by evaluating community service dietitians’ experiences and challenges during the 2009 community service year. Design The study employed both quantitative and qualitative research designs. A national survey was conducted using a questionnaire to illicit information on community service dietitians’ w…
Urban–rural and gender differences in tobacco and alcohol use, diet and physical activity among young black South Africans between 1998 and 2003
BACKGROUND: Non-communicable chronic diseases (NCDs) have increased in South Africa over the past 15 years. While these usually manifest during mid-to-late adulthood, the development of modifiable risk factors that contribute to NCDs are usually adopted early in life. OBJECTIVE: To describe the urban-rural and gender patterns of NCD risk factors in black adolescents and young adults (15- to 24-year-olds) from two South African Demographic and Hea…
Content analysis of television food advertisements aimed at adults and children in South Africa
Objective To determine the frequency and content of food-related television (TV) advertisements shown on South African TV. Design Four national TV channels were recorded between 15.00 and 21.00 hours (6 h each day, for seven consecutive days, over a 4-week period) to: (i) determine the number of food-related TV advertisements; and (ii) evaluate the content and approach used by advertisers to market their products. The data were viewed by two of t…
Obesity and the nutrition transition in Sub‐Saharan Africa
This review illustrates the outcomes of the nutrition transition in Sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA) and its association with overweight and obesity; the relationship with the double burden of malnutrition is also explored. We describe the increase in overweight in nearly all Sub‐Saharan African countries and present data on associated increased gross domestic product, and availability of energy, protein, fat, and sugar at country national levels. Predic…
A proposed method to determine fumonisin exposure from maize consumption in a rural South African population using a culturally appropriate FFQ
Objective To develop an FFQ for estimating culture-specific maize intake that can distinguish between home-grown and commercial maize. Home-grown maize is more likely to be contaminated with fumonisins, mycotoxins that are associated with increased risk of oesophageal cancer. Design An existing FFQ developed for use in urban Xhosa populations was used as the initial framework for the maize-specific FFQ (M-FFQ). The existing questionnaire containe…
Medicine (37 works) · Environmental health (28 works) · Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet (26 works) · Demography (19 works) · Demography (17 works) · Obesity (17 works) · Child Nutrition and Water Access (16 works) · Public health (15 works) · Overweight (14 works) · Geography (12 works)