What we drink has a potentially large impact on our nutrient intake and overall nutrition and health status. Some beverages are energy-dense and nutrient-poor, others deliver alcohol and other drugs, and others can be relatively nutrient-dense. Estimating and assessing the contribution of beverages to nutritional status is an ongoing nutrition assessment challenge. In this issue, Muckelbauer et al.(Reference Muckelbauer, Libuda and Mathilde Kersting1) report on a validation study of a self-completed 24 h recall questionnaire compared with a 24 h weighed record to assess beverage consumption among schoolchildren aged 7 to 9 years. This paper highlights the difficulties in validating beverage consumption from self-report instruments.
No such thing as a free lunch?
School teachers around the world will attest to the view that children who consume unhealthy or limited food at meals have difficulties with classroom behaviour and associated learning. Ask et al.(Reference Ask, Hernes and Aarek2) present data from a controlled intervention study that explored if serving a healthy free school lunch had an impact on weight development and food intake among lower secondary-school children in Norway. They also assessed the association between self-perceived school behaviour and food intake. This study suggests that further work is required to assess the impact of school food supply interventions trying to address weight gain and school behaviours.
Anaemia and HIV infection
Anaemia is a major health problem in most developing countries and has a devastating effect on the health and potential of vulnerable groups such as women and the young. In this issue, Chatterjee et al.(Reference Chatterjee, Bosch and Kupka3) present research from a prospective cohort study investigating the predictors and consequences of childhood anaemia in settings with high HIV prevalence. They present evidence to show associations between HIV infection in both mothers and infants, malaria parasitaemia and Fe deficiency as independent risk factors for anaemia among children.
Breast-feeding needs support
It is well accepted that breast-feeding mothers require social, economic and environmental supports. Yun et al.(Reference Yun, Liu and Mertzlufft4) present an evaluation of a breast-feeding peer counselling programme in Missouri and demonstrate that participation in early pregnancy increased the rate of breast-feeding initiation. Logic suggests that peer and other social supports will be just as, if not more, important as a strategy to promote breast-feeding duration.
