Frank Hayford

• PhD (Dietetics) RD (Gh)
• Senior Lecturer at University of Ghana

Introduction Any type of activity that results in caloric expenditure has the potential to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases; nonetheless, most people, especially office workers, are physically inactive. This study sought to evaluate the extent of physical inactivity and its determinants among the staff of selected banks in Accra, Ghana....

Background and objectives: Essential trace elements obtained from our diet are crucial for the initiation and development of host defence by the immune system. Trace elements such as selenium (Se), zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) are important for immune competence, particularly in vulnerable population. Poor nutrition status including deficiencies of th...

Introduction: It is common knowledge that any activity that results in caloric expenditure has the potential to prevent cardiovascular diseases, nonetheless, most people are physically inactive, especially office workers. This study sort to evaluate at baseline, the extent of physical inactivity and its determinants among staff of selected banks in...

Introduction Good dietary practice is essential in sports as it improves the quality of training, maximizes performance and aids in the speedy recovery of players from injuries. A balanced diet provides adequate nutrients and energy to achieve these purposes. Nutritional status is also essential in ensuring optimum performance among athletes. But o...

Some vulnerable population groups at risk for tuberculosis (TB) may have a low n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) status. Our research previously showed that adjunct n-3 LCPUFA in TB are beneficial in n-3 PUFA sufficient C3HeB/FeJ mice. Here we investigated the effect of adjunct n-3 LCPUFA supplementation to TB-mice with a low, compared to a suf...

Intakes of the omega-3 essential fatty acids (n-3 EFAs) are low in the general adult population, with high n-6/n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) ratios and the accompanying suboptimal n-3 PUFA status. Eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) have antibacterial and inflammation-resolving effects in tuberculosis (TB). However, whethe...

Advancement in the understanding of inflammation regulation during tuberculosis (TB) treatment has led to novel therapeutic approaches being proposed. The use of immune mediators like anti-inflammatory and pro-resolving molecules for such, merits attention. Drug repurposing is a widely used strategy that seeks to identify new targets to treat or ma...

Non-resolving inflammation is characteristic of tuberculosis (TB). Given their inflammation-resolving properties, omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LCPUFA) may support TB treatment. This research aimed to investigate the effects of n-3 LCPUFA on clinical and inflammatory outcomes of Mycobacterium tuberculosis ( Mtb )-infected C3He...

Host-directed therapies (HDTs) enhance the host response to tuberculosis (TB) infection to reduce disease severity. For instance, the manipulation of lipid mediator production diminishes the hyperactive immune response which is a known pathological feature of TB that generates lung tissue damage. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and o...

Progressive inflammation and anemia are common in tuberculosis (TB) and linked to poor clinical outcomes. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) have inflammation-resolving properties, whereas iron supplementation in TB may have limited efficacy and enhance bacterial growth. We investigated effects of iron and EPA/DHA supplement...

Background The potential role of adjunctive anti-inflammatory therapy to enhance tuberculosis (TB) treatment has recently received increasing interest. There is, therefore, a need to broadly examine current host-directed therapies (HDTs) that could accelerate treatment response and improve TB outcomes. Methods This systematic review and meta-analy...

Introduction: commercial motor vehicle drivers are at risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS) due to the nature of their work as they tend to go to work early, work for more hours, have irregular dietary habits and patterns, have little sleep and live sedentary lifestyle. The study sought to determine the prevalence and lifestyle-related risk factors of...

Purpose The purpose of this study was to identify the predictors of child undernutrition and anemia among children 6–24 months old in the East Mamprusi district, Northern region, Ghana. Design/methodology/approach This cross-sectional study recruited 153 children and their mothers. Weight, height and hemoglobin levels of the children were measured...

Soups are major components of Ghanaian dishes. The composite nature of Ghanaian soups, in general, tend to make the calorie and macronutrient composition highly variable. This study sought to determine the proximate composition of selected Ghanaian soups from defined recipes and to photographically present quantities of the soups, measured with com...

Goji berries (Lycium fruits) are usually found in Asia, particularly in northwest regions of China. Traditionally, dried goji berries are cooked before they are consumed. They are commonly used in Chinese soups and as herbal tea. Moreover, goji berries are used for the production of tincture, wine, and juice. Goji berries are high antioxidant poten...

Different animal models have been used to understand mechanisms of Tuberculosis (TB) and test TB drugs. Mice, guinea pigs and non-human primates have been found particularly useful. The C3HeB/FeJ mouse, specifically, is an excellent TB model and has been deemed the most cost-effective and sophisticated animal model in which the immune response is v...

Purpose In Ghana, the body mass index (BMI) is widely used in clinical practice in assessing weight status, but it is limited as a measure of adiposity. The purpose of this study was to compare bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and body mass index (BMI) methods in determining obesity among some Ghanaians. Design/methodology/approach This wa...

Oral Presentation

Presented at The 27th Congress of the Nutrition Society of South Africa and The 15th Congress of the Association for Dietetics in South Africa. Nutrition congress , Johannesburg, South Africa, from 5—7 September,2018

Presented at the 13th International Society for the Study of Fatty Acids and Lipids (ISSFAL) International Congress, 27 - 31 May 2018, Las Vegas, USA

The human gut is densely populated with diverse microbial communities that are essential to health. Prebiotics and fiber have been shown to possess the ability to modulate the gut microbiota. One of the plants being considered as a potential source of prebiotic is yacon. Yacon is an underutilized plant consumed as a traditional root-based fruit in...

Presented at the International Union of Nutritional Sciences (IUNS) 21th International Congress for Nutrition, Buenos Aires, Argentina. 15-20th October, 2017.

Presented at the International Union of Nutritional Sciences (IUNS) 21th International Congress for Nutrition, Buenos Aires, Argentina. 15-20th October, 2017

Presented at the 26th Congress of the Nutrition Society of South Africa (NSSA) and 14th Congress of the Association for Dietetics in South Africa (ADSA) Nutrition Congress, Somerset-west, Cape Town, South Africa, 3rd --- 5th September, 2016.

Presented at the 26th Congress of the Nutrition Society of South Africa (NSSA) and 14th Congress of the Association for Dietetics in South Africa (ADSA) Nutrition Congress, Somerset-west, Cape Town, South Africa, 3rd --- 5th September, 2016

Adequate Food labels can potentially prevent unhealthy eating and its associated diet related diseases Aim: To assess the extent to which prepackaged food products on the Ghanaian market meet requirements of The Ghana Standards Authority. Method: Study was cross-sectional. Five shopping centers were selected. Prepackaged food products (N = 400) wer...

Even though the key drive for eating is hunger, what one chooses to eat is not determined solely by physiological or nutritional needs. Consumers make their purchasing decisions based on a number of factors, hence the need for greater understanding of these determinants to facilitate outcome of successful interventions. The study was to investigate...

The risk of becoming obese has increased across all socio- economic classes as a result of decreased physical activity and the consumption of ‘western diet’. Stigmatization and negative attitude towards obese people in our societies has been shown to affect work compliance during treatment.Thus, the need to assess the perception of Health Science s...

Food labels serve as sources of information to the consumer being the only point-of-purchase information available to them. The label informs and educates consumers as well as influences consumers’ choice at the point of purchase by providing information relevant to the decision at hand. The knowledge gained from the label can help consumers make i...