The presence of the double burden of malnutrition in children and their mothers in Grand-Popo, Benin

Socio-cultural beliefs influence feeding practices of mothers and their children in Grand Popo, Benin

BACKGROUND

Malnutrition is a major public health problem. It contributes to the high death rate among children in developing countries despite the various advocacies of institutions such as WHO and FAO and many other organisations. More research needs to be done in order to contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. The aim of this study was to explore socio-cultural practices and their influence on feeding practices of mothers and their children in Grand Popo, Benin.

METHODS

A qualitative research methodology was used with an inductive approach. A pretested discussion guide was used to conduct focus group discussions with participants in their local language. Four focus group discussions were held in 4 villages located in both the rural and the semi-urban areas with each focus group comprising seven to eight participants. The study protocol was approved by the Health Research Ethics Committee of Stellenbosch University. Focus group discussions were recorded, transcribed and translated to English. The data was analysed following the Creswell data analysis steps.

RESULTS

All the children were breastfed, and 56.1% of children under 6 months received breast milk exclusively. Children were introduced to family foods at 5 months with very low consumption of animal protein and fruits. Mothers and children had monotonous diets with high consumption of vegetables and maize-based meals. Food taboos, particularly during pregnancy, were revealed. Those cultural beliefs were still followed by some mothers, and food rich in nutrients were pushed aside.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a need for educational interventions to raise awareness of the negative impacts of some socio-cultural practices on the health of the mother and child.

Underweight, overweight, and tobacco use among adolescents aged 12-15 years: Evidence from 23 low-income and middle-income countries

INTRODUCTION

Compared with the number of studies in adults, body weight in relation to tobacco use has been understudied in the adolescent population. This study aimed to examine the association between underweight, overweight and tobacco use in low- and middle-income countries.

METHODS

Data were derived from the Global School-Based Student Health Survey (GSHS). Data from 71176 adolescents aged 12-15 years residing in 23 countries were analyzed. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 2000 growth charts were used to identify underweight, normal weight, and overweight/ obesity. Weighted age- and gender-adjusted prevalence of weight categories and tobacco use was calculated. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to estimate the association between weight categories and tobacco use for each country, controlling for covariates. Pooled odds ratios and confidence intervals were computed using random- or fixed-effects meta-analyses.

RESULTS

A significant association between weight categories and tobacco use was evident in only a few countries. Adolescents reporting tobacco use in French Polynesia, Suriname, and Indonesia, had 72% (95% CI: 0.15-0.56), 55% (95% CI: 0.24-0.84), and 24% (95% CI: 0.61-0.94) lower odds of being underweight, respectively. Adolescents reporting tobacco use in Uganda, Algeria, and Namibia, had 2.30 (95% CI: 1.04-5.09), 1.71 (95% CI: 1.25-2.34), and 1.45 (95% CI: 1.00-2.12) times greater odds of being overweight/obese, but those in Indonesia and Malaysia had 33% (95% CI: 0.50-0.91) and 16% (95% CI: 0.73-0.98) lower odds of being overweight/obese.

CONCLUSIONS

The association between tobacco use and BMI categories is likely to be different among adolescents versus adults. Associating tobacco use with being thin may be more myth than fact and should be emphasized in tobacco prevention programs targeting adolescents.

Factors associated with the double burden of malnutrition at the household level: A scoping review

The double burden of malnutrition (DBM) at the household level has been defined as the coexistence of underweight children and overweight mothers within the same household. The objective of the scoping review was to identify and understand factors associated with DBM. We conducted the scoping review of published, peer-reviewed journal articles in two major databases used in public health research (PubMed and Web of Science). A total of 70 articles met the eligibility criteria. The following factors were identified: mother's age, height, educational level, occupation, food intake, breastfeeding, family income, family size, and urbanization type. Overall, results were heterogeneous. Two scenarios have been identified. The first scenario is those obese women with a job, having a sufficient income, a high educational level, the ability to purchase food, and live either in rural or urban areas. The second scenario is obese women without a job, having an insufficient income, a low educational level, without the ability to purchase food, and live either in rural or urban areas. The DBM at the household level is a complex public health problem. There is a need for target-specific interventions to address child undernutrition and maternal overweight/obesity simultaneously.