School of Health Science and Technologyhttp://hdl.handle.net/123456789/8602024-03-29T02:52:02Z2024-03-29T02:52:02ZObesity and Factors that Contribute to Obesity among Pre- Adolescents Attending Day Private Primary Schools in Nairobi, KenyaMalla, Janet KajujuWaudo, Prof. JudithKithinji, Dr. Ciriaka T.http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/14262015-09-01T07:44:35Z2015-09-01T00:00:00ZObesity and Factors that Contribute to Obesity among Pre- Adolescents Attending Day Private Primary Schools in Nairobi, Kenya
Malla, Janet Kajuju; Waudo, Prof. Judith; Kithinji, Dr. Ciriaka T.
Obesity is a diet-related condition and it refers to an abnormally high proportion of body fat. Various studies carried out in the United States reveal that obesity stems right from childhood. Childhood obesity is the most prevalent and common nutritional condition among the urban population and it is becoming an area of public concern. Cited literature suggests that feeding habits, especially during infancy and childhood predisposes the child to obesity in adulthood. This was a descriptive study aimed at investigating obesity and factors that contribute to obesity among Pre-adolescents. The respondents were randomly selected from two day private primary schools in Nairobi. Systematic random sampling was used to select pupils from each school making a sample of 120 pupils. School head-teachers were also included in the sample. Data were collected by use of
questionnaires, an interview schedule and an observation checklist. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected. Qualitative data were analyzed by coding raw data into common themes to form patterns. Quantitative data were analyzed by computer through the use of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Linear regression analysis was used to test the hypothesis. Results were reported using frequencies and percentages. The study showed that there was a significant relationship between eating habits of the pre-adolescents and obesity. Eating food three times a day and eating any time were positively correlated with obesity. In the schools studied, 40% of the respondents ate food three times in a day while (50%) consumed food at any time of the day. The reasons given for these trends of food consumption were: availability of money, peer pressure, boredom and influence by media. Skipping meals had a very significant relationship with obesity. The t-statistic of –2.88 was significant at 5% significant level. This implied that an obese person could reduce their BMI by 2.0 points by skipping meals. On the other hand, eating between meals was positively correlated with obesity and the result was significant at 10% significant level. Data collected indicated that 55.8% of the respondents ate between meals. A third of the respondents were found to have a BMI of over 26, which indicates evidence of overweight.
Journal Article
2015-09-01T00:00:00ZIn vitro Anti-plasmodial Activity of Rubia cordifolia, Harrizonia abyssinica, Leucas calostachys Olive and Sanchus schweinfurthii Medicinal Plants.Nyambati, GKLagat, ZOMaranga, ROSamuel, MOzwara, Hhttp://hdl.handle.net/123456789/11712015-05-29T12:28:09Z2013-01-01T00:00:00ZIn vitro Anti-plasmodial Activity of Rubia cordifolia, Harrizonia abyssinica, Leucas calostachys Olive and Sanchus schweinfurthii Medicinal Plants.
Nyambati, GK; Lagat, ZO; Maranga, RO; Samuel, M; Ozwara, H
Plasmodium falciparum is becoming increasingly resistant to conventional antimalaria drugs. Rapid increase of parasite resistant strains, resistance of the vector to insecticides and the difficulty in creating efficient vaccines has lead to an urgent need for new anti-malarial drugs. To determine anti-plasmodial activity of Rubia cordifolia, Harrizonia abyssinica, Sachus schweinfurthii and Leucas calostachys Olive plants. Aqueous and methanolic crude extracts were prepared from R. cordifolia, H. abyssinica, S. schweinfurthii and L. calostachys plants. The extracts were then prepared into appropriate concentrations for anti-plasmodial activities. In vitro anti-plamsodial activities of herbal drugs were analysed according to the methods of Tona et al., 1999. Methanolic extracts were more efficacious than aqueous extracts. S. schweinfurthii and L. calostachys had IC50 (Inhibition Concentration) of between 1.10μg/ml and 3.45μg/ml and had highest parasite inhibition ranging between 3.5% and 5.2%. R. cardifolia and H. abyssinica had IC50 of between 1.5μg/ml and 3.0μg/ml and it had moderate parasitaemia ranging between 5.20% and 7.22%. Vernonia lasiopa and Erythrina abysinnica had insufficient yields. S. schweinfurthii and L. calostachys had the highest parasite inhibition while R. cardifolia and H. abyssinica had moderate inhibition
2013-01-01T00:00:00ZCoenzyme Q10 prevented full blown splenomegaly and decreased melarsoprol-induced reactive encephalopathy in mice infected with Trypanosoma brucei rhodesienseNyariki, James NyabugaThuita, John KibuthuNyambati, Grace KemuntoIsaac, Alfred Orinahttp://hdl.handle.net/123456789/11692015-05-29T12:14:26Z2014-01-01T00:00:00ZCoenzyme Q10 prevented full blown splenomegaly and decreased melarsoprol-induced reactive encephalopathy in mice infected with Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense
Nyariki, James Nyabuga; Thuita, John Kibuthu; Nyambati, Grace Kemunto; Isaac, Alfred Orina
Objective: To establish the modulatory effects of coenzyme Q10 on experimental trypanosome
infections in mice and evaluate the risk of occurrence and severity of melarsoprol-induced post
treatment reactive encephalopathy (PTRE). Methods: Female Swiss white mice were orally administered with 200 mg/kg of coenzyme
Q10 after which they were intraperitoneally inoculated with Trypanasoma brucei rhodesiense
(T. b. rhodesiense). The resultant infection was allowed to develop and simulate all phases of
human African trypanosomiasis and PTRE. Parasitaemia development, packed cell volume,
haematological and pathological changes were determined. Results: A histological study in the brain tissue of T. b. rhodesiense infected mice demonstrated
neuroinflammatory pathology which was highly amplified in the PTRE-induced groups. A
prominent reduction in the severity of the neuroinflammatory response was detected when
coenzyme-Q10 was administered. Furthermore, the mean tissue weight of spleen to body ratio
in coenzyme Q10 supplemented group was significantly (P<0.05) different compared to unsupplemented
groups, and clearly indicated that coenzyme Q10 prevented full blown splenomegaly
pathogenesis by T. b. rhodesiense. A significant (P<0.05) increase in hemoglobin levels and red
blood cells was observed in coenzyme Q10 mice compared to those infected and un-supplemented
with coenzyme Q10. Conclusions: The capacity of coenzyme Q10 to alter the pathogenesis of T. b. rhodesiense infection
in mice and following treatment with melarsoprol, may find application by rendering humans and
animals less susceptible to deleterious effects of trypanosome infection such as splenomegaly and
melarsoprol-induced PTRE and neurotoxicity.
2014-01-01T00:00:00ZEvaluation of the Anticonvulsant Activity of the Leaf Methanol Extract of Crassula arborescens (Mill.) Willd. (Crassulaceae) in MiceAmabeoku, George JimboyekaMbamalu, Oluchi NnekaDavids, TasneemFakude, SamukelisiweGqwaka, AndaMbai, Fiona NPieterse, ReighmanShaik, Aneesahttp://hdl.handle.net/123456789/11682015-05-28T16:56:58Z2014-01-01T00:00:00ZEvaluation of the Anticonvulsant Activity of the Leaf Methanol Extract of Crassula arborescens (Mill.) Willd. (Crassulaceae) in Mice
Amabeoku, George Jimboyeka; Mbamalu, Oluchi Nneka; Davids, Tasneem; Fakude, Samukelisiwe; Gqwaka, Anda; Mbai, Fiona N; Pieterse, Reighman; Shaik, Aneesa
Crassula arborescens
(Mill.) Willd. subsp.
Arborescens
is widely used for the treatment
of various ailments including
diarrhoea, corns, epilepsy and as a purgati
ve. However, no information exists in any literature to verify the acclaimed effecti
veness of
C. arborescens
in the treatment of the various ailments. The study, therefore, intended to investigate the anticonvulsant activity of the
leaf methanol extract of
C. arborescens
in mice. Acute toxicity study
and phytochemical qualitative analysis of the plant extracts
were also carried out. Chemically-induc
ed convulsion methods were used to
assess the anticonvulsant activity of
C. arborescens
.
Standard methods were used for the acute t
oxicity study and phytochemical analysis of
the chemical compone
nts of the plant extr
act.
PTZ (pentylenetetrazole), bicuculline, picrotoxin, NMDLA (N-methy
l-DL-aspartic acid) or strychnine produced tonic convulsions i
n
all the mice used. Leaf methanol extract of
Crassula arborescens
, muscimol, phenobarbitone or di
azepam significantly antagonised
PTZ, bicuculline or picr
otoxin-induced convulsion.
C. arborescens
or LY233053 significantly antagonised NMDLA-induced tonic
convulsion.
C. arborescens
or phenobarbitone signifi
cantly antagonised strychni
ne-elicited tonic convulsi
on. Phenytoin or DMSO
(dimethylsulfoxide) did not significantly affect the tonic convulsion produced by PTZ, bicuculline, picrotoxin, NMDLA or
strychnine. The
LD
50
value obtained from intraperitoneal administration of
C. arborescens
was 781.6 mg/kg while that following oral
administration of the plant extract was over
4,000 mg/kg. The phytochemical qualitativ
e analysis done showed the presence of
flavonoids, tannins, reducing sugar,
saponins and triterpene steroids. The data obta
ined in the study show that the leaf methan
ol
extract of
Crassula arborescens
has anticonvulsant activity which may be
underpinned by GABAergic, glutaminergic and
glycinergic mechanisms. The high
LD
50
value obtained following the oral administra
tion of the plant extract shows that the leaf
methanol extract is non-toxic to animals.
2014-01-01T00:00:00Z