Department of Human Nutrition and Dietetics

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Browsing Department of Human Nutrition and Dietetics by Subject "Overweight,"

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    Dietary Patterns and Obesity among Pre- Adolescents in Nairobi, Kenya
    (Journal of Nursing and Health Science, 2017-04) Malla, Janet Kajuju; Waudo, Judith; Kithinji, Ciriaka T.
    Abstract: Food continues to be a major factor in the development of the whole person throughout the growing years. Food becomes a means of communication; it is intimately associated with the emotions; and its acceptance or rejection is highly personal. The pattern for obesity is often set in infancy where sometimes overeating becomes a habit. Continued nibbling of food between meals and night eating syndrome where patients suffer from a voracious appetite after the usual evening meal is also associated with obesity. This was a descriptive study aimed at investigating the relationship between dietary patterns and obesity among Pre-adolescents. Systematic random sampling was used to select pupils from two day private primary schools in Nairobi making a sample of 120 pupils. 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. The study showed a significant relationship between dietary patterns of the pre-adolescents and obesity. Regression Analysis results showed that eating food three times a day and eating any time were positively correlated with obesity. Skipping meals was significant at (p<0.05) significant level.
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    Obesity and Factors that Contribute to Obesity among Pre- Adolescents Attending Day Private Primary Schools in Nairobi, Kenya
    (2015-09-15) 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.
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    Snacking and its effect on nutritional status of adolescents in two national high schools in Nairobi Kenya
    (2015-09-15) Nguu-Gutu, Catherine Muthoni; Imungi, Jasper K.; Ngatia, Edith M.
    Snacking is defined as any intake of food or energy-containing beverage outside of breakfast, lunch and dinner (Bellisle, 2007). Previous studies have shown that snacking among adolescents is most common in the afternoon (Cross et al., 1994; Howarth et al., 2007). This study focused on snacking and its effect on dietary intake of macronutrients from normal school balanced meals and nutritional status of adolescents in two public national high schools namely Nairobi School for boys and Kenya High School (KHS) for girls, in Kenya. These schools were purposefully and randomly selected. A cross-sectional study on nutritional status and level of snacking was carried out involving 172 and 180 adolescent girls and boys respectively aged 13 to 18 years. A total of 352 adolescent high school girls and boys were assessed. A semi- structured questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data on socio-economic status (SES) of the respondents’ families while qualitative data were collected through focus group discussions, key informant interviews and observations. Anthropometric measurements on height and weight for nutritional status were used. Food consumption frequency was used to assess food intake from school meals and snacks. Energy and protein intake data were collected using a 24-hour recall based on a sub-sample of 31 students (14 boys and 17 girls). Eleven percent (11.0%) boys and 10.2% girls was stunted. Almost an equivalent number of both boys and girls (45.2% and 44.1% respectively) were found to be normal and nourished. Although, the girls are more likely to be stunted than boys stunting was not significantly different between the two groups and underweight was significantly higher in boys than in girls. Significantly more girls were overweight and obese than boys. Among the students who reported to be snacking, 10.4% were underweight and 76.9% had normal BMI-for-age as compared to those who did not snack where 20.0 % were underweight and 63.3% with normal BMI-for-age. It was observed that amongst those who snacked, an equal number of boys and girls at 5.2% were underweight while 6.9% more girls than boys (5.9%) were overweight. Most of the students who snacked had a normal (89.3%) height-for-age. Amongst those who snacked and based on gender, more boys (5.9%) than girls (4.8%) were found to be stunted. Among the gender the difference between those who snacked and those who didn’t was insignificant There were almost an equivalent percentage of those who snacked at 10.7% and those who didn’t at12.0% and were stunted. There was no significant difference between the BMI-for-age among those who were snacking and those who were not (χ2=5.84, p value=0.120). Whether one snacks or not there is no significant relationship between snacking, BMI- for-Age, and hence nutritional status of both adolescent boys and girls in national boarding high schools. This study shows that snacking has no effect on adolescents’ nutritional status.