Weight Status at Postpartum: Being Normal Weight Yet Centrally Obese!

Background: Obesity among women of child-bearing age has been a public health concern in the recent past. Central obesity has been found to be rising in different countries. Objectives: This study determined prevalence and correlates of central obesity and normal weight central obesity among postpartum women. Study Design: Randomly selected 460 postpartum women attending health facilities for vaccination/growth monitoring of their infants in Kasarani sub-county, Nairobi County, Kenya took part in the study. BMI was used to measure overall obesity. Central obesity was assessed by waist circumference (WC), waist to hips ratio (WHR) and waist to height ratio (WHTR). National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) BMI-WC index was used to assess health risk. Bivariate analysis was used to determine correlates of central obesity. Results: The prevalence of CO as defined by WC, WHR and WHTR were 66.3%, 62.1% and 50.6% respectively. Prevalence of normal weight central obesity was 39.2%, 36.5%, and 34.4% by WC, WHR, and WHTR respectively. One in every three participants, 38.6%, had high or very high health risk while 15% had increased risk and 44.1% had no increased health risk. Parity and age showed significant positive association with central obesity (Age: WC r = 0.156, p ≤ 0.001;WHTR r = 0.190, p ≤ 0.001;Parity: WC r = 0.0126, p = 0.009;WHTR r = 0.149, p = 0.002). Conclusion: Central obesity prevalence was high regardless of the measure used. About a third of the postpartum women with normal weight BMI was centrally obese and was either at high or very high health risk. Health care workers should therefore use a central obesity measure alongside BMI when assessing nutrition status in the study setting.

Consumption of African Indigenous Vegetables Improves Children’s body Fat Free Mass in Machakos County, Kenya

School gardens growing African Indigenous Leafy Vegetables(AILVs)(Amaranthus cruentus and Vigna unguiculata)were established in Kangundo and Kilalani primary schools in Machakos County,Kenya and children aged 6-10 years(Kangundo,N=66,Kilalani,N=46)that met the inclusion criteria participated as study subjects.There were two phases,I(13 weeks)and II(12 weeks)with 4 weeks in between to enable crossover of the school as either experimental or control.AILVs were grown in gardens of the experimental school.Study subjects in the experimental group were fed on the AILVs recipe with an accompaniment of a mixture of cooked maize and beans once a day,5 days a week per phase.The control group fed only on the accompaniment.Body Mass Index(BMI)was determined and a prescribed dose of deuterium oxide was administered and deuterium enrichment determined by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometry for%Fat Free Mass(FFM)in children’s saliva at baseline and endline.Serum Zn and Fe levels were analyzed by Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy at baseline and endline.Endline analysis in both phase Ⅰ and Ⅱ showed the%FFM,mean serum Fe and Zn were significantly higher(p<0.001)only for the experimental group.Food-based intervention through vegetable garden establishments has potential to eradicate malnutrition among school-going children in Kenya.Further,finding by previous studies that DDIM is more accurate in determining nutrition intervention outcomes in children than BMI is supported.