Diabetes and Hypertension Are Associated with Food Insecurity in a Cameroonian Population: A Case-Control Study

Diabetes and hypertension are the most prevalent cardiovascular risk factors. Recent studies showed an increase in the prevalence of food insecurity in our country. The aim of this study was to assess how food insecurity affects the dietary habits, socio-demographic characteristics and metabolic profile of individuals with diabetes or hypertension. This case-control study was conducted among diabetic and hypertensive participants (cases) and diabetic and hypertensive normal (controls) during the screening campaigns for nutrition-related chronic diseases. The sociodemographic, clinical and biochemical parameters of the participants were analyzed. Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with diabetes and hypertension in the study population. Bivariate analyses showed that male gender (OR = 1.972;95% CI: 1.250 - 3.089), regular alcohol consumption (OR = 2.012;95% CI: 1.294 - 3.130), low fruit consumption (OR = 1.590;95% CI: 1.016 - 2.488), low dietary diversity (OR = 2.915;95% CI: 1.658 - 5.127) and abdominal obesity (OR = 1.893, CI 95% 1.203 - 2.978) were significantly associated with hypertension. In addition, low fruit consumption (OR = 1.829;95% CI 1.092 - 3.064), low legume consumption (OR = 3.515;95% CI 1.861 - 6.635), and hypertriglyceridaemia (OR = 2.241, 95% CI 1.139 - 4.408) were significantly associated with diabetes. The indirect association observed between food insecurity and diabetes and hypertension suggests the need for nutritional policies aimed at popularizing the production and consumption of fruits and legumes. Similarly, health services need to be aware and informed of the important role that food insecurity can play in the development of diabetes and hypertension.

Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome in HIV-Infected Cameroonian Patients

Aims: Metabolic complications related to antiretroviral therapy are rarely investigated among HIV-infected patients in Cameroon. The study reports the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its individual components among HIV-infected Cameroonians. Materials and Methods: We conducted a prospective, cross-sectional study of the prevalence of metabolic syndrome among 492 patients (338 women, 117 men;age range 20 years) recruited at a reference centre, the day hospital, Central Hospital in Yaounde between September 2009 and September 2010. Metabolic syndrome was defined according to IDF (International Diabetes Federation) and NCEP ATP III (National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III) criteria relative to obesity, glycemic, lipid, arterial blood pressure parameters. Results: The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 32.8% according to IDF and 30.7% by NCEP (p = 0.0001). The prevalences of individual components according to IDF and NCEP were as follows: abdominal obesity (40.5%;26.9% respectively), hypertriglyceridemia (55.5%), low HDL cholesterol (42.5%), systolic hypertension (38.2%) diastolic hypertension (28.5%), hyperglycemia (31.2%;1.3% p = 0.0001). The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 36% in patients under HAART, 23.4% in naive, (p = 0.0001). Conclusion: The prevalence of metabolic syndrome depends on the presence and the type of HAART used, the definition and the gender.