Prevalence and Factors Associated With Severity of Undernutrition Among Children Aged 6-59 Months in Tanzania.

Undernutrition has been identified as a significant public health challenge in developing nations like Tanzania. Severe childhood undernutrition is a life-threatening problem that can result in impaired growth, weakened immune systems, and even death. The primary aim of this study was to identify the prevalence of multiple forms of severe undernutrition and factors associated with the severity of childhood undernutrition in children aged 6-59 months in Tanzania.

Prevalence, knowledge and practices on prevention and management of overweight and obesity among adults in Dodoma City, Tanzania.

Background: Overweight/obesity is increasing leading to high rates of non-communicable diseases. The study aimed to assess the prevalence, knowledge and practices on prevention and management of overweight/obesity among adults in Dodoma region.

Methodology: A cross- sectional research was conducted among 313 randomly selected adults aged 25-65 years.

Simple method for identification of women at risk of gestational diabetes mellitus in Arusha urban, Tanzania.

Background: Screening for gestational diabetes mellitus in Tanzania is challenged by limited resources. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a simple method for identification of women at risk of gestational diabetes mellitus in Arusha urban, Tanzania.

Methods: This study used data from a cross sectional study, that was conducted between March and December 2018 in Arusha District involving 468 pregnant women who were not known to have diabetes before pregnancy.

Design and validation of a food frequency questionnaire to assess the dietary intake for adults in pastoral settings in Northern Tanzania.

Objective: Food frequency questionnaires are widely used as a dietary assessment tool in nutritional epidemiology to determine the relationship between diet and diseases. In Tanzania, there are several cultural variations in food intake which makes it necessary to design and validate a culture-specific food frequency questionnaire (CFFQ). Therefore, we designed a 27-items CFFQ and examine its validity in pastoral communities.

Prevalence and Determinants of Undernutrition among 6- to 59-Months-Old Children in Lowland and Highland Areas in Kilosa District, Tanzania: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Undernutrition is the most dominant form of malnutrition among children in developing countries. Studies conducted in Tanzania have reported high levels of undernutrition among children below five years of age. However, there is limited information on differences in stunting prevalence across agroecological zones.

Association between dietary diversity with overweight and obesity: A cross-sectional study conducted among pastoralists in Monduli District in Tanzania.

Background: The prevalence of overweight and obesity is rising at a rapid pace and is associated with negative health consequences like cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes and cancer. Obesity is a multifactorial problem that develops mainly from lifestyle factors including physical inactivity and poor dietary intake. Dietary diversity is a simplified method for assessing the adequacy and quality of diet and is associated with nutritional need and overall health status.

Prevalence and determinants of hypertension among pastoralists in Monduli District, Arusha region in Tanzania: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Hypertension is among the growing non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in developing countries and the leading cause of death worldwide. Pastoral areas have been identified to be at a higher risk of diseases due to challenges in their daily food production, livelihoods or mobility. Unfortunately, the prevalence of hypertension and the risk factors particularly affecting rural and pastoral populations are not fully understood, making intervention efforts challenging.

Adequacy of macro and micronutrients in infants and young children's diets in Zanzibar, Tanzania.

Background: A study was conducted in Zanzibar using ProPAN software to assess nutrient adequacy of foods given to infants and children aged 6-23 months old in Zanzibar.

Methodology: The 24-hr dietary recall method embedded in ProPAN software was used to determine the adequacy of energy, protein, iron, calcium, zinc and vitamin A in foods consumed by children. Sample of 200 mothers/caretakers with children aged 6-23 months were interviewed.

The influence of dietary diversity on the nutritional status of children between 6 and 23 months of age in Tanzania.

Background: Undernutrition poses a serious health challenge in developing countries and Tanzania has the highest undernutrition burden of Eastern and Southern Africa. Poor infant and young child feeding practices have been identified as the main causes for undernutrition. As dietary diversity is a major requirement if children are to get all essential nutrients, it can thus be used as one of the core indicators when assessing feeding practices and nutrition of children.

Insulin Resistance Among Pregnant Women in Urban Areas of Arusha Region, Tanzania.

To establish the prevalence of insulin resistance (IR) and its determinants among selected pregnant women in urban Arusha for taking preventive measures. A cross-sectional study was conducted between March and December 2018 at Ngarenaro and Kaloleni health facilities in Arusha District involving 230 randomly selected pregnant women who were not known to have diabetes before pregnancy. Blood glucose at fasting and 2 hr after consuming 75 grams of glucose dissolved in 300 mL of water was measured using Gluco-Plus™, serum insulin concentrations using ELISA machine (Synergy/HTX™; BioTek), and IR was calculated using the Homeostasis Model of Assessment formula.

Prevalence of hyperglycemia in pregnancy and influence of body fat on development of hyperglycemia in pregnancy among pregnant women in urban areas of Arusha region, Tanzania.

Background: Hyperglycemia in pregnancy is a medical condition resulting from either pre-existing diabetes or insulin resistance developed during pregnancy. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of hyperglycemia in pregnancy and influence of body fat percentage and other determinants on developing hyperglycemia in pregnancy among women in Arusha District, Tanzania.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between March and December 2018 at selected health facilities in Arusha District involving 468 pregnant women who were not known to have diabetes before pregnancy.

Gestational diabetes mellitus risk score: A practical tool to predict gestational diabetes mellitus risk in Tanzania.

Background: Universal screening for hyperglycemia during pregnancy may be in-practical in resource constrained countries. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop a simple, non-invasive practical tool to predict undiagnosed Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in Tanzania.

Methods: We used cross-sectional data of 609 pregnant women, without known diabetes, collected in six health facilities from Dar es Salaam city (urban).

Capacity and capability of Tanzania health facilities to diagnose and manage diabetes mellitus in pregnancy.

Aims: Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) remains a neglected cause of maternal and foetal morbidity and mortality in developing countries exacerbated by limited screening and management strategies. This study aimed to understanding how the RCH health system works in Tanzania, so as to provide opportunity for improving GDM screening and management.

Methods: A questionnaire was administered to facility staff and physical performance observed in 30 randomly selected public RCH facilities.

High blood pressure and associated risk factors among women attending antenatal clinics in Tanzania.

Aim: Hypertension during pregnancy (HDP) is one of the leading causes of maternal and perinatal mortality worldwide. This study examined prevalence and potential risk factors for HDP among pregnant women in Tanzania.

Methods: We examined 910 pregnant women, aged at least 20 years, mean gestational age 27 weeks, from rural (n = 301) and urban (n = 609) areas, during their usual antenatal clinic visits.

Gestational diabetes mellitus in sub-Saharan Africa: systematic review and metaregression on prevalence and risk factors.

Objective: We systematically reviewed publications on prevalence and risk factors for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in the 47 countries of sub-Saharan Africa.

Methods: We conducted a systematic search in PUBMED and reviewed articles published until June 2014 and searched the references of retrieved articles. We explored sources of heterogeneity among prevalence proportions with metaregression analysis.

Prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus in urban and rural Tanzania.

Aim: To estimate prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and associated determinants in urban and rural Tanzania.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from 2011 through 2012 in selected urban and rural communities. Pregnant women (609 urban, 301 rural), who were not previously known to have diabetes, participated during usual ante-natal clinic visits.