Publications by authors named "J G Kariuki"
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates how a web-based intervention aimed at increasing physical activity (PA) might also improve dietary quality among adults with obesity, without direct dietary guidance.
- After a 12-week pilot trial involving participants randomized into an exercise intervention group or a control group, small improvements in diet quality were observed, measured using the Healthy Eating Index 2020 (HEI-2020).
- While increases in PA, particularly over 60 minutes a week, showed some positive effects on specific diet quality components, the overall changes in HEI-2020 scores were modest, suggesting more research is needed to assess the combined effects of PA and dietary guidance.
Background: The increasing prevalence of obesity necessitates innovative interventions to address this grave public health concern. Standard behavioral therapy has been the mainstay for promoting weight loss, but its access and uptake are limited. The SMARTER randomized controlled trial aimed to explore the effects of self-monitoring with real-time, remotely delivered tailored feedback to recorded physical activity (PA) on weight loss.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTrends in body mass index for people with and without HIV: Pooled analysis of nationally-representative health surveys from 10 countries and 173,800 adults in Africa.
PLOS Glob Public Health
September 2024
Article Synopsis
- The study analyzed changes in body mass index (BMI) and overweight prevalence from 2003-2019 in 10 African countries among people living with HIV (PLWH) and those without (PLWoH).
- It found that while mean BMI increased over time for both groups, women LWH experienced a greater increase compared to women LWoH, whereas men LWoH saw a more significant rise than men LWH.
- Although ART (antiretroviral therapy) coverage didn't show a strong link to BMI changes, the overall trends highlighted the need for BMI monitoring programs in PLWH due to rising BMI levels.
The integration of health and activity data from various wearable devices into research studies presents technical and operational challenges. The Awesome Data Acquisition Method (ADAM) is a versatile, web-based system that was designed for integrating data from various sources and managing a large-scale multiphase research study. As a data collecting system, ADAM allows real-time data collection from wearable devices through the device's application programmable interface and the mobile app's adaptive real-time questionnaires.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Only 12% of Kenyan women participate in breast cancer screening programs, highlighting a significant gap in early detection, which is crucial for reducing the disease's risks.
- The study involved 317 women of reproductive age from Turbo Sub-County, using a mixed-method approach to assess their knowledge, attitudes, and lifestyle factors affecting screening uptake.
- Findings revealed that awareness of breast cancer signs notably increased screening likelihood, with positive attitudes boosting screening rates even further, while factors like breastfeeding and physical activity were also linked to higher screening rates.