Socio-economic predictors of undernutrition and anaemia in adolescent mothers in West and Central Africa.

Background: Adolescence is a formative period when an individual acquires physical, cognitive, emotional, and social resources that are the foundation for later life, health, and well-being [1]. However, in West and Central African region, this trajectory is curtailed by early childbearing associated with an increased risk of undernutrition and anemia. Evidence on socio-economic determinants of anemia and undernutrition in adolescent mothers is limited.

Levels and trends of adolescent girl's undernutrition and anemia in West and Central Africa from 1998 to 2017.

Background: Adolescence is a highly vulnerable period of human life characterized by substantial physiological and cognitive changes for which adequate nutrition is crucial. To date, evidence on determinants, prevalence, and trends of undernutrition and anemia for the entire West and Central African region is missing. This paper provides evidence on trends and levels of adolescent anemia and undernutrition in West and Central Africa.

Levels and trends of adolescent marriage and maternity in West and Central Africa, 1986-2017.

Background: The world has made considerable progress in the reduction of adolescent maternity and early marriage. However, this progress has been uneven, with many countries finding themselves far from achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in this dimension. We assessed levels and trends over time in adolescent marriage and maternity prevalence within the West and Central African region as well as their correlation with select macro-level indicators for income and social institutions.

[Abdominal obesity and other cardiometabolic risk biomarkers: influence of socioeconomic status and lifestyle on two African-origin population groups, Cotonou (Benin) and Port-au-Prince (Haiti)].

Introduction: Increased cardio metabolic risk (CMR) in low- and middle-income countries is largely due to rapid nutrition transition. We conducted a study of two African-origin populations groups living, however, in widely different settings. It aimed to assess the relationship between lifestyle and CMR biomarkers as well as between abdominal obesity (AO) and other biomarkers.

A comprehensive mapping of the current capacity for human nutrition training in Cameroon.

Background: There is consensus among stakeholders in Cameroon on the need to develop and strengthen human resource capacity for nutrition. This study was conducted to provide a comprehensive mapping of the current capacity for tertiary-level human nutrition training in Cameroon.

Design: Participating institutions included university-level institutions offering dedicated nutrition degree programs or other programs in which nutrition courses were taught.

Specific cut-off points for waist circumference and waist-to-height ratio as predictors of cardiometabolic risk in Black subjects: a cross-sectional study in Benin and Haiti.

Purpose: Waist circumference (WC) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) are widely used as indicators of abdominal adiposity and the cut-off values have been validated primarily in Caucasians. In this study we identified the WC and WHtR cut-off points that best predicted cardiometabolic risk (CMR) in groups of African (Benin) and African ancestry (Haiti) Black subjects.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included 452 apparently healthy subjects from Cotonou (Benin) and Port-au-Prince (Haiti), 217 women and 235 men from 25 to 60 years.

University-level nutrition training in West Africa: cost and financing issues.

Background: There is a serious shortage of skilled nutrition professionals in West Africa. Investing in nutrition training is one of the strategies for strengthening the human resource base in nutrition. However, little is known about how nutrition training in the region is financed and the levels of tuition fees charged.

Nutrition training in medical and other health professional schools in West Africa: the need to improve current approaches and enhance training effectiveness.

Background: Health professionals play a key role in the delivery of nutrition interventions. Improving the quality of nutrition training in health professional schools is vital for building the necessary human resource capacity to implement effective interventions for reducing malnutrition in West Africa. This study was undertaken to assess the current status of nutrition training in medical, nursing and midwifery schools in West Africa.

A systematic assessment of the current capacity to act in nutrition in West Africa: cross-country similarities and differences.

Background: Although it is widely accepted that lack of capacity is one of the barriers to scaling up nutrition in West Africa, there is a paucity of information about what capacities exist and the capacities that need to be developed to accelerate progress toward improved nutrition outcomes in the region.

Objective: To systematically assess the current capacity to act in nutrition in the West Africa region and explore cross-country similarities and differences.

Design: Data were collected from 13 West African countries through interviews with government officials, key development partners, tertiary-level training institutions, and health professional schools.

Region-wide assessment of the capacity for human nutrition training in West Africa: current situation, challenges, and way forward.

Background: There is a dearth of information on existing nutrition training programs in West Africa. A preliminary step in the process of developing a comprehensive framework to strengthen human capacity for nutrition is to conduct an inventory of existing training programs.

Objective: This study was conducted to provide baseline data on university-level nutrition training programs that exist in the 16 countries in West Africa.

At-risk serum cholesterol profile at both ends of the nutrition spectrum in West African adults? The Benin study.

Low HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C), using as cut-offs 1.03 mmol/L in men and 1.29 mmol/L in women, was observed in more than 25% apparently healthy adults (n = 541) in a cross-sectional study on nutrition transition and cardiometabolic risk factors (CMRF) in Benin, West Africa.

Lifestyle and dietary factors associated with the evolution of cardiometabolic risk over four years in West-African adults: the Benin study.

Aim: To assess in adults from Benin changes in cardiometabolic risk (CMR) using both the Framingham risk score (FRS) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) and to examine the effects of diet, and lifestyles, controlling for location and socioeconomic status.

Methods: Apparently healthy subjects (n = 541) aged 25-60 years and randomly selected in the largest city, a small town, and rural areas were included in the four-year longitudinal study. Along with CMR factors, socioeconomic, diet and lifestyle data were collected in individual interviews.

Urbanisation, nutrition transition and cardiometabolic risk: the Benin study.

A rising prevalence of CVD and diabetes has been observed in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in cities. The aim of the present study conducted in Benin was to examine the mediating role of nutrition transition in the relationship of urbanisation level and socio-economic status (SES) to cardiometabolic risk markers. A total of 541 subjects in apparent good health were randomly selected from the main city of Cotonou, a small town and its surrounding rural areas.

Nutritional value of locally produced foods and potential for developing age-appropriate complementary foods for children under 2 years of age in Mali.

Background: Promotion of dietary diversity using locally available nutritious foods is an effective approach in low-income areas to improve the quality of young children's diet and, hence, their growth and development.

Objective: To identify the nutritional values of locally acceptable, feasible, affordable, and sustainable foods and develop a number of recipes that could be used to complement effectively nutrient intakes provided through breastfeeding to children 6 to 23 months of age in Bandiagara, Mali.

Methods: Structured questionnaires were used to obtain lists of all locally available foods during village assembly meetings and identify the food basket of households and child feeding practices during interviews with mothers and fathers.

Obesity and cardio-metabolic risk factors in urban adults of Benin: relationship with socio-economic status, urbanisation, and lifestyle patterns.

Background: There is a dearth of information on diet-related chronic diseases in West Africa. This cross-sectional study assessed the rate of obesity and other cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in a random sample of 200 urban adults in Benin and explored the associations between these factors and socio-economic status (SES), urbanisation as well as lifestyle patterns.

Methods: Anthropometric parameters (height, weight and waist circumference), blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, and serum lipids (HDL-cholesterol and triglycerides) were measured.