Prevalence of obesity and associated risk factors among adults in Kinondoni municipal district, Dar es Salaam Tanzania

Obesity is on the rise worldwide, not sparing developing countries. Both demographic and socio-economic factors play parts in obesity causation. Few surveys have been conducted in Tanzania to determine the magnitude of obesity and its association with these risk factors. This study aimed at determining the prevalence of obesity and its associated risk factors among adults aged 18 - 65 years in Kinondoni municipality, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania from April 2007 to April 2008. Random sampling of households was performed. Interviews and anthropometric measurement were carried out to eligible and consenting members of the selected households. Obesity was defined using Body Mass Index (BMI).\ud Out of 1249 subjects recruited, 814 (65.2%) were females. The overall prevalence of obesity was 19.2% (240/1249). However, obesity was significantly more prevalent in women (24.7%) than men (9%), p < 0.001, among respondents with high socio-economic status (29.2%) as compared to those with medium (14.3%) and low socio-economic status (11.3%), p value for trend < 0.001, and among respondents with light intensity activities (26.0%), p value for trend < 0.001.\ud This study revealed a higher prevalence of obesity among Kinondoni residents than previously reported in other parts of the country. Independent predictors of obesity in the population studied were increasing age, marriage and cohabitation, high SES, female sex and less vigorous physical activities

Public policy, health system, and community actions against illness as platforms for response to NCDs in Tanzania: a narrative review

This review was supported by grants from the Netherlands Organization for International Co-operation in Higher Education and the Ifakara Health Institute, Tanzania

Socio-demographic determinants of basic knowledge on HIV care and treatment among HIV infected patients at Muhimbili National Hospital, Dar es Salaam Tanzania: A cross sectional study

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess patient’s basic knowledge on their own Human Immunodeficiency viral infection care and treatment, and socio-demographic determinants of such knowledge.Methods: A cross-sectional study conducted at the Muhimbili National Hospital HIV clinic between August and September 2013 among HIV infected adults. Socio-demographic data was collected. Ten knowledge questions were used to assess patients’ basic knowledge on HIV care and treatment. Patients were considered knowledgeable if they scored 80 percent in the knowledge questions and not knowledgeable if they scored &lt;80 percent. CTC card number 1 and 2 were used to verify information given by patients. Chi square and Fisher’s exact test were used to compare categorical variables. Determinants of the knowledge were analyzed using logistic regression. P value of 0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results: A total of 267 patients participated in the study. Majority was females (76%), age 36 years (68.5%), jobless (35.2%) and those with education below secondary level (68.1%). Generally, 57.3% (153/267) of the respondents had basic knowledge on their HIV care and treatment. Age group 18-25 years had high percentage of knowledgeable respondents (12/14, 85.7%), p=0.029, so were those with secondary and post-secondary education (36/46, 78.3%), p=0.002, those who got HIV information from multiple sources (70/91, 76.9%), p&lt;0.001, and those with HIV infection for 8 years (60/76, 75.9%). Females were more likely to know the indications for trimethoprimsulphamethoxazole chemoprophylaxis and effects of unprotected sex while using ARV than were men, p= 0.005, and 0.004 respectively.Conclusion: Fewer patients were knowledgeable. Knowledge was influenced by young age, secondary and post-secondary education, mixed sources of HIV information and longer duration of HIV disease. Predictors of knowledge were level of education, source of HIV information and duration of HIV.Keywords: HIV care and treatment, basic HIV knowledge, socio-demographic determinants, HIV-infected patient