Relationship between diet and cardiovascular disease risk factors among middle- aged men and women in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Background:The prevalence of cardiovascular diseases is increasing in most developing countries, especially in urban settings. Despite this increasing trend, there is limited data on the association between diet and cardiovascular disease risk factors in Tanzania. Objective: To assess the frequency of intake of various foods and explore their relationship with cardiovascular disease risk factors Design: Cross-sectional epidemiological study Study setting: Five randomly selected wards in Temeke district, Dar es Salaam Subjects: Two hundred and nine men and women aged 44-66 years Outcome measures: Blood pressure measured using a standardized digital blood pressure measuring machine, anthropometric measurements, lipid profile and a dietary history which was obtained using a seven-day recall food frequency questionnaire Results: Overall; ugali, tea, green vegetables, white rice, fish and fruits were the most frequently consumed foods in this population. No gender differences were noted in the consumption of the various foods. Overweight and obese participants had significantly higher intakes of beverages, white rice and fruits compared to normal subjects (all p <0.05). Higher monthly income was significantly associated with higher consumption of white rice, meat and fruits (all p<0.05). Frequency of intake of beverages correlated positively and significantly with BMI, total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol (all p<0.05). Consumption of rice correlated positively with BMI and HDL-cholesterol (all p<0.05) while meat correlated with only BMI (p=0.006). Logistic regression analysis revealed that white rice was the most important dietary determinant of BMI (β=1.91, p=0.038, 95% CI=0.1-3.7) in this population.Conclusion: Consumption of beverages, white rice and meat is associated with obesity in this population. Advocacy on the importance of healthy dietary habits and obesity control as primary and cost-effective intervention is of utmost importance in Tanzania.Key words: Cardiovascular disease risk factors, diet, Middle-aged, Dar es Salaam, Tanzani

Socio-economic status, urbanization, and cardiometabolic risk factors among middle-aged adults in Tanzania

Objective: This study was conducted to examine the associations between socioeconomic status, urbanization, and cardio-metabolic risk factors in Tanzania.Methods: Participants were 209 adults (45-66 years) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. A structured questionnaire was used to evaluate socioeconomic status and behavioral characteristics, including income, education, occupation, residence (urban, rural, mixed), dietary factors, and smoking. Blood samples were collected and analyzed to measure lipid profiles and fasting glucose levels. Cardiometabolic risk factors were defined using World Health Organization criteria.Results: Urban residence and higher socioeconomic status were associated with decreased intake of traditional staple food (ugali), and increased consumption of meat products and beverages. Higher socioeconomic status was associated with a significant 3.5-kg/m2 higher BMI (p=0.0001) and 8 cm higher waist circumference (p<0.001), and a three-fold increase in the risk of obesity. Urban residence was associated with poorer lipid profile, including significantly higher total cholesterol, increased LDL cholesterol, but lower triglycerides, compared to rural residence. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was high (38%), and was associated with increased socioeconomic status.Conclusion: Urban residence and higher socioeconomic status were important correlates of cardiometabolic risk factors, including obesity and poorer lipid profile. Primary prevention and health screening strategies are needed to target cardiometabolic risk factors in urban areas, to reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease in Tanzania.Keywords: Socioeconomic status, urbanization, cardiometabolic risk factors, diet, Tanzani

Scaffolding in tissue engineering: general approaches and tissue-specific considerations

Scaffolds represent important components for tissue engineering. However, researchers often encounter an enormous variety of choices when selecting scaffolds for tissue engineering. This paper aims to review the functions of scaffolds and the major scaffolding approaches as important guidelines for selecting scaffolds and discuss the tissue-specific considerations for scaffolding, using intervertebral disc as an example