Determinants of undernutrition among women of reproductive age in Tanzania mainland the progress made in Tanzania between 1999 and 2010 in reducing child undernutrition, millions of children and women of reproductive age still suffer from different forms of undernutrition. 5 According to the findings of the Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey (TDHS) 2004/2005, 40% of children aged ≤ 5 years were short in relation to their age (i.e. stunted); an indicator of chronic undernutrition. Ten per cent of non-pregnant women, excluding those who gave birth two months prior to the survey, had undernutrition, while 48% of women aged 15-49 years were anaemic, of whom 1% were severely anaemic. 6 Although mothers are the main care providers for children and families, they ignore their own health, which results in undernutrition, making those who offer care vulnerable to undernutrition. The susceptibility of women to undernutrition throughout their reproductive lives has also been emphasised in several reviews. 7,8

Introduction Overweight and obesity are a threat to the public health following their association with noncommunicable diseases, such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, and some cancers. Despite this fact, the information on overweight and obesity, particularly in most developing countries, is still scarce to address the problem. This article partly addresses the gap through the findings of a cross-sectional survey that was conducted in Dodoma Region, Central Tanzania, to determine the prevalence and correlates of abdominal obesity among adults. Methods Using a community-based cross-sectional survey, data were generated from the participants who aged 18 years and above. Simple random sampling and Kish selection table techniques were used to get the sample who responded through a face-to-face-administered questionnaire. Waist circumference was measured using the guideline of the WHO protocol of measuring waist and hip circumference. Abdominal obesity is defined as a condition with waist circumference >102 cm for men and >88 cm for women. Prevalence was computed with a 95% confidence interval. Simple and multiple logistic regression models were fitted to identify the risk factors associated with abdominal obesity. Results A total of 840 respondents took part in the study. The overall prevalence of abdominal obesity was found to be 24.88% (209/840). The prevalence of abdominal obesity was significantly higher among women than men (35.14% vs. 6.89%, p < 0.0001) and higher among urban dwellers (33.56%) than their rural counterparts (15.56%). Correlates of abdominal obesity was found to be gender, marital status, place of residence, age, education level, and the time used in watching television. Conclusion This study revealed a high prevalence of abdominal obesity among the people living in the Dodoma Region. Increased age, urban residence, more time spent on television, less walking per day, and being ever married were all associated with having abdominal obesity in this population.

BackgroundHigh blood pressure is increasing worldwide, disproportionately so in developing countries. Inadequate health care systems and adoption of unhealthy lifestyles have been linked to this emergent pattern. To better understand this trend, it is imperative we measure prevalence of hypertension, and examine specific risk factors, at a local level. This study provides a cross-sectional view of urban residents of Arusha City to determine prevalence and associated risk factors.MethodsBlood pressure was measured using a digital sphygmomanometer. Interviews were conducted using the WHO STEPwise survey questionnaire to assess lifestyle factors. Dietary intake information was collected by a standardized Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). Descriptive statistics were used to analyze demographic characteristics. Means and standard deviations were calculated for continuous variables and percentages for categorical variables. Pearson’s Chi Square (χ 2) tests were used to determine significant risk factors for hypertension, and multivariate log binomial regression was used to reveal potential predictors of hypertension. Dietary patterns were analyzed by principal component analysis.ResultsApproximately 45% of the study population was found to be hypertensive. The mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) of the sample was 102.3 mmHg (SD = 18.3). Mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure were 136.3 (SD = 30.5) and 85.3 (SD = 16.1) mmHg, respectively. Through multivariate analysis, age and body mass index were found to be independently, positively, associated with hypertension. Adherence to ‘healthy’ dietary pattern was negatively independently associated with hypertension.ConclusionsWith nearly half of participants being hypertensive, this study suggests that hypertension is a significant health risk in Arusha, Tanzania. Obesity, healthy diet, and age were found to be positively associated with hypertension risk. This study did not establish any significant association between increased blood pressure and Western-dietary pattern, cigarette smoking, alcohol intake, and physical activities.

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The occurrence of overweight and obesity has serious health implications. The 2010 Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey data set was reanalysed to compare the prevalences of overweight and obesity between Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar and to determine how demographic factors can predict overweight and obesity across the United Republic of Tanzania. About 7.92% of the Tanzanian women of reproductive age were obese, 15% were overweight, and 11.5% were underweight. Women from Mainland Tanzania (6.56%) were significantly less likely (AOR = 0.66, 95% CI: 0.53–0.82) to be affected by obesity as compared to women from Zanzibar (12.19%). The common predictors of obesity in Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar were wealth index, marital status, and age. Whereas the place of residence and education level emerged as predictors of obesity in the Mainland Tanzania alone, the number of meals per day did so in Zanzibar. Most importantly, Zanzibar had a greater prevalence of obesity compared to Mainland Tanzania.