Objective: To document the double burden of malnutrition and cardiometabolic risk factors (CMRF) in adults and its occurrence according to different sociodemographic parameters. Design: Population-based cross-sectional observational study. We first randomly selected 330 households stratified by tertile of the income levels proxy as low, middle and high income. Setting: Northern district of Ouagadougou, the capital city of Burkina Faso. Subjects: In each income stratum, 110 individuals aged 25-60 years and who had lived permanently in Ouagadougou for at least 6 months were randomly selected, followed with collection of anthropometric, socio-economic and clinical data, and blood samples. Results: The overall obesity/overweight prevalence was 24?2 % and it was twice as high in women as in men (34?1 % v. 15?5 %, P , 0?001). Hypertension, hyperglycaemia and low HDL cholesterol prevalence was 21?9 %, 22?3 % and 30?0 %, respectively, without gender difference. The prevalence of the metabolic syndrome was 10?3 %. Iron depletion and vitamin A deficiency affected 15?7 % and 25?7 % of participants, respectively, with higher rates in women. Coexistence of at least one nutritional deficiency and one CMRF was observed in 23?5 % of participants, and this 'double burden' was significantly higher in women than in men (30?4 % v. 16?1 %, P 5 0?008) and in the low income group. Conclusions: CMRF are becoming a leading nutritional problem in adults of Ouagadougou, while nutritional deficiencies persist. The double nutritional burden exacerbates health inequities and calls for action addressing both malnutrition and nutrition-related chronic diseases.

BackgroundMultiple factors determine children’s nutritional status, including energy and nutrient intake, recurrent infectious diseases, access (or lack thereof) to clean water and improved sanitation, and hygiene practices, among others. The “Vegetables go to School: improving nutrition through agricultural diversification” (VgtS) project implements an integrated school garden programme in five countries, including Burkina Faso. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of undernutrition and its risk factors among schoolchildren in Burkina Faso before the start of the project.MethodsIn February 2015, a cross-sectional survey was carried out among 455 randomly selected children, aged 8–14 years, in eight schools in the Plateau Central and Centre-Ouest regions of Burkina Faso. Nutritional status was determined by anthropometric assessment. Helminth and intestinal protozoa infections were assessed using the Kato-Katz and a formalin-ether concentration method. A urine filtration technique was used to identify Schistosoma haematobium eggs. Prevalence of anaemia was determined by measuring haemoglobin levels in finger-prick blood samples. Questionnaires were administered to children to determine their knowledge of nutrition and health and their related attitudes and practices (KAP). Questionnaires were also administered to the children’s caregivers to identify basic household socio-demographic and economic characteristics, and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) conditions. To determine the factors associated with schoolchildren’s nutritional status, mixed logistic regression models were used. Differences and associations were considered statistically significant if P-values were below 0.05.ResultsComplete datasets were available for 385 children. The prevalence of undernutrition, stunting and thinness were 35.1%, 29.4% and 11.2%, respectively. The multivariable analysis revealed that undernutrition was associated with older age (i.e. 12–14 years compared to <12 years; adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 3.45, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.12–5.62, P < 0.001), multiple pathogenic parasitic infections (aOR = 1.87, 95% CI 1.02–3.43, P = 0.044) and with moderate and severe anaemia in children (aOR = 2.52, 95% CI 1.25–5.08, P = 0.010).ConclusionsWe found high prevalence of undernutrition among the children surveyed in the two study regions of Burkina Faso. We further observed that undernutrition, anaemia and parasitic infections were strongly associated. In view of these findings, concerted efforts are needed to address undernutrition and associated risk factors among school-aged children. As part of the VgtS project, WASH, health education and nutritional interventions will be implemented with the goal to improve children’s health.Trial registration ISRCTN17968589 (date assigned: 17 July 2015).Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s40249-016-0230-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Safe drinking water access for rural populations in developing countries remains a challenge for a sustainable development, particularly in rural and periurban areas of Burkina Faso. The study aims to investigate the purifying capacity of Moringa oleifera defatted cake as compared to Moringa oleifera seed in the treatment of surface and well waters used for populations alimentation. A total of 90 water samples were collected in sterile glass bottles from 3 dams' water reservoirs, a river, and a large diameter well, respectively. The water samples were treated in triplicate with Moringa oleifera seed and defatted cake coagulants. At different settling time and coagulant concentration, turbidity and pH were measured to determine the optimal conditions and factors influencing treatment with regard to sampling source. Nine physicochemical parameters (turbidity, pH, nitrates, nitrites, calcium, magnesium, total hardness, organic matter and sulfates), three bacterial fecal pollution indicators (Escherichia coli, fecal Coliforms and fecal Streptococcus) and parasite cysts were monitored based on laboratory standard methods. Data were analyzed using the Student's t test and XLSTAT 7.5.2 statistical software. From the results obtained, for the same concentration of coagulant, settling time providing the lowest turbidity was significantly shorter (p < 0.0001) with Moringa oleifera cake than seed. Optimum settling time with Moringa oleifera cake was between 15-60 min versus 60-120 min, with Moringa oleifera seed. Both treatments significantly reduced minerals concentration in water excepted sulfates for which the concentration reversely increased. However, only Moringa oleifera cake treatment reduced organic matter content in all the water samples, while it increased with Moringa oleifera seed one (p < 0.0001). The reduction of microbial pollution indicators was 92%-100% with M. oleifera cake treatment and 84%-100% with M. oleifera seed one. Overall, for all water samples, Moringa oleifera cake treatment appeared more efficient in improving drinking water quality than the M. oleifera seed treatment.

The promotion of the consumption of indigenous plant species with high nutritional value is an important nutrition intervention in Africa rural areas. The current student was a randomized control trial of two groups (ᶲG₥ and ᶲGm) with a baseline and an endline evaluation after 12 weeks. A total of 119 pre-school children received Moringa leaf powder and changes in vitamin A and anthropometric indicators of children were assessed against changes for control group children. After 12 weeks, the mean WHZ reflecting acute malnutrition declined in both groups. The mean WHZ decreased from -2.31 z-score to -1.86 z-score in group 1 (ᶲG₥) and -2.20 z-score to -1.88 z-score in group 2 (ᶲGm) receiving Moringa as a dietary supplement with a statistically significant decrease in groups (p <0.001). The mean serum retinol concentration in children was below the cut-off defining VA deficiency (<0.7 µmol.L -1 ). The baseline prevalence of VA deficiency was 56.8% in group 1 and 53.8% in group 2. Mean retinol concentrations increased significantly from 0.64 µmol.L -1 to 0.73 µmol.L -1 (p <0.001) in Group 1 (ᶲG₥ (Control) and from 0.64 µmol.L -1 to 0.74 ± 0.05 µmol.L -1 (p <0.001) in group 2 (ᶲGm). Significant increase was observed regardless of gender in both groups. The change between groups was not statistically significant (p=0.838). Our findings showed that the intervention was not effective enough in the change in serum retinol status in children (p = 0.379). The change in serum retinol was significantly influenced by serum retinol concentration at baseline. Therefore, the promotion of Moringa leaf consumption should be complemented by additional approaches to increase VA intake, as well as through public health measures such as deworming programs, to enhance its effectiveness in the fight against VA deficiencies and many other micronutrients.

Within the framework of the contract of Sourou River, a survey of the groundwater quality was performed through 7 campaigns of water sampling and analysis from 2006 till 2012. The water samples resulted from 23 drillings and 9 wells located in the Sourou Valley. Among the analyzed physico-chemical parameters, the nitrates concentrations observed were worrisome. Out of 32 water sources, 14 (44%) supplied a nitrates content superior to the WHO threshold value for drinking water (50 mg NO₃/L). Very high concentrations, superior to 500 mg NO₃/L with a peak in 860 mg/L, were observed. Given the important variations observed from a sampling point to another, a generalized contamination of the total aquifer was not possible. An individual diagnosis allowed to identify the possible causes of this degradation. Several sources of contamination, in connection with the anthropological activities, were observed near the water facilities (drillings/wells): animal and human wild defecation, presence of nontight latrines, solid waste, wastewater discharges. It is also advisable to wonder about the impact of the dynamite use for digging wells, this one being able to leave nitrates in the water. With regard to the intensive use of water from the strongly contaminated wells and drillings by the rural populations of Sourou, implementing protection areas within which would be eliminated the sources of contamination in addition to health education among populations could improve the situation. Care should also be taken in the use of nitrates explosives for digging new wells or drillings

Safe drinking water access for rural populations in developing countries remains a challenge for a sustainable development. The study aims to investigate the drinking water quality and the factors affecting this quality in the Sourou valley in Burkina Faso. A total of 135 water samples were collected in sterile glass bottles during the dry seasons 2007, 2008, and 2012 from 10 drillings and 5 wells. Fifteen physicochemical parameters and two fecal pollution indicators (Escherichia coli and fecal Coliforms) were monitored based on laboratory standard methods. Datas were analyzed, using the Student t’ test and XLSTAT 7.5.2 statistical software. From results obtained, water quality was related to water source and sampling period as well (p < 0.0001). 30% of drillings provided water with nitrates concentration over the World Health Organization (WHO) guideline value. High turbidity was also observed for some drillings. Moreover, 90% of drillings showed water total hardness largely over the WHO threshold value. Water from drillings were exempt of fecal pollution, contrasting with the wells one which appeared uniformly polluted with concentrations exceeding sometimes 10³ and 10⁴ CFU/100 ml for E. coli and fecal Coliforms, respectively. Field investigations showed a preference of wells as drinking water source, and that appeared related to the lack of self-management of drillings and to cultural considerations. Overall, this study highlighted that a regular survey of water quality, management of protection zones around drinking water sources, sensitization on water resources self-management, hygiene and health issues, and providing appropriate household disinfection methods could help advancing to reach an effective safe drinking water access for rural populations in the country.

Profil parasitologique de deux formes de schistosomiase (formes urinaire et intestinale) dans dix sites du Burkina Faso (pays d'Afrique subsaharienne)Parasitological profile of two forms of schistosomiasis (urinary and intestinal forms) at ten sites in Burkina Faso (Sub-Saharan Africa country

Urban truck farming in developing countries appears of great importance to overcome unemployment and poverty. However, the quality of wastewater used for such activity could expose populations to waterborne diseases. The microbial quality of wastewaters used for truck farming in Ouagadougou city, was examined for the presence of bacterial and parasitological fecal indicators during the dry-hot season (May) and the wet season (July) in 2012. The wastewaters of three water reservoirs and two canals intensively used for truck farming were analyzed throughout the study. These indicators were also monitored in waste stabilization ponds during wastewater treatment in 3 plants of the city. For all the selected sampling sites, the concentrations of microbial indicators in water were significantly higher in the dry-hot season compared to the wet one (p < 0.0001) and ranged to 2200 -53,800 CFU/100ml for Escherichia coli, 8200 -108,400 CFU/100ml for fecal coliforms, 650 -45,000 CFU/100ml) for fecal streptococcus, and 0 -2.4 eggs/l for helminthes during the study periods. For wastewater under treatment in waste stabilization ponds, significant microbial concentration drops (p < 0.0001) in the range of 82% -100%, 78% -98%, 60% -100% and 82% -88%, respectively were recorded between the anaerobic and the maturation ponds. The later results highlighted that improving the refining performances of the waste stabilization ponds technology could help decreasing health risks related to wastewater reuse in urban agriculture for a sustainable development of cities in developing countries.