An overview of the nutrition transition in West Africa: implications for non-communicable diseases

Abstract

The nutrition landscape in West Africa has been dominated by the programmes to address undernutrition. However, with increasing urbanisation, technological developments and associated change in dietary patterns and physical activity, childhood and adult overweight, and obesity are becoming more prevalent. There is an evidence of increasing intake of dietary energy, fat, sugars and protein. There is low consumption of fruit and vegetables universally in West Africa. Overall, the foods consumed are predominantly traditional with the component major food groups within recommended levels. Most of the West African countries are at the early stages of nutrition transition but countries such as Cape Verde, Ghana and Senegal are at the latter stages. In the major cities of the region, children consume energy-dense foods such as candies, ice cream and sweetened beverages up to seven times as frequently as fruit and vegetables. Adult obesity rates have increased by 115 % in 15 years since 2004. In Ghana, the prevalence of overweight/obesity in women has increased from 12·8 % in 1993 to 29·9 % in 2008. In Accra, overweight/obesity in women has increased from 62·2 % in 2003 to 64·9 % in 2009. The age-standardised proportion of adults who engage in adequate levels of physical activity ranges from 46·8 % in Mali to 94·7 % in Benin. The lingering stunting in children and the rising overweight in adults have resulted to a dual burden of malnutrition affecting 16·2 % of mother-child pairs in Cotonou. The prevalence of hypertension has been increased and ranges from 17·6 % in Burkina Faso to 38·7 % in Cape Verde. The prevalence is higher in the cities: 40·2 % in Ougadougou, 46·0 % in St Louis and 54·6 % in Accra. The prevalence of diabetes ranges from 2·5 to 7·9 % but could be as high as 17·9 % in Dakar, Senegal. The consequences of nutrition transition are not only being felt by the persons in the high socioeconomic class, but also in cities such as Accra and Ouagadougou, where at least 19 % of adults from the poorest households are overweight and 19-28 % have hypertension. Concerted national action involving governments, partners, private sector and civil society is needed to re-orient health systems and build capacity to address the dual burden of malnutrition, to regulate the food and beverage industry and to encourage healthy eating throughout the life course.

Can Urbanization, Social and Spatial Disparities Help to Understand the Rise of Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Bobo-Dioulasso? A Study in a Secondary City of Burkina Faso, West Africa

“…In 2003, a similar study carried out in Ouagadougou, the capital city of Burkina Faso, reported that 40.2% of participants had hypertension [22] and 33% overweight/obesity [23]. Like in the present study, high BMI (overweight/obesity) was more frequent in women, while high blood pressure in men [22,23,24,25,26]. These results indicate that the shift toward chronic diseases is taking place in Burkina Faso, particularly in its capital city, and highlight, as hypothesized, the role of urbanization in this process [27], for instance by promoting lifestyle changes, such as nutrition transition [9,28].…”

Dietary patterns and associated risk factors among school age children in urban Ghana

“…Although most West African countries are in the early stages of this transition, Ghana and other countries like Cape Verde and Senegal are at latter stages [5]. The characteristic changes in diets from traditional foods (less saturated fats and sugars, more whole grains, fruits and vegetables) to more 'westernised diets' (high in saturated fats, protein, refined carbohydrates, simple sugars and salt) and frequent consumption of fast foods has been observed in non-western societies [5][6][7][8].…”

Constraints to Vegetable Production Resulting from Pest and Diseases Induced by Climate Change and Globalization: A Review

“…Foods that contain vitamins, minerals and folate are highly essential for preventing foetal damage in pregnant women (FAO/WHO, 2004). There is nutrition transition in the west African countries such as Ghana and Senegal (Bosu, 2015). There is high consumption of sugar and fatty foods leading to increasing rates of obesity by 115% since 2004 in the west African countries with less consumption of vegetables and fruits (Bosu, 2015).…”

“…There is nutrition transition in the west African countries such as Ghana and Senegal (Bosu, 2015). There is high consumption of sugar and fatty foods leading to increasing rates of obesity by 115% since 2004 in the west African countries with less consumption of vegetables and fruits (Bosu, 2015). Studies have shown that there is increased rate of hypertension in Burkina Faso and Cape Verde due to lack of good nutrition consumption (Busu, 2015).…”