Physical activity level, nutritional intake, functional status and quality of life of geriatric individuals in Lagos, South-West, Nigeria: a cross sectional survey.

BACKGROUND: Participation in physical activity (PA) and healthy nutrition are important factors that affects muscle and bone strength and the resultant functioning in the activities of daily living (ADL) skills including the overall quality of life (QoL) of geriatric individuals. However, the relationships between all these parameters are yet to be fully documented and studies from developing countries are lacking. OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to investigate the relationships between PA level, frequency of nutritional intake of food rich in calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, vitamin D and the basic ADL, instrumental ADL and QoL of geriatric individuals in Lagos, Nigeria. METHODS: A cross-sectional study involving 394 geriatric individuals. A combination of standardized questionnaires which assessed the socio-demographic parameters, PA level, frequency of intake of food rich in calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, vitamin D, ADL skills, and QoL of the geriatric individuals was used. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson's chi-square. RESULTS: The highest proportion (35.5%) of participating geriatric individuals was at the active PA level. PA level was statistically associated with QoL, basic and instrumental ADL, (X2 = 199.57, p = 0.001; X2 = 87.07, p = 0.000; and X2 = 164.53, p = 0.001 respectively). There was also an association between frequency of intake of food rich in calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, vitamin D and the basic ADL (X2 = 97.43, p = 0.001), instrumental ADL (X2 = 151.56, p = 0.001) and QoL (X2 = 250.21, p = 0.001) of the studied geriatric individuals. CONCLUSION: The study demonstrated that an increase in PA level and regular intake of food rich in calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, vitamin D were associated with optimal functional status and better QoL in geriatric individuals. Educational programmes on the importance of participation in regular PA and healthy nutrition are imperative and recommended for geriatric individuals.

Zinc supplementation in children with acute diarrhoea.

BACKGROUND: In Nigeria, diarrhoeal disease is second only to malaria as a cause of death the under 5 age group. This study was aimed at assessing the benefit or otherwise of zinc supplement in acute diarrhoea. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This was a multi-centred randomized double blind controlled study. Children with acute diarrhoea aged between 6 and 24 months were randomized into zinc supplemented and placebo groups. Plasma zinc levels were analyzed at enrollment and at the end of the study. The children were reviewed for the next three months from the time of enrollment. RESULTS: The mean plasma zinc levels at baseline and at the end of the study were 0.06 +/- 0.04 and 0.067 +/- 0.03 ppm in the zinc supplemented group and 0.11 +/- 0.02 and 0.05 +/- 0.03 ppm in the control group. The differences were not statistically significant. The zinc supplemented group had an average weight gain of 1.1 kg as against 0.73 kg (p = 0.00) for the control group in the study period. No adverse effect was reported on account of zinc supplementation. CONCLUSION: Zinc supplementation is beneficial in acute diarrhoea as observed in this study.

Inter-relationships between lifestyle and diabetes mellitus, overweight/obesity and hypertension in Nigeria.

This study of inter-relationship between life styles and diabetes mellitus, overweight/obesity and hypertension was carried out to determine the life styles of the bank workers and the nutritional related diseases. A total sample of 570 was systematically drawn from workers of the United Bank for Africa Plc in Lagos for this study, with the following results. Not surprisingly the level of education influenced life style (P<0.05). There was also a statistically significant relationship between life style and the consumption of alcohol and diabetes, but no relationship was found between smoking and diabetes. There was a significant correlation with their consumption of fatty foods and vegetables. A relationship between increased protein intake and an increase in educational status (P<0.05) was found. There was association between obesity and hypertension (P<0.05), and between increase in frequency of clinic visitation and hypertension which was statistically significant (Chi square P<.05).

The relationship between dietary habits and body-mass index using the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria as the sample.

This was a cross sectional survey of selected sample of staff of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, Lagos, conducted in July to August, 2000. Feeding patterns observed among the sampled population showed that most (74.4%) ate three meals while 11.2% ate more than three meals daily. However, lunch was the most common meal eaten away from home by most (59.0%) of the respondents. Most of the respondents were observed to substitute snacks for their lunch (84.3%). Their food consumption pattern revealed that 23.2% consumed cereals daily while only 5.6% of the respondents consumed fruits and only 10.9% affirmed to consuming vegetables daily. Consumption pattern of other foods revealed that 15.6% consumed dairy products daily, meat/fish was daily consumed by only 16.2% and only 10.0% consumed fats and oils daily in the meals. Gender was also observed to influence feeding patterns of the sampled population studied. Most of the men consumed more meals per day than females. Only 46.4% of all the respondents had BMI values within normal acceptable range. Most of the respondents that were underweight were men (91.4%). Blood pressure measurements revealed that most of them had normal systolic (78.3%) and diastolic blood pressure (81.8%). Though 3.9% had severely high systolic blood pressure and 0.7% had severely high diastolic blood pressure. Only 20.5% of the study population had acceptable blood cholesterol levels of which only 61.1% had BMI values within the normal acceptable range. Only 0.8% of the study population had very high blood cholesterol levels with majority of the population 72.7% on the borderline. It is recommended that health and nutrition education be mounted and that periodic anthropometric measurements be used to evaluate the risk of some non-communicable diseases.

Comparative anthropometrics of 3 to 24-month-old children breastfed in both high and low socio-economic strata in Lagos, Nigeria.

This is a cross-sectional study of infants seen in the Nitel Health Centres in Lagos metropolis and Mushin Primary Health Care Centres in the Mushin Local Government Area of Lagos State. A total of 297 infants aged 3-24 months were studied. Anthropometric and breast feeding patterns of the children were studied. The mean weights of the mothers were 67.2 kg for Nitel mothers and 62.11 kg for the mothers in Mushin Primary Health Care Centres. The mean heights for the mothers were 71.47 cm and 66.1 cm, respectively. About 98.8% of the mothers in the Primary Health Care Centres of Mushin breastfed. About 7.4% of the total population studied had WAZ scores of less than -2s.d. while 12.8% had HAZ scores of less than -2s.d. and 7.43% had WHZ scores of less than -2s.d. Malnutrition was considered to be very high. There was a positive correlation between the anthropometric measurement and education.

Assessment of nutritional status using anthropometric methods on 1-4 year old children in an urban ghetto in Lagos, Nigeria.

This study assessed the nutritional status using anthropometry of 1-4 year old children in an urban slum in the Mushin Local Government Area of Lagos State, with a view to determining the impact of urbanization on child health. A total of 365 children were enrolled using multistage random sampling techniques. Anthropometric measurements used were weight and height. Height-for-age, weight-for-height, and weight-for-age Z-scores below -2.00 SD of the reference NCHS standard were used to define stunting, wasting and underweight, respectively. The study revealed a prevalence of underweight of 39.2%, stunting of 34.5% and wasting of 21.9%. The mean of weight-for-age, height-for-age, weight-for-height and mid-upper-arm-circumference were less than the mean of the NCHS reference population. This difference might be due to the socio economic backgrounds of the two populations. Using the modified Wellcome Classification of malnutrition, 37.8% of the children were malnourished. Most subjects came from homes with inadequate water supply and poor refuse disposal methods.

A study of prevalence of protein energy malnutrition among 0-5 years in rural Benue State, Nigeria.

Three hundred and seventy pre-school children (181 males and 189 females) were studied in order to document the prevalence of protein energy malnutrition and factors that militate it. The prevalence of protein energy malnutrition among the children was revealed to be 41.6% (154). One hundred and fiftyone (40.8%) of them were found to have weight-for-height below -2SD indicating level of stunting among the children. Most malnourished children belonged to mothers who were illiterate 97 (54.8%) when viewed from the mothers' educational perspective. This study also showed the following factors that were statistically significant with PEM: educational status of mothers (p<0.05), marital status (p<0.05) of mothers, occupational status of mothers (p=0.000), parental income per annum (p=0.000), length of breastfeeding (p=0.000), water supply and regularity, type of housing and toilet facilities. Intensification of health education aimed at encouraging beneficial childhood feeding practices in the community is needed together with further study on the subject, which will be directed at actual analysis of the nutritive values of available local foodstuffs as a prerequisite for an effective intervention programme.

Nutritional status of public primary school children: a comparison between an upland and riverine area of Ojo LGA, Lagos State Nigeria.

This cross sectional study was carried out to compare the nutritional status of public primary school children in an upland and a riverine area of Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State, Nigeria. A multistage sampling method was used to select a total of 240 children, 120 from each of the two areas. The study population for each area had an equal sex distribution (60 boys and 60 girls). Dietary, anthropometric, clinical and laboratory methods were employed. Using the National Centre for Health Statistics (NCHS/WHO) Reference values, a malnutrition prevalence of 20.8 and 30.81 for the upland and riverine populations respectively was found. There was a stunting in 15.8% of upland and 30.0% of riverine children; 3.3% and 1.7% of them were wasted, and 14.2% in the upland and 18.3% in the rural area were underweight. The mean weights and heights for boys and girls of different ages were lower for the riverine group, although no statistically significant differences were found. Anaemia occurred among 25.0% and 29.2% of the upland and riverine groups respectively. Intestinal helminth infection was found to be significantly associated with malnutrition. Ascaris had a prevalence of 46.7% in the upland and 63.3% in the riverine area. Trichuris had a prevalence of 15.0% and 19.2% in the upland and riverine area respectively. To address the malnutrition problem in these populations, efforts should be aimed at increasing food availability and quality, personal and environmental hygiene, supply of basic amenities, prevention and treatment of infection, and general living conditions of these populations.

Nutritional status of nursery school children: a comparison between Lagos State (Southern Nigeria) and Jos, Plateau State (Northern Nigeria).

This comparative study was carried out to assess the nutritional status of preschool children in the Southern part of Nigeria (Lagos) and Jos, Plateau State in the Northern part of Nigeria. A total of 393 nursery school children aged 24-77 months in 5 schools (3 in Jos, 2 in Lagos) were randomly selected by multistage sampling. Anthropometric data (height, weight and age) were taken from the subjects and dietary information, weaning and breastfeeding history and general socio economic data were obtained from the parents by administering questionnaires. Weight/Height Z-score (WHZ) differed significantly between Jos (3.0%) and Lagos (11.6%), while weight/age (WAZ) was found to have the same prevalence rate in both locations (2.5%) each. This WAZ score is the normal expected prevalence in a standard population of children. Height/Age Z-scores (HAZ) were not statistically different in both South and North, 2.5% HAZ < -2.0 SD in Jos and 0.0% HAZ < -2.0 SD in Lagos. The intestinal parasitosis rates in this study were as follows: in Jos, a 13.5% infection rate was found, and in Lagos, the infection rate was 8.8%.

A study on the effects of urbanization on the nutritional status of primary school children in Lagos, Nigeria.

A study on the effects of urbanization on the nutritional status of primary school children aged 5-10 years was carried out in Lagos. A total of 328 children and their parents were studied with the aid of a questionnaire, anthropometric measurements of weights and heights and stool microscopy. The study revealed a prevalence of protein energy malnutrition (PEM) among the children to be 37.9%. 125 (38.2%) of them were found to have weight-for-height below -2SD (standard deviation) signifying wasting, while another 133 (40.5%) had a height-for-age below -2SD, indicating the level of stunting among the children. Most of the malnourished children 125 (60.7%) were found to belong to mothers with a maximum of primary school education and 73 (52.5%) were from mothers who were skilled workers. There was a preponderance of malnourished children from single parents. All the children (100%) from single parents were found to be clinically malnourished. And 280 (84.9%) of all children examined had ova and cyst of intestinal parasites (Ascaris, Tricuris, Amoeba, etc.) in their stools. And finally, most children 223 (67.7%) spent less than 6 hours contact time with their parents per day.

Oral health knowledge, attitude and behaviour of 12-year-old suburban and rural school children in Nigeria.

The aim of the study was to investigate the oral health knowledge, attitudes and behaviour of 12-year-old primary school children living in suburban and rural Nigeria. A total of 574 children mostly from low socioeconomic status were studied through questionnaires. Relatively high level of oral health knowledge and positive attitudes to prevention were found. Majority of suburban children (72.5%) cleaned their teeth with toothbrush and toothpaste while most of the rural dwellers (49.8%) used chewing sticks. Overall, 83.5 per cent of all the children had never visited the dentist despite the fact that most of them believed it was necessary to visit the dentist for check-up. It was concluded that oral health education programme should be targeted to the need of the communities.

Malocclusion in 12-year-old suburban and rural Nigerian children.

There is little information about occlusal patterns in suburban and rural Nigerian populations. This survey was initiated to assess and compare malocclusion in 12-year-old primary school children residing in two communities of Ile-Ife (suburban) and Imesi-Ile (rural). Five hundred and seventy-four children were randomly selected comprising equal numbers of children from the two populations. They were examined using modified criteria described by Bjork, Krebs and Solow (1964). No significant differences were found between genders and in antero-posterior dental arch relationship. Crowding and spacing were more prevalent in suburban than rural children with anterior crowding significantly higher in the suburban than the rural population. Crossbite was not a common occlusal feature. There were however statistically significant differences in overjet, and overbite values in children from both populations (P < 0.001).