Trends and inequalities in the nutritional status of adolescent girls and adult women in sub-Saharan Africa since 2000: a cross-sectional series study

Introduction Evidence on the rate at which the double burden of malnutrition unfolds is limited. We quantified trends and inequalities in the nutritional status of adolescent girls and adult women in sub-Saharan Africa.Methods We analysed 102 Demographic and Health Surveys between 1993 and 2017 from...

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Main Authors: Serge M A Somda, Abdoulaye Maïga, Safia S Jiwani, Cheikh Mbacké Faye, Shelley Walton, Tome Ca, Richard Kumapley, Giovanna Gatica-Domínguez, Elizabeth Hazel, Inacio Crochemore-Silva, Barbara Baille, Sujata Bose, William K Bosu, Kofi Busia, Ferima Coulibaly-Zerbo, Vrinda Mehra, Roosmarijn Verstraeten
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2020-10-01
Series:BMJ Global Health
Online Access:https://gh.bmj.com/content/5/10/e002948.full
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author Serge M A Somda
Abdoulaye Maïga
Safia S Jiwani
Cheikh Mbacké Faye
Shelley Walton
Tome Ca
Richard Kumapley
Giovanna Gatica-Domínguez
Elizabeth Hazel
Inacio Crochemore-Silva
Barbara Baille
Sujata Bose
William K Bosu
Kofi Busia
Ferima Coulibaly-Zerbo
Vrinda Mehra
Roosmarijn Verstraeten
author_facet Serge M A Somda
Abdoulaye Maïga
Safia S Jiwani
Cheikh Mbacké Faye
Shelley Walton
Tome Ca
Richard Kumapley
Giovanna Gatica-Domínguez
Elizabeth Hazel
Inacio Crochemore-Silva
Barbara Baille
Sujata Bose
William K Bosu
Kofi Busia
Ferima Coulibaly-Zerbo
Vrinda Mehra
Roosmarijn Verstraeten
author_sort Serge M A Somda
collection DOAJ
description Introduction Evidence on the rate at which the double burden of malnutrition unfolds is limited. We quantified trends and inequalities in the nutritional status of adolescent girls and adult women in sub-Saharan Africa.Methods We analysed 102 Demographic and Health Surveys between 1993 and 2017 from 35 countries. We assessed regional trends through cross-sectional series analyses and ran multilevel linear regression models to estimate the average annual rate of change (AARC) in the prevalence of underweight, anaemia, anaemia during pregnancy, overweight and obesity among women by their age, residence, wealth and education levels. We quantified current absolute inequalities in these indicators and wealth-inequality trends.Results There was a modest decline in underweight prevalence (AARC=−0.14 percentage points (pp), 95% CI −0.17 to -0.11). Anaemia declined fastest among adult women and the richest pregnant women with an AARC of −0.67 pp (95% CI −1.06 to -0.28) and −0.97 pp (95% CI −1.60 to -0.34), respectively, although it affects all women with no marked disparities. Overweight is increasing rapidly among adult women and women with no education. Capital city residents had a threefold more rapid rise in obesity (AARC=0.47 pp, 95% CI 0.39, 0.55), compared with their rural counterparts. Absolute inequalities suggest that Ethiopia and South Africa have the largest gap in underweight (15.4 pp) and obesity (28.5 pp) respectively, between adult and adolescent women. Regional wealth inequalities in obesity are widening by 0.34 pp annually.Conclusion Underweight persists, while overweight and obesity are rising among adult women, the rich and capital city residents. Adolescent girls do not present adverse nutritional outcomes except anaemia, remaining high among all women. Multifaceted responses with an equity lens are needed to ensure no woman is left behind.
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spelling doaj-art-fdd8b719532a4df2b879e77ce2c1e6f02024-12-11T18:55:09ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Global Health2059-79082020-10-0151010.1136/bmjgh-2020-002948Trends and inequalities in the nutritional status of adolescent girls and adult women in sub-Saharan Africa since 2000: a cross-sectional series studySerge M A Somda0Abdoulaye Maïga1Safia S Jiwani2Cheikh Mbacké Faye3Shelley Walton4Tome Ca5Richard Kumapley6Giovanna Gatica-Domínguez7Elizabeth Hazel8Inacio Crochemore-Silva9Barbara Baille10Sujata Bose11William K Bosu12Kofi Busia13Ferima Coulibaly-Zerbo14Vrinda Mehra15Roosmarijn Verstraeten16Department of Planning and Health Information, West African Health Organisation, Bobo-Dioulasso, Hauts-Bassins, Burkina FasoInternational Health Department, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USAJohns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USAWest Africa Regional Office, African Population and Health Research Center, Nairobi, KenyaInternational Health, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USAWest African Health Organisation, Bobo-Dioulasso, Hauts-Bassins, Burkina FasoUNICEF, New York City, New York, USAInternational Center for Equity in Health, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, RS, BrazilInternational Health, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USAFederal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, BrazilRegional Office, UNICEF, Dakar, SenegalAlive & Thrive/FHI Solutions, Washington, DC, USADepartment of Public Health and Research, West African Health Organisation, Bobo-Dioulasso, Haut-Bassin, Burkina FasoDepartment of Healthcare Services, West Africa Health Organization, Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina FasoRegional Office AFRO, World Health Organization, Brazzaville, CongoData and Analytics Section, Division of Data, Analysis, Planning and Monitoring, UNICEF, New York, New York, USADivision of Poverty, Health and Nutrition, International Food Policy Research Institute, Dakar, SenegalIntroduction Evidence on the rate at which the double burden of malnutrition unfolds is limited. We quantified trends and inequalities in the nutritional status of adolescent girls and adult women in sub-Saharan Africa.Methods We analysed 102 Demographic and Health Surveys between 1993 and 2017 from 35 countries. We assessed regional trends through cross-sectional series analyses and ran multilevel linear regression models to estimate the average annual rate of change (AARC) in the prevalence of underweight, anaemia, anaemia during pregnancy, overweight and obesity among women by their age, residence, wealth and education levels. We quantified current absolute inequalities in these indicators and wealth-inequality trends.Results There was a modest decline in underweight prevalence (AARC=−0.14 percentage points (pp), 95% CI −0.17 to -0.11). Anaemia declined fastest among adult women and the richest pregnant women with an AARC of −0.67 pp (95% CI −1.06 to -0.28) and −0.97 pp (95% CI −1.60 to -0.34), respectively, although it affects all women with no marked disparities. Overweight is increasing rapidly among adult women and women with no education. Capital city residents had a threefold more rapid rise in obesity (AARC=0.47 pp, 95% CI 0.39, 0.55), compared with their rural counterparts. Absolute inequalities suggest that Ethiopia and South Africa have the largest gap in underweight (15.4 pp) and obesity (28.5 pp) respectively, between adult and adolescent women. Regional wealth inequalities in obesity are widening by 0.34 pp annually.Conclusion Underweight persists, while overweight and obesity are rising among adult women, the rich and capital city residents. Adolescent girls do not present adverse nutritional outcomes except anaemia, remaining high among all women. Multifaceted responses with an equity lens are needed to ensure no woman is left behind.https://gh.bmj.com/content/5/10/e002948.full
spellingShingle Serge M A Somda
Abdoulaye Maïga
Safia S Jiwani
Cheikh Mbacké Faye
Shelley Walton
Tome Ca
Richard Kumapley
Giovanna Gatica-Domínguez
Elizabeth Hazel
Inacio Crochemore-Silva
Barbara Baille
Sujata Bose
William K Bosu
Kofi Busia
Ferima Coulibaly-Zerbo
Vrinda Mehra
Roosmarijn Verstraeten
Trends and inequalities in the nutritional status of adolescent girls and adult women in sub-Saharan Africa since 2000: a cross-sectional series study
BMJ Global Health
title Trends and inequalities in the nutritional status of adolescent girls and adult women in sub-Saharan Africa since 2000: a cross-sectional series study
title_full Trends and inequalities in the nutritional status of adolescent girls and adult women in sub-Saharan Africa since 2000: a cross-sectional series study
title_fullStr Trends and inequalities in the nutritional status of adolescent girls and adult women in sub-Saharan Africa since 2000: a cross-sectional series study
title_full_unstemmed Trends and inequalities in the nutritional status of adolescent girls and adult women in sub-Saharan Africa since 2000: a cross-sectional series study
title_short Trends and inequalities in the nutritional status of adolescent girls and adult women in sub-Saharan Africa since 2000: a cross-sectional series study
title_sort trends and inequalities in the nutritional status of adolescent girls and adult women in sub saharan africa since 2000 a cross sectional series study
url https://gh.bmj.com/content/5/10/e002948.full
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