Pica practices among apparently healthy women and their young children in Ghana (original) (raw)
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More than 50% of anemia cases worldwide are caused by iron deficiency (ID) (Maclean, 2007). Pica, an increased appetite for food or non-food substances like clay, paint and chalk is strongly associated with ID anemia (also associated with pregnancy and some psychiatric conditions (Barton, 2010). Coliform bacteria, Staphylococcus species and yeasts have been isolated from the external of the white clay, a common pica substance (Tano-Debrah and Bruce-Baiden, 2010). Thus pica practice may also pose risk for ID. To determine the prevalence and types of pica among mothers and all their children 6-59 months in Northern Ghana, an area with a known high prevalence of anemia (59% and 81% among mothers and children (6-59 months) respectively) (GDHS, 2008).
Iron-focussed nutritional status of mothers with children (6-59 months) in rural northern Ghana
Heliyon, 2020
Background: Anaemia, especially iron deficiency anemia, is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in African women and children. Aim: To assess the intake of nutrients related to iron and anaemia status among mothers in smallholder agrarian communities in Northern Ghana where anaemia is known to be endemic. Setting: Tolon Kumbumgu district and Tamale Metropolis in Ghana. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 161 mothers with children 6-59 months. Questionnaires on socio-demographics, household food security and production and food frequencies, and three 24-hour recalls were administered during structured interviews, and BMI was assessed. Dietary intakes were analysed with the Ghana Nutrient Database® (version 6.02). Nutrient intake was evaluated using the estimated average requirements and iron intakes using the probability method. Results: Most mothers (91.9%) had low literacy and were subsistence farmers. The staple diet was homemade unrefined, unfortified maize meal, homemade unfortified oil (shea butter), and seasonal green leafy vegetables (mostly amaranth), butternut, tomatoes, onions and legumes. Inadequate intakes of vitamin A (in 9.9%), folate (in 46.6%) and vitamin B 12 (in 98.8%) were observed, in combination with high fibre (47.8 AE 19.0 g/day) intakes and high tea consumption. If 10% iron bio-availability was assumed, 33.1% were estimated to have inadequate iron intake; if 5% iron bio-availability was assumed, 80.8% were estimated to have inadequate iron intakes. Conclusion: In these low socioeconomic agrarian communities, mothers of infants are living on home produce and rarely consumed foods (fortified salt, cooking oil and wheat flour) from the national food fortification programmes intended to address anaemia and other micronutrient deficiencies.
Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism
Introduction. Early adolescents are vulnerable to anaemia due to lean body mass and menarche. The study assessed patterns of dietary iron intake, iron status, and predictors of anaemia among early adolescents. Method. One hundred and thirty-seven early adolescents were randomly selected in a rural district in Ghana. Multiple-pass 24-hour recall, iron food frequency questionnaire consisting of 27 food items, and semistructured questionnaire were administered. Variables include sociodemographics, dietary factors, and laboratory investigation including haemoglobin, ferritin, and C-reactive protein examination. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software was used to calculate odds ratio and perform Mann–Whitney U test, chi-square (X2) test, exploratory factor analysis, and partial correlation (r) tests. Results. Participants had mean age of 11.5 years. Three iron dietary patterns explaining 28.7% of the total variance were identified: iron dietary pattern 1 (11%) compose...
PLoS ONE, 2021
Introduction Anemia remains a major public health problem for children in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Iron-rich foods consumption has a determinant role on the anemia status. Hence, this study aimed to determine the prevalence of good consumption of iron-rich foods and its associated factors among children aged 6–23 months in SSA. Materials and methods The recent Demographic and Health Survey data sets of thirty-five SSA countries were used. Data were analyzed using STATA/MP version 16.0 and all statistical analyses were done after weighting the data. A generalized linear mixed model using Poisson regression with robust error variance was used to determine factors associated with good consumption of iron-rich food. Association of variables was declared at a p-value of ≤0.05 and adjusted prevalence ratio (aPR) ratio with its 95% confidence interval (CI) was calculated for each variable. Results The total weighted samples of 77,001 children aged 6–23 months were included. The prevalence...
PLOS ONE, 2021
Anaemia in young sub-Saharan African children may be due to the double burden of malaria and iron deficiency. Primary analysis of a double-blind, cluster randomized trial of iron containing micronutrient powder supplementation in Ghanaian children aged 6 to 35 months found no difference in malaria risk between intervention and placebo groups. Here, we performed a secondary analysis of the trial data to assess the impact of long-term prophylactic iron fortificant on the risk of iron deficiency and anaemia in trial subjects. This population-based randomized-cluster trial involved 1958 children aged between 6 to 35 months, identified at home and able to eat semi-solid foods. The intervention group (n = 967) received a daily dose containing 12.5 mg elemental iron (as ferrous fumarate), vitamin A (400 μg), ascorbic acid (30 mg) and zinc (5 mg). The placebo group (n = 991) received a similar micronutrient powder but without iron. Micronutrient powder was provided daily to both groups for ...
American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 2010
The etiology of pica, the purposive consumption of non-food substances, is not understood, despite its ubiquity among gravidae. We examined correlates of pica in a representative obstetric population (n = 2,368) on Pemba Island, Zanzibar, Tanzania to examine proposed etiologies. Cross-sectional data were collected on socioeconomic characteristics, food intake, geophagy (earth consumption), amylophagy (raw starch consumption), anthropometry, iron status, parasitic burden, and gastrointestinal morbidities. Amylophagy was reported by 36.3%, geophagy by 5.2%, and any pica by 40.1%. There was a strong additive relationship of geophagy and amylophagy with lower hemoglobin (Hb) concentration and iron deficiency anemia. By multivariate logistic regression, any pica was associated with Hb level (odds ratio [OR] = 0.76, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.72-0.81), nausea (OR = 1.45, 95% CI = 1.20-1.73), and abdominal pain (OR = 1.22, 95% CI = 1.01-1.48). These striking results indicate that the nature of the relationship between pica, pregnancy, gastrointestinal distress, and iron deficiency anemia merits further investigation.
INTRODUCTION. The most common cause of eating non-food items (pica) is specific deficiencies of minerals, such as iron. This study aimed to assess the relationship between Pica and Iron deficiency anemia among pregnant women. METHODS. The study was conducted in the out-patient department, antenatal Clinic at East Jeddah Hospital from July to September 2020. Design: A quantitative descriptive correlation design. Sample size: A total of 400 pregnant women, included anemic pregnant women, ≥ 18 years old, with singleton fetus and iron deficiency anemia. RESULTS. The mean age was 32.2 ± 6.6, half of the participants reported food cravings. Ice was the main item in pica followed by clay and chalk. Two-thirds had pica, more than half during the 1st trimester. There is a statistically significant relationship between pica and the history of a family member, parity, and gravidity at (P< 0,001, P <0,001, P <0,005) respectively. Hb and hematocrit in relation to pica reflected a statis...
PLOS ONE
Nationally representative data on the micronutrient status of Ghanaian women and children are very scarce. We aimed to document the current national prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies, anemia, malaria, inflammation, α-thalassemia, sickle cell disease and trait, and under-and over-nutrition in Ghana. In 2017, a two-stage cross-sectional design was applied to enroll preschool children (6-59 months) and non-pregnant women (15-49 years) from three strata in Ghana: Northern, Middle and Southern Belt. Household and individual questionnaire data were collected along with blood samples. In total, 2123 households completed the household interviews, 1165 children and 973 women provided blood samples. Nationally, 35.6% (95%CI: 31.7,39.6) of children had anemia, 21.5% (18.4,25.0) had iron deficiency, 12.2% (10.1,14.7) had iron deficiency anemia, and 20.8% (18.1,23.9) had vitamin A deficiency; 20.3%(15.2,26.6) tested positive for malaria, 13.9% (11.1,17.3) for sickle trait plus disease, and 30.7% (27.5,34.2) for α-thalassemia. Anemia and micronutrient deficiencies were more prevalent in rural areas, poor households and in the Northern Belt. Stunting and wasting affected 21.4% (18.0,25.2) and 7.0% (5.1,9.5) of children, respectively. Stunting was more common in rural areas and in poor households. Among non-pregnant women, 21.7% (18.7,25.1) were anemic, 13.7% (11.2,16.6) iron deficient, 8.9% (6.7,11.7) had iron deficiency anemia, and 1.5% (0.8,2.9) were vitamin A deficient, 53.8% (47.6,60.0) were folate deficient, and 6.9% (4.8,9.8) were vitamin B12 deficient. Malaria parasitemia in women [8.4% (5.7,12.2)] was lower than in children, but the prevalence of sickle cell disease or trait and α-thalassemia were similar. Overweight [24.7% (21.0,28.8)] and obesity [14.3% (11.5,17.7)] were more common in wealthier, older, and urban women. Our findings demonstrate that anemia and several micronutrient deficiencies are highly present in Ghana calling for the strengthening of Ghana's food fortification program while overweight and obesity in
Determinants of Iron Consumption among Pregnant Women in Southern Senegal
Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 2017
The anemia by iron deficiency is a public health problem. To palliate the multiple maternal and fetal consequences, the WHO recommends the iron supplementation during at least 90 days to all pregnant women. The goal of our study is to study the determinants of this consumption in the Kolda area (Senegal). It's the analytical cross-sectional study referred. We use the survey by clusters with 2 levels and it's about all of the women who gave birth in Kolda area between February 2013 and January 2014. The dependent variable was iron consumption during at least 90 days and the independents variables were grouped on personal factors, knowledge and practices. Data were collected during a personal interview face to face. We used logistic regression to identify the determinants of this consumption. The average age of women surveyed in 1442 was 25.5 years. They had knowledge of iron consumption (93%) and the number of antennal consultation (ANC) (66%). The prevalence of pregnant women who consumed iron at least for 90 days was 51%. The factors associated with consumption were schooling (ORa = 2.49 [1.54-4.03]), health awareness (ORa = 1.61 [1.25 to 2.07]), knowledge about number of ANC (ORa = 1.54 [1.18-2.00]), councils on the benefits of iron (ORa = 2.66 [1.77-4.00]), the household wealth index (ORa = 1.83 [1.04 to 3.19]), number of ANC (ORa = 2.05 [1.56-2.69]), age pregnancy on the first ANC (ORa = 2 [1.47-2.7]) and iron prescription (ORa = 1.64 [1.25-2.16]). The prevalence of iron consumption during at least 90 days is low in Kolda area (51%); however, its determinants are identified; we can solve the problem by increasing communicate more about iron supplementation and antenatal consultation.
Research Square (Research Square), 2022
Background Although food cravings, aversions, and pica behaviors are practiced globally, they are more common in African countries. No clear evidence indicated on malpractices during pregnancy. Therefore, this study aims to investigate pica, food aversion, and craving practices and their associated factors in the study area. Objectives To assess the prevalence of pica practice, food aversion, craving and its associated factors among pregnant women attending antenatal care in Nifas Silk sub-city health facilities, Addis Ababa Ethiopia, 2021 Methods An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 502 pregnant mothers from July 15 to August 15, 2021. Data were enterd to EpiData version 3.1 and analyzed by SPSS version 21.The binary logistic regression model was tted to identify factors associated with pica, food aversion and craving. Results The prevalence of pica practices,food aversion and craving were 22%,40.8% and 85% respectively. Maternal education level status [AOR, 2.95(1.14,7.62)], using family planning[AOR, 2.35 (1.34, 4.12)], Iron/folate supplementation [AOR, 2.45 (1.47,4.05)] and having pregnancy related complication[AOR, 2.45 (1.47, 4.05)] were signi cantly associated with pica practice. Maternal age 19-24 and 25-29 years[AOR, 0.17 (0.06,0.44)]