Factors predicting consumption of fonio grain (Digitaria exilis) among urban Malian women of reproductive age.

OBJECTIVE: To identify factors influencing intention to consume an indigenous nutritious grain, fonio (Digitaria exilis), among women in Mali. DESIGN: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey based on the Theory of Planned Behavior and the Health Belief Model. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: One hundred and eight women (31.5 ± 10.5 years), randomly selected by a 3-stage cluster sampling, Bamako, Mali. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Model constructs scores, intention to consume fonio, and fonio consumption. ANALYSIS: Correlation and multiple regression, Wilcoxon signed rank and Mann-Whitney tests for score comparison. RESULTS: Attitudes toward behavior (ß = .32, P < .05) was the best predictor of intention to consume fonio, which was significantly correlated with fonio consumption (rho = .78, P < .001). Health value (ß = .23, P < .05) was a significant predictor of health behavior identity, which was significantly correlated with attitudes toward behavior (rho = .67, P < 0.001) and perceived barriers (rho = .33, P < .001). The latter formed a significant interaction term between intention and behavior (ß = -.72, P < .05). CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Fonio consumption could be increased in Bamako through stimulation of positive attitudes, changing men's beliefs, influencing family and neighbors' opinions, and improving the processing and the skills of women who prepare fonio.

Weight status and iron deficiency among urban Malian women of reproductive age.

The present study investigated the association between weight status and Fe deficiency (ID) among urban Malian women of reproductive age. Height, weight, serum ferritin (SF), soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations were measured in sixty apparently healthy women aged 15-49 years old in Bamako, Mali. Prevalences of overweight and obese were 19 and 9 %, respectively. SF was non-significantly different between overweight (84 µg/l) and normal-weight women (52 µg/l). The prevalence of ID (SF < 12 µg/l) was 9 % in the overweight group and no true ID (sTfR>8·3 mg/l) cases were recorded in the overweight and obese groups. The prevalence OR of ID (SF < 12 µg/l) in the overweight group was NS (OR = 0·3; P = 0·363). Conversely, the chronic energy deficiency group was at a significantly higher risk of ID than the normal-weight group, adjusting or not for CRP (OR = 7·7; 95 % CI 1·49, 39·96; P = 0·015). The lack of association between overweight and ID in the present study could be due to the fact that the excess of body fat of the women might not be critical to induce chronic inflammation related to reduced Fe absorption. Future research based on a larger convenience sample should be designed to further investigate associations between overweight, obesity and ID in developing countries.

Food groups associated with a composite measure of probability of adequate intake of 11 micronutrients in the diets of women in urban Mali.

The prevalence of micronutrient deficiency is high among women of reproductive age living in urban Mali. Despite this, there are little data on the dietary intake of micronutrients among women of reproductive age in Mali. This research tested the relationship between the quantity of intake of 21 possible food groups and estimated usual micronutrient (folate, vitamin B-12, calcium, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin A, iron, thiamin, vitamin B-6, vitamin C, and zinc) intakes and a composite measure of adequacy of 11 micronutrients [mean probability of adequacy (MPA)] based on the individual probability of adequacy (PA) for the 11 micronutrients. Food group and micronutrient intakes were calculated from 24-h recall data in an urban sample of Malian women. PA was lowest for folate, vitamin B-12, calcium, and riboflavin. The overall MPA for the composite measure of 11 micronutrients was 0.47 ± 0.18. Grams of intake from the nuts/seeds, milk/yogurt, vitamin A-rich dark green leafy vegetables (DGLV), and vitamin C-rich vegetables food groups were correlated (Spearman's rho = 0.20-0.36; P < 0.05) with MPA. Women in the highest consumption groups of nuts/seeds and DGLV had 5- and 6-fold greater odds of an MPA > 0.5, respectively. These findings can be used to further the development of indicators of dietary diversity and to improve micronutrient intakes of women of reproductive age.