Prevalence of overweight and obesity for urban adults in Cameroon.

BACKGROUND: The emergence of a nutrition transition in developing countries might lead to higher prevalence of obesity and related adverse health effects. In Cameroon,urbanization growth rate is one of the highest in sub-Saharan Africa. Such dramatic demographic change favours important modifications, notably in nutritional patterns. AIM: In this paper we examine the current prevalence of overweight and obesity in Yaounde,the capital city of Cameroon and search for possible causal factors. Detrimental consequences of overweight are also discussed. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Samples of adults (519 women, 252 men) of all ages in all districts of Yaounde were subjected to anthropometric and body composition measurements, blood pressure and resting heart rate determination, and interviewer-administered questionnaires on socio-demography, smoking habits, physical activity, self-perception of body weight and health status. RESULTS: In both sexes body mass index (BMI) increases with age and peaks in the years of maturity. These changes are related to changes in adiposity. Prevalence rates of overweight(BMI >or= 25) and obesity (BMI > or = 30) increase from 20 to 29 years and peak at 40-49 years in men and at 50-59 years in women before starting to decline. One woman in two is overweight and one woman in five is obese, whereas one-third of men are overweight and only 5% are obese. Obese subjects have a larger age-adjusted waist to hip ratio(WHR) than their non-overweight counterparts, attesting that fat gain is oriented towards a more abdominal fat mass distribution. The length of residence in Yaounde, increasing education level, occupation, ethnicity, physical inactivity and smoking practices appear to influence early overweight and/or obesity. No parity effect is observed in women. From the present study, it appears that obesity, and especially obesity in women, could be less benign than that described in other studies in Africa. CONCLUSION: Research is needed in Cameroon, including aetiological and cohort studies aimed at the quantification of morbidity and mortality risks associated with overweight and obesity.

Age at menarche and urbanization in Cameroon: current status and secular trends.

Status quo data on the age at menarche were obtained on samples of Cameroonian girls living in urban (Yaoundé) (n = 205), suburban (n = 505) and rural areas (n = 201). Mean ages at menarche, estimated by probit analysis, are 13.18 years (SD 1.08) in Yaoundé, 13.98 years (SD 1.55) in the suburban area, and 14.27 years (SD 1.65) in the rural area. The early menarcheal age observed in Yaoundé girls attending 'privileged schools' (12.72 years, SD 1.18) substantiates the hypothesis that in good environmental conditions Africans are as early-maturing as Asiatic or Mediterranean populations. Comparison with retrospective data on age at menarche during previous decades reveals the presence of a clear secular trend towards earlier maturation, at a rate of 2.5-3.2 months per decade, only in the main cities of the country (Yaoundé/Douala) and a lack of temporal variation in rural areas. The degree of urbanization influences maturational age and its evolution, probably through improvements in the nutritional standards.

PIP: "Status quo data on the age at menarche were obtained on samples of Cameroonian girls living in urban (Yaounde) (n=205), suburban (n=505) and rural areas (n=201).... Comparison with retrospective data on age at menarche during previous decades reveals the presence of a clear secular trend towards earlier maturation, at a rate of 2.5-3.2 months per decade, only in the main cities of the country (Yaounde/Douala) and a lack of temporal variation in rural areas. The degree of urbanization influences maturational age and its evolution, probably through improvements in the nutritional standards." (EXCERPT)

Effect of reduced vitamin K esters on vitamin K-dependent carboxylation.

The hypothesis of a vitamin K hydroquinone hemicarbonate as intermediate of vitamin K-dependent carboxylation of glutamic residues, has been examined, by testing several vitamin K hydroquinone esters as inhibitors of the reaction. Among the esters that have been synthetized, a monoacetate proved to be an inhibitor. Kinetic analysis shows that the inhibition is no competitive with respect to vitamin K.

Carence en iode et reproduction chez les femmes de l'Adamaoua

La malnutrition est aggravee par les deficiences en oligo-elements et l'une des formes les plus connues est la carence en iode qui donne des troubles divers. Cette carence atteint environ 160 millions de personnes en Afrique contre 300 millions en Chine; 200 millions en Inde; 100 millions en Indinesie; 60 millions en Amerique et quelques millions de cas en Europe. Les troubles dus a la carence en iode (TDCI) sont un probleme general qui touche 12de la population mondiale. Au Cameroun; l'enquete nationale sur les TDCI montre que 6 millions de personnes sur 11 millions sont atteintes; de meme que toutes les 10 provinces mais a des taux differentes de prevalence. Ainsi une forte endemicite est signalee a l'Extreme-Nord (Doukoula 75); au Nord-Ouest (64a Oshie et 59a Jakiri); dans l'Adamaoua (45dans Vina); dans Ouest (58dans le Noun) et une endemicite moindre dans l'Est (14a Batouri)