Mary Khakoni Walingo

Food consumption patterns, diversity of food nutrients and mean nutrient intake in relation to HIV/AIDS status in Kisumu district Kenya

As the causes and consequences of the AIDS epidemic become clearer, so does the fundamental importance of food and nutritional security for HIV-affected individuals. Even as food insecurity remains a major problem in poor households, its effects are worsened in disease states like HIV infection. Food deficiency and nutritional inadequacy compromise an individuals physical status and work capacity, and may also diminish their resource base and household provisioning. The prevalence of HIV and AIDS in Kenya threatens food production systems, which intensifies poverty, increases the nutritional implications for HIV-infected individuals, accelerates the rate of orphanhood beyond what existing social networks can cope with, and basically affects all indicators of socio-economic development in the country. This cross-sectional study sought to assess food and nutrient intake in HIV-affected versus non-HIV-affected households. Purposive sampling was used to select 160 households (77 HIV-affected households and 83 non-HIV-affected households) in Kisumu district, a lowland area along Lake Victoria. A consolidated questionnaire that included a food-frequency checklist and personal 24-hour dietary recall was used to gather information from 40 households. The data were analysed quantitatively; descriptive statistics were mainly measures of central tendency, and inferential statistics involved chi-square tests and independent t-test samples. A table depicting food composition was used to compute the nutrient intake of each household. The findings reveal a significant relationship between a households HIV/AIDS status and nutrient intake.

Assessing Nutrient Intake and Nutrient Status of HIV Seropositive Patients Attending Clinic at Chulaimbo Sub-District Hospital, Kenya

Background. Nutritional status is an important determinant of HIV outcomes. Objective. To assess the nutrient intake and nutrient status of HIV seropositive patients attending an AIDS outpatient clinic, to improve the nutritional management of HIV-infected patients. Design. Prospective cohort study. Setting. Comprehensive care clinic in Chulaimbo Sub-District Hospital, Kenya. Subjects. 497 HIV sero-positive adults attending the clinic. Main Outcome Measures. Evaluation of nutrient intake using 24-hour recall, food frequency checklist, and nutrient status using biochemical assessment indicators (haemoglobin, creatinine, serum glutamate pyruvate (SGPT) and mean corpuscular volume (MCV)). Results. Among the 497 patients recruited (M : F sex ratio: 1.4, mean age: 39 years ± 10.5 y), Generally there was inadequate nutrient intake reported among the HIV patients, except iron (10.49 ± 3.49 mg). All the biochemical assessment indicators were within normal range except for haemoglobin 11.2 g/dL (11.4 ± 2.60 male and 11.2 ± 4.25 female). Conclusions. Given its high frequency, malnutrition should be prevented, detected, monitored, and treated from the early stages of HIV infection among patients attending AIDS clinics in order to improve survival and quality of life.

Dietary diversity, nutrition status and morbidity of pre-school children in Matungu division, Western Kenya

This cross-sectional survey was to determine dietary diversity, nutrient intake, nutrition status and prevalence of childhood illnesses among pre-school children in Matungu division, Western Kenya. A total of 144 households were arrived at using multistage sampling, structured questionnaires with food frequency tables and 24-hour recalls were administered and anthropometric measurements taken. Linear regression tested statistical associations between variables. Epi Info was used to compute nutrition indices later assessed relative to National Centre for Health Statistics and World Health Organization. Only 3% of pre-school children had consumed highly diversified diets and consumption. Stunting was the most prevalent form of malnutrition and malaria was the most prevalent childhood infection. About 7%, 3.6% and 8.1% of changes in underweight, stunting and wasting, respectively, could be attributed to changes in dietary diversity. An r 2 of 0.284 was obtained between nutrition status and morbidity. To enhance childrens nutrition and health status, efforts should be on strategies that increase dietary diversity.

Assessing Predictive Power of Psychosocial Factors on Breastfeeding Behavior of Mothers Attending Postnatal Clinics in Western Kenya

This cross-sectional study aimed at determining predictive power of psychosocial factors influencing breastfeeding behavior of breastfeeding mothers. The study was conducted from April to August 2010 in Kakamega Central District within 4 postnatal clinics that were purposively sampled. Proportionate stratified technique was employed to obtain 230 respondents. A structured questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data where exploratory factor analysis tested dimensionality of questions, whereas skewness and kurtosis assessed normality of data. Structural equation modeling determined predictive power of latent variables. The model fitted data acceptably well, χ2 = 156, P < .001, Tucker–Lewis index = .93, comparative fit index = .95, root mean square error of approximation = .090, Hoelter’s critical N (0.01 = 230), with regard to breastfeeding behavior. Regression weights showed predictive power for maternal attitude (β = .38, P < .01), subjective norm (β = .25, P < .05), perceived behavioral control (...