Assmus Frauke, Galbete Cecilia, Knueppel Sven, Schulze Matthias B, Beune Erik, Meeks Karlijn, Nicolaou Mary, Amoah Stephen, Agyemang Charles, Klipstein-Grobusch Kerstin, Bahendeka Silver, Spranger Joachim, Mockenhaupt Frank P, Smeeth Liam, Stronks Karien, Danquah Ina
Department of Molecular Epidemiology, German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke, Nuthetal, Germany.
Unit of Epidemiology, Statistics and Mathematical Modelling, Department of Exposition, German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, Germany.
Food Nutr Res. 2021 May 6;65. doi: 10.29219/fnr.v65.5435. eCollection 2021.
African populations in sub-Saharan Africa and African migrants in Europe are facing a rapid upsurge in obesity. This trend has been related to urbanization, migration and associated shifts in lifestyle, including dietary habits. Whether changes in eating patterns contribute to the rising burden of obesity among African populations is currently unknown.
Our aims in conducting this study were to characterize eating patterns among Ghanaian adults living in their country of origin and in Europe and to explore associations of meal patterns with body mass index (BMI).
Within the cross-sectional RODAM (Research on Obesity and Diabetes among African Migrants) study, data of single 24-h dietary recalls from Ghanaian adults in rural Ghana ( = 20), urban Ghana ( = 42), and Europe ( = 172) were recorded. Eating frequencies, energy intake, and macronutrient composition of eating occasions (EOs, i.e. meals or snacks) were compared between study sites based on descriptive statistics and -/Kruskal-Wallis tests.
A rising gradient of EO frequencies from rural Ghana through urban Ghana to Europe was observed, mainly reflecting the differences in snacking frequencies (≥1 snack per day: 20 vs. 48 vs. 52%, = 0.008). Meal frequencies were similar across study sites (≥3 meals per day: 30 vs. 33 vs. 38%, = 0.80). Meals were rich in carbohydrates (median 54.5, interquartile range (IQR): 43.2-64.0 energy%) and total fats (median: 27.0, IQR: 19.9-34.4 energy %); their protein content was lowest in rural Ghana, followed by urban Ghana and Europe ( = 0.0005). Snacks mainly contained carbohydrates (median: 75.7, IQR: 61.0-89.2 energy%). In linear regression analyses, there was a non-significant trend for an inverse association between snacking frequencies and BMI.
The observed integration of carbohydrate-dense snacks into the diet supports the growing evidence for a nutrition transition among African populations undergoing socioeconomic development. This analysis constitutes a starting point to further investigate the nutritional implications of increased snacking frequencies on obesity and metabolic health in these African populations.
撒哈拉以南非洲地区的非洲人群以及欧洲的非洲移民正面临肥胖率的迅速上升。这一趋势与城市化、移民以及包括饮食习惯在内的生活方式的相关转变有关。目前尚不清楚饮食模式的变化是否导致非洲人群肥胖负担的增加。
我们开展这项研究的目的是描述生活在原籍国加纳和欧洲的加纳成年人的饮食模式，并探讨饮食模式与体重指数（BMI）之间的关联。
在横断面的RODAM（非洲移民肥胖与糖尿病研究）研究中，记录了来自加纳农村（n = 20）、加纳城市（n = 42）和欧洲（n = 172）的加纳成年人单次24小时饮食回忆的数据。基于描述性统计和t检验/Kruskal-Wallis检验，比较了各研究地点饮食场合（即餐食或零食）的进食频率、能量摄入和宏量营养素组成。
观察到从加纳农村到加纳城市再到欧洲，饮食场合频率呈上升梯度，主要反映了零食频率的差异（每天至少吃1次零食：20%对48%对52%，P = 0.008）。各研究地点的用餐频率相似（每天至少吃3餐：30%对33%对38%，P = 0.80）。餐食富含碳水化合物（中位数54.5，四分位间距（IQR）：43.2 - 64.0能量%）和总脂肪（中位数：27.0，IQR：19.9 - 34.4能量%）；其蛋白质含量在加纳农村最低，其次是加纳城市和欧洲（P = 0.0005）。零食主要含有碳水化合物（中位数：75.7，IQR：61.0 - 89.2能量%）。在线性回归分析中，零食频率与BMI之间存在负相关的非显著趋势。
观察到富含碳水化合物的零食融入饮食，这支持了越来越多的证据表明，正在经历社会经济发展的非洲人群存在营养转型。该分析为进一步研究这些非洲人群中零食频率增加对肥胖和代谢健康的营养影响提供了一个起点。
