Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Under-nutrition is a greater risk factor for low productivity andpoor health as diabetes¹. In Benin 11.9% of males and 9.5% of females were underweight² and 5.3% of the population have diabetes³. There is no data available on underweight among diabetic in Benin.

The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of underweight among diabetic and the associated factors.

Method: It was a cross sectional study including 408 diabetics followed up at Cotonou. They have benefited from food survey including a 24 hour dietary recall, the rating of a consumption score then anthropometric measurements. The energy intake was evaluated by the software ‘Alimenthèque’ and compared to the energy requirements determined by Harris and Benedict’s formula. The under weight was defined by BMI < 18 kg/m².

Result: The average age of patients was 54.95 ± 0.61 years with a female male sex ratio of 2.11. The prevalence of underweight was 4.67%. The average age of diabetics with weight deficit was significantly higher: 57.26 vs 48.23 years. Factors associated with underweight in multivariate analysis are single diabetics, those with low energy intake, and those with moderate and low food diversification.

Discussion and conclusion: This study suggests a lower prevalence of underweight among diabetic patients compared to the general population. This is partly explained by the urban site of this study, because the current nutritional transition in the sub-Saharan region is mostly urban⁴. These results also highlight the importance of nutritional assessment and survey for diabetic patients in particular those belonging to a vulnerable group: elderly patients, single patients.

Key words: Underweight, diabetes, Cotonou.

References

1. Benson T & Shekar M (2006) Trends and child under-nutrition. In: Jamison DT, Feachem RG, Makgoba MW, et al., editors. Disease and Mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa. 2nd edition, Washington, DC: World Bank.

2. NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC) Worldwide trends in body-mass index, underweight, overweight, and obesity from 1975 to 2016: a pooled analysis of 2416 population-based measurement studies in 128·9 million children, adolescents, and adults. Lancet, 2016 3871377–96.

3. OMS. Profils des pays pour le diabète : Bénin 2016. Disponible sur : http://www.who.int.diabetes.

4. Steven Haggblade, Kwaku G Duodu, John D Kabasa, Amanda Minnaar, Nelson KO Ojijo & John RN. Taylor Emerging Early Actions to Bendthe Curve in Sub-Saharan Africa’s. Nutrition Transition Food and Nutrition Bulletin, 2016 37(2) 219–241.