Carl Lachat1, Dominique Roberfroid2, Lien Van den Broeck1, Natalie Van den Briel1, Eunice Nago3, Annamarie Kruger4, Michelle Holdsworth5, Christopher Garimoi Orach6, Patrick Kolsteren1. 1. 1Department of Food Safety and Food Quality,Ghent University,Ghent,Belgium. 2. 2Unit of Nutrition and Child Health,Institute for Tropical Medicine,Nationalestraat 155,2000 Antwerp,Belgium. 3. 3Department of Food Science and Nutrition,University of Abomey-Calavi,Cotonou,Benin. 4. 4Africa Unit for Transdisciplinary Health Research,North-West University,Potchefstroom,South Africa. 5. 5ScHARR - Public Health Section,University of Sheffield,Sheffield,UK. 6. 6School of Public Health,Makerere University,Kampala,Uganda.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Malnutrition in Africa has not improved compared with other regions in the world. Investment in the build-up of a strong African research workforce is essential to provide contextual solutions to the nutritional problems of Africa. To orientate this process, we reviewed nutrition research carried out in Africa and published during the last decade. DESIGN: We assessed nutrition research from Africa published between 2000 and 2010 from MEDLINE and EMBASE and analysed the study design and type of intervention for studies indexed with major MeSH terms for vitamin A deficiency, protein-energy malnutrition, obesity, breast-feeding, nutritional status and food security. Affiliations of first authors were visualised as a network and power of affiliations was assessed using centrality metrics. SETTING: Africa. SUBJECTS: Africans, all age groups. RESULTS: Most research on the topics was conducted in Southern (36%) and Western Africa (34%). The intervention studies (9%; n 95) mainly tested technological and curative approaches to the nutritional problems. Only for papers on protein-energy malnutrition and obesity did lead authorship from Africa exceed that from non-African affiliations. The 10% most powerfully connected affiliations were situated mainly outside Africa for publications on vitamin A deficiency, breast-feeding, nutritional status and food security. CONCLUSIONS: The development of the evidence base for nutrition research in Africa is focused on treatment and the potential for cross-African networks to publish nutrition research from Africa remains grossly underutilised. Efforts to build capacity for effective nutrition action in Africa will require forging a true academic partnership between African and non-African research institutions.
OBJECTIVE:Malnutrition in Africa has not improved compared with other regions in the world. Investment in the build-up of a strong African research workforce is essential to provide contextual solutions to the nutritional problems of Africa. To orientate this process, we reviewed nutrition research carried out in Africa and published during the last decade. DESIGN: We assessed nutrition research from Africa published between 2000 and 2010 from MEDLINE and EMBASE and analysed the study design and type of intervention for studies indexed with major MeSH terms for vitamin A deficiency, protein-energy malnutrition, obesity, breast-feeding, nutritional status and food security. Affiliations of first authors were visualised as a network and power of affiliations was assessed using centrality metrics. SETTING: Africa. SUBJECTS: Africans, all age groups. RESULTS: Most research on the topics was conducted in Southern (36%) and Western Africa (34%). The intervention studies (9%; n 95) mainly tested technological and curative approaches to the nutritional problems. Only for papers on protein-energy malnutrition and obesity did lead authorship from Africa exceed that from non-African affiliations. The 10% most powerfully connected affiliations were situated mainly outside Africa for publications on vitamin A deficiency, breast-feeding, nutritional status and food security. CONCLUSIONS: The development of the evidence base for nutrition research in Africa is focused on treatment and the potential for cross-African networks to publish nutrition research from Africa remains grossly underutilised. Efforts to build capacity for effective nutrition action in Africa will require forging a true academic partnership between African and non-African research institutions.
Authors: Ari D Panzer; Joanna G Emerson; Brittany D'Cruz; Avnee Patel; Saudamini Dabak; Wanrudee Isaranuwatchai; Yot Teerawattananon; Daniel A Ollendorf; Peter J Neumann; David D Kim Journal: Health Econ Date: 2020-05-15 Impact factor: 3.046
Authors: Mark Alan Green; Rebecca Pradeilles; Amos Laar; Hibbah Osei-Kwasi; Nicolas Bricas; Nathaniel Coleman; Senam Klomegah; Milka Njeri Wanjohi; Akua Tandoh; Robert Akparibo; Richmond Nii Okai Aryeetey; Paula Griffiths; Elizabeth W Kimani-Murage; Kobby Mensah; Stella Muthuri; Francis Zotor; Michelle Holdsworth Journal: BMJ Open Date: 2020-06-28 Impact factor: 2.692