CHANGING FOOD HABITS IN EAST AFRICA IN RECENT

DECADES

V Raschke1, I Elmadfa1, M L Wahlqvist2, U Oltersdorf3

1 Institute of Nutritional Sciences of the University of Vienna, Austria; 2 Asia Pacific Health & Nutrition Centre Monash Asia Institute Monash

University Victoria, Australia; 3 Federal Research Centre for Nutrition and Food Location Karlsruhe,

Germany;

Introduction

There is only scattered scientific evidence about changes of traditional food habits to westernized diets in Africa. Baseline empirical data is lacking and precise data are still difficult to collect.1 To achieve and maintain good health people must have basic knowledge about the importance of proper food habits for their health.

Aim

• Is it possible to raise awarness of the importance of African food cultures through providing base line data on the web?

• This project is going provide a reference point for future research via a web site on “African Food Cultures” as an effort to further stimulate appropriate Food Habits research in Africa;

• An online questionnaire is going to evaluate people’s knowledge and opinion about traditional African Food Cultures;

Methods

– This project is based on a precious and unique collection of literature and data from East Africa in the 1970ties, which document relevant scientific literature in different disciplines (e.g. Anthropology, Human Nutrition; Food Habit Studies, etc.); These unpuplished data have been stored at the Univeristy of Karlsruhe (Germany) for the last 30 years, after the Max Planck Reasearch Unit in “Tanganyika” (German East Africa) was shut down in the 1970ties;

– Through my PhD I have been given the exciting opportunity to analyse the literature and dataset and make it available to the public via the internet.

– A Questionaire during this conference will assess your thoughts about the development of a web site on FOOD HABITS IN AFRICA and wheter it could be of future importance. You are welcomed to show your interest!

Results

• This “work in progress” is a multidisciplinary approach designed to obtain qualitative information on food habits in Africa over the web entered via the healthyeatingclub website http://www.healthyeatingclub.com/

• Example for obtained data on East Africa (1960ties): Results of 2 dietary surveys among 2 Kenyan tribes (Figure 1) Figure 1. a-nnDietary surveys, 1-51Nutritional status

surveys, carried out in East Africa during the 1970ties

  Kikuyu Luo

Dates of Survey 31.05.1965- 04.10.1965-

  07.06.1965 11.10.1965

Sample size 142 116

  21 families 21 families

0

1000

2000

3000

Calories

Kikuyu Luo

Tribes

Calorie consumption

Distribution of calories Kikuyu tribe

9%

80%

11%

Protein

Fat

Carbohydrates

Distribution of calories Luo tribe

12%

9%

79%

Table 1. Dietary survey information

Early morning

Uji (gruel made from maize or millet)

  or Tea

MiddayUgali (stiff maize or millet mixture) and

  green vegetables

Evening Ugali and fish stew

Table 3. Typical menu for Nyanza region; Luo tribe

Tribe     Main food source

Kikuyu Protein 48 g Cereals

Calcium 259 mg Fruit & Vegetable

Iron 17 mg Cereals

Vitamin A 1583 I.U. Fruit & Vegetable

Thiamine 1,4 mg Cereals

Riboflavin 0,84 mg Fruit & Vegetable

  Vitamin C 130 mg Fruit & Vegetable

Luo Protein 73 g Cereals, Fish

Calcium 987 mg Animal food

Iron 27 mg Cereals

Vitamin A 1305 I.U. Fruit & Vegetable

Thiamine 1,8 mg Cereals

Riboflavin 0,9 mg Fruit & Vegetable

  Vitamin C 87 mg Fruit & Vegetable

Table 2. Average nutrient consumption

Conclusion

A website on African Food cultures should be of enormous benefit to Human Development in Africa and elsewhere.

References1. Oniango R K: Food habits in Kenya: The effects of change and attendant methodological problems.

Appetite 1999; 32:93-96.

2. Bohdal M, Gibbs N E, et al. (1964-1968). Nutrition survey and campaign against malnutrition in Kenya, Ministry of Health Kenya.

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