Data from Isotopic Technique Prompts Kenya to Set Up Obesity Task Force

Rates of overweight and obesity are on the rise among women between the ages of 20 and 49 in Kenya, and the government’s Division of Nutrition and Dietetics turned to the IAEA for assistance. In counties such as Nyeri — where the most recent data shows a prevalence of overweight and obesity among 63% of women — unhealthy diets and physical inactivity have led to a marked increase in obesity-related chronic diseases. To tackle this public health challenge, the IAEA’s technical cooperation programme and human health programme supported Kenya in assessing the impact of a nutrition-related intervention by utilizing a stable isotope technique: deuterium dilution. This study — the most recent example of the IAEA’s assistance — will help Kenyan researchers, nutrition specialists and policymakers to develop more targeted strategies that could manage and even prevent the double burden of malnutrition.??

Under the framework of a national technical cooperation project which was launched in 2020, 197 women aged 18 to 49 participated in a six-month long study. One community consisting of 101 women received nutrition counselling every two weeks which emphasized the importance of adopting healthy diets, ensuring well-rounded diets of diverse food sources and adhering to proper portion sizing. Alongside exercise sessions which stimulated their physical activity, these 101 women were also encouraged to establish motivational, peer support groups among themselves, create kitchen gardens and attend sessions which addressed food safety, sourcing and pricing. As a measure of the intervention’s effectiveness, scientists monitored changes in body composition (the ratio of fat to lean tissue) of all 197 women, including the 96 women who were part of the non-intervention control group.?

The 101 women who were part of the intervention experienced notable improvements in their health. Across the board, their weight, waist size, hip circumference, fat mass and fat percentage were all lower while the control group experienced little to no change.?

“These results are encouraging, showing how longer-term interventions and lifestyle changes can tackle rising overweight and obesity in Kenya,” explained Dorcus Mbithe David-Kigaru, senior lecturer and researcher at Kenyatta University’s Department of Food, Nutrition and Dietetics and the project’s lead counterpart. “To sustain these body composition improvements, support groups should be formed among women with similar socioeconomic backgrounds and networks, weight loss expectations should be managed and community health practitioners should play a collaborative role,” Mbithe said.?

Following Mbithe’s presentation of the study’s findings to key stakeholders, which included Kenya’s Ministry of Health, the National Healthy Diets Technical Working Group formulated a task force to take these findings further. “Kenya has shown limited progress towards achieving diet-related non-communicable diseases targets, highlighting the need for effective guidelines and interventions,” said Eric Ngereso Kihugwa, nutritionist at Kenyatta National Hospital and chair of the task force. “The new guidelines being formulated will enhance healthcare professionals’ ability to manage obesity effectively.”?

“The study and Kenya’s newly formed task force are a testament to the vital role that stable isotope techniques can play in advancing health, nutrition and well-being at both the programmatic and policy level,” said Cornelia Loechl, head of Nutritional and Health-related Environmental Studies in the IAEA Division of Human Health. “By generating data, these tools enable researchers, programme stakeholders and policymakers alike to undertake more nuanced, evidence-based actions that effectively address global health challenges.”?