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Health & disease

Serum-Cholesterol, diet and coronary heart disease in Africans and Asians in Uganda

Reprinted from THE LANCET, Vol 10 (2), Shaper, A. and K. Jones , "Serum-Cholesterol, diet and coronary heart disease in Africans and Asians in Uganda." 10(2): 534-537, Copyright (1959), with permission from Elsevier.

PDF: Serum-Cholesterol, diet and coronary heart disease in Africans and Asians in Uganda 1959

An investigation into health and agriculture in Teso, Uganda 1937

A combined agricultural and health survey of two small administrative units (antagoles) has been carried out in Teso during 1937. In one of the antagoles with the denser population and negligible consumption of food of animal origin, significant correlations were obtained between nutritional health and certain agricultural and economic factors. In the other area, where the population is less dense and where fish is eaten frequently, these correlations were not obtained. Therefore, it was believed that overcrowding combined with a purely vegetarian diet have an adverse effect on the nutritional health of a community.

Figures about the incidence of certain non nutritional diseases and vitamin deficiencies among the inhabitants of these angoles are given in the following article.

PDF: An investigation into Health and Agriculture in Teso, Uganda 1937

Protein Calorie Malnutrition in Uganda in 1962

The series of papers describes a sheme that was devised to collect information on protein calorie malnutrition in Uganda and to spread knowledge about the diagnosis and treatment of the disease.

The sheme included the following districts

• Bugosa
  
• Bukedi
  
• Bugisu
  
• Ankole
  
• Kigezi

PDF: Protein-calorie malnutrition in Uganda, II-Busoga District, III-Bukedi District, IV-Bugisu District, V-Ankole district

Kwashiorkor in Uganda's children in 1958 and 1959

The calories per head in Uganda in 1958 and 1959 seemed to be adequate everywhere. Although, kwashiorkor was the most serious nutritional disease during that period of time due to a diet low in protein but over rich in calories.
The following paper reviewed the possible reasons for occurrence of malnutrition in young children, in some parts of Uganda.

PDF: Protein-calorie malnutrition in Uganda, II-Busoga District, III-Bukedi District, IV-Bugisu District, V-Ankole district

The serum protein pattern of Africans in Uganda: relation to diet and Malaria, 1955

Examination of sera from symptom-free adult men who lived in the Kampala area of Uganda has shown that the mean gamma globulin level is higher and the albumin level lower, than those of European controls. This survey determined the serum protein in adults and children in three different parts of Uganda (Kampala, Karamoja and Kigezi). The people in these districts consumed different diets and the incidence of malaria also varied.
The serum protein pattern observed among the three areas differed considerably from that commonly observed among Europeans and the patterns observed in the three districts also varied from each other.

Reference: Holmes, E., M. Stanier, et al. (1955). "The serum protein pattern of Africans in Uganda: Relation to diet and malaria." Trans. Roy. Soc. Trop. Med. Hyg. 49: 376.

Vitamin E deficiency in Uganda African subjects in 1964

The study was undertaken to estimate the incidence of vitamin E deficiency in Uganda African subjects and to its relation to hookworm.
The incidence of Vitamin E deficiency was estimated in 490 Ugandan African subjects. Out of the control group 15% were deficient and similar values were found in diabetic subjects, cardiac failure subjects. There was a significant increase in the incidence of deficiency in cases of severe hookworm infection.

Reference: Leonard, P. (1964). "Vitamin E deficiency in Uganda African subjects." Transactions of the British Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 58(6): 517-520.

Summary of medical investigations and reports from the Uganda Protectorate Nutrition Committee in 1945

The first work on Vitamin A deficiency in Africa was carried out in Uganda in 1933 by Loewenthal. This article provides you with useful references about such medical investigations.

PDF: Review of nutrition in Uganda_1945

Ideas and disease aetiology of kwashiorkor among Baganda's

The Baganda were one of the largest and most advanced tribes of the past. They had different indigenous names for the cases of kwashiorkor of different stages of severity. This article provides an enormous amount of information and local names for Kiganda diseases highlight the examples for western diagnosis and their Kiganda equivalent.

Reference: Rutishauser, I. H. E. (1963). "Custom and child Health in Buganda." Tropical Geographic Medicine 15: 138-147.

Ecology of childhood disease in the Karamojong of Uganda in the 1960s

A community child health survey was carried out and 1047 infants, pre-school children and school children were examined.

Information and data are provided on:

• Skin disease
  
• Nutrition
  
• Haemoglobin levels
  
• Prevalence of malaria
  
• Spleen and liver rates
  
• Intestinal parasites
• Eye disease
  
• Miscellaneous clinical findings
  

Summary:
The ecology of the Karamojong people is described in this publication. Their lifestyle was characterised by constant search for water and grazing land for their cattle which dominated the scene culturally and nutritionally.
The pattern of diseases which were observed during the child health survey related well to the ecology, the most common problems were: conjunctivitis and trachoma, skin infections (scabies and tropical ulcer), tapeworm infection and malaria.
Hospital attendances investigations also showed a high incidence of certain acute conditions not likely to be found in a short term field survey, including diarrheal disease, as well as cattle associated infections as tetanus, anthrax and brucellosis.

Reference: Jelliffe, D. B., B. F. J, et al. (1964). "Ecology of childhood disease in the Karamojong in Uganda." Archives of environmental health 9: 25-36.

The health of Acholi children

The following article gives you an insight of the field survey undertaken among the young children in rural Acholi district in May 1960, about fifteen month after a pandemic of the anopheline-born virus disease "O'nyoung-nyong", had affected almost all the population. General child health was assessed but particular attention was given to clinically detectable congenital abnormalities.

Data on:

• Analysis of weight of rural Acholi children
  
• Analysis of weight of urban Acholi children
  
• Nutritional indicators in rural Acholi children
  
• Infant feeding among rural children
• Miscellaneous clinical findings
  
• Haemoglobin levels
  
• Sickling test
  
• Malaria parasites
  
• Stool examination
  

The survey showed no apparent increase of obvious congenital anomalies as a result of previous infection of pregnant women with "O'nyoung-nyong" virus.

Severe anaemia was the main public health problem in childhood which was considered to be mainly related to the high prevalence of malaria. Severe-protein calorie malnutrition, including kwashiorkor, was uncommon, probably because of widespread and successful prolonged breastfeeding and the early introduction of vegetable protein foods, especially millet gruel, sesame and beans. In contrast, among urban Acholi children kwashiorkor was present, as well as hypochromotrichia. This diseases prevalence was probably due to the use of maize flour instead of millet flour for infant feeding in Kampala where traditional foods are less easily available.

PDF: The health of Acholi children

Reprinted from Jelliffe, D. B., J. F. Bennett, et al. (1963). "The health of Acholi children." Tropical and geographical medicine 15(Community and child health studies in East Africa No. 5): 411-421, Copyright 1963, with permission from Blackwell Publishing

Reference: Rutishauser, I. H. E. (1963). "Custom and child Health in Buganda." Tropical Geographic Medicine 15: 138-147.

Reprinted from the Journal of Tropical and geographical medicine Vol. 15, Jelliffe, D. B., J. F. Bennett, et al., "The health of Alcholi children in Tropical and geographical medicine Vol.15, No.5: 411-421, Copyright 1963, with permission from the Journal of Tropical and geographical medicine.

How different were Baganda and Luo children in Kampala in 1954?

The following article summarized the main points raised the clinical meeting at Mulago hospital in July 1954.
The focus of the observation was: weight and heights, the incidence of infections and signs of malnutrition, as well as dietary habits among Luo and Baganda children who attended child welfare clinics.
Although the Luo children were dirtier, apparently less well looked after and more susceptible to infections than the Baganda, they were heavier in weight than the Baganda children and many of them were above the average weight for Europeans through ought the first three years of life.

Data and information on:

• Weight and length curves
  
• Signs of malnutrition
  
• Excess of disease attributable to dirt
  
• Breast feeding
  
• Diet after weaning
  
• Ethnical differences
  

Notes on differences between Baganda and Luo children in Kampala." E.A. Med J 32: 291.

Native beer as a useful tool against deficiency disease?

The survey highlights the signs of Vitamin A deficiency among the population of Teso. The deficiency was attributed to dietetic, climatic, financial and social factors which varied in importance in the different areas. The effects on age and sex are discussed. Also, the value of native beer in preventing other deficiency disease is stressed in the following paper.

Reference: Loewenthal, J. A. (1935). "An inquiry into vitamin A deficiency among the population of the Teso, Uganda, with special reference to school children." Annual Tropical Medicine 29: 349.

Created by Verena Raschke 2005 / Contact