Browsing by Author "Mbwana, Hadijah Ally"

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Awareness and risk reduction of hypertension among adults in Ilala and Mkuranga districts, Tanzania
(The East African Health Research Journal, 2025) Kabanda, Alison; Mbwana, Hadijah Ally; Ngowi, Helena Aminiel
Background: Hypertension is one of the major global public health problems that has been associated with an increasing prevalence of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) such as stroke and ischemic heart disease. This study aimed to assess awareness and the practice of risk reduction of hypertension among adults in Ilala and Mkuranga districts, Tanzania. Methods: A community based cross sectional study was conducted whereby a total of 295 participants were interviewed using a questionnaire adapted from the World Health Organization (WHO). Stepwise approach for chronic disease risk factor surveillance was used to obtain the socio-demographic information, knowledge, awareness, and attitudes regarding hypertension using a structured set of questions. Blood pressure was measured and recorded. Descriptive statistics were used to describe and summarize the study findings. Pearson Chi-square test was used to compare and determine the association between categorical variables and hypertension. Multiple logistic regression analysis was Results: performed to determine predictors of hypertension. Statistical association for all comparisons was set at P<.05. Hypertension prevalence was high (36.9%) with high proportion of hypertensive individuals being aged between 30 to 44 years (48.6%), married or cohabiting (70.6%), self-employed (59.6%), attained primary education level (59.6%), earn
Editorial: achieving nutrition security in Tanzania by improving production, education and economics: methods, tools and applications
(Frontiers, 2022-09-20) Hoffmann, Harry Konrad; Kinabo, Joyce Ludovick; Sieber, Stefan; Stuetz, Wolfgang; Bonatti, Michelle; Mbwana, Hadijah Ally; Uckert, Götz Bernhard; Matavel, Custodio Efraim; Hafner, Johannes Michael; Löhr, Katharina; Rybak, Constance
Globally, the number of people unable to afford a healthy diet rose by 112 million to almost 3.1 billion, reflecting the impacts of rising consumer food prices during the pandemic (1). In this context, food security and nutrition is increasingly highlighted as a priority among both scientists (2) and political decision makers (3). On the African continent, this topic is of particular importance as the number of individuals affected by undernourishment remained on a high level throughout the 2010s, and since 2019 are again rising (Figure 1)– the war in Ukraine will most likely cause even greater problems (4). In 2021, hunger affected 278 million people in Africa. Situated in one of the globally most affected regions, achieving food security and nutrition is already a substantial challenge in Tanzania, with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) (5) reporting that, between 2014 and 2020, the overall prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the total population has affected roughly 55-56% of the overall population. However, these already severe numbers do not display the food security situation in 2022 adequately because the devastating effects of the Covid-19 pandemic (6) and the subsequent spikes in global food prices since the 24th of February 2022 are not included. The latter is especially worrying as more than 65% of imported wheat in Tanzania derives from Russia (ca. 50%) or Ukraine (ca. 15%) (7). Furthermore, prices for agricultural inputs, like fertilizers and pesticides, are also increasing significantly, given that these are mainly imported from Russia. The knock-on effects will likewise worsen the food security situation in the near future. Thus, the topic of this special issue is even more important than it was when it was launched, especially as Tanzania is likely to be among the 10 largest countries globally in 2100 (8) and, simultaneously, climate change will hit East Africa (9) including Tanzania (10) particularly hard. The included set of papers aim to address the overall challenge of food insecurity from different disciplinary angles and on different analytical levels, thus holistically displaying the magnitude of the problem and showcasing potential pathways for solving some aspects of the crisis.
Prevalence of malnutrition and community perceptions of women's barriers to child growth: Case study in Kilindi District, Tanzania
(Tanzania Journal of Health Research, 2025) Hillary, Mtagulwa Mzee; Mbwana, Hadijah Ally
Introduction : Everyday lives of children depend on interactions with their parents, especially on care and feeding practices, which are essential to their development, health, and overall well-being. Objectives: This paper aimed to examine the prevalence of undernutrition and barriers facing women during the growth of children between the ages of 6 and 23 months among crop farmers and agro- pastoralists in Kilindi District. Methods: About 136 agro-pastoralist women and 209 crop farmers were chosen using multistage random sampling and participated in a cross-sectional survey. A structured questionnaire was used to gather the data during the face-to-face interview. A length board and a weighing scale were used to measure length and weight, respectively. IBM SPSS Statistics version 20, NVivo software version 8, and WHO Anthro 3.2.1 were used to analyze the data. Significant differences in the distribution of nutritional status were determined using the Mann-Whitney U test. Significance was considered at 5% when P≤0.05. Results: Approximately 94.2% of crop farmers' children and 91.8% of agro-pastoralists' children were breastfed and given complementary food. The main women's barriers to child growth were food insecurity, workload, inadequate health facilities, culture, and inadequate nutritional knowledge. Crop farmers had a higher prevalence of stunting (37.1%), underweight (16.3%), and wasting (7.7%) than agro- pastoralists, who had a prevalence of stunting (28.5%), underweight (13.8%), and wasting (4.4%). Conclusion: The crop farmers' children are more malnourished than agro-pastoralists. Income- generating activities, such as crop and livestock production, adequate health services, labor-saving equipment, and nutritional knowledge, have to be put into consideration by policymakers at the household level in order to improve the nutritional status of children.
Prevalence of poor nutritional status and associated factors among children in Dodoma region of Tanzania
(Food Science & Nutrition Research, 2024) Mbwana, Hadijah Ally; Mwinuka, Lutengano
Background: Undernutrition is a problem of public health significant in developing countries. This study examined the factors associated with stunting in children in Dodoma Region in Tanzania. Methods: Multistage stratified sampling procedure was used to select respondents. Height and weight were measured and nutritional status of children was determined. Stunting, underweight, and wasting in children were defined using these criteria, which were compared to WHO norms and standards. Logistic regression models were used to establish relationships between stunting and multiple variables. Results: The overall prevalence of stunting was 33%. Mzula village had the highest prevalence of severely underweight children at 3.6%. There were no significant differences in weight and height among children between villages. Important factors associated with stunting in a univariate logistic regression were mother’s education, material used to build house, age of the child and distance to water source. In the multivariate analysis distance to water source and mother’s education, maternal education, and child’s age were found to independently predict stunting. The univariate logistic regression picked the father’s education, age of the mother and distance to water source as main determinants of being underweight. Conclusion: The current study stresses the importance of implementing region specific and context-relevant treatments to prevent malnutrition in this and other similar contexts in Tanzania.
The synergy of indigenous vegetables and bioenergy for nutritious food sovereignty in Tanzania and beyond: a systematic review
(Scientific Research Publishing, 2026) Yustas, Yusto Mugisha; Mbwana, Hadijah Ally
Ensuring food sovereignty amid climate change, energy insecurity, and fragile food systems remains a central challenge for low- and middle-income coun- tries. Indigenous vegetables (IVs) and bioenergy represent two locally grounded yet often separately addressed components of sustainable develop- ment. This systematic review synthesises evidence on how synergies between IVs and bioenergy systems jointly advance nutritious food sovereignty in Tan- zania and comparable contexts globally. Drawing on 123 peer-reviewed and grey literature sources published between 1990 and 2025, the review demon- strates that IVs provide climate-resilient, nutrient-dense foods essential for di- etary diversity, while bioenergy enables energy-efficient processing, preserva- tion, and storage of these foods. When integrated, IVs and bioenergy form a circular bioeconomy in which agricultural residues are valorised into clean energy, post-harvest losses are reduced, nutrient retention is enhanced, and reliance on imported food and fossil fuels declines. The review further shows that such synergies align strongly with national development strategies and global sustainability frameworks, including Tanzania’s NMNAP II, FYDP III, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 2 and 7). The paper concludes that integrating indigenous agri-food systems with decentralised bioenergy is not merely a technical option but a strategic pathway toward equitable, resili- ent, and sovereign food-energy systems. Future research should focus on so- cio-technical integration, gender-inclusive governance, and scalable policy frameworks to unlock the full potential of IV-bioenergy synergies.