Nutrition

Nutrition Blog Post

Manning Sarah, Neikoba Enid, Zuo Linda

               

                Before being a part of this experience, we all had very different ideas of what a balanced diet should look like relative to the three different countries that our group members are from and the foods available in each. As we near the two-week milestone of our time in Uganda our perceptions of “proper nutrition” have changed.

                On our first full day together we traveled to Owino in Kampala, one of the two major markets in the city. It was both an overwhelming and enlightening experience. The market itself is a maze of stalls; so many people both buying and selling hundreds of products. It was the meat and fish that grabbed our attention most, even for those who are not focusing on nutrition as a study. There was no source of refrigeration to be seen as chunks of raw meat where hanging from stalls and piled on counters. Though it looked relatively fresh, it was unclear how long it had been out. There was a similar situation with the fish being sold. While the majority of that available had already been smoked in order to preserve it, the fish were still left out, allowing them to come into contact with flies and any other type of insect that may have been living around that area. These conditions began to bring up questions regarding the impacts of sanitation on nutrition, among other things.

                Our homestay experience in Rakai highlighted some of the major staple foods of the Ugandan diet: matooke (mashed/pressed boiled plantains), Irish potatoes, groundnuts, and rice. Other important foods also include: sweet potatoes, cassava, maize, and pumpkin. Most meals served in Uganda are generally heavy in carbohydrates but also do not have added sugar like many of the foods from other countries. Most of these products are grown at each family’s home with some exceptions.

 

                One morning we went on individual group outings to different locations near the Rakai Health Sciences Program (RHSP). We spent this time at Kalisizo Clinic and had an extremely informative interview with one of the nurses there, Grace Nambooze, who explained to us how the topic of nutrition is introduced to patients every day. Although Kalisizo does not have a nutrition department, the clinic requires all outpatient cases to complete a health education discussion before they receive care.
 

She began by explaining the different levels of malnutrition: mild, moderate, and severe. Severe cases are typically referred to a different hospital that can specialize in that treatment, but Rakai has not seen a situation that serious in at least four years. Principal Nurse Nambooze went on to mention the importance of education of a balanced diet of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, greens, and minerals out of local foods that can be easily and affordably obtained by those living in the area. If food is too expensive or difficult to grow, it is unlikely that many will be able to buy or cultivate it sustainably. The clinic asks families to bring samples of their plantations and health care providers offer lessons on how to prepare nutritious meals.

 

                Principle Nurse Nambooze also explained factors that can exacerbate malnutrition. Before speaking with her, we had been under the impression that malnutrition is largely synonymous with starvation. This is not necessarily the case though. Co-infectious diseases such as malaria, TB,HIV/AIDS and diarrhea, are those that impact immune systems. These create dangerous situations in which patients can easily become malnourished as their bodies are in weakened states trying to fight the disease and often do not fully utilize nutrients being taken in. TB patients, for example, experience a loss of appetite. Even if they have food available to them they will not be taking in the amount that their body needs simply because they do not want it.

 

                Our original perceptions, especially in the early days of the homestay, were that meals here were not as “nutritious” as we had expected. Upon further reflection, though, the carbohydrate-heavy diet consumed by most Ugandans fits perfectly with their very active and work-intensive lifestyle. Beginning with some of the very first meals that we have been served here, it has constantly come into question whether or not we are really experiencing the “true” Ugandan diet. The general consensus is that our experience has been of the Ugandan food but at much higher quantities and with much greater variety than most would have. This assertion was backed up today when we talked to the youth representative of the Ugandan parliament who listed malnutrition as the second direst issue that Ugandans currently face. We look forward to continuing our research here in urban Kampala in order to get a more holistic picture of this topic.