Evidence for factors associated with diet and physical activity in African and Caribbean countries

Abstract

Objective To identify and describe summarized evidence on factors associated with diet and physical activity in low- and middle-income countries in Africa and the Caribbean by performing a scoping review of reviews. Methods We searched the Medline®, LILACS, Scopus, Global Health and Web of Science databases for reviews of factors associated with diet or physical activity published between 1998 and 2019. At least 25% of studies in reviews had to come from African or Caribbean countries. Factors were categorized using Dahlgren and Whitehead’s social model of health. There was no quality appraisal. Findings We identified 25 reviews: 13 on diet, four on physical activity and eight on both. Eighteen articles were quantitative systematic reviews. In 12 reviews, 25–50% of studies were from Africa or the Caribbean. Only three included evidence from the Caribbean. Together, the 25 reviews included primary evidence published between 1926 and 2018. Little of the summarized evidence concerned associations between international health or political factors and diet or associations between any factor and physical activity across all categories of the social model of health. Conclusion The scoping review found a wide range of factors reported to be associated with diet and physical activity in Africa and the Caribbean, but summarized evidence that could help inform policies encouraging behaviours linked to healthy diets and physical activity in these regions were lacking. Further reviews are needed to inform policy where the evidence exists, and to establish whether additional primary research is needed.

Development of the Brazilian Version of a Pan-Canadian Behavior Change Program and Its Health and Fitness Outcomes

“…Given the health disparities between populations across the globe, there have been multiple calls for culturally appropriate interventions, particularly in LMICs, which are grossly underrepresented in the literature [ 10 , 12 , 67 ]. This includes widespread calls to adapt interventions that have demonstrated efficacy and/or effectiveness in a culturally appropriate manner for LMICs [ 13 , 68 , 69 ].…”

“…Additionally, most research aimed at generating strategies to tackle the problems related to chronic medical conditions and their risk factors has been conducted with populations from high-income countries [ 8 ]. Given the considerable socioeconomic differences between high- and low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), however, intervention designs and outcomes from studies with high-income countries’ populations are not appropriate to implement directly on populations from lower-income countries [ 9 , 10 , 11 ]. Accordingly, the World Health Organization has recently recommended, as a research priority, behavior change interventions with populations from LMICs to compare the results with those conducted on high-income countries’ populations [ 12 ].…”

The Potential for Healthy, Sustainable, and Equitable Transport Systems in Africa and the Caribbean: A Mixed-Methods Systematic Review and Meta-Study

“…Despite the differences between Africa and the Caribbean, both regions have complex mobility systems typified by the deficient provision of formal public transport, a dominant paratransit sector (privately owned informal transport modes serving the general public), congestion, air pollution, and high levels of traffic fatalities [23,24]. Currently, there is little evidence on the main factors that determine choice and use of transport modes in these contexts [25], limiting our understanding of the extent to which the human mobility transitions occurring in Africa and the Caribbean are linked to their epidemiological transitions with rising levels of noncommunicable diseases. Given the contribution of travel behaviour and mobility systems to health, poverty, and the environment, greater evidence on the factors shaping travel behaviour (and their inter-relationships) could help with achieving better outcomes.…”