At least 43 per cent of Nyeri women consume unhealthy foods, a Demographic and Health Survey has revealed.
The study, which was conducted by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, indicated that the figure was eight per cent higher than the national average, which stands at 35 per cent.
According to the findings, at least 32.9 per cent of women between the ages of 15- 49 years were overindulging in cakes, candies, biscuits, chocolates, and ice cream, while another 22.1 per cent had a liking for fried and salty foods, namely indomie noodles, crips, chips, samosa, mandazi, and ngumu.
Besides food, the study also revealed that 78 per cent of women in Nyeri consume sweet beverages, with sweetened hot beverages like tea, fruit-flavoured drinks, sodas, malt drinks, and energy drinks topping their list of favorites. KNBS says that the county percentage was just 8 points above the national average, which stood at 70 per cent. something that they warned, if unchecked, could affect the reproductive health of women within the reproductive age bracket as well as increase their chances of experiencing complications during pregnancy.
“The indicator for unhealthy food consumption describes foods that are fried and high in sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats that are commonly consumed by women. Unhealthy food and sweet beverages should be limited because they are associated with overweight, obesity, and non-communicable diseases. In women, overweight and obesity can affect reproductive health and increase complications in pregnancy,” says the survey.
Other counties where women recorded high consumption of unhealthy foods include Vihiga County (54 per cent), Kiambu (52 per cent) and Nakuru which recorded 48 per cent.
Surprisingly, the findings also show that the level of education, as well as the financial status, largely determined the dietary choices made by women. The data showed that the percentage of women consuming unhealthy foods was highest among women with high levels of education compared to their counterparts who did not have any form of education.
“The percentage of women increased with the level of education, from 14 per cent among women with no education to 42 per cent among women with more than secondary school education. Similarly, 70 per cent of women with no education compared to 75 per cent with more than secondary education consume sweet beverages,” reads the findings in part.
The survey was conducted between February and July 2022, where a total of 833 households in the county participated. During the study, a total of 529 female respondents between the ages of 15 -49 years were interviewed.
By Wangari Mwangi
