Determinants of obesity and metabolic health in the Afghan population: protocol, methodology, and preliminary results

Researchers from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) have conducted the first population-based study to assess dietary patterns, demographic and lifestyle factors, and their association with obesity and metabolic health in Afghanistan, through the collection of dietary data and biological samples. The study was completed in collaboration with scientists from Kandahar University, Afghanistan. The protocol and methodology of the data and sample collection have been published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health.

The research team collected samples from more than 700 men and women living in Kandahar. The overall objectives of the study were to identify determinants of obesity and poor metabolic health in this population, and to inform public health strategies to promote a healthy lifestyle and prevent the epidemic of overweight and obesity, and hence reduce the burden of noncommunicable diseases in the region.

This study will aid the development of dietary and lifestyle guidelines in Afghanistan to promote better health and educate people to make healthier food choices. The data collected will constitute an invaluable resource for future studies on lifestyle patterns, biomarkers, and the microbiome, and could be used to train future epidemiologists and public health scientists in Afghanistan and other areas with similar living conditions.

Sahrai MS, Huybrechts I, Biessy C, Rinaldi S, Ferrari P, Wasiq AW, et al.
Determinants of obesity and metabolic health in the Afghan population: protocol, methodology, and preliminary results
J Epidemiol Glob Health, Published online 7 January 2022;
https://doi.org/10.1007/s44197-021-00026-0

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