Under-nutrition and micronutrient deficiencies are highly prevalent in Kenya. These lead to poor mental and physical development among children, and poor health outcomes among ill persons including diabetics. Food based interventions provide a sustainable and affordable option to overcome micronutrient deficiencies. Legumes are rich in both proteins and micronutrients. The key focus area of this project will be legumes in Nutrition and Health. The project will investigate the role of legumes in optimizing the nutritional status, specifically zinc status in specific population groups in Kenya.
To improve the zinc status among women, girls and children in Kenya
To achieve the above objectives, two specific objectives are foreseen:
It is envisioned that within the next 5 years, 2 PhD and 2 MSc students will be trained. This will be paralleled by installation of a research laboratory for nutrition analysis. Legume consumption patterns & determinants established as basis for developing new legume based food products. Intervention strategies will also be developed to speed up the adoption of the newly developed legume based foods. It is hoped that guidelines for improving dietary intake will be developed and availed to consumers.
| Team member(s) North | ||
|---|---|---|
| Prof Meulemans, An | Department of Chronic Diseases, Metabolism and Ageing, KU Leuven | Nutrition & Obesity |
| Prof. Van der Schueren, Bart | Department of Chronic Diseases, Metabolism and Ageing, KU Leuven | Nutrition & Obesity |
| Boedt, Tessy | Department of Chronic Diseases, Metabolism and Ageing, KU Leuven | Nutrition & Obesity |
| Steenackers, Nele | Department of Chronic Diseases, Metabolism and Ageing, KU Leuven | Nutrition & Obesity |
| Team member(s) South | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dr. Kenneth Ngure | JKUAT | Public Health |
| Ms. Zipporah Bukania | Kenya Medical Research Institute | Clinical Nutrition |
| Dr. Judith Okoth | JKUAT | Food Science |
She holds a MSc. in Human Nutrition and Rural Development, Ghent University, Belgium (2015), and BSc. Food Science and Nutrition, Jomo Kenyatta University of Science and Technology, Kenya (2012). Her research interests include healthy and sustainable human diets, nutrition security, zinc, diet diversity, feeding trials and type2-diabetes mellitus. She is keen on narrowing the nutrition gap which is critical for any developing nation to attain set goals and realize important gains in the fight for nutrition security.
Moses Mogesi Mokaya is a registered member of the Kenya Nutritionists and Dieticians Institute (KNDI). He holds an MSc in Human Nutrition with specialization in Public Health, and a B.Ed in Home Science and Technology from Maseno University. Moses is trained in Monitoring, Evaluation and Impact Assessment of Food and Nutrition Security Programs with the Wageningen University, Netherlands. Moses has research interests in micronutrient deficiencies and their effect on noncommunicable diseases and lifelong health.
Diana Mwelu Mulwa is currently an MSc Student pursuing Food Science and Nutrition at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture & Technology. She is a beneficiary of the LCEFoNS Project and she is currently working on, “The Development and Relative Validation of a Food Frequency Questionnaire in Kenya for School Going Children (10-14 Years) and Type 2 Diabetes Patients in Makueni County to Assess Nutrient Intake.”
Eunice Gathoni is currently an MSc Student pursuing Food Science and Nutrition at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture & Technology. She is a beneficiary of the LCEFoNS Project and she is currently working on “Knowledge and Self-Care Practices among Type 2 Diabetic Patients-A Case Study of Thika Level 5 Hospital, Kenya.”
A human nutrition laboratory equipped to conduct biochemical analysis of nutrition indicators.
This project will be steered by JKUAT Human Nutrition Unit in collaboration with the department of Public Health. The team will work hand in hand with KU Leuven, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine. In Kenya, potential stakeholders include Kenya Medical Research Institute, Centre for Public Health Research, Ministry of Health Nutrition and Dietetics Unit and Division of Non-communicable diseases, Ministries of education at county level Ministries of Health at county level NGOs, Kenya Diabetes Management and Information Centre and the Kenya Defeat Diabetes Association
P.O. Box 62 000 – 00200
NAIROBI, KENYA,
Telephone:
0675870001, 0675870002,
0675870003, 0675870004,
0675870005
Monday-Friday (9:00 AM - 5:00 PM)
Saturday and Sunday: Off