Nutr Res Pract.  2022 Jun;16(3):379-391. 10.4162/nrp.2022.16.3.379.

Eating away from home is associated with overweight and obesity among Ugandan adults: the 2014 Uganda non-communicable disease risk factor survey

• Kityo A
• Park PS

• KMID: 2530398
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4162/nrp.2022.16.3.379

Abstract

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES
We investigated the associations between eating away from home (EAFH) and overweight and obesity among Ugandan adults using the 2014 Uganda non-communicable disease risk factor survey.
SUBJECTS/METHODS
In total, 3,025 participants aged 18–69 years were included in the analysis. The frequency of EAFH was assessed by asking participants the number of meals eaten per week that were not prepared at a home. EAFH frequency was categorized as; less than once/week, 1-2 times/week, or ≥ 3 times/week. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the associations between overweight, obesity, and EAFH. We also tested whether sex and age modified these associations.
RESULTS
Participants that ate away from home ≥ 3 times/week were 2.13 times more likely to be obese than those that ate away from home less than once/week (odds ratio [OR], 2.13; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.28–3.54). However, when the analysis was stratified by sex, women that ate away from home ≥ 3 times/week were 42% less likely to be overweight than those that ate away from home less than once/week (OR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.36–0.94). Men that ate away from home ≥ 3 times a week were 3.89 times and 2.23 times more likely to be obese and overweight, respectively, than those that ate away from home less than once/week (obesity: OR, 3.89; 95% CI, 1.50–10.09; overweight: OR, 2.23; 95% CI, 1.42–3.51). Agestratified analysis showed that among participants aged 31–50 years, those that ate away from home ≥ 3 times a week were 3.53 times more likely to be obese than those that ate away from home less than once/week (OR, 3.53; 95% CI, 1.69–7.37).
CONCLUSIONS
Frequent EAFH was positively associated with overweight and obesity among men, and obesity among young/middle-aged adults, but negatively associated with overweight in women. Nutritional interventions for obesity reduction in Uganda should include strategies aimed at reducing the frequency of eating meals prepared away from home, and specifically target men and young/middle-aged adults.

Keyword

Obesity; overweight; eating; adults

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Flow chart showing how study participants were selected.NCD, non-communicable disease; BMI, body mass index.

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