Know it better: MADHARA YA KIAFYA YANAYOTARAJIWA KUIKUMBA DAR ES SALAAM

POSSIBLE IMPACTS OF ENVIRONMENT IN OUR HEALTH IN THE COMING YEARS

Constantine Ntanguligwa (MD student Muhimbili university of health and allied sciences)

2300hrs 13th July 2016

Karibu tuzungumze:

THE TWO BIG QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED:

WHY AND WHAT ARE THE IMPACTS?
WHAT SHOULD BE DONE? THINGS TO CONSIDER BEFORE YOU PLAN BUILDING YOUR FUTURE HOUSE

The environment is everything that sorrounds us. We are perhaps surrounded by so many things, some of which are too useful and some which are too harmful.

None the less, research shows that active communiting is adviced to people in Tanzania today especially in DSM region and analogous places.

What is active communiting?

This is the situation whereby a person socializes with people and not just isolated at his or her home locked up. When at home, go out on foot meet neighbours and survey environment around you. Do physical exercises At your work place, speak to people and socialize. Move from one place to another. Stand , walk and talk to people whlist enjoying your work.

Active communiting is found to reduce risk of some diseases already at its extent like cardiovascular and obesity.

HOW DOES THE ENVIRONMENT SUPPORT ACTIVE COMMUNITING?

When the environment around you is so congested, you lack even places to do physical exercises. To some places even to just sit outside and enjoy fresh air is not available.

Take an example of a person whose house is at a location where there are so many thieves and robbers. This would discourage any activity to be done outside and eventually affect active communiting.

WHAT IS HAPPENING TO DAR ES SALAAM?

Currently DSM is faced by a problem of heavy road traffic jam. This causes most of people working at the middle of the city to be so inactive community wise.

If a person can wake up at 4 am because of the fear of traffic jam, reaches work place at 7 am. Starts working at 7.30 am. Lunch break and tea break at the middle eating and utilizing junk foods like Chips. Resumes working and leaves work at 4 pm. This person because of traffic jam reaches home at 7 pm so tired. Needs to fulfil home responsibilities, drink beer, needs to watch movies and needs to watch football and sleep early for the next tiresome day. This way it goes on like that the vicious circle of poor health.

This is just one example. There are many others like excessive usage of cars where the environment creates the need of cars to be early for work and to give and get services on time.

A country like Netherlands, the infrastructure is so well planned to the extent that people use bikes to go for work which burns so many calories compared to a person who drives a car. Infact, bikes have no pollution to the environment which is another great advantage.

HEALTH IMPACTS:

It has been found that this environment in DSM is expected to get worse if uncontrolled and so many people are expected to have cardiovascular problems like hypertension, obesity and diabetis to say the least. Impaired glucose tolerance, high cholesterol levels – tomorrow’s disease developing.

Nyaruhucha, et al., (2003) determined the prevalence rates and level of awareness of obesity among people of different age groups in Morogoro Municipality

Results: Prevalence of obesity among the sampled subjects was 25 %, whereby 15.7% had a BMI between 25 and 30, and 9.3% had a BMI of 30+

Conclusion: Obesity is increasingly becoming a public health problem in Morogoro Municipality, and probably in many other places in Tanzania.

Villamor, et al., (2006) in DSM, Estimated prevalence of obesity [body mass index (BMI; in kg/m2) 30 or more in 73,689 aged 14-52.

Results: The prevalence of obesity rose steadily and progressively from 3.6% in 1995 to 9.1% in 2004.

Conclusion: The recent, rapid, and large increase in the prevalence of obesity among women represents a new competing public health priority in urban Tanzania, where underweight and wasting have not decreased substantially.

Kafyulilo & Mafumiko (2010) among school children 13.5% children, were overweight and obese Economy status, household occupations, nutrition and inactivity were significant causes of overweight and obesity, Hypertension, excessive sweating, teasing and peer rejection were common to obese children. Overweight and obese children were reported to underperform in academic and physical activities

BMC Public Health (2011;11:365) in Kinodoni district 25% of women are obese, compared to around 9% of men prevalent in people with high SES (29%), compared to medium (14%) or low (11%) SES. Married or cohabitating people were more likely to be obese also widows and widowers were also at a greater risk for obesity. So, overall obesity prevalence in the Kinondoni municipality (19%) is higher compared to other parts of the country. (http://www.thecitizen.co.tz/business/-/22651-tanzania-not-immune-to-lifestyle-diseases).

Result of increased/on-going development in science and technology. Traditional activities that required moving muscles have been “converted” into sitting.

Automobile automatic vs. manual. Increasing number of automatic cars, computers, headsets/phones and other electronic devices
Washing machines
Cooking facilities/equipments
Elevators
Improper management of broken down pieces
Increasing junky food outlets
Increasing white color jobs and positions – working environment

WHAT CAN WE DO, AND THINGS TO CONSIDER BEFORE BUILDING YOUR DREAM HOUSE:

Active lifestyles: stand/walk for 2 hrs reduces 9% of obesity and 24% of diabetes – not necessarily in a gym
Progressively cut down TV watching time
Encourage regular activity, taking balanced nutritious diet
Cut down other sedentary behaviors: in office, computer, handsets/phones – take micro-brakes

Find a place which is not so congested if possible. Find a place and leave enough piece of land at your house for physical activities, a place where even your own children can play outside. A secure place where you can go out for a walk. If otherwise buy a bicycle and cycle for some minutes if you can, this can burn for you enough calories in a short time especially if you have a very busy daily schedule. Walk where there is a possibility of walking.