DIETARY DIVERSITY AND SOCIO DEMOGRAPHIC RISK FACTORS OF GASTRO INTESTINAL CANCERS AMONG THE PASHTUN POPULATION OF KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA
Main Article Content
Keywords
GI cancers, sociodemographic risks, dietary intake patterns, dietary diversity, anthropometry, Physical activity
Abstract
Gastrointestinal cancers (GI cancers) present a diverse distribution pattern all over the world. Overall, the GI cancers are responsible for more cancers and more deaths from cancer than any other cancers as reported by epidemiological studies. There is an increasing burden (incidence and mortality) in GI cancer worldwide and Pakistan is no exception. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with its distinctive dietary patterns is famous for high meat, green tea, fresh fruits & nuts intakes. However, the burden of cancers is increasing every single day. There is a serious paucity of studies and knowledge regarding the risk factors associated with the GI cancer in Pakistan in general and KPK in particular.
OBJECTIVES: The current study was undertaken to determine (1). The socio-demographic risk factors among the GI cancer patients. (2) to determine the dietary risk factors and state of dietary diversity among the household of the GI cancer patients born in KPK with Pashtun background.
METHODOLOGY: This study adopted the descriptive cross-sectional design. The study followed a consent based convenient random sampling technique. The sample consisted of 150 consenting newly diagnosed cancer patients (87 males and 63 females) who were investigated for the risk factors Data was collected through self- constructed questionnaire. Information regarding socio-demographic and socio- economic status, anthropometric and biochemical assessment was done as per standard procedures. A thorough investigation of dietary intake patterns, retrospective food preferences were collected through a semi quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) containing 10 food groups and 177 local food items and DDS were calculated. Activity and exercise record and sleep hours were also recorded.
RESULTS: The percent distribution of GIT cancers among the patients indicated colorectal and Oro-esophageal cancers were most common among males (28.9%, 31.6%) while gastric cancer was more common among females (41.7%). About 78.6% males and 72.4% female patients belonged to the rural areas. About 41.5 % males and 84.5% females were illiterate. 47.6% males were in sitting jobs, labor work (11.8%) and long-distance drivers (14.3%). The smoking history among the male patients showed that 63.05% had a history of tobacco smoking and 34.29 % had a history of Smokeless Tobacco Product (STP). An overall trend in the BMI trend was towards overweight and that too was common in the female patients. Higher percentage of the households used unbranded and unpackaged black and green tea and spices with a strong probability of being contaminated. The mean DDS indicated 3.39± 5.26 for the 47% of the households falling in the low category and 52% households fell in the moderate category with a mean DDS to be 5.3 ± 11.5 with significant differences. Majority of the patients had poor sleep and physical activity patterns.
CONCLUSION: Mass illiteracy, low family incomes, larger family sizes being the major demographic factors along low diversity in the diet, unbranded food commodities were found to be the potential risk factors that need to be investigated further.
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DR. Fazia Ghaffar
Assistant Professor & HOD, Department of Food & Nutrition Sciences, College of Home Economics, University of Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, faziaghaffar@uop.edu.pk