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Women in Science Mentoring Program (2018)
SG-002: The gut microbiome composition and its implication for hypertension
PI: Adjoa Boakye, University of Health and Allied Sciences
Project Dates: February 2020 – May 2021
Project Overview
In many sub-Saharan countries, research has been tailored mainly towards infectious diseases and food security, while research into noncommunicable diseases (NCD) has been neglected. Studies of NCDs across Africa showing an increasing burden of NCDs related to cardiovascular disease. This PEER project sought to understand the extent of hypertension as a public health concern in the Volta region of Ghana. The team’s findings, as well as a community engagement exercise, indicate the need for community-based education on this topic. This is particularly important because in a country like Ghana, which already has a struggling healthcare system, risk factor identification and prevention is the easiest way to prevent the collapse of the system. The project also supported the PI in becoming a mentor to several undergraduate researchers who are beginning their scientific careers.
Final Summary of Project Activities
The researchers gathered data from adults across several Volta region communities, including demographic and lifestyle information, various measures of obesity and blood pressure, and anthropometric and bioelectrical impedance measurements. The overall prevalence of hypertension in the study population was 28.56%, but more than 50% of those with hypertension did not know their status. Some of those who knew their status did not comply with the treatment regime that had been prescribed due to misconceptions about the side effects of antihypertensive drugs. The researchers found significant associations between hypertension and age, as well as measures of central obesity such as visceral fat. Measures of general obesity such as percentage of body fat and body mass index did not show good predictive value and had weak positive associations with hypertension. No associations were seen with regard to physical activity level and hypertension, since most of the study participants had a rather sedentary lifestyle.
Parts of this research were submitted as theses by two of the PI’s mentees, and the PI presented the results at a technical meeting at the University of Health and Allied Sciences. The PI received a new grant within the project period from the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene and published several manuscripts, including one on the results of this project. She mentored and supervised three undergraduate students who successfully defended their theses and graduated.
Publication
Adjoa Agyemang Boakye, David Adedia, Gaston Kofi Hunkpe, Rosina Afua Ampomah Carr, Veronica Fafali Ami AdanusahAll, Bless Seyram Agbenyo, and Kwabena Obeng Duedu. 2022. Comparative assessment of the utility of anthropometric and bioelectrical impedance indices as potential predictors of hypertension within a Ghanaian adult population: a cross-sectional study. International Journal of Hypertension 2022: 2242901. https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/2242901
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