P Griffiths
Dados Biográficos
| ID | 153176 |
|---|---|
| NOME | P Griffiths |
| PRENOMES | P |
| SOBRENOME | Griffiths |
| ASSINATURA | GRIFFITHS P |
| AFILIAÇÕES | Loughborough University |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-0591-9724 |
| VERIFICADO | Sim |
| TOTAL DE OBRAS | 75 |
| TOTAL DE CITAÇÕES | 127 |
| TOTAL COMO AUTOR | 75 |
| TOTAL COMO EDITOR | 0 |
| PRIMEIRO ANO DE PUBLICAÇÃO | 1990 |
| ANO MAIS RECENTE DE PUBLICAÇÃO | 2026 |
| ÍNDICE H | 6 |
Do minimum acceptable diet and family caregiving mediate the associations of maternal education and household wealth with childhood stunting and wasting in Sri Lanka
Objective: To investigate the extent to which the associations of socio-economic position (SEP) with stunting and wasting are mediated by minimum acceptable diet (MAD) and a family care indicator (FCI) in Sri Lanka. Design: Secondary data analysis of children from the 2016 Sri Lanka Demographic and Health Survey. The outcomes were stunting and wasting, the exposure was a composite measure combining maternal education and household wealth, and the…
Promoting lifestyle medicine research in Ghana
The rapid rise in urbanization across many African countries is contributing to the increasing prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in both adults and children and presents a significant challenge to health services across the continent. In May 2023, a 2-day workshop was held in Ghana, coordinated by the Centre for Lifestyle Medicine and Behaviour (CLiMB) at Loughborough University and in collaboration with partners from three Ghanaian …
Facilitators and barriers to anemia prevention in the urban government childcare program for infants and young children in Peru
BACKGROUND: Anemia is a major public health problem in children under 2 years old in Peru and other low- and middle-income countries. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to explore facilitators and barriers to anemia prevention through feeding strategies in the Cuna Mas day-care centers in urban Peru among infants and young children (IYC) aged 6-23 months. METHODS: = 14) in Peru. We conducted direct observations and semi-structured interviews about consumption …
The effect of the Covid-19 pandemic on the baby-friendly community initiative and maternal infant and young child nutrition in Kenya
On balance, the pandemic negatively impacted the BFCI, MCH services and MIYCN practices in Kenya. In such a context, there is a need for innovative approaches to ensure continued provision of and access to facilities and community health services in the future if the country finds itself in a similar position with the challenges of a pandemic. The pandemic revealed that remote working support policies could have the potential to improve breastfee…
Stunting and inequality in Sri Lanka compared with other low- and middle-income South Asian countries
Objective: This study investigates and measures whether the association of childhood stunting with household socio-economic position (SEP) differs in Sri Lanka compared with other South Asian countries. Design: Secondary analysis of data of children from the latest available Demographic and Health Surveys data (survey years, 2016–2018). The exposures (SEP) were maternal education and wealth. The outcome was stunting. Binary logistic regression mo…
Resilience and vulnerabilities of urban food environments in the Asia‐Pacific region
Rapid urbanisation in the Asia-Pacific region is associated with complex changes to urban food environments. The impact of changing food environments on food purchasing and consumption and the diets and nutritional status of vulnerable groups, especially women and young children, is not well researched in low- and middle-income country cities. This paper aimed to examine: the risks and opportunities for healthy diets for low income populations of…
What is missing in our understanding of urban slum environments and maternal, infant and young child nutrition from publicly available data in Asia and the Pacific
Given the recent, rapid urbanisation in Asia and the Pacific region, coupled with increases in the triple burden of malnutrition, we need to better understand maternal, infant and young child nutrition (MIYCN) for populations living in urban slum environments. This research used existing large-scale datasets to explore MIYCN indicators for those living in urban slum, compared with urban nonslum, areas. Data since 2015 from available Demographic a…
Reflections on Digital Maternal and Child Health Support for Mothers and Community Health Workers in Rural Areas of Limpopo Province, South Africa
Participants expressed the significant role of digital support apps in maternal and child health, which is impacted by various challenges. Addressing the lack of digital resources could improve access to health instructions for pregnant women and mothers
Community perceptions on the factors in the social food environment that influence dietary behaviour in cities of Kenya and Ghana
Objective: To explore communities’ perspectives on the factors in the social food environment that influence dietary behaviours in African cities. Design: A qualitative study using participatory photography (Photovoice). Participants took and discussed photographs representing factors in the social food environment that influence their dietary behaviours. Follow-up in-depth interviews allowed participants to tell the ‘stories’ of their photograph…
Improving early childhood development in the context of the nurturing care framework in Kenya
Introduction: The Nurturing Care Framework (NCF) describes "nurturing care" as the ability of nations and communities to support caregivers and provide an environment that ensures children's good health and nutrition, protects them from threats, and provides opportunities for early learning through responsive and emotionally supportive interaction. We assessed the extent to which Kenyan government policies address the components of the NCF and ex…
Entrenamiento funcional de alta intensidad y su cuantificación por Escala de Esfuerzo Percibido en sujetos físicamente activos
The purpose of the study was to determine the relationship between internal and external load in physically active subjects (11 men and 5 women) during a high-intensity functional training session, using different load markers: heart rate, perceived effort and the Edwards index. The maximum heart rate was assessed during a maximal incremental endurance test (Course Navette). Thereafter each participant performed a high-intensity functional traini…
Diet and food insecurity among mothers, infants, and young children in Peru before and during Covid‐19
The COVID-19 pandemic may impact diet and nutrition through increased household food insecurity, lack of access to health services, and poorer quality diets. The primary aim of this study is to assess the impact of the pandemic on dietary outcomes of mothers and their infants and young children (IYC) in low-income urban areas of Peru. We conducted a panel study, with one survey prepandemic (n = 244) and one survey 9 months after the onset of COVI…
Individual‐level drivers of dietary behaviour in adolescents and women through the reproductive life course in urban Ghana
Evidence on the individual-level drivers of dietary behaviours in deprived urban contexts in Africa is limited. Understanding how to best inform the development and delivery of interventions to promote healthy dietary behaviours is needed. As noncommunicable diseases account for over 40% of deaths in Ghana, the country has reached an advanced stage of nutrition transition. The aim of this study was to identify individual-level factors (biological…
The timing of adrenarche in Maya girls, Merida, Mexico
BACKGROUND: Adrenarche involves maturation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and increased production of dehydroepiandrosterone and its sulfate ester, dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEA-S). It occurs at ages 6 to 8 in industrialized populations, marking the transition from childhood to juvenility and cognitive development at middle childhood. Studies in subsistence level populations indicate a later age (8-9) for adrenarche, but only t…
Monitoring and moderating extreme indoor temperatures in low-income urban communities
Climate change presents significant threats to human health, especially for low-income urban communities in the Global South. Despite numerous studies of heat stress, surprisingly little is known about the temperatures actually encountered by people in their homes, or the benefits of affordable adaptations. This paper examines indoor air temperature measurements gathered from 47 living rooms within eight low-income communities of Accra and Tamale…
Effectiveness of the baby‐friendly community initiative on exclusive breastfeeding in Kenya
The baby-friendly hospital initiative (BFHI) promotes exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) in hospitals, but this is not accessible in rural settings where mothers give birth at home, hence the need for a community intervention. We tested the effectiveness of the baby-friendly community initiative (BFCI) on EBF in rural Kenya. This cluster randomized study was conducted in 13 community units in Koibatek sub-county. Pregnant women aged 15-49 years were r…
Communities and employers show a high level of preparedness in supporting working mothers to combine breastfeeding with work in rural Kenya
Community Readiness Model (CRM) through pragmatic mixed methods design, combining quantitative CRM survey with qualitative data, was used to assess the level of preparedness and readiness among local leaders, employers and community members in supporting working mothers to combine breastfeeding with work. The study was conducted in one of the tea state farms in Kericho County of Kenya. A total of 17 purposively selected men (fathers), lactating m…
Effect of a baby‐friendly workplace support intervention on exclusive breastfeeding in Kenya
Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) during the first 6 months of life is crucial for optimizing child growth, development and survival, as well as the mother's wellbeing. Mother's employment may hinder optimal breastfeeding, especially in the first 6 months. We assessed the effectiveness of a baby-friendly workplace support intervention on EBF in Kenya. This pre-post intervention study was conducted between 2016 and 2018 on an agricultural farm in Keri…
Urban physical food environments drive dietary behaviours in Ghana and Kenya
We identified factors in the physical food environment that influence dietary behaviours among low-income dwellers in three African cities (Nairobi, Accra, Ho). We used Photovoice with 142 males/females (≥13 years). In the neighbourhood environment, poor hygiene, environmental sanitation, food contamination and adulteration were key concerns. Economic access was perceived as a major barrier to accessing nutritionally safe and healthy foods. Home …
A complementary feeding and play intervention improves the home environment and mental development among toddlers in rural India
A cluster randomized trial design was used to test the efficacy of a behaviour change communication intervention on the quality of the home environment and infant development at 15 months of age. Children (n = 600) in rural South India were followed from 3 through 15 months of age. The control group (C group) received the standard of care, the complementary feeding group (CF group) received recommendations on complementary foods and the responsiv…
Reducing screen-time and unhealthy snacking in 9–11 year old children
Retrospectively registered in June 21st 2019 with ClinicalTrials.gov (number NCT03993652)
Cities and extreme weather events
Extreme weather events disproportionately affect residents of low-income urban settlements in the global South. This paper explores the impacts of extreme heat and flooding on water and electricity services in Accra and Tamale, Ghana. Interviews with water/electricity providers and water quality analysis are combined with household interviews, focus group discussions and observations conducted in eight low-income urban settlements. The findings h…
Impact of extreme weather conditions on healthcare provision in urban Ghana
How ready are communities to implement actions to improve diets of adolescent girls and women in urban Ghana
Despite recognising that unhealthy diets are a public health issue in these urban Ghanaian communities, it is not seen as a priority. The low community readiness ratings highlight the need to increase awareness of the issue prior to intervening to improve diets
Clustering and correlates of screen-time and eating behaviours among young children
Screen-time and unhealthy dietary behaviours are highly pervasive in young children and evidence suggests that these behaviours often co-occur and are associated. Identifying clusters of unhealthy behaviours, and their influences early in childhood, can assist in the development of targeted preventive interventions. The purpose of this study was to examine the sociodemographic, behavioural, and home physical environmental correlates of co-occurri…
Does maternal autonomy influence feeding practices and infant growth in rural India
Gender, family, and the nutritional status of children in three culturally contrasting states of India
Individual differences in food-cue reactivity. The role of BMI and everyday portion-size selections
A tale of two continents
Impact of extreme weather conditions on healthcare provision in urban Ghana
Individual, behavioural and home environmental factors associated with eating behaviours in young adolescents
This study aimed to examine individual, behavioural and home environmental factors associated with frequency of consumption of fruit, vegetables and energy-dense snacks among adolescents. Adolescents aged 11-12 years (n = 521, 48% boys) completed a paper-based questionnaire during class-time which included a Food Frequency Questionnaire assessing their consumption of fruit, vegetables, and energy-dense (ED) snacks, and items assessing habits, sel…
Cities and extreme weather events
Extreme weather events disproportionately affect residents of low-income urban settlements in the global South. This paper explores the impacts of extreme heat and flooding on water and electricity services in Accra and Tamale, Ghana. Interviews with water/electricity providers and water quality analysis are combined with household interviews, focus group discussions and observations conducted in eight low-income urban settlements. The findings h…
Modeling physical growth using mixed effects models
This article demonstrates the use of mixed effects models for characterizing individual and sample average growth curves based on serial anthropometric data. These models are advancement over conventional general linear regression because they effectively handle the hierarchical nature of serial growth data. Using body weight data on 70 infants in the Born in Bradford study, we demonstrate how a mixed effects model provides a better fit than a co…
Maternal short stature does not predict their children's fatness indicators in a nutritional dual‐burden sample of urban Mexican Maya
The co‐existence of very short stature due to poor chronic environment in early life and obesity is becoming a public health concern in rapidly transitioning populations with high levels of poverty. Individuals who have very short stature seem to be at an increased risk of obesity in times of relative caloric abundance. Increasing evidence shows that an individual is influenced by exposures in previous generations. This study assesses whether mat…
Stuips, spuits and prophet ropes
Urban physical food environments drive dietary behaviours in Ghana and Kenya
We identified factors in the physical food environment that influence dietary behaviours among low-income dwellers in three African cities (Nairobi, Accra, Ho). We used Photovoice with 142 males/females (≥13 years). In the neighbourhood environment, poor hygiene, environmental sanitation, food contamination and adulteration were key concerns. Economic access was perceived as a major barrier to accessing nutritionally safe and healthy foods. Home …
A critical discussion of the Community Readiness Model using a case study of childhood obesity prevention in England
Recent reforms to the public health system in England aim to generate co-ordinated action between local authorities, healthcare systems and communities to target local health priorities. To support this effort, researchers must contribute and evaluate appropriate strategies for designing interventions tailored to community-specific needs. One strategy is to apply the Community Readiness Model (CRM), which uses key informant interviews to assess a…
Residential mobility, socioeconomic context and body mass index in a cohort of urban South African adolescents
Adolescents who are changing residence, as well as their social and economic circumstances may experience lifestyle changes that have an effect on body composition outcomes such as undernutrition, overweight or obesity. This paper uses data from Birth to Twenty, a birth cohort of South African urban children, to determine the relationship between residential mobility and body mass index (BMI) amongst Black adolescents aged 15 (n=1613), and to exa…
Pregnant Women's and Community Health Workers' Perceptions of Root Causes of Malnutrition Among Infants and Young Children in the Slums of Dhaka, Bangladesh
Research in Bangladesh shows that malnutrition among infants and young children is most severe in urban slums. We examined the root causes of malnutrition as perceived by pregnant women and community health workers. We conducted 10 focus group discussions in the slums of Dhaka in 2008 and 2009. Participants accurately perceived inappropriate care, inappropriate environment, inappropriate food, and flooding to be major causes. Recurrent flooding h…
Empire and Islam
Journal Article Empire and Islam: Punjab and the making of Pakistan Get access Empire and Islam: Punjab and the making of Pakistan. By David Gilmartin. London: Tauris. 1989. 238pp. Index. £24.50. ISBN 1 85043 123 X. P. Griffiths P. Griffiths Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar International Affairs, Volume 66, Issue 1, January 1990, Pages 208–209, https://doi.org/10.2307/2622275 Published: 01 January 1990
Understanding the sex ratio in India
The highly masculine sex ratio in India has increased substantially in the twentieth century, in contrast to most other countries in the world. Competing arguments alternatively posit underenumeration, highly masculine sex ratios at birth, or excess female mortality throughout the life course as the factors underlying the level of the overall sex ratio; these arguments have not been resolved. Based on population projections that simulate populati…
Infant and Child Mortality in Three Culturally Contrasting States of India
Using cross-sectional, individual-level survey data from Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh collected under the Indian National Family Health Survey programme of 1992–93, statistical modelling was used to analyse the impact of a range of variables on the survival status of children during their first 2 years of life. Attention was focused on the potential impact of the mother’s autonomy. The strongest predictors of mortality were demograph…
Understanding Users’ Perspectives of Barriers to Maternal Health Care Use in Maharashtra, India
This paper uses data collected using in-depth, semi-structured interviews to examine utilization of maternal health care services among two rural and urban populations of Pune and Mumbai in Maharashtra, India. The study aims to identify key social, economic and cultural factors influencing women’s decisions to use maternal health care and the places used for child delivery, whilst considering the accessibility of facilities available in the local…
Gender, family, and the nutritional status of children in three culturally contrasting states of India
A tale of two continents
Individual differences in food-cue reactivity
Female Autonomy as a Contributing Factor to Women’s Hiv-Related Knowledge and Behaviour in Three Culturally Contrasting States in India
Factors contributing to India’s vulnerability to the AIDS epidemic include pervasive poverty, low levels of education and high gender stratification. This study uses data collected in the 1998–99 National Family Health Survey-2 (NFHS-2) to investigate the relationship between aspects of women’s autonomy and four measures of HIV-related knowledge and behaviour – awareness and knowledge of HIV/AIDS, condom awareness and condom use – in three cultur…
Maternal autonomy is inversely related to child stunting in Andhra Pradesh, India
Child stunting, an outcome of chronic undernutrition, contributes to poor quality of life, morbidity and mortality. In South Asia, the low status of women is thought to be one of the primary determinants of undernutrition across the lifespan. Low female status can result in compromised health outcomes for women, which in turn are related to lower infant birthweight and may affect the quality of infant care and nutrition. Maternal autonomy (define…
A comparison of the socio-economic determinants of growth retardation in South African and Filipino infants
Objective To examine the association between household socio-economic status (SES) at birth and poor infant growth such as small for gestational age (SGA) and stunting across two different socio-cultural settings: South Africa and the Philippines. Design Data were from two longitudinal birth cohorts, the Birth to Twenty (Bt20) study in South Africa and the Cebu Longitudinal Health and Nutrition Survey (CLHNS) in the Philippines. Subjects Bt20 inf…
UK adults exhibit higher step counts in summer compared to winter months
Step counts in the sample of UK adults surveyed decreased significantly in the winter compared to the summer, suggesting future pedometer surveillance studies should capture step counts throughout the year for a non-biased reflection of habitual ambulatory activity. Public health initiatives should target these seasonal differences, and opportunities should be provided that encourage individuals to increase their activity levels during the colder…
Implications of adopting the WHO 2006 Child Growth Standards
Discourse on the implementation of WHO 2006 and the impact on the primary health care system and public health monitoring in South Africa is needed, and sufficient planning is critical around not only the implementation of WHO 2006 but also maintaining comparability with historical malnutrition data
Age at menarche and the evidence for a positive secular trend in urban South Africa
Menarcheal age was estimated for 287 (188 Black; 99 White) urban South African girls born in Soweto‐Johannesburg in 1990. The median menarcheal age for Blacks was 12.4 years (95% confidence interval (CI) 12.2, 12.6) and 12.5 years (95% CI 11.7, 13.3) for Whites. Data from six studies of menarcheal age, including the current study, were analyzed to examine the evidence for a secular trend between 1956 and 2004 in urban South African girls. There w…
Is puberty starting earlier in urban South Africa
Age at the initation of pubertal development was estimated for 401 Black (212 boys) and 206 White (100 boys) urban South African adolescents born in Soweto‐Johannesburg in 1990. Average age at the initation of puberty, assessed by age at the transition from Tanner Stage 1 to Tanner Stage 2 for breast/genitalia or pubic hair development ranged between 9.8 and 10.5 years. There were no statistically significant differences in age at initiation betw…
Approaches for assessing the role of household socioeconomic status on child anthropometric measures in urban South Africa
The objectives of this article were to compare the variance explained in anthropometric outcomes when using individual measures of socioeconomic status (SES) versus different approaches to create SES indices within the urban African context, and to examine the influence of SES measured during infancy on child anthropometric outcomes at 7/8 years. Data from the 1990 Birth‐to‐Twenty cohort study set in Johannesburg‐Soweto, South Africa, were used (…
Studying a Population Undergoing Nutrition Transition
The South African Medical Research Council food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and protocol was used to determine food intake in 83 adolescents from the Birth To Twenty study. The FFQ was piloted on a small group (n=8). Specific problems which resulted in overestimation of energy intake were identified. The protocol was modified and administered to the remainder of the adolescents and their caregivers. Reasonable energy intakes were obtained, and …
Individual differences in food-cue reactivity. The role of BMI and everyday portion-size selections
Stuips, spuits and prophet ropes
Impact of flooding on feeding practices of infants and young children in Dhaka, Bangladesh Slums
Previous research has shown that urban slums are hostile environments for the growth of infants and young children (IYC). Flooding is a hazard commonly found in Dhaka slums (Bangladesh) which negatively impacts IYC's nutritional and health status. This paper aims 1) to identify the impact of flooding on IYC's feeding practices, and 2) to explore the coping strategies developed by caregivers. Qualitative data (participant observation and semi-stru…
How useful is BMI in predicting adiposity indicators in a sample of Maya children and women with high levels of stunting
OBJECTIVES: Body mass index (BMI) is used frequently to estimate adiposity levels in children and adults. However, the applicability of BMI to populations with high levels of stunting has been questioned. Stunted people can have disproportionately short legs, which may increase BMI without increasing body fat because of the relatively larger trunk compared with the legs. METHODS: A sample of 57 urban Maya schoolchildren, aged 7-9 years (31 boys),…
Logistics of using the Actiheart physical activity monitors in urban Mexico among 7‐ to 9‐year‐old children
Logistics of using new measurement devices are important to understand when developing protocols. This paper discusses the logistics of using Actiheart physical activity monitors on children in an urban, tropical environment in a developing country. Actiheart monitoring of 36 children aged 7–9 years old was undertaken for 7 days in the city of Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico. The Actiheart proved fragile for children and difficult to mend in the field. T…
Pregnant Women's and Community Health Workers' Perceptions of Root Causes of Malnutrition Among Infants and Young Children in the Slums of Dhaka, Bangladesh
Research in Bangladesh shows that malnutrition among infants and young children is most severe in urban slums. We examined the root causes of malnutrition as perceived by pregnant women and community health workers. We conducted 10 focus group discussions in the slums of Dhaka in 2008 and 2009. Participants accurately perceived inappropriate care, inappropriate environment, inappropriate food, and flooding to be major causes. Recurrent flooding h…
Does maternal autonomy influence feeding practices and infant growth in rural India
Associations Between Household and Neighbourhood Socioeconomic Status and Systolic Blood Pressure Among Urban South African Adolescents
Factors resulting in high risk for cardiovascular disease have been well studied in high income countries, but have been less well researched in low/middle income countries. This is despite robust theoretical evidence of environmental transitions in such countries which could result in biological adaptations that lead to increased hypertension and cardiovascular disease risk. Data from the South African Birth to Twenty cohort, Bone Health sub-sam…
Cluster‐randomized trial on complementary and responsive feeding education to caregivers found improved dietary intake, growth and development among rural Indian toddlers
Inadequate feeding and care may contribute to high rates of stunting and underweight among children in rural families in India. This cluster-randomized trial tested the hypothesis that teaching caregivers appropriate complementary feeding and strategies for how to feed and play responsively through home-visits would increase children's dietary intake, growth and development compared with home-visit-complementary feeding education alone or routine…
Medicine (67 obras) · Child Nutrition and Water Access (44 obras) · Environmental health (42 obras) · Demography (33 obras) · Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet (31 obras) · Geography (29 obras) · Sociology (25 obras) · Nursing (22 obras) · Gerontology (21 obras) · Population (21 obras)