Longitudinal analysis of lifestyle risk factors, nutrition status and drivers of food choice among urban migrants in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, and Almaty, Kazakhstan: a formative study

Sabri Bromage; Shamil Tazhibayev; Xin Zhou; Chang Liu; Enkhtsetseg Tserenkhuu; Oksana Dolmatova; Munkhbat Khishignemekh; Leyla Musurepova; Wusigale; Soninkhishig Tsolmon; Enkhjargal Tsendjav; Davaasambuu Enkhmaa; Rajesh Kumar Rai; Bayarmaa Enkhbat; Bilige Menghe; Davaasambuu Ganmaa

doi:10.1017/S136898002400243X

Public Health Nutrition (Jan 2025)

Longitudinal analysis of lifestyle risk factors, nutrition status and drivers of food choice among urban migrants in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, and Almaty, Kazakhstan: a formative study

Sabri Bromage,
Shamil Tazhibayev,
Xin Zhou,
Chang Liu,
Enkhtsetseg Tserenkhuu,
Oksana Dolmatova,
Munkhbat Khishignemekh,
Leyla Musurepova,
Wusigale,
Soninkhishig Tsolmon,
Enkhjargal Tsendjav,
Davaasambuu Enkhmaa,
Rajesh Kumar Rai,
Bayarmaa Enkhbat,
Bilige Menghe,
Davaasambuu Ganmaa

Affiliations

Sabri Bromage: ORCiD; Community Nutrition Unit, Institute of Nutrition, Mahidol University, 999 Phutthamonthon 4 Road, Salaya, Phutthamonthon, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 655 Huntington Avenue, Building 2, Boston, MA 02115, United States of America
Shamil Tazhibayev: Department of Micronutrients, Kazakh Academy of Nutrition, 66 Klochkov Street, Almaty 050008, Kazakhstan
Xin Zhou: Department of Biostatistics, Yale School of Public Health, 60 College Street, New Haven, CT 06520-0834, United States of America
Chang Liu: Department of Biostatistics, Yale School of Public Health, 60 College Street, New Haven, CT 06520-0834, United States of America
Enkhtsetseg Tserenkhuu: Mongolian Health Initiative, Royal Plaza, Bayanzurkh District, Ulaanbaatar 13312, Mongolia
Oksana Dolmatova: Department of Micronutrients, Kazakh Academy of Nutrition, 66 Klochkov Street, Almaty 050008, Kazakhstan
Munkhbat Khishignemekh: Mongolian Health Initiative, Royal Plaza, Bayanzurkh District, Ulaanbaatar 13312, Mongolia
Leyla Musurepova: Department of Micronutrients, Kazakh Academy of Nutrition, 66 Klochkov Street, Almaty 050008, Kazakhstan
Wusigale: Key Laboratory of Dairy Biotechnology and Engineering, Ministry of Education, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
Soninkhishig Tsolmon: Tana Lab, Graduate School of Business, Mongolian University of Science and Technology, 8th Khoroo, Baga Toiruu 34, Sukhbaatar District, Ulaanbaatar 14191, Mongolia
Enkhjargal Tsendjav: Mongolian Health Initiative, Royal Plaza, Bayanzurkh District, Ulaanbaatar 13312, Mongolia
Davaasambuu Enkhmaa: National Center for Maternal and Child Health, Khuvisgalchdin Street, Bayangol District, Ulaanbaatar 16060, Mongolia
Rajesh Kumar Rai: ORCiD; Human Nutrition Unit, Institute of Nutrition, Mahidol University, 999 Phutthamonthon 4 Road, Salaya, Phutthamonthon, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Avenue, Building 1, Boston, MA 02115, United States of America
Bayarmaa Enkhbat: Department of Pathology & Forensic Medicine, School of Biomedicine, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, S. Zorig Street, Ulaanbaatar 14210, Mongolia Department of Pathology, Mongolia-Japan Hospital, Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences, Baruun Janjin 25 573, Ulaanbaatar 13270, Mongolia
Bilige Menghe: Key Laboratory of Dairy Biotechnology and Engineering, Ministry of Education, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
Davaasambuu Ganmaa: Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 655 Huntington Avenue, Building 2, Boston, MA 02115, United States of America Mongolian Health Initiative, Royal Plaza, Bayanzurkh District, Ulaanbaatar 13312, Mongolia Channing Division of Network Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 181 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, United States of America

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S136898002400243X
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 28

Abstract

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Abstract Objective: To quantify and compare concurrent within-person trends in lifestyle risks, nutrition status and drivers of food choice among urban migrants in Central Asia. Design: We collected panel data on household structure, drivers of food choice, nutrition knowledge and diverse measures of nutrition status and lifestyle risk from urban migrants at 0, 3, 6 and 9 months using harmonised methodology in two cities. Trends were analysed using mixed-effects models and qualitatively compared within and between cities. Setting: Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, and Almaty, Kazakhstan. Participants: 200 adults (22–55 years) who migrated to these cities within the past 2 years. Results: Adjusting for age and sex, each month since migration was positively associated with fasting TAG in Almaty (0·55 mg/dl; 95 % CI: 0·13, 0·94) and BMI (0·04 kg/m2; 95 % CI: 0·01, 0·07), body fat (0·14 %; 95 % CI: 0·01, 0·26) and fasting glucose (0·04 mmol/l; 95 % CI: 0·02, 0·05) and lipids in Ulaanbaatar (P < 0·05). In Almaty, nutrition knowledge (measured using an objective 20-point scale) declined despite improvements in diet quality (measured by Prime Diet Quality Score). The influence of food availability, price and taste on food choice increased in Almaty (P < 0·05). Upon multivariable adjustment, nutrition knowledge was positively associated with diet quality in Almaty and adherence to ‘acculturated’ diet patterns in both cities (P < 0·05). Different trends in smoking, sleep quality and generalised anxiety were observed between cities. Conclusions: Findings indicate heterogeneous shifts in nutrition, lifestyles and drivers of food choice among urban migrants in Central Asia and provide an evidence base for focused research and advocacy to promote healthy diets and enable nutrition-sensitive food environments.

Published in Public Health Nutrition

ISSN: 1368-9800 (Print); 1475-2727 (Online)
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Medicine: Public aspects of medicine; Medicine: Internal medicine: Specialties of internal medicine: Nutritional diseases. Deficiency diseases
Website: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/public-health-nutrition

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