Dongqing Wang

George Mason University | GMU · Department of Global and Community Health

Introduction Gestational weight gain (GWG) has important implications for maternal and child health and is an ideal modifiable factor for preconceptional and antenatal care. However, the average levels of GWG across all low-income and middle-income countries of the world have not been characterised using nationally representative data. Methods GWG...

Background Maternal micronutrient status is critical for child growth and nutrition. It is unclear whether maternal multiple micronutrient supplementation (MMS) during pregnancy and lactation improves child growth and prevents child morbidity. Methods This study aimed to determine the effects of prenatal and postnatal maternal MMS on child growth...

Background: School feeding programs are ubiquitous in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and may have critical implications for the health and education of school-age children and adolescents. This systematic review aimed to assess the impacts of school feeding on educational and health outcomes of children and adolescents in LMICs. Methods...

Background The first 6 months of life are critical for subsequent risk of undernutrition and mortality. The predictive abilities of attained weight at the end of each month and monthly weight velocity for undernutrition and mortality need to be compared. Objective This study aimed to examine the predictive abilities of different weight metrics dur...

Background Gestational weight gain (GWG) has critical implications for maternal and child health. Inflammation and angiogenesis are implicated in various aspects of maternal metabolism that may play a role in gestational weight gain. The associations of inflammatory, angiogenic, and metabolic pathways with GWG are yet to be elucidated. This study e...

Background: There is abundant evidence showing that iron deficiency is closely linked with delayed brain development, worse school performance, and behavioral abnormalities. However, evidence on the impact of iron supplementation among children and adolescents in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) has been inconsistent. This study aims to ex...

The COVID-19 pandemic has had serious negative health and economic impacts in sub-Saharan Africa. Continuous monitoring of these impacts is crucial to formulate interventions to minimize the consequences of COVID-19. This study surveyed 2,829 adults in urban and rural sites among five sub-Saharan African countries: Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Nigeria,...

Background Sub-Saharan Africa faces prolonged COVID-19 related impacts on economic activity, livelihoods, nutrition, and food security, with recovery slowed down by lagging vaccination progress. Objective This study investigated the economic impacts of COVID-19 on food prices, consumption and dietary quality in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeri...

Background Continuous monitoring of the pandemic’s impact on health service provision and mental health, COVID-19 perceptions, and compliance with prevention measures among health care providers (HCPs) can help with mitigating the pandemic’s negative effects. Methods A computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) survey was conducted among 1499...

Purpose This multi-country survey assessed the levels and the determinants of the impacts of the pandemic on education and mental health among adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa and the potential factors that may exacerbate these adverse impacts. Methods A phone survey was conducted among adolescents in nine diverse areas in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia,...

The African continent has some of the world’s lowest COVID-19 vaccination rates. While the limited availability of vaccines is a contributing factor, COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among health care providers (HCP) is another factor that could adversely affect efforts to control infections on the continent. We sought to understand the extent of COVID-1...

COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among adolescents poses a challenge to the global effort to control the pandemic. This multi-country survey aimed to assess the prevalence and determinants of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa between July and December 2021. The survey was conducted using computer-assisted telephone interv...

Background Gestational weight gain (GWG) below or above the Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommendations has been associated with adverse perinatal outcomes. Few studies have examined the effect of prenatal nutrient supplementations on GWG in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Objectives To investigate the effects of multiple micronutrient s...

Introduction Secondary schools have the transformative potential to advance adolescent nutrition and provide a unique entry point for nutrition interventions to reach adolescents and their families and communities. Integrated school nutrition interventions offer promising pathways towards improving adolescent nutrition status, food security and bui...

UNSTRUCTURED Background: Two billion people in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are deficient in key nutrients. Nutritional deficiencies worsen during pregnancy, causing adverse outcomes for the mother and the fetus, with consequences after pregnancy. These effects may be mitigated by providing micronutrient supplementation to women during...

Background Two billion people in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are deficient in key nutrients. Nutritional deficiencies worsen during pregnancy, causing adverse outcomes for the mother and the fetus, with consequences after pregnancy. These effects may be mitigated by providing micronutrient supplementation to women during pregnancy and...

Introduction: Gestational weight gain (GWG) is associated with fetal and newborn health; however, data from sub-Saharan Africa are limited. Methods: We used data from a prenatal micronutrient supplementation trial among a cohort of HIV-negative pregnant women in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania to estimate the relationships between GWG and newborn outcom...

COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among adolescents poses a challenge to the global effort to control the pandemic. This multi-country survey aimed to assess the levels and determinants of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa between July and December 2021. The survey was conducted using computer-assisted telephone interviewi...

Objective: School absenteeism and grade retention are associated with various life-course problems. In this study, we examined school absenteeism and grade retention in Ethiopian adolescents, as well as factors associated with them. Methods: We analyzed data from 1200 adolescents (aged 10- 14 years) from 20 public primary schools in Addis Ababa, Et...

Background Gestational weight gain (GWG) is a modifiable risk factor associated with adverse birth outcomes. Studies have shown that the provision of multiple micronutrient supplements to pregnant women reduces the risk of low birthweight. However, the effect of multiple micronutrient supplements on GWG has been understudied. Objectives We examine...

Introduction Gestational weight gain (GWG) is associated with fetal and newborn health; however, data from sub-Saharan Africa are limited. Methods We used data from a prenatal micronutrient supplementation trial among a cohort of HIV-negative pregnant women in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania to estimate the relationships between GWG and newborn outcomes....

Background Adolescence is a period of rapid physical growth and transition between childhood to adulthood. However, in many developing countries, nutritional and epidemiological transitions are contributing to surging overnutrition, which, together with prevalent undernutrition, is resulting in the double burden of malnutrition (DBM) among adolesce...

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is an unprecedented public health crisis globally. Understanding healthcare providers' (HCPs') knowledge and perceptions of COVID-19 is crucial to identifying effective strategies to improve their ability to respond to the pandemic in sub-Saharan Africa. A phone-based survey of 900 HCPs in Burkina Fa...

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic may have short-term and long-term impacts on health services across sub-Saharan African countries. A telephone survey in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, and Nigeria was conducted to assess the effects of the pandemic on healthcare services from the perspectives of healthcare providers (HCPs) and community me...

The pandemic of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may have short and long-lasting impacts on health services that vary from country to country in sub-Saharan Africa. A phone survey of three sub-Saharan African countries (Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, and Nigeria) was conducted to assess the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare services fro...

The public health measures instituted by governments to combat the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may cause developmental and educational losses to adolescents. The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and its mitigation strategies on adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa are unclear. This study aimed to examine adolescents’ knowledge, perceptions, an...

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can have far-reaching consequences for developing countries through the combined effects of infection and mortality, and the mitigation measures that can impact food systems and diets. Using a mobile platform, this cross-sectional study evaluated the effect of COVID-19 on food prices and dietary quality for 1797...

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has significant health and economic ramifications across sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Data regarding its far-reaching impacts are severely lacking, thereby hindering the development of evidence-based strategies to mitigate its direct and indirect health consequences. To address this need, the Africa Res...

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a public health emergency affecting the lives of millions of people globally. Different measures and extraordinary steps are being taken to contain the transmission of the virus. The levels of knowledge and implementation of preventive practices related to COVID-19 in sub-Saharan African countries are unclear....

Background Tanzania has a double burden of malnutrition, including a high prevalence of undernutrition and an increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity among adolescents. Schools present a valuable opportunity to reach a large section of the country’s adolescent population with nutrition-oriented interventions. Objective The objective of thi...

Objectives Maternal micronutrient status is critical for child growth and nutrition. It is unclear whether maternal multiple micronutrient supplementation (MMS) during pregnancy and lactation improves child growth and prevents child morbidity. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of prenatal and postnatal maternal MMS on child growth...

Objectives COVID-19 has far-reaching consequences for developing countries through the combined effects of infection and mortality and unintended consequences from mitigation measures. COVID-19 can adversely impact food systems and dietary diversity for populations. This cross-sectional study evaluated, using a mobile platform, the effect of COVID-...

Objectives Gestational weight gain (GWG) is associated with fetal and newborn health; however, data from sub-Saharan Africa are limited. We estimated the relationship between GWG and newborn outcomes in a cohort of pregnant women in Tanzania. Methods We used data from a prenatal multiple micronutrient supplementation trial among HIV-negative pregn...

Only a few studies primarily examined the associations between starchy vegetables (other than potatoes) and metabolic syndrome (MetS). We aimed to evaluate the association between starchy vegetables consumption and MetS in a population-based sample of Costa Rican adults. We hypothesized that a higher overall intake of starchy vegetables would not b...

Background Early pregnancy weights are needed to quantify gestational weight gain accurately. Different methods have been used in previous studies to impute early-pregnancy weights. However, no studies have systematically compared imputed weight accuracy across different imputation techniques. This study aimed to compare four methodological approac...

Background: Early pregnancy weights are needed to quantify gestational weight gain accurately. Different methods have been used in previous studies to impute early-pregnancy weights. However, no studies have systematically compared imputed weight accuracy across different imputation techniques. This study aimed to compare four methodological approa...

Background Adolescence is a period of rapid physical growth and transition between childhood to adulthood. However, in many developing countries, nutritional and epidemiological transitions are contributing to surging overnutrition, which, together with prevalent undernutrition, is resulting in the double burden of malnutrition (DBM) among adolesce...

Background: Intervention strategies to prevent childhood obesity in the Pacific Islands encourage eating a variety of local and traditional foods, but context-specific data to support this approach are limited. The objective was to assess the association between 2-year adherence to modern and neotraditional dietary patterns and body mass index z-sc...

The Pacific Island nation of Samoa is marked by prevalent obesity and an increasing dependence on packaged foods likely to contain the endocrine disruptor bisphenol-A (BPA). We evaluated participant- and household-level characteristics associated with estimated dietary BPA exposure in Samoan mothers and their children and examined associations betw...

Context Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the leading cause of chronic liver disease in developed nations. There are currently no accurate biomarkers of NAFLD risk in youth. Objective Identify sex-specific metabolomics biomarkers of NAFLD in a healthy cohort of youth. Design/setting This prospective study included 395 participants of t...

Background: School feeding programs are beneficial for the physical, mental, and psychosocial development of school-age children and adolescents, particularly those in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). While school feeding programs are ubiquitous in LMICs, the specific benefits of school feeding programs are unclear. The aim of this system...

Purpose Several epidemiologic investigations have found associations between the consumption of red meat and the metabolic syndrome (MetS). Very few studies have looked at populations undergoing the nutrition transition with smaller levels of red meat consumption than those in Westernized countries. In this population-based cross-sectional study, w...

Background: The menopause has adverse effects on cardiometabolic profiles that are linked to an increased risk of atherosclerosis in women. A healthy diet during the menopausal transition may counteract the menopause-induced atherosclerotic risk. Objective: This prospective cohort study aimed to examine the associations between empirically deriv...

Background: The potential impacts of beverage intake during the midlife on future subclinical atherosclerosis among women are unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prospective associations between the intakes of eight beverage groups and subclinical carotid atherosclerosis in midlife women. Methods: Data came from the Study of Women...

Menopause has adverse effects on cardiometabolic profiles that are linked to an accelerated progression of atherosclerosis and increased risk of cardiovascular disease in women. Thus, the menopausal transition may be a critical window for cardiovascular prevention in women, and lifestyle improvements during the menopausal transition may counteract...

Background Measures of subclinical atherosclerosis are predictors of future cardiovascular outcomes as well as of physical and cognitive functioning. The menopausal transition is associated with accelerated progression of atherosclerosis in women. The prospective association between a healthy lifestyle during the midlife and subclinical atheroscler...

Table S1. Alternate Healthy Eating Index (AHEI) Scores in SWAN Table S2. Average HLS and Measures of Subclinical Carotid Atherosclerosis Among 1143 SWAN Participants Table S3. Long‐Term Smoking Status and Measures of Subclinical Carotid Atherosclerosis Among 1143 SWAN Participants Table S4. Average AHEI Score and Measures of Subclinical Carotid...

Background and Aims: Animal models have shown that adipose-derived palmitoleic acid may act as a lipokine by conferring resistance to diet-induced obesity; however, human epidemiologic studies investigating this relationship thus far have not provided data in support of this hypothesis. Because metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease are intr...

Background: Animal models have shown that adipose-derived palmitoleic acid may act as a lipokine by conferring resistance to diet-induced obesity; however, human epidemiologic studies investigating this relationship thus far have not provided data in support of this hypothesis. Because metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease are intricately l...

Objective Among young Samoan children, diet may not be optimal: in 2015, 16·1 % of 24–59-month-olds were overweight/obese, 20·3 % stunted and 34·1 % anaemic. The present study aimed to identify dietary patterns among 24–59-month-old Samoan children and evaluate their association with: (i) child, maternal and household characteristics; and (ii) nutr...

The adverse effect of red meat consumption on the risk for CVD is a major population health concern, especially in developing Hispanic/Latino countries in which there are clear trends towards increased consumption. This population-based case–control study examined the associations between total, processed and unprocessed red meat intakes and non-fa...

Background - Coffee intake and heavy physical exertion are triggers of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). It is hypothesized that their triggering effects can be modified by genetic variation. Methods - The study population consisted of incident cases (n=1354 for coffee intake, and n=1101 for heavy physical exertion) of nonfatal AMI recruited in Co...

Background: Coffee intake and heavy physical exertion are triggers of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). It is hypothesized that their triggering effects can be modified by genetic variation. Methods: The study population consisted of incident cases (n=1354 for coffee intake, and n=1101 for heavy physical exertion) of nonfatal AMI recruited in Cost...

Background: The Samoan population has been undergoing a nutrition transition toward more imported and processed foods and a more sedentary lifestyle. Objectives: We aimed to identify dietary patterns in Samoa and to evaluate their associations with metabolic outcomes. Methods: The sample of this cross-sectional study includes 2774 Samoan adults rec...

Background: Red meat consumption has been found positively associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidence and mortality in the United States and some European countries, but not in Asian countries where red meat consumption is low. The association is still unknown in Hispanic American populations which have relatively low red meat consumpti...

Background: Red meat consumption has been found positively associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidence and mortality in the United States and some European countries, but not in Asian countries where red meat consumption is low. The association is still unknown in Hispanic American populations which have relatively low red meat consumpti...

In this article, we describe a long-non-coding RNA (lncRNA) and disease association database (LncRNADisease), which is publicly accessible at http://cmbi.bjmu.edu.cn/lncrnadisease. In recent years, a large number of lncRNAs have been identified and increasing evidence shows that lncRNAs play critical roles in various biological processes. Therefore...