Mary Wanjau

• Doctor of Public Health
• Research Fellow at Griffith University

Background and Aims Excessive use of alcohol is one of the leading risks for mortality and disability globally. In Australia, alcohol was the fifth-highest risk factor contributing to disease burden in 2019. Estimates of the avoidable (future) alcohol related burden can help make the case for investment in preventive measures. This analysis aims to...

Objective Low physical activity (PA) levels are associated with increased mortality. Improved measurement has resulted in stronger proven associations between PA and mortality, but this has not yet translated to improved estimates of the disease burden attributable to low PA. This study estimated how much low PA reduces life expectancy, and how muc...

Background Excess dietary sodium intake has been associated with death and disability. WHO has released global sodium benchmarks for packaged foods to support countries to reduce population sodium intake. This study aimed to assess the potential health effect, costs, and cost effectiveness of implementing these WHO sodium benchmarks in India. Meth...

Introduction Nigeria is committed to reducing industrial trans-fatty acids (iTFA) from the food supply, but the potential health gains, costs and cost-effectiveness are unknown. Methods The effect on ischaemic heart disease (IHD) burden, costs and cost-effectiveness of a mandatory iTFA limit (≤2% of all fats) for foods in Nigeria were estimated us...

Introduction Kenya has adopted the WHO target of halting the rise of overweight, including obesity, by 2025. This paper assesses the potential impact of achieving the set target on health, healthcare cost and productivity. Methods We used a proportional multistate life table model ( Kenya Obesity Model ) to simulate the 2019 population of Kenya ov...

Objectives To model the potential health gains and cost-effectiveness of a mandatory limit of industrial trans fatty acids (iTFA) in Kenyan foods. Design Multiple cohort proportional multistate life table model, incorporating existing data from the Global Burden of Disease study, pooled analyses of observational studies and peer-reviewed evidence...

Background The global increase in mean body mass index has resulted in a substantial increase of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including in many low- and middle-income countries such as Kenya. This paper assesses four interventions for the prevention and control of overweight and obesity in Kenya to determine their potential health and economic...

Objective: The objectives were (1) to establish the strength of the association between incident cases of osteoarthritis (OA) and low back pain (LBP), and physical activity (PA) and to assess the likelihood of the associations being causal; and (2) to quantify the impact of PA on the burden of OA and LBP in Australia. Methods: We conducted a sys...

Objectives: To estimate the potential health gains, costs, and cost-effectiveness of a mandatory limit on industrial trans fatty acids (iTFA) in the Nigerian food supply. Methods: We used Markov cohort models to estimate the effect on ischemic heart disease (IHD) burden, costs, and cost-effectiveness of a mandatory iTFA-limit (≤2% of all fats) for...

Introduction Globally, depressive and anxiety disorders are the leading contributors to mental ill health. Physical activity reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety and has been proposed as an adjunct treatment therapy for depression and anxiety. Prospective studies suggest that physical activity may reduce the incidence of depression and anxiet...

Excess sodium intake raises blood pressure which increases the risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD). We aimed to estimate the impact of reduced sodium intake on future CKD burden in Australia. A multi-cohort proportional multistate lifetable model was developed to estimate the potential impact on CKD burden and health expenditure if the Australian...

Introduction Mental disorders, in particular depressive and anxiety disorders are a leading cause of disability in Australia and globally. Physical activity (PA) may reduce the incidence of anxiety and depression, and this supports the inclusion of physical activity in strategies for the prevention of mental ill health. Policy makers need to know t...

Background: Globally, there is a rising burden of non-communicable diseases related to high body mass index (BMI). Estimation of the magnitude of the avoidable disease burden related to high BMI in Kenya could inform priority setting in health. Methods: Using a proportional multistate life table model, we estimated the impact of the elimination...

Background Excess sodium intake increases blood pressure and risk of vascular complications. Most studies have focused on heart disease and stroke, but the impact on chronic kidney disease (CKD) is less well-characterised. The aim of this study was to estimate the impact of sodium intake on CKD burden in Australia. Methods A dynamic epidemiologica...

Background This study was done as part of a larger study that aims to identify the most impactful and cost-effective strategies for the prevention and control of overweight and obesity in Kenya. Our objective was to involve stakeholders in the identification of the strategies that would be included in our larger study. The results from the stakehol...

Objective To explore the stakeholders’ perceptions of current practices and challenges in priority setting for non-communicable disease (NCD) control in Kenya. Design A qualitative study approach conducted within a 1-day stakeholder workshop that followed a deliberative dialogue process. Setting Study was conducted within a 1-day stakeholder work...

Background: This study was done as part of a larger study that aims to identify the most impactful and cost-effective strategies for the prevention and control of overweight and obesity in Kenya. Our objective was to involve stakeholders in the identification of the strategies that would be included in our larger study. The results from the stakeho...

Introduction Low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) are experiencing a growing disease burden due to non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Changing behavioural practices, such as diets high in saturated fat, salt and sugar and sedentary lifestyles, have been associated with the increase in NCDs. Health promotion at the workplace setting is cons...