Assessing Metabolic Syndrome Indicators in Cameroon’s Baka and Bagyeli Hunter-Gatherers: The impact of food transition

Abstract (English)

The Baka and Bagyeli hunter-gatherers of Cameroon, like many Indigenous populations globally, are experiencing rapid dietary changes due to forest encroachment, market integration, and declining access to their traditional foods. This study assesses the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) indicators among these communities to evaluate the effect of food transition on their health.
A mixed-methods approach was used, combining biomedical measurements (anthropometric, biochemical, and clinical data) with ethnographic insights on dietary practices. A total of 233 Baka and Bagyeli adults of both sexes were recruited, and metabolic syndrome indicators were assessed using ATP-III (NCEP 2001) and IDF (2005) criteria. A 24-hour food recall was used to evaluate food ingredients and food diversity, and the Processed/Imported Food Consumption Index (PIFCI) was used to quantify reliance on market-derived foods.
The results reveal that hypertension is the most prevalent indicator, affecting 16.7% of the population, followed by blood glucose (10.7%), cardiometabolic risk (8.5%), and total triglycerides (4.3%). Women are more affected by most of the indicators, such as hypertension and cardiometabolic risk. The Baka group exhibits significantly higher prevalence of most indicators compared to the Bagyeli. Despite the presence of multiple metabolic syndrome indicators, only 1.7% of the study population met all diagnostic criteria for metabolic syndrome. The Baka community exhibits a growing reliance on refined carbohydrates and processed foods, with a significantly higher processed food dependence (mean PIFCI = 0.45 ± 0.12) compared to the Bagyeli (0.28 ± 0.09; p < 0.001).
This study advocates for indigenous-centered strategies to mitigate metabolic disease risks while preserving biocultural diversity in Cameroon's rapidly transforming forests.