Nutritional status of in-school children and its associated factors in Denkyembour District, eastern region, Ghana: comparing schools with feeding and non-school feeding policies

2020

BMC Nutr

Background: Though undernutrition affects academic performance, significant number of Ethiopian school children have undernutrition. To avert nutritional problems the government in collaboration with the world food program has implemented a school feeding program. However, data on the nutritional status of primary school students were scarce in the country. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the relationship between school meals with thinness and stunting among primary school students in Meket Woreda and to identify associated factors. Methods: A school-based comparative cross-sectional study was conducted among 1091 students, from April 1-27, 2015. The study participants were selected using a multi-stage stratified sampling method. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data. Data entry and analysis were done using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20 software. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analyses were done. Anthropometric data were analyzed using Anthro-plus software. Results: In univariate analysis, thinness was commoner in nonschool feeding program schools (37.5%) compared to school feeding program schools (27.8%) but stunting was less common (48.3% versus 58.5%). However, after adjustment for confounding, there was no difference in stunting levels, but the adjusted odds ratio for thinness in nonschool feeding program schools was 2.6 (95% CI: (1.8, 3.8)) times higher than in school feeding program schools. Other independent risk factors for thinness were: having uneducated mother, being a male and taking meal once daily. Independent risk factors for stunting were ethnicity, having uneducated mother, un-piped water supply, taking meal once daily, type of diet and being a male. Conclusion: The provision of meals seems to offer considerable protection against thinness, though not against stunting. Thus, school meal program should be scaling up into schools in food insecure areas.

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

The relationship between school meals with thinness and stunting among primary school students, in Meket Wereda, Ethiopia: comparing schools with feeding and non-feeding program

2020

BMC Nutr

“…This finding was not in agreement with the study finding in Western Kenya (18) and Ghana (19) where the prevalence of stunting was higher among students who did not take meal at school than students who took meal at school. This discrepancy might be due to difference in enrolment criteria of school feeding programs in Ethiopia and other countries.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 99%

“…In this study, a larger proportion of students who did not take meal at school were thin than students who took meal at school (37.5% Vs 27.8%, P 0.001). This finding was similar to the study finding in Western Kenya (18) and Ghana (19) where thinness was higher among students who did not take meal at school than students who took meal at school.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Nutritional status and associated factors among primary school students, in Meket Wereda, Ethiopia: comparing schools with feeding and non-feeding program

2019

Preprint

Background Under-nutrition significantly affects the academic performance of students. Despite its remarkable effect, the prevalence of malnutrition was very high in Ethiopia. To reduce malnutrition and its serious consequence Ethiopian government in collaboration with the world food program implemented school feeding program in food insecure areas. However, its effect on the nutritional status of students was not assessed, yet. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the nutritional status of primary school students enrolled in schools with school feeding program and primary school students enrolled in schools without in Meket Woreda. Methods A school-based comparative cross-sectional study was conducted among 1091 students, from April 1-27/2015. The study participants were selected using multi-stage stratified sampling method. Structured questionnaire was used to collect data. Data entry and analysis were done by SPSS version 20 software. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analyses were done. Anthropometric data were calculated using Anthro-plus software. Results the prevalence of stunting was higher among students who took meal at school than students who did not consume meal at school (58.5% Vs 48.3%) whereas the prevalence of thinness was higher among students who did not take meal at school compared with students who took meal at school (37.5% Vs27.8%). Factors associated with stunting were having uneducated mother [AOR=2.1, 95% CI: (1.4, 3.3)], drinking river water [AOR=1.5, 95% CI: (1.1, 2.1)], being a male [AOR=1.6, 95% CI: (1.3, 2.1)] and taking meal once daily [AOR=2.6, 95% CI: (1.2, 5.9)]. Whereas, students who did not take meal at school [AOR=2.6, 95% CI: (1.8, 3.8)], having uneducated mother [AOR=5.3, 95% CI: (2.2, 12.6)], being a male [AOR=1.9, 95% CI: (1.4, 2.5)], and taking meal once daily [AOR=2.7, 95% CI: (1.6, 3.9)] were positively associated with thinness. Conclusion School meal program is important to prevent thinness. Thus, school meal program should be implemented in schools have no the program. Education should be given to improve the source of drinking water, frequency and diversity of food at home by giving emphasis to uneducated and housewife mothers.

“…This finding was not in agreement with the study finding in Western Kenya and Ghana (22,23). This discrepancy might be due to differences in enrolment criteria of school feeding programs between…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 94%

Nutritional status and associated factors among primary school students, in Meket Wereda, Ethiopia: comparing schools with feeding and non-feeding program

2020

Preprint

Background: Though undernutrition affects academic performance significant numbers of Ethiopian school children have undernutrition. To avert nutritional problems the government in collaboration with the world food program has implemented a school feeding program. However, data on the nutritional status of primary school students were scarce in the country. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the nutritional status of primary school students enrolled in schools with school feeding programs and in schools without school feeding programs and to identify associated factors in Meket Woreda.Methods: A school-based comparative cross-sectional study was conducted among 1,091 students, from April 1-27/2015. The study participants were selected using a multi-stage stratified sampling method. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data. Data entry and analysis were done using SPSS version 20 software. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analyses were done. Anthropometric data were analyzed using Anthro-plus software.Results: The prevalence of thinness was 37.5% among students in non school feeding program schools compared with 27.8 % among students in School feeding program schools. Though it wasn’t significant after adjusting for the potential confounders, the prevalence of stunting among students who took meals at school was higher (58.5%) compared with students who did not consume meals at school (48.3%). Students who did not take meal at school [AOR=2.6, 95% CI: (1.8, 3.8)], having uneducated mother [AOR=5.3, 95% CI: (2.2, 12.6)], being a male [AOR=1.9, 95% CI: (1.4, 2.5)], and taking meal once daily [AOR=2.7, 95% CI: (1.6, 3.9)] were positively associated with thinness. Conclusion: The prevalence of thinness was higher among students in schools did not implement school feeding programs compared to their counterparts. Thus, school meal program should be scaling up into schools in food insecure areas.