Optimal dietary practices and nutritional knowledge of school adolescent girls in Jimma Town, South West Ethiopia

Abstract

Addressing the nutritional problems of adolescent girls is important as their nutritional status has a negative effect on the future generation. This study aimed to assess the optimal dietary practices and nutritional knowledge of school adolescent girls in Jimma Zone, Southwest Ethiopia. School-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 455 school adolescent girls. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify independent variables. Majority (61.3%) of students had dietary diversity score less than five and their mean (±SD) dietary diversity score was 4.34 ± 1.41. The majority (55.8%) of adolescent girls had a good knowledge score about nutrition related information which they earned from the school (86.6%). Low dietary diversity of school adolescent girls was positively associated with attending government schools, lack of maternal education and low-economic status. Therefore, both government and non-government organizations need to focus on school and community based nutrition intervention to address the low dietary diversity of school girl adolescents. Background Adolescent girl malnutrition is a common nutritional problem due to poor diet and lack of health care service in the developing world. Mostly, household diets are predominantly starchy staples with few animal products and seasonal fruits and vegetables. Addressing the nutritional problems of adolescent girl is important as their nutritional status has a negative effect on the future generation (Choudhary, Seema, & Shukla, 2010). Being in transition, adolescents may no longer benefit from the attention and care that usually go to children, but they may not get the protections associated with adulthood either. Adolescent has typically being considered as low risk of poor health and often receive few health care resource and less attention. However, this approach ignores the fact that many health problems later in life can be improved by adapting healthier life style habit during adolescence (WHO, 2009). Dietary diversity is the consumption of an adequate variety of food groups (Alam, Roy, Ahmed, & Ahmed, 2010; Wagah Margaret, Bader, Deligia, & Dop, 2005). A monotonous diet lacks essential micronutrients and contributes to the burden of malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies (Allen, 2008). The problem is particularly critical in adolescents because they need energy and nutrient-dense foods to grow and develop both physically and mentally and to live a healthy life (Kant, 2004; Savy, Martin-Prével,

Dietary diversity practice and associated factors among late adolescent girls in Tegede district high Schools, northwest Ethiopia

“…(42-52)], the finding is in line with the study done in Amhara region, Ethiopia (47%) [14]. However, the finding was higher than the study conducted in Jimma, Ethiopia (38.7%); in Adama, Ethiopia (41.2%) and in Zimbabwe (34%) [13,[15][16][17]. The mean dietary diversity score also were relatively high compared to the study done in Gurage zone, Ethiopia (mean 4.69±1.46); %); in Oyo state, Nigeria (mean 3.91±1.01) [18];the possible reasons for those discrepancies could be: differences in access of plant based foods like vitamin A and differences in fruits ,vegetables and other animal sources food.…”

“…with not a member, Being a member in nutrition club is one essential activity to improve knowledge, attitudes and feeding behaviours of adolescent girls, this is supported by NNP of Ethiopia [11].The findings of this study indicated that 34% of adolescents had good knowledge about dietary related questions, this could be from contribution of school nutrition club member awareness .But this was relatively low when compared to finding from Oyo, Nigeria [18]and Jimma town ,Ethiopia [13]; this difference might be due to less access of media exposure in the current study area.…”

“…Late adolescent girls attending classes in the three high schools of Tegede districts, but with no serious illness and those advised by physicians to take extra meal different from their normal habit were included in this study. The sample size was determined by using a single population proportion formula, assuming a 38.7% proportion of adequate dietary diversity in Jimma town [13], 5% margin of error, 95% confidence interval and 10% non-response during the data collection period to come with 400 study participants. A simple random sampling technique was employed to select the study participants, using the school roster as a frame.…”

<p>Predictors of thinness and improved dietary diversity among School Aged Children in Southern Ethiopia</p>

“…The result of multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that students from urban residence and in a family rich wealth index tertile had a more adequately diversified diet compared to their counterparts, which is consistent with the report of a study from Jimma, Southwest Ethiopia. [53][54][55] This could be related to more affordability of a variety of food constituents among rich wealth families. The limitation of this study was the failure to collect information on variables like seasonal variation of food availability, food taboos, and carrying food to schools.…”

Dietary Patterns, Nutritional Knowledge and Status of Adolescents in Lagos, Nigeria.

“…This finding correlates with other studies from South-western Nigeria (76.5%), Ethiopia (99.6%) (97.6%) and India (50%) where rice and pastries were commonly consumed by adolescents compared with other foods. 4,37,38 Refined cereals like processed rice and pastries have little or no fiber and contribute to the prevalence of obesity. They contribute significantly to the higher intakes of Advanced Glycation End-products (AGEs) which is associated with marginally greater weight gain.…”