Determinants and constraints to household-level animal source food consumption in rural communities of Ethiopia

Does livestock ownership predict animal-source food consumption frequency among children aged 6-24 months and their mothers in the rural Dale district, southern Ethiopia?

Background

Animal-source foods are food items that come from animals. Animal-source foods provide a variety of micronutrients that plant-source foods cannot provide to the same extent and without extra precaution. Milk, eggs, poultry, flesh meat and fish are animal-source foods mainly used in Ethiopia. Low animal-source food consumption among children and mothers is a great concern in many low-income settings. This study aimed to describe animal-source food consumption frequencies among children aged 6-24 months and their mothers in rural southern Ethiopia where livestock farming is very common. We also analysed the association between livestock ownership and animal-source food consumption among children and mothers.

Methods

A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 851 randomly selected households with child-mother pairs from August to November 2018. The study was conducted in the rural Dale District, southern Ethiopia. Structured and pre-tested questionnaires were used to collect data on mother and child information, livestock ownership, and animal-source foods consumption frequencies. Ordinal logistic regression analysis was used to describe associations between animal-source foods consumption and livestock ownership.

Result

Nearly, three-quarters (74.1%) of the households owned cows, and a quarter (25%) had goats or sheep. Dairy, egg and meat consumption among children during the past month was 91.8%, 83.0% and 26.2%, respectively. Likewise, the consumption of dairy, eggs and meat among mothers was 96.0%, 49.5% and 34.0%, respectively. The percentage of children who had not consumed any animal-source foods during the month prior to our survey was 6.6%, and the figure was 2.2% for the mothers. Dairy consumption was 1.8 times higher among children (aOR = 1.8, 95% CI [1.3-2.5]) and 3.0 times higher among mothers (aOR = 3.0, 95% CI [2.2-4.2]) in households that kept cows than in households without cows. The egg consumption frequency was positively associated with hen and goat/sheep ownership for both children and mothers. Meat consumption frequency among children was negatively associated with cow ownership (aOR = 0.66, 95% CI [0.45-0.95]); however, cow ownership was not associated with meat consumption among mothers.

Conclusion

Dairy products were common animal-source foods consumed by young children and mothers in the study area. However, meat consumption was low among children and mothers. Strategies like promoting the keeping of goats/sheep and hens to improve complementary feeding and mothers' nutrition are warranted in the study area.

Food consumption patterns in employees of Ethiopian institute of agricultural research

In developing countries, including Ethiopia, diet-related non-communicable diseases are prevalent among the working population. Understanding this active group's dietary diversity and food consumption patterns is essential to devise alternative solutions and recommend possible improvements. This study investigates the food consumption patterns of employees of the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research. A cross-sectional survey was conducted from January 1 to March 31, 2022, involving 13 different research centers of the institute situated in different agro-ecological regions of the country. A validated food frequency questionnaire and a 24-h food recall were administered to a total sample size of 355 employees. A systematic random sampling was used for data collection. Stata survey commands version 16.0 and multiple logistic regression were used to analyze the data. The research confirmed that socio-demographic determinants, income, and educational level affect the food consumption patterns of employees. The majority of employees have low consumption of foods like fish, fruits, vegetables, and animal products. Consumption of all kinds of animal products was very low on Wednesday and Friday. This result will help employees to give more attention to low-cost healthier food items, as well as institutional management bodies in designing awareness-creation campaigns and government programs to encourage the production and access of nutritious food.

Suboptimal feeding practices and impaired growth among children in largely food insecure areas of north Wollo, Ethiopia

In Ethiopia, information is limited about energy and micronutrient intakes from complementary foods consumed by children in Productive Safety Net Program districts. Therefore, we assessed feeding practices and intakes of energy and selected micronutrients from complementary foods of children aged 6-23 months in a food insecure rural area of Ethiopia. Energy and micronutrient intakes were estimated from multiple-pass 24 h recall. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire. Only 1⋅9 % of children in the age range 6-8 months met recommended minimum dietary diversity of ≥5 food groups; this value slightly increased to 4 and 10⋅1 % in the older age groups (9-11 months and 12-23 months, respectively). Overwhelmingly, none of the children (9-11 months) did get the minimum acceptable diet (Children receiving minimum acceptable diet were 4 and 2⋅6 % in 6-8 months and 12-23 months, respectively). The overall prevalence of stunting was 34 % in younger children (6-8 months) and 51 % in older children aged 12-23 months. Median energy and selected micronutrient intakes from complementary foods were below corresponding WHO recommendations assuming average breast-milk amount and composition. The worst shortfalls were for vitamins A and C and for Ca. In contrast, median iron, protein and niacin intakes and densities were above the WHO recommendation. Caretakers and community leaders in the study setting need nutrition education on IYCF-related practices and on the importance of men's involvement in IYCF. Ensuring the accessibility and affordability of animal source foods (ASFs), fruits and vegetables, and feasible complementary foods is critical to address the quality of complementary feedings. This can be achieved through promoting nutrition-sensitive agriculture such as poultry and home gardening in this setting.

The association of socio-demographic and environmental factors with stunting among under-five children in Hawassa City, Sidama National Regional State, Ethiopia

Undernutrition in children is a challenging problem in developing countries, including Ethiopia. Stunting is the most prevalent form of undernutrition. The majority of studies on childhood stunting and its associated factors focused on children, maternal and socioeconomic components. However, a few studies reported poor WaSH status and antibiotic exposure as environmental risk factors for child stunting, and the case of socio-demographic factors also lacks consistency. Concerning this, there is a lack of information in Ethiopia. Therefore, the present study assessed the association of socio-demographic, WaSH, and antibiotic exposure with stunting among under-five children. A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 340 mother-child pairs. Anthropometric data were collected using standard and calibrated height and weight scales. For factorial data, an interviewer-guided standard questionnaire was used. Logistic regression analyses were used to identify factors determining childhood stunting. In the present study, the prevalence of stunting, underweight and wasting was 14⋅7 % (95 % CI 10⋅9, 18⋅5), 4⋅4 % (95 % CI 2⋅4, 6⋅8) and 2⋅1 % (95 % CI 0⋅6, 3⋅5), respectively. Low dietary diversity, being born from a mother with an education level of secondary school, and belonging to a female-headed household were positively associated (P < 0⋅05) with stunting. The prevalence of overall undernutrition was lower (21⋅2 %) in the study area. Stunting was significantly associated with dietary diversity, maternal educational level and sex of households head. The government policy should focus on enhancing the dietary diversity of households, and encouraging women's education.

Predictors of wasting among children under-five years in largely food insecure area of north Wollo, Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study

Child undernutrition is widespread in low- and middle-income countries and is linked with weakened immunity and increased risks of morbidity and mortality. Ethiopia has made a marked reduction in stunting, but there has, however, been little progress in wasting reduction and limited evidence in food insecure areas may hamper the design of effective interventions. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to determine the contributing factors to persistent high prevalence of wasting among 6-59-month-old children. A community-based cross-sectional study was employed in February to March 2020, and included 384 mother-child pairs. Data were collected using a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted. The overall prevalence of wasting was 12⋅8 % (95 % CI 9⋅1, 16⋅1); with 5⋅8 % severely wasted. Factors significantly associated with wasting were child age 6-23 (v. 24-59 months), delayed initiation of breast-feeding, diarrhoeal illness in the last 2 weeks, poor dietary diversity and low socioeconomic status. The present findings support that aligning poverty reduction interventions and healthcare services is important to accelerate wasting reduction more equitably and achieve the World Health Assembly's target and SDG goal #2 in the coming years. Improving accessibility and affordability of nutritious foods and early diagnosis and treatment of childhood morbidity are critical to address childhood wasting in the context of food insecure areas.