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Wang D, Katalambula LK, Modest AR, Ismail A, Malero A, Bray D, Cinq-Mars H, Tinkasimile A, Sando MM, Vuai S, Fawzi WW. Meals, Education, and Gardens for In-School Adolescents: A Cluster Randomized Trial of an Adolescent Nutrition Intervention Package in Tanzania. J Adolesc Health 2024; 75:115-126. [PMID: 38597842 DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2024.02.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE This study aimed to implement and evaluate integrated, school-based nutrition intervention packages for adolescents in Dodoma, Tanzania. METHODS A cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted among six secondary schools in Dodoma, Tanzania. Two schools received the full-intervention package of school meals, nutrition education, school gardens, and community workshops. Two schools received the partial-intervention package without the school meals component. Two schools served as the controls and did not receive any intervention. The intervention was implemented over one academic year. The analytical sample included 534 adolescents aged 14 to 17 at baseline and 286 parents. Outcomes included nutrition knowledge, food preferences, diet quality, food insecurity, physical activity, growth, and anemia. Linear models were used to estimate mean differences, and logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs). RESULTS Compared to the control, both the partial (OR: 0.59; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.35, 1.00) and full (OR: 0.49; 95% CI: 0.40, 0.59) interventions were associated with lower odds of poor diet quality among adolescents. Among the parents, both the partial (OR: 0.28; 95% CI: 0.20, 0.40) and full (OR: 0.28; 95% CI: 0.13, 0.58) interventions were associated with lower odds of poor diet quality. The partial (OR: 0.29; 95% CI: 0.18, 0.47) and full (OR: 0.47; 95% CI: 0.30, 0.72) interventions were associated with lower odds of adolescent overweight or obesity. DISCUSSION School-based nutritional intervention packages incorporating multiple actions may improve the diet quality of adolescents and their household members and reduce the double burden of adolescent malnutrition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongqing Wang
- Department of Global and Community Health, College of Public Health, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia.
| | - Leonard K Katalambula
- Department of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, University of Dodoma, Dodoma, Tanzania
| | | | - Abbas Ismail
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, University of Dodoma, Dodoma, Tanzania
| | - Augustine Malero
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, College of Informatics and Virtual Education, University of Dodoma, Dodoma, Tanzania
| | - Dayana Bray
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Haley Cinq-Mars
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts
| | | | | | - Said Vuai
- Department of Chemistry, College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, University of Dodoma, Dodoma, Tanzania
| | - Wafaie W Fawzi
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts.
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Heri R, Malqvist M, Yahya-Malima KI, Mselle LT. Dietary diversity and associated factors among women attending antenatal clinics in the coast region of Tanzania. BMC Nutr 2024; 10:16. [PMID: 38254189 PMCID: PMC10801968 DOI: 10.1186/s40795-024-00825-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Antenatal care (ANC) is crucial for reducing maternal morbidity and mortality, especially in low-resource settings. During antenatal care, women are provided with resources for enhancing their dietary diversity, like nutrition education and counseling. Improved nutrition knowledge influences positive nutritional behavior change, like women's improved dietary diversity, which may increase the likelihood of a healthier pregnancy and delivery experience. OBJECTIVE This study aim was to assess dietary diversity and associated factors among pregnant women attending antenatal care in the Coast region of Tanzania. METHODS The descriptive cross-sectional study design was used to assess dietary diversity and associated factors among 338 pregnant women. A semi-structured questionnaire collected information from pregnant women on social demographic characteristics, nutrition knowledge and dietary diversity. Women were classified as having a varied diet if they had consumed at least five of the ten food groups over the previous twenty-four hours. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to identify predictors of dietary diversity in pregnant women. RESULTS Only 28% (95% CI: 23.5-33.1) (n = 95) of pregnant women met the minimum dietary diversity, and 18% (95% CI: 13.8-21.9) (n = 59) were considered to have a high level of nutrition knowledge. Living near a health facility (AOR = 1.77, CI 1.02, 3.06), having high nutrition knowledge (AOR = 2.58, 95% CI: 1.36, 4.89), and being pregnant for the first time (AOR = 2.44, 95% CI: 1.09, 5.44) were associated with adequate dietary diversity. CONCLUSION Pregnant women in the study were found to have low knowledge about nutrition and inadequate dietary diversity intake. The findings underscore the need to improve nutrition knowledge provision in antenatal clinics by emphasizing the importance of a diversified and high-quality diet. Healthcare providers in antenatal care clinics should consistently provide nutrition education and counseling to pregnant women and promote their diversified food consumption. Such knowledge may eventually promote healthier pregnancy and child development by curbing the nutritional deficiencies experienced during pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rashidi Heri
- Department of Nursing Management, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
| | - Mats Malqvist
- Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Khadija I Yahya-Malima
- Department of Nursing Management, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Lilian Teddy Mselle
- Department of Clinical Nursing, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
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Wang D, Katalambula LK, Modest AR, Young T, Ismail A, Mwanyika-Sando M, Tinkasimile A, Mosha D, Malero A, Vuai S, Fawzi WW. Meals, Education, and Gardens for In-School Adolescents (MEGA): study protocol for a cluster randomised trial of an integrated adolescent nutrition intervention in Dodoma, Tanzania. BMJ Open 2022; 12:e062085. [PMID: 35798513 PMCID: PMC9263906 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-062085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Secondary schools have the transformative potential to advance adolescent nutrition and provide a unique entry point for nutrition interventions to reach adolescents and their families and communities. Integrated school nutrition interventions offer promising pathways towards improving adolescent nutrition status, food security and building sustainable skill sets. METHODS AND ANALYSIS The Meals, Education, and Gardens for In-School Adolescents (MEGA) project aims to implement and evaluate an integrated, school-based nutrition intervention package among secondary schools in the Chamwino District of Dodoma, Tanzania. MEGA is a cluster-randomised controlled trial, including six public secondary schools assigned to three different arms. Two schools will receive the full intervention package, including school meals, school gardens, nutrition education and community workshops. Two schools will receive the partial intervention package, including the school garden, nutrition education and community workshops. Two schools will serve as the controls and will not receive any intervention. The intervention will be implemented for one academic year. Baseline and end-line quantitative data collection will include 750 adolescents and 750 parents. The domains of outcomes for adolescents will include haemoglobin concentrations, anthropometry, educational outcomes and knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding nutrition, agriculture and health. The domains of outcomes for parents will include knowledge, attitudes and practices of nutrition, agriculture and health. End-line focus group discussions will be conducted among selected adolescents, parents and teachers to assess the facilitators and barriers associated with the intervention. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (approval number: IRB20-1623), the Institutional Research Review Committee at the University of Dodoma (approval number: MA.84/261/02) and the Tanzania National Institute for Medical Research (approval number: NIMR/HO/R.8a/Vol. IX/3801). A manuscript with the research findings will be developed for publication. Local dissemination meetings will be held with key stakeholders. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT04788303.; ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongqing Wang
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | | | - Tara Young
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Abbas Ismail
- College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, University of Dodoma, Dodoma, Tanzania
| | | | | | - Dominic Mosha
- Africa Academy for Public Health, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Augustine Malero
- College of Informatics and Virtual Education, University of Dodoma, Dodoma, Tanzania
| | - Said Vuai
- College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, University of Dodoma, Dodoma, Tanzania
| | - Wafaie W Fawzi
- Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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dos Santos EB, da Costa Maynard D, Zandonadi RP, Raposo A, Botelho RBA. Sustainability Recommendations and Practices in School Feeding: A Systematic Review. Foods 2022; 11:176. [PMID: 35053907 PMCID: PMC8775006 DOI: 10.3390/foods11020176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Revised: 01/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Considering the importance of schools for sustainable food offers and the formation of conscientious citizens on sustainability, this systematic review aimed to verify the recommendations on sustainability in school feeding policies and the sustainability practices adopted in schools. The research question that guided this study is "what are the recommendations on sustainability in school feeding policies and the sustainability practices adopted in schools?". This systematic review was prepared according to PRISMA, and its checklist was registered in PROSPERO. Specific search strategies for Scopus, Web of Science, Pubmed, Lilacs, Google Scholar, and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global were developed. The included studies' methodological quality was evaluated using the Meta-Analysis Statistical Assessment and Review Instrument (MASTARI). A total of 134 studies were selected for a full reading. Of these, 50 met the eligibility criteria and were included in the systematic review. Several sustainability practices were described. The most cited are school gardens and education activities for sustainability. However, actions carried out in food services were also mentioned, from the planning of menus and the purchase of raw materials (mainly local and organic foods, vegetarian/vegan menus) to the distribution of meals (reduction of organic and inorganic waste: composting, recycling, donating food, and portion sizes). Recommendations for purchasing sustainable food (organic, local, and seasonal), nutrition education focused on sustainability, and reducing food waste were frequent; this reinforces the need to stimulate managers' view, in their most varied spheres, for the priority that should be given to this theme, so that education for sustainability is universally part of the curricula. The importance of education in enabling individuals to promote sustainable development is reaffirmed in Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4). The development of assessment instruments can help monitor the evolution of sustainable strategies at schools and the main barriers and potentialities related to their implementation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Dayanne da Costa Maynard
- Department of Nutrition, University of Brasília, Brasília 70910-900, Brazil; (D.d.C.M.); (R.P.Z.)
| | - Renata Puppin Zandonadi
- Department of Nutrition, University of Brasília, Brasília 70910-900, Brazil; (D.d.C.M.); (R.P.Z.)
| | - António Raposo
- CBIOS (Research Center for Biosciences and Health Technologies), Universidade Lusófona de Humanidades e Tecnologias, Campo Grande 376, 1749-024 Lisboa, Portugal
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