Gabriel TS, Kasim M, Oluma FA, Muka T, Llanaj E. Adolescent nutrition in Nigeria: a systematic review.
J Nutr Sci 2024;
13:e38. [PMID:
39345247 PMCID:
PMC11428067 DOI:
10.1017/jns.2024.34]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 06/17/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 10/01/2024] Open
Abstract
In this systematic review, we scrutinise adolescent nutrition in Nigeria, focusing on dietary patterns, intake, and nutritional status. Through a systematic examination of observational studies across three major databases, we analysed data from 67,844 adolescents. Our exploration revealed 102 studies, predominantly cross-sectional, addressing various nutritional dimensions. However, only 13% of these studies demonstrated low risk of bias, with none offering national representation and most concentrated in specific, school-based regions. The findings underscore a complex nutritional landscape with widespread malnutrition and highlight the critical need for high-quality, comprehensive data. The dominance of cross-sectional designs and regional biases in existing research calls for cautious interpretation and suggests a pressing need for more robust, nationally representative studies to guide future nutritional interventions and policy-making in Nigeria.
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