Exploring food and nutrition security perspectives among high school adolescents in Machakel District, Amhara Region, Ethiopia: a qualitative study
Abstract Objective This study aimed to understand adolescents’ contextual perspectives on nutrition, food security, causes of food insecurity, and the association between food adequacy and academic performance. It explored food and nutrition security among high school adolescents in Machakel Distric...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2025-07-01
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| Series: | BMC Research Notes |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13104-025-07340-x |
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| author | Matyas Atnafu Alehegn Mogessie Ashenafi Mesay Mulugeta Nigatu Regassa |
| author_facet | Matyas Atnafu Alehegn Mogessie Ashenafi Mesay Mulugeta Nigatu Regassa |
| author_sort | Matyas Atnafu Alehegn |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Objective This study aimed to understand adolescents’ contextual perspectives on nutrition, food security, causes of food insecurity, and the association between food adequacy and academic performance. It explored food and nutrition security among high school adolescents in Machakel District, Amhara Region, Ethiopia. The objective was to explore how food and nutrition security impact adolescents’ growth and development. Qualitative data were collected through interviews with 33 key informants including school adolescents, teachers, health workers, community members, and woreda officers and six focus group discussions across four high schools. Data were analysed using MAXQDA Pro 2020 for its user-friendliness and advanced features. Results Findings showed that school adolescents living away from their families faced challenges in accessing adequate food, both in quantity and variety. These school adolescents relied on various strategies to access food, including part-time work and support from friends, relatives, or the school community, to supplement their food access. Participants perceived that inadequate food access negatively affected school adolescents’ academic performance. The study explored the need for interventions to improve adolescent food and nutrition security, including nutrition education programs, funding for nutritious school meals, and collaboration between schools and local communities to support adolescents living away from families. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-8d49985dd00645ecbb3d336ab565d151 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1756-0500 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Research Notes |
| spelling | doaj-art-8d49985dd00645ecbb3d336ab565d1512025-08-20T03:03:23ZengBMCBMC Research Notes1756-05002025-07-011811910.1186/s13104-025-07340-xExploring food and nutrition security perspectives among high school adolescents in Machakel District, Amhara Region, Ethiopia: a qualitative studyMatyas Atnafu Alehegn0Mogessie Ashenafi1Mesay Mulugeta2Nigatu Regassa3Center for Food Security Studies, College of Development Studies, Addis Ababa UniversityCenter for Food Security Studies, College of Development Studies, Addis Ababa UniversityCenter for Food Security Studies, College of Development Studies, Addis Ababa UniversityCenter for Population Studies, College of Development Studies, Addis Ababa UniversityAbstract Objective This study aimed to understand adolescents’ contextual perspectives on nutrition, food security, causes of food insecurity, and the association between food adequacy and academic performance. It explored food and nutrition security among high school adolescents in Machakel District, Amhara Region, Ethiopia. The objective was to explore how food and nutrition security impact adolescents’ growth and development. Qualitative data were collected through interviews with 33 key informants including school adolescents, teachers, health workers, community members, and woreda officers and six focus group discussions across four high schools. Data were analysed using MAXQDA Pro 2020 for its user-friendliness and advanced features. Results Findings showed that school adolescents living away from their families faced challenges in accessing adequate food, both in quantity and variety. These school adolescents relied on various strategies to access food, including part-time work and support from friends, relatives, or the school community, to supplement their food access. Participants perceived that inadequate food access negatively affected school adolescents’ academic performance. The study explored the need for interventions to improve adolescent food and nutrition security, including nutrition education programs, funding for nutritious school meals, and collaboration between schools and local communities to support adolescents living away from families.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13104-025-07340-xAdolescentsHigh schoolFood and nutrition securityPerception |
| spellingShingle | Matyas Atnafu Alehegn Mogessie Ashenafi Mesay Mulugeta Nigatu Regassa Exploring food and nutrition security perspectives among high school adolescents in Machakel District, Amhara Region, Ethiopia: a qualitative study BMC Research Notes Adolescents High school Food and nutrition security Perception |
| title | Exploring food and nutrition security perspectives among high school adolescents in Machakel District, Amhara Region, Ethiopia: a qualitative study |
| title_full | Exploring food and nutrition security perspectives among high school adolescents in Machakel District, Amhara Region, Ethiopia: a qualitative study |
| title_fullStr | Exploring food and nutrition security perspectives among high school adolescents in Machakel District, Amhara Region, Ethiopia: a qualitative study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring food and nutrition security perspectives among high school adolescents in Machakel District, Amhara Region, Ethiopia: a qualitative study |
| title_short | Exploring food and nutrition security perspectives among high school adolescents in Machakel District, Amhara Region, Ethiopia: a qualitative study |
| title_sort | exploring food and nutrition security perspectives among high school adolescents in machakel district amhara region ethiopia a qualitative study |
| topic | Adolescents High school Food and nutrition security Perception |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13104-025-07340-x |
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