Effect of school feeding program on dietary folate intake among school adolescent girls in Sidama region, southern Ethiopia
BackgroundEthiopia recently initiated a school feeding program (SFP) that provides nutritious meals to vulnerable students during school to combat malnutrition and improve their nutrition. However, there is limited evidence regarding the program’s impact on dietary folate intake among adolescent gir...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2024-11-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Nutrition |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2024.1495824/full |
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| author | Amelo Bolka Tafese Bosha Samson Gebremedhin |
| author_facet | Amelo Bolka Tafese Bosha Samson Gebremedhin |
| author_sort | Amelo Bolka |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BackgroundEthiopia recently initiated a school feeding program (SFP) that provides nutritious meals to vulnerable students during school to combat malnutrition and improve their nutrition. However, there is limited evidence regarding the program’s impact on dietary folate intake among adolescent girls. Improving folate status in adolescent girls is important to prevent neural tube defect and anemia This study was aimed at assessing the effect of the SFP on dietary folate intake among school adolescent girls in the Sidama Region, Southern Ethiopia.MethodsThis school-based cross-sectional study compared dietary folate intake among adolescent girls enrolled in schools with (n = 290) and without (n = 290) SFP. Multistage sampling method was used to select adolescent girls from 12 schools. The multiple pass 24-h dietary recall method was used to estimate the dietary intake of adolescent girls. Dietary diversity in the preceding day of the survey was assessed with the standard nine-food group score. Nutrient inadequacy was defined as a proportion of adolescents with dietary value of nutrient intake less than the recommended daily allowance (RDA). The dietary folate intake was compared between two groups using multilevel mixed effects linear regression model adjusted for potential confounders.ResultsThe result showed significantly higher mean (±SD) dietary folate intake in SFP beneficiaries (421.12 ± 78.60 μg/day) than the non-beneficiaries (393.26 ± 74.57 μg/day; β = 27.19, p < 0.001). SFP beneficiary girls had a significantly higher mean (±SD) dietary diversity score (5.24 ± 1.35) compared to non-beneficiary girls (4.83 ± 1.54; β = 0.40, p = 0.001). The prevalence of inadequate folate intake was significantly higher among no-beneficiaries (47.4%) compared to beneficiaries (36.9%; p = 0.01).ConclusionThe SFP in Sidama region improved folate intake and dietary diversity of adolescent girls. The evidence from this study supports the expansion of the program to enhance dietary intake of nutrients of adolescent girls in the region. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2296-861X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-11-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
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| series | Frontiers in Nutrition |
| spelling | doaj-art-befb5f6659ed42a394538456e1cc0bcf2025-08-20T02:12:37ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Nutrition2296-861X2024-11-011110.3389/fnut.2024.14958241495824Effect of school feeding program on dietary folate intake among school adolescent girls in Sidama region, southern EthiopiaAmelo Bolka0Tafese Bosha1Samson Gebremedhin2School of Nutrition, Food Science and Technology, Hawassa University, Awasa, EthiopiaSchool of Nutrition, Food Science and Technology, Hawassa University, Awasa, EthiopiaSchool of Public Health, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, EthiopiaBackgroundEthiopia recently initiated a school feeding program (SFP) that provides nutritious meals to vulnerable students during school to combat malnutrition and improve their nutrition. However, there is limited evidence regarding the program’s impact on dietary folate intake among adolescent girls. Improving folate status in adolescent girls is important to prevent neural tube defect and anemia This study was aimed at assessing the effect of the SFP on dietary folate intake among school adolescent girls in the Sidama Region, Southern Ethiopia.MethodsThis school-based cross-sectional study compared dietary folate intake among adolescent girls enrolled in schools with (n = 290) and without (n = 290) SFP. Multistage sampling method was used to select adolescent girls from 12 schools. The multiple pass 24-h dietary recall method was used to estimate the dietary intake of adolescent girls. Dietary diversity in the preceding day of the survey was assessed with the standard nine-food group score. Nutrient inadequacy was defined as a proportion of adolescents with dietary value of nutrient intake less than the recommended daily allowance (RDA). The dietary folate intake was compared between two groups using multilevel mixed effects linear regression model adjusted for potential confounders.ResultsThe result showed significantly higher mean (±SD) dietary folate intake in SFP beneficiaries (421.12 ± 78.60 μg/day) than the non-beneficiaries (393.26 ± 74.57 μg/day; β = 27.19, p < 0.001). SFP beneficiary girls had a significantly higher mean (±SD) dietary diversity score (5.24 ± 1.35) compared to non-beneficiary girls (4.83 ± 1.54; β = 0.40, p = 0.001). The prevalence of inadequate folate intake was significantly higher among no-beneficiaries (47.4%) compared to beneficiaries (36.9%; p = 0.01).ConclusionThe SFP in Sidama region improved folate intake and dietary diversity of adolescent girls. The evidence from this study supports the expansion of the program to enhance dietary intake of nutrients of adolescent girls in the region.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2024.1495824/fulladolescent girlsdietary folate intakeschool-feeding programSidama regionsouthern Ethiopia |
| spellingShingle | Amelo Bolka Tafese Bosha Samson Gebremedhin Effect of school feeding program on dietary folate intake among school adolescent girls in Sidama region, southern Ethiopia Frontiers in Nutrition adolescent girls dietary folate intake school-feeding program Sidama region southern Ethiopia |
| title | Effect of school feeding program on dietary folate intake among school adolescent girls in Sidama region, southern Ethiopia |
| title_full | Effect of school feeding program on dietary folate intake among school adolescent girls in Sidama region, southern Ethiopia |
| title_fullStr | Effect of school feeding program on dietary folate intake among school adolescent girls in Sidama region, southern Ethiopia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effect of school feeding program on dietary folate intake among school adolescent girls in Sidama region, southern Ethiopia |
| title_short | Effect of school feeding program on dietary folate intake among school adolescent girls in Sidama region, southern Ethiopia |
| title_sort | effect of school feeding program on dietary folate intake among school adolescent girls in sidama region southern ethiopia |
| topic | adolescent girls dietary folate intake school-feeding program Sidama region southern Ethiopia |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2024.1495824/full |
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