Improving dietary diversity of school adolescents through school based nutrition education and home gardening in Jimma Zone: Quasi experimental design.
PURPOSE The purpose of this operational study was to assess the effectiveness school based health and nutrition intervention supported with backyard gardening on the dietary diversity among school adolescents. METHODS A total of 1000 school adolescents from 10 to 19years were selected randomly. The intervention involved peer led behavior change communication and health promotion through school media and health clubs. Data were collected at baseline, midline and end line using structured questionnaires. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to determine the independent effect of interventions. RESULTS There was a significant increment of proportion of school children consuming diversified diet among the intervention group from 34.8% at baseline through 65.6% at midline to 74.7% at the end line (p<0.001) Among control group, there was no change from midline (49.4% to endline (48.8% though there was a change from baseline (32.1% to midline (49.4% A significant difference of dietary diversity intake was observed between intervention and control groups at midline (F=5.64, p=0.042) and endline (F=5.85, p<0.001) survey. Being in the intervention school (OR=2.55 [1.55, 3.50] being a boy (OR=1.75 [1.91, 2.56] and having farmer mothers (OR=2.58 [1.01, 6.87] were independent positive predictors of a diversified diet intake. However, having a mother who attended secondary schools were inversely associated (OR=0.25 [0.06, 0.97] with consuming a diversified diet. CONCLUSION Findings of this study demonstrated that there was a significant improvement in dietary diversity of adolescents in intervention schools. The results imply that school based nutrition education should be a part of comprehensive school health programs to reach students and potentially their families.
Eating behaviors