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An integrated nutrition‐sensitive health and agriculture intervention to increase egg consumption among infants and young children in Upper Manya Krobo, Ghana
Author(s) -
AtuobiYeboah Afua,
Marquis Grace S,
Colecraft Esi,
Kanlisi Roland,
Aryeetey Richmond,
Klevor Moses
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.30.1_supplement.274.5
Subject(s) - medicine , consumption (sociology) , intervention (counseling) , environmental health , nutrition education , agriculture , randomized controlled trial , gerontology , nursing , geography , social science , surgery , archaeology , sociology
Poor dietary quality and nutritional status among young children is common in rural low‐income households in Upper Manya Krobo District (UMKD), Ghana. Consumption of animal source foods can improve diet and growth outcomes. The Nutrition Links Project is a 5‐y capacity‐building project to improve nutrition and well‐being of vulnerable populations in UMKD. The project includes a small cluster randomized controlled trial that provides home gardening, health, nutrition education, and poultry entrepreneurial activities for caregivers who had a 0‐to 12‐mo‐old infant and were living in the intervention communities at enrollment (IN; n=102). Caregivers in the control (CT) communities (n=228) receive only the standard‐of‐care for nutrition, health, and agricultural extension provided by government staff. This on‐going study seeks to improve the diets and growth outcomes of young children, partly through increased egg consumption. For this analysis, longitudinal data comparing children's egg consumption during the previous day, were collected from caregivers at baseline and at the first follow‐up [IN (n=102); CT (n=228)], approximately 7 months after the intervention was implemented. At baseline, when infants were 8.7±4.1 mo old, few consumed eggs [IN (15.5%) and CT (20.8%)]. By the first follow‐up, there was a statistically significant difference in the percent of children consuming eggs (IN (28.4%) vs. CT (52.6%); P<0.001). The lower intake of eggs among IN children occurred despite the fact that IN caregivers had an increased access to eggs from the poultry enterprise. The negative effect during the early months of the intervention may reflect caregivers placing greater emphasis on egg sales for income and success of their poultry enterprise rather than home consumption. In‐depth evaluation is needed to better understand caregivers’ behaviours and to determine the project effect on the total diet. Nutrition education activities continue to encourage use of eggs as well as diverse nutrient‐rich foods in UMKD children's diets to ensure the nutrition‐sensitive agriculture intervention achieves the expected objective of improving diets and nutritional status of project participants. Support or Funding Information Funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade, and Development (DFATD) of the Government of Canada