The Efficacy Of Consuming A Highly Fortified Groundnut Supplement On The Nutritional Status Of School Children In The Ashanti Region
Abstract
Background: Childhood undernutrition is prevalent worldwide especially in developing countries. It is associated with impaired physical growth and poor cognitive function among school children.
Aim: To quantify the effect of consuming fortified groundnut based snack for four months on the nutritional status and academic performance of children (6-17years) enrolled on the GSFP in the Ashanti region.
Design and methods: This was a quasi-experimental design that involved experimental (254 participants) and control groups (220 participants). Each participant in the experimental group received a sachet of the multiple fortified groundnut snack 5 days/week for 4 months except school holidays and weekends whilst the control group did not receive any treatment. Background characteristics, dietary intakes, anthropometric and haemoglobin indices were measured at baseline for all participants before feeding began. At months 2 and 4, data were collected again except those on background characteristics. Changes in the indices assessed from baseline to month 4 within and between the two study groups were analysed using paired and independent T test respectively.
Results: The mean change in heights was significantly higher among participants in the intervention group than those in the control (2.11±0.87 vs 1.82±0.92: p<0.01) at months 4. There was no significant difference in the mean change in weight between the two study groups (intervention; 1.13±1.07 vs control; 1.08±1.06, p=0.68). The mean haemoglobin concentration among the experimental group improved from 13.64±1.79g/dl at baseline to 14.16±1.37g/dl at moths 4 (p<0.01). No significant improvement was seen in the haemoglobin concentrations among the control participants (14.07±1.43 at baseline to 13.78±1.27, p=0.33). There was also improvement in the average subject score of participants receiving the intervention snack (intervention; 0.72±10.03 vs control; -1.75±10.41, p=0.01). The intervention appeared not to have significant improvement on weight gain. Almost all the participants in the study met the EARs for carbohydrates (99.53%), protein (94.16%) and iron (97.66%). None of the participants in the two study groups met the EARs for iodine and folate.
Conclusion: The intervention snack resulted in significant improvement on linear growth (height), haemoglobin concentration and school performance among participants in the intervention group. However, the snack appeared not to have significant effect on weight gain.
Description
Thesis (MPhil)
Keywords
Efficacy, Consuming, Highly Fortified, Groundnut Supplement, Nutritional Status, School Children, Ashanti Region, Ghana