ABSTRACT
Background: Childhood malnutrition remains a public health challenge in Africa. The original aim
of the Ghana School Feeding Programme was to improve school enrolment and attendance with
secondary aim to alleviate hunger and malnutrition among school aged children across every region.
The aim of this study was to investigate the nutritional status of the SAC enrolled in the GSFP.
Methodology: A cross-sectional study was carried out among 300 randomly selected 6-12 year aged
school children in the Kwabre East (n=150) and Tolon districts (n=150) of Ghana. A semi-structured
questionnaire was employed to take information on participants and their caregivers’ demographic
characteristics, sanitation and morbidity. Height, weight and haemoglobin concentrations were
measured. Dietary data were obtained using a 3 consecutive day 24-hour recall and food frequency
questionnaire. Analyses of covariance were used to compare the differences (HAZ, BAZ, energy and
nutrient intake from usual and GSFP meals) between the study children from the two districts and
logistic regression used to identify predictors of malnutrition.
Results: Compared to the study children in the Kwabre East district, the prevalence of stunting and
anaemia was significantly higher in Tolon district 15.3% vs. 6%; p=0.009 and 20.5% vs. 7.3%;
p=0.001 respectively. The rate of thinness was significantly higher in Kwabre East than the Tolon
district in the study children (21.3% vs. 10%; p=0.026). Having a low dietary diversity score was
significantly associated with being undernourished (OR=5.1; 95%CI: 1.45-5.1) in Kwabre East and
(OR=4.8; 95% CI: 1.41-16.13) in the Tolon district. It was observed that 3 out of 10 study children
were undernourished in Kwabre East.
Conclusion: From the study, the prevalence of anaemia, stunting and thinness significantly differed
between the study children in the two districts. The dietary diversity scores in both districts were
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high among study children. The chances of being undernourished was significantly higher with the
study children who had a low dietary diversity score. Meals from the GSFP contributed more than
one-third of the energy, macro-nutrients and micronutrients (Vitamin A, folate, iron and zinc) that
were assessed to the daily nutrient intake of the study children. Meals from GSFP did not contribute
Vitamin B12 to the daily nutrient intake to children in Tolon district but contributed more than half
to daily Vitamin B12 intake of children in Kwabre East district.
AUGUSTE, A (2021). Comparative Study Of The Nutritional Status Of School Aged Children Enrolled On The Ghana School Feeding Programme: A Case Of Kwabre East And The Tolon Districts Of Ghana. Afribary. Retrieved from https://tracking.afribary.com/works/comparative-study-of-the-nutritional-status-of-school-aged-children-enrolled-on-the-ghana-school-feeding-programme-a-case-of-kwabre-east-and-the-tolon-districts-of-ghana
AUGUSTE, AFUA "Comparative Study Of The Nutritional Status Of School Aged Children Enrolled On The Ghana School Feeding Programme: A Case Of Kwabre East And The Tolon Districts Of Ghana" Afribary. Afribary, 09 Apr. 2021, https://tracking.afribary.com/works/comparative-study-of-the-nutritional-status-of-school-aged-children-enrolled-on-the-ghana-school-feeding-programme-a-case-of-kwabre-east-and-the-tolon-districts-of-ghana. Accessed 06 Nov. 2024.
AUGUSTE, AFUA . "Comparative Study Of The Nutritional Status Of School Aged Children Enrolled On The Ghana School Feeding Programme: A Case Of Kwabre East And The Tolon Districts Of Ghana". Afribary, Afribary, 09 Apr. 2021. Web. 06 Nov. 2024. < https://tracking.afribary.com/works/comparative-study-of-the-nutritional-status-of-school-aged-children-enrolled-on-the-ghana-school-feeding-programme-a-case-of-kwabre-east-and-the-tolon-districts-of-ghana >.
AUGUSTE, AFUA . "Comparative Study Of The Nutritional Status Of School Aged Children Enrolled On The Ghana School Feeding Programme: A Case Of Kwabre East And The Tolon Districts Of Ghana" Afribary (2021). Accessed November 06, 2024. https://tracking.afribary.com/works/comparative-study-of-the-nutritional-status-of-school-aged-children-enrolled-on-the-ghana-school-feeding-programme-a-case-of-kwabre-east-and-the-tolon-districts-of-ghana