Grace S Marquis1, Esi K Colecraft2, Owuraku Sakyi-Dawson3, Anna Lartey2, Ben K Ahunu4, Katherine A Birks5, Lorna M Butler6, Manju B Reddy7, Helen H Jensen8, Elizabeth Huff-Lonergan9. 1. School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition, McGill University, Ste. Anne-de-Bellevue, Canada Departments of Food Science and Human Nutrition grace.marquis@mcgill.ca. 2. Departments of Nutrition and Food Science. 3. Agricultural Extension, and. 4. Animal Science, College of Agriculture and Consumer Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana. 5. School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition, McGill University, Ste. Anne-de-Bellevue, Canada. 6. Sociology Anthropology. 7. Departments of Food Science and Human Nutrition. 8. Economics, and. 9. Animal Science, Iowa State University, Ames, IA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Poor diet quality is a determinant of the high prevalence rates of malnutrition in Ghana. There is little evidence on the effectiveness of a multisector intervention to improve children's diets and nutritional status. OBJECTIVE: The project tested whether participation in an entrepreneurial and nutrition education intervention with microcredit was associated with the nutritional status of children 2-5 y of age. METHODS: A quasi-experimental 16-mo intervention was conducted with microcredit loans and weekly sessions of nutrition and entrepreneurship education for 179 women with children 2-5 y of age [intervention group (IG)]. Nonparticipating women and their children from the same villages (nonparticipant, n = 142) and from similar neighboring villages (comparison, n = 287) were enrolled. Repeated measures linear regression models were used first to examine children's weight-for-age (WAZ), height-for-age (HAZ), and body mass index-for-age (BAZ) z scores at baseline and at 4 follow-up time points ∼4 mo apart. Time, intervention status, time-by-intervention interaction terms, region of residence, household wealth rank, household head occupation, number of children <5 y of age, and child sex and age were included. RESULTS: There was a significant interaction between the IG and time for BAZ (P = 0.02) with significant Bonferroni-corrected pairwise comparisons between the IG and comparison group (CG) at 8 mo (difference of 0.36 ± 0.09 z score, P < 0.0001). The WAZ group difference was significant between 4 and 16 mo (P = 0.01 for interaction) and peaked at 8-12 mo (differences of ∼0.28 z). The HAZ of children in the IG was significantly higher than that in the CG, reaching a 0.19 z difference at 16 mo (P < 0.05). When the fixed effects models were fitted in sensitivity analyses, some group anthropometric differences were of lower magnitude but remained significant. CONCLUSION: An integrated package of microcredit and education may improve nutritional outcomes of children living in poor, rural communities.
RCT Entities:
BACKGROUND: Poor diet quality is a determinant of the high prevalence rates of malnutrition in Ghana. There is little evidence on the effectiveness of a multisector intervention to improve children's diets and nutritional status. OBJECTIVE: The project tested whether participation in an entrepreneurial and nutrition education intervention with microcredit was associated with the nutritional status of children 2-5 y of age. METHODS: A quasi-experimental 16-mo intervention was conducted with microcredit loans and weekly sessions of nutrition and entrepreneurship education for 179 women with children 2-5 y of age [intervention group (IG)]. Nonparticipating women and their children from the same villages (nonparticipant, n = 142) and from similar neighboring villages (comparison, n = 287) were enrolled. Repeated measures linear regression models were used first to examine children's weight-for-age (WAZ), height-for-age (HAZ), and body mass index-for-age (BAZ) z scores at baseline and at 4 follow-up time points ∼4 mo apart. Time, intervention status, time-by-intervention interaction terms, region of residence, household wealth rank, household head occupation, number of children <5 y of age, and child sex and age were included. RESULTS: There was a significant interaction between the IG and time for BAZ (P = 0.02) with significant Bonferroni-corrected pairwise comparisons between the IG and comparison group (CG) at 8 mo (difference of 0.36 ± 0.09 z score, P < 0.0001). The WAZ group difference was significant between 4 and 16 mo (P = 0.01 for interaction) and peaked at 8-12 mo (differences of ∼0.28 z). The HAZ of children in the IG was significantly higher than that in the CG, reaching a 0.19 z difference at 16 mo (P < 0.05). When the fixed effects models were fitted in sensitivity analyses, some group anthropometric differences were of lower magnitude but remained significant. CONCLUSION: An integrated package of microcredit and education may improve nutritional outcomes of children living in poor, rural communities.
Authors: Judith Kuchenbecker; Anika Reinbott; Beatrice Mtimuni; Michael B Krawinkel; Irmgard Jordan Journal: PLoS One Date: 2017-04-20 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Jessie Pullar; Luke Allen; Nick Townsend; Julianne Williams; Charlie Foster; Nia Roberts; Mike Rayner; Bente Mikkelsen; Francesco Branca; Kremlin Wickramasinghe Journal: PLoS One Date: 2018-02-23 Impact factor: 3.240