Impact of permagarden intervention on improving fruit and vegetable intake among vulnerable groups in an urban setting of Ethiopia: A quasi-experimental study.

Fikralem Alemu,Girmay Medhin,Medhanit Mecha,Leslee Funderburk

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0213705

Fikralem Alemu, Girmay Medhin + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0213705

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Abstract

BackgroundIncreasing nutrient intake through home gardening is a sustainable way to address multiple micronutrient deficiencies in developing countries. This study investigated the impact of permagarden intervention in increasing the frequency and diversity of vegetable and fruit consumption among vulnerable families in seven cities of Ethiopia.MethodA quasi-experimental study was conducted from August 10 to September 30, 2015. A total of 884 care givers (427 from intervention and 457 from control) participated in the study. Data were collected through face to face interviews with caregivers of highly vulnerable children. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used as implemented in STATA software. Program impact on the frequency and diversity of households’ fruit and vegetable consumption between intervention and control groups was assessed using chi square test.ResultsIntervention participants had a 13% higher increase in frequency of vegetable and fruit consumption compared with control participants (p<0.01). Diversity (consumption of 2 or more groups of vegetable and fruit) is higher among intervention groups than control groups (percentage difference = 9, p-value<0.05). A significant higher percentage of participants in intervention group reported getting the one-week vegetable and fruit mainly from their own garden (percentage difference 58.3%, p<0.05). A significantly larger proportion of participants in the intervention group compared to control group reported “high likelihood” on intention to grow vegetables in the future (percentage difference = 30%, and P<0.01). Perceived importance to include vegetable in everyday meal was higher among intervention group participants than control group participants (percentage difference = 11.5%, P<0.01).ConclusionsThe observed higher FV intake among permagarden intervention group compared to control group suggest that nutrition and health programs need to promote permagarden as a means to improve FV intake among vulnerable societies in resource limited countries.

Highlights

Despite a growing body of evidence that suggests eating fruit and vegetable (FV) prevents several diseases, low consumption of FV remains one of the top 10 global risk factors for mortality [1,2]
This study investigated the impact of permagarden intervention in increasing the frequency and diversity of vegetable and fruit consumption among vulnerable families in seven cities of Ethiopia
A significantly larger proportion of participants in the intervention group compared to control group reported “high likelihood” on intention to grow vegetables in the future

Summary

Introduction

Despite a growing body of evidence that suggests eating fruit and vegetable (FV) prevents several diseases, low consumption of FV remains one of the top 10 global risk factors for mortality [1,2]. The World Health Organization (WHO) defined low FV consumption of an individual as consuming less than the recommended intake of at least 400g of fruits and/or vegetable a day which is equivalent to five servings [3,4]. Undernutrition continues to account for 21% of the global disease burden among children in low and middle income countries [6]. It is the major contributor of diarrheal morbidity among children less than five years of age, with a vicious cycle existing between diarrhea and under-nutrition [7,8]. More than 30% (163 million) young children in developing countries are affected by vitamin A deficiency (VAD) [9].

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