Abstract
Adequate nutrition is required for growth and development in children. This study tested the effectiveness of nutrition education on knowledge and BMI-for-age (BFA) of school-aged children in the Kumasi Metropolis. Children, aged 9-13 years old were recruited from ten randomly selected primary schools in the Metropolis. The schools were randomly allocated into 3 groups: nutrition education (3 schools), physical activity (PA) education (3 schools), both interventions (2 schools), or control (2 schools). Following a baseline nutrition and PA knowledge and status assessment in 433 children, twice-monthly nutrition and PA education and demonstrations were carried out for 6 months, followed by a post-intervention assessment. PA and nutrition knowledge improved in all groups (P<0.001); the highest improvement was among those who received both interventions (31.0%), followed by the nutrition education group (29.8%), and the least, the control group (19.1%). Overall, BFA improved by +0.36, from baseline (-0.26) to end of the intervention (+0.10, P<0.001). Within the groups, the nutrition group (+0.65, P<.001) had the highest improvement, then, both the intervention group (+0.27, P<0.001), the PA group (+0.23, P<0.001) and lastly, the control group (+0.18, P=0.001). Nutrition education could improve knowledge and BMI-for-age in school-aged children in Ghana.
Highlights
The 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey reported that 19% of Ghanaian children under five were too short for their age, ie stunted and5% were severely stunted, a decrease from the figures of 28 percent and 10%, respectively, in 2008.1 Five percent of the children were wasted and less than 1 percent were severely wasted, while 11 % were underweight and 2 %severely underweight, a decrease from the 2008 figures of 14 % and 3%, respectively[1]
The study evaluated the effectiveness of physical activity and nutrition education on nutrition knowledge and BMI-for-age among school-aged children aged 9-13 years old, attending government-owned basic schools
Our findings revealed that nutrition and physical activity knowledge did not differ between groups at baseline
Summary
The 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey reported that 19% of Ghanaian children under five were too short for their age, ie stunted (below -2 SD) and5% were severely stunted (below -3 SD), a decrease from the figures of 28 percent and 10%, respectively, in 2008.1 Five percent of the children were wasted and less than 1 percent were severely wasted, while 11 % were underweight and 2 %severely underweight, a decrease from the 2008 figures of 14 % and 3%, respectively[1]. The 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey reported that 19% of Ghanaian children under five were too short for their age, ie stunted (below -2 SD) and. This study tested the effectiveness of nutrition education on knowledge and BMI-for-age (BFA) of school-aged children in the Kumasi Metropolis. Results: PA and nutrition knowledge improved in all groups (P
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