Nutrition Education Influences Vitamin A-Related Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Child Caregivers Towards the Production of Orange-Fleshed Sweet Potato in Uganda

Josephine Nabugoomu

doi:10.11648/j.jfns.20150302.13

Abstract

This study had two major objectives: to assess the effect of nutrition education carried out among urban and peri-urban farming communities in Kampala, Uganda on (a) production of Orange-Fleshed Sweet Potato (OFSP), and (b) vitamin A related knowledge, attitudes and practices of child caregivers. A Cross-sectional sample of households that were involved in farming of orange fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) and had 2–6 year old children (n=457) were purposively selected from four divisions of Kampala Capital City Authority (Kawempe, Rubaga, Makindye, and Nakawa) to participate in a controlled, cohort intervention. Respondents in Kawempe division had received training in production of OFSP and nutrition education; Rubaga division only had training in production of OFSP; Nakawa division only had nutrition education while Makindye division did not have any training and served as the control. A coded questionnaire was used to collect caregiver’s perceptions of nutrition and production attributes of OFSP compared with other potato varieties as well as Vitamin A related knowledge, attitudes and practices. Chi-square tests were used to test for relationships amongst divisions for variables of interest. A p value of < 5% was used to judge statistically significant differences. Results showed that all respondents judged OFSP varieties to be better than other potato varieties with respect to: early maturity, yield, multiple utilization, nutritional value, and taste (p<0.05). Respondents who had received nutrition education had better knowledge than other respondents related to vitamin A, OFSP as a source of vitamin A and attitudes towards health and child health practices (p<0.05). About 60% of the respondents that received nutrition education correctly identified at least two sources of vitamin A compared to about 40% for respondents without nutrition education. Results from a seven (7) day recall showed significantly higher consumption of foods that are rich in Vitamin A by respondents from divisions that received nutrition education (p<0.05). Similarly, significantly more respondents who had nutrition education had positive attitudes toward Vitamin A utilization.

Highlights

Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among children and the highest global prevalence of vitamin A (40%) is found in subSaharan Africa and Southeast Asia countries [1,2,3]
Majority of the Child caregivers were females and had attained at least primary level education, which may have helped in the acquisition of knowledge, positive attitudes and practices related to vitamin A and Orange-Fleshed Sweet Potato (OFSP)
Consistent with findings from previous studies [15,16,17,24,25], the current findings show that nutrition education to caregivers enhances their attitudes, knowledge and practice of food-based interventions for increasing Vitamin A uptake

Summary

Introduction

Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among children and the highest global prevalence of vitamin A (40%) is found in subSaharan Africa and Southeast Asia countries [1,2,3]. Since the consumption of fruits and vegetables rich in carotenoids is low in Uganda, a strategy of food production training coupled with education could be helpful in Josephine Nabugoomu et al.: Nutrition Education Influences Vitamin A-Related Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of. Orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) is an excellent source of pro-vitamin A and in developing countries, and has been found to be a viable long-term food-based strategy that can significantly alleviate VAD [8,9,10]. A fiveyear follow-up of a food-based vitamin A intervention in Tanzania found that knowledge and practices were more favorable to vitamin A dietary intake among preschool children (6–72 months) in the area that received nutrition education than in the one that did not [14]. Participating mothers in a study in Malawi who had nutrition education were able to use existing food resources to improve complementary feeding practices and this was associated with enhanced adequacy of energy and several micronutrients in the diets of their children [17]

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion