The Price of Oil: Behavior Change Communication and Increased Oil Ration Improve Mothers' Uses of Vegetable Oil in Preparing Food Aid Rations for Children in Malawi

Abstract

ObjectiveAs part of USAID's Food Aid Quality Review, a study evaluated the effectiveness of providing an additional oil ration in tandem with behavior change communication (BCC) to an existing supplementation program to increase the oil content and reduce sharing of porridge prepared for children under 5 with moderate acute malnutrition in Malawi.MethodsMothers/caretakers (BMCs) of beneficiary children in the program were randomly selected at 12 intervention and 4 control food distribution points (FDPs) for participation in interviews and to provide samples of their porridge for analysis. The intervention group received a monthly ration of 2.6 L fortified vegetable oil, 8 kg Corn Soy Blend (CSB) and BCC. Controls received a standard ration of 1 L oil, 8 kg CSB and no messaging. The proportion of BMCs preparing porridge at the target ratio (TR) of 30g oil to 100g CSB, the mean % of oil in porridge, and rates of HH sharing of porridge were compared between study groups using Stata v13.1.ResultsThere were 235 BMCs in the intervention and 160 in the control groups. Roughly 6% of BMCs in the intervention group met the TR of oil to CSB, while 4% in the control group met this ratio (NS). The TR is equivalent to 23% oil; mean % oil in the prepared porridge was 21% in the intervention group and 12% in the control group (p<.001). Sharing of the porridge with other HH members was reported in 46% of intervention and 74% of control HHs (p<.001).ConclusionWhile few BMCs met the TR of oil to CSB, those receiving an additional oil ration and BCC prepared porridge with almost twice as much oil as those in the control groups, and reported less sharing within the HH than those not receiving the intervention.