Nutrition Education Strategies Research Articles

Nutritional and lifestyle procedures to reduce symptoms associated with dysbiosis in women

The main objective of this research is to evaluate the impact of food and nutritional education strategies on symptoms associated with intestinal dysbiosis in women. For the methodological search, a qualitative research approach was conducted, of the integrative literature review type. Data collection took place in scientific databases: LILACS and PUBMED. The results obtained suggest that food and nutritional education plays a crucial role in modulating the intestinal microbiota. Nutritional education strategies can provide women with information about how to choose foods rich in fiber, prebiotics and probiotics, which promote intestinal health. Nutritional guidance can help women avoid processed foods high in sugar and saturated fat, which are known to harm the microbiota. However, adopting a balanced and healthy diet, under the supervision of healthcare professionals, can be an effective tool in improving symptoms associated with intestinal dysbiosis in women.

Nutrition-Related Knowledge, Attitudes, Practices, and Anemia Status of Lactating Mothers in Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo-A Cross-Sectional Analysis.

Maternal nutrition is impacted by personal and environmental factors including dietary intake, knowledge, food availability, and affordability. This cross-sectional analysis aimed to evaluate nutrition-related knowledge, attitudes, practices, and associations with hemoglobin concentration among lactating mothers in the Bukavu region, Democratic Republic of the Congo. In 444 lactating mothers, nutrition-related knowledge and practice were assessed by questionnaires and translated into knowledge and practice scores ranging from 0 to 1, attitudes and drivers of food choice were assessed, the Dietary Diversity Score (DDS) was assessed with 24 h dietary recalls in a potential range from 0 to 10, and hemoglobin (Hb) was measured in mothers and their infants. Anemia prevalence was 28.2% among mothers and 74.3% among infants aged 3-8 months. Nutritional knowledge and practice were limited (the median total knowledge score was 0.39, median DDS was 3.0). While there were slight positive correlations between knowledge and maternal Hb, DDS did not significantly correlate with either knowledge or Hb. Although half of the mothers stated a perception about their own susceptibility to anemia or vitamin A deficiency (56.4%, 47.4%), less than half of those could justify their estimation (40.9%, 44.2%). Taste (68.1%), appearance (42.5%), availability (29.0%), and health effects (25.6%) were important drivers of food choice. In conclusion, interventions on the different influencing factors including nutrition education strategies are needed.

Eficácia das atividades de educação alimentar e nutricional em crianças menores de dois anos de idade: uma revisão sistemática

Abstract Objectives: to evaluate the effectiveness of food and nutritional education on children up to the age of two. Methods: the systematic review was carried out in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses. The research was carried out in 2022 in the Virtual Health Library/Lilacs, Pubmed/Medline and Science Direct databases. The articles were selected independently using the Microsoft Excel® program. Articles that evaluated food and nutritional education applied on children up to the age of two were included. The risk of bias was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute tool. Results: the research resulted in 1,523 studies and nine were included in the review. The articles presented a low risk of bias and good methodological quality. Food and nutritional education strategies were developed especially with the children’s parents. Workshops, lectures, and teaching materials were developed. In most of the studies, the activities developed helped to improve children’s health and eating patterns. Conclusion: food and nutritional education activities have therefore been effective in building healthy eating habits at childhood. Prospero registration: CRD42022325608.

Management of Premenstrual Disorders: ACOG Clinical Practice Guideline No. 7.

To provide recommendations for the management of premenstrual syndrome and premenstrual dysphoric disorder, collectively referred to as premenstrual disorders, based on assessment of the evidence regarding the safety and efficacy of available treatment options. An overview of the epidemiology, pathophysiology, and diagnosis of premenstrual disorders also is included to provide readers with relevant background information and context for the clinical recommendations. Reproductive-aged adults and adolescents with premenstrual symptoms. This guideline was developed using an a priori protocol in conjunction with a writing team consisting of two specialists in obstetrics and gynecology appointed by the ACOG Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines-Gynecology and one external subject matter expert. ACOG medical librarians completed a comprehensive literature search for primary literature within Cochrane Library, Cochrane Collaboration Registry of Controlled Trials, EMBASE, PubMed, and MEDLINE. Studies that moved forward to the full-text screening stage were assessed by two authors from the writing team based on standardized inclusion and exclusion criteria. Included studies underwent quality assessment, and a modified GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluations) evidence-to-decision framework was applied to interpret and translate the evidence into recommendation statements. This Clinical Practice Guideline includes recommendations on the following evidence-based treatment options for premenstrual disorders, with an acknowledgement that many patients may benefit from a multimodal approach that combines several interventions: pharmacologic agents (hormonal and nonhormonal), psychological counseling, complementary and alternative treatments, exercise and nutritional therapies, patient education and self-help strategies, and surgical management. Recommendations are classified by strength and evidence quality. Ungraded Good Practice Points are included to provide guidance when a formal recommendation could not be made because of inadequate or nonexistent evidence. Based on review of extrapolated data from adult populations and expert consensus, it was determined that the recommendations also apply to adolescents, with a few exceptions that are noted in the Clinical Practice Guideline.

Effectiveness of implementation strategies to improve nutrition education interventions in adults living in rural and/or low-income communities.

The objective of this project was to promote evidence-based practice and identify how to best implement nutrition education interventions for adults living in rural and/or low-income communities. Adults living in rural and/or low-income communities are at increased risk for poor nutrition and chronic health conditions. Patients are referred to the EversCare Clinic (ECC), an ambulatory clinic at an academic medical center in Mississippi, USA, to receive assistance with social needs. In addition to living in rural and/or low-income communities, over 90% of the patients seen at the ECC are food-insecure, yet nutrition education is inconsistently provided. The JBI Practical Application of Clinical Evidence System (PACES) and the Getting Research into Practice (GRiP) audit and feedback tools were used. The ECC team conducted a baseline audit of 30 patient electronic health records, designed and implemented best-practice nutrition education strategies, and completed a follow-up audit of 30 patient electronic health records. Four evidence-based criteria for nutrition education in adults living in rural and/or low-income communities were audited, and various interventions were used to address multiple levels. The baseline audit revealed patients were not receiving recommended nutrition education interventions. Following the implementation, there was a 64.2% improvement in compliance with all four best practice criteria. Involving nursing students proved to be an effective method of improving compliance. Adherence to best practices regarding implementing nutrition education interventions was satisfactory, with 80% of patients receiving interventions at individual, interpersonal, community, and societal levels. Future audits are planned to ensure sustainability.

THE EFFECT OF NUTRITION EDUCATION TO PROSPECTIVE BRIDE IN PREGNANCY NUTRITION PREPARATION TO PREVENT THE RISK OF STUNTING: STUDY LITERATURE REVIEW

The National Strategy Program in Indonesia for the Acceleration of Stunting Prevention targets specific nutrition interventions for Women of Reproductive Age. The government implemented a health examination program for prospective brides to prevent the risk of stunting. This study aims to describe the implementation of nutrition education for brides in Indonesia, and its effect on knowledge, attitudes, and consumption behavior of nutritious food as a preparation for a healthy pregnancy. The method of this research is Systematic Literature Review by screening articles using the PRISMA chart. The article sources used were Google Scholar and Garuda with article years 2020 to 2022, 333 articles were found, and 16 articles were required to be reviewed using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses method. Description of research results is the locations used to provide education include the Office of Religious Affairs (Kantor Urusan Agama), Puskesmas, and local area halls. The educational media used are booklets, leaflets, digital applications, social media, and PowerPoint presentations. The nutrition materials given were 1000 HPK, preconception nutrition, and anemia prevention. The results of the study provided nutrition education had a significant impact on knowledge and attitudes, but education would have an impact on behavior if it was given at least 3 times. This study concludes that the nutrition education strategy needs to include factors that affect education acceptance such as educational background and social economy, and the impact assessment of education must also include the behavior of consuming nutritious food and changes in the body's nutritional status.

What’s on Our Plate?

Plant-based and pescatarian diets, as recommended for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease, have been found to be highly protective from moderate to severe COVID-19 illness, and may be protective from an inflammatory response to SARSCoV-2 vaccines. The authors initially sought to correlate the self-reported nutritional habits of physicians in two Chicago-area academic medical centers, with the occurrence of symptoms after each of their two COVID-19 vaccinations. However, of the 274 respondents, 196 (72%) were eating an unrestricted omnivorous diet. The restricted diet group included 41 (15%) semi-vegetarians (reducing, but not eliminating, animal products), 14 (5%) who consumed vegetables, eggs, and dairy, but no fish or red meat, 12 (4%) who consumed vegetables, seafood, eggs, and dairy, but no red meat, 10 (4%) who ate vegetables and seafood without red meat, eggs, or dairy, and one physician (0.3%) who consumed no animal products. Thus, this study was underpowered for the healthy dietary patterns (i.e., pescatarian/vegetarian) as published in the 2019 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) Guideline on the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease, as most physicians surveyed were on an unrestricted American diet in these two academic medical centers. These findings call for more vigorous physician nutrition education and implementation strategies for evidence-based guidelines.

Medical nutrition therapy during intensive remission-induction treatment and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in acute myeloid leukemia patients: Hematologists’ experiences and perspectives

The European Societies for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) and Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) recommend enteral nutrition (EN) as the first-choice medical nutrition therapy in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients undergoing intensive treatments, including high-dose remission-induction chemotherapy and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). However, parenteral nutrition (PN) remains the preferred method of nutrition support in current clinical practice. The aim of this qualitative study was to gain insight into hematologists' experiences and perspectives regarding the choice and ESPEN/EBMT recommendations on EN versus PN. Online semi-structured interviews were conducted with one hematologist from each of the 21 hospitals offering intensive AML treatments in the Netherlands, using Microsoft Teams. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and thematically analyzed using Atlas. ti. One hundred nineteen hematologists working in the same hospitals were invited to complete a short online questionnaire survey (SurveyMonkey®) regarding their knowledge and opinion on the ESPEN/EBMT guidelines recommending EN over PN during intensive AML treatments. The results of this survey are presented in a descriptive way. Fifty-nine hematologists participated in this study (42% overall response rate), of which 21 in the semi-structured interviews (response rate 100%) and 38 in the online survey (response rate 32%). Hematologists considered medical nutrition therapy important for prevention and treatment of malnutrition and associated adverse outcomes in AML patients undergoing intensive remission-induction treatment and HSCT. However, opposed to the ESPEN/EBMT guidelines, the vast majority of hematologists were hesitant or reluctant to use EN instead of PN as the first-choice medical nutrition therapy in these patients. The most frequently cited barriers to use EN were the expected low feasibility and tolerance of EN, feeding tube-related discomfort and bleeding risk, and patient refusal. Other barriers to follow the guidelines on EN were related to personal factors, including hematologists' knowledge (lack of awareness and familiarity) and attitude (lack of agreement, outcome expectancy, experience, success, motivation, and learning culture), guideline-related factors (lack of evidence and applicability), and external factors (lack of collaboration and resources). Facilitators included strategies for nutrition education and dissemination of nutritional guidelines, interprofessional and patient collaboration, availability of feeding tubes that can be inserted without endoscopy and stronger scientific evidence. Hematologists recognized the importance of medical nutrition therapy for reducing malnutrition and related negative outcomes during intensive AML treatments. However, contrary to the ESPEN/EBMT guidelines, they preferred PN instead of EN as the medical nutrition therapy of first choice. To reduce compliance barriers, interventions should focus on improving hematologists' knowledge of medical nutrition therapy and dietary guidelines, enhancing success rates of EN by adequately triaging patients eligible for EN and inserting duodenal feeding tubes using an electromagnetic sensing device without endoscopy, developing decision aids and multidisciplinary guidelines and care pathways. Furthermore, future trials should focus on the feasibility and benefits of EN versus PN both during remission-induction treatment and HSCT.

Nutrition education and behaviour change strategies, effectiveness, and implications for promoting healthy eating habits

Nutrition education and behaviour change strategies, effectiveness, and implications for promoting healthy eating habits

Factors influencing cooking method, frequency, and duration of meal preparation in Moroccan households.

The construction of the consumer's identity is dependent on how they prepare their meals. Study the cooking methods, frequency, and duration of meal preparation in Moroccan households as well as the associated factors. This work is a part of a study with a validated conceptual and methodological framework that was conducted in 507 households in the region of Rabat-Salé-Kenitra in Morocco. The characteristics of the population and data on the cooking methods, frequency, and duration of meal preparation were collected by a survey. Associations between variables were studied by univariate logistic regression with a significance level of p<0.05. The majority of the population was aged between 35 and 65 years (76%) and lived in urban areas (70%). The univariate analysis showed that the urban area was a factor that hindered stewing (p=0.009), while the work status (p=0.04) and the marital status "Married" (p=0.04) were favorable factors; the household size (p=0.02) is a factor favoring steaming method; urban area (p=0.04), work status (p 0.03), nuclear family type (p<0.001), and household size (p=0.02) are factors hindering the use of oven cooking; urban area (p=0.02) and higher education level (p=0.04) are factors favoring the use of fried food, age category [20-34] years (p=0.04), higher education level (p=0.01) and work status (p=0.01) were factors that favored the use of grilling; nuclear family type, (p=0.04) and household size (p=0.03) were factors that hindered the preparation of breakfast; urban area (p=0.03) and Arab ethnicity (p=0.04) are factors hindering snack preparation; urban area (p<0.001) is a factor favoring dinner preparation; household size (p=0.01) and use of stewing at least four times a week (p=0.002) are factors hindering meal preparation time, while use of baking (p=0.01) is a favoring factor. The study results point towards the implementation of a nutritional education strategy based on combining habits, preferences, and good cooking practices.

Food purchasing habits at traditional and modern markets and consumption of natural and processed foods in Moroccan households.

The locations of food purchase have an impact on the quality of food consumed. To examine food purchasing habits at traditional and modern markets, their associated factors, and their effects on consuming natural and processed foods. This work used a validated conceptual and methodological framework of a study conducted among 507 households in the Rabat-Salé-Kenitra region in Morocco. Data on sociodemographic and economic characteristics and the frequency of food purchasing were collected from household representatives through a population survey. The food frequency questionnaire was used to collect frequency of consumption of 20 foods, including 10 natural and 10 processed. The associations between the variables were studied by the Chi-square test with a level of significance of p <0.05. Among the households 70% were urban, 62% have nuclear families, 51.5% a size of 5 to 12 members, 41% middle standard of living, 87% frequented markets and souks (MS), and 19% frequented large and medium-sized stores (LMS) at least once a week. The households have in majority a frequency of natural foods consumption ≥ 3 times/week, including fresh vegetables (91%), olive oil (85%), and fresh fruit (84%); and processed foods, such as refined flours (68%), industrial cheese (65%) and industrial yoghurt (52%). MS and LMS frequentation were associated with environment (p<0.001), family type (p=0.01 and p=0.002, respectively), household size (p=0.04 and p=0.002 respectively) and standard of living (p<0.001). Foods whose consumption was associated with both MS and LMS frequentation included fresh vegetables (p<0.001) as natural foods and baked goods as processed foods (respectively, p=0.01 and p=0.04). The results of this study argue for implementing a nutrition education strategy based on the choice of food purchase locations as well as the consumption of natural or processed foods as part of a sustainable Mediterranean diet.

Effects of an education program on healthy eating habits on the nutritional status of workers of an Ecuadorian company in confinement

Unhealthy eating and physical inactivity are the main risk factors for the development of overweight and obesity in workers. Nutritional education strategies in workplace could positively influence of consumption, nutritional status, work performance and lead to healthy dietary habits. The objective of the study was measure the effect of a virtual education program on healthy habits, nutritional status and food consumption in workers of a food processing company in Ecuador during confinement by Sars-CoV2. Methodology: Longitudinal, quasi-experimental study with pre-test and post-test design aimed at 117 administrative workers that participated voluntarily. Pre-test and post-test questionnaire was applied, included age, gender and weight, height and BMI. To assess the quality of the diet, the healthy eating index was applied according to the Food Guidelines for Ecuador (FG-Ecuador). 6 groups were formed to 25 to 30 participants that received 7 virtual educational sessions 2 hours. In 4 modules: Healthy Living, Nutrition, Gastronomy and Physical Activity. Results: The score FG-Ecuador pre-test was 65.38st, increasing post-test to 83.9st (DS=8.53) (p=0.000). About nutritional status, normal nutritional status, in pre-test was 36%, increasing to 50.43% post-test (p=0.000). Overweight decreased from 41% pre-test to 37.6%, obesity also 23.1% to 12% (p=0.027). Individuals classified pre-test as normal, 11.9% were classified by FG-Ecuador as healthy, increasing 71.2% post-test. This change in nutritional status was significant. Conclusion: The findings highlight the importance of promoting educational programs on healthy habits to help workers acquire the knowledge and skills to develop healthy habts that can influence the change of habits and their nutritional status.

Optimising targeted dietary intervention strategies based on regional disparities of the related burden of cardiovascular disease in China

Optimising targeted dietary intervention strategies based on regional disparities of the related burden of cardiovascular disease in China

MaestraNatura Reveals Its Effectiveness in Acquiring Nutritional Knowledge and Skills: Bridging the Gap between Girls and Boys from Primary School

MaestraNatura (MN) is a nutrition education program developed to both enhance awareness about the importance of healthy eating behaviour and skills on food and nutrition in primary school students. The level of knowledge about food and nutritional issues was assessed by a questionnaire administered to 256 students (9-10 years old) attending the last class of primary school and was compared with that of a control group of 98 students frequenting the same schools that received traditional nutrition education based on curricular science lessons and one frontal lesson conducted by an expert nutritionist. The results indicated that students in the MN program showed a higher percentage of correct responses to the questionnaire when compared with the control group (76 ± 15.4 vs. 59 ± 17.7; p < 0.001). Furthermore, the students attending the MN program were requested to organise a weekly menu before (T0) and when finished (T1) the MN program. The results evidenced an overall significant improvement in the score obtained at T1 with respect to those at T0 (p < 0.001), indicating a strong improvement in the ability to translate the theoretical concepts of nutrition guidelines in practice. In addition, the analysis revealed a gender gap between boys and girls, with boys showing a worse score at T0 that was ameliorated after the completion of the program (p < 0.001). Overall, MN program is effective in improving nutrition knowledge amongst 9-10-year-old students. Furthermore, students showed an increased ability to organise a weekly dietary plan after completing the MN program, a result which also bridged gender gaps. Thus, preventive nutrition education strategies specifically addressed to boys and girls, and involving both the school and family, are needed to make children aware of the importance of a healthy lifestyle and to correct inadequate eating habits.

Abstract P427: Nutritional Education Strategies’ Impact on Diet in Patients Undergoing Cardiac Rehabilitation

Background: Nutrition guidelines to reduce cardiovascular disease risk are well-established, and yet few patients regularly eat a healthy diet. Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is a prime opportunity to provide education and improve nutrition. However, the most effective strategies in nutrition education are not yet established, and outcome data for various nutrition strategies is limited. Aim: This study aimed to evaluate self-reported nutrition metrics for individuals in CR who completed a dietician consultation compared to the usual nutrition class. Methods: Beginning in 2021, CR patients were offered the choice of a 1:1 dietician consultation (“consultation”) or the usual group nutrition class. This study included patients who completed intake and discharge surveys evaluating self-reported healthy food consumption [Rate Your Plate (RYP), 27-81)], confidence in preparing heart healthy meals (0-10), and percentage of heart healthy meals (0-100%). Data were evaluated based on nutrition education strategy and stratified by median baseline score. Results: Of the 166 participants with complete data through August 2, 2022, 87 received a consultation (mean age 65years, 63 males); and 79 chose usual care (mean 63years, 64 males).Final RYP, confidence, and percent healthy meals scores improved in both groups compared to baseline. In general, patients with a lower baseline score had a larger improvement in all nutrition metics regardless of nutrition education group (Table). The average change in RYP score was higher in the consultation arm (+11.7% (59.4 from 53.1); 95% CI [8.3%, 15.1%]), versus usual care (+4.4%, (57.3 from 54.9); 95% CI [2.2%, 6.6%]) . There was no significant difference in change in the other scores between the consultation and usual care group. Conclusion: Individual dietician consultation may be beneficial in providing education and improving nutrition habits for CR patients, especially for those with a low baseline level of knowledge of heart healthy nutrition.

Dietary Practices and Nutrient Intake of Internally Displaced School Children in the West Region of Cameroon.

Poor diets and subsequent malnutrition are among the greatest current societal challenges triggering immense health and economic burden especially among populations that are forcibly displaced. It is indispensable to establish the dietary patterns of any population, especially in displaced populations, in order to develop and effectively implement interventions for the specific population. A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess dietary practices and nutrient adequacy of 307 internally displaced pupils aged between 5 and 15 years in the West Region of Cameroon. Pretested, structured interviewer questionnaires were used to collect data on the demographic and socioeconomic status of the children and their caregivers, the nutrition knowledge of caregivers, the dietary practices of the children, dietary diversity, their food sources, and coping strategies that were used during food shortage. SPSS version 23 was used to analyze the data. The dietary diversity of the children was assessed at the individual level using FAO method of assessing women's dietary diversity score. Out of the total 307 children, 148 (48.2%) were boys and 159 (51.8%) were girls. During food shortages, most of the mothers/caregivers (72%) used borrowing as the main auxiliary food source and others (28%) used food as payment for work or begging. A majority of the children (56%) usually ate only two times in a day. Most of the children were of unacceptable or low dietary diversity (66.2%). The most frequently consumed food group was cereals as it was eaten by 21% of the children, seven or more times per week; meanwhile, the least was animal products with only 3% of the children consuming it seven or more times weekly. Their diets were energy-deficient (1640.5 ± 1.64 kcal) and unbalanced with daily inadequate protein (18.45 ± 1.13 g), vitamin A (470.27 ± 1.38 μg), and iron (4.02 ± 0.08 mg) intake. The nutrition knowledge of the mothers/caregivers was poor as less than half (41%) of them had an acceptable nutrition knowledge. The high prevalence of poor dietary patterns and poor nutrition knowledge imposes the necessity of developing nutritional interventions and education strategies aimed at promoting healthy eating habits in the children.

CRENÇAS E ATITUDES DAS CUIDADORAS QUANTO À ALIMENTAÇÃO E EVOLUÇÃO PONDERAL INFANTIL NA PANDEMIA DE COVID-19

ABSTRACT Objective: To investigate the beliefs and attitudes of caregivers concerning the diet and weight development of children aged 5-7. Method: Descriptive study, 218 caregivers/ children, carried out in eight USFs in São Carlos-SP, Brazil, in 2020/2021. Anthropometric data, sociodemographic information, health history/lifestyle habits, and the child’s feeding questionnaire were analyzed. JASP® was used for statistical analysis, significance p&lt;0.05. Results: Scores were higher in the perception of responsibility for the child’s diet (p&lt;0.0001), and lower in the perception and concern about the child’s weight (p&lt;0.0001). Positive correlation: BMI children X perception and concern about the child’s weight (p&lt;0.0001); lower schooling X lower perception and concern about the child’s weight (p=0.034). Conclusion: This study made it possible to analyze the beliefs/attitudes of caregivers regarding the diet/weight gain of their children during the pandemic, and can serve as a reference for future studies and the development of nutritional education strategies for this pediatric population.

Associated factors for post-partum weight retention in adolescent mothers: a prospective study

Objective: To assess weight retention in adolescent mothers at the fourth postpartum month and its association with sociodemographic, reproductive, anthropometric and behavioral factors. Methods: Prospective longitudinal study. The survey was conducted in all public and private maternity hospitals in a city in the east of Minas Gerais State. All adolescent mothers (age &lt;20 years) with childbirth at gestational age ≥37 weeks, without chronic disease, living in the municipality, whose delivery occurred between October/2018 and October/2019 participated. The first one took place 48-hours postpartum and the second, four months later. Four months postpartum the interview took place at the home of the mothers. Associations between variables were verified using Simple and Multiple Linear Regression. Results: Of the 367 interviewed adolescent mothers at the maternity hospitals, the predominant characteristics were age between 18-19 years, non-white skin color and education above nine years of study. Four months postpartum, 317 mothers were evaluated and the incidence of weight retention was 79.4% (n=247) with an average of 6.86 kg ±5.34. Higher means of weight retention were observed in mothers with less school years, greater number of children, higher daily consumption of ultra-processed food during pregnancy, without nutritional guidance during pregnancy, higher pre-gestational Body Mass Index and greater gestational weight gain (p&lt;0.05). Conclusions: The incidence of weight retention was considered high, a fact that highlights the importance of prenatal care quality, including nutritional education strategies, especially for this age group, highly vulnerable.

Anemia and its associated factor among adolescent school girls in GODEY and DEGEHABUR council Somali region, eastern Ethiopia

A cross-sectional study was conducted in a higher secondary school in Godey and Degehabur council to estimate the prevalence of anaemia among school-going adolescent girls and to identify the associated factors. Haemoglobin levels were assessed directly in the school. Data related to socio-demographic, socio-economic characteristics, dietary habits, past health status and anaemia related knowledge among adolescents’ girls were collected by interview method and analyzed with the help of SPSS version 25. The prevalence of anaemia was found to be 31.5% among adolescent girls. Family size ≥5 people and lack of anaemia knowledge were independent predictors of anaemia. Therefore, the present study emphasizes the need for development of health and nutrition education strategies to improve dietary habits, family planning, and intermittent iron-folic acid supplementation with intensifying adolescent anemia prophylaxis programs.

Design of a Graphic Recipe Book to Improve Eating Habits Practices Based on the Local Cuisine of the Bellavista Commune of Guayaquil Gulf, Ecuador

ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to design a digital graphic recipe book by optimizing food preparations to develop new culinary skills and improve the eating habits of the families that integrate the Bellavista community in the Gulf of Guayaquil. MethodsA descriptive-observational non-experimental cross-sectional study was carried out with a sample of 15 mothers over 18 years of age. All the participants accepted to be part of the study through signing an informed consent. An anthropometric nutritional evaluation, a socioeconomic questionnaire, a KAP questionnaire on knowledge, attitudes, and practices in nutrition, three nutritional educational interventions, and a practical workshop were carried out. To evaluate the effectiveness of the nutritional educational interventions the KAP questionnaire was applied at the beginning and at the end of the study among the participants. The before and after of KAP results were analyzed by a paired t-test considering a significant p-value < 0.05 using the RStudio software. After all the information was collected a graphic recipes book was designed. ResultsOnce the intervention was completed, an improvement in the participants’ learning was observed, evidenced in the preparation of dishes with a better arrangement of macronutrients, as well as a 70% improvement in their attitudes regarding health and nutrition. The paired t-test confirmed that there was an improvement in knowledge acquisition and that the educational talks had a positive effect (p-value < 0.05), with a confidence interval of 40.5%–79.4%. ConclusionsA digital graphic recipe book is an important tool in the communication and nutritional education strategy, which creates a positive impact on the nutrition of the members of the Bellavista community. Funding SourcesNone.