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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
Efficacy of a community-based dietary intervention to enhance micronutrient adequacy of high-phytate maize-based diets of rural Malawian children
Public Health Nutrition, Volume 8, No. 7, Year 2005
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Description
Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of a community-based dietary intervention to reduce risk of micronutrient inadequacies in high-phytate maize-based Malawian diets. Design: Quasi-experimental post-test design with a non-equivalent control group. Setting: Four villages in Mangochi District, Southern Malawi. Participants: Households with children aged 3-7 years in two intervention (n = 200) and two control (n = 81) villages participated in a 6-month intervention employing dietary diversification, changes in food selection patterns, and modifications to food processing to reduce the phytate content of maize-based diets. Baseline comparability between the groups was confirmed via assessment of sociodemographic characteristics, anthropometry, knowledge and practices, morbidity, haemoglobin and hair zinc. After 12 months, knowledge and practices and dietary intakes were assessed by interactive 24-hour recalls, one during the food plenty and a second during the food shortage season. Nutrient adequacy for the two groups was compared via dietary quality indicators and predicted prevalence of inadequate intakes using the probability approach. Results: Intervention children had diets that were significantly more diverse and of a higher quality than those of controls. Median daily intakes of protein, calcium, zinc (total and available), haem iron, vitamin B12 and animal foods (grams; % of total energy) were higher (P < 0.05) whereas phytate intakes, phytate/zinc and phytate/iron molar ratios were lower (P < 0.01) in the intervention group; some spread of knowledge and practices to controls occurred. Conclusions: Our community-based dietary strategies reduced the predicted prevalence of inadequate intakes of protein, calcium, zinc and vitamin B12, but not iron, in children from Malawian households with very limited resources. © The Authors 2005.
Authors & Co-Authors
Yeudall, Fiona
New Zealand, Dunedin
University of Otago
Gibson, Rosalind Susan
New Zealand, Dunedin
University of Otago
Cullinan, Timothy R.
Malawi, Zomba
University of Malawi
Mtimuni, Beatrice M.
Malawi, Lilongwe
Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources
Statistics
Citations: 37
Authors: 4
Affiliations: 3
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1079/PHN2005744
Research Areas
Food Security
Maternal And Child Health
Study Design
Randomised Control Trial
Cross Sectional Study
Quasi Experimental Study
Study Locations
Malawi