Dietary diversity and associated factors among adolescents in eastern Uganda: a cross-sectional study
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Date
2020
Authors
Isabirye, Nathan
Nnakate Bukenya, Justine
Nakafeero, Mary
Ssekamatte, Tonny
Guwatudde, David
Fawz, Wafaie
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
BMC Public Health
Abstract
Globally adolescents constitute over 16% but in SSA, they make up 23% of the population. While
little is known about diets of these adolescents, rapid changes in physiological and social processes undergone
require adequate diets. This study aimed to determine dietary diversity and associated factors among adolescents
residing in the Iganga -Mayuge HDSS.
Methods: As part of the African Research, Implementation Science, and Education (ARISE) Network, we analysed
collected data among 598 adolescents to assess the health status and adolescents’ behaviour. Dietary diversity was
scored using the 9 food group categories as per the Food and Agriculture Organization -WDDS. Crude and
adjusted prevalence rate ratios were estimated using the modified Poisson regression model to identify associated
factors.
Results: Among the participants, 45.3% had a low dietary diversity score. Proportions of adolescents who consumed
from the different food categories over a 24-h period were; cereals/roots/tubers (99.7%), fats & oils (87.0%), spices &
beverages (84.1%), sweets (77.1%), legumes (66.2%), other non-vitamin A-rich vegetables (53.8%), dark green leafy
vegetables (42.3%), meat/poultry/fish (33.1%), dairy products (32.9%), eggs (11.2%), vitamin A-rich fruits and vegetables
(33.4%) and other fruits (8.2%). Staying with a single parent or guardian, low socio-economic class, and dependency on
home meals was associated with low dietary diversity.
Conclusions: Adolescents diets were low in diversity and characterised with low micronutrients source foods, but
plenty of fats and oils. Interventions to address contributing factors to the burden ought to target the parenting
contexts of the adolescents residing in rural eastern Uganda
Description
Keywords
Dietary diversity, Parenting, Food intake, Adolescents, Food groupings, Rural households, Micronutrients
Citation
Isabirye, N., Bukenya, JN, Nakafeero, M., Ssekamatte, T., Guwatudde, D., & Fawzi, W. (2020). Dietary diversity and associated factors among adolescents in eastern Uganda: a cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health , 20 (1), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-08669-7