Uganda's lactating mothers are vulnerable to deficiencies of vitamin A and iron because they consume plant‐based conventional foods such as white‐fleshed sweet potato (WFSP) and non‐iron biofortified ...common bean (NIBCB) that are low in provitamin A (PVA) and iron, respectively. A PVA carotenoid–iron‐rich dish was prepared from a combination of orange‐fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) and iron‐biofortified common bean (IBCB). This study evaluated the perceptions and sensory acceptability of OFSP+IBCB (test food) against WFSP+NIBCB (control food) among lactating mothers in rural Uganda. A total of 94 lactating mothers participated in the study. The sensory attributes (taste, color, aroma, texture, and general acceptability) of test and control foods were rated using a five‐point facial hedonic scale (1 = dislike very much, 2 = dislike, 3 = neutral, 4 = like 5 = like very much). An attribute was acceptable if the participant scored from like to like very much. Focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted to assess participant perceptions about their future consumption of OFSP+IBCB. The chi‐square test was used to detect the proportion difference for each sensory attribute between OFSP+IBCB and WFSP+NIBCB, while FGD data were analyzed by thematic analysis. Taste, color, and aroma were acceptable to the mothers and not significantly different between OFSP+IBCB and WFSP+NIBCB (p > .05). Participants had positive perceptions of the taste, aroma, and color of the OFSP+IBCB and negative perceptions about the soft texture of OFSP. The lactating mothers had positive perceptions of consuming OFSP+IBCB provided they were accessible, affordable, and feasible to prepare.
A provitamin A carotenoid–iron‐rich composite dish prepared from iron‐biofortified common bean and orange‐fleshed sweet potato is acceptable among lactating mothers in rural Uganda. A figure that best represents the scope of the paper. The image supplied should fit within the dimensions of 50 mm x 60 mm, and be fully legible at this size.
Several national reports have indicated poor nutritional status among children from Western Uganda where millet porridge is a predominant complementary food. However, little is known about the ...nutritional status of 7-36 months old children from millet consuming communities of Western Uganda.
A cross-sectional study was conducted in Bujenje County of Masindi District. A total of 636 children from 23 villages within Bwijanga and Budongo sub counties were randomly selected. Anthropometric measurements of children were taken. Data on demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of children's households, their dietary practices and morbidity patterns was collected using a self-administered questionnaire. A statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20 and Emergency Nutritional Assessment (ENA) Software Version 2010 were used for analysing data. The relationship between demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of households and children's nutritional status was determined using Chi-square tests. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to determine the association between children's nutritional status and the amount of millet porridge consumed. A
-value of < 0.05 indicated statistical significance.
A proportion of 30.5% children were stunted, 11.6% underweight and 7.4% wasted. Underweight and wasting were significantly high in Budongo sub county at
= 0.044 and
= 0.005 respectively. Stunting and underweight were highest between 12 and 23 months at
= 0.005 and 0.020 respectively. Although millet porridges formed the bulk of children's meals, they could only cater for < 60% of the recommended daily nutrient intake. Children with diarrhoea were 1.4 and 2 times likely to become stunted and underweight at
= 0.025 and 0.007 respectively. Feeding practices for children with diarrhoea were contrary to World Health Organisation's recommendations in more than 50% of the studied children. There was a significant association between Height-for-Age Z scores, Weight-for-Height Z scores and the amount of millet porridge consumed by children (
= - 0.20,
< 0.001 and
= 0.14,
< 0.001 respectively).
Results showed slightly higher percentages of stunted, underweight and wasted children compared to national figures. This was attributed to high incidences of diarrhoea and inadequate feeding practices especially for children 12-36 months old.
The objective of this study was to analyze the nutritional and morbidity patterns of children aged 7-24 months in relationship to household socioeconomic and demographic characteristics. Structured ...questionnaires and repeated 24-hour recalls were used to collect data. Maternal education and age influenced timing of complementary foods, dietary diversity score, meal frequency, and diarrhea incidences (p < .05). This resulted in 53%, 59%, 48%, 43%, and 22% of the study children having inadequate intake of energy, protein, vitamin A, iron, and zinc, respectively. Households need to be empowered to utilize available resources for improving nutrient intake and health among their children.
Anaemia is the most widespread nutrition related public health problem world-wide and yet in Uganda, there is little national data on anaemia and its likely causes amongst school children. The aim of ...this study was to assess the prevalence, dietary and health risk factors of nutritional anaemia amongst 11-14 year old girls attending primary schools in Masindi District of Western Uganda. Two schools, one urban and the other rural, were selected for this cross-sectional study. A total of 109 girls from the upper primary section were randomly selected from both schools. The Lovibond comparator was used to assay Hemoglobin (Hb) level in the whole blood after conversion of Hb to oxyhemoglobin by ammonia. Pre-tested structured questionnaires were used to collect data. Incidences of malaria were self reported. The dietary intake of iron, protein, folate, riboflavin, energy, vitamin C, dietary fibre and vitamin A was estimated from the East African food composition table used to analyze the 24-hour dietary recalls. Associations between anaemia and factors under investigation were examined using Pearson's chi-square test and Pearson's correlation coefficient analysis. Statistical significance was considered at p < 0.05. The overall prevalence of anaemia was 46%. It was twice as high in the urban school (61%) compared to the rural school (31%). There was a high intake of plant--based diets; majority of the school children with excess intake of fibre, inadequate intake of iron, protein, folate, riboflavin, energy and vitamin A were anaemic (p less than or equal to 0.001). Malaria incidences were many and though de-worming was common in schools, it was not consistent. Performance of de-worming by nurses had more impact than that of the teachers. Anaemia was positively correlated with inadequate dietary intake (r = 0.61, p < 0.001), malaria incidences (r = 0.54, p = 0.02) and improper de-worming (r = 0.51, p = 0.04). A high prevalence of anaemia was found amongst the girls, particularly in the urban school. Improper de-worming, malaria incidences and poor feeding were the risk factors of nutritional anaemia. There is, therefore, an urgent need for a national anaemia assessment among this age group and the strengthening of the current School Health Program to address aspects of health and feeding in schools in Masindi district and Uganda as a whole.
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