Therapeutic Food Development from Maize Grains, Pulses, and Cooking Banana Fruits for the Prevention of Severe Acute Malnutrition.

In children under five years of age, severe acute malnutrition is a complex and challenging problem, especially those living in poor communities. Therefore, this study aimed to formulate ready-to-use therapeutic foods from affordable, locally available cereals, pulses, and banana fruits to overcome the problem of severe acute malnutrition. Maize grains, pulses (soybeans), and cooking banana fruits were ingredients used in formulations of ready-to-use therapeutic foods (RUTF). A completely randomized design was done with two replicates. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance. A significant difference existed in the appearance and consistency for RUTF1, RUTF2, and RUTF3 samples (P < 0.05). The study findings revealed that the moisture content varied from 6.7 to 13.4%, energy from 513.2 to 642.41 kcal/100 g, protein from 13.9 to 19.34%%, and crude fat from 24.12 to 35.54%. The calcium content ranged from 225 to 302 g/100 mg, iron from 10.34 to 12.26 g/100 mg, and zinc from 10 to 20 g/100 mg. In this study, the phytate content varied from 314.74 to 369.3 µg/g and crude tannin, from 101.36 to 153.25 µg/g. This study concluded that the ingredients used in the RUTF1, RUTF2, and RUTF3 formulations met the standard ready-to-use therapeutic foods. Therefore, it is important to prescribe ready-to-use dietary supplements made from inexpensive, locally available, and culturally acceptable foods to prevent severe acute malnutrition in infants.

Nutritional knowledge and practice among antiretroviral therapy user adults in Bule Hora hospital, southern Oromia, Ethiopia.

Introduction: Nutrition is the necessary basis for life, health, and human development over the entire lifespan. Poor nutritional knowledge, poor nutritional practices, and malnutrition among HIV-positive adults can contribute to accelerating the progression of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and related diseases. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the dietary knowledge, practices and associated factors of HIV-positive adults participating in antiretroviral therapy (ART) at Bule Hora Hospital, West Guji Zone, South Oromia, Ethiopia. Methods: A cross-sectional institutional study was conducted among 418 HIV-positive adults by systematic sampling technique. Semi-structured questionnaires were used for data collection and analyzed with SPSS version 21.0. Logistic regression analyses were used to identify factors associated with dependent variables using adjusted odds ratio (AOR), with 95% CI (confidence interval) at p < 0.05. Results: The result of this study showed that the prevalence of poor nutritional knowledge and poor nutritional practices among (HIV) positive adults was 74.9 and 69.1%, respectively. In the multivariate analysis, adult age (AOR = 2.37, 95% CI: 1.30, 4.32), marital status (AOR = 2.46, 95% CI: 1.29, 4, 69), educational level (AOR = 1.83, 95% CI: 1.01, 3.30) and occupational status (AOR = 0.55, 95% CI: 0.25, 0.94) were significantly associated with the nutritional knowledge. Educational level (AOR = 2.58, 95% CI: 1.48, 4.50), monthly income (AOR = 2.80, 95% CI: 1.68, 4.69), and adult occupational status (AOR = 0.48, 95% CI: 0.26, 0.89) were also significantly associated with the level of dietary practice. Conclusion: It was concluded that the respondents' nutritional knowledge and practices in the city of Bule Hora were poor compared to other national findings. The identified factors related to nutritional knowledge and practices were educational level, monthly income, adult occupation, and marital status of respondents in the study area. Therefore, each concerned agency should address the above gaps in nutritional knowledge and practices of HIV-positive adults in the study area.

Dietary adherence and associated factors among hypertensive patients in governmental hospitals of Guji zone, Oromia, Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet has been shown to reduce blood pressure in hypertensive adults, but there is limited information available on dietary adherence and related factors among hypertensive patients in the study area. Hence, the current study aimed to assess dietary adherence and associated factors among hypertensive patients aged greater than or equal to 18 years old in governmental hospitals of Guji zone, Oromia region, Ethiopia. METHODS: A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted between June 5, 2023, and August 30, 2023. For this study, patients with a systolic blood pressure of 140 mmHg or higher and/or a diastolic blood pressure of 90 mmHg or higher on two separate occasions were classified as hypertensive. Thus, the study involved 399 hypertensive patients who were selected using systematic random sampling methods. The level of knowledge regarding hypertension was measured through the use of hypertension knowledge-level scale (HK-LS) questionnaires, while the reliability and validity of the questionnaire were assessed using the Cronbach's alpha test (α ≥ 0.70).The association between factors was analyzed using adjusted odds ratio (AOR) and a 95% confidence interval. Variables with p-values below 0.05 were considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Among the respondents, only 28.30% (CI: 23.9, 33) of participants were found to be adherent to the recommended diet. Factors like participation in nutritional education, level of knowledge, respondents' ages, and length of time since hypertension diagnosis showed a strong association with adherence to recommended dietary guidelines. CONCLUSIONS: The research findings indicated that the level of compliance with the prescribed diet was generally subpar among individuals with hypertension in comparison to the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet recommendations. So, it is essential to offer hypertensive patients an education focused on health and nutrition in order to enhance their adherence to dietary guidelines and promote a healthier dietary routine. The results of this research will also be valuable in increasing awareness among policymakers and the general public about the dietary adherence and its associated factors, thus aiding in the development and execution of suitable interventions.

Effect of nutrition education on dietary diversity and academic achievement among adolescent school girls in North Shoa Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia.

OBJECTIVES: Globally, adolescent students, particularly girls, are severely affected by malnutrition, in part because of their specific biological needs, and that they have not been considered a health and nutrition priority. Hence, this study was designed to evaluate the effect of a health belief model-based nutrition education on the dietary diversity and grades of adolescent school girls in the north Shewa zone, Oromia, Ethiopia. METHODS: A quasi-experimental study was done in the north Shewa zone, Oromia, Ethiopia. Adolescent school girls ages 10 to 19 y old were selected from the zone districts from February 1 to May 30, 2023. The main outcome variables included grades and dietary diversity, which were collected on the baseline and end line from the intervention and control groups. RESULTS: This study revealed that there were statistically significant differences in good nutritional knowledge, 88.1% versus 69.2% (χ2 = 16.835, P < 0.001), good dietary diversity; 77.4% versus 45.9% (χ2 = 33.247, P < 0.001) and grades above average, 90.6% versus 65.4% (χ2 = 29, P < 0.001) among school adolescent girls between the intervention and control groups, respectively. Regarding positive attitude, 84.3% versus 85.5% (χ2 = 0.098, P = 0.876), there was no statistically significant difference between the intervention and control groups. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, the dietary diversity scores and grades of adolescent school girls in the intervention group were higher than those in the control group. Therefore, health belief model-based strategies should be recommended as effective communication channels to improve adolescent school girls' dietary diversity and academic performance.

Iron-rich food consumption and predictors among children aged 6-59 months old in Ethiopia: A multilevel complex sample analysis of the Ethiopian mini-demographic and health survey 2019 data.

BACKGROUND: Children with inadequate iron consumption had slower growth, weaker immunity, and poor cognitive development. Although the public health importance of iron-rich consumption in Ethiopia is known, evidence for iron-rich food consumption and predictors among children aged 6-59 months old in Ethiopia is sparse. This study aimed to assess iron-rich food consumption and predictors among children aged 6-59 months old in Ethiopia. METHODS: This study used Ethiopia mini demographic and health survey 2019 (EMDHS-2019) data with a total weighted sample size of 5,112 among children aged 6-59 months old. A multilevel mixed effect logistic regression analysis was used to identify predictors of good iron-rich food consumption. RESULTS: The proportion of good consumption of iron-rich foods among children aged 6-59 months was 27.99% (24.22, 32.10%). The findings revealed that children born to mothers who completed primary education [AOR = 1.88, 95% CI: 1.11, 3.19], a higher education [AOR = 4.45, 95% CI: 1.28, 15.48], being born to the poorer family [AOR = 1.89, 95% CI: 1.04, 3.43], richer [AOR = 2.12, 95% CI: 1.03, 4.36], and richest [AOR = 3.57, 95% CI: 1.29, 9.93] were positively associated with good iron-rich food consumption among children aged 6-59 months old. Nevertheless, being 24-59 month-old children [AOR = 0.58, 95% CI: 0.44, 0.72], residents of the Afar [AOR = 0.23, 95% CI: 0.08, 0.67], Amhara region [AOR = 0.30, 95% CI: 0.14, 0.65], and Somali region [AOR = 0.01, 95% CI: 0.01, 0.07] were negatively associated with good iron-rich food consumption among children aged 6-59 months old. CONCLUSION: The finding revealed that there was low consumption of iron-rich foods among children aged 6-59 months in Ethiopia compared to reports from East African countries. Improving women's literacy and economic empowerment would improve iron-rich food consumption among children aged 6-59 months old. This study's findings would have implications for policymakers in Ethiopia to enhance iron-rich food consumption.

Covid-19 related factors to food security and dietary diversity among urban households in western Oromia, Ethiopia.

Background: This study aims to assess factors associated with food security and dietary diversity among poor urban households of western Oromia, Ethiopia, after the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. Method: A cross-sectional, community-based study was conducted in May to June 2021 with 361 poor urban households in the Horo Guduru Wollega zone, western Oromia, Ethiopia. A pre-tested structured questionnaire was used to collect primary data. Twenty-four hour reminder points were used to assess household dietary diversity, and household food security was assessed using the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale tool. Data were evaluated using the statistical software SPSS version 25.0. Results: This study showed a prevalence of food insecurity in households of 59.6%. The mean and standard deviation of household dietary diversity values were 4.19 ± 1.844. Family size (AOR = 8.5; 95% CI:3.295-21.92), monthly income (AOR = 3.52; 95% CI; 1.771-6.986), dietary diversity (AOR = 8.5; 95% CI; 3.92-18.59), knowledge (AOR = 3.0, 95% CI = 1.08-)8.347), attitude (AOR = 8.35, 95% CI:3.112-22.39) and practices against Covid-19 (AOR = 2.12; 95% CI:1.299-11.4) were factors significantly associated with food insecurity. Variables like educational status (AOR = 3.46; 95% CI:1.44-8.312), increased family size after the Covid-19 pandemic (AOR = 2.26; 95% CI:1.02-5.04), food security (AOR = 6.7; 95% CI:4.01-19.01), knowledge (AOR = 3.96; 95% CI:1.57-10.0), attitude (AOR = 3.9; 95% CI:1.75-8.82) and practices toward coronavirus (AOR = 2.23; 95% CI:2.18-23.95) were predictors significantly associated with dietary diversity. Conclusion: This study concluded that family size, monthly income, and dietary diversity were factors contributed to household food security. On the other hand, variables such as educational status, family size, and food security were highly relevant factors for dietary diversity after the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. Knowledge, attitudes, and practices were also variables related to both household food security and dietary diversity. Therefore, immediate interventions such as nutrition-specific interventions can be suggested to address food insecurity and problems of inadequate food intake in poor urban households. In addition, governmental and non-governmental organizations should raise awareness and policies to support those at higher risk by developing affordable, sustainable and targeted social protection systems that ensure food security and adequate dietary intake at the household level.

Risk Factors of Stunting and Wasting among Children Aged 6-59 Months in Household Food Insecurity of Jima Geneti District, Western Oromia, Ethiopia: An Observational Study.

Undernutrition is the most difficult and widespread public health concern in low-income nations including Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the associated risk factors of stunting and wasting among children aged 6-59 months in Jima Geneti district, Western Oromia, Ethiopia. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted on 500 children from December 1 to 28, 2020. A multiple-stage sampling method was performed to select children from each kebele. Anthropometric measurements were taken, and the nutritional status was generated using WHO Anthro v. 3.2.1. Data analysis was performed using the SPSS version 20.0. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were carried out to identify the associated risk factors of stunting and wasting among children in the study area. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. The study results showed that the prevalence of stunting and wasting among children was 27% and 11.8%, respectively. The findings of this study also revealed that the prevalence of household food insecurity and poor dietary diets was 19.6% and 52.2%, respectively. Low wealth status (AOR = 2.5; 95% CI: 1.1, 5.55) and poor dietary diets (AOR = 4.7; 95% CI: 2.5, 8.83) were associated risk factors for stunting. However, child meal frequency (AOR = 3.9; 95% CI: 1.23, 12.6), and children who did feed leftover food (AOR = 2.75; 95% CI: 1.02, 7.44) were associated risk factors for wasting. Poor dietary diets (AOR = 2.65; 95% CI: 1.06, 6.66) were also associated risk factors for wasting. The findings of this study concluded that the prevalence of stunting and wasting was high in the study area. Therefore, addressing family-level risk factors which are major drivers of children's nutritional status is crucial to ensure the nutritional status of children.

Associated Factors of Wasting among Infants and Young Children (IYC) in Kuyu District, Northern Oromia, Ethiopia.

Wasting among infants and young children in underdeveloped countries including Ethiopia is one of the most serious public health issues. Therefore, this study was designed to assess the magnitude of wasting and the variables that associate with it among infants and young children in the Kuyu district of Northern Oromia, Ethiopia. A community-based cross-sectional study of 612 infants and young children aged 6-23 months was conducted. To select eligible infants and young children from each family in the Kuyu district, a multilevel sampling approach was used. The amount and determinants related to wasting were investigated using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0. In the study area, 14.1% of infants and young children were found to be wasting. Maternal educational status (AOR = 1.8, 95% CI; 1.01, 4.32), diarrhoea (AOR = 2.3, 95% CI; 1.98, 4.56), exclusive breastfeeding (AOR = 2.46, 95% CI, 1.4, 4.58), antenatal care visits (AOR = 2.21; 95% CI, 1.32, 3.48), and wealth index (AOR = 1.66, 95% CI; 1.07, 4.47) were significantly associated with wasting. According to the findings of this study, mother educational status, the occurrence of diarrhoea, exclusive breastfeeding, antenatal care visits, and wealth index have an impact on infants and young children's wasting. Therefore, to lower the burden of wasting among infants and young children in the study, community-based schooling and nutritional interventions are urgently needed.