Nutrition Outcomes of Under-five Children of Smallholder Farm Households: Do Higher Commercialization Levels Lead to Better Nutritional Status?

The study investigated the nutritional status of under-five children of farm households. The study utilized primary data from 352 farm households with 140 under-five children. Household crop commercialization index (CCI) was used to estimate cassava farm household crop sale ratio and categorize the households into four commercialization levels while WHO Anthro software was employed to analyze under-five children anthropometric indices such as weight-for-age z-score (WAZ), height-for-age z-score (HAZ) and weight-for-height z-score (WHZ). Logit regression model (LRM) was used to examine the drivers of under-five children's nutritional status of farm households. The study found that 42.9%, 7.9% and 3.6% of the children are stunted, underweight and wasted respectively. The highest stunting level was recorded in zero level households (CCI 1). Although, some higher CCI households (medium-high and very-high level) recorded increased percent of stunted children. This revealed that being a member of low or high-level commercialization households may not guarantee better nutritional status of young children of farm households. The results of LRM indicated that the predictors of children nutritional status were child's age, farm size, access to electricity, healthcare and commercialization variables. Moreover, weak positive and negative relationships exist between CCI and children's nutrition outcomes as measured by the z-scores. The study recommended maternal nutrition-sensitive education intervention that can improve nutrition knowledge of mothers and provision of infrastructure that enhance increased farm production and promote healthy living among farm households.

Dietary diversity, environment and health-related factors of under-five children: evidence from cassava commercialization households in rural South-West Nigeria.

Diverse and quality diets are crucial to sustainable growth and development of under-five children, especially those of rural farming households. This study investigated the dietary diversity, environment, and health-related factors of young children. The study employed the use of cross-sectional survey data from 140 under-five children of cassava farming households in Ogun and Oyo states, South-West Nigeria. The study estimated factors influencing dietary diversity of under-five children and assessed children dietary diversity, and the availability of some environment and health-related factors of the farming households. The findings indicated that 98.7% and 97.5% of children consumed grains, with roots and tubers while 36.7% and 36.3% consumed legumes in Ogun and Oyo states respectively. The results also found that 48.6% of children sampled met the minimum cut-off point of 4 food groups with dietary diversity mean score of 3.28. The logit regression analysis indicated that child's age, mothers' age, distance to farm, and food expenditure were among the significant determinants of children dietary diversity. Therefore, this study seeks the collaborative efforts of stakeholders in providing nutrition-sensitive intervention programs for household members, especially mothers and young children in order to promote consumption of diversified diets and enhance healthy living of rural farming households.

Reducing anxiety and depression in infertility among Nigerian women: an exploratory psycho-educational intervention trial (RADIANT) study protocol.

RATIONALE: high premium is placed on infertility in Nigerian culture. Data is limited on its association with emotional problems in Nigeria. AIMS: to develop content for a culturally relevant and cost-effective psychoeducational intervention package and to evaluate its effectiveness for reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression. Sample size estimate: Methods and design: a multi-method study design including development and validation (which includes focus group discussions) of an audio-visual tool which will serve as the intervention in a randomized controlled trial. Data will be analyzed with interim and survival analyses. POPULATION STUDIED: one hundred and 138 (68 per group) infertile women attending infertility clinic in Ibadan. STUDY OUTCOMES: anxiety and depressions scores assessed with the hospital depression and anxiety scale (HADS) at 0, 3 and 6 weeks. DISCUSSION: it is hoped that the use of the audio-visual tool will improve participants depression and anxiety scores and that the tool will be used for education in routine clinic use and community awareness on psychosocial effects of infertility.