| dc.description.abstract | When children reach school ugc, they arc still !:',I'OWlllg, although 11Ilt ;lS lils( ;l~; their yOUllgl'l'
brothers and sisters. They are usually very active and use up plenty of energy every day. To
improve the nutritional and health status of school aged children, a number of activities have
been carried out including, school feeding programme, school health and nutrition programmes
(micro nutrient provision, deworming, nutrition education and first aid.). I-IIV prevention
programmes, and water and sanitation projects. To ensure enough nutrient intake during the day.
school feeding programs have been established. It is believed that feeding programs have more
potential for increasing food intake than giving of cash income to the beneficiaries. This study
targets the school children, as a group, which may be at risk of malnutrition, and tries to find out
the nutritional benefit conferred to the children through school feeding.
A cross sectional survey of a descriptive and analytical nature was carried out in Mathare valley
slums of Nairobi district, Kenya, during the months of March, April and May, 2003. The
principal objective of the study was to determine and compare the dietary Intake and nutritional
status of two groups of school children aged 7-10 years. The groups were those ones in a feeding
programme and the others not involved in feeding programme. For the purposes of this study it
was necessary to determine and compare socio demographic and socio-economic characteristics
of the children's households as well as other factors with indirect influence on the children
nutritional status such as expenditure on rood. A total or205 school children and their respective
households were covered; 100 from feeding program and 105 from non feeding programme.
A structured questionnaire was used to collect data during school and horne visits. Data on the
anthropometric measurement, school attendance and nutrient intake by children participating in
the feeding programme were collected during school visits. Data on household food consumption
patterns, the children's dietary intakes at home, child morbidity, household socio-demographic
and socio-economic were collected during home visits. The 24-hr recall method was used Cor
collecting data on dietary assessment.
No significant difference was found in three-day food expenditure. The non programme children
were taking significantly higher levels of energy, protein and vitamin A from the horne ration as
compared to programme children. However the feeding ration increased the intake of energy and
vitamin
A of the programme children significantly. Vitamin A consumption was very low for
both boys and girls in non programme, and was less than 80% of RDA. The prevalence or
wasting, stunting and underweight for both groups was not significantly different. For those in
programme, wasting was 5.7 %, underweight 12.6% and stunting 22.1 %; while for those in non
programme wasting was 3.1 %, underweight 10% and stunting 16.0%. However the programme
children were slightly more malnourished than the non programme children.
From this study it is evident that children participating in a school feeding programme were not at
a nutritional advantage when compared to non participants. There was a significant difference in
dietary intake (energy and vitamin A) but no difference in nutritional status. Infact the
programme children reported more percentage under nutrition compared to non programme.
though the difference was not significant. Integrated nutrition programmes are seen to be more
effective than doing one intervention. In view of this, it is recommended that nutrition education
be taught to the mothers in the study area, in order to make it unnecessary for them to rely on the
school ration, which confers 110 significant nutritional benefit to the children. The school feeding
should be integrated with deworming and micronutrient provision to confer maximum benefit to
children. The results of this study are expected to be useful for the education policy makers,
potential funders, and other interested parties such as NOOs who are involved in intervention
programs. It will also benefit the program implementers; namely the Community outreach church
in Mathare Valley | en |
