Research Article
Evaluation of a Community-Based Intervention to Improve Dietary Patterns and Nutritional Self-Efficacy among Adolescents in Two Districts of Odisha
Priyanshu R1*, Santosh C2, Rohit P1, Sunil M1 and Shantanu S1
1Department of Maternal, Newborn and Child Health and Nutrition, MAMTA Health Institute for Mother and Child New Delhi, India.
2Department of Monitoring and Evaluation, MAMTA Health Institute for Mother and Child New Delhi, India.
*Corresponding author:Priyanshu Rastogi, Department of Maternal, Newborn and Child Health and Nutrition MAMTA Health Institute for Mother and Child New Delhi, India. Email Id: priyanshu@mamtahimc.in
Article Information:Submission: 07/12/2023; Accepted: 29/12/2023; Published: 03/01/2024
Copyright: © 2024 Priyanshu R, et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Abstract
Background: A high prevalence of under nutrition and micronutrient deficiencies among adolescents has been observed in South Asia due to restricted dietary variety and unhealthy dietary habits. The present study aimed to assess the change in the health and nutrition practices of adolescents in the Bolangir
and Nuapada districts of Odisha after 2-year community-based intervention.
Methods: The baseline and endline were conducted using a quantitative cross-sectional research method with boys and girls (10-19 years). Predesigned, pretested, semi-structured questionnaires were developed to capture information on socio-demographic profiles, knowledge and practices related to diets and dietary patterns, access to Anganwadicenters, WASH habits, and self-efficacy. The intervention included four group-based structured education sessions and community-based events like role plays, video shows, games-based learning, and folk dances. In total, 673 boys and girls at baseline and 793 at end line participated in the surveys. We employed linear and logistic regression analysis to estimate the degree of change in outcomes at end line compared to the baseline and dose-response analysis to estimate the effect of the intervention.
Results: The median (interquartile range) age of boys and girls was 15 (12-16) years both at baseline and end line. There was a 3.97 unit and 4.70 unit increase in the self-efficacy score at the end line compared to the baseline (p<0.001) after adjusting for age, education, community, and monthly family income among boys and girls, respectively. Moreover, the dose-response analysis showed an increment in iron folic acid tablet consumption with an increasing number of sessions among boys and girls. Conclusions: The community-based interventions involving education sessions have a positive impact on improving nutritional self-efficacy and dietary practices among adolescents. Therefore, community-based interventions should be implemented on a broader scale to improve the nutritional status of adolescents.
Methods: The baseline and endline were conducted using a quantitative cross-sectional research method with boys and girls (10-19 years). Predesigned, pretested, semi-structured questionnaires were developed to capture information on socio-demographic profiles, knowledge and practices related to diets and dietary patterns, access to Anganwadicenters, WASH habits, and self-efficacy. The intervention included four group-based structured education sessions and community-based events like role plays, video shows, games-based learning, and folk dances. In total, 673 boys and girls at baseline and 793 at end line participated in the surveys. We employed linear and logistic regression analysis to estimate the degree of change in outcomes at end line compared to the baseline and dose-response analysis to estimate the effect of the intervention.
Results: The median (interquartile range) age of boys and girls was 15 (12-16) years both at baseline and end line. There was a 3.97 unit and 4.70 unit increase in the self-efficacy score at the end line compared to the baseline (p<0.001) after adjusting for age, education, community, and monthly family income among boys and girls, respectively. Moreover, the dose-response analysis showed an increment in iron folic acid tablet consumption with an increasing number of sessions among boys and girls. Conclusions: The community-based interventions involving education sessions have a positive impact on improving nutritional self-efficacy and dietary practices among adolescents. Therefore, community-based interventions should be implemented on a broader scale to improve the nutritional status of adolescents.
Keywords: Diet; Self-efficacy; Vegetables; Fruit; Iron; Adolescent