Improving dietary diversity of school adolescents through school based nutrition education and home gardening in Jimma Zone: Quasi-experimental design.
The purpose of this operational study was to assess the effectiveness school-based health and nutrition intervention supported with backyard gardening on the dietary diversity among school adolescents.



A total of 1000 school adolescents from 10 to 19years were selected randomly. The intervention involved peer-led behavior change communication and health promotion through school media and health clubs. Data were collected at baseline, midline and end-line using structured questionnaires. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to determine the independent effect of interventions.



There was a significant increment of proportion of school children consuming diversified diet among the intervention group from 34.8% at baseline through 65.6% at midline to 74.7% at the end-line (p<0.001). Among control group, there was no change from midline (49.4%) to endline (48.8%), though there was a change from baseline (32.1%) to midline (49.4%). A significant difference of dietary diversity intake was observed between intervention and control groups at midline (F=5.64, p=0.042) and endline (F=5.85, p<0.001) survey. Being in the intervention school (OR=2.55 [1.55, 3.50]), being a boy (OR=1.75 [1.91, 2.56]) and having farmer mothers (OR=2.58 [1.01, 6.87]) were independent positive predictors of a diversified diet intake. However, having a mother who attended secondary schools were inversely associated (OR=0.25 [0.06, 0.97]) with consuming a diversified diet.



Findings of this study demonstrated that there was a significant improvement in dietary diversity of adolescents in intervention schools. The results imply that school based nutrition education should be a part of comprehensive school health programs to reach students and potentially their families.
Human Nutrition Unit, College of Health Sciences, Jimma University, Ethiopia. Electronic address: dessalegn97@gmail.com.
Dessalegn
D
Tamiru
Human Nutrition Unit, College of Health Sciences, Jimma University, Ethiopia. Electronic address: yemariamwork2@gmail.com.
Alemayehu
A
Argaw
Human Nutrition Unit, College of Health Sciences, Jimma University, Ethiopia. Electronic address: mulusew.gerbaba@gmail.com.
Mulusew
M
Gerbaba
Human Nutrition Unit, College of Health Sciences, Jimma University, Ethiopia. Electronic address: aderajewnu@yahoo.com.
Aderajew
A
Nigussie
Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Electronic address: girmayayana@yahoo.com.
Girmay
G
Ayana
Human Nutrition Unit, College of Health Sciences, Jimma University, Ethiopia. Electronic address: teferabelachew@gmail.com.
Tefera
T
Belachew
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D004032:Diet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005002:Ethiopia; D005260:Female; D051639:Gardening; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D052756:Nutritional Sciences / Q000193:education*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012572:School Health Services; D055815:Young Adult
Adolescent; Effectiveness; Health; Nutrition; School