Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-ndmmz Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-05T12:19:04.964Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The impact of a nutrition education programme on the anthropometric nutritional status of low-income children in South Africa

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2007

CM Walsh ,
A Dannhauser  and
G Joubert
CM Walsh*
Affiliation:
School of Tourism, Hospitality and Sport, Technikon Free State, Private Bag X20539, Bloemfontein 9300, South Africa
A Dannhauser
Affiliation:
Department of Human Nutrition, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa
G Joubert
Affiliation:
Department of Biostatistics, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa
*
*Corresponding author: Email cwalsh@tofs.ac.za
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.
Objective:

The study determined the impact of a community-based nutrition education programme, using trained community nutrition advisors, on the anthropometric nutritional status of mixed-race children aged between 2 and 5 years.

Design and setting:

The programme was implemented over two years in four study areas in the Free State and Northern Cape Provinces. Two control areas were included to differentiate between the effect of the education programme and a food aid programme that were implemented simultaneously. Weight-for-age, height-for-age and weight-for-height were summarised using standard deviations from the NCHS reference median. For each of the indicators, the difference in the percentage of children below minus two standard deviations from the reference NCHS median in the initial and follow-up surveys was determined.

Subjects:

Initially 536 children were measured and, after two years of intervention, 815.

Results:

Weight-for-age improved in all areas, but only significantly in boys and girls in the urban study area, and in boys in one rural study area. No significant improvement in height-for-age occurred in any area. Weight-for-height improved significantly in the urban study area.

Conclusion:

The education programme in combination with food aid succeeded in improving the weight status of children, but was unable to facilitate catch-up growth in stunted children after two years of intervention.

Keywords

AnthropometryIntegrated nutrition educationprogramme
Type
Research Article
Information
Public Health Nutrition , Volume 5 , Issue 1 , February 2002 , pp. 3 - 9
Copyright
Copyright © CABI Publishing 2002

References

1United Nations (International) Children's (Emergency) Fund (UNICEF). Strategy for Improved Nutrition of Children and Women in Developing Countries. A UNICEF Policy Review, New York: UNICEF, 1992.Google Scholar
2Westcott, GM, Stott, RAP. The extent and causes of malnutrition in children in the Tsolo district of Transkei. S. Afr. Med. J. 1977; 52(December): 963–8.Google ScholarPubMed
3Richardson, BD. Growth patterns of South African children: an overview. S. Afr. J. Sci. 1978; 74: 246–9.Google Scholar
4Kotzè, JP, Van der Merwe, GJ, Mostert, WP, Reynders, JJ, Barnard, SO, Snyman, N. Anthropometric survey of different cultural groups in South Africa. J. Diet Home Econ. 1980; 10: 77–81.Google Scholar
5Cleaton-Jones, P, Granath, L, Richardson, B. Dental Caries, Nutrient Intake, Dietary Habits, Anthropometric Status, Oral Hygiene, and Salivary Factors and Microbiota in South African Black, Indian and White 4–5 year-old Children. Report of the Medical Research Council Medical Research Council, 1991.Google Scholar
6Albertyn, EW, van der Walt, E. 'n Antropometriese voedingstatusopname onder jong kinders in Botshabelo. Geneeskunde 1986; 28: 146–8.Google Scholar
7Albertyn, EW, van der Walt, E, Meintjies, W, Chaka, P, Spoelstra, SI. 'n Antropometriese voedingstatusopname onder jong kinders in Botshabelo (OVS). Geneeskunde 1986; 28: 99–106.Google Scholar
8Hugo-Hamman, C, Kibel, MA, Michie, CA, Yach, D. Nutrition status of preschool children in a Cape Town township. S. Afr. Med. J. 1987; 72: 353–5.Google Scholar
9Househam, KC, Elliott, E. Nutritional status of black children under 5 years old attending a municipal clinic in Bloemfontein. S. Afr. Med. J. 1987; 71: 494.Google ScholarPubMed
10Badenhorst, CJ, Steyn, NP, Jooste, PL, Nel, JH, Kruger, M, Oelofse, A, Barnard, C. Nutritional status of Pedi schoolchildren aged 6–14 years in two rural areas of Lebowa: a comprehensive nutritional survey of dietary intake, anthropometric, biochemical, haematological and clinical measurements. S. Afr J. Food Sci. Nutr. 1993; 5: 112–9.Google Scholar
11Nutrition Committee. Integrated Nutrition Strategy for South Africa. Unpublished Report, Pretoria, 1994; 11–108.Google Scholar
12Steyn, NP, Nel, JH, Tichelaar, HY, Prinsloo, JF, Dhansay, MA, Oelofse, A, Benade, AJS. Malnutrition in Pedi preschool children, their siblings and caretakers. S. Afr. J. Clin. Nutr. 1994; 7: 12–8.Google Scholar
13Coutsoudis, A, Jinabhai, CC, Coovadia, HM, Mametja, LD. Determining appropriate nutritional interventions for South African children living in informal urban settlements. S. Afr. Med. J. 1994; 84: 597–600.Google ScholarPubMed
14Labadarios, D, Van Middelkoop, A, eds. Children aged 6 to 71 months in South Africa, 1994: Their Anthropometric, Vitamin A, Iron and Immunisation Coverage Status. Johannesburg: The South African Vitamin A Consultative Group (SAVACG), 1995.Google Scholar
15Dannhauser, A, Joubert, G, Nel, M. Nutritional status of preschool children in the Bloemfontein district. S. Afr. J. Food Sci. Nutr. 1996; 8: 14–22.Google Scholar
16Lurie, GM, Ford, FJ. Heights and weights of European and coloured school children in Cape Town. S. Afr. Med. J. 1958; 14(October): 1017–25.Google Scholar
17Margo, G, Baroni, Y, Brindley, M, Green, R, Metz, J. Protein energy malnutrition in coloured children in Western Township, Johannesburg. S. Afr. Med. J. 1976; 50(July): 1241–5.Google ScholarPubMed
18Power, DJ. An anthropometric study of young schoolchildren in an area of Cape Town. S. Afr. Med. J. 1982; 61(February): 303–5.Google Scholar
19Steyn, NP, Wicht, CL, Rossouw, JE, Kotze, TJVW, van Eck, M. Nutritional status of 11-year-old children in the Western Cape. II. Anthropometry. S. Afr. J. Food Sci. Nutr. 1989; 1: 21–7.Google Scholar
20Steyn, NP, Pettifor, JM, van der Westhuyzen, J, van Niekerk, L. Nutritional status of schoolchildren in the Richtersveld. S. Afr. J. Food Sci. Nutr. 1990; 2: 52–6.Google Scholar
21World Health Organization (WHO). Measuring Change in Nutritional Status: Guidelines for Assessing the Nutritional Impact of Supplementary Feeding Programmes for Vulnerable Groups. Geneva: WHO, 1983.Google Scholar
22Dibley, MJ, Goldsby, JB, Staehling, NW, Towbridge, FL. Development of normalized curves for the international growth reference: historical and technical considerations. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 1987; 46: 736–48.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
23Durnin, JVGA. Aspects of anthropometric evaluation of malnutrition in childhood. Acta Paediatr. Scand. Suppl. 1991; 374: 89–94.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
24Waterlow, JC, Buzina, R, Keller, W, Lane, JM, Nichaman, MZ, Tanner, JM. The presentation and use of height and weight data for comparing the nutritional status of groups of children under the age of 10 years. Bull. World Health Org. 1977; 55: 489–98.Google ScholarPubMed
25Gross, R, Schultink, W, Sastroamidjojo, S. Stunting as an indicator for health and wealth: an Indonesian application. Nutr. Res. 1996; 16: 1829–37.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
26ACC/SCN. Second Report on the World Nutrition Situation, Geneva: ACC/SCN, United Nations, 1992.Google Scholar
27de Onis, M, Mmonteiro, C, Akrè, J, Clugston, G. The worldwide magnitude of protein-energy malnutrition: an overview from the WHO Global Database on Child Growth. Bull. World Health Org. 1993; 71: 703–12.Google ScholarPubMed
28Gorstein, J, Sullivan, K, Yip, R, de Onis, M, Trowbridge, F, Fajans, P, Clugston, G. Issues in the assessment of nutritional status using anthropometry. Bull. World Health Org. 1994; 72: 273–83.Google ScholarPubMed
29Hansen, JDL. Protein-energy malnutrition in South Africa. Report on Nutrition Disorders in South Africa: Recommendations for a National Food and Nutrition Policy. Medunsa: The Nutrition Society of Southern Africa, 1989.Google Scholar
30Tollman, SM. The Pholela Health Centre – the origins of community-oriented primary health care (COPC). S. Afr. Med. J. 1994; 84: 653–8.Google Scholar
31Ashworth, A, Millward, DJ. Catch-up growth in children. Nutr. Rev. 1986; 44: 157–63.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
32Walker, SP, Grantham-McGregor, SM, Himes, JH, Powell, CA, Chang, SM. Early childhood supplementation does not benefit the long-term growth of stunted children in Jamaica. J. Nutr. 1996; 126: 3017–24.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
33Perez-Escamilla, R, Pollitt, E. Growth improvements in children above 3 years of age: the Cali study. J. Nutr. 1995; 125: 885–93.Google ScholarPubMed
34Harrison, D. Nutrition Policy in South Africa 1928–1993. Durban: Trust for Health Systems Planning and Development, 1993Google Scholar