Does livestock ownership predict animal-source food consumption frequency among children aged 6-24 months and their mothers in the rural Dale district, southern Ethiopia?

Kebede T ，Bilal SM ，Lindtjorn B ，Engebretsen IMS ... -  《PeerJ》

Educational intervention and livestock ownership successfully improved the intake of animal source foods in 6-23 months old children in rural communities of Northern Ethiopia: Quasi-experimental study.

Animal source foods (ASFs) are rich in high-quality proteins, including essential amino acids and highly bioavailable micronutrients vital for child growth and cognitive development. But, the daily consumption of ASFs among 6-23 months old children is very low in Tigray, Northern Ethiopia. The study aimed to assess the effectiveness of nutrition education intervention to improve the consumption of ASFs among 6-23 months old children from rural communities with strict religious fasting traditions of avoiding intake of ASFs in Northern Ethiopia. A quasi-experimental study was conducted in two food insecure districts namely Samre Seharti (intervention) and Tanqua Abergele (comparison). The mother-child pairs in the intervention group (n = 140) received nutrition education based on the barriers and available resources for optimal consumption of ASFs among children and followed up for nine months. The mother-child pairs in the comparison group (n = 153) received routine nutrition education. The data were collected using a pre-tested structured questionnaire. The baseline and endline data assessment included interviews on socio-demographic and socio-economic status, dietary intake, and child feeding practices. The effectiveness of the intervention was measured using the difference-in-difference (DID) analysis model. At endline, the consumption of ASFs among children was 19.5 percentage points higher in the intervention group compared with the comparison group (p = 0.008). In addition, there was a significant increase in egg consumption among children in the intervention group (DID of 16.9, p = 0.012) from the comparison group. No child was consuming meat at baseline in both the intervention and comparison arms and it was very low at endline (5.2% vs. 7.9%). Overall, the proportion of children that consumed eggs in the intervention group was higher than in the comparison group in households that owned sheep and goats (4.8% vs. 21.4%, p = 0.050) and chicken (6.3% vs. 43.8%, p = 0.002) after education interventions. However, no statistically significant difference was observed between cow ownership and milk consumption among children (p>0.05). Age-appropriate educational interventions for mothers and owning small livestock in the household can improve the consumption of ASFs and eventually the minimum diet diversity of children in communities with strict religious traditions of avoiding ASFs during the fasting seasons.

Haileselassie M ，Redae G ，Berhe G ，Henry CJ ，Nickerson MT ，Mulugeta A ... -  《PLoS One》

Maternal behavioural determinants and livestock ownership are associated with animal source food consumption among young children during fasting in rural Ethiopia.

Religious fasting often involves abstention from animal source foods (ASFs). Although children are exempt, their diets are influenced by the widespread fasting practices. This study investigated the factors influencing ASF consumption among young children during the Lent fasting period in western Amhara, Ethiopia. We used baseline survey data from households with children 6-23 months of age (n = 2,646). We conducted regression analysis to examine the maternal and household factors associated with ASF consumption and path analysis to examine the direct and indirect effects of maternal knowledge, beliefs, social norms, and livestock ownership on ASF consumption. Only 24% of children consumed any ASF in the previous day-18% dairy products, 5% eggs, and 2% flesh foods. Mothers with high knowledge, beliefs, and social norms about feeding children ASFs during fasting had higher odds (odds ratio: 1.3-1.4) of children who consumed them. Compared with households with no ASFs, those with ASFs available were 4.8 times more likely to have children who consumed them. Most of the association between knowledge, beliefs and social norms, and ASF consumption was explained by pathways operating through ASF availability (approximately 9, 12, and 8 pp higher availability, respectively), which in turn were associated with higher consumption. Cow ownership was directly and indirectly associated with ASF consumption, whereas having chickens was indirectly associated with consumption via the availability pathway. Our findings corroborate the importance of maternal behavioural determinants related to feeding ASFs to children during fasting on ASF consumption via household availability and the positive influence of livestock ownership.

Kim SS ，Nguyen PH ，Tran LM ，Abebe Y ，Asrat Y ，Tharaney M ，Menon P ... -  《-》

Determinants and constraints to household-level animal source food consumption in rural communities of Ethiopia.

Animal source foods (ASF) contain quality nutrients important for growth, development, immunity and behavioural outcomes. Plant-based foods also provide the nutrients, but with lower bioavailability than ASF. Evidence on household-level ASF consumption frequency, constraints and determinants are limited for Ethiopia. Therefore, the present study aimed to assess the consumption frequency of ASF and to identify determinants and constraints among rural households in Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 422 households. The consumption frequency of ASF was assessed using a food frequency screener over 30 days. Twelve statements with Likert scale responses were used to identify constraints to ASF consumption. Ordinal logistic regression was used to identify determinants of ASF consumption. About a quarter (26 %) of the households consumed milk one to two times per week. One out of five households consumed eggs one to two times per week (20 %) or one to two times per month (19 %). Poultry and meat were never consumed by 92 and 60 % of the households, respectively. Unavailability, unaffordability, consumption tradition and income generation priority were constraints identified. Food insecurity, livestock ownership, income, family size and women's education were associated (P < 0⋅05) with selected ASF consumption. Rural households in Ethiopia did not consume ASF on regular basis. Poor socio-demographic and economic conditions as determined by food insecurity, property ownership, income, educational achievement, family size and ASF unavailability and unaffordability contributed to the lower consumption frequency of ASF by households in rural Ethiopia. Nutrition policies and programmes should focus on nutrition-sensitive agricultural extension, livelihood improvement and women empowerment interventions integrated with nutrition education to improve ASF consumption in rural settings.

Daba AK ，Murimi M ，Abegaz K ，Hailu D ... -  《-》

Animal source food consumption practice and factors associated among infant and young children from selected rural districts in Ethiopia: A cross-sectional study.

Children are recommended to consume animal source foods (ASF) as part of diversified diets. However, ASF consumption practice of infant and young children (IYC) is less studied and contributing factors are not exhaustively identified. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to assess consumption of ASF and identify associated factors among 6-23 months old IYC from selected rural districts in Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study was conducted in a total of 606 IYC from selected rural districts of Oromia and Sidama regional states in Ethiopia. A two-stage sampling technique was used to select participants. Data were collected using interviewer-administered questionnaire. Frequencies, percentages and mean scores with standard deviations were generated to describe participants and report univariate outcomes. Consumption of ASF was assessed using a 24-hour dietary recall. Logistic regression analysis was applied to identify contributing factors contributed to IYC's ASF consumption practice. Dairy, eggs and meat were consumed by 41.2%, 16.4% and 2.3% of IYC, respectively. Household food security increased odds of dairy [AOR = 1.66 (95%CI: 1.16 2.38), P = 0.006], eggs [AOR = 2.15 (95%CI: 1.33, 3.49), P = 0.002] and meat [AOR = 5.08 (95%CI: 1.09, 23.71), P = 0.039] consumption. Cow [AOR = 1.86 (95%CI: 1.28, 2.70), P = 0.001], donkey [AOR = 1.83 (95%CI: 1.08, 3.11), P = 0.024] and chicken [AOR = 1.53 (95%CI: 1.05, 2.22), P = 0.027] ownership increased the odds of dairy consumption. Grades 5-8 [AOR = 1.74 (95%CI: 1.06, 2.86), P = 0.028] or ≥9 [AOR = 2.96 (95%CI: 1.62, 5.42), P <0.001] maternal educational achievements were also associated with better dairy consumption. Children from households that owned chicken [AOR = 3.20 (95%CI: 1.97, 5.19), P <0.001] or produce root crops [AOR = 1.67 (95%CI: 1.05, 2.66), P = 0.031] were with increased odds to consume eggs. Low proportion of children consumed ASF. Household food security, livestock ownership, household income, root crop production and maternal education contributed to ASF consumption. Nutrition sensitive agricultural extension activities aided by nutrition education should be considered and evaluated for their effect on IYC's ASF consumption practice.

Daba AK ，Murimi M ，Abegaz K ，Hailu D ... -  《PLoS One》