Nutrition Education Intervention and Improved Haemoglobin Level among In-School Adolescent Girls in Ogun State, Nigeria
Keywords:
Nutrition, education intervention, haemoglobin, iron deficiency anaemia, dietary practicesAbstract
The study assesses the effectiveness of a nutrition education intervention on iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) among in-school adolescent girls, aged 10-19, in Ogun State, Nigeria. It uses a quasi-experimental design with pre- and post-intervention assessments. The study randomly assigns two public secondary schools in each district to either an intervention group, which received six weeks of nutrition education, or a control group, involving 277 participants across three senatorial districts. Findings at baseline indicated a high prevalence of IDA, with 84.48% of participants affected, including 59.6% with moderate anaemia. Knowledge about IDA was poor, with 83% lacking sufficient understanding, and dietary assessments revealed inadequate iron intake, particularly among the control group (56.2%). At the post-intervention, knowledge improved significantly, with 88.1% of the experimental group demonstrating good knowledge. Attitudes also shifted positively, with 87.4% of the experimental group displaying improved attitudes towards IDA. Conclusively, the intervention led to better dietary practices and higher average haemoglobin levels in the experimental group compared to controls. Hence, nutrition education enhances knowledge and dietary practices and increases access to iron-rich foods for improved health outcomes.
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