Impact of Rice Pudding on Preschool-Aged Children’s Health: an Overview of a Pilot Study
Journal Title: Biomedical Journal of Scientific & Technical Research (BJSTR) - Year 2018, Vol 6, Issue 3
Abstract
Background: Preschool-aged children of disadvantaged households in Nepal have a higher prevalence rate of under nutrition. A major contributing reason is the inadequate maternal knowledge, existing taboos and unscientific food recommendation practices. AimThis pilot study evaluates the impact of the rice pudding feeding programme on child health and calculates the costs of the preparation. Materials and Methods: A before-and-after study of children aged under-five attending a day-care centre in remote Nepal. Children’s weight, height and MUAC (Mid-Upper Arm Circumference) were compared before and after the rice pudding programme which lasted 54 days. Results: 42 children (boys 43% & girls 57%), of whom 90% had gained weight whilst the weight of the remaining 10% of children stayed constant. Similarly, 78% had increased MUAC while 12% of 2 children improved slightly. The study was inexpensive, US$ 0.34 per day per child and likely to be cost-effective. Conclusion: A regular healthy diet of rice pudding helps children’s nutritional need. It is important to consider right dietary practice, including portion sizes, and community awareness about healthy diet and impact of child health as well as sustainability. a) Significantly improved child’s weight and MUAC. b) Partnership programme leads to cost-effectiveness and sustainability of the programme. c) This programme could be replicated in the similar areas in Nepal. Most children who suffer from hunger, infections, most other diseases, or who are deficient in certain nutrients do not have the same potential for cognitive skill development as well-nourished children [1-4] Good nutritional and health status have a powerful effect on how well a student performs and learns at school [4-6]. Poor nutrition among school-aged children impairs their learning and development through poor participation in learning experiences, physiological changes, or both [5,6,7]. Research highlights a link between under-nutrition, as a determinant for poor health, and the educational performance of school children [8-12]. In 2013, the World Food Programme (WFP) estimated that nearly 368 million children from developing and developed countries received a meal every day at school, at an annual cost of School USD 45 to 75 billion 12 the school meals programme plays a crucial role in the diets of children in poor families. This study targeted the following aspects: evaluation of the anthropometric changes of the under-five children, [12,13,14] assessment of the costs of the rice pudding meals, raising awareness about a healthy 3 diet [16,20]. It ultimately aimed to support Sustainable Development Goals 2, 3 and 5 [1,13-16] In order to inform intervention plans, a pilot study was undertaken as the first step to begin building an appropriate evidence base on improving child health and food behaviour [4,9,13,17-19]. This study focused on addressing child hunger and micronutrient deficiencies, both of which can impact weight, height and MUAC (Mid-Upper Arm Circumference) [3,17,14,20,21] through the provision of rice pudding as a meal in schools. It set out to address three aspects: a) Evaluate the impact of the rice pudding feeding programme on child health. b) Calculate the costs of the preparation. c) Increase the level of awareness about a healthy diet and local involvement in the school snack programme.
Authors and Affiliations
Jib Acharya, Edwin van Teijlingen, Basma Ellahi, Bishnu Pariyar, David Alexander
Keywords
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- EP ID EP585707
- DOI 10.26717/BJSTR.2018.06.001346
- Views 137
- Downloads 0
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