Nutrient gaps and dietary adequacy among adolescent girls in rural north-eastern Ghana: The role of local food-based approaches, school-lunch and multiple-micronutrient fortified biscuits
A local food-based approach, including school lunch with multiple-micronutrient fortified biscuits (MMB) as supplementary snacks, may enhance dietary adequacy, although current evidence remains limited. This study assessed nutrient inadequacies and developed food-based dietary recommendations (FBR)...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
| Language: | Inglés |
| Published: |
Cambridge University Press
2025
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| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/175775 |
| _version_ | 1855513172244430848 |
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| author | Azupogo, Fusta Borgonjen-van den Berg, Karin J. Aryeetey, Richmond Brouwer, Inge D. |
| author_browse | Aryeetey, Richmond Azupogo, Fusta Borgonjen-van den Berg, Karin J. Brouwer, Inge D. |
| author_facet | Azupogo, Fusta Borgonjen-van den Berg, Karin J. Aryeetey, Richmond Brouwer, Inge D. |
| author_sort | Azupogo, Fusta |
| collection | Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace) |
| description | A local food-based approach, including school lunch with multiple-micronutrient fortified biscuits (MMB) as supplementary snacks, may enhance dietary adequacy, although current evidence remains limited. This study assessed nutrient inadequacies and developed food-based dietary recommendations (FBR) incorporating school lunch from the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP) and MMB. Data from 292 girls aged 10–17 years, enrolled in the Ten2Twenty-Ghana study was analysed. Dietary intake was assessed via a quantitative 24-h dietary recall. Usual intakes were estimated using the National Cancer Institute method. Linear programming with Optifood was used to develop FBRs based on commonly consumed foods (≥5% of participants) and their median serving sizes, intake frequency, nutrient content, and cost per 100 g. Constraints included estimated energy needs and harmonised average nutrient requirements. The mean usual energy intake was 2351 (sd 66) kcal/d. Ca (99·8 %), vitamin B12 (99·8 %), riboflavin (96·2 %), vitamin A (91·5 %), vitamin C (87·6 %), Fe (73·7 %), folate (49·3 %) and Zn (8·5 %) inadequacies were prevalent. Optimised diets achieved adequacy for protein and most micronutrients, except Ca and vitamin B12, besides vitamin A for 15–17-year-old girls. School lunch from the GSFP did not enhance micronutrient levels when added to the daily diet. Adding MMB to the daily diet ensured adequacy for vitamin C, riboflavin and Fe, although marginal for Fe. Ca and vitamin A improved substantially with MMB for girls aged 15–17 but remained below the harmonised average requirements. Integrating regular school lunch with specialised fortified foods may be a cost-effective strategy to enhance dietary adequacy for adolescent girls in rural areas. |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | CGSpace175775 |
| institution | CGIAR Consortium |
| language | Inglés |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| publisherStr | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | CGSpace1757752025-12-09T21:37:14Z Nutrient gaps and dietary adequacy among adolescent girls in rural north-eastern Ghana: The role of local food-based approaches, school-lunch and multiple-micronutrient fortified biscuits Azupogo, Fusta Borgonjen-van den Berg, Karin J. Aryeetey, Richmond Brouwer, Inge D. adolescents biscuits diet school feeding trace elements nutrition gender A local food-based approach, including school lunch with multiple-micronutrient fortified biscuits (MMB) as supplementary snacks, may enhance dietary adequacy, although current evidence remains limited. This study assessed nutrient inadequacies and developed food-based dietary recommendations (FBR) incorporating school lunch from the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP) and MMB. Data from 292 girls aged 10–17 years, enrolled in the Ten2Twenty-Ghana study was analysed. Dietary intake was assessed via a quantitative 24-h dietary recall. Usual intakes were estimated using the National Cancer Institute method. Linear programming with Optifood was used to develop FBRs based on commonly consumed foods (≥5% of participants) and their median serving sizes, intake frequency, nutrient content, and cost per 100 g. Constraints included estimated energy needs and harmonised average nutrient requirements. The mean usual energy intake was 2351 (sd 66) kcal/d. Ca (99·8 %), vitamin B12 (99·8 %), riboflavin (96·2 %), vitamin A (91·5 %), vitamin C (87·6 %), Fe (73·7 %), folate (49·3 %) and Zn (8·5 %) inadequacies were prevalent. Optimised diets achieved adequacy for protein and most micronutrients, except Ca and vitamin B12, besides vitamin A for 15–17-year-old girls. School lunch from the GSFP did not enhance micronutrient levels when added to the daily diet. Adding MMB to the daily diet ensured adequacy for vitamin C, riboflavin and Fe, although marginal for Fe. Ca and vitamin A improved substantially with MMB for girls aged 15–17 but remained below the harmonised average requirements. Integrating regular school lunch with specialised fortified foods may be a cost-effective strategy to enhance dietary adequacy for adolescent girls in rural areas. 2025-07-28 2025-07-23T14:05:40Z 2025-07-23T14:05:40Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/175775 en Open Access Cambridge University Press Azupogo, Fusta; Borgonjen-van den Berg, Karin J.; Aryeetey, Richmond; and Brouwer, Inge D. 2025. Nutrient gaps and dietary adequacy among adolescent girls in rural north-eastern Ghana: The role of local food-based approaches, school-lunch and multiple-micronutrient fortified biscuits. British Journal of Nutrition 134(2): 134 - 146. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114525103929 |
| spellingShingle | adolescents biscuits diet school feeding trace elements nutrition gender Azupogo, Fusta Borgonjen-van den Berg, Karin J. Aryeetey, Richmond Brouwer, Inge D. Nutrient gaps and dietary adequacy among adolescent girls in rural north-eastern Ghana: The role of local food-based approaches, school-lunch and multiple-micronutrient fortified biscuits |
| title | Nutrient gaps and dietary adequacy among adolescent girls in rural north-eastern Ghana: The role of local food-based approaches, school-lunch and multiple-micronutrient fortified biscuits |
| title_full | Nutrient gaps and dietary adequacy among adolescent girls in rural north-eastern Ghana: The role of local food-based approaches, school-lunch and multiple-micronutrient fortified biscuits |
| title_fullStr | Nutrient gaps and dietary adequacy among adolescent girls in rural north-eastern Ghana: The role of local food-based approaches, school-lunch and multiple-micronutrient fortified biscuits |
| title_full_unstemmed | Nutrient gaps and dietary adequacy among adolescent girls in rural north-eastern Ghana: The role of local food-based approaches, school-lunch and multiple-micronutrient fortified biscuits |
| title_short | Nutrient gaps and dietary adequacy among adolescent girls in rural north-eastern Ghana: The role of local food-based approaches, school-lunch and multiple-micronutrient fortified biscuits |
| title_sort | nutrient gaps and dietary adequacy among adolescent girls in rural north eastern ghana the role of local food based approaches school lunch and multiple micronutrient fortified biscuits |
| topic | adolescents biscuits diet school feeding trace elements nutrition gender |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/175775 |
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