Abstract
Background Increasing nutrient intake through home gardening is a sustainable strategy that can address multiple micronutrient deficiencies in developing countries. This study investigated the impact of permagarden intervention in increasing the frequency and diversity of vegetable and fruit consumption among vulnerable families.
Method A quasi-experimental study was conducted from August 10 to September 30, 2015. A total of 884 care givers (427 from intervention and 457 control) participated in the study. Data was collected through face to face interview with caregivers of highly vulnerable children. Propensity score matching (PSM) was conducted using STATA software, and the program impact on the frequency and diversity of household’s vegetable consumption between intervention and control groups was assessed using chi square test.
Result Intervention participants had a 13% greater increase frequency of one-week vegetables and fruits consumption compared with control participants (p<0.01). The diversity (consumption of 2 and more groups of vegetable and fruit) is higher among intervention groups than control groups (percentage difference=9, p-value<0.05). A significant higher percentage of participants in the intervention group reported getting the one-week vegetable and fruits mainly from their own garden (percentage difference 58.3, p<0.05). A significantly larger proportion of participants in the intervention group compared to the control group reported “high likelihood” on intention to grow vegetable in the future (percentage difference = 30%, and P<0.01). Perceived importance to include vegetables in every day meal is higher among intervention groups than control groups (percentage difference = 11.5%, P<0.01).
Conclusions The observed higher frequency and diversity of household vegetable consumption among intervention group compared to control group suggests that nutrition and health programs need to promote household vegetable gardening as the means for address improve micro nutrient intake for vulnerable societies in least and middle developed countries.
ACRONYMS
- CC
- Community Committee
- CCC
- Community Care coalition
- CF
- Community Facilitators
- CSI
- Child Support Index
- CSO
- Civil Society Organization
- FHI 360
- Family Health International 360
- FV
- Fruits and Vegetables
- GOE
- Government of Ethiopia
- IEC
- Independent or Institutional Ethics Committee
- HVC
- Highly Vulnerable Children
- IRB
- Institutional Review Board
- NIH
- National Institutes of Health
- PHSC
- Protection of Human Subjects Committee
- OVC
- Orphan and Vulnerable Children
- SD
- Standard Deviation
- TOT
- Training of Trainers
- UNICEF
- United Nations Children’s Fund
- USD
- US Dollar
- USAID
- United States Agency for international Development
- WHO
- World Health Organization