The role of local biodiversity in meeting nutritional requirements for complementary foods of infants and young children, Southern Benin

The mothers/care-givers, and the communities in general, will benefit from locally adapted information and knowledge on how to improve diets making the best use of the locally available biodiversity. Better knowledge and improved complementary feeding practices will contribute to better nutritional status of children and thus healthier and more productive communities

Complementary feeding practices of children aged 6-23 months in rural area, Southern-Benin: challenges and opportunities

Aims: This study aims to provide in-depth knowledge of current infant feeding practices in order to create an evidence base and develop well-targeted strategies to reduce the prevalence of child malnutrition. Study Design: This study is designed by using a descriptive cross-sectional survey. Place and Duration of Study: This study was carried out in two rural districts, Bopa and Houeyogbe, in Southern Benin from October to December 2013. Methodology: A total of 1225 mother-infant pairs, aged 6-23 months were randomly selected in seventeen villages through exhaustive sampling. Socio-demographic data of participants were obtained through semi-structured interviews. Complementary feeding practices were assessed using recommended Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) indicators. Statistical analysis were performed with SPSS version 20. Statistical significance was set at P<0.05. Results: Overall, 20% had timely initiation of complementary feeding, whereas 61% and 17% had early and delayed initiation of complementary feeding, respectively. The mean age of introducing solid foods was 4.9 ± 2.3 months. Prevalence of MDD, MMF and MAD was 60%, 71% and 46% respectively. There is no specific complementary foods (CFs) for Benin children. Cereal porridges and extracts from family diets were two categories of complementary foods identified. Complementary food (CF) is characterized by unenriched porridges, mashed family diets and low consumption of fruits and eggs. Most of the children (70%) were fed vegetables consumed individually or mixed with other leaves. The most popular vegetables consumed by the children were Corchorus olitorius (48%), Hibiscus esculentus (22%), Solanum macrocarpon (18%). Conclusion: Untimely initiation of complementary feeding was predominant. Complementary feeding practices in this area of Benin were suboptimal. The valorization of local biodiversity and traditional recipes was an opportunity to improve quality of child’s diet. Reinforcing the capacity building of stakeholders focused on child feeding may be a crucial step for child well-being

Complementary feeding practices: determinants of dietary diversity and meal frequency among children aged 6–23 months in Southern Benin

Poor complementary feeding practices have detrimental effects on child growth, development and survival. This cross-sectional study in rural areas of southern Benin examined some determinants of complementary feeding practices using socioeconomic and dietary data collected among 1225 primary caregivers. Determinants of complementary feeding practices in the study areas are multidimensional and include many interacting factors such as socio-economic aspects, farming practices, household demographics, cultural practices and geography. Child age, diversity of food groups produced, income allocated to feeding, commune of residence, ethnicity, caregivers’ occupation, marital status and household size were identified as the main factors affecting complementary feeding practices. Food group diversification in farm-systems and overall social behavior and support as well as women’s empowerment are necessary to improve children’s diets. Reducing women’s workload through improved working conditions appears crucial to decrease time burdens and allow more time for child care. Multisectoral interventions should be embraced to improve complementary feeding practices in Benin

Dietary species richness as a measure of food biodiversity and nutritional quality of diets

Biodiversity is key for human and environmental health. Available dietary and ecological indicators are not designed to assess the intricate relationship between food biodiversity and diet quality. We applied biodiversity indicators to dietary intake data from and assessed associations with diet quality of women and young children. Data from 24-hour diet recalls (55% in the wet season) of n = 6,226 participants (34% women) in rural areas from seven low- and middle-income countries were analyzed. Mean adequacies of vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, calcium, iron, and zinc and diet diversity score (DDS) were used to assess diet quality. Associations of biodiversity indicators with nutrient adequacy were quantified using multilevel models, receiver operating characteristic curves, and test sensitivity and specificity. A total of 234 different species were consumed, of which <30% were consumed in more than one country. Nine species were consumed in all countries and provided, on average, 61% of total energy intake and a significant contribution of micronutrients in the wet season. Compared with Simpson’s index of diversity and functional diversity, species richness (SR) showed stronger associations and better diagnostic properties with micronutrient adequacy. For every additional species consumed, dietary nutrient adequacy increased by 0.03 (P < 0.001). Diets with higher nutrient adequacy were mostly obtained when both SR and DDS were maximal. Adding SR to the minimum cutoff for minimum diet diversity improved the ability to detect diets with higher micronutrient adequacy in women but not in children. Dietary SR is recommended as the most appropriate measure of food biodiversity in diets

Mali- Protocole Rappel Alimentaire de 24 heures ouvert

Comment administrer le rappel alimentaire de 24 heures ouvert? Il s’agit ici d’un rappel alimentaire qualitatif qui vise à recueillir les informations sur les aliments consommés la veille par les individus sans pour autant mesurer ou estimer les quantités réellement consommées par ces derniers

Mali Household Surveys for Agricultural Biodiversity Assessment

To identify and quantify the number of all plant and animal species (domesticated and wild) and within each species, the number of types/varieties/breeds at the household-level that are: (a) grown on farm and home garden, or collected from the wild; (b) consumed as part of the diet; and (c) purchased and sold in the study sites. Information was collected for each species on its place of production or collection (farm, home garden, collected in the wild, etc.), the objective for its production or collection (Self-consumption, sale in the market, both), its different uses (food, medicine, animal feed, building material, processing, etc.), seasonality, the number of types, varieties and breeds recognized and used, key characteristics of its seed system (sources of seed, transactions and social relationships), and the water regime associated with its production (rainfed, irrigated, water harvest, etc.). Also data on assets and other socioeconomic indicators were collected. A household survey was carried out with a representative random sample of 60 households per village in three villages in the region of Sikasso in Mali (part of the Wa, Bobo and Sikasso transect where the CRP Dryland System is working in West Africa). Two of the villages (Fakoro and Kani) were also part of overall baseline survey conducted by ICRISAT. A third village, N'goutjina, was added by Bioversity. The total sample size is 180 households. The three villages in the Sikasso District of Mali: were: Fakoro (Lat 12°13074, Lon 005°20156); Kani (Lat 12°15011, Lon 005°10827); N'goutjina (Lat 12°17961, Lon 005°28372

Rajasthan Diet Diversity and Food Security for Agricultural Biodiversity Assessment

The questionnaire elicited information on foods consumed and their sources for selected mothers and children (if present) of the households interviewed for the ABD-Assessment in the previous 7 days. In the same households selected for the ABD-Assessment, one woman per household was selected. The first choice of respondent was a woman that had a child between 6 and 59 months old; if no woman was available with a child between 6 and 59 months, the interview was performed with the woman that usually takes care of the food preparation in the household. In case there were more women with children between 6 and 59 months living in the household,one of them was selected randomly. The same procedure was done if more than one child of the selected woman is eligible to participate in the study. Areas covered in the survey were: State of Rajasthan, Districts of Balmer, Jaisalmer and Jodhpur: Damodara (26°54',70°43'); Deda (26°94',70°43'); Dedhu, (27°20', 71°45'); Dhirasar (25°27', 71°11'); Dhok (25°29', 71°01'); Govindupura (26°49', 73°05'); Mansagar (26°45', 73°08'); Sankadiya (27°29',71°41')

Karnataka Diet Diversity and Food Security for Agricultural Biodiversity Assessment

The questionnaire elicited information on foods consumed and their sources for selected mothers and children of the households interviewed for the ABD-Assessment (24-hour recall); information on young and child feeding practices; and on household food secuirty, and risk preferences of mother. In the same households selected for the ABD-Assessment, one woman per household was selected. The first choice of respondent was a woman that had a child between 6 and 59 months old; if no woman was available with a child between 6 and 59 months, the interview was perfomred with the woman that usually takes care of the food preparation in the household. In case there were more women with children between 6 and 59 months living in the household,one of them was selected randomly . The same procedure was done if more than one child of the selected woman is eligible to participate in the study. For the food consumed by mother and child, the period was the previous 24 hours. Interviews took place between the 25 of August and 30 September 2014 (2 cases 30, 31 of October). For the household food security data refer to the previous 30 days of the day of the interview. For the infant and child feeding practices, they are in general. Three villages in the Bijapur District: Mannur, Nandyal, Balaganur were surveyed

Ghana Diet Diversity and Food Security for Agricultural Biodiversity Assessment

The questionnaire elicited information on foods consumed and their sources for selected mothers and children of the households interviewed for the ABD-Assessment (24-hour recall); information on young and child feeding practices; and on household food security, and risk preferences of mother. In the same households selected for the ABD-Assessment, one woman per household was selected. The first choice of respondent was a woman that had a child between 6 and 59 months old; if no woman was available with a child between 6 and 59 months, the interview was perfomred with the woman that usually takes care of the food preparation in the household. In case there were more women with children between 6 and 59 months living in the household,one of them was selected randomly. The same procedure was done if more than one child of the selected woman is eligible to participate in the study. Three villages surveyed were in the Lawra District: Bonpari (Lat 10.67, Lon W002.81); Gbelinkaa (Lat N10.58, Lon W002.83); Yagtuur (Lat N10.55, Lon W 002.86