Knowledge, perception and utilization of biofortified cassava and orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) in selected rural areas in Nigeria

Vitamin A deficiency is a major public health problem in Nigeria. Staple crops are targeted by biofortification efforts because they possess low micronutrient density and are consumed in large quantities by a large proportion of poor households. This study was designed to assess the knowledge, perception and utilization of biofortified cassava and orange-fleshed sweet potato in selected Local government Areas in Abia and Imo States. The study was descriptive and cross-sectional in design. A total of 710 respondents were selected using a multi-stage sampling technique. A structured interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to elicit the required information. Statistical analysis was performed using descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation) and inferential (correlation) analysis. Socio-demographic data revealed a preponderance of females, married, well-educated and working-class respondents. Monthly income above ₦29,000 (US$ 70.54) and household size of 4-6 members were reported in 53.5% and 48.6% of the respondents. Study results further revealed that some (34.9%) of the respondents had good knowledge, while 46.1% and 19.0% had an average and poor knowledge of biofortified staples, respectively. Orange fleshed sweet potatoes and biofortified cassava were purchased at least once monthly by 73.7% of the respondents, however 16.5% and 27.5% of the respondents consumed these biofortified staples on a daily and weekly basis. Low positive perception towards the consumption (27.5%), benefits (39.6%) and barriers (16.9%) of utilizing studied biofortified staples was reported. A positive correlation was observed betweenrespondents’ knowledge of biofortified staples and their benefits perception (p = 0.003), purchase (p =0.001) and consumption (p= 0.001) frequency. Therefore, while a good number of the respondents were fairly knowledgeable about the studied biofortified staples, it significantly influenced the perception and utilization of these staples, despite being reportedly low. Therefore, increased sensitization, price subsidy and availability of these biofortified staples will help improve their acceptance and utilization among rural households

Dietary assessment of type-2 diabetes in Africa: a systematic scoping review

Background The prevalence of type 2 diabetes (t2dm) in Africa is increasing due to increase in associated risks factors such as unhealthy eating, obesity and physical inactivity. Diet monitoring is an important component in the management of t2dm to aid and prevent progression and complications. Research on dietary assessment in Africa is currently gaining interests and this paper aims to review the dietary assessment methods used with people living with t2dm. Methods The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, Global Health and Web of Science databases were searched using keywords to identify studies that assessed the diet of people living with type-2 diabetes in Africa. The keywords were those related to the concepts: t2dm, dietary assessment, Africa and nutrient intake. We excluded papers not written in English, studies without a quantitative dietary assessment and studying a specific food, studies done among Africans but in developed countries, studies done among children and studies that measured neither energy intake or body mass index. Result Search yielded 132 papers after duplicates were removed. This reduced to 41 after the title and abstract screening and further to 10 after the full text screening. The included papers were based in six African countries: Algeria, Morocco, Uganda, Ghana, Cameroon and South Africa. The 24-hour dietary recall was the most common dietary assessment method used in 8 studies and two studies used the estimated food diaries. Five studies did not use a country-specific food composition table. Eight used a researcher-entered online dietary analysis software for nutrient intake estimation, out of which 7 contained the food database of a different country. Two studies estimated nutrient intake using a statistical tool and paper-and-pen. None of the dietary assessment methods used in the studies was validated in this patient group. Conclusion Limited evidence was available on the measurement of diet in patients with t2dm in Africa. There is need to improve the dietary assessment methods in Africa to prevent the progression and complication of t2dm