Impact of the School Food Environment on Dietary Choices and Body Mass Index Among Adolescents: A Case Study of Secondary Schools in Suakoko District, Bong County, Liberia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54536/ajds.v2i2.3709Keywords:
Adolescent, Body Mass Index, Dietary Choice, Nutrition Education, School Food EnvironmentAbstract
Adolescence is a critical period for developing lifelong dietary habits, and the school food environment plays a significant role in shaping these behaviors. With increasing rates of obesity and malnutrition among adolescents, understanding the influence of the school food environment is crucial, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, where traditional diets are transitioning towards more processed, calorie-dense foods. This study aimed to assess the impact of the school food environment on dietary choices and body mass index (BMI) among adolescents in Suakoko District, Bong County, Liberia. A cross-sectional design was employed involving 275 students from 23 randomly selected public and private secondary schools. Data were collected using structured questionnaires, direct observations of the school food environment, and anthropometric measurements. Statistical analysis, including chi-square tests, was conducted to explore the relationships between school food environment, dietary choices, physical activity, and BMI. The results revealed that 64% of the students did not frequently choose fruits and vegetables, with food choices primarily influenced by availability and taste. A significant relationship was found between physical activity and nutritional status (p = 0.017), with regular physical activity being linked to a healthier BMI. However, no significant associations were found between school promotion of healthy eating, nutrition education, or the presence of school gardens, and students’ BMI. In conclusion, although schools play a vital role in shaping dietary habits, this study emphasizes the need for more effective interventions to improve access to nutritious foods and promote physical activity. Addressing the gaps in school infrastructure and enhancing nutrition education could contribute to better health outcomes for adolescents in Liberia.
Downloads
References
Alston, L., Crooks, N., Strugnell, C., Orellana, L., Allender, S., Rennie, C., & Nichols, M. (2019). Associations between school food environments, body mass index and dietary intakes among regional school students in victoria, australia: A cross-sectional study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(16), 2916. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16162916
An overview on the nutrition transition and its health implications: The Bellagio meeting. (n.d.). Public Health Nutrition. Retrieved October 19, 2024, from https://dx.doi.org/10.1079/PHN2001280
Briefel, R. R., Crepinsek, M. K., Cabili, C., Wilson, A., & Gleason, P. M. (2009). School food environments and practices affect dietary behaviors of U.S. public school children. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 109(2, Supplement), S91–S107. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jada.2008.10.059
Casari, S., Di Paola, M., Banci, E., Diallo, S., Scarallo, L., Renzo, S., Gori, A., Renzi, S., Paci, M., de Mast, Q., Pecht, T., Derra, K., Kaboré, B., Tinto, H., Cavalieri, D., & Lionetti, P. (2022). Changing dietary habits: The impact of urbanization and rising socio-economic status in families from burkina faso in sub-saharan africa. Nutrients, 14(9), 1782. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14091782
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). Healthy weight, nutrition, and physical activity. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/bmi/adult_bmi/english_bmi_calculator/bmi_calculator.html
Driessen, C. E., Cameron, A. J., Thornton, L. E., Lai, S. K., & Barnett, L. M. (2014). Effect of changes to the school food environment on eating behaviours and/or body weight in children: A systematic review. Obesity Reviews, 15(12), 968–982. https://doi.org/10.1111/obr.12224
Erzse, A., Karim, S. A., Rwafa-Ponela, T., Kruger, P., Hofman, K., Foley, L., Oni, T., & Goldstein, S. (2023). Participatory prioritisation of interventions to improve primary school food environments in Gauteng, South Africa. BMC Public Health, 23(1), 1263. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-16101-z
Hallen, G., & Leung, Z. (2018). Creating healthier food environments to combat noncommunicable diseases in the Caribbean. Revista Panamericana de Salud Pública, 42, 1–1. https://doi.org/10.26633/RPSP.2018.110
Iyassu, A., Laillou, A., Tilahun, K., Workneh, F., Mogues, S., Chitekwe, S., & Baye, K. (2024). The influence of adolescents’ nutrition knowledge and school food environment on adolescents’ dietary behaviors in urban Ethiopia: A qualitative study. Maternal & Child Nutrition, 20(S5), e13527. https://doi.org/10.1111/mcn.13527
Jacob, C. M., Hardy-Johnson, P. L., Inskip, H. M., Morris, T., Parsons, C. M., Barrett, M., Hanson, M., Woods-Townsend, K., & Baird, J. (2021). A systematic review and meta-analysis of school-based interventions with health education to reduce body mass index in adolescents aged 10 to 19 years. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 18(1), 1. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-020-01065-9
Keeley, B., Little, C., & Zuehlke, E. (2019). The state of the world’s children 2019: Children, food and nutrition--growing well in a changing world. UNICEF. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED599360
Klein, D. H., Mohamoud, I., Olanisa, O. O., Parab, P., Chaudhary, P., Mukhtar, S., Moradi, A., Kodali, A., Okoye, C., & Arcia Franchini, A. P. (2023). Impact of school-based interventions on pediatric obesity: A systematic review. Cureus. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.43153
Liberia Demographic and Health Survey (LDHS). (2019). Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information Services. https://dhsprogram.com/pubs/pdf/FR362/FR362.pdf
Mâsse, L. C., De Niet-Fitzgerald, J., Watts, A. W., Naylor, P.-J., & Saewyc, E. M. (2014). Associations between the school food environment, student consumption and body mass index of Canadian adolescents. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 11(1), 29. https://doi.org/10.1186/1479-5868-11-29
Mukanu, M. M., Thow, A. M., Delobelle, P., & Mchiza, Z. J.-R. (2022). School food environment in urban zambia: A qualitative analysis of drivers of adolescent food choices and their policy implications. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(12), 7460. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19127460
Pastor, R., & Tur, J. A. (2020). Effectiveness of interventions to promote healthy eating habits in children and adolescents at risk of poverty: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutrients, 12(6), 1891. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12061891
Pencil, A., Matsungo, T. M., Chuchu, T. M., Hongu, N., & Hayami, N. (2024). The double burden of malnutrition among adolescents from zimbabwe: A cross-sectional study. Obesities, 4(1), 9–23. https://doi.org/10.3390/obesities4010002
Popkin, B. M. (1998). The nutrition transition and its health implications in lower-income countries. Public Health Nutrition, 1(1), 5–21. https://doi.org/10.1079/PHN19980004
Popkin, B. M., & Reardon, T. (2018). Obesity and the food system transformation in Latin America. Obesity Reviews, 19(8), 1028–1064. https://doi.org/10.1111/obr.12694
Popkin, B. M., Adair, L. S., & Ng, S. W. (2012). Global nutrition transition and the pandemic of obesity in developing countries. Nutrition Reviews, 70(1), 3–21. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1753-4887.2011.00456.x
Steyn, N. P., & Mchiza, Z. J. (2014). Obesity and the nutrition transition in sub‐saharan africa. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1311(1), 88–101. https://doi.org/10.1111/nyas.12433
Story, M., Kaphingst, K. M., & French, S. (2006). The role of schools in obesity prevention. The Future of Children, 16(1), 109–142. https://www.jstor.org/stable/3556553
World Health Organization. (2016). Report of the commission on ending childhood obesity. https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/204176
World Health Organization. (n.d.). Obesity and overweight. Retrieved October 19, 2024, from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Washington Kezelee; Jae George, Musu M. Mulbah; Felecia N. Bendoe, Zomie N. Yelegon, Decontee T. B. Kwiyarhe, Jimmy Lormie, Gertrude T. Kollie, Joseph Gweemei, Emmanuel Solon
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
