Associated factors of dietary diversity among schoolchildren in Plateau Central region of Burkina Faso

Abstract

Context: School age is a dynamic period of growth and development for good health and a productive adult life. Adequate dietary intake provides the nutrients essential for growth, health and cognition. The practice of adequate nutrition is still not a given in school-age children. Thus, the aim of this study was to identify the factors associated with dietary diversity in public elementary school children. Method: Multi-stage sampling was used to select schoolchildren for the study. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect information on food consumption at home and at school using a 24-hour dietary recall method. Binary logistic regression was used to identify variables associated with students' dietary diversity scores at statistical significance at p < 0.05 after performing the Ki-square test of independence to identify candidate variables at p < 0.25. Results: The study involved 560 pupils aged 5 to 14, including 296 (52.9%) girls and 264 (47.9%) boys. The dietary diversity score (DDS) was low (DDS≤ 3), medium (DDS=4) and high (DDS ≥ 5) in 13.4%; 48.9% and 37.7% of pupils respectively. Students in Ganzourgou province were twice as likely to have a low SDA (AOR = 2.01, 95% CI: 1.00-4.04) compared to those in Oubritenga province. Household drinking water source, pupil status and father's occupation were significantly associated with pupils' dietary diversity intake. Conclusion: Primary school children in the Plateau Central region do not have good dietary practices. Promoting dietary diversification in households and balanced meals in school canteens would be necessary to improve the dietary diversity score of school-age children.