manuscript data 10/20/25
Description
We conducted a cross-sectional study among 198 adolescent mothers with children aged 6 to 23 months to identify existing food and nutrient gaps. Dietary intake was assessed using a 24-hour recall method and semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Chi-square test was used to compare different categories, and independent t-test was used to evaluate differences between means. Our results reveal that 63% of children met the minimum acceptable diet, with gaps in the daily consumption of animal-source foods, fruits, and dark green leafy vegetables. Protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, thiamin, vitamin B12, folate, calcium, iron, and zinc intakes were inadequate. Consumption of sweetened beverages and unhealthy foods was 31.3% and 33.3%, respectively..
Files
Steps to reproduce
Using IBM SPSS Statistics 25 software, descriptive statistics (means, frequencies, and percentages) were generated for variables such as social, demographic and economic characteristics, and caregivers’ knowledge of IYCF practices. Chi-square test was used to compare categorical variables, while independent t-test was used to evaluate differences among continuous variables, which were presented as means ± standard deviations (SD). A p-value ≤0.05 was the threshold for statistical significance. Food items were entered into NutriSurvey software (www.nutrisurvey.de/ena2011) with the estimated amount consumed for each individual to identify nutrient intakes.
Institutions
- Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources
Categories
Funders
- Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources