Dietary nutrient deficiency puts Kampala’s adolescent girls at risk

18 June 2024, 12:22 am

By Byamukama Alozious

In a recent briefing at the Ministry of Health in Wandegeya, Kampala, Dr. Daniel Kyabayinze and officials from the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) unveiled findings from a comprehensive dietary assessment among secondary school learners in Kampala and surrounding areas.

Conducted last year, the study included 4,008 adolescent learners aged 15 and above from 60 private and public secondary schools in Kampala and surrounding areas. The results revealed that 49% of female learners are not meeting the Minimum Dietary Diversity for Women (MDD-W), placing them at significant risk of micronutrient deficiencies.

This alarming statistic underscores the urgent need to address the nutritional needs of girls, especially those who have begun menstruating. Menstruation increases the body’s demand for essential nutrients like iron, calcium, vitamin D, folate, zinc, and vitamin A, which are crucial for preventing anaemia, supporting bone development, and maintaining overall health.

The lack of dietary diversity exacerbates these deficiencies, potentially leading to non-communicable diseases such as obesity, heart disease, liver problems, cancer, and diabetes. Experts emphasise the importance of ensuring that girls have access to a varied, nutrient-rich diet to support their rapid growth and developmental needs during adolescence.

A balanced diet incorporating vegetables, fruits, whole grains, proteins, and healthy fats is crucial for meeting these increased nutritional demands. Addressing this issue involves not only improving dietary education and awareness but also tackling economic and cultural barriers that limit access to diverse foods.

Urgent action is required to safeguard the health and future of these young women, ensuring they can thrive both academically and personally. The study revealed that school canteens predominantly sell high-sugar foods such as snacks and sweets, placing a heavy burden on boarding students.

Dr. Kyabayinze noted that only 25% of learners consumed all five recommended food groups, while a significant consumption of non-communicable disease (NCD) risky foods was observed, with 70% of learners consuming sweet and salty snacks, and 60% consuming deep-fried foods.

Furthermore, the findings indicated that posho and beans are the predominant meals served but lack sufficient nutrients to meet the World Health Organization’s Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) for proper growth and development.

Boarding school meals met less than half of the energy requirements, while day school meals met only 30%, which is inadequate considering the time spent at school. This meant that meals provided were deficient in key micronutrients such as iron, zinc, vitamin A, and B-group vitamins.

Ministry of Health expressed concern that maize flour, known as ‘super’, is low in essential nutrients, and highlighted deficiencies in beans, salt, and edible oil to meet the body’s growth needs. The ministry recommends a maximum daily intake of 5g of salt, cautioning that higher consumption raises the risk of high blood pressure and other non-communicable diseases.

The ministry urges sustainable actions to enhance the consumption of safe, nutritious, healthy, affordable, and diversified diets in schools, aligning with the parent-led school feeding guidance. Continued support from partners, especially GAIN, is crucial for the success of these initiatives.

Agnes Sebowa, a senior technical officer for the Adolescent Schools Health Division, mentioned that they are collaborating with the Ministry of Education to develop a nutrition profile model that labels food based on its nutrient content, benefiting both learners and the general population.

Senior nutritionist Sarah Ngalombi emphasised that the ministry has prioritised children’s nutrition and pregnant mothers, but has overlooked adolescents, resulting in a burden of non-communicable diseases in schools, impacting education and financial resources.

The ministry calls for similar studies in other regions of Uganda to obtain a comprehensive national understanding of school nutrition and ensure the health and well-being of all students across the country. This joint study by the ministry and GAIN aims to enhance the consumption of safe, nutritious, and affordable food for learners.