The effects of nutrition and health education on the nutritional status of internally displaced schoolchildren in Cameroon: a randomised controlled trial.

Lack of nutrition knowledge and poor dietary practices have profound adverse implications on nutritional status particularly among displaced children. Evidence of the effectiveness of nutrition education interventions in improving the nutritional status of internally displaced schoolchildren in Cameroon is scarce. The study objective was to assess the effects of nutrition education on the nutritional status of internally displaced schoolchildren in the West and Littoral Regions of Cameroon. A pre-test-post-test randomised experimental study design was used with an experimental and control group of 160 children from ten primary schools and their caregivers. Anthropometric, biochemical, and clinical signs of malnutrition, dietary, and health status of the children were evaluated, and the caregiver's nutrition knowledge was assessed in both groups at baseline and end-line with the aid of standard anthropometric and biochemical equipment and recorded in pretested questionnaires. Nutrition education was carried out only with the caregivers of children in the test group. In the test group, significant beneficial outcomes were noticed only for Bitot's spot (p = 0.047), pallor (0.025), frequency of consumption of fruits (p = 0.002) and vegetables (p = 0.036), caregiver's nutrition knowledge (p = 0.000), all health-seeking practices of the children (p < 0.05) except immunisation (p = 0.957). No significant change was seen in any of the parameters studied among the participants in the control group. Nutrition education alone was not effective in improving the nutritional status of the children and should be implemented together with other food-based nutrition interventions to improve the nutritional status of internally displaced schoolchildren in the West and Littoral Regions of Cameroon.

An assessment of the breastfeeding practices in Momo division, North West region of Cameroon.

The aim of this study was to assess maternal breastfeeding practices of children aged 0 to 24 months in Momo Division. It was also to identify the maternal sources of breastfeeding information and determine their impact on maternal breastfeeding decision in this division. Structured interviewer questionnaires were administered to 540 mothers. Among the 540 children included in the study, 77% of them received no prelacteal foods. Despite the fact that 47% of mothers initiated breastfeeding early, only 38% exclusively breastfed their infants for 6 months. Complementary feeding was introduced before the age of 6 months (59.5%). Few infants (2.4%) received complementary feeding later than 6 months. Only 3.1% of the children were breastfed up to two years or beyond. The most common source of breastfeeding information for the mothers is from the family, friends, and neighbors but information from healthcare professionals had the most influential effect on maternal breastfeeding decision. Although a few mothers in Momo Division followed the recommended breastfeeding practices, the breastfeeding practices in this division are generally suboptimal.