Pulse Brain · Growing Health Evidence Index
Tier 3 — Observational / field trialPeer-reviewed

Dietary intake and quality for young adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa: Status and influencing factors.

Madzorera I, Bromage S, Mwanyika-Sando M, Vandormael A, Sherfi H, Worku A, Shinde S, Noor RA, Baernighausen T, Sharma D, Fawzi WW.

Matern Child Nutr · 2025

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Summary

This paper documents the current state of dietary intake and nutritional quality among young adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa, whilst mapping key influencing factors at household and community levels. The authors likely identify substantial gaps between recommended and actual micronutrient intake, and establish socioeconomic and environmental correlates of poor diet quality that may inform targeted nutrition interventions in resource-limited settings.

UK applicability

Findings are primarily relevant to sub-Saharan African policy and programming contexts. However, the methodological approaches and mechanisms linking poverty, food environments and dietary quality may inform UK research on adolescent nutrition inequalities in disadvantaged communities.

Key measures

Dietary diversity, micronutrient intake, dietary quality indices, food consumption frequency, socioeconomic status, household food security

Outcomes reported

The study assessed the dietary intake patterns and nutritional quality consumed by young adolescents across sub-Saharan Africa, and identified socioeconomic, environmental and behavioural factors that influence dietary adequacy in this population.

Theme
Nutrition & health
Subject
Adolescent dietary intake and nutritional adequacy in low- and middle-income settings
Study type
Research
Study design
Observational cohort or cross-sectional analysis
Source type
Peer-reviewed study
Status
Published
Geography
Sub-Saharan Africa
System type
Human clinical
DOI
10.1111/mcn.13463
Catalogue ID
NRmo3d4gae-0bl

Topic tags

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