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Nutritional and cognitive status of entry-level primary school children in Zomba, rural Malawi
Owen W W Nkhoma1, Maresa E Duffy, Philip W Davidson
1Chancellor College, University of Malawi, Zomba, Malawi.
Insights
Malawian children
Area of Science:
- Child Nutrition and Development
- Public Health Interventions
- Educational Psychology
Background:
- High prevalence of stunted growth (42%) and underweight (25%) among Malawian children aged 6-8 years.
- Nutritional status is critical for cognitive development and school performance.
- School feeding programs (FP) are a common intervention to address child malnutrition.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate differences in nutritional and cognitive status between Malawian children attending schools with and without a national school feeding program.
- To identify factors associated with nutritional status in young children.
- To inform policy on school feeding program participation criteria.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study involving 226 children aged 6-8 years from two primary schools in Malawi.
- One school participated in a national school feeding program; the other did not.
- Nutritional status assessed via height, weight, and mid-upper arm circumference; cognitive function evaluated through memory, reversal learning, and attention tests.
Main Results:
- Prevalence of stunting and underweight was high and similar in both schools.
- School feeding program participation did not significantly impact overall nutritional or cognitive status.
- Mid-upper arm circumference was significantly predicted by school attended; previous childcare attendance was linked to lower body weight and height.
Conclusions:
- Both schools exhibited similar nutritional and cognitive statuses, suggesting a need for feeding program participation in both.
- Findings indicate that current school feeding program criteria may need broadening for more inclusive interventions.
- Further research and policy review are recommended to optimize the impact of school feeding programs on child well-being.
Abstract:
Entry-level Malawian children (n = 226) aged 6-8 years from two public primary schools, one a participant in a national school feeding programme (FP), the other not, were investigated for differences in nutritional and cognitive status. Stunted growth (42%) and underweight (25%) were prevalent, with no significant differences between the schools, although the school attended was a significant predictor of mid-upper arm circumference. Previous attendance at a community-based childcare centre was significantly associated with lower body weight and height. There were no significant differences in memory, reversal learning and attention outcomes between the schools. These findings report no major significant difference in nutrition or cognitive statuses between the schools, and on this basis suggest that both schools were equally in need of FP participation. More inclusive interventions and broadening/review of FP participation criteria are recommended.
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