Associations between livestock ownership and lower odds of anaemia among children 6-59 months old are not mediated by animal-source food consumption in Ghana.
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SUBMITTER: Lambrecht NJ
PROVIDER: S-EPMC8189243 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:The mechanisms through which livestock ownership is associated with childhood anaemia are contested. Using a cross-sectional, community-based survey of 300 households in southern Ghana, we determined the associations of household livestock ownership with anaemia among children aged 2-5 years. Potential mediating effects of animal-source food (ASF) consumption, microbial infections, and household food security were investigated. Data on each child's anaemia, malaria, and intestinal infections were collected for a subset of 221 households. Anaemia was defined as a haemoglobin (Hb) concentration <110 g/L. ASF consumption was measured as a count of the number of different ASF types consumed by each child in the week prior to the interview. Household food security was measured with a 15-item, pre-tested tool adapted from the USDA Household Food Security Core Module. The number of sheep and goats in aggregate was associated with higher odds of a child being anaemic (aOR (95% CI) = 1.10 (1.03, 1.17)). Households owning more free-range poultry had greater diversity of consumed ASFs among children (Coef. (95% C) = 0.02 (0.01, 0.03)). Owning more pigs was associated with higher odds that a household was food secure (1.05 (0.99, 1.12). We found no evidence that the child's ASF consumption mediated the association of livestock ownership with child anaemia, however,household food security mediated the association between household pig ownership and child anaemia. Overall, household ownership of livestock was associated with higher ASF consumption among children and improved household-level food security, yet also a higher odd of anaemia among those young children. The mechanisms leading to these seemingly counterintuitive relationships require further investigation.
| S-EPMC6655609 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Livestock ownership may influence anaemia through complex and possibly contradictory mechanisms. In this study, we aimed to determine the association of household livestock ownership with anaemia among women aged 15-49 years and children aged 6-59 months in Ghana and to examine the contribution of animal source foods (ASFs) to consumption patterns as a potential mechanism mediating this association. We analysed data on 4,441 women and 2,735 children from the 2014 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey and 16,772 households from the Ghana Living Standards Survey Round 6. Haemoglobin measurements were used to define anaemia (non-pregnant women: <120 g/L; children: <110 g/L). Child- and household-level ASF consumption data were collected from 24-hour food group intake and food consumption and expenditure surveys, respectively. In multiple logistic regression models, household livestock ownership was associated with anaemia among children (OR, 95% CI: 1.5 [1.1, 2.0]), but not women (1.0 [0.83, 1.2]). Household ownership of chickens was associated with higher odds of anaemia among children (1.6 [1.2, 2.2]), but ownership of other animal species was not associated with anaemia among women or children. In path analyses, we observed no evidence of mediation of the association of household livestock ownership with child anaemia by ASF consumption. Ownership of livestock likely has limited importance for consumption of ASFs among young children in Ghana and may in fact place children at an increased risk of anaemia. Further research is needed to elucidate if and how pathogen exposure associated with livestock rearing may underlie this increased risk of anaemia.
| S-EPMC6055803 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ObjectiveTo determine the association between livestock ownership and Hb concentration of women of child-bearing age (WCBA) and preschool-aged children in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).DesignA prospective analysis of publicly available cross-sectional data, using linear and logistic regressions controlling for potential confounders.SettingTwenty-eight countries in SSA.Participants162 305 WCBA and 118 607 children aged 6-59 months.ResultsMore than half of WCBA (62·5 %) and children (58 %) belonged to households that owned livestock. The average altitude-adjusted blood Hb concentration for WCBA and children was 12.23 and 10·24 g/dL, respectively. In adjusted models, higher number of livestock owned was associated with lower Hb concentration for children but not for WCBA. The magnitude of the association for children was small, with one additional unit of livestock owned reducing Hb concentration by 0·001 g/dL. Higher numbers of cattle, cows and bulls, sheep, and goats were associated with lower Hb concentration for both groups. The number of certain categories of livestock owned was associated with the consumption of relevant foods by children. There was no association between the consumption of animal-source foods and Hb concentration or between livestock ownership and diarrhoeal diseases or fever among children.ConclusionsLivestock ownership in SSA had a net negative association with the Hb concentration of children and no association with that of WCBA. The results highlight the need for research aimed at clarifying the mechanisms linking livestock ownership and nutritional status, and identifying entry points for leveraging livestock ownership to improve the health of women and children in SSA.
| S-EPMC8020335 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundAnimal source foods (ASFs) are rich in high-quality proteins, including essential amino acids and highly bioavailable micronutrients vital for child growth and cognitive development. But, the daily consumption of ASFs among 6-23 months old children is very low in Tigray, Northern Ethiopia.ObjectiveThe study aimed to assess the effectiveness of nutrition education intervention to improve the consumption of ASFs among 6-23 months old children from rural communities with strict religious fasting traditions of avoiding intake of ASFs in Northern Ethiopia.MethodsA quasi-experimental study was conducted in two food insecure districts namely Samre Seharti (intervention) and Tanqua Abergele (comparison). The mother-child pairs in the intervention group (n = 140) received nutrition education based on the barriers and available resources for optimal consumption of ASFs among children and followed up for nine months. The mother-child pairs in the comparison group (n = 153) received routine nutrition education. The data were collected using a pre-tested structured questionnaire. The baseline and endline data assessment included interviews on socio-demographic and socio-economic status, dietary intake, and child feeding practices. The effectiveness of the intervention was measured using the difference-in-difference (DID) analysis model.ResultsAt endline, the consumption of ASFs among children was 19.5 percentage points higher in the intervention group compared with the comparison group (p = 0.008). In addition, there was a significant increase in egg consumption among children in the intervention group (DID of 16.9, p = 0.012) from the comparison group. No child was consuming meat at baseline in both the intervention and comparison arms and it was very low at endline (5.2% vs. 7.9%). Overall, the proportion of children that consumed eggs in the intervention group was higher than in the comparison group in households that owned sheep and goats (4.8% vs. 21.4%, p = 0.050) and chicken (6.3% vs. 43.8%, p = 0.002) after education interventions. However, no statistically significant difference was observed between cow ownership and milk consumption among children (p>0.05).ConclusionsAge-appropriate educational interventions for mothers and owning small livestock in the household can improve the consumption of ASFs and eventually the minimum diet diversity of children in communities with strict religious traditions of avoiding ASFs during the fasting seasons.
| S-EPMC9635712 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Religious fasting often involves abstention from animal source foods (ASFs). Although children are exempt, their diets are influenced by the widespread fasting practices. This study investigated the factors influencing ASF consumption among young children during the Lent fasting period in western Amhara, Ethiopia. We used baseline survey data from households with children 6-23 months of age (n = 2,646). We conducted regression analysis to examine the maternal and household factors associated with ASF consumption and path analysis to examine the direct and indirect effects of maternal knowledge, beliefs, social norms, and livestock ownership on ASF consumption. Only 24% of children consumed any ASF in the previous day-18% dairy products, 5% eggs, and 2% flesh foods. Mothers with high knowledge, beliefs, and social norms about feeding children ASFs during fasting had higher odds (odds ratio: 1.3-1.4) of children who consumed them. Compared with households with no ASFs, those with ASFs available were 4.8 times more likely to have children who consumed them. Most of the association between knowledge, beliefs and social norms, and ASF consumption was explained by pathways operating through ASF availability (approximately 9, 12, and 8 pp higher availability, respectively), which in turn were associated with higher consumption. Cow ownership was directly and indirectly associated with ASF consumption, whereas having chickens was indirectly associated with consumption via the availability pathway. Our findings corroborate the importance of maternal behavioural determinants related to feeding ASFs to children during fasting on ASF consumption via household availability and the positive influence of livestock ownership.
| S-EPMC6519067 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Context-specific research is needed on the relationship between household animal production and nutrition outcomes to inform programmes intervening in small-scale animal production. We examined associations between household animal/fishpond ownership and animal source food (ASF) consumption among 6- to 12-month-old infants enroled in the control arm of a cluster-randomised controlled trial in rural Bangladesh. We measured ASF consumption using a 7-day food frequency questionnaire at 6, 9 and 12 months and assessed household animal/fishpond ownership at 12 months. We developed negative binomial regression models with random intercepts for infant and cluster, controlling for infant age and sex, maternal age, socioeconomic status and season. Models were stratified by a dichotomised maternal decision-making score. Compared with infants in households without each animal type, those with 4-10 and ≥11 poultry consumed eggs 1.3 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.1, 1.6) and 1.6 (95% CI: 1.3, 2.0) times more, respectively; 2-3 and ≥4 dairy-producing animals consumed dairy 1.9 (95% CI: 1.3, 2.7) and 2.0 (95% CI: 1.3, 3.1) times more, respectively; and ≥12 meat-producing animals consumed meat 1.4 (95% CI: 1.0, 1.8) times more. It was unclear whether there was an association between fishpond ownership and fish consumption. Our results did not suggest that maternal decision-making power was a modifier in the relationship between animal/fishpond ownership and ASF consumption. In this South Asian context, strategies intervening in household animal production may increase infant consumption of eggs, dairy and meat, but not necessarily fish. Research is needed on the role of market access and other dimensions of women's empowerment.
| S-EPMC10262903 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Apart from high levels of energy, proteins, micro- and macronutrients, milk contains calcium and the insulin-like growth factor-1 that are of major relevance for children's development and growth. Using Demographic and Health Survey data between 1990 and 2017 with information on milk consumption and anthropometric measurements from all low- and middle-income countries available, we investigate whether milk consumption in childhood is associated with stunting, wasting, and underweight. We specify logistic regression models and adjust for a range of covariates and fixed effects on the primary sampling unit level. We analyze heterogeneity in the association by wealth quintiles and age groups and present country-specific estimates. The final samples for wasting, underweight and stunting include 668.463, 693.376, and 673.177 observations of children aged 6 to 59 months, respectively. Our results suggest that milk consumption is associated with a reduced probability of being underweight of 1.4 percentage points (95% confidence interval -0.02, -0.01) and a reduced probability of being stunted of 1.9 percentage points (95% confidence interval -0.02, -0.01). The association for wasting is not robust. The association is stronger for children from wealthier households, which might indicate that milk consumption is a proxy for better overall nutrition or socio-economic status.
| S-EPMC7174323 | biostudies-literature
Project description:INTRODUCTION:Anaemia, especially in children aged <5 years, is a global health problem disproportionately affecting populations in low-income and middle-income countries. It is associated with high disability and death rates and has a negative effect on development. This study seeks to evaluate the prevalence and determinants of anaemia in children aged 6-59 months residing in Africa. METHODS AND ANALYSIS:This protocol was prepared using the 2015 Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses for Protocols guidelines. Relevant citations will be identified by searching EMBASE, Web of Science, PubMed, Global Medicus Index and African Journals Online from inception to 30 September 2019 with no language restrictions. Two authors will independently screen and select eligible studies for the review. Random-effect meta-analytic methods will be used to pool study-specific estimates and heterogeneity will be assessed and quantified using the ?2 test on Cochrane's Q and I2 statistics, respectively. Publication bias will be evaluated using funnel plots and Egger's test. Subgroup analysis and multiple meta-regression using backward elimination will be performed to investigate sources of substantial heterogeneity. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION:No ethical approval is required for this study as it is based on already published data. The findings of the review will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and presented at conferences.
| S-EPMC7199940 | biostudies-literature
Project description:IntroductionStunting and anaemia, two severe public health problems, affect a significant number of children under the age of five. To date, the burden of and predictive factors for coexisting forms of stunting and anaemia in childhood have not been well documented in Ethiopia, where both the conditions are endemic. The primary aims of the present study were to: (i) determine the prevalence of co-morbid anaemia and stunting (CAS); (ii) and identify factors associated with these co-morbid conditions among children aged 6-59 months in Ethiopia.MethodsThe study was based on data from the Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS 2005-2016). The EDHS was a cross-sectional study that used a two-stage stratified cluster sampling technique to select households. A total weighted sample of 21,172 children aged 6-59 months was included in the current study (EDHS-2005 (n = 3898), EDHS-2011 (n = 8943), and EDHS-2016 (n = 8332)). Children with height-for-age z-scores (HAZ) less than -2 SD were classified as stunted. Anaemia status was measured by haemoglobin level with readings below 11.0 g/deciliter (g/dL) categorized as anaemic. A multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression model was used to identify the factors associated with CAS. The findings from the models were reported as adjusted odds ratios (AOR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).ResultsAlmost half of the children were males (51.1%) and the majority were from rural areas (89.2%). The prevalence of CAS was 24.4% [95% CI: (23.8-24.9)]. Multivariate analyses revealed that children aged 12-23 months, 24-35 months, and 36-59 months, and children perceived by their mothers to be smaller than normal at birth had higher odds of CAS. The odds of CAS were significantly higher among children born to anaemic mothers [AOR: 1.25, 95% CI: (1.11-1.41)], mothers with very short stature [AOR: 2.04, 95% CI: (1.44-2.91)], children from households which practiced open defecation [AOR: 1.57, 95% CI: (1.27-1.92)], children born to mothers without education [AOR: 3.66, 95% CI: (1.85-7.22)], and those who reside in rural areas [AOR: 1.41, 95% CI: (1.10, 1.82)]. Male children had 19% lower odds of having CAS compared to female children [AOR: 0.81, 95% CI: (0.73-0.91)]. Children born to mothers who had normal body mass index (BMI) [AOR: 0.82, 95%CI: (0.73-0.92)] reported lower odds of CAS.ConclusionsOne in four preschool-age children in Ethiopia had co-morbid anaemia and stunting, which is a significant public health problem. Future interventions to reduce CAS in Ethiopia should target those children perceived to be small at birth, anaemic mothers, and mothers with short stature.
| S-EPMC10341109 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundIntestinal parasitic infections are the world's largest public health issue, primarily in developing nations. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends deworming as a preventative or therapeutic measure for all vulnerable people residing in endemic areas. Despite this issue, there is little data on the prevalence and associated factors of deworming drug use among children under five years of age in East Africa.ObjectiveThis study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and contributing factors of deworming coverage among children under the age of five in East Africa using the most available national health survey data.MethodsData from the Demographic and Health Survey, which included 103,865 weighted children between the ages of 12-59 months, were used in this investigation. Our outcome of interest was taking deworming medicine six months before the interview. A logistic regression model was then fitted. A cutoff P value of 0.2 was used in the binary logistic regression analysis. To identify significant variables, a 95% confidence interval and adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with a value < 0.05 were used.ResultsThe prevalence of deworming in East Africa was 54.13% (95% CI: 53.83%-54.43%). The maternal age group of 24-34 years, and from 35-49 years (AOR = 1.37, 95% CI, 1.32,1.42), and (AOR = 1.71, 95% CI, 1.62,1.79), employed women (AOR = 1.62, 95% CI, 1.58,1.67), being from rural(AOR = 1.11,95% CI,1.07,1.15), unmarried mothers (AOR = 1.12,95% CI,1.09,1.15), mothers from poorer, middle, richer, and richest households (AOR = 1.16,95% CI, 1.12,1.21), (AOR = 1.23, 95% CI, 1.18,1.28), (AOR = 1.22,95% CI, 1.16,1.27), and (AOR = 1.27, 95% CI, 1.21,1.34) having at least one antenatal care follow up(AOR = 2.90, 95% CI, 2.63,3.16), health facility delivery(AOR = 1.69, 95% CI,1.64,1.75), mass media exposure AOR = 1.32, 955 CI, 1.29,1.36), having of 3-5 children (AOR = 0.89, 95% CI, 0.86,0.93), more than five children (AOR = 0.79, 95% CI, 0.73,0.86), and parity of 2nd or 3rd birth order (AOR = 1.05, 95% CI, 1.01,1.09) as compared to primi mothers were associated with the deworming among under five children in east Africa respectively.ConclusionThe under-five population in East Africa had a lower prevalence of deworming medication per the most recent DHS findings. Promoting mother and child health services (antenatal care, institutional delivery, family planning), as well as women's empowerment, should be prioritized.
| S-EPMC10833511 | biostudies-literature