The role of street foods in the dietary pattern of two low-income groups in Nairobi

OBJECTIVES

To examine the frequency of street food consumption of people living in low-income settlements in Nairobi and the role of street foods in their daily diet and to reveal why people consume street foods rather than home-prepared foods. SETTING, SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive study was done with 1011 households and in-depth interviews with a subsample of 73 households in two selected areas in Nairobi: Korogocho, a low-income slum area and Dandora, a low-middle-income area.

RESULTS

The frequency of street food consumption was higher in Korogocho than in Dandora (3.6 vs 2.0 days per week; P<0.001). Street food consumption did not differ between different types of households, with the exception of household size. Employment status of the household head and street food consumption were related (P<0.001): consumption frequency of 3.7 days per week when irregularly or unemployed, 2.9 days/week when self-employed and 2.1 days/week when regularly employed. Furthermore, where an adult woman with primarily a domestic role was present, street food consumption was less (2.55 days per week when present vs 2.95 when not present; P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Street foods play an important role in the diet of poor households in Nairobi, in particular for breakfast and snacks, because they are cheap and convenient. The frequency of street food consumption is determined by a combination of at least four factors: level of household income; regularity of income; household size; and time available to prepare meals.

SPONSORSHIP

The project is financed by the Netherlands Foundation for the Advancement of Tropical Research (WOTRO), filenumber WV 96-153.

Energy and Protein Intake and Nutritional Status of Primary Schoolchildren 5 to 10 Years of Age in Schools with and without Feeding Programmes in Nyambene District, Kenya

The dietary intake and nutritional status of 162 children in a school with a lunch programme (the feedingprogramme group) and 163 children in a school without a lunch programme (the no-feeding-programme group) in Nyambene District, Kenya, were compared. The relationship between such child growth determinants as income sources, per capita weekly food expenditure and consumption frequency, per capita energy and protein intake, and the nutritional status of the children was also compared between the two groups. Daily caloric consumption in the group with a feeding programme was significantly higher than in the group without a feeding programme: 1,590 kcal, or 86% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA), versus 1,457 kcal, or 76% of the RDA ( p < .05). The protein intake was mainly of plant origin. Although not significantly different between the two groups, it was higher for children without a feeding programme (62 g; 238% of the RDA) than for those with a feeding programme (56 g; 216% of the RDA). The prevalence of wasting among children with a feeding programme (9%) was significantly higher than among those without a feeding programme (2%) ( p < .05). The level of stunting was about the same in both groups: 24% in the group with a feeding programme and 25% in the group without a feeding programme. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of underweight between the two groups. Overall, the nutritional status of girls was better than that of boys, although the difference was not statistically significant. It is evident that children participating in the feeding programme did not have a nutritional advantage over non-participants. Thus, there is need to evaluate school feeding programmes in Kenya to identify and address the weaknesses that curtail their impact.

Evaluation of weaning diets in peri urban Kumasi, Ghana

This work evaluates the commonly used weaning diets in peri-urban Kumasi, Ghana, in terms of the type of diets, daily energy and nutrient intakes of the infants, frequency of feeding, and the chemical composition of the diets. Women with children of up to two years old in peri-urban communities of Kumasi municipality of Ghana, were interviewed in a cross-sectional survey. One hundred and seventy two mothers were randomly sampled and questioned on their socio-economic characteristics, types of weaning diets they give to their children, and the dietary intakes of their children. Composition of the commonly used weaning diets, and the daily energy and protein intakes of the children were determined. Liquid weaning diets were introduced at a mean age of 2.2 +/- 2.4 months earlier than recommended, but solids were at appropriate time (5-7 months). The energy and protein intakes of the children were low, meeting only 49% and 90% of their respective recommended daily intakes. This is attributed to the low energy and protein densities of the commonly used liquid diet, koko, and low energy and nutrient contents of other weaning diets. It is recommended that an innovative nutrition education package that re-emphasises the need to introduce weaning diets with continued frequent breast feeding to ensure adequate caloric and protein intakes should be designed and implemented.

Effect of tempe-yellow maize porridge and milk-yellow maize porridge on growth rate, diarrhoea and duration of rehabilitation of malnourished children

The diet for 117 protein-energy-malnourished children admitted into the Mbooni Family Life Training Centre between November 1992 and March 1993, was supplemented with either tempe-yellow maize porridge (TYMP) or milk-yellow maize porridge (MYMP). Fifty-six malnourished children had their diet supplemented with TYMP. Another group of 61 children had theirs supplemented with MYMP. The growth rate (weight gain), duration of diarrhoeal episodes and rehabilitation period for each child was recorded and a comparison made between the two dietary groups. The TYMP group achieved a significantly (p < 0.05) higher growth rate (5.2 gm/kg body weight/day) compared to the MYMP whose growth rate was 2.2 gm/kg body weight/day. The mean daily protein and caloric consumption (per kg body weight) by the children in both groups (at 3.4 gm of proteins and 83 calories for the MYMP group and 3.9 gm of protein and 101 calories for the TYMP group) were not significantly different. The duration of diarrhoeal episodes for the MYMP group was significantly (P < 0.05) longer (4.6 diarrhoea days) than that of the TYMP group whose diarrhoeal episodes lasted 0.7 diarrhoea days. The rehabilitation period for the TYMP group (15 days) was significantly (p > 0.05) lower than that for the MYMP group which was 20 days. Furthermore, the cost of supplementing the diet for each child with the tempe-yellow maize porridge (KSh. 1625) was approximately 25% lower than that of supplementing it with milk-yellow maize porridge which was KSh. 2060. These results suggest that it may be more beneficial in terms of duration of both diarrhoeal episodes and rehabilitation period and overall institutional cost if malnourished children's diets are supplemented with tempe-yellow maize porridge.

Dietary considerations in designing nutrition intervention programmes in rural areas of Kenya

A comparative study was carried out in three localities in Kenya: Kwale, Mbooni and Lwak in an attempt to identify dietary factors important in designing community based nutrition interventions. The data indicate geographical differences in age at weaning, reasons for termination of breastfeeding, the variety in the diets consumed and the nutrient intake adequacy. However, there was no difference in the duration in breastfeeding and, for children above 6 months (a period when weaning is recommended) rarely was there any food termed as "baby food" but children consumed bits and portions of the family food. In all the localities, there was no statistical difference between households with malnourished children and those without in most of the factors. Households with children admitted in the nutritional rehabilitation centres in the localities were, however, different in most of the characteristics examined. It is concluded that dietary interventions should be targeted to households and not children, mothers' care and nutrition are of paramount importance if the nutrition condition of their children is to be improved and, planning of nutritional interventions should be specific to the districts.

Relationship between household access to food and malnutrition in eastern and southern Africa

This review paper gives an overview of the relationship between household access to food and malnutrition using national level data in the Eastern and Southern Africa Region. The overall prevalence of malnutrition amongst the under-five population have not changed significantly over the decade and, in some cases, have deteriorated. The situation of household access to food differs between economies and production systems, but most households (average of 80%) in the region do not have access to adequate food. A preliminary analysis of the determinants of malnutrition at country level pointed to the importance of: financial access to food (an indicator of household access to food) and; access to safe water (an indicator of household healthy environment), as the most significant variables predicting rates of malnutrition. Several areas for action by governments in the region and for further study within the subject of household access to food are delineated. These are: more clear determination of the relative contribution of household access to food, to the nutritional status of women and children and, improved analysis of indicators of household access to food.