Background: In the Ethiopian Rift Valley, ways to reduce the fluoride (F) burden from drinking water have been unsuccessful. Calcium (Ca) intake may mitigate fluorosis by binding with F ions and preventing absorption. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between Ca intake and proportion of fluorosis symptoms in school-age children in an area where F levels are known to be higher than WHO limit of 1.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Environ Res Public Health
February 2022
Fluorosis is a major public health problem in the Rift Valley of Ethiopia. Low calcium (Ca) intake may worsen fluorosis symptoms. We assessed the occurrence of fluorosis symptoms among women living in high-fluoride (F) communities in South Ethiopia and their associations with dietary Ca intake.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDietary calcium binds Fluoride (F), thus preventing excess F absorption. We aimed to assess the efficacy of supplementing calcium-containing Eggshell Powder (ESP) on F absorption using urine F excretion and on fluorosis symptoms. In total, 82 women (41 Intervention Group, IG; 41 Control Group, CG) were recruited; overall, 39 in each group completed the trial.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Improving children's weight status through nutrition education (NE) for mothers about using pulses in complementary feeding has been demonstrated in pilot studies, but no effect on stunting was reported. The aim of the study was to assess the impact of a 9-month pulse-nutrition education program on improving mothers' knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) towards pulses, as well as its effect on children's diet diversity, and nutritional status. The NE was delivered by Health Extension Workers (HEWs).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study aimed to determine the effect of a 6-month in-school nutrition education intervention to improve pulse consumption on weight status of adolescent girls in Ethiopia. At the intervention school, 66 girls received bi-monthly lessons that included recipes and tastings. Girls (n = 66) at the control school had usual in-school activities.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFComplementary foods (CFs) in Ethiopia are cereal based and adding locally grown pulses (legumes) to CF would provide needed nutrients. To assess the effects of nutrition education (NEd) using Health Belief Model (HBM) in promoting pulses for CF, a 6-month quasi-experimental study was conducted in 160 mother-child pairs. Knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) questions were given to mothers at baseline, midline, and endline, along with anthropometric measurements of children.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn Ethiopia many women do not practice appropriate complementary feeding (CF). The Health Belief Model (HBM) asserts that change in behavior is determined after consideration of severity, benefit, and barriers to change. This study examined the effectiveness of 3 months of HBM-based education compared to the traditional (didactic) method on CF practices of mothers, with no education as control, using three randomized groups.
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