dc.contributor.author | Faber, M. | |
dc.contributor.author | Phungula, M.A.S. | |
dc.contributor.author | Venter, S.L. | |
dc.contributor.author | Dhansay, M.A. | |
dc.contributor.author | Benadé, A.J.S. | |
dc.date.accessioned | 2020-06-26T13:00:53Z | |
dc.date.available | 2020-06-26T13:00:53Z | |
dc.date.issued | 2002-11 | |
dc.identifier.citation | Home gardens focusing on the production of yellow and dark-green leafy vegetables increase the serum retinol concentrations of 2–5-y-old children in South Africa. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition | en_US |
dc.identifier.issn | 00029165 | |
dc.identifier.uri | https://infospace.mrc.ac.za/handle/11288/595247 | |
dc.description.abstract | Background: Production of yellow and dark-green leafy vegetables at the household level may provide economically deprived households with direct access to provitamin A-rich foods.
Objective: The aim of the study was to determine whether the dietary intake of yellow and dark-green leafy vegetables and the serum retinol concentrations of children improve with a home-gardening program.
Design: A home-gardening program was integrated with a community-based growth-monitoring system in a rural village. Cross-sectional data were collected at baseline and 20 mo after implementation of the program. The dietary intake, serum retinol concentrations, and growth of 2-5-y-old children and maternal knowledge regarding vitamin A were determined. A neighboring village served as a control village.
Results: In the experimental village, 126 home gardens were established, representing approximately one-third of the households. Serum retinol concentrations in the experimental village increased significantly (P = 0.0078), whereas those in the control village decreased significantly (P = 0.0148). At follow-up, children from the experimental village consumed yellow and dark-green leafy vegetables more often and had significantly higher (P = 0.005) serum retinol concentrations (0.81 +/- 0.22 micro mol/L; n = 110) than did children from the control village (0.73 +/- 0.19 micro mol/L; n = 111). Maternal knowledge regarding vitamin A improved significantly in the experimental village (P = 0.001).
Conclusion: A home-gardening program that was integrated with a primary health care activity, linked to nutrition education, and focused on the production of yellow and dark-green leafy vegetables significantly improved the vitamin A status of 2-5-y-old children in a rural village in South Africa. | en_US |
dc.description.sponsorship | We thank Martelle Marais, Eldrich Harmse, and DeWet Marais for their excellent technical support; David Modise from the Agricultural Research Council for training in vegetable production; Lize van Stuijvenberg for critically reviewing the manuscript; our team of nutrition monitors for their invaluable support and dedication to the study; the Ndunakazi community; and the children and caregivers who participated in the study. | en_US |
dc.language.iso | en | en_US |
dc.publisher | American Society for Clinical Nutrition | en_US |
dc.relation.url | 10.1093/ajcn/76.5.1048 | en_US |
dc.rights | Attribution 3.0 United States | * |
dc.rights.uri | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/us/ | * |
dc.title | Home gardens focusing on the production of yellow and dark-green leafy vegetables increase the serum retinol concentrations of 2–5-y-old children in South Africa. | en_US |
dc.type | Article | en_US |
dc.contributor.department | Nutritional Intervention Research Unit of the Medical Research Council, Parow, South Africa. mieke.faber@mrc.ac.za | en_US |
dc.identifier.journal | American Journal of clinical Nutrition | en_US |
dc.research.unit | Closed Units | en_US |
dc.date.epub | 2002 | |