Faber, M.Smuts, C.M.Benade, A.J.S.2020-05-252020-05-251999Faber M, Smuts CM, Benade AJS. Dietary intake of primary school children in relation to food production in a rural area in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. International journal of food sciences and nutrition0963-7486https://infospace.mrc.ac.za/handle/11288/595236The adequacy of food intake of primary school children living in a low socioeconomic rural area, +/- 60 km northwest of Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa was assessed in a cross-sectional study. Primary school children, 10 and 11 years old and in grades 5, 6 and 7, and their mothers/caretakers were interviewed. Dietary intake was assessed by a 24-h recall and an unquantified food frequency questionnaire. Local food production was assessed by questionnaire. The diet consumed by the children comprised a limited number of food items. Fruit and vegetable consumption was low, resulting in a poor intake of micronutrients. Despite the local production of some vitamin A rich food crops, the quantity grown and eaten was low. The long-term solutions for combatting micronutrient deficiencies in this rural area include targeted local food production accompanied by a nutrition education programme, to be initiated and monitored by a multi-sectoral team of agriculturists and health scientists.enAttribution 3.0 United Stateshttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/us/Food science technologyNutrition, obesity, metabolic disordersBiological and medical sciencesMedical sciencesHuman physiology applied to population studies and life conditions. Human ecophysiologyTropical medicineFeedingFeeding behaviorEnvironmental factorHumanSchool ageFoodFood intakePrimary schoolChildFrequencyRural environmentProductionArticleInternational Journal of Food Science and Nutrition