Girls suffer more malnutrition than boys — Survey

A survey on the nutritional status of schoolchildren in four regions in the country has revealed that the burden of anaemia in girls is twice as high in boys.

This highlights that overall, there is a multiple burden of malnutrition among adolescents, especially girls.

The results of the survey further showed that among girls, iron deficiency and anaemia were both moderate public health problems.

The results of the survey, conducted between October to November 2022, were made known yesterday at a dissemination of findings of the 2022 Girls Iron Folate Supplement (GIFTS)  impact assessment programme organised by the Ghana Health Service (GHS).

Present at the event were partners such as the World Health Organisation, USAID, traditional rulers and the queenmother of Adabraka, Naa Korkor Aadzieoyi.

GIFTS

The GIFTS programme is an integrated nutrition and health education programme for junior and senior high school boys and girls between 10 and 19 years, and those who are out of school in all the regions across the country.

It has two key components - iron folic acid tablets for girls and health and nutrition education for both boys and girls.

Started in 2017, the initiative is led by the Ghana Health Service with support from GES, UNICEF, CDC and other partners. It, among others, provides education on anaemia and malaria prevention; weekly iron and folic acid (IFA) tablets given to girls and messages on water, sanitation and hygiene.

The survey was conducted in 240 schools selected from the North East, Upper West, Ashanti and the Greater Accra regions, which span three ecologic zones, namely northern savannah, the middle forest and the Coast.

Findings

Presenting the findings of the survey, Eugenia Demuyakor of the USA Centre for Disease Control, said anaemia prevalence was 11 per cent in boys while among girls, iron deficiency and anaemia prevalence were both 22 per cent, signifying a moderate public health concern.

She said knowledge of IFA and anaemia was high among girls and moderate among boys, adding that they saw that one in five girls was either overweight or obese, while in boys, it was much lower.

She said overall, only two per cent of girls had Vitamin B12 depletion while for Vitamin A deficiency, it was five per cent.

Ms Demuyakor stressed the need for the country to continue to collect up-to-date data, pointing out that it would help move programmes such as GIFTS forward.

The Chief of Health and Nutrition of UNICEF Ghana, Dr Manuel Dewez, said UNICEF remained committed to supporting the government of Ghana in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those on Zero Hunger, health and well-being, and that the GIFTS programme was an important component.

He called for collaboration on strengthening school health and nutrition programmes; increasing awareness and education on anaemia and IFA; improvingdietary diversity and food security; enhancing teacher training, support, monitoring and evaluating programme impact.

“Together we can create a brighter future for Ghana's adolescents, where every girl and boy have access to the nutrients and education they need to thrive and reach their potential,” he said.

Speaking on behalf of the Director-General of the GHS, Dr Patrick Kumah Aboagye, the Director, Family Health Division of the GHS, Dr Marion Okoh-Owusu, mentioned the success of GIFTS to include the fact that national survey results had shown a reduction in the prevalence of anaemia among girls from 48 per cent in 2014 to 44 per cent in 2022.

She said many adolescents faced challenges with nutrition and also had mental health concerns which impacted their well-being and their relations as they navigated their critical period of adolescence into adulthood.

”When adolescents are healthy and well-nourished, they can learn better, work harder and contribute more to society as happy, powerful girls,” she stressed.

The Deputy Director of Technical Coordination at the Ministry of Health, Deborah Djane, said nutrition remained a critical issue affecting a large segment of the population, particularly children, women and adolescents, pointing out that undernutrition, anaemia, Vitamin A deficiency and other micronutrient deficiencies remained significant public health concerns.