Masters Degrees (Human Nutrition)

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Browsing Masters Degrees (Human Nutrition) by Author "Bobo, Zizo Nangamso"

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    Promoting traditional and indigenous foods in South Africa : a desktop review
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2021-12) Bobo, Zizo Nangamso; Beukes, Ronel Annamarie; Sigge, G. O.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. Dept. of Global Health. Human Nutrition.
    ENGLISH SUMMARY : INTRODUCTION: One of the most pressing issues confronting South Africa is ensuring access to sufficient, nutritious, and affordable food that is produced in a sustainable manner. However, a significant proportion of the diverse foods available in our environment have been overlooked in favour of a few commercial staple foods, resulting in a food supply that is too limited. Growing population rates, urbanization, and persistently rising food prices have resulted in a shift in dietary patterns from more traditional to more westernized diets, where healthier food options have become a luxury and highly processed and refined convenience foods are marketed as less expensive options, all of which are contributing to the emergence of a nutrition crisis in SA. This has resulted in the displacement of traditional and indigenous food crops (TIF), as well as a change in the diet of South Africans. Current dietary patterns reflect an increased intake of a small number of domesticated plant staples, while the intake of TIF, which once sustained health and nutritional status, has decreased significantly. The goal of this study is to conduct a literature evaluation on the promotion of TIF in South Africa. METHODOLOGY: This review was conducted using a systematic search of current academic literature from the following databases: Science Direct, Jstor, EBcohost, Bio-med and PubMed, and Google scholar. Abstract, title, keywords, and subject headings specific to each of the identified databases were searched. The review included studies with both analytical and descriptive study designs. RESULTS: Of the 26699 titles and abstracts screened 103 were potentially eligible. The review included five studies that included TIF as part of the intervention strategy after examination of full texts. Of the total 5 studies included in the review, 2 were cross-sectional studies, 2 were randomized control trials and 1 was a pre-test post-test control group design. All of the studies were based in rural communities. All the interventions had children, ages 1-12 years, as the primary benefactors. The studies included in this review have indicated the promotion and consumption of TIFs resulted in improved nutritional status, particularly vitamin A, zinc, and iron status. The inclusion and promotion of TIF in nutrition messages can significantly improve diet quality and ensure dietary diversification. This is attributed to the various components that form part of successful community-based interventions. CONCLUSION: The five studies discussed in the review are generally acknowledged to be successful in their own right. They have shown that the promotion, production and consumption of TIF in conjunction with nutrition messages and health-based caring practices does improve household food and nutrition security, particularly in vulnerable groups.