Nutrition Transition of Adolescents (15-18 Years) in the Francistown Area, Botswana
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Nutrition transition of adolescents (15-18 years) in the Francistown area, Botswana ADAMS, T (10574302) DISSERTATION Masters in Consumer Science University of Pretoria © April 2015 Nutrition transition of adolescents (15-18 years) in the Francistown area, Botswana by Tothodzani Adams Dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the degree Masters in Consumer Science in the Department of Consumer Science Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA Supervisor: Dr AT Viljoen April 2015 Dedication This dissertation is dedicated to all the respondents and the Botswana Government who made this study a success through their shared experiences and the monetary aspect. Lastly this dissertation is dedicated to my beloved parents for my upbringing and the support they showed me throughout my studies; I love you with all my heart. 1 Declaration I, Tothodzani Adams, hereby declare that the dissertation hereby submitted by me is my own work for a Masters degree in Consumer Science at the University of Pretoria, and has not previously been submitted for a degree at this university or any other university. It is my own work in design and execution and all reference material contained herein has been acknowledged. ………….……… .………………………. TOTHODZANI ADAMS DATE 2 Acknowledgements My uttermost appreciation and gratitude go to Dr Annemarie Viljoen who supervised and patiently guided me throughout this study. As my supervisor her enormous, constructive assistance has contributed significantly to the quality and eventual completion of this research work. It is with pleasure and sincerest gratitude and appreciation that I acknowledge the following individuals and organisations: • Botswana Government for sponsorship throughout my studies. • Staff members of the Department of Consumer Science for helping me with their expertise in compiling the scales and measuring instruments of this study. • The Ministry of Education for allowing me to carry out my data collection in senior secondary schools in the Francistown city, Botswana. • To the participating schools; Mater Spei College, Francistown Senior Secondary School and Shashe River School, for their support and allowing the learners to volunteer and be part of the study. • My special thanks go to all the respondents, Form 4 and Form 5 learners who participated in this study. Your patience, views and opinions are highly appreciated. The research would not have been possible without your contribution. • To the parents and guardians of the respondents, thank you for giving consent to your children to be part of my study. • To my two research assistants, thank you for serving as my assistants for the pilot test and data collection. • Ms Jaqui Sommerville and Dr Nina Strydom from the Department of Statistics of the University of Pretoria, thank you very much for your contribution to the statistical data analysis section of this research, despite your busy schedules. Your patience, expertise and effectiveness is held in high esteem. • My deepest gratitude goes to Professor Joan Fairhurst and Mrs Ingrid Booysen for language and technical editing my dissertation, despite your busy schedules your patience, expertise and dedication to this study will always be appreciated and remembered. • To my mother, your love, support and encouragement throughout my entire journey of studying means a lot to me, and indeed really shows you were a “teacher’’ a “teacher of deeds not words” (ditiro e seng mafoko) and you still remain one even after retirement at home. Thank you so much mother, I love you. 3 • To my father through your leadership skills you have taught me to be a responsible citizen and to work with everybody in the society regardless of their characters, and that charity begins at home. One has to earn self-worth and respect to have dignity. This also contributes to my success. I thank and love you my father. • To my brothers, sisters, relatives and friends, it is my pleasure to thank you especially for your continued love and support. You made me cope while abroad, across boarders and making the distance away from home unfelt. • Above all I thank the Almighty God for His blessings and guidance, and all that I am today. Thank you all. 4 Abstract TITLE: Nutrition transition of adolescents (15-18 years) in the Francistown area, Botswana by Tothodzani Adams Supervisor: Dr A T Viljoen Department: Consumer Science Faculty: Natural and Agricultural Siences, University of Pretoria Degree: Master of Consumer Science (General) The current eating patterns of mid-adolescents in the Francistown area, in various contexts and situations are described to find out how their current food habits and food choice behaviour reflect the nutrition transition in Botswana. The investigation focuses on the extent to which traditional and Western-orientated foods figure in the diets of these young people. From documenting their current food habits at the same time, it was clear the external environments and the individual’s preferences influence their food choice behaviour. Worldwide, the nutrition transition underlies many public health problems associated with nutrition-related non-communicable diseases like obesity, diabetes and hypertension. Sub- Saharan Africa similarly, experiences a nutrition transition in that a Western-orientated food culture has gradually replaced traditional foods and food patterns. Botswana too reflects the presence of a nutrition transition. As there is limited information on the eating patterns and food-related behaviour of mid-adolescents in Botswana, this study fills a gap in the literature. This explorative, descriptive study followed a quantitative research design. A pretested, self- administered survey questionnaire, consisting of closed and open-ended questions, was developed. In three senior secondary schools in Francistown 242 Form 4 learners completed the questionnaire. Information gathered concerned the current eating patterns of the respondents, the extent of their snack and fast food consumption and their familiarity, preferences and frequency of consumption of traditional foods. Results reflect a change from the traditional meal pattern and its composition to a Western- orientated pattern of three meals a day with in-between meal snacking. Breakfast consisted of either tea and bread, or tea and a soft porridge prepared from sorghum or maize meal. Maize and sorghum continue to be the staple grains. They form part of at least one or more 5 meals a day. Lunch and supper included stiff cereal porridges or cooked cereal grains prepared from the staple grains. Meat or a vegetable relish or legume dish accompanied these meals. Most respondents regularly enjoyed traditional Batswana foods, giving positive responses and reasons for doing so. These traditional foods, specifically the staple foods (maize, sorghum and millet) and indigenous legumes are eaten regularly. This study gives valuable insight into how knowledge, beliefs, attitudes and values contribute to food choice behaviour related to healthy eating and traditional foods. Although the respondents were knowledgeable about healthy eating it was not regular practice, and specifically evident in the low consumption of fruit, vegetables and dairy products. This observation raises concerns. Respondents consumed modern foods that are readily available in the external environments of their homes, schools and in retail stores. However, their attitudes, values and beliefs about traditional foods remained positive. Recommendations from the results of this study suggest that proper nutrition education and nutrition curriculum planning in schools could increase vegetable, fruit and dairy consumption and discourage the consumption of high fat and sugar containing snack foods, particularly among mid-adolescents. In conducting a study there were limitations the researcher encountered mainly that access to respondents who were learners at the previously mentioned schools was not easy to effect. Keywords: Eating patterns Food choice behaviour Food context Food habits Meal composition Mid-adolescents Nutrition transition Traditional Batswana foods 6 Table of Contents DEDICATION i DECLARATION ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iii ABSTRACT v TABLE OF CONTENTS vii LIST OF FIGURES xiii LIST OF TABLES xv LIST OF ADDENDA xvii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS xviii Chapter 1 THE STUDY IN PERSPECTIVE 1 1.1 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND 1 1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT AND JUSTIFICATION 5 1.3 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES 5 1.4 RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY 6 1.5 DELIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY 7 1.6 OUTLINE OF THE RESEARCH REPORT 7 1.7 CHAPTER CONCLUSION 7 Chapter 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 9 2.1 INTRODUCTION 9 2.2 THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVE 9 2.3 FACTORS INFLUENCING THE FOOD CHOICE PROCESS 12 2.3.1 External environmental factors 13 2.3.2 Internal environmental factors 16 2.4 FORMATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF FOOD HABITS 17 2.4.1 Primary socialisation 19 2.4.2 Secondary socialisation 19 2.4.3 Resocialisation 20 2.4.4 Normative influences 20 2.5 DEVELOPMENTAL MODEL OF FOOD CULTURE 21 7 2.6 NUTRITION TRANSITION 27 2.7 BATSWANA EATING PATTERNS 28 2.7.1 Geographic location 29 2.7.2 Traditional food acquisition methods 29 2.7.3 Traditional foods and dishes 30 2.7.3.1 Cereal and cereal products 31 2.7.3.2 Legumes 34 2.7.3.3 Indigenous vegetables 34 2.7.3.4 Indigenous fruits 35 2.7.3.5 Cattle and other livestock) 36 2.7.3.6 Fish 37 2.7.3.7 Insects 38 2.7.3.8 Honey 39 2.7.3.9 Breads 39 2.7.4 Traditional eating patterns 39 2.7.4.1 Traditional meal pattern 40 2.7.4.2 Traditional