Effect of nutrition education intervention to improve dietary practice and nutritional status among the elderly in Ilu Aba Bor Zone, Southwest Ethiopia

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Abstract Background: As the world’s aging population grows, nutrition and health issues are becoming a major concern. Malnutrition in the elderly is associated with both short- and long-term negative health outcomes. Theory-based nutritional education helps diminish the challenges related to aging among the elderly. Objectives: The current study aimed to evaluate the effect of nutrition education intervention on dietary practice and the nutritional status of the elderly. Study design: A Cluster randomized controlled trial. Methods: A pretest−posttest cluster randomized controlled trial mediated by social cognitive theory was conducted among 720 elderly selected from two urban and 12 semi-urban areas of Illu Aba Bor zone, southwest Ethiopia from December 1,2021 to May 30,2021. A pre‐tested, structured interviewer‐administered questionnaire was used for data collection. A qualitative 24‐h dietary recall was used to assess dietary diversity, and the Mini nutritional assessment (MNA) tool was used to assess nutritional status. The intervention effect was evaluated using difference‐in‐ difference and generalized estimating equation models. Results: The mean dietary diversity score differed significantly between the intervention group and the control group (p<0.001). According to the multivariable generalized estimating equations model, the intervention group was 7.7 times (AOR = 7.746, 95% CI: 5.012, 11.973) more likely to consume a diverse diet than the control group. The nutrition status of elderly in the intervention group improved significantly at the end of the intervention (p < 0.001). Conclusions: This study showed that theory based nutrition education intervention was effective in improving the dietary diversity practice and nutritional status of the elderly. The researchers recommend that more social cognitive-based interventional studies on other behavioral, socio-cultural and environmental aspects of the elderly's dietary diversity behavior be conducted.

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