Adolescent Dietary Diversity and Micronutrient Deficiencies in Malawi and Ghana: Exploring Nutritional Challenges and food security—A Systematic Review

Résumé

Adequate nutrition is essential during adolescence to support physical growth, cognitive development, and metabolic processes. In Malawi and Ghana, limited dietary diversity and widespread micronutrient deficiencies among adolescents pose significant health challenges. These issues are largely influenced by food insecurity, poverty, and environmental changes. This narrative review examines the nutritional status of adolescents in both countries using data from peer-reviewed studies and policy documents. A systematic literature search was conducted across PubMed and Google Scholar for studies published between 2014 and 2025. The review focused on dietary patterns, micronutrient status, socio-economic influences, and policy responses. Findings reveal a double burden of malnutrition—undernutrition and rising overweight—especially among adolescent girls. In Malawi, 35% of girls aged 15–19 were anemic; in Ghana, the figure approaches 50%. Poor dietary diversity, food insecurity, and cultural factors contribute to high levels of iron, zinc, and vitamin A deficiencies. While school-based nutrition programs and micronutrient supplementation efforts exist, their impact is limited, especially in rural areas. In conclusion, adolescent malnutrition in Malawi and Ghana remains a public health concern, driven by dietary inadequacies and socio-economic disparities, despite ongoing nutrition interventions.

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