Mastewal Zenebe|Samson Gebremedhin|Carol J. Henry|Nigatu Regassa
School feeding program has resulted in improved dietary diversity, nutritional status and class attendance of school children
Hawassa University|Hawassa University|University of Saskatchewan|University of Saskatchewan
school feeding program sfp targeted safety net program designed provide educational health benefits vulnerable children however limited evidence exists regarding effect intervention nutritional status school attendance children study aimed examining effects sfp dietary diversity nutritional status class attendance school children boricha district southern ethiopia study conducted based representative data collected 290 students drawn district schoolbased comparative crosssectional study conducted school children aged 1014 years data collected using structured pretested questionnaire effects sfp dietary diversity score dds class attendance rate bodymassindex age baz heightforage haz zscores assessed using multivariable linear regression model finding showed significantly higher mean sd dds sfp beneficiaries 58 11 nonbeneficiaries 35 07 p 0001 baz haz beneficiaries also higher counterparts 007 093 050 086 145 138 217 115 respectively p 0001 mean sd days absence school nonbeneficiaries 26 16 significantly higher beneficiaries 13 17 p 005 given positive effects program improving dds nutritional status class attendance school children strongly recommend scaling program food insecure areas