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Topical Area: Nutrition Education and Behavioral Science

Nutrition Education and Behavioral Science (Poster Session)

(P28-008-23) Factors Associated With School Health and Nutrition Programs in Uganda

Monday, July 24, 2023
12:45 PM – 1:45 PM ET
Location: Poster Board 88

    Presenting Author(s)

  • Richard Bukenya, PhD (he/him/his)

    Research Associate
    Makerere University School of Public Health, Department of Community Health and Behavioral Sciences
    Kampala, Wakiso, Uganda

    • Co-Author(s)

  • BE

    Beatrice Ekesa

    Healthy Diets from Sustainable Food Systems Initiative, Bioversity International, Kampala, Uganda

  • DG

    Diana S. Grigsby-Toussaint

    Department of Behavioural and Social Sciences, Department of Epidemiology, Brown University

  • JA

    Jeanette M. Andrade, Ms

    University of Florida

  • RM

    Robert Mugabi

    Department of Food Technology and Nutrition, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda

  • JM

    John Muyonga

    Department of Food Technology and Nutrition, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda

  • Juan E. Andrade Laborde, PhD

    Associate Professor of Global Nutrition
    Food Science and Human Nutrition Department, University of Florida
    Gainesville, Florida, United States

Disclosure(s):
Richard Bukenya, PhD: No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.


Objectives: Factors influencing the implementation of guidelines for school feeding programs are multiple. Using the diffusion of innovation framework, we examined the extent to which head teachers' individual characteristics and school environmental factors influenced the implementation of school feeding guidelines in Uganda.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with head teachers (n = 218) from Uganda’s Wakiso and Mukono school districts. The nutrition knowledge of head teachers was evaluated using a validated general nutrition knowledge questionnaire (133 items). School head teachers’ gender, any degree, teaching and administrative experience, frequency of use and access to the school feeding guidelines and other sources of information like internet were evaluated. School environment outcomes included: school ownership, climate and materials like kitchen, parent involvement in school activities, and the number of registered students. Relationships among variables were investigated using multiple regression analysis.

Results: Head teachers’ nutrition knowledge, education, and frequency of using and accessing sources of information were associated with a higher awareness score of the guidelines (Adjusted R2= 0.42, p <0.001). School environment characteristics like school ownership, parent involvement, school materials, and the number of qualified staff, and awareness were associated with the implementation of the guidelines Adjusted R2= 0.30, p <0.001).

Conclusions: Head teachers' understanding of the guidelines was associated with their knowledge of nutrition and access to information. School ownership, parent involvement, and awareness were associated with implementation of the Guidelines in schools. Improving the nutrition knowledge of key school stakeholders should be included in national nutrition agenda for effective school feeding policies. Advocacy to support and implement school policies is needed to improve several school environments.

Funding Sources: This material was supported by the United States Agency for International Development, the Feed the Future initiative (The CGIAR Fund, BFS-G-11-00002, and the Food Security and Crisis Mitigation II grant, EEM-G-00-04-00013); and the University of California-Davis, The Norman E. Borlaug Leadership Enhancement in Agriculture Program (Borlaug LEAP) Fellowship.