Knowledge and use of vitamin A-fortified foods for women in the city of Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso

Abstract

Promoting the consumption of vitamin A-fortified food is a strategy implemented to tackle vitamin A deficiency. The study aimed to determine the knowledge and the method of use of these VA-fortified foods by women in households in Bobo-Dioulasso. A community-based cross-sectional study was carried out in Bobo-Dioulasso and included 384 female household careers. In each household, a standardized questionnaire was administered to the woman in charge of the meals. Logistic regression using STATA software (Corp LLC version 15.1) was used to analyze the knowledge and the use of these fortified foods in relation to socio-economic factors. Approximately 57.6% of the women were unaware of the existence of VA-fortified foods and 94.7% used them. The most used VA-fortified foods were vegetable oils and VA-fortified cubes with proportions of use of 55.2% and 31.5% respectively. Improvement of meals taste was the most common reason of their used. Knowledge of these foods was significantly associated (β=1.627; p= 0.021) with women's occupation. However, knowledge of these foods had a positive influence (β=2.763; p= 0.032) on their use in households. This study showed that VA-fortified foods were little known but widely used in households. They were used to enhance the taste of meals and not to prevent VA deficiency.  Action needs to be taken to achieve this primary objective of their use.