Dietary habits among primary school learners in the Tshwane West District of Gauteng, South Africa.

Background: Poor dietary habits are major contributors to malnutrition globally, particularly in children living in African countries. The widespread transition from African diet of healthy indigenous foods to a nutrient-poor Western-style diet is well-documented in global societal culture.

Aim: This study aimed to assess the dietary habits and their nutritional implications among learners in public primary schools.

Setting: City of Tshwane, located in the Gauteng province of South Africa.

Methods: This was a quantitative cross-sectional study where researcher-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from 814 primary school learners in grades 4-7. Anthropometric data were also collected. The study was conducted in 10 primary schools in the City of Tshwane.

Results: Unhealthy dietary practices were observed where consumption of refined carbohydrates, sugar-filled beverages and limited protein was prevalent. The prevalence rates for overweight and obesity were 15.1% and 11.3%, respectively. Most learners (77.4%) purchased foods from street vendors and tuckshops. Also, learners who knew about healthy eating were less likely to be underweight than those who did not (OR: 0.35; 95% CI: 0.14-0.85; p = 0.020).

Conclusion: Poor dietary habits are demonstrated in this study and may be associated with the rising levels of overweight and obesity among the learners. The findings also showed that the school environment is the main source of exposure to unhealthy diet.

Contribution: Intervention strategies, such as amendment of the national school nutrition policy, need to be implemented.