Randomized assessments revealed improved socio-emotional stability in adolescents after food security interventions, suggesting long-term benefits in cognitive outcomes.
Adolescence is a critical period for cognitive and socio-emotional development. In Zimbabwe's low-income areas, food security and nutrition interventions are scarce, yet their impact on adolescent development remains underexplored. Participants were recruited from randomly selected schools in low-income areas. Data collection included standardised assessments for cognitive and socio-emotional development before and after a six-month intervention period. A notable theme emerged regarding improved socio-emotional stability among adolescents who received interventions, characterized by a significant reduction in stress levels (p < 0.05). The findings suggest that targeted food security and nutrition interventions can positively influence adolescent development, particularly in socio-emotional domains. Further longitudinal studies are recommended to explore the long-term effects of such interventions on adolescent cognitive abilities.
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Nyoni et al. (2000) studied this question.
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