Fish Consumption and Dietary Diversity in Timor-Leste

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Dietary Deficiency

• Registration Number: NCT04729829
• Lead Sponsor: WorldFish

Brief Summary

A one-year, cluster-randomized, partially masked, controlled trial to test and compare the effects of fish aggregating devices and social and behaviour change communication on the frequency and volume of household fish consumption in upland areas of Timor-Leste.

Detailed Description

This trial is a one-year, cluster-randomized, partially masked, controlled trial among families living in rural, inland Timor-Leste. This trial aims to test and compare the effects of two treatments, alone and in combination, on the frequency and volume of household fish consumption in upland areas as a proxy for improved dietary diversity and micronutrient intake. Treatment 1 is the installation of nearshore, moored fish aggregating devices (FADs) to improve catch rates with existing fishing gears. Treatment 2 is social and behaviour change (SBC) activities to promote fish consumption. Villages in inland communities will be randomized to receive treatment 1, treatment 2, both treatments, or neither treatment. Some households with one child under five will be recruited, and data will be collected at baseline (prior to the rollout of the treatments) and endline. Our study will determine the impact of an improved supply of fish, along with nutrition-oriented SBC activities, on the fish purchasing and consumption practices of rural, inland households. Findings from this study are urgently needed by small island developing states in order to make policy and investment decisions on how best to improve households' diets using locally available, nutrient-dense foods such as fish. Investments such as these are needed to break the cycle of malnutrition.

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2021-01-25
• Study First Submitted QC: 2021-01-25
• Study First Posted: 2021-01-29
• Study Start: 2021-05-15
• Primary Completion: 2021-09-19
• Study Completion: 2022-09-30
• Status Verified: 2024-08
• Last Update Submitted: 2024-08-26
• Last Update Posted: 2024-08-28

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 720

Inclusion Criteria

• The individual's household is situated in a village included in the study, within a 30km radius of a coastal treatment site.

Exclusion Criteria

• The individual's household is not situated in a village included in the study.

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Frequency of fish consumed at household level	1 year	measured as the number of days fish were consumed out of the previous seven days.
Per capita household fish consumption	1 year	measured as total quantity (g) of fish consumed by the household in the previous seven days divided by the number adult equivalents in the household.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Frequency of fish consumption in children	1 year	measured as the number of days fish were consumed out of the previous seven days.
Frequency of fish consumption in women	1 year	measured as the number of days fish were consumed out of the previous seven days.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

WorldFish Timor-Leste; 🇹🇱 Dili, Timor-Leste