Fish Consumption and Dietary Diversity in Timor-Leste
- Conditions
- Dietary Deficiency
- Interventions
- Behavioral: Social and behaviour change communicationOther: Fish aggregating device
- 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.
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- COMPLETED
- Sex
- All
- Target Recruitment
- 720
- The individual's household is situated in a village included in the study, within a 30km radius of a coastal treatment site.
- The individual's household is not situated in a village included in the study.
Study & Design
- Study Type
- INTERVENTIONAL
- Study Design
- PARALLEL
- Arm && Interventions
Group Intervention Description FAD + SBC Fish aggregating device Community will be exposed to increased availability of fish from a fish aggregating device and will receive information and messaging as part of a social and behaviour change communication about consuming fish. SBC only Social and behaviour change communication Community will receive information and messaging as part of a social and behaviour change communication about consuming fish. FAD + SBC Social and behaviour change communication Community will be exposed to increased availability of fish from a fish aggregating device and will receive information and messaging as part of a social and behaviour change communication about consuming fish. FAD only Fish aggregating device Community will be exposed to increased availability of fish from a fish aggregating device only
- 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 women 1 year measured as the number of days fish were consumed out of the previous seven days.
Frequency of fish consumption in children 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