Food Behavior of Pupils in the City of Bobo-Dioulasso (Burkina Faso)

Introduction: Diet is a determinant of chronic non transmissible diseases. The aim of this study was to describe pupils’ diet in the city of Bobo-Dioulasso (Burkina Faso). Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study that took place from March to April 2016, among 1st, 4th and 7th form pupils of public and private schools in the city of Bobo-Dioulasso. Diet survey methods were a reminder of the last 24 hours and the questionnaire of consumption frequency. Results: A total of 1993 pupils were surveyed. The mean age was 17.5 ± 3.6 years and the sex ratio 0.7. The majority of pupils (90.5%) reported eating at least 3 meals a day. Dietary recommendations were different according to food groups. For example, vegetables (90.0%), fruits (75.4%) and dairy products (79.3%) were the least well consumed foods compared to recommendations. Protein and starch intake were inadequate among these pupils with 39.7% and 58.2% respectively. Almost 1/4 had a regular weekly alcohol consumption (23.4%) while an excessive consumption of sweet drinks and fried foods was noted in 12.7% and 28.2% of them, respectively. Conclusion: This study has revealed a general insufficiency in the recommended dietary intakes of fruit, vegetables, proteins, starchy foods and dairy products among pupils, and on the other hand, a regular consumption of fatty, sugary and alcoholic foods for about a fifth of them. An intervention program such as “Communication for Continuous Behavior Change” would help improve these habits.