(P05-005-25) Improving School Nutrition in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: Adolescent Perceptions and Food Vendor Practices

Objectives: Adolescence is critical for forming healthy behaviors, including dietary habits. Schools serve as vital settings for promoting healthy eating and preventing malnutrition. In Tanzania, where many schools lack cafeterias or feeding programs, food vendors are key meal providers. However, their role and broader impact remain understudied. This study explores food vendors' influence on school food environments, perceptions of healthy foods, factors shaping students' food choices, and opportunities to enhance access to nutritious foods.

Methods: A qualitative study was conducted in two government-run/public secondary schools in Dar es Salaam City, Tanzania. Two workshops with food vendors (n=33) were held to explore perceptions of healthy foods, their role, and challenges faced. Four focus group discussions with students (n=34) examined factors influencing food choices and vendors' roles. Semi-structured interviews with school principals (n=2) provided insights into school food environments and integrating vendors into school structures. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis with deductive and inductive coding.

Results: Food vendors are the primary providers of meals in schools, primarily offering fried foods and snacks. Both vendors and adolescents have limited nutrition knowledge, influencing their understanding of healthy food choices. Adolescents prioritize affordability, taste, food safety, social interactions, and portion size, while vendors focus on profitability when selecting food options. Challenges such as inadequate training, limited resources, and lack of guidelines hinder vendors’ ability to provide nutritious options. However, targeted interventions at the individual, school, and policy levels can help vendors offer healthier choices.

Conclusions: Food vendors are central to the school food environment in Tanzania, but limited nutrition knowledge and systemic barriers impede healthy food choices for both vendors and students. Whole school interventions are needed to empower vendors to offer more nutritious options and improve adolescent health outcomes.

Funding Sources: This research received funding from the Rose Service Learning Fellowship at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the Center for African Studies at Harvard University.