Peanut-based school meals to help children in rural Ghana stay in school
Peanut-based School Meals in Rural Ghana to Improve Attendance and Retention
This project will test whether giving children aged 5–17 a daily peanut-paste ready-to-use school meal improves attendance, increases matriculation, and reduces dropouts compared with a local rice/millet flour meal in Mion District, Ghana.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 6700 (estimated) |
| Ages | 5 Years to 17 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Washington University School of Medicine Academic / other |
| Locations | 20 sites (Afayili and 19 other locations) |
| Trial ID | NCT06397989 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
Children enrolled in participating primary and junior high schools in Mion District will receive a daily peanut paste–based ready-to-use food (PM-RUF) as their school meal or a comparison local flour-based meal. Study staff will administer the meals at school and track attendance, matriculation, and dropout rates over the study period. The peanut paste product is locally producible, shelf-stable, and modeled on ready-to-use supplementary foods used for nutrition programs. Outcomes will compare educational retention and attendance between the two meal groups while monitoring safety and feasibility.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Children aged 5–17 who are enrolled at Basic 1 or higher in a participating school and whose parent or guardian provides dated informed consent and plans to remain in the school catchment area.
Not a fit: Children with a known allergy to components of the peanut-based or control food or those requiring immediate hospitalization are excluded and would not receive benefit from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, providing PM-RUF could raise attendance and reduce dropouts by improving nutrition and making reliable school meals easier to provide.
How similar studies have performed: Previous school feeding programs in LMICs have improved attendance and reduced dropouts, and ready-to-use peanut pastes have been effective for nutritional supplementation, but using PM-RUF specifically to improve school retention is less well-studied.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Provision of signed (or thumb-printed) and dated informed consent form by parent/guardian * Enrolled at level Basic 1 or higher in a participating school * Parent/guardian stated willingness to comply with all study procedures and availability for the duration of the study, including no plan to move from the catchment area of a participating school * 5 - 17 years of age Exclusion Criteria: * Known allergy to components of intervention or control study food or medications * Condition requiring immediate hospitalization
Where this trial is running
Afayili and 19 other locations
- Afayili Islamic primary school — Afayili, Ghana (Recruiting)
- Bofoyili E/P JHS — Bofoyili, Ghana (Recruiting)
- Bofoyili primary school — Bofoyili, Ghana (Recruiting)
- Jimle AME Zion JHS — Jimile, Ghana (Recruiting)
- Jimle/Guma R/C primary school — Jimile, Ghana (Recruiting)
- Kanimo R/C JHS — Kanimo, Ghana (Recruiting)
- Kpabia Islamic JHS — Kpabia, Ghana (Recruiting)
- Kpuligini Islamic primary school — Kpuligini, Ghana (Recruiting)
- Kusheli Islamic primary school — Kusheli, Ghana (Recruiting)
- Mbatinga Islamic primary school — Mbatinga, Ghana (Recruiting)
- St. Anthony primary school — Mion, Ghana (Recruiting)
- Nadundo R/C JHS — Nadundo, Ghana (Recruiting)
- Nalogno Methodist JHS — Nalogno, Ghana (Recruiting)
- Salankpang A.M.E Zion primary school — Salankpang, Ghana (Recruiting)
- Zakpalsi Issawiya E/A primary school — Salwelsi, Ghana (Recruiting)
- Sambu Islamic JHS — Sambu, Ghana (Recruiting)
- Sang Islamic JHS — Sang, Ghana (Recruiting)
- Sang Zakaria Islamic JHS — Sang, Ghana (Recruiting)
- Tuwua R/C JHS — Tuwua, Ghana (Recruiting)
- Yabogu Islamic primary school — Yabogu, Ghana (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Mark Manary, MD — Washington University School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Mark Manary, MD
- Email: manarymj@wustl.edu
- Phone: 314-454-2178
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.