Impact of Moringa stenopetala dietary consumption on vitamin A deficiency and serum retinol levels among adults in Southern Ethiopia: a multicenter comparative cross-sectional study

Moringa stenopetala is a highly versatile plant that has long been utilized as food and traditional medicine by communities in the southern and southwestern regions of Ethiopia. The plant is characterized by its dark green similar to cabbage. Its leaves used to prepare by mixing with various cereal flours and incorporated into the traditional cultural diet of the community. Despite its widespread consumption and recognized nutritional value, the dietary contribution of Moringa stenopetala on vitamin A deficiency and serum retinol levels has not been sufficiently investigated at the community level. Therefore, the present study was conducted to assess the long-term effects of dietary Moringa stenopetala consumption on vitamin A deficiency and serum retinol concentration among adults residing in Moringa stenopetala-consuming and non-consuming areas of Southern Ethiopia. Data were collected from study participants using a structured questionnaire designed to obtain information on socio-demographic characteristics and dietary consumption of Moringa stenopetala. The survey data were collected using digital tablets programmed with the Cispro data collection application. In addition, venous blood samples (5–8 mL) were drawn from the antecubital vein using evacuated yellow-top tubes for the analysis of serum vitamin A parameters. The collected data were exported to SPSS version 25 for statistical analysis. A one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was employed to assess the mean differences in serum retinol levels between participants who consumed Moringa stenopetala and those who did not consuming group. The F-test and corresponding P-values were used to determine the statistical significance of the observed differences between the two groups. The prevalence of vitamin A deficiency among adults who consumed Moringa stenopetala was 10.18% (95% confidence limit [CL]: 5.40–11.40), whereas the prevalence among the non-consuming group was 19.85% (95% CI: 13.2–23.0), indicating a statistically significant difference between the two groups (p < 0.005). The mean serum retinol level was significantly higher among participants who consumed Moringa stenopetala (mean ± SD: 1.62 ± 0.77; 95% CI: 1.52–1.70) compared with those who did not consume it (1.24 ± 0.65; 95% CI: 1.16–1.32). Participants who reported consuming Moringa stenopetala throughout all seven days of the week exhibited a higher mean serum retinol level (1.88; 95% CL: 1.62–2.15) compared with individuals who did not consume it (1.26; 95% CL: 1.18–1.34). Furthermore, individuals who consumed Moringa stenopetala more than four times per day demonstrated higher mean serum retinol levels than those who consumed it fewer than two times per day, suggesting a positive association between the frequency of Moringa stenopetala consumption and serum retinol concentration. Frequent consumption of Moringa stenopetala was associated with higher serum retinol levels, highlighting its significant role in reducing vitamin A deficiency. Promoting Moringa stenopetala based diets as an effective community level dietary based intervention.