Cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric validation of the Arabic version of the Orofacial Awakening Symptoms Questionnaire (OFASQ).

Urbanization is a worldwide trend transforming our planet, with around 68% of the global population projected to reside in cities by 2050 []. In Sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA), about 42% of the population lives in urban areas, increasing urban population growth, food prices, and unemployment []. The Global Hunger Index report indicates that SSA faces the highest levels of food insecurity, with 27.4% of the population undernourished and a notable rate of child stunting []. Additionally, nearly 90% of urban population growth is occurring in Africa and Asia, with Ethiopia undergoing the fastest urbanization in SSA []. Ethiopia′s urban population increased from 21.6 million in 2017 to 25 million by 2020, driven by rural–urban migration, settlement reclassification, and natural growth []. This rapid urban expansion leads to rising urban poverty, loss of agricultural land, and a shift toward processed and imported foods, which affect dietary habits. Severe acute malnutrition remains a significant challenge, particularly for children under five, highlighting the urgent need for alternative urban food production systems and livelihood opportunities [, ]. Urban agriculture (UA) emerges as a strategy to improve food security and reduce urban poverty in rapidly growing cities []. It encompasses various agricultural activities such as apiculture, aquaculture, poultry farming, livestock rearing, and the cultivation of crops like fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, and medicinal plants in urban or periurban areas [, ]. UA promotes a sustainable and resilient food system, enhancing access to fresh, healthy food, reducing food miles and carbon footprints, improving urban biodiversity, creating green spaces, fostering social inclusion, and supporting local economies []. Urban gardening is the most common form of UA, involving crop cultivation in urban environments, and has gained attention in SSA for its potential to improve food security, nutrition, and environmental sustainability [, ]. Urban gardening has significant potential to address both unemployment and food insecurity, providing solutions to the challenges caused by rapid urbanization. Despite a growing research interest, previous reviews related to home gardening in Ethiopia primarily focused on rural areas, emphasizing ethnobotanical and agroforestry systems. Moreover, research on UA is predominantly centered in big cities like Addis Ababa [], with initiatives like Green Legacy promoting fruit farming [, ]. This has led to a limited understanding of how gardening practices adapt to rapidly expanding urban cities/towns with limited space across the country. Identifying knowledge gaps and generating evidence on home vegetable gardening are crucial for creating targeted interventions that enhance nutritional outcomes. This review addresses urban vegetable gardening practices, dietary diversity, nutrition outcomes, crop diversity, gender roles, as well as major challenges and opportunities associated with urban vegetable gardening. The review has the potential to inform future research priorities and guide the development of policies and interventions that strengthen sustainable food production systems in urban areas.