PREVALENCE OF MALNUTRITION AMONG CHILDREN UNDER FIVE
ABSTRACT
Malnutrition is still a major challenge for worldwide public health and development. Because it results in the deaths of 3.5 million children under the age of five every year, it is a major issue. In Nigeria and other sub-Saharan nations, its scale is still significant. So, the primary goal of this study was to evaluate associated causes of malnutrition in children under the age of five in the Ewoyi village in Esan North East Uromi Edo state. In order to uncover factors contributing to community malnutrition, a hospital-based cross-sectional study was carried out in July 2018 to evaluate the nutritional status of children aged 0 to 59 months at the institution. Three hundred twenty-eight (328) kids in all, along with their caretakers, took part. a tried-and-true, organized, data was gathered using an interviewer-administered questionnaire that included questions about mothers’ childcare methods, mother and child sociodemographic characteristics, and anthropometric measurements.
Over a three-week period, a systematic sampling technique was employed to sample the carers. Measured nutritional indicators included height, weight, and the size of the mid-upper arm. Input of data into Microsoft Excel 2013 was made. The z-scores were calculated using the WHO Anthro Plus software version 3.2.2, and univariate and multiple logistic regression analysis were carried out using STATA 15. 78.05% of people had malnutrition. Stunting and underweight were prevalent in 55.7% and 31.7% of children, respectively. Additionally, 15.85% and 3.85%, respectively, had moderate acute malnutrition and severe acute malnutrition. Teenage mothers made up 6.71% of all mothers, a sizable amount, whereas adult mothers made up 93.29% of all mothers. The following elements were discovered to be linked to and responsible for the emergence of malnutrition in 5 young people in the research area. They included the mother’s hygiene habits, maternal age, environmental sanitation issues, the source of drinking water, and any recent medical histories of diarrhea or respiratory infections. It was also noted that children between the ages of 6 and 20 months had the highest percentage of malnourished youngsters.
According to the multivariate analysis, for all different age groups in relation to age less than 20 years, older mothers were less likely than young mothers to have a child who was stunted. Despite the fact that the age group from 0 to 6 months had the lowest prevalence of underweight (6.45%), there was no pattern in the prevalence of underweight as people aged.
These results indicate that instruction on newborn and young child care and feeding procedures has to be reorganized to meet current needs of the people in it. In order to help lower the prevalence of malnutrition, additional efforts must be made in existing programs, such as regular assessments.
CHAPITER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Study’s historical context
Children’s malnutrition is a significant public health issue, particularly in many low- and middle-income nations. It has a negative impact on national productivity and presents problems on the economic and social fronts for disadvantaged populations. Inadequate nutrition is linked to less than ideal brain development, which has an adverse effect on cognitive maturation, academic success, and economic productivity in adulthood. (Coulter,2014).
Malnutrition, which is also known as undernutrition and comprises both overnutrition and undernutrition, is a general word that refers to all types of nutritional diseases (WHO Nutrition 2016)
Malnutrition is described by the World Health Organization as the cellular mismatch between the supply of nutrients and the energy the body needs to maintain growth and carry out specified functions. There are two types of malnutrition: acute malnutrition and chronic malnutrition (stunting) (underweight and wasting). It can be classified as either micronutrient deficiency malnutrition, such as iron deficiency, or macronutrient deficit malnutrition (Protein-Energy Malnutrition). The two main types of acute malnutrition are kwashiorkor and marasmus (WHO Nutrition, 2016).
The most commonly recognized indicator of a child’s nutritional condition is their growth. A child’s rapid physical and mental growth occurs throughout the first 1000 days of life, between 0 and 23 months (Walker et al (2007)
The goal of the new SDGs is to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger by reducing by half the number of people who live on less than $1.25 a day and the number of hungry people.
The disparities in achievement rates around the world are considerably more significant. For instance, East Asia, particularly China, has had the greatest drop in the prevalence of malnutrition, although South America and the Caribbean have seen significant improvements. While sub-Saharan Africa had little to no change between 1990 and 2011, South Asia, where the prevalence of underweight is still very high, saw less development.
A child’s growth may be permanently hampered by undernutrition during this crucial stage, increasing their risk of morbidity and mortality (Murray-Kolb., et al 2013). Measurements of a child’s anthropometry (height, weight), as well as tests for biochemical and clinical indicators, are frequently used to detect undernutrition. The anthropometric indices for the assessment of undernutrition are stunting, underweight, and wasting (Duggan et al., 1999).
1.2 Description of the issue
Almost 7.7% of children were wasted, 24.5% had stunted growth, and 15% were underweight in 2015. In the same year, malnutrition was a factor in around 45% of deaths among children under the age of five. The highest rates of undernutrition have been seen in South-East Asia and the African continent, with the latter home to 10.3% of wasted children under the age of five, 24.9% of underweight children, and 39.4% of stunted children. (2018) Suleiman et al.
The 2015 Millennium Development Goals (MDG) report shows that sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is home to one-third of all undernourished children worldwide, with West Africa and East Africa having the highest prevalence. This underscores the fact that malnutrition still poses a serious health risk for children under the age of five in the sub-region and supports the need for immediate intervention (Luchuo et al. 2013).
On the other hand, overnutrition isn’t particularly an issue in Africa. Yet, it is gradually growing in Ghana’s southern region. According to a 2015 UNICEF research in Ghana, 23% of children under five are stunted (7% severely), 6% are wasting (1% severely), and 13% are underweight (3% severely). These statistics demonstrate that the country or the Sub-Saharan area still has a significant malnutrition rate (UNICEF 2015).
Malnutrition is still widespread despite efforts like school feeding programs, enhanced basic healthcare, and many more. Studies conducted in Ethiopia have found a significant correlation between malnutrition and poor socioeconomic level (Bantamen et al. 2014) Children who are malnourished typically have similar causes. Typically, they come from underprivileged neighborhoods in countries with little resources (Bantamen et al. 2014).
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the risk factors for malnutrition in children and the degree to which they contribute to the condition or its sequelae.
1.3 The study’s goals
The study’s main goal is to evaluate the numerous factors that contribute to malnutrition in children in the Ewoyi Community between the ages of 0 and 5.
certain goals;
1. To identify the sociodemographic factors associated with mothers who have children under five who are malnourished
2. To determine the association between child traits and under-five malnutrition
3. To determine whether child care practices and under-five malnutrition are related.
4. To determine whether environmental factors and under-five malnutrition are related.
1.4 Research Prompts
1. What impact do socioeconomic and demographic factors of the mother have on under-five malnutrition?
2. What relationship exists between a child trait and under-five malnutrition?
3. Does a child care routine affect malnutrition in children under the age of five?
4. What connection exists between a child’s environment and malnutrition in children under five?
1.5 Importance of the research
This study was crucial to do because of all the advantages it has provided for enhancing children’s nutritional health. Information on the prevalence and risk factors of child malnutrition in the Ewoyi community is provided by the study. It has aided in identifying factors that act as obstacles to good nutrition practice and translating each recommendation into a specific action that health care professionals, mothers, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and organizations like the Ministry of Health (MoH) and the Nigeria Health Service (NHS) should take to improve and eradicate childhood malnutrition. Planning interventions for malnutrition, especially that of children, would also use the data from this study.
Leave a Comment