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Nutritional Status Of Under-five Children And Associated Factors
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Several strategies have been put in place to maintain adequate
nutritional status of the children (e.g. exclusive breastfeeding). 17%
has been found to be the exclusive breastfeeding rate in Nigeria and it
has also been documented that 21% of mortality among the under-five can
be traced to breastfeeding patterns that do not follow the set standard
(Ojofeitimi, 2016). Adequate diet and health care during first few years
of life is fundamental for child’s development and this help to
maintain adequate or normal nutritional status. Early in life,
irreversible drop in linear growth and psychological impairment can
occur when there is problem with food consumption or utilization (Alamu,
Atawodi & Edokpayi, 2011). Growth is most rapid in the early years
of life and this may not be comparable to any other time after birth.
Since good nutrition has been identified to play a pivot role in growth
particularly in the early years of life, it is important to assess the
nutritional status of the under-five and the associated determining
factors.
The need for food by mankind most especially the growing up
children has been emphasized over the years (Adegun, Ajayi-Vincent,
& Alebiosu, 2013). The nutritional status is solely dependent on the
adequate and right consumption of nutrients from foods and the body’s
ability to make use of them adequately to meet its metabolic needs of
health and fitness. At early stage of growth, several biochemical
activities that affect growth and development are going on in the body
and these require nutrition. When there are inadequate nutrients
available for these activities then there is likelihood of developing
stunted growth and development (Adegun, Ajayi-Vincent, & Alebiosu,
2013).
To find solutions to the nutritional related problems that are
common in the early stage of life, it is very necessary to determine
the nature, magnitude and determinants of malnutrition. Anthropometric
measurements are accepted widely as key indicator of the nutrition
status of the community. Anthropometric indices are also suggestive of
the socio-economic level. The anthropometric measurements include
measurement of weight for age, height for age, weight for height and
measurement of mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC). The integrated
management of childhood illness (IMCI) approach for the classification
of nutritional status will be used in this study.
According to Hunger
Facts (2015), globally about 795 million individuals are
undernourished. The vast majority (98%) of these undernourished reside
in the developing countries. Under-nutrition among the under-five
remains a problem faced by different parts of the world. Close to 50% of
all deaths among under-five are attributable to under nutrition. This
implies that there is unnecessary loss of about 3 million young lives
every year (Hunger Facts, 2015). In Sub-Saharan Africa, close to 50% of
children particularly the under-five are malnourished and deaths from
such nutrition related condition is on the increase (FAO, 2008).
Nutrition related problem in Sub-Saharan Africa has added more to the
burden of childhood morbidity and mortality. However, the information
available on the nutritional status of the under-five in informal
settlements can be considered as little and inadequate (Olack, Burke,
Cosmas, Bamrah, Dooling, Feikin & Breiman, 2011).
Reducing
nutritional related problems among children particularly the under-five
is a huge challenge that is being faced by different countries
particularly the underdeveloped and the developing countries. In Kenya,
the percentage of stunted children among the under-five is 35%, 14% were
considered to be severely stunted while underweight was 16% (low
weight-for age) and severely underweight was 4%. The core factor
responsible for all these nutrition related health challenges as
conceived by different researchers can be linked to food access issue,
infections of various degrees and forms, maternal/paternal factor,
socio-economic factors and other related factors.
Nigeria (especially
the rural areas) is one of the developing countries that are affected
by this nutrition-related problem. This might be related to causes that
are found in other regions of the world like poor access to food,
primary care giver factor, socio-economic factor, area of abode and
other related factors. The Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (2003)
put the rate of stunted growth among the under-five years to be 38%,
underweight to be 29% while wasting was 9.2%. Several factors can be
considered to have caused these nutritional deficiencies. According to
the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) Nigeria (2007), 7% is the rate of
compliance of mothers to exclusive breastfeeding of their children who
are less than 6 months.
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