Effect of malnutrition on diarrhoeal disease in Nigerian children

Abstract

Background: Good nutrition plays an important role in the prevention of diseases in children. Childhood diarrhoea is commonly associated with under nutrition such that the frequency and severity of diarrhoea are increased with greater severity of under nutrition.

Objectives: The study was carried out to assess the nutritional status of children with diarrhoea, and to determine the impact of malnutrition on diarrhoeal characteristics.

Methods: The study was a cross-sectional comparative study which involved under-five children with diarrhoea and controls. Socio-demographic details, diarrhoeal characteristics and nutritional parameters, including weight-for-age, height-for-age and weight-for-height, were assessed in the children.

Results: Twenty-five (14.7%) of the diarrhoea patients were underweight, 31 (18.2%) stunted, 29 (17.1%) wasted and6 (3.5%) overweight. Wasting and underweight were significantly more prevalent among the children with diarrhoea, compared with the controls (p <0.001 and p = 0.007, respectively). A significantly higher proportion of children who had signs of dehydration were underweight (p <0.001) and wasted (p <0.001). Wasting was also more prevalent among children with higher stool frequency (p = 0.007).

Conclusion: Wasting serves as a risk factor for childhood diarrhoea, and also predisposes children to severe episodes of diarrhoea, whereas overweight status offers no protection against diarrhoea.

Keywords: Malnutrition, Diarrhoea, Children, Nigeria