Prevalence of Malnutrition among Children Aged 6-59 Months in Kaduna State, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: The World Health Organization quotes malnutrition as a major single threat to the world's public health.
Objective: The study assessed the anthropometric indices of the under five children from the three senatorial districts in Kaduna State.
Materials and Methods: A cross sectional descriptive survey was adopted for the study Proportionate sampling technique was used to select 420 children from a population of 1, 172,43, aged 6- 59 months. The nutritional status was assessed using a structured questionnaire, anthropometric parameters based on World Health Organization (WHO) classification of malnutrition, mild (weight for height ratio between - 1SD to -2SD) moderate (-2SD TO-3SD) and severe (less than -3SD), while 24-hour food recall was
obtained on the children looking at the breakfast, lunch and dinner. The data obtained was analyzed using SPSS version 16.0. Frequency distribution and percentages were used to present anthropometric status of the children.
Results: Female were 53.8% and 46.2 % male. Anthropometric assessment showed the prevalence of different categories of malnutrition among the children as severe stunting38.6% moderate stunting 31.4% while 30% of the children were normal. Severe underweight was 41.24%, moderate underweight 35.2% and normal was 23.6% while severe wasting was 21.26%, moderate wasting 26.4% while 51% were normal. Twenty-four (24) hour dietary recall showed the diet of the children is monotonous in nature.
Conclusion: Severe malnutrition exists among children in Kaduna State therefore, there's need for improvement in the diet and nutritional status of children in the State.