Determinants Of Acute Malnutrition Among Under-five Years Children
[A CASE STUDY OF ILLELA LOCAL GOVERNMENT SOKOTO STATE, NIGERIA]

1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT
Effective nutrition is one of the most important health determinants among citizens of any country including Nigeria. However, malnutrition remains a big threat to almost all regions of the country, highly in the Sahel region particularly north-west and north east zone in Nigeria.
Some children under-five years in Nigeria have shown signs of growth failure, irritability, swelling of body parts, thin gray-blond hair, diarrhoea, as well as poor hygienic conditions according to Ministry of Health (MoH and MAAIF, 2005).  These children do not gain corresponding body weight whichleads to premature deaths later in life because vital organs are never fully developed during childhood. Malnourished children have lowered resistance to infection and therefore more likely to die from ailments like diarrhoea and acute respiratory infections (Nguyen and Kam., 2008).
Data from the previous five Uganda Demographic  and Health Surveys (2011, 2006, 2001,1995, 1989) show that the nutrition indicators have not improved much over the past 15 years and some indicators have even shown a worsening trend  (UBOS and ICF International Inc., 2012).  For example the UDHS 2006 reported that 16% of children under-five in Uganda are underweight, 38% are stunted and 6.1% are wasted (UBOS & Macro International Inc, 2007).
An operation framework for nutrition in terms of child survival strategies was developed by the Government of Uganda in 2009. Additionally, the Government also launched the Uganda Vision 2040 and National Development Plan (2010-2015) that focuses also on nutritional wellbeing of children. The government has other several initiatives aiming at reducing under-five malnutrition especially the food and nutrition policy 2003 as well as the implementation of the global Millennium Development Goals (GoU, 2013; GoU, 2010).
Given the fact that a lot of studies on the determinants of malnutrition among under five children have been conducted in the developing countries, there is need to examine if the same factors are responsible for malnutrition among children under five years in the districts of Araba and kalmalo hence forming the research gap.

1.3 MAIN OBJECTIVE
The major objective of the study was to assess the determinants of malnutrition among under-five children in Araba and kalmalo districts in Illela local govt.
1.4 SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
The study addresses the following specific objectives;
i.    To ascertain the relationship between child factors and malnutrition of children under-five years.
ii.    To ascertain the relationship between maternal factors and malnutrition among children under-five years.
RESEARCH QUESTION
1.    Why is malnutrition one of the major causes of mortality and morbidity among under five year children?
2.    Why malnutrition affect mostly the children aged 37-59month?
3.    Why is the mother occupation affect nutritional status of children under five years of age?
1.5 HYPOTHESES
The hypotheses to assess the determinants of malnutrition among under-five children are presented below;
i.    There is no relationship between sex of a child and malnutrition among under-five children
ii.    There is no association between age of the child and malnutrition among under-five children
iii.    Birth Order of child and malnutrition among underfive children are independent
iv.    There is no relationship between child birth interval and malnutrition among under five children
v.    There is no relationship between mothers’ age at birth and malnutrition among under-five children