-
Perceived Causes And Prevention Of Malnutrition Among Primary School Pupils
[A CASE STUDY ILORIN EAST LOCAL GOVERNMENT, KWARA STATE]
CHAPTER TWO -- [Total Page(s) 6]
Page 3 of 6
-
-
-
Prevalence and determinants of Malnutrition among Pre – School Children
Malnutrition in all its forms amounts to an intolerable burden not only on the health systems, but the entire socio – cultural and economic fabric of the society and is the greatest obstacle to the fulfillment of human potentials. Child malnutrition is a huge public health problem in Africa that is not properly given the priority that it deserves.
Malnutrition is largely a preventable and treatable cause of childhood morbidity and mortality that can be dealt with for less than USD 20 per child per year (Chiabi et al., 2008). According to WHO malnutrition accounts for 6.6 million out of 12.2 million deaths among children under 5 (54% of child mortality) in developing countries. In Nigeria and elsewhere about 35.7% and 47.5% of children under 5 years of age are moderately to severely undernourished respectively (Solomon, 1985; Roy et al., 2007). It is known that almost any illness will impair a child’s growth, however in practice in developing countries, growth deficits are caused by interplay of two preventable factors: inadequate food and infections.
Infections influence body size and growth through their effects on metabolism and nutrition. Additionally, UNICEF conceptual framework also recognizes poor caring practices as equally important cause of malnutrition (UNICEF, 1990). Environmental factors have a profound effect on health and can make nutritional problems worse. A child who is well fed but drinks contaminated water and lives in polluted environment will not grow up healthy (UN, 2004). Studies have shown the association between increasing severity of anthropometric deficits and mortality and substantial contributions are made by all degrees of malnutrition to child mortality (Pelletier et al., 1993; Schroeder and Brown, 19994; Pelletier et al., 1995; Mendez and Adair, 1999; Onis et al., 2000). Strong evidence exists that poor growth is associated with delayed mental development and that there is a relationship between impaired growth status and both poor school performance and reduced intellectual performance, thus compromising the efforts to achieve universal education (MDG -1) (Martorel et al., 1992; PAHO, 1998 UN, 2004; Cesar et al., 2008). Nutritional status is the best global indicator of growth and well – being in children.
Anthropometric assessment thus remains the most practically useful means of evaluating the health and nutritional status of children, just as it provides an indirect measurement of the quality of life of an entire population. Thus the objective of this study was to determine the nutritional status of pre – school children in a rural community of Kaura Local Government (District) of Kaduna state, Northern Nigeria. This is with a view to increase awareness of the magnitude of all forms of malnutrition so as to mobilize both human and financial resources to prevent the problem.
Prevalence of Severe Malnutrition
Malnutrition in under – fives varies from country to country according to the socio – economic status. UNICEF global data base on child malnutrition 2001 report showed the prevalence of wasting (weight / length or height) which represents acute malnutrition to be 5% in South Asia, 7% in Middle East and North Africa, while 10% and 9% were observed in Sub – Saharan Africa and in developing countries respectively (Collins, Dent, Binns, Bahwere, Sadler, Hallam, 2006).
In Tanzania, findings from a study done at maternal and child health clinics of three different hospitals in Dar es Salaam which assessed nutritional status in under – fives by using weight for height and weight for age found that 2.9% were wasted and 14.6% were underweight. The majority of these children were in the age group less than 2 years of age (Gopalan, 2000).
Risk Factors of Malnutrition
In the third world countries, prevalence of under – nutrition is high due to high family size, low family income, poor education, poor environment and housing, having little access to health facilities and failure of treatment of acute and chronic disease (Gopalan, 2000). There is also a strong association between severe malnutrition and some indicator of poverty, such as lack of adequate breast – feeding or failure to complete immunization (USAID, 2004; Ubesie, Ibeziako, Ndiokwelu, Uzoka, 2012). An 18 country study in Sub – Saharan Africa showed that children whose mothers are infected with HIV have a higher chance of being stunted (28%), wasted (26%) or underweight (26%) compared to children of the similar demographic and socioeconomic backgrounds with children of non – HIV mothers (Magadi, 2011).
Classifications of Malnutrition
Malnutrition can be classified in six different ways: Gomez, Water – low, WHO (Wasting), WHO (Stunting), Kanawati and Cole. This study used to WHO (Wasting) and Water – low for classification of malnutrition in order to identify acute malnutrition which is routinely practiced in our setting (Appendix IV) and this classified malnutrition in mild, moderate and severe forms previously described (Head, 2000). HIV/AIDS in developing world frequently presents with a combinations of wasting and stunting sometimes making the interpretation of the WHO criteria for malnutrition difficult.
CHAPTER TWO -- [Total Page(s) 6]
Page 3 of 6
-
-
ABSRACT - [ Total Page(s): 1 ]ABSTRACTThe study examined the incidence of malnutrition among children in Ilorin East Local Government area of Kwara State. The objective of the study is to explore sickness as a result of malnutrition among children, investigate the majority of children as a result of the malnutrition among children, low body resistance to diseases, stunted growth as a result of malnutrition among children and succumb to infections as a result of malnutrition among children in Ilorin East Local Government Area ... Continue reading---
TABLE OF CONTENTS - [ Total Page(s): 1 ]TABLE OF CONTENTContents Title page Certification Dedication Acknowledgement Abstract Chapter One INTRODUCTION Background of the Study Statement of the Problem Purpose of the Study Research Questions Research Hypothesis Significance of the Study Delimitations of the Study Operational Definition of Term Chapter Two INTRODUCTION Introduction Definition of the Concept Malnutrition Malnutrition in AfricaMalnutrition among children and its Influence on Body Reducing Malnutritio ... Continue reading---
CHAPTER ONE - [ Total Page(s): 3 ]Infections influence body size and growth through their effects on metabolism and nutrition. Additionally, UNICEF conceptual framework also recognize poor caring practices as equally important cause of malnutrition (UNICEF, 1990). Environmental factors have a profound effect on health and can make nutritional problems worse. A child who is well fed but drinks contaminated water and lives in polluted environment will not grow up healthy (UN, 2004). Studies have shown the association between i ... Continue reading---
CHAPTER THREE - [ Total Page(s): 2 ]Reliability of the Instrument Reliability has to do with the consistency of the result, According to Koul (2001), Rose, (2001) is the stability, dependability and predictability of the tests or of the method been used. The reliability of an instrument is the degree to which it yields consistent results, when it is administered over a numbers of times. The researcher employed test retest method to find the reliability of the instrument. The researcher administered sample of twenty (20) ques ... Continue reading---
CHAPTER FOUR - [ Total Page(s): 5 ]Test of Hypotheses Hypothesis One Ho1: Sickness is not a significant result of malnutrition among children in Ilorin West local Government Area.Table 2 showed chi – square summary of sickness and malnutrition among children in Ilorin west Local Government Area, The calculated value is 71.866 and the table value is 16.92, degree of freedom of 9 at 0.05 alpha level of significance. The decision is to reject the null hypotheses if the calculated value is greater than cri ... Continue reading---
CHAPTER FIVE - [ Total Page(s): 1 ]CHAPTER FIVESUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMANDATION Summary The study investigated the incidence of malnutrition among children in Ilorin East Local Government Area of Kwara state. Data collected from two hundred (200) respondents was presented with appropriate tables with the use of frequency count and percentages while five hypothesis were tested in study the use of chi-square (x2) statistical method at 0.05 significance level. It has been able o found out in the study influence of sickness, in ... Continue reading---
REFRENCES - [ Total Page(s): 2 ]REFERENCESAjieroh, V. (2010). A Quantitative Analysis of Determinations of child and Maternal Malnutrition in Nigeria IFPRI Nigeria Strategy Support Program Brief No. 11, 2010.Alaimo, Katherine, Christine M. Olson, and Edward A. Fronggillo Jr.(2001). ‘’Food Insufficiency and American School-Aged Children’s Cognitive, Academic, and Psychosocial Development.’’ Pediatrics 108(1): 44-53.Babatunde, R.O. & Qaim, M. (2010). Impact of Off – farm income on Food Se ... Continue reading---
