Determinants of Nutritional Status of Children Aged 6-59 Months in Marginal Mixed Farming Households in Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya
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Date
2019-05
Authors
Lukoye, Judith Ambia
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kenyatta University
Abstract
Marginal mixed farming households are prone to frequent drought and hardly meet
their food intake requirements which make the under-five children more vulnerable to
malnutrition. The purpose of this study was to establish the determinants of nutritional
status of children aged 6-59 months in marginal mixed farming households in Ntugi
location, Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya. A sample of 106 households was randomly
selected for data collection. Structured questionnaires, key informant guide and focus
group discussion guide was used to collect data on demographic and socio-economic
characteristics, feeding practices, water and sanitation, morbidity status and health
seeking behavior. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20 was used
in descriptive and inferential analysis. Anthropometric data was analyzed using ENA
for SMART and interpreted using WHO (2006). The average household size was 5
members while the mean maternal age was 27.31 0.60years. More than half (67%)
of mothers had not completed primary education. The mean household income was
Ksh. 7,279 1446 mainly (53.6%) from sale of farm produce. The mean household
productiosn from previous season was 236.89 22.21 kg of cereals/grains and
259.78 21.68kg of legumes/pulse. Continued breastfeeding rate at one year was
92.3% and 66.7% for two years and above. All breastfeeding infants aged 6-8 months
met the minimum meal frequency requirement. Less than half (47.3%) of the children
had minimum dietary diversity. Minimum acceptable diet rate was 21.2% and 25.0%
for breastfeeding and non-breastfeeding children respectively. Majority (81.2%) of
the children who were sick two weeks prior to the survey had fever. Sixty five (65%)
percent of the children were fully immunized while 61.1% of children aged 6-11 had
received vitamin A supplementation within the last six months. Use of bush to dispose
human waste was at 15.5%. The study showed that the stunted children were 32.1%,
20.2% were underweight and 7.3% were wasted. The morbidity status in the last two
weeks prior to the survey was at 29.4%. The Pearson’s chi-square test showed that
there was a significant association between the age of the mother and wasting for
children aged 6–59 months (p = 0.008). Further, the study established that
underweight and wasting was associated with household size (p = 0.009 and 0.029
respectively). Seasonal household food production was also associated with
underweight of children. The County Government of Tharaka Nithi needs to
domesticate National Agricultural Sector and Extension Policy through legislation to
improve and sustain food production in marginal mixed farming households in the
County. A longitudinal study on household determinants of under-fives nutritional
status is recommended for further study.
Description
A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirement for the Award of the Degree of Master of Science (Food, Nutrition and Dietetics) in the School of Public Health and Applied Human Sciences of Kenyatta University. May, 2019
Keywords
Nutritional Status, Children, Aged 6-59 Months, Marginal Mixed Farming Households, Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya