Effects of dietary intake and hygienic practices on Nutritional status of children under five years in Mukuru Nyayo slums, Nairobi
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Date
2013-08-14
Authors
Muoki, Margaret Ahembe
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Abstract
Kenya has one of the highest mortality rates among children under five. Inadequate
dietary intake and low socio-economic status may contribute to the prevalence of
malnutrition. The main objective of the study was to determine the dietary intake,
hygienic practices, morbidity and nutritional status of children under five years in
Mukuru slums.The study is important for planning and development of nutritional and
good sanitation policies. Descriptive research design was used for the study. Research
methodology included assessment of nutritional status by anthropometric
measurements to determine the weight, height and age of children. Dietary intake
assessment was determined using a 24hour recall. The respondents were mothers with
children under five years or caregivers where the mother did not live with the child.
Snowball sampling technique was used to identify households with children between
6-59 months. Initial subjects with desired characteristics were identified who named
others, giving a total of 1,604. A sample of 10% of the accessible population was
enough for a descriptive study. Fowler’s method was used to select the sample size of
160 households with children under five years. Data on hygiene practices were
collected using interview schedule and observation. Data collected were summarised
and analysed using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) program. Results
from analysed data were presented in frequencies, percentages and means.
Anthropometric data were analysed using EPI-INFO 2000 computer package.
Findings of the study showed that 40.6% of the children were stunted, 13.3% were
wasted and 30.5% were underweight. Morbidity was high with 87% children ill.
Microbiological analyses of food and water samples revealed that food and water
samples were contaminated with both salmonella spp. and coliforms. Spearman
correlation coefficient tests were used to determine relationships between dietary
intake, hygiene practices, health and nutritional status of children under five years. A
level of P≤0.05 was used to indicate statistical significance in all analysis. There was
a positive relationship between dietary intake and nutritional status of children (r=
0.135) and a significant relationship between microbiological quality of food and
water. Other variables that were strongly related to the nutritional status were
morbidity of children at a significance level of (p= 0.025). Nutritional status of
children was poor as depicted by high levels of stunting, wasting and underweight.
Poor sanitation, morbidity of children, microbiological quality of food and water also
contributed to nutritional status of children. The Kenya slum upgrading programme
(KENSUP) should be hastened to attain millennium development goals (MDGs) for
survival of children and prevention of malnutrition by the year 2015 and also target
the vision 2030.
Description
RJ 206 .M86