ABSTRACT
Child malnutrition is a public health problem in many
developing countries and is known for its many consequences. To reduce the
prevalence of malnutrition in a community, it is important to describe the
nutritional status of the community, and identify its main determinants. To
this end, a cross-sectional survey was conducted on a representative sample of
children aged 6 to 59 months in the municipality of Dangbo (514 children with
an estimated prevalence of underweight of 20% and an accuracy of 5%) in order
to describe the nutritional situation and identify the determinants that may
contribute to explain the malnutrition. Dietary intake of a subsample of 270
children was estimated using a quantitative 24-h recall. Portion sizes and
quantities of ingredients used to prepare mixed recipes were determined using
standardized household measures. The probability of inadequacy of nutrient and
coverage of energy requirements were calculated to appreciate the dietary
intake of children.
Results showed that the prevalence of stunting is 37.4% with
15.2% as severe; 73.7% of mothers have adequate nutritional status
(18.5<BMI<25kg/m2); 83.5% of mothers received nutritional
education and only 15.4% have at least the level of elementary school. The
multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that diseases are the most
important factors affecting the nutritional status of children. The risk for
children who were sick during the two weeks preceding the survey to present
stunting is twice as high (RR = 2.03, P = 0.05) and the prevalence of fever,
acute respiratory infection and diarrhea were 48.6%, 35.5% and 16.3%
respectively. Also, children from households which do not have latrines and
whose mothers were housewives, were 1.5 times and 1.9 times respectively at
risk of stunting.
To those identified factors (diseases, presence of latrines
and occupation of the mother) are also associated inadequate child feeding
practices and hygiene of mothers. Indeed, 88.3% of children have received food
before the age of 6 months and 88% of the food introduced is the maize porridge
prepared from maize flour and water; 89.9% mothers evacuated the stool of the
child without appropriate care and only 26.1% mothers wash their hand with soap
after handling child `stools. 95.1% of mothers know that it is necessary to
introduce complementary food at the age of 6 months; 90.3% and 94%
respectively, know that maize porridge must be enriched and good hygiene
practices should be applied. They know the causes, methods of prevention of
malaria and diarrhea, so have good knowledge in terms of care, feeding and
hygiene to the child.
The food consumption survey showed that 5.6% of children did
not cover their energy requirements and the diet for children is almost
adequate for iron (MPI = 2.1 #177; 13.6%), for vitamin A (MPI = 96.5
#177;24.2%), for vitamin C (MPI = 14.1%#177;33), and for Zinc (MPI = 15.2
#177;2.6%). Riboflavin was identified as the micronutrient which deficiency is
high (MPI= 65.1% #177;36.5) in the children' diet.
The nutritional status of children in the municipality of
Dangbo is critical and deserves special attention from the various institutions
involved in improving the living conditions of household and child survival.
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LOKONON H. F. JAURES X
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