An investigation on factors associated with malnutrition among underfive children in Nakaseke and Nakasongola districts, Uganda

BMC Pediatrics

Gilbert Habaasa¹ 

[1]Population and Development Consult Limited, Kampala, Uganda

关键词: Strategies;    Childcare;    Pastoralism;    Breastfeeding;   

Others  :  1227566
DOI  :  10.1186/s12887-015-0448-y

 received in 2014-09-02, accepted in 2015-09-11,  发布年份 2015

【 摘 要 】

Background

Malnutrition is one of the major causes of mortality and morbidity among under-five children in Sub Saharan Africa. To understand the factors associated with malnutrition among under-five children, a study was conducted in Nakaseke and Nakasongola districts of Uganda.

Method

Cross sectional secondary data of 104 underfive children in Nakaseke and Nakasongola districts was used. Epi Info programme-Nutrition module and Stata statistical softwares were used in analyses. Descriptive statistics, cross tabulations and binary logistic regression results were generated.

Result

Stunting was found to be the most malnutrition condition with the highest prevalence (38.5 %) in the two districts followed by wasting (16.5 %) and underweight (13.5 %) respectively. Results also showed that children aged 39–59 months were less likely to be underweight than those aged below twelve months. Children of peasant farmers were more likely to be stunted than their counterparts with mothers in pastoralist’s family. No significant factors were found to be associated with wasting among the underfive children in the two districts although the prevalence was slightly higher than that of child underweight.

Conclusion

The study is essential in pointing out the particular age-groups among underfive children as well as the maternal occupations that may be factors associated with malnutrition in the districts of Nakaseke and Nakasongola. The author recommends exclusive breast feeding and proper complementary feeding especially among children under three years. Furthermore, special arrangement could be put in place to have children of mothers engaged in cultivation brought to them regularly for breastfeeding.

【 授权许可】

   
2015 Habaasa.

【 图 表 】

Fig. 1.

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