Feeding Practices and Nutritional Status of Children (Aged 2-5 Years) in Food Secure and Insecure Households in Kuyu Woreda, Oromia, Ethiopia

Tamiru Yazew,Agama Daba

doi:10.11648/j.jfns.20200803.12

Abstract

Malnutrition, poor child feeding practices and low dietary diversity are common in low income households, where food insecurity is prevalent. Therefore, this study was designed to assess and compare nutritional status, feeding practices and dietary diversity scores of children (aged 2-5 years) in food secure and insecure households of Kuyu woreda. A community based comparative, cross sectional study was conducted in March, 2016. Multi stages sampling methods were employed to select 612 children, out of which 304 children were from food secure and 308 from insecure households. Dietary diversity score was assessed using a 24 hrs recall method. Anthropometric measurements of children were taken and nutritional status was generated using WHO Anthro v.3.2.2. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0 was used to perform descriptive statistics, independent samples T test and chi-square test analyses. P value <0.05 was considered as statistically significant. The prevalence of stunting, underweight and wasting was 48.7%, 36.7% and 20.5% respectively for children in food insecure households. While the prevalence of stunting was 43%, underweight 30.9% and wasting 16.8% for children in food secure households. Daily meal frequency; having breakfast, midmorning, afternoon and bedtime snack among children in food secure households were significantly higher than food insecure households (p<0.05). In addition, children restriction and pressure during meal were significantly (p<0.05) higher in food insecure households compared to their counterparts. Moreover, this study found that food secure and insecure households were significantly different in children's dietary diversity scores (x2=13.1, p<0.001), child feeding practices (x2=11.2, p= 0.001), consumption of dairy products (x2=15.44, p<0.001) and vitamin A rich fruits and vegetables (x2=8.37, p=0.004). Most importantly, the study revealed that nutritional statuses of children from food secure households were significantly better compared to those from their counterparts. Therefore, all responsible bodies should support poor communities through providing foods or cash money to improve the nutritional status, child feeding practices and dietary diversity scores of children in the study area.

Highlights

Malnutrition in children remains one of the most important public health and developmental problems in the developing world [1], mainly affecting the poor and under privileged [2]
This study included a total of 612 households of which 304 were food secure and 308 were food insecure households with an overall response rate of 99%
Nutritional Status of Children The current study demonstrated that the magnitude of malnutrition was significantly higher among children from food insecure households compared to those from food secure households

Summary

Introduction

Malnutrition in children remains one of the most important public health and developmental problems in the developing world [1], mainly affecting the poor and under privileged [2]. Several and multifaceted factors influence nutritional status of children in developing countries. Children are most vulnerable to malnutrition in developing countries because of low dietary intakes, lack of appropriate feeding practices, and inequitable distribution of food within the households [4]. This vulnerable group should need due attention during this critical period (6 months to 5 years) to be healthy and productivity enough in the future.

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion