Food availability and nutrition in a seasonal perspective: A study from the Rukwa region in Tanzania

Purpose of the Study: Malnutrition is like an iceberg, most people in the developing countries live under the burden of malnutrition. Pregnant women, nursing mother and children are particularly vulnerable to the effects of malnutrition. Malnutrition is widely prevalent among weaned infants and preschool children. The aim of the present study is to assess the nutritional status of urban and rural preschool children. Objectives: (1) Assess the nutritional status of rural and urban preschool children. (2) Compare nutritional status among rural and urban preschool children. (3) Determine association between nutritional status of rural and urban preschool children with selected socio demographic variables. (4) Develop a pamphlet regarding Recommended Daily allowance. Design: Non experimental comparative design was selected for the study. Approach: A descriptive survey approach was used. Subjects: The participants were 120 preschool children, 60 from Kadusonapanahalli (rural) and 60 from K. Narayanapura (urban), Bangalore. Method: A purposive sampling technique was used to select the sample for study. Data Collection Tool: An interview schedule and observation check list were used to collect data from the subjects. Data Analysis: The obtained data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics and interpreted in terms of objectives and hypothesis of the study. The level of significance was set at 0.05 levels. Results: The researcher found the rural preschool children nutritional status 66.7% (40) had moderate nutritional status and 33.3% (20) had adequate nutritional status. Regarding urban preschool children nutritional status, 30.0% (18) had moderate nutritional status, and 70.0% (42) had adequate nutritional status. Conclusion: From the analysis report the researcher concluded that there is significant difference between nutritional status of urban and rural preschool children and distributed pamphlet regarding RDA to mothers of preschool children with a view to improve the nutritional status.

Aims: To assess the Nutritional status of urban and semi-urban pre-school children of Dharwad, at baseline and after institutional supplementation. 
 Study Design: Nutritional status of the pre-school children was assessed based on anthropometry and clinical examination. Urban pre-school children were treated as control and semi-urban pre-school children were supplemented with institutional food for three months (experimental). Nutritional status were measured before and after institutional food supplementation.
 Place and Duration of Study: Department of Food Science and Nutrition, College of Community Science, University of Agricultural Science, Dharwad, Karnataka, India. The experiment was conducted between July 2017 and July 2018. 
 Methodology: A sample size of 100 pre-school children (3-6 years) were selected, out of which, 50 children from urban and another 50 children from semi-urban school were randomly selected from Dharwad district. Nutritional status of the pre-school children was assessed based on anthropometry and clinical examination. Nutritional status were measured before and after institutional food supplementation, in both schools.
 Results: Results revealed that, at baseline nutritional status were higher in urban pre-school children compare to semi-urban pre-school children, but after supplementing with the institutional food, significant improvement in anthropometric measurements were observed in semi-urban group and they were on par with the urban children in terms of nutritional status.
 Conclusion: The weight for age is an indicator of current nutritional status, whereas height for age is an indicator of past nutritional status, so height improvement was observed in urban group and weight improvement was observed in semi-urban group. Finally concluded that food intervention can go long way in changing the current malnutrition scenario.

Weight is a sensitive index for the evaluation of nutritional status of preschool children, particularly where their precise ages are known. Regrettably in Sierra Leone there are no known local standards of weight of preschool children and their ages are most times difficult to obtain. Thus weight alone cannot be the most suitable index in the evaluation of the nutritional status of preschool children in Sierra Leone. Thus the current study was undertaken to determine the relative merits of anthropometric measurements commonly used in nutrition survey for the evaluation of the nutritional status of preschool children in the clay factory displaced camp. Three hundred and six (306) children of both sexes aged 1-5 years were classified into three groups: Normal, protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) and vitamin deficiency (VD). The relative importance of the various anthropometric measurements was assessed in these three categories of children through comparison of their mean values and correlation coefficients. A close relationship was observed between the severity of PEM on the one hand and weight, weight-height ratio and mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) on the other. The indices weight and weight-height ratio were found to be very sensitive in the assessment of nutritional status of the children. Moreover, these indices showed a close association with other measurements. It was concluded that the weight-height ratio which is independent of age, is the most suitable index for the detection of early cases of PEM in our environment. Keywords: Nutritional status, Protein-Energy malnutrition, Vitamin deficiency, Preschool children, Weight-Height Ratio and Mid-upper arm circumference.

Stochastic Variation in Food Availability Influences Weight and Age at Maturity

Background: The nutritional status of children under five is one measure of the success of health development, therefore it is necessary to pay attention to the nutrition of children under five. Factors that affect nutritional status can be divided into direct and indirect factors. Direct factors are determined by food intake and infectious diseases, while indirect factors include the availability of food in the family, parenting patterns, health services and environmental conditions. The purpose of this study was to describe the nutritional status of preschool children in Kalanganyar Lebak District, Banten. To find out the picture of parenting style on the nutritional status of preschool children in the District of Kalanganyar Lebak, Banten. To determine the relationship between maternal parenting behavior and the nutritional status of preschool children in Kalanganyar Lebak District, Banten. The method in this study used a quantitative type with correlation analytic, namely to see the relationship between attitudes and behavior of mother's parenting pattern towards the nutritional status of preschool children in Kalanganyar District, Lebak, Banten. Result: The results of this study from the bivariate test showed a p value of 0.0024 <0.05 which means that there is a relationship between mother's parenting behavior and children's nutritional status. The results of the bivariate analysis test showed a p value of 0.034 <0.05 which means that there is a relationship between mother's parenting behavior and children's nutritional status. Conclusion: The conclusion from this study is that there is a relationship between maternal parenting behavior and the nutritional status of preschool children in Kalanganyar District, Lebak Banten. There is a relationship between mother's parenting behavior and nutritional status of preschool children in the Kalanganyar sub-district, Lebak, Banten.

Instrinsic variation in the availability of food to animal populations reflects the influence of foraging by the animals themselves. Instrinsic variation in food availability provides a link between population density, subsequent food availability and variation in the rate of population increase (r), operating through density-dependent food shortage. In contrast, extrinsic variation in food availability is caused by environmental influences on food or animal abundance, which are independent of animal foraging. Extrinsic variation in food availability is random relative to that arising through intrinsic shortage. Intrinsic and extrinsic variation in food availability can influence animal populations simultaneously. Intrinsic variation will impart a tendency towards an equilibrium between animal and food abundance. which will be progressively obscured by density-independent variation as the influence of extrinsic factors increases. This study used a large-scale field experiment, in which the density of food-limited feral pig (Sus Scrofa L.) populations was manipulated on six sites, to assess the relative influence of intrinsic and extrinsic variation in food availability. The experiment evaluated the influence of pig population density on r and the abundance of food resources measured as pasture biomass. It was predicted that if intrinsic shortages dominated variation in food availability, pasture biomass and r would decline with increasing pig density. If extrinsic factors dominated variation in food availability, pig density would have no systematic effect on either pasture biomass or r. If intrinsic and extrinsic sources simultaneously affected variation in food availability, higher pig densities would have no systematic effect on r, but would reduce pasture biomass. The simultaneous model predicts reduced pasture biomass because, in the absence of compensatory changes in other sources of variation, the effects of intrinsic and extrinsic factors will be additive. To examine further the degree of interdependence in pig and pasture abundance, a series of stochastic models of the grazing system were estimate and the feedback loop comprising the functional and numerical responses of feral pigs to variation in pasture biomass was manipulated. In the large-scale experiment, neither pasture biomass nor r declined with increasing pig density, suggesting that food availability was dominated by extrinsic factors. However, limitations of the experiment meant that a minor decline in pasture biomass may have gone undetected. Comparison of simulation models, which included and omitted pasture offtake by pigs, indicated that because they were less efficient grazers and persisted at lower average densities relative to other large herbivores, pigs had little influence on variation in pasture biomass.

The possible influence of seasonal variations in rainfall, resource availability, and morbidity on immune function and nutritional status was examined in a longitudinal study of 54 nomadic Turkana children, 6 months to 10 years of age. The highly seasonal nature of rainfall in the arid semidesert environment of the Turkana District, northwestern Kenya, was associated with varying levels of animal milk production and meat and blood consumption. Despite significant seasonal variation in rainfall and food availability, the nutritional status of Turkana children, assessed through various anthropometric indicators, showed only moderate, if any, decline in the dry season. Rather, the data indicated that Turkana Children suffer from chronic mild-to-moderate malnutrition. In addition, analyses of cellular immunocompetence of the children, recognized to be a functional index of nutritional status, revealed extremely high levels of immunosuppression Year-round. Significant monthly variation in the levels of acute respiratory and gastrointestinal infections among children were found, although averages across seasons were not significantly different and did not correspond with fluctuations in rainfall or resources availability. Instead, periodic spikes in the prevalence of morbidity occurred against an already high level of infectious endemicity. The results indicate that food availability is not likely to be the sole determinant of nutritional status and that infection may be an important contribtor to the high levels of nutritional and immunological stress among nomadic Turkana Children. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Introduction: Health and nutrition interventions in developing countries have been linked to better thriving and survival of children. Identifying programmes with significant effect on the nutritional status of Filipino preschool children may aid in identifying impactful interventions in addressing malnutrition. This study evaluated the association between nutritional status of preschool children and government programme participation based on the 2018 Expanded National Nutrition Survey (ENNS) results. Methods: Secondary data analysis of 12,949 preschool children was performed from the 2018 ENNS. The selected data included socioeconomic, anthropometric, and self-reported household-level and individual-level government programme participation. Chi-square test for association and multiple logistic regression were conducted using Stata version 16. Results: Participation in immunisation programme, growth monitoring, household food production, and awareness and usage of iodised salt were negatively associated with at least one type of undernutrition. Consequently, participation in deworming programme was positively associated with both underweight and stunting. Regression analysis showed that preschool children who underwent growth monitoring were less likely to be stunted (OR=0.58), while those who underwent newborn screening were less likely to be underweight (OR=0.53) and stunted (OR=0.62). On the contrary, dewormed children were more likely to be stunted (OR=1.63) and those from 4Ps households were more likely to be wasted (OR=2.24). Conclusion: There is a need to re-evaluate programme strategies to maximise the benefits provided. Programmes showing significant associations with nutritional status including immunisation, growth monitoring, deworming, household food production, and awareness and usage of iodised salt should be continued and sustained with updated policies.

<p>A cross sectional survey design was set up to assess the influence of household procurement strategies on food intake and nutritional status of preschool children in from 196 households in Vihiga County, Kenya. Dietary diversity was positively correlated with food availability (p<0.05). Increased consumption of bread and cereals, and, fruits and vegetables was influenced by food availability and food consumption (dietary diversity) (<0.05). Roots and tubers, legumes and pulses, and carbonated drinks were the main contributors to food procurement strategies and availability (F= 3.419, F sig=0.02). Nutrition outcome was influenced by household socioeconomic status (R= 0.189, p value = 0.012) and income levels of households (R= 0.246, p value= 0.002), while procurement strategies had no effect on the nutritional status of the pre-school child. Household income levels determined food availability, diversity and intake.</p>

To determine the nutritional status and household resources of preschool children. A cross-sectional survey. : Two informal settlement areas, Joe Slovo (JS) and JB Mafora (JBM) in Mangaung, near Bloemfontein, South Africa. Preschool children (<72 months) of a randomly selected sample of households in JS (experimental) (n = 162) and JBM (control) (n = 186) were included. Standard methods were used to obtain household and care-giver particulars, weight and height measurements, blood and stool samples, and 24-hour dietary recalls. Breast-feeding and dietary intake in the two areas were nearly similar; breast-feeding was continued for 12 months and longer. Although the children's total protein intake was sufficient, their energy intake was low. A low median intake of micronutrients prevailed, including iron, zinc, calcium, niacin, riboflavin, thiamine and vitamins C, B6, A and D. The prevalence of being underweight (JS = 19.8%; JBM = 18.8%), stunted (JS = 29%; JBM = 21. 5%) and wasted (JS = 6.5%; JBM = 3.7%) were fairly similar in both areas, as well as the prevalence of marginal vitamin A deficiency, anaemia, iron deficiency and parasite infestations. No significant associations could be found between household and nutritional status indicators, probably due to the small number of well-nourished children and the generally poor household situation of the participants. The generally poor nutritional status and environmental conditions emphasize the urgency of intervention for these children.

Accounting for food availability reveals contaminant-induced breeding impairment, food-modulated contaminant effects, and endpoint-specificity of exposure indicators in free ranging avian populations

Background: Children are the foundation of a nation, and those in rural areas and lower socio-economic groups are vulnerable to malnutrition. This study aimed to evaluate and compare the nutritional status of preschool children and the socio-demographic factors affecting their growth in urban and rural Anganwadi centers (AWCs) of Davangere district. Methods: An observational, descriptive, cross-sectional survey was conducted in year May 2023 to October 2024 in both urban and rural AWCs of the Davanagere district. A total of 120 children aged 3-5years children were selected using multistage sampling and were screened using anthropometric measurements such as height, weight and mid upper arm circumference. Socio-demographic information was collected using self-structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS v20 with p&lt;0.05. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests assessed associations between nutritional status and dichotomized sociodemographic variables. Results: In urban areas, 10% of children had moderate underweight and 5% had severe underweight, moderate stunting and severe stunting each, and 11.6% and 1.6% had moderate wasting and severe wasting respectively; whereas in rural areas, 6.6% had moderate underweight and 13.3% had severe underweight, 16.6% had moderate stunting and 5% had severe stunting, and 15% had moderate wasting with 5% showing severe wasting. Malnutrition was found to be associated with factors such as age of mother at marriage, family type, birth weight, breastfeeding practice, colostrum given and economic status of family. Conclusions: Malnutrition exists in both settings, driven by maternal and socio-economic factors, warranting targeted interventions.

Undernutrition is one of the major causes of growth retardation and mortality among preschool children in developing countries including India. Head circumference (HC) is considered a physical index of both previous nutritional status and brain development in pediatrics. It is a routine measurement to assess brain development since micro and macrocephaly are important indicators of brain pathology. However, there exists insufficient information on the prevalence of undernutrition as a cause of low HC among preschool children of rural West Bengal. The aim of the present study was to assess nutritional status of preschool children using WHO-2007 HC cut-off points. This study was carried out among 3-5 years old rural preschool children (326 boys, 330 girls) of Bengalee ethnicity at 28 Integrated Child Development Services centers of Sagar Block, South 24 Parganas District, West Bengal, India. Anthropometric measurement (HC in cm) was recorded according to standard procedure, and HC based nutritional status was done following the World Health Organization guidelines. The age-combined mean values of HC were 47.63 (± 2.13) cm and 46.82 (± 1.32) cm among boys and girls, respectively. A significant sex difference was found in age-combined mean value of HC (t = 5.86, p<0.001). The age-combined rates of undernutrition among boys and girls were 28.83% and 42.12%, respectively. This sex difference was statistically significant. Our study revealed that moderate undernutrition is more prevalent than severe undernutrition in both sexes. Since HC, brain development, intelligence quotient, learning and nutrition are all inter-related, appropriate steps should be taken to improve the nutritional status of under-five children in this studied area.

Family knowledge especially mothers about nutrition awareness with nutritional status in pre-school children is very important to improve nutritional status. Pre-school children are at an age that is vulnerable to nutritional problems. This study aims to find the relationship between mothers' knowledge about nutrition-aware families and the nutritional status of pre-school children in Karangrejo Village, Tulungagung District. This type of research is a correlational study and based on time it is categorized as cross-sectional. The variables in this study were knowledge as the independent variable and the nutritional status of pre-school children as the dependent variable. The population of all mothers and pre-school children in Karangrejo village, Tulungagung district, was 106 respondents. Using accidental sampling, the results obtained were a sample size of 42 respondents. The statistical test used in this study was Spearman's rho. The study was conducted on 42 respondents with the results (45.2%) having less knowledge and (21.4%) less nutritional status of pre-school children. Analysis of the relationship between the two variables obtained a p value &lt;α = 0.000 &lt;0.05, meaning that h1 was accepted, meaning that there was a relationship between maternal knowledge about nutrition-aware families and the nutritional status of pre-school children in Karangrejo Village, Tulungagung District. There is a relationship between maternal knowledge and the nutritional status of pre-school children. school. Suggestions in this study are that it is expected to routinely carry out weight checks every month at school in order to monitor the growth and development of pre-school children so that if there is a nutritional disorder they can immediately get the right treatment.

The data on diet and nutritional status of preschool children at State level is available however the same is not available at district level for planning appropriate action programmes at that level. Hence in keeping view of this objective the present paper focused on to assess the diet and nutritional status of rural preschool children at district level in the State of Orissa. This study was conducted in rural areas of 30 districts in the State of Orissa. Dietary history was obtained from 1605 preschool children and about 6803 children (1-6 Yrs) were covered for anthropometry and clinical examination. The data revealed that the mean intakes of majority of foods except cereals and millets roots and tubers and vegetables were below the recommended dietary intakes in both the age groups of preschool children. Similarly in general the intakes of majority of nutrients were below the RDA. The overall prevalence of Kwashiorkor and Marasmus was 1.1% each. The prevalence of Bitots spots was 2.7%. About 63% of preschool children were stunted and under-weighed. Majority of preschool children was subsisting on inadequate diets and the diets were grossly deficient of micronutrients such as riboflavin vitamin A and iron. The poor dietary intakes are reflected by higher prevalence of stunting and underweight. (authors)