The Role of Maternal Literacy and Nutrition Knowledge in Determining Children's Nutritional Status

Abstract

Researchers surveyed at least 2665 mothers in Panchmahals district of Gujarat state in India about their education level and nutrition knowledge. Only 6% had some type of formal education and only 3.2% attended school beyond the primary level. Some issues which were used to determine nutrition knowledge included proper age to introduce solid foods types of solid foods diet during diarrhea and oral rehydration therapy familiarity. Health workers measured the weight and height of 4004 children ranging from 0-72 months. There was a positive correlation between literacy status of mothers and nutritional status determined by weight for age height for age and weight for height of their children. For example a higher percentage of children of literate mothers had a normal nutritional status determined by weight for age (42.2% [0-12 months]) than illiterate mothers (35.2%). The differences between literacy status and the 3 indicators were not statistically significant however. On a scale of 1:9 the mean score for mothers nutrition knowledge stood at 1.6. Mothers who scored > or = 4 had a higher percentage of children 0-36 months old of normal status than those who scored 3 or less (p<.001). Further a significant association between mothers knowledge and wasting existed for all ages (p<.005 for 37-72 months; p<.001 for 0-36 months). 20.9% of the literate mothers had a score of at least 4 while only 4.6% of the illiterate mothers did. In addition literacy (p<.001) and higher nutrition knowledge score (p<.005) were significantly related to high family income. The results showed that if mothers have adequate nutrition knowledge regardless of educational status they can improve the nutritional status of their children.