Malnutrition In Preschool Children Research Articles

Effect of Home-Made Formula on Growth Performance of Malnourished Pre-School Children (24-36 Months of Age) in Yobe State Nigeria

Aim: The insurgency in the north-east zone of Nigeria has aggravated rate of malnourished children and many are roaming the streets unattended. This study determined the effect of home-made formula on growth performance of malnourished pre-school children in Yobe State, Nigeria.
 Study Design: A factorial experiment.
 Place and Duration of Study: Yobe state, Nigeria, 6 weeks.
 Methodology: Three local Government Areas (LGA) of Yobe state, Nigeria (Bade, Bursari and Potiskum) used. A formulated home-made formula (HMF) was compared with therapeutic milk powders (TMPs). Twenty malnourished pre-school children were purposefully selected in each LGA and were grouped into two. Each group was randomly allotted to a dietary treatment, a child stood as replicate. At commencement children with complications were treated in the hospital. They were fed at 16.88 ml/kg body weight at 3 hours interval daily throughout a 6th week study using plastic cups. Parameters studied included weight, height, mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) and W/HZ-score. A SPSS statistical package was used to analyze the results.
 Results: All the parameters were (p>0.05) affected with dietary treatments among districts. However, children fed HMF had higher final MUAC (127.50±2.04mm), higher height gain (3.45±0.18cm) and higher MUAC gain (13.76±0.22mm) among districts while those fed TMPs had higher final weight (10.74±0.25kg), higher final height (83.77±0.16cm) and higher weight gain (2.11±0.01kg). Based on average, the children fed HMF had higher final MUAC (127.50±2.04mm), height gain (3.45±0.18cm) and MUAC gain (13.76±0.22mm) while their counterparts fed TMPs had higher final weight (10.74±0.25kg), final height (83.77±0.83) and weight gain (2.11± 0.01kg). The children fed TMPs had slightly higher daily weight gain (50.23g) than those fed HMF (48.81g); and all the children were discharged with -2<z-score. 
 Conclusion: It can be concluded that HMF was effective in managing malnutrition in pre-school children. Therefore, it is recommended as alternative therapeutic food.

Retracted: Effect of Calcium Carbonate Preparation on Malnutrition in Preschool Children.

[This retracts the article DOI: 10.1155/2022/4025972.].

Effect of Calcium Carbonate Preparation on Malnutrition in Preschool Children.

Objective To analyze the effect of calcium carbonate preparations on malnutrition in preschool children. Methods A total of 100 preschool malnourished children treated in our hospital from February 2020 to February 2021 were recruited and assigned to a calcium carbonate preparation group or calcium lactate preparation group via the random number table method, with 50 cases in each group. Outcome measures included bone content, malnutrition symptom scores, nutritional indices, urine calcium, patient compliance, and treatment satisfaction. Results After treatment, the calcium carbonate preparation group showed higher content of right heel bone and bone density versus the calcium lactate preparation group (P < 0.05). After treatment, children given calcium carbonate preparation were associated with lower scores of malnutrition symptoms and higher serum calcium, ferritin, transferrin, prealbumin, and albumin levels versus those receiving calcium lactate preparation (P < 0.05). Children in the calcium carbonate preparation group showed higher urine calcium levels than those in the calcium lactate preparation group after treatment (t = 17.640, 45.131, 18.168, 19.565, P < 0.05). A higher compliance (96.00%) and treatment satisfaction (98.00%) of children in the calcium carbonate preparation group was observed versus those in the calcium lactate preparation group (62.00%, 66.00%) (Z = 3.521, Z = 3.447, P < 0.05). Conclusion The calcium carbonate preparations show more enrichment in the amelioration of malnutrition in preschool children versus calcium lactate preparations.

Evaluation of the growth and nutritional status of preschool children: a pilot study in the cold area of China

The growth and development of children is influenced not only by heredity factors but also by environmental factors, including nutrition and temperature. The aim of this study was to evaluate the growth and nutritional status of preschool children in Daxing'anling, the coldest region of China. A descriptive, cross-sectional survey was performed among preschool children aged 3-6years by stratified cluster sampling in Daxing'anling. The children's parents completed the questionnaires. Height, body weight and head circumference were measured, and Z scores for weight for height, weight for age, height for age and head circumference for age were evaluated. Anthropometric data were compared with World Health Organization standards and China's growth references. The levels of vitamin A, E and 25-(OH)-D3 in serum were detected by high-performance liquid chromatography. A total of 305 children were recruited. The average height of the preschool children was lower than China's growth reference but higher than the WHO standard. More than half of the preschool children ranged from-1 SD to +1 SD. Both the values of weight for height and of weight for age were positive and higher than the WHO standards (p<0.01), with a significant difference between boys and girls (p<0.01). The incidences of stunting, wasting, and underweight were 4.59%, 2.95%, and 2.30%, respectively, although the prevalence of overweight and obesity was high (18.03% and 6.89%, respectively). The rates of vitamin A and D deficiency were 7.54% and 88.85%, respectively. Vitamin A was also positively associated with 25-(OH)-D3. The burden of malnutrition in preschool children exists in cold regions, and a cold climate may be an important factor. Therefore, we should pay attention to the nutrition and physical growth of local preschool children; in particular, vitamin D deficiency should be given high priority, and necessary nutritional interventions should be made.

Socio-demographic and Household-Level Risk Factors for Severe Acute Malnutrition in Pre-school Children in North-Western Nigeria.

Severe acute malnutrition (SAM) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality and is disproportionately distributed mainly in developing countries. In Nigeria, the prevalence of SAM in the North-Western region of the country is significantly higher than the national average. In this study, we identified risk factors for SAM in North-Western Nigeria. Identifying such risk factors would be helpful in developing local preventive strategies and providing insights for broader SAM control programs in other high-burden country settings. We performed post hoc data analysis, comparing baseline socio-demographic and household-level risk factors in a cohort of 1011 children aged between 6 and 59 months who either had SAM or were well-nourished children. We defined nutritional status using the World Health Organization (WHO) reference standards and investigated the association between SAM and our identified risk factors using multivariable logistic regression model. Children aged between 12 and 23 months [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 2.95, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.99-4.38], household who reared domestic animals (AOR 1.94, 95% CI 1.40-2.69) and those from polygamous households (AOR 1.91, 95% CI 1.33-2.74) had significantly increased odds of developing SAM. Parental education and being on the household diet reduced the odds of having SAM. Our findings suggest the need to develop optimal complementary feeding nutrition programs and promote adult and general education in our community. Cultural and feeding practices in local polygamous households also need further investigation to understand the association between polygamy with SAM.

Study to Assess Age Predilection of Malnutrition in Preschool Children

Background : Age of children is the important demographic factor that is involved in nutritional status of children. The preschool age of children is the formative period in which growth and development of children occur. The deficiency of calories and minerals in the preschool age could result in to malnutrition in children. Participants and Methods : Present study was comprised of total 440 children which were selected through two stage random sampling method. The children between 2 years to below 5 years were the sampling units. The study was conducted at the city Fazilka in Punjab in Indi Results and Discussion : The study population was comprised of total 440 preschool which were categorized into three age groups as 2y to 3y with children (n/N=169/440) representing 38.4% in schools, other age group between above 3y to 4y with children (n/N=146/440) representing 33% in anganwadis and the age group above 4y to below 5 years with children (n/N=125/440) representing 28.4%. The stunting in children in 2-3 years age group showed 2.47 times higher chances than the stunting probability in children above 3 to below 5 years age. The Odd ratio between age groups and pallor in preschool children was (OR=0.1986/0.4728) = (0.42) at 95%C. I. of (0.260 to 0.628). Conclusion : Age of children is significantly associated with stunting, pallor and dental caries in children.

A socio-demographic study on prevalence of undernutrition among pre-school children, under Rural Health Center, Santhiram Medical College, Nandyal, Andhra Pradesh

Background: Life of every human starts with infancy, childhood into adult life. During this process, childhood happen to be the most vulnerable phase associated with nutritional deficiency affecting the growth leading to morbidity and mortality. Malnutrition in pre-school children is considered most important indicator of the nutritional and health status of the country which is given top priority in National Family Health Survey- 4 (NFHS-4). Pre-school children in India have higher percentage of undernourished children and are 100th place among 119 malnourished countries in the world. The aims of the study were to assess the nutritional status of children aged 3-6 yrs in rural area attending Anganwadi centers under Rural Health Center, SRMC, Nandyal and to identify the factors associated with the nutritional status of pre-school children.Methods: Cross sectional study, area under Rural Health Center, Santhiram Medical College, A.P. Sample size for study is 161, calculated using Epi info-7 calculator. Study was carried during June 2017- July 2017 for a period of two months among 3-6 yrs children attending AWC under RHC, SRMC, Nandyal. Samples selected were based on using multistage random sampling technique. All the children were subjected to measure for body weight and their ages were recorded using Gomez classification based on weight for age. All the mothers were interviewed using pre tested questionnaire. The data compiled in excel sheet and later was analyzed using SPSS-22 version.Results: Total number of children between 3-6 yrs included in the study is 161. Female children (57.8%) outnumbered male children (42.2%) in the study. Undernourished children according to Gomez classification were falling in second degree with 77 (47.8%), followed by first degree 63 (39.1%). The age, mothers’ education and B G Prasad socio economic class-4 and class-5 with Under Nutrition were showing significant correlation showing p value less than 0.05. Conclusions: Mothers’ education and BG Prasad socio economic class is showing more influence on second degree and first degree under nutrition based on Gomez classification.

The Relationship between Eating Pattern and Eating Behavior in Preschool Children Aged 4-5 Years at Al-Ikhlas

According to data from the Bulukumba district health office in 2014, there were 44% malnutrition in preschool children and 2015 there was 53% malnutrition in preschool children due to irregular children's eating patterns. The data obtained showed that the incidence of preschool children experiencing malnutrition is increasing from year to year. The purpose of this research is to know the relationship between eating patterns and eating behavior in preschool children aged 4-5 years at Al-Ikhlas Kindergarten, Benteng Gantarang Village, Gantarang District, Research Design using Cross-Sectional. The study population was parents who had children aged 4-5 years in Al-Ikhlas Kindergarten which counted 58 people. A sample of 37 people were taken using consecutive sampling techniques using questionnaire and interview instruments. In AL-Ikhlas Kindergarten, Benteng Gantarang Village, Gantarang District, Bulukumba Regency, 58 students were formed consisting of 2 groups A and B, and after interviews of 20 parents, there were found that there were those who easily ate 8 people and had difficulty eating 12 people. Chi-square test results obtained P = 0.004. This means that there is a significant relationship between eating patterns with eating behavior in preschool children aged 4-5 years at Al-Ikhlas Kindergarten, Benteng Gantarang Village, Gantarang District. It is recommended that parents can provide regular eating patterns to children so that the child's eating behavior becomes good.

Malnutrition in Pre-school Children across Different Geographic Areas and Socio-Demographic Groups in Ghana.

Objective Malnutrition in children pervades all aspects of their health, growth, cognitive and social development and can lead to irreversible and lifelong effects. We examine the prevalence and determinants of malnutrition in children under 5 in the Ghanaian population. Methods Using data from the latest available Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (GDHS), we estimated and compared prevalence of malnutrition in children among the different subgroups of the population. We used multivariable logistic regression to identify potential factors associated with childhood malnutrition in Ghana. Results Overall, 35.6 % (95 % CI: 33.6, 37.6) of Ghanaian children under 5 years of age suffer from some form of malnutrition. Specifically, 27.5 % (95 % CI: 25.1, 28.7), 13.8 % (95 % CI: 12.5, 15.3), 8.9 % (95 % CI: 7.8, 10.2) were stunted, underweight and wasted, respectively. Results from the logistic regression indicate that gender and age of the child, educational and nutritional status of the mother, and financial status of the household are risk factors associated with childhood malnutrition in Ghana. Conclusions for Practice In view of the observed high rate of malnutrition among Ghanaian children despite the interventions that have been in place since the 1990s, there is a need for increased awareness and improved targeted interventions as well as knowledge translation tools including extensive education on infant and young child feeding practices.

A gravidade da cárie está associada à desnutrição proteico-calórica em pré-escolares?

An analysis was conducted to evaluate if the severity of caries is associated with protein-calorie malnutrition in preschool children. The cross-sectional study was performed on a retrospective cohort of 625 children aged 24-71 months attending daycare centers in São Luís, Maranhão. A hierarchical model was evaluated at five levels: 1.) Socio-economic variables (economic group, mother's educational level and skin color); 2) Access variables; 3) Low birth weight (LBW) and exclusive breastfeeding; 4) Weight per height at 12 months; and 5) Severity of caries and albumin (Alb) levels. The outcome was protein-calorie malnourishment (weight per height z score < -2). The prevalence of outcome was 5.0% and the prevalence of caries was 32%. At the first level, the variables were not associated with the outcome, but the economic group was maintained until the final model. The variables in the second and third levels were not significant. At the fourth level, weight for height at 12 months was not significant, but was maintained until the final model. In the last level, severity of caries was positively associated with malnourishment. The association between severity of caries and malnourishment suggest that oral health should be integrated with public health care policies for children.

Assessment of Malnutrition in Pre-School children visiting immunization clinic, Maharana Bhoopal Hospital, Udaipur (Rajasthan) -

Background: The pre-school age groups (2-5years) were evaluated for growth and nutritional status at immunization clinic at Maharana Bhoopal hospital, Udaipur. Objectives: To study the malnutrition in pre-school children. Material & Methods: The cross sectional study had been carried out between august 2013 to November 2013 with 1080children at immunization clinic Maharana Bhoopal Hospital Udaipur. Body weight, height were recorded including with age, gender and also education and occupation and socio-economic status of mother by interviewing the mother at the time they attended the immunization clinic and by the help of MAMTA CARD. Result: The age and sex distribution of 1080 examined children revealed that 52.8% were males while 47.2% were females. The malnutrition in the subjects was determined as per World Health Organization child growth standards [1]. Data reveals that 4.2% of male children, 4.1% of female children were severely stunted and 10.7% of male children, 11.2% of female children were stunted. Whereas 3.1% of male children, 4.7% of female children were found to be severely wasted and 11.4% of male children, 12.3% of female children were wasted. Also found that 7.5% of male children, 7.6% of female children were overweight and 1.9% of male children, 1.0% of female children were obese. Conclusion: There is need of more education about nutrition and dietary habits to population including proper antenatal and postnatal care of mother to decrease the prevalence of malnutrition in children. Keywords: Children, Malnutrition, WHO child growth standards

Assessment of Malnutrition in Pre-School children visiting immunization clinic, Maharana Bhoopal Hospital, Udaipur (Rajasthan)

Assessment of Malnutrition in Pre-School children visiting immunization clinic, Maharana Bhoopal Hospital, Udaipur (Rajasthan)

Prevalence of Malnutrition among Preschool Children in Northeast of Iran, A Result of a Population Based Study

Introduction:Malnutrition in preschool children is a significant problem and has been identified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the most lethal form of malnutrition, indirectly or directly causes an annual death of at least 5 million children worldwide. The object of this study was to estimated the rate of underweight, stunting and wasting among preschool children in northeast of Iran.Methods:A cross sectional population based study was conducted and 70339 children; 35792 males and 34547 females were recruited. The primary outcome variables were; weight, height, age and gender of the children. The sex and age specific rate and overall rate of underweight, stunting, and wasting were calculated.Results:The rate of underweight, stunting, and wasting were 7.5%, 12.5% and 4.4% respectively. There were significant differences in stunting and wasting rate between boys and girls. The overall rate of stunting was significantly higher than the overall rates of underweight and wasting. The rate of malnutrition increased with child's age.Conclusion:In compare to WHO criteria, the rate of malnutrition among this study population was low. According to the higher rate of stunting, the main goal of future research and interventions must be finding the causes of deficiency in height growth and improving it.

The importance of vegetables in ensuring both food and nutritional security in attainment of the Millennium Development Goals

A nutritious and varied diet is a critical means by which good health can be maintained. Consumption of less than 200 g of vegetables per person per day in many countries today is common and this low amount, often in conjunction with poverty and poor medical services, is associated with unacceptable levels of mortality and malnutrition in preschool children and other vulnerable groups. An increase in the availability, affordability and consumption of nutrient-dense vegetables and pulses is one way malnutrition may be substantially reversed—yet nutritional security appears to be less valued than food security by key decision makers, and vegetable crops thus receive inadequate research investment. Opportunities exist for the poor to improve their access to vegetables, particularly if they are willing to grow home gardens. Research continues on defining appropriate nutrient-dense vegetables for such activities, but these efforts may be compromised by failure to adopt good agricultural practices, resulting in contamination and unhealthy produce for producers and consumers. The scientific community is ready to play its role in battling malnutrition and hunger, but unless the political resolve can be found to support the causes of both food and nutritional security together, it is unlikely that the Millennium Development Goals will be achieved in a timely fashion. Redressing the current imbalance in agricultural investment can improve efficiency in food production and ensure nutritious diets can be a reality for all people.

Gut Microbiota of Healthy and Malnourished Children in Bangladesh

Poor health and malnutrition in preschool children are longstanding problems in Bangladesh. Gut microbiota plays a tremendous role in nutrient absorption and determining the state of health. In this study, metagenomic tool was employed to assess the gut microbiota composition of healthy and malnourished children. DNA was extracted from fecal samples of seven healthy and seven malnourished children (n = 14; age 2–3 years) were analyzed for the variable region of 16S rRNA genes by universal primer PCR followed by high-throughput 454 parallel sequencing to identify the bacterial phyla and genera. Our results reveal that the healthy children had a significantly higher number of operational taxonomic unit in their gut than that of the malnourished children (healthy vs. malnourished: 546 vs. 310). In malnourished children, bacterial population of the phyla Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes accounted for 46 and 18%, respectively. Conversely, in healthy children, Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes accounted for 5% and 44, respectively (p < 0.001). In malnourished children, the phylum Proteobacteria included pathogenic genera, namely Klebsiella and Escherichia, which were 174-fold and 9-fold higher, respectively, than their healthy counterpart. The predominance of potentially pathogenic Proteobacteria and minimal level of Bacteroidetes as commensal microbiota might be associated to the ill health of malnourished children in Bangladesh.

Fluctuations in Wasting in Vulnerable Child Populations in the Greater Horn of Africa

Malnutrition in preschool children, usually measured as wasting, is widely used to assess possible needs for emergency humanitarian interventions in areas vulnerable to drought, displacement, and related causes of food insecurity. The extent of fluctuations in wasting by season, year-to-year, and differential effects by livelihood group, need to be better established as a basis for interpretation together with ways of presenting large numbers of survey results to facilitate interpretation. To estimate levels of and fluctuations in wasting prevalences in children from surveys conducted in arid and semiarid areas of the Greater Horn of Africa according to livelihood (pastoral, agricultural, mixed, migrant), season or month, and year from 2000 to 2006. Results from around 900 area-level nutrition surveys (typical sample size, about 900 children) were compiled and analyzed. These surveys were carried out largely by nongovernmental organizations, coordinated by UNICEF, in vulnerable areas of Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Southern Sudan, and Uganda. Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) and Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) data were used for comparison. Data were taken from measurements of children 0 to 5 years of age (or less than 110 cm in height). Among pastoral child populations, the average prevalence of wasting (< -2 SD weight-for-height) was about 17%, 6-7 percentage points higher than the rates among agricultural populations or populations with mixed livelihoods. Fluctuations in wasting were greater among pastoralists during years of drought, with prevalences rising to 25% or higher; prevalences among agricultural populations seldom exceeded 15%. This difference may be related to very different growth patterns (assessed from DHS and UNICEF/MICS surveys), whereby pastoral children typically grow up thinner but taller than children of agriculturalists. Wasting peaks are seen in the first half of the year, usually during the dry or hunger season. In average years, the seasonal increase is about 5 percentage points. Internally displaced people and urban migrants have somewhat higher prevalence rates of wasting. Year-to-year differences are the largest, loosely correlated with drought at the national level but subject to local variations. Tracking changes in wasting prevalence over time at the area level--e.g., with time-series graphical presentations--facilitates interpretation of survey results obtained at any given time. Roughly, wasting prevalences exceeding 25% in pastoralists and 15% in agriculturalists (taking account of timing) indicate unusual malnutrition levels. Different populations should be judged by population-specific criteria, and invariant prevalence cutoff points avoided; interpretation rules are suggested. Survey estimates of wasting, when seen in the context of historical values and viewed as specific to different livelihood groups, can provide useful timely warning of the need for intervention to mitigate developing nutritional crises.

Household factors are strong indicators of children's nutritional status in children with access to primary health care in the greater Gaborone area

Access to primary health care can improve the nutritional status and survival of preschool children. The effect of the universal provision of primary health care in Botswana on the prevalence, types, and determinants of malnutrition in preschool children is unclear. 522 children 0 - 5 years old from 12 clinics in the greater Gaborone area were studied to address this gap. Children’s weights and heights were measured. Birth weights, age, sex, household’s socio-economic factors, children’s illness status and services sought at the clinics were obtained through care giver interviews and confirmed by the data in the health cards. 11.3 and 13.7% of children were stunted and wasted, respectively. Stunting and wasting ranged from 9.1 and 3.6% in middle-high income neighborhoods to 18.2 and 20.8% in low income neighborhoods, respectively. Households’ socio-economic factors were significantly associated with households’ location. Consequently, households’ location was a strong determinant of nutritional status. Children in higher income neighborhoods had better growth indicators than children in lower income neighborhoods. This was true regardless of the illness status of children and the services sought from the clinics. Therefore, where large socio-economic disparities exist, access to primary healthcare may not equitably support households in improving the nutritional status of children. Key words: Primary health care, stunting, wasting, nutritional status, Botswana.

Prevalence and severity of malnutrition and age at menarche; cross-sectional studies in adolescent schoolgirls in western Kenya.

Nutritional status is an important marker of overall health and linear growth retardation has serious long-term physiological and economic consequences. Approximately 35 and 29% of preschool children in sub-Saharan Africa are stunted and underweight, respectively. There is relatively little information available about the nutritional status in adolescents, the age group with the highest growth velocity after infancy. We conducted a series of cross-sectional surveys to determine the prevalence and main risk groups for malnutrition and to describe the associations between age, sexual maturation and nutritional status in adolescent schoolgirls in western Kenya. Three cross-sectional surveys; one in Mumias, using random sampling in all schools, and two surveys in Asembo, using a multi-stage random sample design. Public primary schools in two different rural malaria endemic areas in western Kenya with high levels of malnutrition in preschool children. In all, 928 randomly selected adolescent schoolgirls aged 12-18 y. Overall prevalence of stunting and thinness was 12.1 and 15.6%, respectively. Of the total, 2% were severely stunted. Menarche and start of puberty were delayed by approximately 1.5-2 y compared to a US reference population. The prevalence of stunting and thinness decreased with age and mean height for age z-scores converged towards the median of the US reference curve. Girls who had not yet started menstruating were more likely to be stunted than the girls of the same age who were post-menarche. Stunting and thinness are common in young adolescent schoolgirls in these poor rural settings in western Kenya, but the prevalence decreases with age, providing observational support that children catch up on incomplete growth attained earlier in life due to a maturational delay of 1.5-2 y allowing prolonged growth.

Morbidity pattern and its association with malnutrition in preschool children in desert areas of Rajasthan, India

This study has been carried out in 17 villages of desert districts of Rajasthan. A total of 538 house holds were covered out of which 834 preschool children were examined. 16·4% were found to be sick at the time of survey. 10·7% suffered from skin morbidities, 8·9% from eye morbidities and 7·2% from fever. Eye morbidities, fever and other problems were observed to be higher in females than males. The prevalence of associated signs of protein calorie malnutrition (PCM) was observed to be significantly higher in the present study than Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) study. Percent prevalence of anemia, vitamin-A- and vitamin-B-complex deficiencies along with skin, eye and respiratory morbidities were observed to be higher in desert areas as compared to the data of non-desert areas. This may be attributed to high percentage of illiteracy, low income of their parents, poor housing conditions and exposure of the studied population to harsh environmental conditions of desert areas, which mainly leads to malnutrition and in turn to higher prevalence of morbidity in desert populations.

PREVALENCE OF MALNUTRITION AMONG PRESCHOOL CHILDREN OF NORTH WEST FRONTIER PROVINCE, PAKISTAN

POS19 A community-based study was conducted to assess the growth and prevalence of malnutrition in preschool children of District Nowshera, North West Frontier Province, Pakistan. One hundred and ninety two babies from birth to fifteen months were followed at an interval of three months for their weight, height and feeding practices. Demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of the families were also determined by interviewing mothers. Mean weight-for-age, height-for-age and weight-for-height z-scores of the newly born babies were -0.52, 0.10 and 0.99 respectively, which were dropped to-1.74, -1.77, -0.86, respectively, as the children reached the age of fifteen months. The prevalence of malnutrition also tended to increase with increasing child's age. At birth 5.3% of the babies were underweight, 3.2% were stunted and 11.1% were wasted, the percentage of underweight, stunted and wasted children increased to 37.5%, 29.2% and 16.7%, respectively, by the end of fifteen months. Data regarding feeding practices of the mothers revealed that during the first three months only 8.4% of the babies were exclusively breastfed, this was gradually replaced by partial breastfeeding and by the time the infants reached fifteen months only 8.4% were still being exclusively breastfed. Although supplementary feeding was introduced at an early age still it was nutritionally inadequate to meet the requirements of the babies and to prevent the children from malnutrition.