A survey of nutritional status of children 0-12 months in specialist hospital Gombe, Nigeria

摘要

Background: This study was a cross-sectional survey of children and their mothers in specialist Hospital Gombe, Nigeria. Objective: Anthropometric assessment of nutritional status of the children (0-12 months) and a survey of mothers' opinion on malnutrition. Population: Children and mothers attending immunization sessions in specialist hospital Gombe, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: Hundred children (0-12 months) attending immunization sessions were purposefully sampled and measured using sensitive anthropometric tools and techniques, while on the other arm of the study structured interviews were administered on the children's consenting mothers (100) who turned in for their wards' immunization. Only 97 out of 100 data collected on the children were used. Anthropometric indices used were height-for-age, weight-for-height, weight-for-age, and mid-upper arm circumference. Results: The study revealed a higher prevalence of moderate stunting in male (46.9%) than in female (33.3%) children (P 11 exhibited both severe and moderate forms of underweight. Among infants 3-5 months, moderate wasting was found to be less prevalent (4.2%). And despite the fact that 90% of their mothers showed a positive attitude toward exclusive breastfeeding, only 44% of them breastfed their infants exclusively from birth to the 6 th month of life. Conclusion: In order to address the various forms of nutritional derangements detected among the children, mothers should be targeted for infant nutritional education and authorities should institute poverty alleviation measures so as to address underlying causes of malnutrition.