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Article Information:
Risk Factors for Malnutrition among Children 5-years and Younger in the Akuapim-North District in the Eastern Region of Ghana
Alex Kojo Anderson, Whitney Bignell, Sophie Winful, Ireneous Soyiri and Matilda Steiner-Asiedu
Corresponding Author: Alex Anderson
Submitted: 2010 March, 23
Accepted: 2010 April, 03
Published: 2010 May, 20 |
Abstract:
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Malnutrition remains a significant public health problem in developing countries. The aim of this
study was to identify risk factors for malnutrition among preschool children in the Akwapim-North District in
the Eastern Region of Ghana. This was a cross-sectional study. Mothers who brought their children to the “Well
Baby Check-up” clinics were invited to participate. Anthropometric measurements (weight and height/length)
and blood hemoglobin were measured. Mothers also completed a questionnaire consisting of closed and
open-ended questions. A total of 305 pre-school-age children were included in this study. Of this sample,
43.3% were males, and 56.7% were females. The prevalence of wasting, stunting, and underweight was 6.2,
11.4 and 7.3%, respectively. The majority of the children (80.7% ) were anemic. Children who were
exclusively breastfed for 6 months showed slightly lower prevalence of both anemia (75.5% vs. 89.0%) and
stunting (8% vs. 13%) but not wasting (8.3% vs. 4.3% ) or underweight (8.3% vs. 5.2%) compared to their
mixed feeding counterparts. Children under 12 months of age showed a higher prevalence of wasting (9.4%)
compared to other age groups. Children from homes with electricity showed lower prevalence of stunting
(9.7% vs. 17.6%, p = 0.050), and children from households with a radio showed lower prevalence of wasting
(5.3% vs. 19.0%, p = 0.033). Nutrition education encouraging exclusive breastfeeding and adequate provision
of animal protein to preschool children is important in semi-rural and farming communities in developing
countries such as Ghana in order to combat the prevalence of childhood malnutrition (stunting, wasting,
underweight and anemia).
Key words: Ghana, malnutrition, preschool children, stunting, wasting, ,
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Cite this Reference:
Alex Kojo Anderson, Whitney Bignell, Sophie Winful, Ireneous Soyiri and Matilda Steiner-Asiedu, . Risk Factors for Malnutrition among Children 5-years and Younger in the Akuapim-North District in the Eastern Region of Ghana. Current Research Journal of Biological Sciences, (3): Page No: 183-188.
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ISSN (Online): 2041-0778
ISSN (Print): 2041-076X |
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