J K Kikafunda1, J K Tumwine. 1. Department of Food Science and Technology, Makerere University, P.O. Box 7072, Kampala, Uganda.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To establish dietary and socio-economic factors and their association with the nutritional status of pre-school children in a poor suburb of Kampala city, Uganda. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. SETTING: Three nursery schools in a low income suburb of Kampala city, Uganda. SUBJECTS: A sub-sample of forty one randomly selected pre-school children (three to six years of age) from a larger intervention study, participated in the present investigation. RESULTS: The results reveal high levels of chronic malnutrition (stunting and underweight) among the children. Almost half (46.3%) and one third (29.3%) of the children had height-for-age and weight-for-age centiles, respectively, below the 20th centile. The father's educational status was significantly (p = 0.017) associated with the children's nutritional status with all the children whose fathers had tertiary education and above having better weight-for-age centiles (above the 50th). Economic status too was significantly (p = 0.026) associated with the nutritional status of the children with children from the upper and mid-upper socio-economic classes having better weight-for-age centiles than children from the lower socio-economic status. Analysis of the diet showed a significant association between the nutrition status of the children and some of the foods consumed. Children who were above the 50th weight-for-age centiles consumed significantly more bread (p = 0.008) and light-green-leafy vegetables (p = 0.020) than those who had lower weight-for-age centiles. Children who were above their 50th height-for-age centiles consumed significantly (p = 0.049) more soybeans than children who had lower height-for-age centiles. CONCLUSION: Socio-economic as well as dietary factors were found to be inextricably linked and have been shown to be significantly associated with the nutritional status in this group of suburban pre-school children in Kampala city, Uganda.
OBJECTIVE: To establish dietary and socio-economic factors and their association with the nutritional status of pre-school children in a poor suburb of Kampala city, Uganda. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. SETTING: Three nursery schools in a low income suburb of Kampala city, Uganda. SUBJECTS: A sub-sample of forty one randomly selected pre-school children (three to six years of age) from a larger intervention study, participated in the present investigation. RESULTS: The results reveal high levels of chronic malnutrition (stunting and underweight) among the children. Almost half (46.3%) and one third (29.3%) of the children had height-for-age and weight-for-age centiles, respectively, below the 20th centile. The father's educational status was significantly (p = 0.017) associated with the children's nutritional status with all the children whose fathers had tertiary education and above having better weight-for-age centiles (above the 50th). Economic status too was significantly (p = 0.026) associated with the nutritional status of the children with children from the upper and mid-upper socio-economic classes having better weight-for-age centiles than children from the lower socio-economic status. Analysis of the diet showed a significant association between the nutrition status of the children and some of the foods consumed. Children who were above the 50th weight-for-age centiles consumed significantly more bread (p = 0.008) and light-green-leafy vegetables (p = 0.020) than those who had lower weight-for-age centiles. Children who were above their 50th height-for-age centiles consumed significantly (p = 0.049) more soybeans than children who had lower height-for-age centiles. CONCLUSION: Socio-economic as well as dietary factors were found to be inextricably linked and have been shown to be significantly associated with the nutritional status in this group of suburban pre-school children in Kampala city, Uganda.
Authors: Peter M Rukundo; Arne Oshaug; Bård A Andreassen; Joyce Kikafunda; Byaruhanga Rukooko; Per O Iversen Journal: Public Health Nutr Date: 2016-06-09 Impact factor: 4.022