Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, P.O. BOX 65015, Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania.
Tanzania Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme, Tanzania Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, P.O. BOX 743-40478, Dodoma, Tanzania.
Pan Afr Med J. 2020 Dec 4;37:315. doi: 10.11604/pamj.2020.37.315.21726. eCollection 2020.
childhood undernutrition is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in children below five years of age especially in developing countries like Tanzania, particularly in rural area. Inappropriate child caring and feeding practices have been strongly associated with it. Many actions have been taken to reduce prevalence of undernutrition in children in Ngorongoro district, however, the problem persist. This study identified risk factors associated with undernutrition in children under-five years of age in Ngorongoro district, Arusha region.
a health facility-based unmatched case-control study was conducted with 400 (100 cases and 300 controls) children aged 6-59 months. Cases included children with undernutrition according to the WHO anthropometric indicators. Controls were children within the normal range of these indicators. Both cases and controls, were obtained from children attending the Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) for assessment of growth and development or admitted in pediatric ward. A questionnaire was used to collect demographic characteristics, child health and caring practices and environmental factors. Height, weight and Mid Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) were measured using standard approaches. We employed logistic regression analysis to identify significant risk factors for undernutrition.
undernutrition was associated with young age of mothers/caregivers (adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR)=38.8, 95% CI: 15.38-59.03.); early age of initiation complementary foods (aOR=13.6, 95%CI: 3.15-59.06); a child having diarrhoea in past one month (aOR=4.0; 95%CI: 1.76-12.85); large family size (aOR=6.1, 95% CI: 2.16-16.90); low frequency of feeding (aOR=3.9, 95%CI: 1.59-9.58); low birth weight (aOR:=7.3, 95%: CI: 1.15-46.70); and source of drinking water; well (aOR=16.3, 95%: CI: 1.81-147.05) and surface water (aOR=16.18, 95%CI: 1.85-141.71).
household and individual characteristics of the children and mother/caregiver are important predictors of undernutrition in this community. Tailored interventions, instead of blanket approaches, should be designed to mitigate and eliminate childhood undernutrition in Ngorongoro.
儿童营养不良是五岁以下儿童发病率和死亡率的主要原因之一，特别是在坦桑尼亚等发展中国家，特别是在农村地区。不适当的儿童护理和喂养方式与它密切相关。为了降低恩戈罗恩戈罗地区儿童营养不良的发生率，已经采取了许多措施，但问题仍然存在。本研究确定了与恩戈罗恩戈罗地区五岁以下儿童营养不良相关的风险因素。
采用基于卫生机构的病例对照研究，共纳入 400 名（100 例病例和 300 例对照）6-59 月龄儿童。病例包括根据世界卫生组织人体测量指标诊断为营养不良的儿童。对照为这些指标正常范围的儿童。病例和对照均来自接受生殖和儿童健康（RCH）评估生长发育或入住儿科病房的儿童。使用问卷收集人口统计学特征、儿童健康和护理实践以及环境因素。使用标准方法测量身高、体重和上臂中部周长（MUAC）。我们采用逻辑回归分析确定营养不良的显著危险因素。
母亲/照顾者年龄较小（调整后的优势比（aOR）=38.8，95%CI：15.38-59.03）、早期添加补充食品（aOR=13.6，95%CI：3.15-59.06）、过去一个月有腹泻的儿童（aOR=4.0；95%CI：1.76-12.85）、家庭规模较大（aOR=6.1，95%CI：2.16-16.90）、喂养频率较低（aOR=3.9，95%CI：1.59-9.58）、低出生体重（aOR=7.3，95%CI：1.15-46.70）、饮用水源为井水（aOR=16.3，95%CI：1.81-147.05）和地表水（aOR=16.18，95%CI：1.85-141.71）与营养不良有关。
儿童及其母亲/照顾者的家庭和个体特征是该社区儿童营养不良的重要预测因素。应设计针对特定人群的干预措施，而不是一刀切的方法，以减轻和消除恩戈罗恩戈罗地区的儿童营养不良。
