Kasajja Musa, Nabiwemba Elizabeth, Wamani Henry, Kamukama Saul
School of Public Health, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, P.O. Box 7072, Kampala, Uganda.
Department of Community Health and Behavioral Sciences, Makerere University School of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda.
BMC Nutr. 2022 Aug 15;8(1):79. doi: 10.1186/s40795-022-00578-9.
Despite of the global efforts undertaken to improve nutrition, malnutrition still continues to be a serious public health concern. Malnutrition in its various forms has been closely associated to major causes of illness, disability and death. Malnutrition in the form of childhood stunting has therefore been identified as a significant hindrance to human development. The aim of this study was to assess the nutritional status of children aged 6-59 months and determine factors associated with a high prevalence of stunting (48%) among children in Kabale district.
A cross sectional study was conducted among 640 children, aged 6-59 months selected using both simple random and systematic random sampling techniques. Interview administered questionnaires were used to collect household data whereas anthropometric data was collected using height boards, digital weighing scales and Mid Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) Tapes. Nutrition status data was analyzed using ENA for SMART, 2011 and then exported to STATA version 12.0 for further analysis.
The overall prevalence of stunting among children 6-59 months was 41.1%. Factors independently associated with stunting included; age of the child (children in the age category of 36-47 months APOR = 0.38; 95% CI 0.18-0.79 and those in the age category of 24-35 months APOR = 0.42; 95% CI 0.19-0.88), major source of food for the household that is children from households in which mothers indicated market as the major source of food (APOR = 0.67; 95% CI 0.48-0.94) and disposal of child stool that is children whose stool was put/ rinsed in a latrine (APOR = 0.41; 95% CI: 0.23-0.74) as well as those that whose stool was thrown in garbage (APOR = 0.29; 95% CI: 0.12-0.72).
The prevalence of stunting among children aged 6-59 months in Kabale district was high. Practices/ factors independently associated with stunting among children aged 6-59 months included; age of the child, major source of food for the household and disposal of child stool. Addressing these factors requires a proper mix of both community and health based interventions. There is also need to strengthen on strategies for reducing stunting like; sanitation and hygiene as well as food and nutrition security within rural households.
尽管全球为改善营养状况做出了努力，但营养不良仍然是一个严重的公共卫生问题。各种形式的营养不良与疾病、残疾和死亡的主要原因密切相关。因此，儿童发育迟缓形式的营养不良已被确定为人类发展的重大障碍。本研究的目的是评估6至59个月儿童的营养状况，并确定与卡巴莱地区儿童发育迟缓高患病率（48%）相关的因素。
采用简单随机抽样和系统随机抽样技术，对640名6至59个月的儿童进行了横断面研究。通过访谈问卷收集家庭数据，而人体测量数据则使用身高板、数字秤和上臂中部周长（MUAC）卷尺收集。使用2011年的ENA for SMART分析营养状况数据，然后导出到STATA 12.0版本进行进一步分析。
6至59个月儿童的发育迟缓总体患病率为41.1%。与发育迟缓独立相关的因素包括：儿童年龄（36至47个月年龄组的儿童APOR = 0.38；95% CI 0.18 - 0.79，以及24至35个月年龄组的儿童APOR = 0.42；95% CI 0.19 - 0.88）、家庭的主要食物来源，即母亲表示市场是主要食物来源的家庭中的儿童（APOR = 0.67；95% CI 0.48 - 0.94）以及儿童粪便的处理方式，即粪便被放入/冲入厕所的儿童（APOR = 0.41；95% CI：0.23 - 0.74）以及粪便被扔到垃圾中的儿童（APOR = 0.29；95% CI：0.12 - 0.72）。
卡巴莱地区6至59个月儿童的发育迟缓患病率很高。与6至59个月儿童发育迟缓独立相关的行为/因素包括：儿童年龄、家庭的主要食物来源和儿童粪便的处理方式。解决这些因素需要社区和基于健康的干预措施的适当结合。还需要加强减少发育迟缓的策略,如农村家庭的环境卫生和个人卫生以及粮食和营养安全。
