Assessment of the nutritional status of Nigerian rural children and mothers' perceptions of quality of life.

One hundred and fourteen preschool school children and their 30 mothers from three selected villages in Ile-Ife, Nigeria were assessed for nutritional status using selected and sensitive anthropometric techniques. The mothers' dietary patterns, their perceptions as to components of a good quality of life, infants' immunization status and major cause of infant death were also examined. Approximately 56% of the children and 80% of the women were identified to be suffering from mild to moderate malnutrition. The major cause of infant death as reported by the mothers was high fever and convulsion. Practically all the children under 3 years had not received any form of immunization. Ability to have plenty of children, good health and money, were highly perceived as measures of essential components of quality of life by all the mothers, while 20% listed good feeding, housing, clothing, and only 7% listed potable water. The need for effective health services, regular home visits, supplementary feeding programmes for school children and an effective health education campaign on the importance of immunization and nutrition for rural people are discussed. The training of agricultural extension workers in the use of simple anthropometric techniques to identify covert malnutrition is also highlighted.