ASSESSMENT OF NUTRITIONAL STATUS AND ASSOCIATED MORBIDITY AMONG CHILDREN UNDER FIVE IN TALATA MAFARA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, ZAMFARA STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Malnutrition is a serious global public health problem, and is a significant risk factor for child deaths, illness and long-term developmental problems, especially in low- and middle-income countries (Wright, 2019; World Health Organization [WHO], 2023). One hundred and seventy (170) children under 5 years of age were used for the nutritional status and morbidity profile, and their interrelationship was assessed in the Talata Mafara local government area of Zamfara State, Nigeria. This study was conducted in the community and was a cross-sectional study, using a structured questionnaire, which found a synergistic crisis. High clinical under nutrition (56% weight loss in the past 30 days) was correlated with poor IYCF practices, including low dietary diversity (58% mainly carbohydrates), and early complementary feeding (50% before 6 months). 45% of households were food insecure. The burden of morbidity was very high, such as recent diarrhoea (56%), recent fever (78%) and malaria (56%). Importantly, 68% of caregivers decreased feeding, and 48% stopped feeding altogether during illness, thus increasing the nutrition-infection cycle. 40% of children were fully vaccinated. The results are derived from the conceptual framework of UNICEF and illustrate how the three groups of basic factors (poverty, low maternal education), underlying factors (food insecurity, poor WASH, harmful care practices) and immediate factors (poor dietary practices, high disease burden) interact. Immediate, comprehensive, multi-sectoral measures are required to ensure child health, to break this vicious circle of health risks to children.