Rickets and deprivation: a Nigerian study

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Public Health
• Nutritional Epidemiology

Background:

• Rickets, a condition affecting bone development in children, poses a significant public health concern in developing regions.
• Prevalence and associated risk factors for rickets in the Sahel savanna, a region with unique environmental and socio-cultural dynamics, require thorough investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of rickets in children under five years old in sub-urban and rural communities within the Sahel savanna.
• To identify key socio-demographic, environmental, and dietary factors associated with rickets in this population.

Main Methods:

• A clinical assessment of 461 households was conducted to identify overt rickets and suggestive abnormalities in children under five.
• Statistical analyses were performed to examine variations in rickets prevalence based on ethnic grouping, religion, maternal education and occupation, infant feeding practices, and household composition.

Main Results:

• Overt rickets was diagnosed in 2.4% of households, with abnormalities suggestive of rickets found in 14.9%.
• Higher prevalence was significantly associated with specific ethnic groups, Christianity, maternal employment and education, late introduction of cereals (after seven months), and multiple young children per household.
• No significant associations were found with breastfeeding duration, multivitamin use, nutritional status, or recent diarrhea.

Conclusions:

• Rickets is prevalent among under-fives in the Sahel savanna, with environmental and dietary factors playing a more prominent role than cultural or religious aspects.
• Further research is needed to elucidate the specific roles of vitamin D and calcium deficiencies to inform targeted community-based interventions.