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Sociocultural practices influencing under five nutritional status in an urban community in Osun State, Nigeria

O A Esimai1, E O Ojofeitimi, O M Oyebowale

  • 1Department of Community Health, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.

Nutrition and Health
|June 14, 2001
PubMed

Insights

Malnutrition and stunting affect over half of preschool children in Nigeria

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Public Health
  • Nutrition Science

Background:

  • Child malnutrition remains a significant public health concern in many developing regions.
  • Understanding the interplay between socioeconomic factors and nutritional status is crucial for effective interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the nutritional status of preschool children in Ilare district, Nigeria.
  • To examine the influence of parental sociocultural practices on child nutrition.
  • To identify key determinants of malnutrition and stunting in the study population.

Main Methods:

  • Anthropometric techniques were employed to evaluate the nutritional status of 344 preschool children.
  • Sociocultural practices of parents were investigated.
  • Statistical analysis was used to determine the influence of various factors on nutritional outcomes.

Main Results:

  • Over half of the children (53.8%) were malnourished, and 54.7% were stunted.
  • Family socioeconomic status significantly impacted children's nutritional status.
  • Female children exhibited poorer nutritional status compared to male children.
  • Parity and food taboos showed no significant influence on nutritional status.

Conclusions:

  • Socioeconomic factors are critical drivers of preschool child malnutrition in this Nigerian community.
  • Targeted interventions to improve family socioeconomic status and promote female child nutrition are essential.
  • Community education on nutrition, particularly for girls, is recommended to combat stunting and malnutrition.

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