Nutritional and developmental status among 6- to 8-month-old children in southwestern Uganda: a cross-sectional study
Grace K M Muhoozi1,2, Prudence Atukunda1, Robert Mwadime3
1Department of Nutrition, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
Insights
Undernutrition in Ugandan infants is linked to poor sanitation, poverty, and low dietary diversity. Improved nutrition is crucial for better child development outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Child Health and Nutrition
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Public Health in Sub-Saharan Africa
Background:
- Undernutrition remains a significant challenge for children in Uganda, with limited understanding of its impact on physical and intellectual development.
- This study addresses the knowledge gap by examining the relationship between nutritional status and developmental milestones in infants.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the nutritional status and milestone development of 6- to 8-month-old infants in southwestern Uganda.
- To identify factors associated with nutritional status and child development in this population.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 512 mother-infant pairs in two Ugandan districts.
- Data collected on household characteristics, poverty, child dietary diversity scores (CDDS), and infant development using validated tools (BSID III, ASQ).
- Anthropometric measures (z-scores for WAZ, LAZ, WLZ, HCZ) were used to assess nutritional status.
Main Results:
- Prevalence of underweight, stunting, and wasting was 12.1%, 24.6%, and 4.7%, respectively.
- Undernutrition was predicted by gender, sanitation, CDDS, and poverty likelihood.
- Developmental delays were observed across multiple domains, with significant positive associations between nutritional status indicators (except HCZ) and development.
Conclusions:
- Undernutrition in infants from impoverished rural Uganda is associated with poor household sanitation, poverty, and low dietary diversity.
- Nutritional status is a key predictor of child development, highlighting the importance of interventions.
- Targeted nutritional interventions can potentially improve both child growth and developmental outcomes.
Background:
Undernutrition continues to pose challenges to Uganda's children, but there is limited knowledge on its association with physical and intellectual development.
Objective:
In this cross-sectional study, we assessed the nutritional status and milestone development of 6- to 8-month-old children and associated factors in two districts of southwestern Uganda.
Design:
Five hundred and twelve households with mother-infant (6-8 months) pairs were randomly sampled. Data about background variables (e.g. household characteristics, poverty likelihood, and child dietary diversity scores (CDDS)) were collected using questionnaires. Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development (BSID III) and Ages and Stages questionnaires (ASQ) were used to collect data on child development. Anthropometric measures were used to determine z-scores for weight-for-age (WAZ), length-for-age (LAZ), weight-for-length (WLZ), head circumference (HCZ), and mid-upper arm circumference. Chi-square tests, correlation coefficients, and linear regression analyses were used to relate background variables, nutritional status indicators, and infant development.
Results:
The prevalence of underweight, stunting, and wasting was 12.1, 24.6, and 4.7%, respectively. Household head education, gender, sanitation, household size, maternal age and education, birth order, poverty likelihood, and CDDS were associated (p<0.05) with WAZ, LAZ, and WLZ. Regression analysis showed that gender, sanitation, CDDS, and likelihood to be below the poverty line were predictors (p<0.05) of undernutrition. BSID III indicated development delay of 1.3% in cognitive and language, and 1.6% in motor development. The ASQ indicated delayed development of 24, 9.1, 25.2, 12.2, and 15.1% in communication, fine motor, gross motor, problem solving, and personal social ability, respectively. All nutritional status indicators except HCZ were positively and significantly associated with development domains. WAZ was the main predictor for all development domains.
Conclusion:
Undernutrition among infants living in impoverished rural Uganda was associated with household sanitation, poverty, and low dietary diversity. Development domains were positively and significantly associated with nutritional status. Nutritional interventions might add value to improvement of child growth and development.
