Household and Community Factors Affecting Nutritional Status of Under-five Children (6-59 months) in Gairo District Using Composite Index of Anthropometric Failure

Authors

Tausi M. Mohamed, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Department of Human Nutrition and Consumer Sciences, P.O. Box 3006, Morogoro, TanzaniaFollow
Cornelio N. Nyaruhucha, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Department of Human Nutrition and Consumer Sciences, P.O. Box 3006, Morogoro, TanzaniaFollow

Section

Biological Sciences

Abstract

In Tanzania, where the majority of under-five children are affected, undernutrition is still a significant public health concern. The study aimed at assessing the prevalence of undernutrition and its determinants among under-five children in Gairo District using a Composite Index of Anthropometric Failure (CIAF). A household-based cross-sectional study was employed involving 300 under-five children with their mothers/caregivers in three wards in the Gairo District. Data collection on socio-demographics, dietary diversity, and healthcare factors were collected by interviewer-based semi-structured questionnaires. Anthropometric measurements using standard procedures were performed to collect anthropometric data. Odds ratios with a 95% confidence interval and p-value ≤ 0.05 were used to identify determinants of undernutrition. Prevalence of undernutrition using CIAF was 57.3%, whereby children with single failure were 105 (61%), double failures were 62 (36%) and triple failures were 5 (2.9%). Factors that were significantly associated with undernutrition were the nearest health facility (p = 0.014; OR: 0.504 (0.291-0.873)), place of delivery (p = 0.000; OR: 0.717 (0.107-0.490)), source of drinking water (p = 0.001; OR: 0.452 (0.283-0.722)), type of latrine (p = 0.000; OR: 21.338 (9.807-46.427)), household solid waste disposal method (p = 0.012; OR: 1.806 (0.682-1.964)), birth weight (p = 0.000; OR: 5.400 (2.625-11.109) and marital status (p = 0.00; OR: 0.403 (0.240-0.676)). Therefore, nutrition intervention efforts should be given to the factors reported to positively affect undernutrition. Keywords: Undernutrition, factors, Gairo, under-five, CIAF

Recommended Citation

Mohamed, Tausi M. and Nyaruhucha, Cornelio N. (2023) "Household and Community Factors Affecting Nutritional Status of Under-five Children (6-59 months) in Gairo District Using Composite Index of Anthropometric Failure," Tanzania Journal of Science: Vol. 49: Iss. 1, Article 14.
Available at:https://doi.org/10.4314/tjs.v49i1.7