Prevalence of Feeding Practices and Factors Associated with Concurrent Wasting and Stunting Among Children Under Five Years Attending Health Facilities in Bushenyi District
Loading...
Date
2023-11
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kampala International University
Abstract
Background: Malnutrition remains a significant factor determining health and survival of children in countries with low- and middle-income. The indicators utilized traditionally separately to assess malnutrition have been reported to have ignored the impact of simultaneous anthropometric deficits. Methodology: This was a health facility based, cross sectional, analytical study that aimed to determine the prevalence, feeding practices and factors associated with concurrent wasting and stunting(WaSt) among children under five years attending health facilities in Bushenyi district. 321 patients were recruited. The data related to feeding practices and socio demographic factors was collected using interview of caregivers; The weight, length, mother's mid upper arm circumference were obtained using respectively digital weighing scale, an infantometer /stadiometer and MUC tape. WaSt was determined by a weight for length and height for age both under -2SD. IBM SPSS was used for data analysis. The prevalence of WaSt and feeding practices were determined as proportions; binary logistic regression was used to determine factors associated with undernutrition. A p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The prevalence of WaSt in current study was 4%. The prevalence rates of other nutritional indicators were 26.7%, 5.9% and 8.9% respectively for stunting, wasting and underweight. 85.1% of the study participants had been initiated early on breast, 64.7% had been exclusively breastfed, continued breastfeeding practiced in 63.1%; 33.7% of the participants received the minimum diet diversity and 78.1% received the minimum meal frequency. The factors associated with WaSt were the presentation with diarrhea(aOR=1.269, CI=1.138-1.414, P<0.001), pneumonia (aOR=1.230, CI=1.095-1.383, P=0.001), not receiving minimum diet diversity (aOR=1.235, CI=1.052-1.265, P=0.001), child with unmarried mother, Mother's MUAC<22cm ((aOR= 1.316, CI=1.144-1.514, P<0.001) and lack of nutritional counselling (aOR=1.061, CI=1.017-1.107, P=0.006). Conclusion: The prevalence of WaSt among children under five years attending health facilities in Bushenyi district is low but not exceptional. Complementary feeding indicators are poor particularly food diversity. Healthcare providers should screen systematically children for multiple anthropometric deficits.