Persistent child malnutrition in Tanzania: risks associated with traditional complementary foods (A review)
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Date
2010-11
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Abstract
Despite numerous nutritional interventions that have taken place in Tanzania, the Country still
experiences a high rate of child malnutrition. Millions of children suffer from one or more forms of
malnutrition resulting in stunting, underweight, wasting and anemia. The growth of children often
declines with the introduction of complementary foods around the age of 6 months and continues to
decline up to 24 months that have greater implications for health during adult-hood. Poor breastfeeding
and child feeding practices augmented by very early introduction of nutritionally inadequate and
contaminated complementary foods are major factors contributing to persistent child malnutrition in
Tanzania. These complementary foods comprise mainly cereal-based porridges with little or no
vegetables and often lacking animal proteins. The promotion of exclusive breastfeeding during the first
6 months and appropriate feeding practices has been the integral parts of the intervention processes
taking place in Tanzania. Food safety education is a critical prerequisite in the child health programs
and is a cost effective intervention with long term positive impacts. This paper reviews the persistent
child malnutrition in Tanzania and the causative factors to highlight risks associated with use of
complimentary.
Description
African Journal of Food Science, 2010, 4 (11) : 679 - 692
Keywords
Child malnutrition, Complementary foods, Feeding practices, Microbial contamination, Energy density