Abstract:
,Malnutrition remains a significant public health problem in Tanzania. The
study was. carried to determine the prevalence of malnutrition and causes
associated with it in Alvomero and Kon,t,iiva Districts, Tanzania. .4
structured questionnaire teas used to determine dietary pattern of the
households and anthropometric measurements were taken to assess the
nutritional status of the under-live years of age children. Sixty mothers
with under -five year's children were recruited. Data for this study were
analyzed to obtain frequencies. percentages, means and standard deviation.
Chi square lest and Analysis of lariance (.41VOL4) were used to assess the
association between a child's nutritional status and the independent
variables considered relevant for this study. The findings indicate that most
of the mothers were between the age of 25 and 3-1 years with a mean age of
31.6 years.. Alajority of the respondents (66.5%) were married, and the
mean Jamily sizell'US 6.2 people per household. The main economic activity
in the study area wasfilrIlling. A total of -4 under-Jive year's children were
involved, of which 55.4% were males and 44.6% were females. Household
dietary pattern was of medium diversity. Protein foods and fruits were
rarely consumed. Consequently the nutritional status of children was
generally .suboptimal. The overall prevalence of stunting Was' higher in
Kongwa District 67.3%1Or children aged 12 to 23 months compared to
33.3% in Afvomero. Factors which were .significantly associated with
nutritional status' of the children include location where the child lives., the
child's age as well as. the mother's educational level, introduction of
complementary foods, type of conwlementary food, feeding frequency and
the sex of the household head. It is' therefOre recommended that female
education, nutritional education and gender .training he adopted because
they will improve the nutritional status of children.
