Abstract:
Nutritional status in children is an indicator of health and well-being at both the individual
and the population level. Malnutrition rates and incidences are still high in Kiroka village.
The aim of the study was to identify causes of recurrence of malnutrition among children
below five years of age in Kiroka village in Rural Morogoro, Tanzania. Face-to-face
interviews with the sampled mothers were conducted using a semi-structured
questionnaire. Anthropometric data were collected using standard procedures and analysed
using Emergency Nutrition Assessment by SMART program where Z-scores were
generated and imported into the SPSS software programme for further analysis.
Anthropometric indicators of weight-for-age, weight-for-height and height-for-age indices
were employed to assess the nutritional status of children below five years of age. The
prevalence rates of stunting, underweight, wasting, and morbidity were
43%, 13%, 3%, and 87%, respectively. Prevalence of underweight of children
reported in Kiroka village increased between 2005 and 2007 from 19% to 22%
respectively. Nutritional status of children is affected by both inadequate and quality of
food, improper feeding practices, level of education of mother, household size, marital
status and disease infections. Generally, children were more susceptible to malnutrition as
age increased. An educated mother was less likely to have malnourished children. About
64% of the mothers were able to breastfeed their children within one hour after delivery.
However, 85% of the infants in Kiroka village are given pre-lacteal foods such as thin
cereal-based porridge and water. Only 3% of infants were exclusively breastfed for
six months. About 39% of the children started complementary feeding when they were
two weeks old. Duration of food shortage and household size had a negative
correlation with weight-for-height z-scores. Community nutrition education andiii
mobilization of community members to adopt practices that favour good nutrition of
children are recommended.
