Role of Regular ANC Visits and Feeding Practices in Preventing Malnutrition in Children Under Five Years Old

Authors

  • Issayas Ghirmay Melake Orrota National Referal Hospital, Asmara, Eritrea
  • Isaias Tesfu Mirach Orrota National Referal Hospital, Asmara, Eritrea
  • Hagos Andom CDC Focal Person, MoH, ZobaMaekel, Asmara, Eritrea

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.6000/1929-4247.2019.08.03.2

Keywords:

Antenatal care, Breast Feeding, Stunting, Underweight, Wasting, Children, under five years.

Abstract

Introduction: Malnutrition has a significant impact on global disease for the majority of children worldwide, by being responsible for almost half of the deaths of children under the age of five especially in the developing countries including Eritrea. However, there is no clear information on the role of antenatal care and feeding practices in preventing malnutrition. Therefore, assessing the role of antenatal care visit and feeding practices in preventing malnutrition is of vital importance.

Objective: To assess the role of regular ANC visit and feeding practices in preventing malnutrition among children aged 0-59 months, who visited Orotta National Pediatric Referral Hospital from 31st August – 30th September, 2016.

Methodology: A cross-sectional, Hospital based study was carried out. Data were collected from mothers (caretakers) using semi-structured questionnaire developed for the purpose. Moreover, anthropometric measurement of the subjects was taken. Data was and entered to the computer and analyzed using SPSS version 20 and p-value <0.05 at 95%CI was considered as statistically significant.

Results: The main associated factors of stunting were found to be the frequency of breastfeeding and antenatal care visit. Underweight was associated with weaning of breastfeeding. Frequency of breastfeeding and weaning of breastfeeding were the only variables associated with wasting.

Conclusion and Recommendation: Malnutrition remains a major health problem among children aged 0-59 months. Hence, interventions regarding regular antenatal care visits and feeding practices are highly suggested to be given special attention.

References

Ezzati M, Lopez AD, Rodgers A, et al. Selected major risk factors and global and regional burden of disease. Lancet 2002; 360: 1347-60. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(02)11403-6

Black RE, Allen LH, Bhutta ZA, Caulfield LE, De Onis M, Ezzati M, Mathers C, Rivera J. Maternal Child Undernutrition Study Group. 'Maternal and child undernutrition: global and regional exposures and health consequences'. The Lancet 2008; 371(9608): 243-260. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(07)61690-0

World Health Organization. MDG 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger. Available from: http://www.who.int/ topics/millennium_development_goals/hunger/en/index.html [Google Scholar]

Leroy JL, Rule M, Habicht J-P, Frongillo EA. Linear growth deficit continues to accumulate beyond the first 1000 days in low-and middle-income countries: global evidence from 51 national surveys. The Journal of Nutrition 2014; 144(9): 1460-1466. https://doi.org/10.3945/jn.114.191981

WHO Multicenter Growth Reference Study Group and Onis, M. WHO Child Growth Standards based on length/height, weight and age. Acta Paediatrica 2006; 95(S450): 76-85. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1651-2227.2006.tb02378.x

Dewey KG, Begum K. Long term consequences of stunting in early life. Maternal & Child Nutrition 2011; 7(s3): 5-18. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1740-8709.2011.00349.x

Crosby L, Jayasinghe D, McNair D. Food for Thought: Tackling child malnutrition to unlock potential and boost prosperity. London, Save the Children UK 2013.

World Bank. Repositioning Nutrition as Central to Development: A strategy for large scale action. Washington, DC, the World Bank 2006.

UNICEF. The state of the World’s children 1998. Focus on Nutrition. 1998. Available from: http://www.unicef.org/sowc/ archive/ENGLISH/The%20State%20of%20the%20World%27s%20Childre %201998.pdf [Google Scholar]

Partnership for Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health. Opportunities for Africa’s Newborns. Practical data, policy and programmatic support for newborn care in Africa. Available from: http://www.who.int/pmnch/media/publications/ oanfullreport.pdf [Google Scholar]

WHO antenatal care randomized trial: manual for the implementation of the new model. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2002 (http://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/ publications/maternal_perinatal_health/ RHR_01_30/en/, accessed 6 October 2016).

Eritrean People’s Health Survey, Report 2010.

Hanif HM. Trends in breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices in Pakistan, 1990-2007. Int Breastfeed J 2011; 6: 15. https://doi.org/10.1186/1746-4358-6-15

Jones G, Steketee RW, Black RE, Bhutta ZA, Morris SS; Bellagio Child Survival Study Group. How many child deaths can we prevent this year? Lancet 2003; 362: 65-71. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(03)13811-1

Partnership for Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health. Opportunities for Africa’s Newborns. Practical data, policy and programmatic support for newborn care in Africa. Available from: http://www.who.int/pmnch/media/publications/ oanfullreport.pdf [Google Scholar] page 105.

Horta BL, Victora CG. Long-term effcts of breastfeeding: a systematic review. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2013 (http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/79198/1/9789241505307_eng.pdf, accessed 7 October 2014).

Black RE, Victora CG, Walker SP, Bhutta ZA, Christian P, de Onis M, et al. Maternal and child undernutrition and overweight in low-income and middle-income countries. Lancet 2013; 382: 42751. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(13)60937-X

World Health Organization. World Health Statistics 2013 (www.who.int/gho/publications/world_health_statistics/2013/en/, accessed 7 October 2014).

Gulati JK, et al. Child Malnutrition: Trends and issues. Anthropologist 2010; 12(2): 131-140. https://doi.org/10.1080/09720073.2010.11891143

Hong R, Banta JE, Betancourt JA. Relationship between household wealth inequality and chronic childhood under-nutrition in Bangladesh. Int J Equity Health 2006; 5: 15. https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-9276-5-15

Yimer G. Malnutrition among children in Southern Ethiopia: levels and risk factors. Ethiop J Health Dev 2000; 14: 283-92. https://doi.org/10.4314/ejhd.v14i3.9901

Olusanya BO, Wirz SL, Renner JK. Prevalence, pattern and risk factors for under nutrition in early infancy using the WHO multicentre growth reference: a community-based study. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol 2010; 24: 572-83. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3016.2010.01144.x

Amsalu S, Tigabu Z. Risk factors for severe acute malnutrition in children under the age of five; A casecontrol study. Ethiop J Health Dev 2008; 22: 21-5. https://doi.org/10.4314/ejhd.v22i1.10058

Jamro B, Junejo AA, Lal S, Bouk GR, Jamro S. Department of Paediatrics, Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical University, Ghulam Muhammad Mahar Medical College, Sukkur, Chandka Medical College, Larkana. Risk Factors for Severe Acute Malnutrition in Children under the Age of Five Year in Sukkur.

Amsalu S, Tigabu Z. Risk factors for severe acute malnutrition in children under the age of five. Ethiop J Health Dev 2008; 22(1). https://doi.org/10.4314/ejhd.v22i1.10058

Saaka et al. How well do WHO complementary feeding indicators relate to nutritional status of children aged 6– 23 months in rural Northern Ghana? BMC Public Health 2015; 15: 1157. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-015-2494-7

Downloads

Published

2019-08-31

How to Cite

Melake, I. G., Mirach, I. T., & Andom, H. (2019). Role of Regular ANC Visits and Feeding Practices in Preventing Malnutrition in Children Under Five Years Old . International Journal of Child Health and Nutrition, 8(3), 86–92. https://doi.org/10.6000/1929-4247.2019.08.03.2

Issue

Section

General Articles