Abstract

BACKGROUND
Adequate nutrition in the first 1,000 days of life is critical to the survival and wellbeing of children. However, malnutrition remains a significant cause of childhood morbidity and mortality in developing countries during this period. This study determined the factors that affected the nutritional status of children and support systems for infant feeding in Tudun Wada Ward of Jos North, Plateau State Nigeria.
METHODOLOGY
This was a cross-sectional study of 345 mother-child pairs selected by a multistage sampling technique from Tudun Wada community of Jos, Plateau state. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected from them using a pretested, adapted, interviewer-administered questionnaire and a focus group discussions guide. Anthropometric measurements were analyzed using the World Health Organization Anthro software and imported into Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23 to be processed and further analyzed. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify the predictors of malnutrition. A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant with a confidence interval of 95%.
RESULTS
The prevalence of underweight, stunting and wasting were 7.2%, 32.8% and 7.5% respectively, among the children studied. The predictors of underweight identified were: EBF (OR=0.33;95%CI=0.110-0.98;p=0.046), mothers employment (OR=0.235;95%CI=0.060-0.918;p=0.037) and low/medium environmental conditions (OR=3.22;95%CI=1.02-10.17;p=0.046). The predictors of stunting were food insecurity (OR=3.60;95%CI=1.42-9.08;p=0.007) and low/medium socioeconomic status(OR=4.36;95%CI=2.06-9.37.;p=0.001). The predictors of wasting were EBF (OR=0.288; 95%CI=0.081-0.950;p=0.041); early initiation
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of breastfeeding (OR=0.122;95%CI=0.032-0.473;p=0.002) and Complete immunization (OR=0.180;95%CI=0.050-0.901;p=0.005). The available support systems for infant feeding had no statistically significant influence on the infant and young child feeding practices of mothers in Tudun Wada ward.
CONCLUSION
Stunting was the most prevalent nutrition problem that was detected while prevalences of wasting and underweight were lower. There is the need for developing community based-nutritional interventions; strengthening of existing nutrition policies and creation of microfinance schemes which will address infant feeding practices, food insecurity and low socioeconomic issues which will improve the nutritional status of children in Tudun Wada community

FACTORS AFFECTING NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF CHILDREN AND SUPPORT SYSTEMS FOR INFANT AND YOUNG CHILD FEEDING IN TUDUN-WADA, PLATEAU STATE