THE NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF PRESCHOOL CHILDREN IN ENUGU AND ITS SOCIO-ECONOMIC DETERMINANTS

Abstract

There is a paucity of data on the nutritional status of pre-school children in
the South Eastern zone of Nigeria. In order to fill this knowledge gap, a
cross-sectional study to determine the nutritional status and its socio
economic determinants on preschool children in Enugu was carried out.
A total of 409 pre-school children aged 2-5 years resident in the high,
medium and low-density areas of the city were studied. Anthropometric
measurements and socio-economic data were collected over a three-month
period from those children. Weight-for-age, height-for-age, weight –for
height and mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) were used to assess the
nutritional status of the subjects. Malnutrition was categorized using Z
score and percent of median (Gomez and Waterlow) criteria. Social
classification was done using Oyedeji criteria as well as Gwathkin/ Asset
Score and paternal occupation.
The male: female distribution of the study group was 192 (47%):
217(53%) giving a ratio of 1: 1.1 with a mean age of 3.67 ±1.05 years. The
mean anthropometric parameters for the study groups for weight-for-age was
17.7 ± 3.7kg, height-for-age was 105.3 ± 10.0cm, weight-for-height was
101.4 ±11.8 percent and MUAC was 16.5 ± 1.4 cm. There was a significant
difference in the means of all the anthropometric parameters between

children from the different population density areas and social classes (p
<0.001). The children from the low and medium-density residential areas
and high social classes were heavier, taller and with bigger arm sizes than
their counterparts from the high-density residential areas and low social
classes respectively.
Using the percent of median; the prevalence of underweight, wasting
and stunting were 20.8 percent, 10.2 percent and 22.4 percent respectively.
By the Z-score criteria; the prevalence of underweight, wasting and stunting
were 17.1 percent, 10.1 percent and 21.1 percent respectively.
Approximately three percent and thirty-three percent of children from the
low and high -density areas respectively were underweight (p<0.001).
Stunting was noted in 9.6 percent and 43.0 percent of children from the low
and high-density residential areas respectively (p<0.001). Fifty-five percent
of children in social class V were underweight compared to three percent in
class I (p<0.001). Wasting was observed more in families with low monthly
family income (p<0.010).
Amongst the socio-economic factors examined, maternal education
(p<0.001), maternal employment status (p<0.05) and social class (p<0.001)
had a significant positive influence on nutritional status.

From this study, it is concluded that the prevalence of malnutrition
was high in Enugu. However, because not all children from low socio
economic background were malnourished, factors such as maternal
education, family income, parental occupation and social status positively
influenced it.
It is recommended that an urgent nutritional intervention programme
be planned and targeted at pre-school children in the high-density residential
areas of Enugu metropolis coupled with periodic surveillance of the
nutritional status of these children.

THE NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF PRESCHOOL CHILDREN IN ENUGU AND ITS SOCIO-ECONOMIC DETERMINANTS