PREVALENCE AND RISK FACTORS FOR STUNTING AND WASTING IN CHILDREN AGED 6 TO 59 MONTHS IN RURAL AND URBAN COMMUNITIES IN KANO STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Undernutrition remains a major health problem in the developing world. It has deleterious effects
on children particularly during the critical phase of rapid growth, resulting in poor physical and
cognitive development. Undernutrition contributes to nearly half of childhood deaths mostly in
Africa and Asia. It is estimated that as many as 182 million or 1 in 3 children under the age of 5
years in developing countries, mostly of sub-Saharan Africa, are undernourished. Previous local
works on undernutrition in Kano State were prevalence studies, which did not provide clear
direction for actionable programme planning and implementation towards control of
undernutrition. Understanding the determinants of childhood stunting and wasting in rural and
urban areas could be important in designing appropriate programme and policy responses
tailored to the needs of the two population groups.
The objective of the present study was to determine the prevalence and risk factors for stunting
and wasting in children aged 6 to 59 months in Kano State.
The present research was a comparative cross-sectional study of stunting and wasting among
children aged 6 to 59 months in rural and urban communities in Kano State. The study was
carried out in Warawa (rural) and Tarauni (urban) Local Government Areas of Kano State from
1st April to 30th September 2015. Seven hundred and fifty children were recruited from each of
the two Local Government Areas. Subjects were selected using multistage sampling technique
involving random and systematic samplings. Structured proforma were administered on the
children’s care givers by trained research team members. Subsequently, the children’s weight
and height were measured by the candidate.
In the rural communities 750 subjects were studied, of whom 392 (52.3%) were males and 358
(47.7%) females, giving a male to female ratio of 1.1:1. The ages ranged from 6 to 59 months
with a mean age of 27.6 (15.9) months. In these rural communities, 100% of the respondents
were Hausas and Fulanis. The prevalence of stunting and severe stunting were 312 (41.6%) and
188 (25.1%) respectively; while the prevalence of wasting and severe wasting were 127(16.9%)
and 48 (6.4%) respectively. For the urban communities 750 subjects were studied, of whom 414
(55.2%) were males and 336 (44.8%) were females with a male to female ratio of 1.2:1. The ages
ranged from 6 to 59 months with a mean age of 28.1 (16.0) months. In the urban communities,
apart from Hausas and Fulanis, other ethnic groups were also encountered. The prevalence of
stunting and severe stunting were 284 (37.9%) and 107 (14.2%); while the prevalence of wasting
and severe wasting were 110 (14.7%) and 21 (2.8%) respectively. Lack of maternal formal
education, low fathers income, use of plain millet-based pap during child’s weaning, low socio
economic status, age group 12-23 months were the identified independent predictors of stunting
and wasting in the study areas.
In conclusion, the prevalence of stunting and wasting was very high in Kano State with the rural
populace more affected than the urban. Significant poverty reductions, formal education for all
women and intensified health education especially for rural women on the use of fortified
complementary feeds during child’s weaning are some of the recommendations for control of
this childhood problem.

PREVALENCE AND RISK FACTORS FOR STUNTING AND WASTING IN CHILDREN AGED 6 TO 59 MONTHS IN RURAL AND URBAN COMMUNITIES IN KANO STATE, NIGERIA