Assessment of Different Breastfeeding Practices and Nutritional status Of Children Below The Age Of Five Years In Sheema District, Uganda

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION ........................................................................................................... I

APPROVAL ................................................................................................................. II

DEDICATION.............................................................................................................III

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ...........................................................................................IV

LIST OF TABLES........................................................................................................V

LIST OF FIGURES .....................................................................................................VI

ABSTRACT............................................................................................................... VII

TABLE OF CONTENTS..........................................................................................VIII

LIST OF ACRONYMS ............................................................................................XIV

OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS.............................................................................. XV

CHAPTER ONE ............................................................................................................1

1.0 INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................1

1.1 BACKGROUND .....................................................................................................2

1.1.1 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND..........................................................................2

1.1.2 THEORETICAL BACKGROUND......…………………………………………3

1.1.3 CONCEPTUAL BACKGROUND...................................................……………3

1.1.4 CONTEXUALBACKGROUND………………………………………………………...7

1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT......................................................................................8

ix

1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY............................................................................8

1.3.1 GENERAL OBJECTIVE......................................................................................8

1.3.2SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES......................................................................................9

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS .....................................................................................9

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY.........................................................................9

1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY......................................................................................10

1.6.1 TIME SCOPE .....................................................................................................10

1.6.2 CONTENT SCOPE ............................................................................................10

1.7 CONCEPTUAL FRAME WORK .........................................................................11

CHAPTER TWO .........................................................................................................12

LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................................12

2.0 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................12

2.1 ANTHROPOMETRIC INDICATORS TO ASSESS NUTRITIONAL STATUS

OF CHILDREN ...........................................................................................................12

2.1.1 IMPORTANCE OF BIRTH WEIGHT ON NUTRITIONAL STATUS............12

2.1.2 DETERMINANTS OF UNDER NUTRITION IN CHILDREN .......................13

2.1.3 DIETARY PRACTICES AND NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF CHILDREN ...14

2.1.4 INDICATORS OF INFANT/CHILD FEEDING PRACTICES.........................17

2.2 EXCLUSIVE BREASTFEEDING AND COMPLEMENTARY

BREASTFEEDING .....................................................................................................17

ABSTRACT

Background Globally, nearly half of all deaths in children below the age of 5 years are attributed to under nutrition as a result of poor breastfeeding practices every year. Under nutrition is a preventable cause of death among children below the age of 5 years (Sleive Collins et al 2006). Worldwide the prevalence rate of admitted infants and children to hospitals with both acute malnutrition and mixed diagnosis ranged from 6.1 to 40.9% as stated by (Joosten et al., 2008). Methods The aim of this study was to assess the effects of the different breastfeeding practices on the nutritional status of children between the ages of 0 to 5 years. The study was a descriptive cross-sectional study using quantitative methods. The calculated sample was 206.Data was collected from the breastfeeding mothers. Data was coded and tabulated using SPSS program. Results The study showed that of the 203 children that were interviewed, 96% were healthy and only 4% were malnourished this basically indicated that the mothers had adequate knowledge and information about the different breastfeeding practices to enhance proper growth and development of their children, the good available antenatal and child health care services and programs like immunization provided at the health facility also played a key role in increased prevalence rates of healthy children with a few malnourished children. The 4% of the children that are malnourished is basically because of the inadequate and improper breastfeeding practices among children, Poor balanced diet for those that have started complementary feeding, busy working schedule for those that are working and yet are mothers who need to breast feed their children. Conclusion Maternal and child care services should be provided to both mothers and their children at their own times of convenience to reduce on the rates of absenteeism from these health care services provided like immunization which predispose and increase the rates of malnutrition.