Factors Influencing Nutrition And Food Insecurity In Kiroka Village Morogoro, Tanzania

ABSTRACT

Nutritional status in children is an indicator of health and well-being at both the individual

and the population level. Malnutrition rates and incidences are still high in Kiroka village.

The aim of the study was to identify causes of recurrence of malnutrition among children

below five years of age in Kiroka village in Rural Morogoro, Tanzania. Face-to-face

interviews with the sampled mothers were conducted using a semi-structured

questionnaire. Anthropometric data were collected using standard procedures and

analysed using Emergency Nutrition Assessment by SMART program where Z-scores were

generated and imported into the SPSS software programme for further analysis.

Anthropometric indicators of weight-for-age, weight-for-height and height-for-age indices

were employed to assess the nutritional status of children below five years of age. The

prevalence rates of stunting, underweight, wasting, and morbidity were

43%, 13%, 3%, and 87%, respectively. Prevalence of underweight of children

reported in Kiroka village increased between 2005 and 2007 from 19% to 22%

respectively. Nutritional status of children is affected by both inadequate and quality of

food, improper feeding practices, level of education of mother, household size, marital

status and disease infections. Generally, children were more susceptible to malnutrition as

age increased. An educated mother was less likely to have malnourished children. About

64% of the mothers were able to breastfeed their children within one hour after delivery.

However, 85% of the infants in Kiroka village are given pre-lacteal foods such as thin

cereal-based porridge and water. Only 3% of infants were exclusively breastfed for

six months. About 39% of the children started complementary feeding when they were

two weeks old. Duration of food shortage and household size had a negative

correlation with weight-for-height z-scores. Community nutrition education and

mobilization of community members to adopt practices that favour good nutrition of

children are recommended.