Determinants of Children's Nutritional Status among Primary School Children of Farming Households in Ekiti State, Nigeria

Abstract

This paper assessed nutritional status and their determinants among primary school children of farming households in Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria. One hundred and seventy five (175) female parents in farming occupation were randomly drawn and surveyed for twelve weeks. Preliminary analysis indicated that majority (i.e. 67 percent) of the mothers have their ages falling between 20 and 40 years and had children within the 5-11year old age bracket, who were in primary schools in the community. Anthropometric measures indicated that 69percent of the male children and about 51percent of female children had weight-for-age indices within the range 2.01 and 3.01kg/yr. About 56percent of male children and about 41percent of female children posted weight-for-height measures of between 5.01 and 20.0kg/m. Also, about 35percent and 44percent of male and female children, respectively, had height-for-age indices within the 0.12 and below 0.15m/yr. Estimates of the body mass indices (BMI) revealed that 50percent and about 51percent, respectively, of the children fall within the 15.0 and below 20.0kg/m². Contingency analysis revealed that mothers’ educational status and mothers’ appearance, child’s sex, and living condition/environment of the household showed significant associations (P<0.10) with indicators of nutritional status (i.e. weight-for-height, weight-for-age, and BMI) of primary school children in Ado-Ekiti.  Regression analysis confirmed that frequency of reporting maladies/visitations to medical facilities had positive influence on BMI. On the contrary, child’s physical appearance had negative effect on the weight-for-age indices while the size of the household and incomes of other household members had positive influence on the weight-for-age indices. Similarly, child’s age, household size, frequency of illness, living condition, and incomes of other household members influenced positively children’s weight-for-height indices. Child’s age affected children’s height-for-age indices negatively while incomes of other household members influenced child’s height-for-age measures positively. The implication of some salient incidences such as obesity, stunting and wasting among primary school children of farming households in Ado-Ekiti are examined, and useful suggestions proffered.

Keywords: Children, Nutritional Status, Farming households and Anthropometrics.