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Abstract: In Bangladesh, the prevalence of diarrhoea is the highest among children aged 6-23 months and the outbreaks are common among slum-dwellers of Dhaka city, Bangladesh. A qualitative explorative research was undertaken among slum-dwellers to explore the feeding practices and care-seeking behaviours of mothers with children with diarrhoeal diseases aged less than two years. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, focus-group discussions and observation checklist with mothers and elder family members. Breastmilk was blamed for causing diarrhoea among predominantly or exclusively breastfed children. The blameworthiness leads to withholding of breastfeeding during diarrhoeal episodes especially with recurrent and persistent diarrhoea. Teething, eating protein diet by children and eating leafy vegetables by mothers were believed to be responsible for diarrhoea among the older children. Hand-washing before preparing foods and before feeding children was virtually not practised. Usual complementary foods were not offered to the children with diarrhoea. Almost all of the children were offered oral rehydration salt solution and other fluids at home. A common healthcare-seeking behaviour of the mothers was to give medicines from local drug stores. Some mothers performed some rituals for the purification of their breastmilk. As the mother’s diet was believed to be responsible for the child’s diarrhoea, some foods, especially leafy-vegetables, some types of fish, and meat, were restricted to the mothers. The study concludes that perceptions of mothers regarding the causes of children’s diarrhoea direct to inappropriate feeding practices and care-seeking behaviours of under-two children with diarrhoeal diseases. Keywords: Child survival, Diarrhoea, Mother’s perception, Qualitative research.Download Full Article |
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Abstract: Objective: To examine the association between maternal responsive feeding in infancy and later parental feeding style in childhood, with a secondary aim of linking parenting style to child weight status Keywords: Feeding style, parenting style, responsive feeding, authoritative parenting, BMI. |
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Abstract: This study examined the benefits of a 10-week childhood obesity intervention program on various measures of health. The program involved parents and children who met once weekly for two hours. Each session of the intervention program consisted of a structured dynamic warm-up an aerobic exercise component in a game play setting and a motor-skill specific instruction period. Subjects were recruited from pediatrician recommendation and a total of 99 subjects (n=48 boys, n=51 girls) completed both pretest and posttest intervention measures. The mean age was 9.86 (SD=0.02 years). Each of the following were assessed on pediatric assessment prior to and following the intervention program: height, weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, resting heart rate, resting blood pressure, habitual physical activity, percent body fat, and quality of life. Assessment of the participant’s cardiovascular fitness and the state of home environment in regards to nutrition and physical activity were completed as part of the first and tenth (final) intervention program sessions. Results indicated that the changes observed that were statistically significant included the categories of systolic blood pressure, height, weight, quality of life, habitual physical activity, FNPA score, and PACER scores. Improvements in outcomes measured were modest but this result was expected due to the short intervention program of only ten-weeks duration. Recommendations include increasing the length of the intervention and conducting follow-up assessment to determine long-term impact. Keywords: Obesity, Overweight, Pediatric, Physical Activity, Physical and Health Education, Nutrition, Quality of Life, Self-Efficacy, BMI, Cardio-respiratory fitness, PACER. |
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Abstract: Background: To determine the prevalence of food insecurity and some socio demographic predictors of food insecurity among Vulnerable Children (VC) in Jos, North- central Nigeria. Methods: A cross-sectional comparative study involving 202 VC selected using multi-stage sampling technique across two orphanages and three communities located in sub-urban areas in Jos East, Jos North and Jos South Local Government Area was carried out. A VC was defined as a child who has loss mother, father or both or children who reside with chronically ill parents or reside in institution during the study. Only VC greater than five years but less than 18 years were enrolled. Food security was measured using four questions that were adapted from existing questionnaires. Food insecurity was defined and graded has mild, moderate or high if there was an affirmative response to any one, two or three of four questions. Data generated were analyzed using EPI Info version 3.65 software. The independent variables orphan status, age, gender, place of residence, child level of education, child work, were compared with the dependent variables of food insecurity using bivariate and multivariate analysis. In all statistical test p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Of the 202 VC analyzed 38.6 %(78) were girls and 61.4 %(124) were boys with a mean age of 12.7+ 2.6 years. One hundred and two (50.5%) were IVC while 100(49.5%) were HVC. The VC were mostly orphans (83.2% [168]) while 16.8 %(34) were non orphans. All children were enrolled into school, 137 were in primary school, while the rest were in secondary school. Majority of the HVC were cared for by their mother (24.8% 50[VC]), father (1.9% [4]), uncles (8.4% [17]), aunts (10% [5.0]), grandparents (5.4% [11]), and non relatives (8% [4.0]). The overall prevalence of food insecurity was 48.5%. Of the 98 Food insecure VC 65% were HVC compared to 35% observed among IVC(p <0.05); 69.6 % were children older than 12 years compared to 30.4% obsereved in VC who were <12 years. The odds of food insecurity was 2.1 times in older VC aged 13-18 years (CI=1.1-3.9). VC attending Secondary School were 1.9 time likely to be food insecure compared to those in primary school (CI=1.1-3.5). Similarly, HVC were 3.6 times more likely to be food insecure compared to IVC. (CI=1.9-6.9). VC who worked to earn money had a 2.8times odd to be food insecure (CI=1.2-6.24). Paternal orphans were 2.4 times more likely to be food insecure (CI= 1.0-6.5) compared to other group of VC. Being a maternal orphan, a double orphan or non orphan VC does not predict food insecurity. Sexual experience was also not a predictor of food insecurity. Conclusion: The implication of hunger, in an adolescent child who considered himself/herself overworked is enormous on child physical, emotional and social development. This might lead to more children living their homes to seek shelter in orphanages were the food security status even though not perfect is better than the household. This can be prevented if Household VC are actively identified and their families supported with programs that can make them food secure. Keywords: Vulnerable children, Food Insecurity, Nutritional status, socio-demographic.Download Full Article |
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Abstract: The growth rate from birth to three months of some breastfed and non-breastfed infants age 0 – 12 weeks delivered in hospitals at Owo metropolis was evaluated with a view to know the effect of breastfeeding on growth rate. A total of one hundred (100) breastfed and non-breastfed neonates were purposely selected in the neonatal sections of three hospitals in Owo, March 2012. Anthropometry measurement was used to assess growth rate for length, weight, head and mid upper arm circumference of the infants on weekly basis using standard length board, digital weighing scale and shakir tape for twelve weeks. Epi-info 2008 nutritional software was used to determine length for – age z-score, weight for – age z-score, Head and mid-upper arm for age z – scores. Data were analyzed using SPSS soft ware (version 17.0). Results show that the rate of growth in length per week ranged between 0.5 – 1.0cm within 4th to 12th weeks of growth while an average rate of growth in weight of 100 – 400g was discovered between 2nd to 6th weeks of growth among both breastfed and non-breastfed infants. Observation shows that between birth to 4th week formula fed babies tend to be leaner in weight compared to their breastfed counterpart which maintained stable weight within this period. The study shows that breastfeeding significantly (P> 0.05) affect rate of growth among the breastfed infants. Growth pattern of infant skewed toward – 2 and 0 when compared with the NCHS/CDC reference population growth curve. In all, 2% of the breastfed and 8% of non-breastfed were severely underweight. There is no alternative to breastfeeding at this critical stage of life for optimum growth of infants. Therefore, mothers should be encouraged to breastfeed exclusively for 6th months in order to achieve optimum growth and development. Keywords: Growth rate, Breastmilk, Nutritional status, Infants, weight for age. |