ABSTRACT
The study examines the causes of malnutrition in
children from zero to five years. This study was undertaken majorly to
examine the causes of malnutrition in children from zero to five years.
Specific objectives of the study are: To examine the prevalence of malnutrition
in children from zero to five years, To identify the strategies for reducing
malnutrition in children from zero to five years.
Concerning
methodology for this
study, questionnaire
method was used as instrument for collecting data in this study.
The target population for this study consists of mothers
of newly born babies from zero to five years. Random sampling technique was used in this study. The
sample size determined for this study was one hundred (100) Geography students
selected from five health centers in Lagos Nigeria. Sixty (20) women were
selected from each health centre. The researcher
adopted a test retest method to ensure the reliability of the research instrument.
The statistical analysis adopted
was correlation. All computations requiring the use of data analysis technique
were accessed by a computer statistical software package called SPSS
(Statistical Package for Social Sciences).
Findings from the study review that nutritional
value of children in Nigeria is low and this especially effects children aged
zero to five years. Some of the respondents stated that there are no adequate
strategies for reducing malnutrition in Nigeria. The
overall aim of this project is to examine the causes of malnutrition in
children from zero to five years, the prevalence of malnutrition in children
from zero to five years, to identify the strategies for reducing malnutrition
in children from zero to five years. The outcome of this study will educate on
the causes, prevalence and strategies for reducing malnutrition in children
from zero to five years.
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
Title Page - - - - - - - - - i
Approval Page - - - - - - - - ii
Declaration - - - - - - - - iii
Dedication - - - - - - - - - iv
Acknowledgement - - - - - - - v
Abstract - - - - - - - - - vi
Table of Contents - - - - - - - vii
CHAPTER
ONE – INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study - - - - -
1.2 Statement of General Problem - - - -
1.3 Objective of the Study - - - - - -
1.4 Research Questions - - - - - -
1.5 Hypothesis
- - -
- - -
- - -
1.6 Significance of the Study - - - - -
1.7 Scope of the Study - - - - - -
1.8 Definition of Terms - - - - - -
CHAPTER
TWO – REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
2.1 Introduction - - - - - - - - -
2.2 Theoretical Framework - - - - - - -
2.3. Measurement of malnutrition - - - - - -
2.4. Conceptual framework - - - - - - -
2.5. Causes of malnutrition - - - - - - -
CHAPTER
THREE – RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 Introduction - - - - - - - - -
3.2 Research Design - - - - - - - -
3.3 Population
of the study - - - - - - -
3.4 Sample size and sampling technique - - - -
3.5 Method of Data Collection - - - - - - -
3.6 Research instrument - - - - - - -
3.7 Validity of the Instrument - - - - - - -
3.8 Reliability of the Instrument - - - - - -
3.9 Statistical Methods - - - - - - -
CHAPTER
FOUR – DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
4.0 Introduction - - - - - - - - -
4.1 Data Presentation and Analysis - - - - - -
4.2 Characteristics of the Respondents - - - - -
4.3 Data
Analysis - - - - - - - - -
4.4 Testing Hypothesis - - - - - - - -
4.5 Summary
of Findings - - - - - - - -
4.6 Discussion of Findings - - - - - - -
CHAPTER
FIVE – SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
5.0 Introduction - - - - - - - - -
5.1 Summary - - - - - - - - - -
5.2 Conclusion - - - - - - - - - -
5.3 Recommendations - - - - - - - -
References
- - - - - - - - - -
Appendix - - - - - - - - - -
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Malnutrition in children also known as malnutrition
is common globally and results in both short and long term irreversible
negative health outcomes including stunted growth which may also be linked to
cognitive development deficits, under weight and wasting. The World Health
Organization (WHO) estimates that malnutrition accounts for 54 percent of child
mortality worldwide, about 1 million children. Another estimate also by WHO
states that childhood underweight is the cause for about 35% of all deaths of
children under the age of five years worldwide. The main causes are unsafe
water, inadequate sanitation or insufficient hygiene, factors related to society
and poverty, diseases, maternal factors, gender issues and overall poverty
(Bhutta et al, 2008).
There are three commonly used measures for detecting
malnutrition in children. They includes stunting (extremely low height for
age), underweight (extremely low weight for age), and wasting (extremely low
weight for height). These measures of malnutrition are interrelated, but
studies for the World Bank found that only 9 percent of children exhibit stunting,
underweight, and wasting. Children with severe acute malnutrition are very
thin, but they often also have swollen hands and feet, making the internal
problems more evident to health workers. Children with severe malnutrition are
very susceptible to infections (World Bank, 2008).
Malnutrition in children causes direct structural
damage to the brain and impairs infant motor development and exploratory
behavior. Children who are undernourished before age two and gain weight
quickly later in childhood and in adolescence are at high risk of chronic diseases
related to nutrition. Studies have found a strong association between malnutrition
and child mortality (Duggan et al, 2008). Once malnutrition is treated,
adequate growth is an indication of health and recovery. Even after recovering
from severe malnutrition, children often remain stunted for the rest of their
lives. Even mild degrees of malnutrition double the risk of mortality for
respiratory and diarrheal disease mortality and malaria. This risk is greatly
increased in more severe cases of malnutrition. Undernourished girls tend to
grow into short adults and are more likely to have small children.
Prenatal malnutrition and early life growth
patterns can alter metabolism and physiological patterns and have lifelong
effects on the risk of cardiovascular disease. Children who are undernourished
are more likely to be short in adulthood, have lower educational achievement
and economic status, and give birth to smaller infants (Bhutta et al, 2008).
Children often face malnutrition during the age of rapid development, which can
have long-lasting impacts on health.
The World Health Organisation estimated in 2008
that globally, half of all cases of malnutrition in children under five were
caused by inadequate food intake, unsafe water, inadequate sanitation or
insufficient hygiene. This link is often due to repeated diarrhoea and
intestinal worm infections as a result of inadequate sanitation. However, the
relative contribution of diarrhea to malnutrition and in turn stunting remains
controversial. In almost all countries, the poorest quintile of children has
the highest rate of malnutrition. However, inequalities in malnutrition between
children of poor and rich families vary from country to country, with studies
finding large gaps in Peru and very small gaps in Egypt. In 2000, rates of
child malnutrition were much higher in low income countries (36 percent)
compared to middle income countries (12 percent) and the United States (1
percent). Studies in Bangladesh in 2009 found that the mother’s literacy, low
household income, higher number of siblings, less access to mass media, less
supplementation of diets, unhygienic water and sanitation are associated with
chronic and severe malnutrition in children.
Diarrhea and other infections can cause
malnutrition through decreased nutrient absorption, decreased intake of food,
increased metabolic requirements, and direct nutrient loss. Parasite
infections, in particular intestinal worm infections (helminthiasis), can also
lead to malnutrition. A leading cause of diarrhea and intestinal worm
infections in children in developing countries is lack of sanitation and
hygiene. Children with chronic diseases like HIV have a higher risk of
malnutrition, since their bodies cannot absorb nutrients as well. Diseases such
as measles are a major cause of malnutrition in children; thus immunizations
present a way to relieve the burden. The nutrition of children 5 years and
younger depends strongly on the nutrition level of their mothers during pregnancy
and breastfeeding.
Infants born to young mothers who are not fully
developed are found to have low birth weights. The level of maternal nutrition
during pregnancy can affect newborn body size and composition.
Iodine-deficiency in mothers usually causes brain damage in their offspring,
and some cases cause extreme physical and mental retardation. This affects the
children’s ability to achieve their full potential (Wagstaff & Naoke, 1999).
In 2011 UNICEF reported that thirty percent of households in the developing world
were not consuming iodized salt, which accounted for 41 million infants and
newborns in whom iodine deficiency could still be prevented. Maternal body size
is strongly associated with the size of newborn children. Short stature of the
mother and poor maternal nutrition stores increase the risk of intrauterine
growth retardation (IUGR). However, measurements of a child’s growth provide
the key information for the presence of malnutrition, but weight and height
measurements alone can lead to failure to recognize kwashiorkor and an
underestimation of the severity of malnutrition in children
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Measures have been taken to reduce child
malnutrition. Studies for the World Bank found that, from 1970 to 2000, the
number of malnourished children decreased by 20 percent in developing
countries. Iodine supplement trials in pregnant women have been shown to reduce
offspring deaths during infancy and early childhood by 29 percent. However,
universal salt iodization has largely replaced this intervention. Nutritional education
and micronutrient-fortified food supplements has resulted in 10 percent
reduction and the prevalence of stunting in children 12–36 months old. Milk
fortified with zinc and iron reduced the incidence of diarrhea by 18 percent in
children.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The following are the objectives of this study:
1. To
examine the causes of malnutrition in children from zero to five years.
2. To
examine the prevalence of malnutrition in children from zero to five years.
3. To
identify the strategies for reducing malnutrition in children from zero to five
years.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1. What
are the causes of malnutrition in children from zero to five years?
2. What
is the prevalence of malnutrition in children from zero to five years?
3. What
are the strategies for reducing malnutrition in children from zero to five
years?
1.6 RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS
H0: There
are no strategies
for reducing malnutrition in children from zero to five years.
H1: There
are strategies for
reducing malnutrition in children from zero to five years.
1.7 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The following are the significance of this study:
1. The
outcome of this study will educate on the causes, prevalence and strategies for
reducing malnutrition in children from zero to five years.
2. This
research will be a contribution to the body of literature in the area of the
effect of personality trait on student’s academic performance, thereby
constituting the empirical literature for future research in the subject area.
1.8 SCOPE/LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
This study will cover the causes and the
prevalence of malnutrition in children. It will also cover the strategies for
reducing malnutrition in children from zero to five years of age.
LIMITATION OF STUDY
Financial constraint- Insufficient fund tends to impede the
efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature
or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire
and interview).
Time
constraint- The researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with
other academic work. This consequently will cut down on the time devoted for
the research work.