No information exists on the nutritional status of primary school children residing in Makurdi, Nigeria.It is envisaged that the data could serve as baseline data for future studies, as well as inform public health policy. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of malnutrition among urban school children in Makurdi,Nigeria.

>Magister Scientiae - MSc / The Malawi Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) in 2007 indicated that the prevalence of underweight in Lilongwe District was 29%, stunting was 49% and Global Acute Malnutrition was 11%. The aim of the study therefore was to determine the risk factors for malnutrition amongst children aged 0 to 5 years in Lilongwe district in Malawi. Study design It was a case-control study, conducted in randomly selected Community Therapeutic Care (CTC) Sites (Nutrition Rehabilitation Units (NRUs)) and Under-five Clinics at health facilities of the district. The study sample was comprised of 50 underweightfor- age children (25 girls and 25 boys) aged 0 to 5 years from NRUs of the district selected randomly. The controls were comprised of 44 normal weight-for-age children (22 girls and 22 boys) randomly selected within the same age group, routinely attending under-five growth monitoring and immunization sessions during the same period as the cases. The cases and controls were identified using the NRU and under-five clinic registers respectively. Data Collection There was a face to face interview with the mother/guardians of the children, conducted by trained NRU nurse specialists, the researcher and a research assistant, using a structured questionnaire. Questions about socio-economic status of the mother/caregiver, child feeding practices, nutritional status and diseases of the child were asked. Analysis of results Data was analyzed using EpiInfo 2002 software. Ethical approval for the study was requested from the Ethical committee of the University of the Western Cape. Informed written consent was obtained from all the participants.

No description available.

Body composition profiles including stunting, wasting and underweight, overweight and obesity, can all affect the health, motor development and academic achievements of children. South Africa (SA), a developing, middle-income country, with large socio-economic inequalities, is one of the most complex nations with regard to race and ethnicity. It therefor results in different body composition profiles of children and adolescents, where undernutrition and obesity can occur among children and adolescents in the same socio-geographic population in disadvantaged communities, as well as in the same household. The aim of this study was firstly, to determine the incidence of overweight and obesity among Grade 1-learners in the North West Province of SA and to determine whether this incidence is related to gender, race and the socio-economic circumstances in which these learners live. Secondly, the study aimed to determine the incidence of stunting, wasting and underweight among this group of Grade 1-learners and to determine whether these incidences are related to gender, race and the socio-economic circumstances in which these learners live. The anthropometric measurements that were used in the study were height (cm), body mass (kg), 3 skinfolds [(sub-scapular, triceps and medial calf)] (mm) and waist circumference (cm). These measurements were taken by trained researchers according to the guidelines International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry (ISAK). Body mass index (BMI) [(body mass (kg)/height (m)2)] was calculated and international age-specific cut-off points for BMI was used to determine whether a learner was overweight or obese. Z-scores of less than -2 standard deviation (SD) for height-for-age and weight-for-age were calculated to determine the prevalence of stunting and underweight, while the Z-scores for wasting was determined using BMI-for-age, under the 5th percentile from an international reference population. The Statistica-computer programme (Statsoft, 2011) and AntroPlus software (version 1.0.2) in SAS (Statistical Analysis System) were used to analyse the data. Data were descriptively analysed by using percentages, means (), minimum and maximum values and standard deviations (SD). Two-way frequency tables were used to analyse the incidence for overweight, obesity, stunting, wasting and underweight. Pearson Chi Square analysis p≤0,05 was used to determine statistical significance of differences in stunting, wasting and underweight between school types, race and genders. Practical significance of differences was determined using effect sizes (d≥0,1 which indicates a small effect, d≥0,3 indicating a medium effect and d≥0,5 indicating a large effect). Tukey’s Post Hoc tests were used to determine the significance of differences between the groups and genders. The results revealed an incidence of 11,6% of overweight and obesity in the group (N=816) of Grade 1-learners. Overweight in the group was 7,8% and overweight was more prevalent in 7 year old learners with 10,5%, compared to 6 year old learners with 6,3%. Obesity (3,8%) showed a lower incidence compared to overweight, were 2,5% learners at 6 years and 0,7% learners at 7 years were obese. The boys showed the highest prevalence for severe obesity at 6 and 7 years (2,4%). White learners showed the highest prevalence for overweight, obesity and severe obesity at 6 and 7 years. The group of Grade 1-learners furthermore showed lower percentages of stunting (4,3%), wasting (7,4%) and underweight (4,3%) compared to overweight and obesity incidences. A higher prevalence of wasting and underweight were found among the boys (8,4%; 6,0%) compared to the girls (6,3%; 2,5%), although the difference was only significant for underweight (p=0,02), while stunting was similar among girls (4,5%) and boys (4,1%; p>0,05). Black learners showed the highest incidence for underweight (5,5%; p<0,01), while small percentages of underweight were found in the white learners. Only the black learners showed stunting (p<0,01), while wasting occurred in black (n=39) and white (n=15) learners. Quintile 1-3 schools had the highest prevalence of underweight (5,1% – 8,2%) and stunting (3,9% – 10,7%), which was significantly higher than in Quintile 4 and 5 schools (p<0,01), and agreed with higher prevalences found in rural areas in other South African studies. Knowledge about the body composition profiles of young school beginners is important since extremes such as obesity, stunting and wasting play an important role in the further development and health of children. The results of this study make a valuable contribution to knowledge that can be used in this regard for preventative purposes. / Thesis (MSc (Kinderkinetics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

Body composition profiles including stunting, wasting and underweight, overweight and obesity, can all affect the health, motor development and academic achievements of children. South Africa (SA), a developing, middle-income country, with large socio-economic inequalities, is one of the most complex nations with regard to race and ethnicity. It therefor results in different body composition profiles of children and adolescents, where undernutrition and obesity can occur among children and adolescents in the same socio-geographic population in disadvantaged communities, as well as in the same household. The aim of this study was firstly, to determine the incidence of overweight and obesity among Grade 1-learners in the North West Province of SA and to determine whether this incidence is related to gender, race and the socio-economic circumstances in which these learners live. Secondly, the study aimed to determine the incidence of stunting, wasting and underweight among this group of Grade 1-learners and to determine whether these incidences are related to gender, race and the socio-economic circumstances in which these learners live. The anthropometric measurements that were used in the study were height (cm), body mass (kg), 3 skinfolds [(sub-scapular, triceps and medial calf)] (mm) and waist circumference (cm). These measurements were taken by trained researchers according to the guidelines International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry (ISAK). Body mass index (BMI) [(body mass (kg)/height (m)2)] was calculated and international age-specific cut-off points for BMI was used to determine whether a learner was overweight or obese. Z-scores of less than -2 standard deviation (SD) for height-for-age and weight-for-age were calculated to determine the prevalence of stunting and underweight, while the Z-scores for wasting was determined using BMI-for-age, under the 5th percentile from an international reference population. The Statistica-computer programme (Statsoft, 2011) and AntroPlus software (version 1.0.2) in SAS (Statistical Analysis System) were used to analyse the data. Data were descriptively analysed by using percentages, means (), minimum and maximum values and standard deviations (SD). Two-way frequency tables were used to analyse the incidence for overweight, obesity, stunting, wasting and underweight. Pearson Chi Square analysis p≤0,05 was used to determine statistical significance of differences in stunting, wasting and underweight between school types, race and genders. Practical significance of differences was determined using effect sizes (d≥0,1 which indicates a small effect, d≥0,3 indicating a medium effect and d≥0,5 indicating a large effect). Tukey’s Post Hoc tests were used to determine the significance of differences between the groups and genders. The results revealed an incidence of 11,6% of overweight and obesity in the group (N=816) of Grade 1-learners. Overweight in the group was 7,8% and overweight was more prevalent in 7 year old learners with 10,5%, compared to 6 year old learners with 6,3%. Obesity (3,8%) showed a lower incidence compared to overweight, were 2,5% learners at 6 years and 0,7% learners at 7 years were obese. The boys showed the highest prevalence for severe obesity at 6 and 7 years (2,4%). White learners showed the highest prevalence for overweight, obesity and severe obesity at 6 and 7 years. The group of Grade 1-learners furthermore showed lower percentages of stunting (4,3%), wasting (7,4%) and underweight (4,3%) compared to overweight and obesity incidences. A higher prevalence of wasting and underweight were found among the boys (8,4%; 6,0%) compared to the girls (6,3%; 2,5%), although the difference was only significant for underweight (p=0,02), while stunting was similar among girls (4,5%) and boys (4,1%; p>0,05). Black learners showed the highest incidence for underweight (5,5%; p<0,01), while small percentages of underweight were found in the white learners. Only the black learners showed stunting (p<0,01), while wasting occurred in black (n=39) and white (n=15) learners. Quintile 1-3 schools had the highest prevalence of underweight (5,1% – 8,2%) and stunting (3,9% – 10,7%), which was significantly higher than in Quintile 4 and 5 schools (p<0,01), and agreed with higher prevalences found in rural areas in other South African studies. Knowledge about the body composition profiles of young school beginners is important since extremes such as obesity, stunting and wasting play an important role in the further development and health of children. The results of this study make a valuable contribution to knowledge that can be used in this regard for preventative purposes. / Thesis (MSc (Kinderkinetics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

Abstract The semi-domesticated reindeer is a northern species of Cervidae that is exposed to extreme seasonal changes in temperature and nutrition in its living environment. The objective of this study was to examine the significance of thermogenic brown adipose tissue (BAT) for the survival of newborn reindeer in the cold during the critical perinatal period. The other main objective was to study the effect of wintertime undernutrition on serum and bone marrow fatty acid composition in yearling reindeer, with particular attention on the proportions of unsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and their feasibility as indicators of nutritional status. The results showed that the most of the adipose tissues in newborn reindeer were functionally active BAT. The tissue had specific anatomical locations, specialized cell morphological structure, high aerobic capacity, and tissue-specific mitochondrial 32000 Mr-uncoupling protein (UCP1) that is considered a rate-limiting factor for thermogenesis. The most readily mobilized fatty acids from BAT triacylglycerols were arachidonic, linoleic, and α-linolenic acids. BAT was most active at birth and during the close perinatal period but its aerobic capacity declined during the first month of life while UCP1 disappeared and the tissue gradually adopted the histological characteristics of white adipose tissue. The newborn reindeer had very low proportions of the principal C18-PUFAs, linoleic and α-linolenic acids, in serum lipids. However, the proportions of C18-PUFAs increased during the first few days of life by a rate that suggests a selective retention of these fatty acids from milk lipids. A prolonged restricted feeding of reindeer with lichen during winter and spring induced significant reductions in the proportions of linoleic and α-linolenic acids in serum cholesteryl esters and phospholipids, while proportion of arachidonic acid and serum prostaglandin PGF2α metabolite concentration increased. Plasma leptin and insulin levels decreased in parallel with decreases in feed intake and body weight. In freely ranging reindeer, the proportions of oleic acid and principal C18-PUFAs were significantly reduced in femur bone marrow triacylglycerols as a result of a wintertime undernutrition. In conclusion, active BAT is the dominant adipose tissue type in the newborn reindeer and it is likely to have a major significance on the thermoregulatory heat production and cold resistance of reindeer during the perinatal period. The changes in the specific PUFA proportions of serum and bone marrow lipids refleict the changes in the nutritional status and suggest that these fatty acids are preferentially utilized during prolonged wintertime undernutrition.

The relationships between water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) interventions and malnutrition markers such as stunting, wasting, and underweight have been poorly characterized until recently. There is a need to identify interventions that may play a role in these relationships to improve nutritional status of children under 5 years old. In 2013, Zambia was not on track to meet MDG 7c, to halve the proportion of the population without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation. To address this goal, the Zambian government implemented the Zambia Sanitation and Hygiene Program (ZSHP). The goal of the program was to reduce WASH-related diseases in rural areas by promoting community wide sanitation using community-led total sanitation (CLTS), legal enforcement, and hygiene promotion. An important component of the ZSHP is CLTS, which has been implemented in a majority of districts. The overall study aims to explore the effectiveness of a CLTS intervention on coverage and quality of household sanitation facilities, defecation behavior, and child health in a rural setting in Zambia. A secondary outcome that was measured in the analysis of the overall study was the effect of CLTS on stunting, wasting, and underweight in children under the age of 5. These three outcomes are the focus of this thesis. It was hypothesized that these three outcomes would decrease in prevalence with an increase in sanitation coverage resulting from the CLTS program. Cross-sectional anthropometric and household data for Zambian children under 5 and their households from baseline and end line surveys were analyzed to determine any association between multiple WASH indicators and nutritional status. The baseline survey was conducted in 2013 and the end line in 2016. Only households with at least one child under the age of 5 were surveyed at both baseline and end line. Primary caretakers were interviewed during home visits to assess sanitation resources, child-feeding practices, and the health status of their children under the age of 5. In addition, anthropometric data of children under the age of 5 was taken to assess their nutritional status of their children. The prevalence of underweight, stunting, and wasting at end line was 12.9%, 40.9%, and 7.4% respectively, all of which showed statistically significant decreases from baseline measurements (p=≤0.001, 0.03, and ≤0.001 respectively). Predictors of undernutrition were analyzed using logistic regression controlling for age and sex. Nutritional status of children under 5 years of age was found to be associated with several WASH indicators. Children who were taken to a clinic during an episode of diarrhea and children who lived in households with an improved water source had 46% and 26%, respectively, decreased odds of being stunted. Children who lived in households that were close (<4 min walk) to a water source had a 73% decrease in odds of being wasted. Finally, children who had diarrhea in the two weeks before the survey had 63% and 42% increased odds of being underweight or wasted respectively. Focus areas of the program have increased coverage of key indicators of sanitation and hygiene but a relatively high prevalence of sanitation- and hygiene-related diseases remain. These rural areas have high rates of reported diarrhea, acute respiratory illness, and stunting among young children even though most have had exposure to the ZSHP activities. With increased focus, not only on better human sanitation, but also on household environment sanitation, the prevalence of disease and malnutrition will start to decrease and we will begin to see healthier communities in Zambia.

Yes / Background: Child undernutrition is a key public health issue that both causes and contributes to disease and death. Undernutrition accounts for 45% of under-five deaths globally most of which occur in Low- and Middle-income countries (LMIC). Malnutrition has a substantial and long-lasting effect on individuals, families, communities and the entire nation. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and determinants of undernutrition in under-five children in Nigeria. Methodology: This systematic review was done following the Cochrane library guidelines. A search of literature written in English language and published between 2000 and 2022 was done using PubMed, CINAHL, MEDLINE and ProQuest databases. The initial search resulted in 760 studies. These were exported to End note version 9 to remove duplicates. Titles and abstracts were screened for studies that met the inclusion criteria. Finally, 11 studies that met the inclusion criteria were thoroughly assessed and data that were relevant to this systematic review were captured. The study findings were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results: The prevalence of undernutrition was between 1.0% and 43.3%. The highest prevalence of underweight, wasting and stunting were 43.3%, 29.3% and 41%, respectively. Factors associated with undernutrition were age, sex, birth order, recent acute diarrhoea and acute respiratory infection, maternal literacy level, maternal income <$20 and socio-economic class among others. Conclusion: Under-five undernutrition is a huge public health issue in Nigeria. Prevalence of undernutrition varies widely across geo-political zone with a myriad of associated risk factors. Multi-level and multidisciplinary interventions are required to sustainably address the determinants of under-five undernutrition.

No description available.

Introdução: Alterações no neurodesenvolvimento podem estar associadas à subnutrição. As consequências da subnutrição dependerão da idade da criança, do tipo, duração e grau da subnutrição. As possíveis alterações ocasionadas pela subnutrição são variáveis, porém, dentre essas alterações, a linguagem que é considerada uma das atividades cognitivas humanas mais elaboradas, apresenta grandes riscos. Objetivo: Caracterizar e analisar a linguagem oral e processamento fonológico de crianças que foram diagnosticadas com subnutrição em idade precoce adotando como referencial o desempenho de crianças na mesma faixa etária com bom e mau desempenho de linguagem receptiva e expressiva nas diferentes tarefas de memória de trabalho, consciência fonológica, fonologia e vocabulário. Método: Crianças com histórico de subnutrição em idade precoce (antes dos três anos de idade) e recuperadas nutricionalmente, foram avaliadas quanto à linguagem receptiva e expressiva, seu componente fonológico, vocabulário, consciência fonológica, memória de trabalho fonológica e memória visuo-espacial. Para possibilitar a análise desses componentes nessas crianças e se estabelecer parâmetro de comparação, foi realizada a avaliação de crianças eutróficas (sem histórico de subnutrição) na mesma faixa etária, pelos mesmos testes, e divididas em dois grupos (G1 crianças que apresentavam bom desempenho de linguagem e G2 - crianças que apresentavam mau desempenho de linguagem). O desempenho dos grupos foi comparado utilizando-se para inferência estatística dos resultados os testes t-student e Kruskal-Wallis. Para verificar possíveis associações entre os componentes avaliados foi utilizado o teste Exato de Fisher. Resultados: Nas crianças com histórico de subnutrição, observou-se que a criança que apresentou o quadro de subnutrição com menor idade, maior tempo de duração do diagnóstico e pior grau apresentou mau desempenho de linguagem e pior desempenho em todas as provas avaliadas no estudo quando comparada aos dois grupos de crianças eutróficas. Esse resultado sugere que essas variáveis (idade, duração e tipo) da subnutrição podem ser determinantes para os efeitos sobre a linguagem e processamento fonológico. As demais crianças que apresentaram variações na idade, duração e tipo de subnutrição assemelharam-se em algumas provas ao grupo G1 e em outras com o G2. Esse resultado reforça a suposição de que essas variáveis levam a diferentes prejuízos em linguagem e/ou processamento fonológico. Em relação à comparação de desempenho entre G1 e G2, os grupos apresentaram diferença significativa nas provas de memória de trabalho, tanto a fonológica quanto a visuo-espacial, não houve diferença para consciência fonológica. Os resultados não apontaram a existência de associação entre desempenho de linguagem, alteração fonológica e de vocabulário. Conclusões: Este estudo sugere que crianças que tiveram subnutrição no período crítico do desenvolvimento cerebral, mesmo após recuperação nutricional, apresentaram alterações cognitivas duradouras e importantes. / Introduction: Changes in the neurodevelopmental process may be related to undernutrition condition. The consequences of undernutrition appear to be dependent of childrens age, type, duration and degree of undernutrition. Undernutrition related alterations are diversified and the language that is considered to be one of the most relevant human cognitive skills may represent important risks. Objective: The aim of this study was to characterize and analyze the oral language and phonological processing of children diagnosed with undernutrition at early age using as standard of comparison the childrens performance in the same range age. Methods: Children presenting undernutrition at early age (diagnosed before reaching 3 years of age) with nutritional recovery were enrolled in this study and assessed for receptive and emissive language, phonology, vocabulary, phonological awareness, visuospatial and phonological working memories. Data obtained from these children were correlated with results collected from eutrophic children in the same range of age without undernutrition condition which were randomly divided in 2 groups (G1- children without language deficit and G2 children with language deficit) and submitted to the same tests. Data obtained from each group were averaged and compared using t-student and Kruskal-Wallis. Possible association between different language components was assessed by Fishers Exact tests. Results: In the children diagnosed with udernutrition, the infant with the highest level of disease (detected with the lower age and with the high long duration) shows significant language deficit and lower performance in all of the applied tests when compared with G1 and G2. This result suggests that age and duration and type of undernutrition may be determinant on the effects of language and phonological awareness. No significant differences were found between groups concerning phonological awareness. No association was found between language deficit and changes in phonology or vocabulary. Conclusions: Data obtained from this study suggest that children diagnosed with undernutrion during the critical period of brain development may present relevant and long-lasting cognitive alterations, even after nutritional recovering. In addition, data suggest that low performance may compromise working memories phonological and visuospatial.