scholarly journals Socioeconomic Determinants Influencing Nutritional Status of Children in Sekhukhune District of Limpopo Province in South Africa

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 01-07 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Nutritional Status ◽  
Limpopo Province ◽  
Socioeconomic Determinants ◽  
Nutritional Status Of Children

scholarly journals Nutritional Status of Children 24–60 Months Attending Early Child Development Centres in a Semi-Rural Community in South Africa

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 261
Author(s):  
Onwaba Makanjana ◽  
Ashika Naicker
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Child Development ◽  
Nutritional Status ◽  
Energy Intake ◽  
Vegetable Consumption ◽  
Childhood Development ◽  
Early Child Development ◽  
Serum Retinol ◽  
Early Child ◽  
Nutritional Status Of Children

Despite the numerous efforts to improve the nutritional status of children, a high prevalence of malnutrition still exists in South Africa. This study aimed to determine the nutritional status of children attending Early Child Development centres in South Africa. In this baseline study, we randomly selected two Early Child Development centres comprising 116 children aged 24–60 months, separated into two cohorts, of 24–47 months and 48–60 months. Dietary intake was measured through the 24 hDR and analysed using Food Finder software. The food frequency questionnaire was used to calculate the food variety and food group diversity scores. Anthropometric measurements were taken and the WHO Anthro software was used to convert it to nutritional data indices. Blood samples were collected through dried blood spot cards in order to determine serum retinol and haemoglobin levels and they were assessed using WHO indicators. The findings showed that participants between 24 and 47 months had a high mean energy intake (4906.2 kJ and 4997.9 kJ for girls and boys, respectively). For the 48–60 months age group, energy intake was lower than the EER (5936.4 kJ and 5621.2 kJ; p = 0.038). There was low fruit and vegetable consumption (24–47 months; 63.8 g and 69.5 g (p = 0.037), 48–60 months; 68.3 g and 74.4 g (p = 0.038) and the top five foods consumed were carbohydrate rich foods for girls and boys, respectively. Stunting was noted in 7% and 20% (48–60 months) (p = 0.012) and overweight in 8% and 17% (24–47 months) and 17% and 13% (48–60 months) (p = 0.041) in girls and boys, respectively. Low serum retinol levels (<0.070 µmol/L) were found in 9.1% of boys (24–47 months), and 8% and 7.4% of girls and boys (48–60 months), respectively. Low haemoglobin levels (<11.0 g/dL) were found in 50.0% and 30.4% (24–47 months) and 8.6% and 39.3% (48–60 months) of girls and boys, respectively. Malnutrition, despite many national and provincial initiatives, still exists in Early Childhood Development centres in South Africa, calling for the application of contextualized nutrition interventions to suit resource-poor settings.

scholarly journals Intersectoral (in)activity: towards an understanding of public sector department links between water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and childhood undernutrition in South Africa

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (7) ◽  
pp. 829-841 ◽  
Author(s):  
D J Momberg ◽  
P Mahlangu ◽  
B C Ngandu ◽  
J May ◽  
S A Norris ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Public Sector ◽  
Nutritional Status ◽  
Physical Growth ◽  
Human Right ◽  
Poor Child ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Sanitation And Hygiene ◽  
Nutritional Status Of Children ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Associations between different forms of malnutrition and environmental conditions, including water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), contribute to poor child health, nutritional status and physical growth. The primary responsibility for the provision of water and sanitation, as a basic service and human right, lies with the State, as such, a number of stakeholders are involved. Despite relatively high levels of WASH infrastructure coverage in South Africa, enteric infections and stunting remain high for a middle-income country. The aim of this study is to elucidate the landscape of WASH in South Africa in relation to nutritional status of children under the age of 5 years in the South African, Gauteng and City of Johannesburg contexts. The authors detailed the national and provincial public sector departments and through purposive sampling proceeded to map the various departments and associated policies that are responsible for the provision of WASH facilities, as well the nutritional status of children. Of the six policies identified for review, three mentioned WASH, nutrition and children; however, none explicitly linked WASH to nutritional status in children. An in-depth review and analysis of these three crucial policy documents was conducted. Finally, a set of expert interviews were conducted and a consensus development conference convened, with experts at the intersection between WASH and nutritional status. The authors found that the public sector would benefit from better integration of the concept of WASH into their policy, planning and implementation frameworks. The WASH sector should emphasize the role in which WASH plans consider the impact of WASH on the nutritional status of children. The various public sector departments involved in WASH service provision, and other WASH stakeholders, including community-based organizations, non-governmental organizations and intergovernmental organizations, should be involved in the decision-making of the nutrition sector.

scholarly journals A Review of Selected Studies on the Factors Associated with the Nutrition Status of Children Under the Age of Five Years in South Africa

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (21) ◽  
pp. 7973
Author(s):  
Mbalenhle Mkhize ◽  
Melusi Sibanda
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Nutritional Status ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Child Malnutrition ◽  
Nutrition Status ◽  
Nutritional Knowledge ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Mortality And Morbidity ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Nutritional Status Of Children

Malnutrition is a considerable contributor to child mortality and morbidity. Child malnutrition further affects the country’s economic development. Child malnutrition in South Africa is persistent, continuing to be an alarming burden. The nutritional status of kids under the age of five years is a critical indicator of the country’s economic condition and health status. An understanding of the influencers of the nutritional status of children can act as a catalyst in combatting all forms of malnutrition. The purpose of this paper was to review selected studies concerning the factors that affect the nutritional status of children in South Africa. Studies were selected from electronic databases, which were PubMed, Google Scholar, Science Direct, Sabinet African Journals, and the University of Zululand library catalog. The keywords that were used to search studies and articles from the selected database were: risk factors, child nutritional status, children under the age of five years, South Africa, malnutrition, underweight, stunted, wasting, and over-nutrition. Studies and surveys published from 2010–2019 that reported on the factors influencing the nutritional status of children under the age of five years were included in this review. Twenty-seven articles met the inclusion criteria of the study. The 27 articles were made up of 21 cross-sectional articles and six longitudinal articles. The finding from this review highlights that there is a lack of studies conducted in urban areas. The results show that the nutritional status of children is affected by several factors. These include household food insecurity, low household income, illiterate caregivers, unemployment, inadequate dietary intake, low birth weight, consumption of monotonous diets, poor caregiver’s nutritional knowledge, poor access to water and sanitation, poor weaning practices, age of the caregiver, and demographic characteristics of a child (age and gender). It is critical to have an understanding of the factors that affect the nutritional status of children. Such knowledge can significantly contribute to formulating policies that can enhance nutrition security and the country’s economy. Moreover, insights into strategic interventions to eradicate all forms of malnutrition can be made.

scholarly journals Economic crisis and malnutrition: socioeconomic determinants of anthropometric status of preschool children and their mothers in an African urban area

2000 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-47 ◽  
Author(s):  
F Delpeuch ◽  
P Traissac ◽  
Y Martin-Prével ◽  
JP Massamba ◽  
B Maire
Keyword(s):  
Preschool Children ◽  
Nutritional Status ◽  
Economic Crisis ◽  
Capital City ◽  
Sample Survey ◽  
Socioeconomic Determinants ◽  
Prenatal Factors ◽  
Economic Level ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Nutritional Status Of Children

AbstractObjectiveTo assess the relative importance of socioeconomic and maternal/prenatal determinants of the nutritional situation of children < 6 years old in an urban African area after several years of economic crisis.DesignCross-sectional cluster sample survey.SettingBrazzaville, capital city of the Congo.SubjectsInformation on socioeconomic characteristics was gathered from a random sample of 1368 households by house visits and anthropometric measurements were performed using standardized procedures on preschool children (n=2373) and their mothers (n=1512).ResultsThe influence of socioeconomic factors on the nutritional status of children, taking into account adjustment variables such as mother's age and child's age and sex was assessed. For stunting, as well as for the mean height-for-age index among children, the main determinants were economic level of the household (P=0.048 and P=0.004, respectively), schooling of the mother (P=0.004 and P < 10−3) and living in the peripheral district (P=0.005 and P < 10−3). The influence of socioeconomic determinants on weight-for-age and wasting was less straightforward. When adjusting, in addition, for maternal and prenatal factors (mother's height and body mass index (BMI) and birth weight), most of the effects of the socioeconomic determinants on the nutritional status of children persisted somewhat, but the effect of the economic level on the stunting became not significant (P=0.11). The mean BMI of mothers appeared to be related to the economic level of the household (P < 10−4), to the marital status (P=0.01) and to the occupation of the mother (P < 10−4).ConclusionsAmong the socioeconomic determinants of malnutrition in children, some, such as economic level of the household or schooling of the mother, seem to act mainly through prenatal factors, whereas others, mainly dwelling district characteristics, seem to influence more directly the children's nutritional status.

scholarly journals Nutritional Status of Children 24–60 Months Attending Early Child Development Centres in a Semi-Rural Community in South Africa

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Onwaba Makanjana ◽  
Ashika Naicker
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Child Development ◽  
Nutritional Status ◽  
Early Childhood Development ◽  
Vegetable Consumption ◽  
Childhood Development ◽  
Early Child Development ◽  
Serum Retinol ◽  
Early Child ◽  
Nutritional Status Of Children

Abstract Background: Despite the numerous efforts to improve the nutritional status of children, a high prevalence of malnutrition still exists in South Africa. This study aimed to determine the nutritional status of children attending Early Child Development centres in South Africa.Methods: In this baseline study, we randomly selected two Early Child Development centres comprising of 116 children aged 24–60 months, separated into two cohorts, 24–47 and 48–60 months from the Valley of a Thousand Hills area in the Ethekweni municipality. Dietary intake was measured through the 24hDR and analysed using Food Finder software. The food frequency questionnaire was used to calculate the food variety and food group diversity scores. Anthropometric measurements; weight and height were taken and the WHO Anthro software was used to convert it to nutritional data indices. Vitamin A and haemoglobin levels were collected through dry blood spot cards and assessed using WHO indicators.Results: The findings showed that participants had a low mean energy intake (24–47 months; 4906.2kJ and 4997.9kJ, 48–60 months; 5936.4kJ and 5621.2kJ (p = 0.038), low fruit and vegetable consumption (24–47 months; 63.8g and 69.5g (p = 0.037), 48–60 months; 68.3g and 74.4g (p = 0.038) and the top five foods consumed were carbohydrate rich foods for girls and boys respectively. Stunting was noted in 7% and 20% (48–60 months) (p = 0.012) and overweight in 8% and 17% (24–47 months) and 17% and 13 % (48–60 months) (p = 0.041) in girls and boys respectively. Low serum retinol levels (<0.070µmol/L) were found in 9.1% of boys (24–47 months), 8% and 7.4% of girls and boys (48–60 months). Low haemoglobin levels (<11.0 g/dL) were found in 50.0% and 30.4% (24–47 months) and 8.6% and 39.3% (48–60 months) of girls and boys respectively. Conclusion and recommendation: Malnutrition, despite many national and provincial initiatives, still exists at Early Childhood Development centres in South Africa calling for the application of contextualized nutrition interventions to suite resource-poor settings.

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