| dc.creator |
Ndau, E. L. |
|
| dc.creator |
Mosha, T. C. E. |
|
| dc.creator |
Horton, S. |
|
| dc.creator |
Laswai, H. S. |
|
| dc.date |
2019-05-16T13:29:01Z |
|
| dc.date |
2019-05-16T13:29:01Z |
|
| dc.date |
2017 |
|
| dc.date.accessioned |
2022-10-25T08:53:33Z |
|
| dc.date.available |
2022-10-25T08:53:33Z |
|
| dc.identifier |
https://www.suaire.sua.ac.tz/handle/123456789/2817 |
|
| dc.identifier.uri |
http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/93864 |
|
| dc.description |
Tanzania Journal of Agricultural Sciences (2017) Vol. 16 No. 1, 25-35 |
|
| dc.description |
Vitamin A deficiency remains one of the health challenge causing morbidity and mortality among
under-five children in Tanzania. This study was conducted to determine the influence of vitamin A
status on the anthropometric attributes of the children aged 6 - 36 months living in Manyara and
Shinyanga regions, Tanzania. Purposive and random sampling techniques were used to obtain a
sample of 462 children aged 6 - 36 months. Data were analyzed using SPSS program version 20
and ENA for SMART. Results showed that, the average prevalence of vitamin A deficiency among
6-36 months old children was 69.5% (n=321). Prevalence of vitamin A deficiency among children
aged 6 - 36 months by regions was 69.3% (n=303) in Manyara and 69.8% (n=159) in Shinyanga.
Prevalence of VAD among non-breastfed children was 75% (n=117) while among breastfed
children was 66.0% (n=203). VAD was therefore significantly higher (p<0.05) among the non-
breastfed children than their breastfed peers. Prevalence of wasting (weight-for-height z-score)
among the children aged 6 - 36 months was 6.9% (n = 32), stunting (height-for-age z-score) was
51% (n=236) and underweight (weight for age z-score) was 25.5% (n=118). Vitamin A status has
influence on the anthropometric attributes; however statistical significance (p<0.05) was observed
only on age and stunting. It is concluded from this study that, prevalence of vitamin A deficiency
among 6 - 36 months old children was higher than the national average. It was significantly higher
in the non-breastfed children than their breastfed peers. Also, children with VAD suffered from
one or more forms of under-nutrition (wasting, stunting and underweight). Stunting and age of
the children were the strong predictors of vitamin A status. These findings call for coordinated and
sustainable intervention programs to reduce vitamin A deficiency and under-nutrition to optimize
growth among children aged 6 – 36 months. |
|
| dc.format |
application/pdf |
|
| dc.language |
en |
|
| dc.publisher |
AJOL |
|
| dc.subject |
Vitamin A Deficiency |
|
| dc.subject |
Growth |
|
| dc.subject |
Development |
|
| dc.subject |
Anthropometric attributes under-five children |
|
| dc.title |
Influence of vitamin A status on the anthropometric attributes of children aged 6-36 months in Tanzania |
|
| dc.type |
Article |
|