Influence of vitamin A status on the anthropometric attributes of children aged 6-36 months in Tanzania

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dc.creatorNdau, E. L.
dc.creatorMosha, T. C. E.
dc.creatorHorton, S.
dc.creatorLaswai, H. S.
dc.date2019-05-16T13:29:01Z
dc.date2019-05-16T13:29:01Z
dc.date2017
dc.date.accessioned2022-10-25T08:53:33Z
dc.date.available2022-10-25T08:53:33Z
dc.descriptionTanzania Journal of Agricultural Sciences (2017) Vol. 16 No. 1, 25-35
dc.descriptionVitamin 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.formatapplication/pdf
dc.identifierhttps://www.suaire.sua.ac.tz/handle/123456789/2817
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/123456789/93864
dc.languageen
dc.publisherAJOL
dc.subjectVitamin A Deficiency
dc.subjectGrowth
dc.subjectDevelopment
dc.subjectAnthropometric attributes under-five children
dc.titleInfluence of vitamin A status on the anthropometric attributes of children aged 6-36 months in Tanzania
dc.typeArticle

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