Dissertation (MSc Pediatric Nursing)
Nutritional status to children aged six to twenty three months had become an alarming concern in the field of health. This is because it has a direct influence on the childs growth and survival. This study was conducted with the aim of assessing dietary diversity, feeding behaviour, water, sanitation, hygiene and its impact on childrens development.
The study had the following objectives, dietary diversity, feeding behavior, water, sanitation, hygiene as determinants of nutrition status among children aged 6-23 months in Bahi district Dodoma Tanzania.
The study was a quantitative research which employed a cross-sectional community survey It involved 395 participants mainly mothers with children of 6-23 months old, data were presented by using logistic regression.
The prevalence of under nutrition was high in terms of Stunting, underweight, wasting. (62.8%),(25.3%),(6.8%) Feeding behaviour (colostrum) showed more likely not to be stunted (1.679). [AOR=(1.679), P-value=(0.032), Lower=0.146 and Upper=3.144].(fed exclusively) more likely not to be stunting(2.426) [AOR=2.426, P-value=0.042, Lower=0.112 and Upper=4.225,(breast fed > 6 month) was more like not to be stunted ( 4.241) [AOR=4.241,P-value=0.002,Lower=2.012 and Upper=8.284]. Dietary Diversity and stunting (p=0.0012), Dietary diversity and underweight (p=0.0150)
Limited dietary diversity, poor feeding behavior, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene which are strongly linked with inadequacy nutrition status of children. The study provides programmatic recommendations that include, (1) strengthening efforts to improve Feeding behavior for mothers and children; (2) prioritizing availability and access to food and(3) supporting specific Feeding behavior activities that help to better improving health of children and mothers the study is consistent with evidence in the
literature to reframe under nutrition to include more than food access, quantity, and quality/diversity, and consider broader environmental factors.