Factors Influencing Malnutrition in Children Under Five in Kidera and Bukungu Parishes Kidera Sub-county, Buyende District.

Abstract

Objective: the study assessed the factors influencing malnutrition in children under five years in Kidera and Bukungu parishes in Kidera Sub County Buyende district.

Methods and materials: the data was collected from 278 households that had children five years and below. The households were selected randomly from the three villages from each parish.

Results: out of the 278 respondents, 64% were peasants who depended on farming as there main source of income. Smoking and alcoholism took up a percentage of 31% of the parents. Most of the parents (53%) had gone up to primary level and (81%) had never received any education. Only 49% of the mothers exclusively breastfed for six months and the rest exclusively breast fed for either less than six months or more than six months. The immunization of children was up to date by 83%. For the children who had been admitted to hospital before malaria and diarrhoea were the common illnesses with 60% and 24% respectively.

Conclusion: In general the findings in the study indicate that there is still poor infant feeding practices in Kidera Sub-County. Smoking and alcoholism is also still an issue in the area which can lead to child neglect. Maternal education is also very low which indicates a lot of ignorance on infant and child feeding practices.