Abstract:
Abstract: This cross-sectional survey was to determine dietary diversity,
nutrient intake, nutrition status and prevalence of childhood illnesses
among pre-school children in Matungu division, Western Kenya. A total of
144 households were arrived at using multistage sampling, structured
questionnaires with food frequency tables and 24-hour recalls were
administered and anthropometric measurements taken. Linear regression tested
statistical associations between variables. Epi Info was used to compute
nutrition indices later assessed relative to National Centre for Health Statistics
and World Health Organization. Only 3% of pre-school children had consumed
highly diversified diets and consumption. Stunting was the most prevalent form
of malnutrition and malaria was the most prevalent childhood infection.
About 7%, 3.6% and 8.1% of changes in underweight, stunting and wasting,
respectively, could be attributed to changes in dietary diversity. An r2
of 0.284
was obtained between nutrition status and morbidity. To enhance children’s
nutrition and health status, efforts should be on strategies that increase dietary
diversity.
