Magnitude of stunting and associated feeding practices among underfives in Kasulu District

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background: The existing of stunted children in the community continued to affect primarily children on their current age and later on their stages of growth, In developing countries where Tanzania is among them, Stunting continues to affect great number of children, where by Poor Feeding practices to children remains to be basic determinant for stunting, Global indicators to measure Stunting gave us the picture of the status in Kigoma, TDHS 2015 rate the region to have 58.7% of children that are Exclusively Breastfed, 25% Children who eat the Minimum Dietary Diversity, while 35.1% of children ate the required quantity of food and in the recommended frequency. All these factors as they have been recoded low, they contribute largely to the status of stunting to be “Severe” of 37.8%.

Methods: Both Qualitative and Quantitative Methods were employed in Study to get the real reason for stunting in Kasulu District Council, In Quantitative Method, the study involved 380 caregivers in households with underfives in Kasulu district, whereby cluster sampling method were used to determine household to be interviewed. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) and ENA for SMART (anthropometric Data). Qualitative analysis took part using the thematic analysis, whereby responses were grouped according to thematic areas. Themes were prepared according to study objectives.

Results: Results from this study revealed that Caregiver who Exclusively breast feed were 43.6%, Minimum Dietary Diversity were 25.3%, Minimum Meal frequency were 36.8%, Caregivers or mothers who perform Complimentary feeding were 59.6%, all these contributes to the prevalence of Stunting in the community to 54.5%. This implies that stunting is of great Magnitude in the Kasulu District Community. On the Cultural practices results showed that Children and mothers both use local herbs through improper way “on anus” on their convenient time will jeopardize their health and can cause infection. Cultural practices that prohibit mothers and children from consuming foods such as eggs when they are pregnant persist this continue deteriorate health of both mother and child. Conclusion: From the study the prevalence rate of stunting is higher than the national average, Cultural practices on feeding children and pregnant and lactating mother has a significant contribution in stunting. Proper feeding to children, pregnant and lactating mother will reduce cases of stunting that existing in the community, insisting the use of window of opportunity (1000 days) to a child will significantly reduce stunting cases.