Relation of Dietary and Socioeconomic Characteristics of Mothers to Child Growth in Sabon Gari Local Government Area, Zaria, Nigeria

Abstract

This study assessed socioeconomic factors that affect the diversity of food available to mothers and the nutritional status of their children, 0-5 years of age, in Zaria local government area. One hundred women and their children from five villages in Zaria local government area of Kaduna state, Nigeria volunteered for this study. The women responded to a socioeconomic questionnaire and the children's weight and height were assessed. Data were analyzed for demographic, socioeconomic and health status of the children. The results showed that the respondents could afford food in the cereal categories because of its availability. The results on using available food and their knowledge of nutritional value to reduce child malnutrition also demonstrated that the commonest foods in the area under study are those grown locally within the zone. Even the foods grown in the zone are subject to seasonal variations. The findings also revealed that there is malnutrition in the children as 47% were underweight, 70% were stunted and 15.5% had moderate wasting, which may be due to mixed-feeding or to complementary food as early as three months of life, or because the mothers lack the purchasing power to buy the necessary food items required for better health status. The result from regression equations also showed that WAZ scores are predicted by sex, and farm ownership.