Effects of Infectious Diseases and Malnutrition On the Nutritional Status of Pre-School Children in Selected Areas in Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria

ABSTRACT

A research was conducted in some urban and rural areas of Akwa ibom State of Nigeria from August 1990 to July 1991. The objectives were to study the interactions of infectious diseases and malnutrition and their effects on the nutritional status of pre-school children (Study I). The occurrence and distribution of diarrhoeal disease and its relationship to infant feeding practices (Study II) and the influence of socio-economic and environmental factors on the prevalence and severity of infectious diseases (study III). Four hundred and sixty-six (466) pre-school children aged 6 months to 48 months were the subjects. Infant feeding practices were recorded. Follow-up visits involved fortnightly records of morbidity, and 3 monthly anthropometric measurements. The effects of infectious diseases and malnutrition on the growth pattern of the pre-school children were examined. For study I, a 2 x 2 factorial design was used in grouping the Sick/ Malnourished children and the Not Sick/Not Malnourished children into four groups as follows : (1 ) the “Not Sick Not Malnourished”(NSNM) (control group), (ii)The “Sick but Not Malnourished” (SNM), (iii) the “Not Sick but Malnourished” (NSM), (iv)The ’’Sick and Malnourished” (SM).Nutritional status of the children in each group was assessed and compared to that of their age control group. The results showed that the "Sick and Malnourished" (SM) group had low body weight, poor growth, low skinfold thickness, low head circumference, low upper arm circumference, low chest circumference, low muscle circumference, low body fat, low buttocks circumference, low upper thigh circumference, low lower thigh circumference, low calf circumference and low haemoglobin levels compared to other groups.