The Effect of Malnutrition On Academic Performance of Children in Mogoswok Zone, Marigat Dmsion Baringo District, Kenya

TABLE OF CONTENT

Declaration •...•••........•.....•..•.•......••....••....•.....•..••....•.•..••...•...•.•...•..•..•.•... i

Approval ............................................................................................... ii

Acknowledgement ••...•.••.•.•..••....••....•••.....•..••.•••..•.••..•.•.•.•••.....•••..•••.•...••.. iii

Table of content ..•...•....•...•..•••...•••...•••...••....••.•...•.•....•••••.•...••••...••.•.••.••.• vi

List of tables •...••.....•...••...••••...•••...•••...•..•..•.......•....•.•....•...•.••.....•..•.•... vii

Abstract .••...•..••...••••••.•••.••..••••..••••..•••...••..•••.•.•••..•••.••.•••••.•......•.•..•.•.•... viii

CHAPTER ONE .......•.......••.........•...•......••...•......•....••...•...•••...•••.•.•..••.... 1

1.0 Introduction ••••......•••....•••..••.•..••...••••..••••.•••••••••..•••••••••.•.••••.•...••..•.•..• 1

1.1 Background of Study ........................................................................... 1

1.2 Statement of the Problem ..•••.•••....••....•••..•••...•••...•••...••....•...•••..••.•........ 3

1.3 The Purpose of the Study ••.•••....••.•....••.••.•.•...•••....••...•••...•..•.•.........•.•..••.. .3

1.4 The Research Objectives ..•...•••..••..•••...••••••...•••...•••...•••.•••........•.•....•••.•.. 3

1.5 Scope of the Study ............................................................................... 3

1.6 Research Question ................................................................................. 4

1. 7 Significance of the Study ................................................................................ 4

1.8 Limitation of the Study ........................................................................... .4

1.9 Definition ofTerms ........................................................................................ 5

1.10 Acronyms ......................................................................................... 5

CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.0 Introduction ...••....•..••...•.••..•...•..•..••••.•..•...••....•...•••..••..•....•...•••...•.••..• 6

2.1 Factors Responsible for Children Malnutrition ........................................... 6

2.1.1 Deficiency or Excessive Intake of a Particular Nutrient ................................ 6

2.1.2 Infection and Diseases ..•.•...•...•..••.•••.•••••.••.......••..••••.•.•.•.••..••.•..•••.•••• 7

2.1.3 Ignorance about Nutrition ..................................................................... 8

2.1.4 Lack of Even Distribution of Food •••••..••.•..••..•••....•..•.•.••...•••..•...•••••...•.. 8

2.1.5 Poverty ...•••.•...•••...•.•.•.•......••....••..•.••.•••.••...••..••...•.•.••...••..•..••......•.. 9

iv

2.1.6 Bad Habits of Food ...••.•••...•.••.••.••••....•.•••..•.•...•••.•..•••..•...•••..•.•...•..... 9

2.1. 7 Seasonal Changes Leading to Lack of Production ...••.••....••.••••..•.•..•••..•....• 9

2.1.8 Economy ••.•..••.••..••..••••..•.••.••..•••.••.•.•...•••••....••.•••..•••.•••...••••••..••••..• 10

2.2 Effects of Malnutrition ....................................................................... 10

2.2.1 Infections and Death .............................................................................................. 10

2.2.2 Poor Growth and Development............................................... • •••..•.... 10

2.2.3 Low School Enrohnent •••...•••..•...••...••..•••...•.•......•.•.•..••.•....••.•....••••••. 11

2.2.4 Child Abuse ...................................................................................... 11

2.2.5 Stigmatization /Isolation ....••...•••••..••.•.•••...•••...•.••••..••••..••.••••..•........• 12

2.3. Solutions of Malnutrition Problems ....................................................... 12

2.3.1 Health Education •••...•..•••...•••.•••••..••.•••••.•...•••........•.•...••.....••••..•••.••• 12

2.3.2 Ministry of Trade and Industry and Commerce •.••.•••...•••...•..•••••••...•.••••. 12

2.3.3 Department of Transport and Communication •..•••...•.••.....••..••...••..••••... 13

2.3.4 Ministry of Agriculture Dairy and Animal Industry ................................. 13

CHAPTER THREE .••...•••..•..•••••••..••.•...••.•••....••...•••.....•...••..••.•••••.•..••••.• 14

Research Methodology ...•••..••..•..•.•.••..••.....•••...•••..••••....•••.•••.••......••••...... 14

3.0 Introduction •..•••••••.•...•.••••...•••.•.••.•••.••...•••...••••..••...•.••..••..•••..•..•...••• 14

3.1 Research Design ...••••.••••••...•...•••••.••••••.••...•••...•••.•...••..••••••..••.•••••.•..•• 14

3.2 Study Area •••••..••...•.••••.••...••..•••••••••••..•••.•••...•••.•...•••..•••.•...•••.••.••..... 14

3.3 Sampling Procedure ...•••..•...••..•••••••..•.•••......••....••.•....••.••...•...•..••••••.•.. 14

3.4 Sample Size And Techniques .•.•..••.••.••.•••...••••.••.••••.•....•..••••••...•..•••••••..• 14

3.5 Target Population .••••..••..•...••..••.••••.•••.••...•••.•.•..••.•..•..•••..•......•••......... 15

3.6 Procedures Of Study .•••...•.•••..••....•..•..•...••..••....••..•.••.....•••.••••••...•••••... 15

3.7 Instruments •.....••....•••...••.••..••..•••••••.••..•...•...••...•.••....••....•..•••..•.....••. 15

3.8 Data Analysis .••..••.••••...••.••.•••...••.•..••.•••.•••..•••...•.•....•..••...•.•••••.......•.• 15

CHAPTER FOUR ..••.....•••...•..••.•.••..•........••..••...•..........•...•..•.••••...•........ 16

DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND PRESENTATION •..•..••••••..•.••..••.• 16

4.0 Introduction •...••.•....••....•.•.•.•••.••...•.•..•....•.•.•.••..•••.•...••••..•..•...••......... 16

V

4.1 Description of Respondents .................................................................. 16

4.2 Malnourished Children in Schools ......................................................... 17

4.3 What is the Main Causes of Malnutrition ............................................... 17

4.4 Whether they Agree the Balanced Diet can Help Reduce Malnutrition ............ 18

4.5 Failure of Mother to Take Their Children to Clinic ................................... 19

4.6 Problems Faced by Malnourished Children ................................................. 19

4. 7 Are Malnourished Children Vulnerable To Diseases .................................. 20

4.8 How Often Do Malnourished Children Attend School. ................................ 21

4.9 Main Nutritional Deficiency In Scbools ................................................... 22

4.10 Performance of Malnourished Children Games ....................................... 23

4.11 Possible Ways of Curbing Malnutrition ................................................ 24

4.12 Main Ways of Curbing Malnutrition ..................................................... 24

4.13 Whether School Feeding Program Reduces Absenteeism ............................. 24

4.15 Advice Given to Parents .................................................................... 26

CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

5.0 Introduction ...................................................................................... 28

5.1 Summary of Findings ......................................................................... 28

5.2 Conclusion ...................................................................................... 29

5.3 Recommendation .............................................................................. .29

Reference/ Bibliography ............................................................................ 31

APPENDICES

Appendix A: Questionnaires For Teachers ................................................... 32

Appendix B: letter of introduction ............................................................... 33

Appendix C: Map Research Area .............................................................. 36

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to find out the rates of malnutrition within study area. it investigates the causes of malnutrition among children in the study community; it also examines the effects of malnutrition on academic performance in children of school going age. This is because government has made education for all children available. For any nation to prosper it must have educated the citizens. Therefore since children are leaders of tomorrow, their needs should be catered for. The researcher viewed literature from other researchers which showed that nutrition is very important as far as nurturing a child is concerned and that malnutrition has a lot of negative effects on the wellbeing of the child.