Abstract

ASSESSMENT OF THE NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF UNDER-FIVE YEARS (6–59 MONTHS) CHILDREN ATTENDING FRIENDSHIP TEACHING HOSPITAL, ADEN PROVINCE, YEMEN

Nabil Q.M. Al-Hajj*, Abdulghany Hameed Ahmed Ahmed, Taha Naji, Mokhtar Alabyadh and Sallah A. Al-Hashedi

Abstract

Background: Poor nutritional status during childhood and its longterm impact on economic growth and wellbeing is well known. This study assessed the nutritional status of children in Friendship Teaching Hospital in Aden city, Yemen. Objective: the objective of this study was to assess nutritional status by looking for possible acute malnutrition or over nutrition and to identify some socio-demographic and educational factors that influence the nutritional status of children Attending Friendship Teaching Hospital, Aden province, Yemen. Methods: 360 under five years children were randomly recruited into the study. The socio-demographic and nutritional information of the children and mother were obtained using structured questionnaires. The data were entered and analyzed using SAS software. Results: In this study, we recorded 310 cases of moderate acute malnutrition, at a rate of eighty six per cent (86%). Moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) was the most frequent form with a prevalence compared to 36 case of severe acute malnutrition (SAM), at a rate of ten per cent (10%), in addition to 14 cases of overweight was higher among girls (and = 10/350 [2.8%] compared of four boys (n = 4/350 [1.1%]. The children who received less than 3 meals per day (10%) were more likely to suffer from wasting than those who received more than 3 meals per day (90%). Conclusion: Republic of Yemen, like many developing countries, remains affected by children’s nutritional problems. All efforts should therefore be made to raise awareness among mothers, children and teachers about the concept of a balanced diet and the practice of intra- and extra-school sports activities.

Keywords: Evaluation; Nutritional Status; Aden, Yemen; Kindergarten.