DIETRY PATTERN AND NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF CHILDREN FROM THE LOW INCOME GROUP OF IBADAN

Abstract

Nine-hundred and fifteen, 915, mother/children pairs recruited from five clinics In Ibaden were used to study the dietary pattern and nutritional status of infants/children born to poor urban dwellers. Anthropometrlc measurements and 24-hour dietary intake were collected from the infants/ children. The data used were collected between June and September, 1982 and January to November, 1983. The study revealed that over 90% of the mothers interviewed were either poorly educated or completely uneducated. Culture was observed to play no significant role in neonatal feeding pattern among the sample studied. Breastfeeding was found to be on demand on establishment of lactation. Over 60% of the mothers discarded the colostrum. Supplementary feeding commenced in over 50% of the Infants by the first month of the infants age. Less than 3% of the sample was exclusively breastfed beyond 6 months of the infants age. The nutrient quality of the supplements used was poor in energy value. They supplied between 29% and 62% of the recommended energy intake. Over 30% of the sampled children were malnourished based on weight for height and height for age as indices of nutritional status.