Risk Indicators of Nutritional Status of Households of a Kenyan Semi-arid Population

Abstract

Assessments of nutritional status of semi-arid population in Kiambu District comprising 1042 persons from 260 households showed that 64.2% of the households had at least one malnourished person. The main aim of the study was to establish whether patterns of households malnutrition were distinguishable by specific risk indicators. Fourteen patterns of household malnutrition were established by classifying malnourished people according to age vis-a-vis nutritional status of other members of that household and six risk indicators were found to be related to malnutrition at the household level. Although partial relation was found between patterns and some indicators, no risk was found to be exclusively related to a specific pattern but failure to establish such a relationship was attributed to sample size. PIP:

Between March and September 1986, a semilongitudinal study was conducted in Ndeiya-Karai divisions in Lusigetti and Nderu sublocations which lie in a semiarid region (mean annual rainfall, 600-700 mm) of Kenya, to examine comprehensive patterns of household malnutrition and to test the hypothesis that certain risk factors characterize these patterns. The anthropometric data were gathered in April 1986 on 1042 persons (0 to over 19 years old) from 260 households. 35.8% were considered to be sufficiently nourished while 64.2% had at least 1 household member who was malnourished. The study revealed 14 patterns of household malnutrition. About 25% of the households had only 0-5 year old children who were malnourished. Another 14% had just schoolchildren and adults who were malnourished. The household variables that were significant indicators of household nutritional status included household size, size of owned land, nutritional awareness of the mother, absenteeism from school, labor shortage, monthly cash food expenditure, and mean illness duration (p .05). No pattern group was linked only to specific risk factors. Households with just adults who were malnourished (group B) did have a significantly higher mean illness duration than those with children no older than 10 who were malnourished (group A), however. Households with malnourished children and adults (group C) experienced considerably more absenteeism from school than those who had household members from more than 2 age groups (group D). The factor responsible for absenteeism was cash income status (e.g., unpaid school fees or no school uniform) rather than illness in 69% of group C households. If this study would have examined only households based on preschool children, it would have missed 50% of households at nutritional risk. The relatively small sample size greatly limited the study's ability to test the hypothesis.