Prevalence of Malnutrition Among Under Five Children Attending Primary Health Centers in Obio Akpor Local Government Area, Rivers State

Model Efai-vie Osuamkpe; Clement Kevin Edet; Anthony Ike Wegbom

doi:10.56201/ijhpr.vol.11.no6.2026.pg103.116

📄 Download Paper

Prevalence of Malnutrition Among Under Five Children Attending Primary Health Centers in Obio Akpor Local Government Area, Rivers State

Model Efai-vie Osuamkpe, Clement Kevin Edet, Anthony Ike Wegbom

Abstract

Background: Malnutrition remains one of the most devastating threats to child survival and development, significantly increasing morbidity, impairing cognitive growth, and contributing substantially to under-five mortality worldwide. Nutrition is crucial to a child's growth and development in mainly, the first two years of life, which are seen as the window of opportunity for a child's wellbeing to be improved. Objective: This study assessed the prevalence of malnutrition among under-five children seeking health care in Primary health centers in Obio Akpor local government area, Rivers State. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among children under five years of age attending primary healthcare centers between January and March 2025. A sample size of 281 participants was determined and selected using a simple random sampling technique. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire, which demonstrated acceptable internal consistency with a reliability coefficient of 0.71, as determined by Cronbach’s alpha. Data analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences , version 27.0, and WHO Anthro software. Descriptive and inferential statistics including percentages, means, standard deviations, and chi-square tests were employed, with the level of significance set at 0.05. Results: The results showed that 199(72.9%) had normal weight, 39(14.3%) were underweight, 35(12.8%) were stunted, 18(6.6%) had severe acute malnutrition, 33(12.1%) were wasted and 5(20.1%) were at risk of malnutrition. The results also showed that 96(35.2%) of the children who were at risk of acute malnutrition were within the age of 6-11 months. Conclusion: It was concluded that, malnutrition is rife among under five children in Primary health centers in Obio Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State. The Rivers State Primary Health Care Board should enforce regular checking of MUAC readings in every health centre to ensure early detection of malnutrition. Parents and caregivers should be sensitized on the importance of balanced, nutritious diets even with limited resources, when they visit health centers. Government should prioritize social protection programs such as food subsidies and community food banks to combat food insecurity. Gender-sensitive nutritional interventions should be promoted.

Keywords

MalnutritionPrevalenceUnder-Five ChildrenWHAZWHZ.

References

Akombi, B. J., Agho, K. E., Merom, D., Renzaho, A. M., & Hall, J. J. (2017). Child malnutrition in sub-Saharan Africa: A meta-analysis of demographic and health surveys (2006–2016). PLOS ONE, 12(5), e0177338. Arimond, M., & Ruel, M. T. (2004). Dietary diversity is associated with child nutritional status: Evidence from 11 demographic and health surveys. The Journal of Nutrition, 134(10), 2579–2585. Asfaw, M., Wondaferash, M., Taha, M., & Dube, L. (2015). Prevalence of undernutrition and associated factors among children aged 6 to 59 months in Bule Hora District, South Ethiopia. BMC Public Health, 15(1), 1–9. Bhutta, Z. A., Das, J. K., Rizvi, A., Gaffey, M. F., Walker, N., Horton, S., ... Black, R. E. (2013). Evidence-based interventions for improvement of maternal and child nutrition: What can be done and at what cost? The Lancet, 382(9890), 452–477. Black, R. E., Victora, C. G., Walker, S. P., Bhutta, Z. A., Christian, P., de Onis, M., ... Uauy, R. (2013). Maternal and child undernutrition and overweight in low-income and middle-income countries. The Lancet, 382(9890), 427–451. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(13)60937-X Dake, S. K., Solomon, F. B., Bobe, T. M., Tekle, H. A., & Tariku, E. Z. (2019). Predictors of stunting among children 6–59 months of age in Sodo Zuria District, South Ethiopia: A community-based cross-sectional study. BMC Nutrition, 5(1), 1–9. de Onis, M., Blössner, M., & Borghi, E. (2012). Prevalence and trends of stunting among pre- school children, 1990–2020. Public Health Nutrition, 15(1), 142–148. Egata, G., Berhane, Y., & Worku, A. (2013). Predictors of acute undernutrition among children aged 6 to 36 months in East rural Ethiopia: A community-based nested case-control study. BMC Pediatrics, 13(1), 1–9. Ergin, F., Okyay, P., Atasoylu, G., & Beser, E. (2007). Nutritional status and risk factors of chronic malnutrition in children under five years of age in Aydin, a western city of Turkey. The Turkish Journal of Pediatrics, 49, 283–289. Fall, C. H., Sachdev, H. S., Restrepo-Mendez, M. C., Osmond, C., Victora, C., Martorell, R., ... Richter, L. (2015). Association between maternal age at childbirth and child and adult outcomes in the offspring: A prospective study in five low- and middle-income countries (COHORTS collaboration). The Lancet Global Health, 3(7), e366–e377. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2214-109X(15)00038-3 Food and Agriculture Organization. (2013). Guidelines for measuring household and individual dietary diversity. FAO. Hien, N. N., & Kam, S. (2008). Nutritional status and characteristics related to malnutrition in children under five years of age in Nghean, Vietnam. Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, 41(4), 232–240. Ijarotimi, O. S. (2013). Determinants of childhood malnutrition and consequences in developing countries. Current Nutrition Reports, 2(3), 129–133. Kandala, N. B., Mandungu, T. P., Emina, J. B., Nzita, K. P., & Cappuccio, F. P. (2011). Malnutrition among children under five years in the Democratic Republic of Congo : Does geographic location matter? BMC Public Health, 11(1), 1–15. Mgbor, S. O., & Eke, R. A. (2020). Malnutrition among under-5 children in Anambra State, Nigeria: Evidence from the 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey. Pediatric Reports, 12(4). National Bureau of Statistics & UNICEF. (2022). Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS 2021). NBS & UNICEF. National Population Commission [Nigeria] & ICF. (2019). Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey 2018. NPC & ICF. Olodu, M. D., Adeyemi, A. G., Olowokere, S. A., & Olapeju, A. E. (2019). Nutritional status of under-five children born to teenage mothers in an urban setting, South-Western Nigeria. BMC Research Notes, 12, 116. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13104-019-4147-x Onis, M. de, Onyango, A. W., Borghi, E., Siyam, A., Nishida, C., & Siekmann, J. (2007). Development of a WHO growth reference for school-aged children and adolescents. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 85(9), 660–667. UNICEF. (2019). Improving child nutrition: The achievable imperative for global progress. United Nations Children’s Fund. United Nations Children’s Fund, World Health Organization, & World Bank. (2021). Levels and trends in child malnutrition: Key findings of the 2021 edition. UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Group. Victora, C. G., Adair, L., Fall, C., Hallal, P. C., Martorell, R., Richter, L., & Sachdev, H. S. (2008). Maternal and child undernutrition: Consequences for adult health and human capital. The Lancet, 371(9609), 340–357. Wemakor, A., Garti, H., Azongo, T., & Atosona, A. (2018). Young maternal age is a risk factor for child undernutrition in Tamale Metropolis, Ghana. BMC Nutrition, 4(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40795-018-0230-9 World Health Organization. (2006). WHO child growth standards: Length/height-for-age, weight-for-age, weight-for-length, weight-for-height and body mass index-for-age: Methods and development. WHO. World Health Organization. (2016). World health statistics: Monitoring health for the SDGs. WHO. World Health Organization. (2019). Malnutrition: A global health crisis. WHO. World Health Organization. (2020). Complementary feeding: Summary of guiding principles. WHO. World Health Organization & UNICEF. (2021). Indicators for assessing infant and young child feeding practices: Definitions and measurement methods. WHO/UNICEF.

Prevalence of Malnutrition Among Under Five Children Attending Primary Health Centers in Obio Akpor Local Government Area, Rivers State

Abstract

Keywords

References

More Articles from INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HEALTH AND PHARMACEUTICAL RESEARCH