Malnutrition Case Study

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

1.1. Background of the Study

Malnutrition is a public health problem which cause the deaths of 3.5 million under- five children per- year in the world, as well as it is the third in the world of the disease burden in this age group. Even though globally, childhood malnutrition declined relatively during the year 1990’s; its prevalence in Africa actually increased during 1990’. More than 25% of under-five children in the developing world are malnourished which accounts about 143 million children. Among these 143 million malnourished children, nearly three quarters (Bantamen et al., 2014).

Malnutrition is defined as disorder resulting from a deficiency or excess of one or more essential nutrient in developing world,

Malnutrition is not just a stark manifestation of poverty, it is also the non-income face of poverty ‘and it helps perpetuate poverty (World Bank, 2012).

1.2. Statement of the Problem

Malnutrition is a global issue with patterns and prevalence that vary significantly not only among different nations of the world but also in different region of a country. Health and physical consequences of prolonged states of malnourishment among children are: delay in their physical growth and motor development; lower intellectual quotient (IQ), greater behavioral problems and deficient social skills; susceptibility to contracting diseases (WHO, 2011).

Under nutrition remains a devastating problem in many developing countries affecting over 815 million people causing more than one-half of child death (UNICEF 'S, 2009). The levels of mortality are also worsened particularly by poverty, inadequate maternal education, lack of potable water and sanitation, high fertility and inadequate birth spacing. Lancet Study shows 195 million under-five children are affected by malnutrition; 90% of them live in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia (Lancet,

 identify associated factors of malnutrition among children aged 6-59 months in the study area.

1.4. Research Questions

In this study the following questions have been raised to capture the whole idea of the study under consideration.

1. What are the underlying factors that are associated with malnutrition on the children of particular age 6-59 months in the study area?

2. What parameters are responsible for inducing low food availability in household level to cause malnutrition in child?

3. To what extents stunting, wasting and underweight is prevalent in under-five children in the study area?

1.5. Significance of the Study

The findings of this study are vital to encourage rural households to improve current nutritional status, by improving feeding pattern of children also serve as helpful guide to plan suitable nutritional and health programs for this community based on the facts and figures discovered from this study. As result, the outcome of this study provides valuable information for researchers, policy makers, governmental and non-governmental organizations.

1.6. Scope of the