Household characteristics and food insecurity and their association with nutritional outcome of under-five children of a rural farming community of Sokoto State, Nigeria.

Background: Malnutrition is a global problem and continues to be one of the major health problems among children particularly for the poor and underprivileged as poverty remain a fundamental cause of household food insecurity and consequently malnutrition.

 

Objective: To determine household characteristics, food Security status and their association with nutritional status of under five children of a rural community.

 

Methodology: A community-based descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 200 households’ in a rural community. Sampled households with eligible children were selected using multistage sampling technique. Interviewer-administered questionnaires were used to collect data through face-to-face interview. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 23.0. Both univariate and bivariate analyses were carried out. Statistically significant level was set at p<0.05.

 

Results: Respondents average age was 42; IQR: 33-51 years. Nearly two-thirds (62.8%) had only Qur’anic education. More than three quarters (86.8%) of respondents experienced food shortage in the recent past, 47.9% are food insecure and 24.5% of the under-five children were acutely malnourished. Respondents ’ age (p=0.001); households head educational level (p=0.001); family composition (p=0.001); type of household food insecurity suffered (p=0.001) showed statistically significant association with children nutritional status.

 

Conclusion: A significant proportion of the households head are of low-social status and food insecure. Majority of households in the recent past experienced food shortage and a quarter of under-five children were acutely malnourished.