NUTRITION STATUS OF CHILDREN IN KASESE DISTRICT AT THE UGANDA-CONGO BORDER

Objective: To establish the magnitude and risk factors for malnutrition in Kasese districtat the Uganda-Congo border.Design: Cross sectional nutrition survey.Methods: Thirty clusters were selected. The height, weight, and mid upper armcircumference of at least 31 children per cluster were measured. Data on food frequency,prevalence of cough, fever and diarrhoea was also collected.Results: Half of the 932 children (49.8%) were stunted, and 21.9% were severely stunted.While 17.4% of the children were under weight, 1.29% were wasted and 3.7% hadMUAC <12.5cm. Risk factors for stunting included not consuming milk, fathers’ lowformal education, having no immunisation card, and not breast feeding among 12-23months old. Risk factors for underweight included fathers’ and mothers’ low educationlevel, consumption of legumes, and fever or diarrhoea two weeks before the survey.For wasting the risk factors were consumption of vegetables, legumes or starchy foods.Those not consuming high-energy or animal foods including milk were likely to beseverely wasted as were those not breast feeding in the 12-23 months age group. Feveror a diarrhoea episode two weeks preceding the survey and living in a female-headedhousehold, were also risk factors for severe wasting.Conclusion: Attention to education, poverty alleviation, appropriate feeding practices,prevention and treatment of infections might assist in combating malnutrition in thisdistrict