Anthropometric Indicators of Nutritional Status of Children Attending Hospitals in Sokoto Metropolis

Malnutrition is described to be the evidence of bad nutritional status, which in turn dictates the health of the individual as well as that of a community. Food provides the energy and nutrients that infants need to be healthy. Anthropometric variables have been used to assess nutritional status of individuals, infants and children inclusive. This study aimed at determining the anthropometric indicators of nutritional status of children attending hospitals in Sokoto Metropolis. Usman Danfodio University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH) being a Tertiary hospital, Specialist Hospital Sokoto as a Secondary hospital and Kware Primary Health care a Primary hospital were used for the study. A total of 506 subjects were recruited for this study. The anthropometric parameters (length, weight, Body mass index, head, chest and abdominal circumferences) were obtained using infantometer, stadiometer, weighing balance and tailoring tape. Data was reported as Mean ± Standard deviation of frequencies and percentages. One-way analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to determine differences in means of the various groupings. A Chi-square test was used to test association between qualitative variables. p<0.05 was deemed statistically significant and SPSS version 22 (IBM, Corp., New York) was used for all data analysis. Result showed children with malnutrition having lesser anthropometric parameters and the differences were statistically significant at p<0.05. The result also revealed 5.3% of the children to be wasting, while (94.7%) were not wasting based on the MUAC adjusted z-scores. Parents’ educational status, occupational status, Socio-economic and demographic pattern largely affects Children’ Nutritional status. The study concluded that, anthropometric indicators such as height, weight and body circumferences can be used to assess nutritional status of infants and children. Therefore, nutritional status is largely influenced by parents’ socio economic and demographic patterns, season of birth, mothers’ age and health status.

Key Words: Sokoto Metropolis, Malnutrition, Infants, Children, Anthropometric indicators