Childhood Overweight: Unexpected Nutritional Outcome by Trained Community Health Workers in a Rural Setting in Kisumu County, Kenya
Journal Title: IOSR Journal of Humanities and Social Science - Year 2018, Vol 23, Issue 6
Abstract
Globally, an estimated 19 million children are malnourished. The prevalence of child overweight is rising in Low and Middle-Income countries and is no longer associated with socio economic elite in the society. It predisposes children to adulthood obesity, psychological morbidity and increases the prevalence of noncommunicable diseases. The potential of using Community Health Workers to implement the Timed and Targeted counselling intervention was evaluated in Kisumu County. Through home visits, trained CHWs targeted children below two years of age and gave their caregivers key nutrition messages that were most relevant during child's growth that enabled them make best possible nutrition choice. Child's overweight status were computed at baseline (before) and endline (after) at areas with and without the intervention. The study assessed the impact of the trained CHWs on 450 children. Child's age in months and weight in kilograms were obtained and overweight status (Weight- for-Age) computed based on WHO Z-scores. The mean age at baseline and endline were 12.35 and 11.85 months respectively and mean weight 9.33 and 8.6 kgs respectively. There was an increase in prevalence of moderate and severe overweight at intervention area to 10.89% from 3.79% and 4.95% from 3.79% respectively (chi2 = 21.54, p<0.001). At comparative area, prevalence of moderate overweight dropped from 6.25% to 3.3% but prevalence of severe overweight increased to 3.3% from 0.78%. Bivariate analysis did not find any factor to be associated with overweight in the study areas. Trained CHWs failed to reduce the prevalence of overweight status of children. It is evident that childhood overweight is increasing even in areas where CHWs are implementing nutrition interventions. It is now a public health issue that needs urgent attention. Overweight interventions should focus on young children so as to avert the negative consequences associated with overweight in later years of life.
Authors and Affiliations
Sawe Caroline J, Kogi-Makau W, Ettyang Grace A. K, Kimamo Charles O
Keywords
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- EP ID EP419238
- DOI 10.9790/0837-2306046069.
- Views 66
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