Tropentag 2010, September 14 - 16, Zurich, Germany "World Food System - A Contribution from Europe"

Malnutrition of the Children Less than Five Years as a Result of Protein and Energy Deficiency in Khartoum Province

¹Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Department of Crop Sciences, Quality of Plant Products, Germany
²University of Khartoum, Department of Silviculture, Sudan
³University of Khartoum, Department of Food Science and Technology, Sudan

Abstract

Malnutrition is a common health problem in the third world of which Sudan is no exception. Most of these problems results as a consequence to the lack of nutritious food or the food mishandling. The main goal of this research was to investigate the reasons underlying the phenomenon of malnutrition of the children less than five years in Khartoum Province. To address this problem, 30 children in Khartoum hospital were subjected to investigations. Furthermore, questionnaire was prepared to obtain additional data from the mothers of the target group. The results from this study showed that malnutrition under such age was strongly linked to the social and economical situation of the families in addition to the family size and education level of the mothers. Moreover, this malnutrition was partially related to the mother's practices towards their children nutrition during diarrhea problem which is the second most common cause of infant deaths worldwide. An important finding in this research is the strong associations of malnutrition for the children at this age and the incomplete breast feeding periods. This study came out with some suggestions for the mothers as well as the responsible authorities for the improvement of the nutritional status of the children. These recommendations suggested that amelioration of the health level in the study area, this target could only be achieved by providing clean water and food to the people in addition to creation of the developmental projects which might make available more chances for work for income improvement of the families. Above all the study proposed that the health culture is essential for the mothers to be well aquatinted with these problems.

Keywords: Malnutrition, nutrition, Sudan, young children

Contact Address: Afrah Mohammed, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Department of Crop Sciences, Quality of Plant Products, Carl-Sprengel Weg 1, 37075 Göttingen, Germany, e-mail: farhatihotmail.com