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THE EFFECT AND CAUSES OF POOR NUTRITION AMONG CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 15 YEARS: A CASE STUDY OF EGOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF EDO STATE.

Dept: BIOLOGY File: Word(doc) Chapters: 1-5 Views: 22

Abstract

The study investigated the causes and effects of poor nutrition among children under the age of 15 years: A case study of Egor local government area of Edo state” area Anambra state, Nigeria. This study used survey design to find out the causes and effects of poor nutrition on children and to he simple random sampling was used to select the sample. the instrument used for data collection was structured questionnaires, the questionnaires were developed based on the objectives of the research work experienced. The result showed that the level of education of parents are not adequate 35 (17.5% ) malnourishement of children in the area ranked second 25 (12.5%) followed by lack of adequate education of parents affects the nutrition of their children 120 60%) therefore level of education of parents contribute to poor nutrition of their children it can be seen that poor nutrition reduces the intelligence of children under the age of 15 years The children were not eati

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Theoretical framework

Nutrition is the science that interprets the interaction of nutrients and other substances in food in relation to maintenance, growth, reproduction, health and disease of an organism (Amsalu, 2008). It includes food intake, absorption, assimilation, biosynthesis, catabolism, and excretion.

The diet of an organism is what it eats, which is largely determined by the availability and palatability of foods. For humans, a healthy diet includes preparation of food and storage methods that preserve nutrients from oxidation, heat or leaching, and that reduce risk of foodborne illnesses.

In humans, an unhealthy diet can cause deficiency-related diseases such as blindness, anemia, scurvy, preterm birth, stillbirth and cretinism, or nutrient excess health-threatening conditions such as obesity and metabolic syndrome; and such common chronic systemic diseases as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and osteoporosis (Bloss et al., 2004). Poor nutrition can lead to wasting in acute cases, and the stunting of marasmus in chronic    cases of malnutrition.

Poor nutrition in children is common globally and may result in both short and long term irreversible negative health outcomes. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that malnutrition accounts for 54 percent of child mortality worldwide, about 1 million children. Another estimate also by WHO states that childhood underweight is the cause for about 35% of all deaths of children under the age of five years worldwide.

The main causes are unsafe water, inadequate sanitation or insufficient hygiene, factors related to society and poverty, diseases, maternal factors, gender issues and  overall poverty. Poor nutrition

occurs when people do not eat (or absorb) enough nutrients to cover their needs for energy and growth, or to maintain a healthy immune system (Chinedu, 2018) . Micronutrient deficiencies are a sub-category of undernutrition and occur when the body lacks one or more micronutrients (e.g. iron, iodine, zinc, vitamin A or folate). These deficiencies usually affect growth and immunity but some cause specific clinical conditions such as anaemia (iron deficiency), hypothyroidism (iodine deficiency) or xerophthalmia (vitamin A deficiency).