Abstract:

Background: Children under nutrition continues to be a major public health problem in developing countries including Tanzania. Children are most vulnerable to under nutrition because of low dietary intakes which is caused by low family income, infectious disease, inequitable distribution of food within the household, low education of parents and care givers and lack of knowledge about malnutrition and the marital status of their parents.

Objectives: The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence and factors related to under nutrition among under five children living in Sengerema, Mwanza.

Methods: A community based cross sectional study was conducted among under five children living in Sengerema district, Mwanza. A random sampling method was used in obtaining the study participants from the community. A total of 348 sample were involved in the study. Information were obtained from parents and caregivers using pretested semi structured questionnaire and the anthropometric measurements of children were taken. Data were processed and analysed by using statistical package of social science version 20 (SPSS 20).

Results: The prevalence of under nutrition among under five children was found to be 32.8% (n=114) among all children assessed (348). Among 114 children with under nutrition 68 (59.6%) were male and 46 (40.3%) were female, 36 (3.6%) were of below one year, 46 (40.3%) were of age from one year to three and 32 (28.1) were of age from three years to five years, 69 (60.5%) were living with single parent or other relative and 45 (39.5%) were living with both parents, 31 (27.2%) their mothers never went to school, 46 (40.4%) their mothers completed primary education, 26(22.8%) their mothers completed secondary education and 11 (9.6%) their mothers went to colleges and universities, 21 (18.4%) their mothers were of age below 20 years, 83 (72.8%) were of mothers of age from 20 years to 40 years and 10 (8.8%) their mothers were of age above 40 years.

Conclusion: The study revealed that the prevalence of under nutrition among under five children is 32.8% which is more in male (59.6%) than in female (40.4%) and it shows that most factors related to under nutrition are low socioeconomic status (80.4%), maternal education and knowledge about malnutrition (71.1%), parent marital status and who the child is living with (60.5%) and number of family member living in the same household (57.4).