Assessment of the nutritional status of under five years children in the IDPs camp in Khamer city
Abstract
The study aimed to assess the nutritional status of children under the age of five years in the displaced persons camp in the city of Khamer – Amran governorate. The researcher conducted a descriptive field study with a cross-section and surveyed all the children in the camp (196 boys and girls aged one to five years, and 188) boys and girls responded to the study at a rate of (95.9%). The researcher conducted a personal interview with the mothers of the children. The results of the study showed that all the children studied ranged in age from (0-59) months, at a rate of (100%), and they were distributed into different age groups, where the percentage of children from the male category constituted (63.8%), while the percentage of children in the female category was ( 36.2%). The study found:
The highest percentage of short stature in children appeared with a percentage (37.2%), which indicates a high rate of stunting among the children surveyed, and the highest percentage of underweight children reached (60.6%), which indicates a high rate of underweight among the children surveyed, and the highest percentage of wasting appeared And thinness in children (46.3), and this indicates the presence of severe thinness among the children surveyed. As for the results of the nutritional assessment by applying the standard Z list, and in comparison to weight for height, the results showed that (4.8%) of the children surveyed had severe acute malnutrition, and (9%) have moderate acute malnutrition, and the results of the study showed that (87.2%) of the children surveyed were exclusively breastfed immediately after birth, of them (9.6%), were placed in nurseries immediately after birth, and (8%) had problems and complications During and immediately after childbirth, while (69.7%) ate various additional foods during the breastfeeding period; The highest duration of breastfeeding reached a full year at a rate of (35.7%), and the highest percentage of children who were weaned at the beginning of the second year of their age was (47.3), while (53.7%) gave them various and different additional foods after weaning, while it was found that ( 48.4% depend on the mother’s help when they eat, and the results showed that all the surveyed children used three meals a day (100%)), and the percentage of children with severe and moderate anemia reached (31.9%, 58%), respectively, and the highest percentage of children Infected with intestinal worms and parasites (68.6%). The study showed that (78.9%) of the children were fully immunized with routine vaccinations.
The study recommended educating mothers and teaching them the benefits of balanced food, breastfeeding and its duration, the beginning of the weaning period, weaning foods and the importance of introducing some additional foods. In Yemen.