Showing papers in "Nigerian Medical Journal in 1972"

Some socio-economic conditions predisposing to malnutrition in Lagos.

Abstract: A survey was conducted in a predefined 1% representative sample of Lagos Nigeria to determine the incidence of kawshiorkor in various parts of the city as well as the following facts: the ages and sex of the children; the area of Lagos from which the child came; the status education religion and income of the parents; the knowledge and practices of the parents as regards the feeding of their children. The average age of the 200 children was 16 months with a range of from 7 months and 72 months (105 males 95 females); the peak incidence of the disease was between 13 months and 24 months; and 104 of the children came from a major slum area. Of the 200 children with malnutrition studied the families of 138 (69%) of them were intact. Mothers of 116 children had no formal education and 81 of the fathers of malnourished children had no formal education. 45 mothers did not express any taboos about the food given to their children. All the mothers interviewed breastfed their infants from birth and they continued for 14.7 to 16.8 months. Artificial milk was introduced into the childs diet within the 2nd week of life usually by means of the feeding bottle. Apart from the fact that infants were breastfed for prolonged periods and artificial milk was given along with breast milk up to the age of 14-18 months infants were also given semisolids between the age of 2 and 6 months. The 200 mothers studied had 598 children of which 111 had died. 152 mothers had had 1 previous child with kwashiorkor. The part played by ignorance in the etiology of malnutrition can be deducted from the following facts: the parents were usually illiterate or semiliterate; taboos regarding the items of food which were most important in the prevention of kwashiorkor were widespread; and their belief as to the cause of the disease was very much off the mark. Health education aimed at the eradication of malnutrition in Lagos must emphasize the following: the importance of a stable family; breastfeeding exclusively for the first 6 months of the childs life; weaning the child on locally produced foodstuffs; education as to the true cause of the disease; the importance of immunization against measles and tuberculosis; the importance of hygiene in the preparation of food; and home economics instruction.