Malnutrition among children 6-24 months attending MCH centres in Alexandria an epidemiologic study Part I: Prevalence

ABSTRACT

A cross-sectional nutritional survey of children aged 6-24 months [weaning period] attending MCH centres in Alexandria governorate through the year 1988-1989 was conducted with the aim of determining the prevalence of protein calory malnutrition. The sample size was 1000 children chosen from 6 MCH centres in Alexandria [one centre for each zone]. The sample was distributed along the six centres in proportion to the total number of infants recorded to have attended those centres through 1985. The centres were visited during the period starting November 1988 through June 1989. Each centre continued to be visited until the number decided to be included was completed. The study included the determination of age and the measurement of height and weight-Anthropometric standards issued by WHO were used to classify the children's length for age, weight for age, and weight for length in terms of a cut off point of 2 SD below the median of that of reference [Waterlow system]. Gomez classification using weight/age as a parameter was used to diagnose undernutrition. The results of the study revealed a prevalence rate of undernutrition of 25.6% which was mostly of the first degree as expressed by Gomez categories. When expressed using waterlow system a prevalence of stunting of 29.7% was observed while wasting was observed in only 0.7% and concurrent wasting and stunting constituted 0.1%. These results were considered to be relatively lower in comparison to earlier similar studies. It was thus recommended that similar surveys for preschool age children in Alexandria and other regions of Egypt would be valuable