Browsing by Author "Lwaho, Joseph Francis"

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Determinants of nutritional status of children in Tanzania: an analysis of Demographic and Health Surveys Data
    (University of Dar es Salaam, 2016) Lwaho, Joseph Francis
    Malnutrition is now becoming a common health problem among children under-five and remains high for the last 5 years in Tanzania. This study uses the 2004/05 and 2010 Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey data to analyse the determinants of children’s nutritional status using both bivariate and multivariate approaches. Finding from bivariate analysis indicated that age of child, preceding birth interval, duration of breastfeeding, place of residence, parental education, economic status of household, employment status of women, source of drinking water and type of toilet facility had a significant association on stunting and underweight in the two surveys. The multivariate analysis results Revealed that, age of child, sex of child, preceding birth interval, duration of breastfeeding, parent education, economic status of household, employment status of women, source of drinking water and type of toilet facility predicted adequately stunting among children in both surveys. Age of child, preceding birth interval, economic status of household, and child morbidity emerged as major determinants of underweight in the two surveys. Moreover, the results indicated the common determinants of child malnutrition are parental education, childcare practices, economic status of household and health and environmental sanitation. Based on the information provided in this study, huge investment on education, programs on safe and clean water and use of improved latrine could be a crucial step in the effort of reducing the prevalence of child malnutrition.