Factors influencing the nutritional status of children under five years in Tanzania: a case study of Manyara region

The purpose of this study was to investigate factors influencing the nutritional status of children under five years of age in Tanzania. Simple random and purposive sampling procedures were used to select respondents. Household surveys were carried out in three selected wards for the purpose of collecting the intended demographic information and socioeconomic characteristics of the study area. Both structured open-ended and closed- ended questionnaires were used to get the intended information from the respondents. Anthropometries measurements were taken to assess the current nutritional status of children under five years. Data obtained were coded and analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) computer programme. The study findings showed that malnutrition in children under five years was still high in the study area, the extreme cases being underweight, followed by stunting. The scope of this work was limited to only two types of malnutrition: wasting, kwashiorkor, marasmus and other nutritional problems were not analyzed. Socioeconomic status (SES) of households based on ownership of assets and access to services indicated that the majority of respondents were poor. There was a strong association between the SES of households and nutritional status of children, it was easy to conclusively point that household’s SES as the main determinant of malnutrition in children. Urban-rural differentials in malnutrition were also observed. Food insecurity and provision of health services were important factors for malnutrition in children. It was recommended that further studies should be conducted in other areas of the country, with an emphasis on the inequalities in access to health services and malnutrition, and seasonal variation of food availability and malnutrition.