Factors contributing to stunting among children under five years of age in the farm areas of Sarah Baartman Health District: Eastern Cape
- Authors: Satula, Nomsa
- Date: 2025-04
- Subjects: Malnutrition in children -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Nutrition disorders in children -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Nutrition
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/75000 , vital:79873
- Description: Stunting, defined as a height-for-age Z (HAZ) score below -2 according to WHO growth charts, indicates impaired growth and development. In South Africa, the national stunting prevalence was 29%, with the Eastern Cape at 33% during 2021-2023. In the Kouga Sub-District, stunting trends are monitored at primary healthcare facilities, early childhood development centers, and hospitals. This comparative, quantitative, cross-sectional study involved 198 randomly sampled children under five years and their parents/caregivers from farm areas served by mobile clinics across three Local Municipalities (LMs). Data collection, conducted from April 5 to September 6, 2024, utilised structured questionnaires and the WHO Anthroplus tool version 1.0.4 for nutritional status assessment. Data was processed using STATA, with reliability and associations tested via Cronbach’s alpha, Pearson’s chi-squared test, Fisher’s exact test, and logistic regression. The study included 198 participants: 93 from Koukamma, 33 from Kouga, and 72 from Sundays River Valley. The stunting prevalence in the Kouga Sub-District was 38%, with 31% of participants having moderate and 7% severe stunting. Underweight prevalence was 7%, severe underweight 1%, overweight 9%, and obese 2%. Stunting was highest in Sundays River Valley, while Kouga had the highest prevalence of underweight, severely underweight, overweight, and obese cases. Significant factors included the number of children born to the same mother, birth order, the mother's age, timing of antenatal care, birth length, breastfeeding practices, and vitamin A and deworming. The findings highlight the multifactorial nature of stunting, emphasising the need for comprehensive interventions. Significant associations identified through bivariate analysis included the number of children born to the same mother (p = 0.002), birth order (p = 0.006), the mother's age (p = 0.007), timing of the first antenatal care booking (p = 0.020), birth length (p = 0.038), breastfeeding duration (p = 0.045), and vitamin A and deworming (p = 0.047). These factors underline the importance of maternal and child health services in preventing stunting. Addressing stunting requires multifaceted strategies, including but not limited to health interventions and broader sectoral approaches involving farmers, and relevant local partners, for capacity building, self-help projects, as well as rehabilitation from alcohol and substance abuse. Health-specific programs such as micronutrient supplementation for girls of reproductive age are crucial. Capacity building should include awareness campaigns and engagements to correct misconceptions and beliefs during the first and second thousand days of a child’s life. Strategies should focus on improving maternal nutrition, ensuring timely antenatal care, promoting optimal breastfeeding practices, and providing adequate vitamin A supplementation and deworming. This study did not explore the relationship between heredity and stunting nor consider pesticide exposure, although existing literature suggests significant associations. Future research should investigate these factors to provide a more comprehensive understanding of stunting determinants. The study underscored the critical need for targeted interventions to address the high prevalence of stunting in the Sarah Baartman Health District. By focusing on the identified contributing factors, it is possible to improve child growth and development outcomes, thereby enhancing overall community health and economic well- being. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Behavioural & Lifestyle Sciences, 2025
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2025-04
- Authors: Satula, Nomsa
- Date: 2025-04
- Subjects: Malnutrition in children -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Nutrition disorders in children -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Nutrition
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/75000 , vital:79873
- Description: Stunting, defined as a height-for-age Z (HAZ) score below -2 according to WHO growth charts, indicates impaired growth and development. In South Africa, the national stunting prevalence was 29%, with the Eastern Cape at 33% during 2021-2023. In the Kouga Sub-District, stunting trends are monitored at primary healthcare facilities, early childhood development centers, and hospitals. This comparative, quantitative, cross-sectional study involved 198 randomly sampled children under five years and their parents/caregivers from farm areas served by mobile clinics across three Local Municipalities (LMs). Data collection, conducted from April 5 to September 6, 2024, utilised structured questionnaires and the WHO Anthroplus tool version 1.0.4 for nutritional status assessment. Data was processed using STATA, with reliability and associations tested via Cronbach’s alpha, Pearson’s chi-squared test, Fisher’s exact test, and logistic regression. The study included 198 participants: 93 from Koukamma, 33 from Kouga, and 72 from Sundays River Valley. The stunting prevalence in the Kouga Sub-District was 38%, with 31% of participants having moderate and 7% severe stunting. Underweight prevalence was 7%, severe underweight 1%, overweight 9%, and obese 2%. Stunting was highest in Sundays River Valley, while Kouga had the highest prevalence of underweight, severely underweight, overweight, and obese cases. Significant factors included the number of children born to the same mother, birth order, the mother's age, timing of antenatal care, birth length, breastfeeding practices, and vitamin A and deworming. The findings highlight the multifactorial nature of stunting, emphasising the need for comprehensive interventions. Significant associations identified through bivariate analysis included the number of children born to the same mother (p = 0.002), birth order (p = 0.006), the mother's age (p = 0.007), timing of the first antenatal care booking (p = 0.020), birth length (p = 0.038), breastfeeding duration (p = 0.045), and vitamin A and deworming (p = 0.047). These factors underline the importance of maternal and child health services in preventing stunting. Addressing stunting requires multifaceted strategies, including but not limited to health interventions and broader sectoral approaches involving farmers, and relevant local partners, for capacity building, self-help projects, as well as rehabilitation from alcohol and substance abuse. Health-specific programs such as micronutrient supplementation for girls of reproductive age are crucial. Capacity building should include awareness campaigns and engagements to correct misconceptions and beliefs during the first and second thousand days of a child’s life. Strategies should focus on improving maternal nutrition, ensuring timely antenatal care, promoting optimal breastfeeding practices, and providing adequate vitamin A supplementation and deworming. This study did not explore the relationship between heredity and stunting nor consider pesticide exposure, although existing literature suggests significant associations. Future research should investigate these factors to provide a more comprehensive understanding of stunting determinants. The study underscored the critical need for targeted interventions to address the high prevalence of stunting in the Sarah Baartman Health District. By focusing on the identified contributing factors, it is possible to improve child growth and development outcomes, thereby enhancing overall community health and economic well- being. , Thesis (MSc) -- Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Behavioural & Lifestyle Sciences, 2025
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2025-04
Dietary preference and perceptions of the health implications: A qualitative study on perspectives from outpatients and health care providers at Nontyatyambo Community Health Centre, Eastern Cape, South Africa
- Authors: Chocko, Ronnie J A V
- Date: 2022-08
- Subjects: Diet , Nutrition
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/26764 , vital:65990
- Description: Introduction and background. Poor dietary choices are resulting in an increase of mortality and morbidity rates globally. Epidemiological studies reveal that diets high in animal-sourced foods (ASF) lead to an increased risk of developing cardio-metabolic diseases (CMD). On the other hand, plant-based foods (PBF) have been shown to reduce this risk. Making well informed dietary choices plays an important role in reducing the burden of these diseases. To this end, this study further explores the role that diet plays in maintaining good health by exploring current dietary preferences, perceptions of the health implications of these dietary choices and perceptions of the benefits of PBFs vs ASFs of people in a local South African context. Methodology. This qualitative study was conducted at Nontyatyambo Community Health Centre, Mdantansane, Buffalo City Metropolitan district in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. A sample of 42 participants was enrolled for the study. A question/interview guide was used to collect data through key-in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. Two audio recorders were used to record the verbal responses of participants. The recorded interviews were transcribed and translated to English. The transcribed data was systematically and thematically analyzed. Results. It was found that all participants in this study were following an omnivorous dietary pattern. A number of participants expressed that they did not like vegetables. In this study, most participants felt that PBFs were healthier than ASFs. Even though they felt PBFs were healthier, none followed exclusively plant-based diet. Conclusion. Transforming dietary patterns to contain more plant-based foods may be a critical factor in reversing harmful effects on public health and the environment. This calls for urgent public health intervention to improve nutritional uptake as a strategy to reduce potential CMD. , Thesis (MPA) -- Faculty of Health Sciences, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-08
- Authors: Chocko, Ronnie J A V
- Date: 2022-08
- Subjects: Diet , Nutrition
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/26764 , vital:65990
- Description: Introduction and background. Poor dietary choices are resulting in an increase of mortality and morbidity rates globally. Epidemiological studies reveal that diets high in animal-sourced foods (ASF) lead to an increased risk of developing cardio-metabolic diseases (CMD). On the other hand, plant-based foods (PBF) have been shown to reduce this risk. Making well informed dietary choices plays an important role in reducing the burden of these diseases. To this end, this study further explores the role that diet plays in maintaining good health by exploring current dietary preferences, perceptions of the health implications of these dietary choices and perceptions of the benefits of PBFs vs ASFs of people in a local South African context. Methodology. This qualitative study was conducted at Nontyatyambo Community Health Centre, Mdantansane, Buffalo City Metropolitan district in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. A sample of 42 participants was enrolled for the study. A question/interview guide was used to collect data through key-in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. Two audio recorders were used to record the verbal responses of participants. The recorded interviews were transcribed and translated to English. The transcribed data was systematically and thematically analyzed. Results. It was found that all participants in this study were following an omnivorous dietary pattern. A number of participants expressed that they did not like vegetables. In this study, most participants felt that PBFs were healthier than ASFs. Even though they felt PBFs were healthier, none followed exclusively plant-based diet. Conclusion. Transforming dietary patterns to contain more plant-based foods may be a critical factor in reversing harmful effects on public health and the environment. This calls for urgent public health intervention to improve nutritional uptake as a strategy to reduce potential CMD. , Thesis (MPA) -- Faculty of Health Sciences, 2022
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2022-08
Studies on the nutritional value of seven accessions of cocoyam growing in South Africa
- Authors: Lewu, Muinat Nike
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Taro , Nutrition , Field crops -- Nutrition , Taro -- Nutritional aspects
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:11305 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1001054 , Taro , Nutrition , Field crops -- Nutrition , Taro -- Nutritional aspects
- Description: Cocoyam [Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott] is widely cultivated as a staple food in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. The crop, however, remains unpopular and not well known outside KwaZulu-Natal Province of South Africa where it is cultivated mainly for subsistence. The aims of the study were to collect local landraces (accessions) of the crop from where it is found growing within the country for various studies and also to document its nutritional values as well as the safety/toxicity of the crop. The study was carried out using various methods. These included a comparative assessment of the proximate, mineral and antinutrient compositions of cooked and uncooked tubers of a typical commercially available cocoyam and potato found in South African markets. These investigations were repeated for the tubers and leaves of available landraces (seven accessions) of C. esculenta found growing in the farmers’ fields in KwaZulu-Natal Province. Also, an in vivo toxicological study on cooked accessions of the local landraces was conducted to determine possible toxicity effects after consumption using albino rats as a model. The results revealed that commercially available cocoyam and potato tubers have very close nutritional components. Analysis of the proximate composition of seven accessions (UFCe1- UFCe7) of cooked and uncooked tubers of cocoyam indicated that UFCe7 was better in ash, crude protein, crude fibre and crude lipid contents but with higher moisture which could make it more vulnerable to microbial attack. No tubers of the seven accessions appeared to be ii outstandingly better than the others based on their mineral compositions. However, in terms of antinutritional factors, UFCe1, UFCe3 and UFCe7 had the least amounts of oxalate, tannins and phytate in their cooked states. It was discovered however, that the leaves of the accessions of this vegetable contain substantial amount of minerals, and therefore, can contribute significantly to the nutrient requirements of humans and could be recommended as a cheap source of nutrients in South Africa. None of the accessions was outstandingly better than the others in terms of their mineral contents and anti-nutritional factors. Moreover, the current study has shown that boiling the leaves of cocoyam prior to consumption is an effective way of reducing the antinutrient contents of the leaves of the plant thereby making it safe for consumption. The findings also revealed that cooking C. esculenta leaves may increase the levels of protein, fibre and lipid contents while cooking may also decrease the mineral, carbohydrate and caloric contents of the leaves of the accessions. The leafy vegetable may, therefore, be recommended as a cheap source of plant protein. Cooking improved the nutritive value as a result of the reduction in antinutrient levels, thereby improving the food quality in all the tuber and leaf samples used for this study. At the same time, cooked samples also suffered loss of some nutrients with respect to the proximate and mineral compositions. However, supplementation from other food sources that are rich in these nutrients is necessary when these crops are cooked for consumption. Any of the cocoyam accessions may be recommended for consumption for improved protein and mineral nutrients while tubers of accession UFCe7 have also shown good promise in terms of protein and fibre content availability. The results of the in vivo study, using the liver and kidney functional endpoints of weanling albino rats (Rattus norvegicus) maintained on different accessions of cooked cocoyam-based iii diets (UFCe1-UFCe7) for 28 days, revealed that all the accessions produced selective alterations on the hepatorenal indices of weanling rats. The highest alterations were produced by UFCe4 while the least was from UFCe2. These alterations may have consequential effects on the normal functioning of the liver and kidney of the animals. The UFCe2 exhibited the least toxicity risk among the accessions of C. esculenta growing in KwaZulu-Natal Province of South Africa.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
- Authors: Lewu, Muinat Nike
- Date: 2010
- Subjects: Taro , Nutrition , Field crops -- Nutrition , Taro -- Nutritional aspects
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:11305 , http://hdl.handle.net/10353/d1001054 , Taro , Nutrition , Field crops -- Nutrition , Taro -- Nutritional aspects
- Description: Cocoyam [Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott] is widely cultivated as a staple food in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. The crop, however, remains unpopular and not well known outside KwaZulu-Natal Province of South Africa where it is cultivated mainly for subsistence. The aims of the study were to collect local landraces (accessions) of the crop from where it is found growing within the country for various studies and also to document its nutritional values as well as the safety/toxicity of the crop. The study was carried out using various methods. These included a comparative assessment of the proximate, mineral and antinutrient compositions of cooked and uncooked tubers of a typical commercially available cocoyam and potato found in South African markets. These investigations were repeated for the tubers and leaves of available landraces (seven accessions) of C. esculenta found growing in the farmers’ fields in KwaZulu-Natal Province. Also, an in vivo toxicological study on cooked accessions of the local landraces was conducted to determine possible toxicity effects after consumption using albino rats as a model. The results revealed that commercially available cocoyam and potato tubers have very close nutritional components. Analysis of the proximate composition of seven accessions (UFCe1- UFCe7) of cooked and uncooked tubers of cocoyam indicated that UFCe7 was better in ash, crude protein, crude fibre and crude lipid contents but with higher moisture which could make it more vulnerable to microbial attack. No tubers of the seven accessions appeared to be ii outstandingly better than the others based on their mineral compositions. However, in terms of antinutritional factors, UFCe1, UFCe3 and UFCe7 had the least amounts of oxalate, tannins and phytate in their cooked states. It was discovered however, that the leaves of the accessions of this vegetable contain substantial amount of minerals, and therefore, can contribute significantly to the nutrient requirements of humans and could be recommended as a cheap source of nutrients in South Africa. None of the accessions was outstandingly better than the others in terms of their mineral contents and anti-nutritional factors. Moreover, the current study has shown that boiling the leaves of cocoyam prior to consumption is an effective way of reducing the antinutrient contents of the leaves of the plant thereby making it safe for consumption. The findings also revealed that cooking C. esculenta leaves may increase the levels of protein, fibre and lipid contents while cooking may also decrease the mineral, carbohydrate and caloric contents of the leaves of the accessions. The leafy vegetable may, therefore, be recommended as a cheap source of plant protein. Cooking improved the nutritive value as a result of the reduction in antinutrient levels, thereby improving the food quality in all the tuber and leaf samples used for this study. At the same time, cooked samples also suffered loss of some nutrients with respect to the proximate and mineral compositions. However, supplementation from other food sources that are rich in these nutrients is necessary when these crops are cooked for consumption. Any of the cocoyam accessions may be recommended for consumption for improved protein and mineral nutrients while tubers of accession UFCe7 have also shown good promise in terms of protein and fibre content availability. The results of the in vivo study, using the liver and kidney functional endpoints of weanling albino rats (Rattus norvegicus) maintained on different accessions of cooked cocoyam-based iii diets (UFCe1-UFCe7) for 28 days, revealed that all the accessions produced selective alterations on the hepatorenal indices of weanling rats. The highest alterations were produced by UFCe4 while the least was from UFCe2. These alterations may have consequential effects on the normal functioning of the liver and kidney of the animals. The UFCe2 exhibited the least toxicity risk among the accessions of C. esculenta growing in KwaZulu-Natal Province of South Africa.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2010
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