Community Food Systems and the Nutritional Status of Children 6-24 Months in Obunga Slums, Kisumu Kenya: A Cross-Sectional Study

Umotho Kinya Mbae-Mugambi; Christine Agatha Onyango; David Okeyo Omondi

doi:10.37284/eajhs.6.1.1418

Umotho Kinya Mbae-Mugambi Kenya Nutritionists & Dieticians Institute
Christine Agatha Onyango Maseno University
David Okeyo Omondi Kenya Nutritionists & Dieticians Institute

DOI: https://doi.org/10.37284/eajhs.6.1.1418

Keywords: Community Food Systems, Nutritional Status, Urban Slums, Stunting

Share Article:

Abstract

Kenya is grappling with many public health problems; one of the most critical is childhood malnutrition. Underweight rates are 11%, stunting at 26%, and wasting at 4%. In Obunga slums, stunting was 40.2% for children below sixty months, underweight at 10.2%, and wasting at 9%. Globally, children between 6-24 months contribute the most to malnutrition among under-fives. Nevertheless, after 24 months, stunting, an indicator of chronic malnutrition, is irreversible. Obunga slums, compared to other slums in Kenya, registered the highest levels of stunting at 40.5% despite various interventions. Some of the risk factors that recurrently exist as determinants of nutritional status in urban slums are socio-demographic factors. Other potential factors that seem to be ignored are the food systems-related socio-demographics, which seem to be in constant aetiology. This study determined the relationship between community food systems and the nutritional status of children between 6-24 months. Specifically, to assess the nutritional status and determine the relationship between the community food system and nutritional status. A cross-sectional design was adopted, and households with a child aged 6-24 months in Obunga slums were included. A sample of 189 children was selected through a simple random sampling technique. A questionnaire was used to collect data on community food systems. The anthropometric assessment was used to collect data on the nutritional status of the children. Data analysis was done through descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression. The results reveal that the study had 189 children, 108 males and 81 females. Prevalence of wasting was at 3.2%, overweight at 6.9%, stunting at 27.0%, and underweight at 7.4%. Community Food Systems: An increase in the food sources increased the prevalence of underweight both at a (Crude O.R. =19.500, C.I. =1.61-236.61) and at an (A.O.R. = 21.331, C.I. =1.370-332.239). While frequency in the child consumption of food from restaurants/hotels increased wasting by 14 times (A.O.R of 14.52, C.I. = 1.39 -151.71 P<0.05). However, purchasing foods from restaurants and hotels reduced stunting by 0.13 times (A.O.R = 0.13, C.I. = 0.02 - 0.90, P<0.05). This study enumerated insight that may allow appropriate intervention programs to help align community food systems and mitigate child malnutrition in Obunga slums and other urban slums

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Abuya, B. A., Ciera, J., & Kimani-Murage, E. (2012). Effect of mother’s education on child’s nutritional status in the slums of Nairobi. BMC Pediatrics, 12(1), Article 1.

Alimi, B. A. (2016). Risk factors in street food practices in developing countries: A review. Food Science and Human Wellness, 5(3), 141–148. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fshw.2016.05.001

Bhattacharyya, M., Roy, S., Sarkar, A., Sinha, R., Mallick, A., & Bandyopadhyay, S. (2021). Burden of malnutrition among school-going children in a slum area of Kolkata: A matter of concern. Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, 10(8), 2940. https://doi.org/10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_2472_20

Chikhungu, L. C., Madise, N. J., & Padmadas, S. S. (2014). How important are community characteristics in influencing children’s nutritional status? Evidence from Malawi population-based household and community surveys. Health & Place, 30, 187–195. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2014.09.006

Claasen, N., & Pointer, R. (n.d.). Cite as: Claasen, N., van der Hoeven, M., and Covic, N 2016. Food environments, health. 37.

Crossa, J. (2003). Biometrics Unit Technical Reports: Number BU-1627-M: Designing for and Analysing Results from Field Experiments. https://www.academia.edu/65956932/Biometrics_Unit_Technical_Reports_Number_BU_1627_M_Designing_for_and_Analyzing_Results_from_Field_Experiments

Debela, B. L., Demmler, K. M., Klasen, S., & Qaim, M. (2020). Supermarket food purchases and child nutrition in Kenya. Global Food Security, 25, 100341. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gfs.2019.100341

Demmler, K. M., Ecker, O., & Qaim, M. (2018). Supermarket Shopping and Nutritional Outcomes: A Panel Data Analysis for Urban Kenya. World Development, 102, 292–303. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2017.07.018

Fagbamigbe, A. F., Kandala, N. B., & Uthman, A. O. (2020). Demystifying the factors associated withrural–urban gaps in severe acute malnutrition among under-five children in low- and middle-income countries: A decomposition analysis. Scientific Reports, 10(1), 11172. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-67570-w

Gupta, V., Downs, S. M., Ghosh-Jerath, S., Lock, K., & Singh, A. (2016). Unhealthy Fat in Street and Snack Foods in Low-Socioeconomic Settings in India: A Case Study of the Food Environments of Rural Villages and an Urban Slum. Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 48(4), 269-279.e1. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneb.2015.11.006

Hirvonen, K., Hoddinott, J., Minten, B., & Stifel, D. (2017). Children’s Diets, Nutrition Knowledge, and Access to Markets. World Development, 95, 303–315. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2017.02.031

hmoumen. (2023a, May 18). UNICEF-WHO-The World Bank: Joint Child Malnutrition Estimates (JME) — Levels and Trends – 2023 edition. UNICEF DATA. https://data.unicef.org/resources/jme-report-2023/

hmoumen. (2023b, July 12). State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) 2023. UNICEF DATA. https://data.unicef.org/resources/sofi-2023/

Jung, S.-H. (2014). Stratified Fisher’s exact test and its sample size calculation: Stratified Fisher’s exact test. Biometrical Journal, 56(1), 129–140. https://doi.org/10.1002/bimj.201300048

Khonje, M. G., Ecker, O., & Qaim, M. (2020). Effects of Modern Food Retailers on Adult and Child Diets and Nutrition. Nutrients, 12(6), Article 6. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12061714

Kimani-Murage, E. W., Muthuri, S. K., Oti, S. O., Mutua, M. K., van de Vijver, S., & Kyobutungi, C. (2015). Evidence of a Double Burden of Malnutrition in Urban Poor Settings in Nairobi, Kenya. PLOS ONE, 10(6), e0129943. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0129943

Kimani-Murage, E. W., Schofield, L., Wekesah, F., Mohamed, S., Mberu, B., Ettarh, R., Egondi, T., Kyobutungi, C., & Ezeh, A. (2014). Vulnerability to Food Insecurity in Urban Slums: Experiences from Nairobi, Kenya. Journal of Urban Health, 91(6), 1098–1113. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11524-014-9894-3

Larson, N. I., Story, M. T., & Nelson, M. C. (2009). Neighbourhood Environments. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 36(1), 74-81.e10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2008.09.025

Muinde, O. K., & Kuria, E. (2005). Hygienic and Sanitary Practices of Vendors of Street Foods in Nairobi, Kenya. African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development, 5(8), 01–14. https://doi.org/10.18697/ajfand.8.1060

Neff, R. A., Palmer, A. M., McKenzie, S. E., & Lawrence, R. S. (2009). Food Systems and Public Health Disparities. Journal of Hunger & Environmental Nutrition, 4(3–4), 282–314. https://doi.org/10.1080/19320240903337041

Okeyo, David. O. (2016.). Factors Influencing nutritional status of children under five years in Obunga informal settlements in Kisumu City Kenya. A Post Graduate Research Dissertation.

Omondi, D. O., & Kirabira, P. (2016). Socio-Demographic Factors Influencing Nutritional Status of Children (6-59 Months) in Obunga Slums, Kisumu City, Kenya.

Powell, L. M., & Nguyen, B. T. (2013). Fast-Food and Full-Service Restaurant Consumption Among Children and Adolescents: Effect on Energy, Beverage, and Nutrient Intake. JAMA Pediatrics, 167(1), 14. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2013.417

Prasodjo, N. W., Pandjaitan, N. K., Kinseng, R. A., & Khomsan, A. (2017). Structural Analysis of Food Choice Practices for Children under Five Years Old at Rural Communities West Java. Sodality: Jurnal Sosiologi Pedesaan, 5(1).

Stifel, D., & Minten, B. (2017). Market Access, Well-being, and Nutrition: Evidence from Ethiopia. World Development, 90, 229–241. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2016.09.009

The DHS Program—Kenya Demographic and Health Survey 2022—Key Indicators Report (English). (n.d.). Retrieved June 22, 2023, from https://dhsprogram.com/publications/publication-PR143-Preliminary-Reports-Key-Indicators-Reports.cfm

Treuhaft, S., & Karpyn, A. (2010). The grocery gap: Who has access to healthy food and why it matters. PolicyLink.

Whitley, Jr., B. E., & Kite, M. E. (2012). Principles of Research in Behavioral Science: Third Edition (0 ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203085219

Wilcox, S., Sharpe, P. A., Turner-McGrievy, G., Granner, M., & Baruth, M. (2013). Frequency of consumption at fast-food restaurants is associated with dietary intake in overweight and obese women recruited from financially disadvantaged neighbourhoods. Nutrition Research, 33(8), 636–646. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nutres.2013.05.007