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Abstract:
Malnutrition is responsible for nearly half of all deaths of children under the age of five globally, and is the number one driver of the global burden of disease. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of malnutrition among the children under the age of five years in Katutura Health Centre. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted. The sample was comprised of 42 mothers or caregivers of children under the age of five years that have attended Katutura Health center. Data was analysed with SPSS version 25.
The study also found out that factors such as younger age of mothers or caretakers, single parenting, unemployment, duration of breastfeeding, inadequate feeding and early introduction of complementary feeding were identified as contributing to malnutrition of children under the age of five years. The study recommends that children should be fed with enough different types of food so that they grow normally. Furthermore, the study also recommend that nurses should give health education to mothers on hygiene and exclusive breastfeeding and also the importance of monthly weight of all children under the age of five should be enforced.
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