Effect of Home-Made Formula on Growth Performance of Malnourished Pre-School Children (24-36 Months of Age) in Yobe State Nigeria
A. M. Zangina *
Department of Home Science and Management, Federal University, Gashua, Yobe State, Nigeria.
O. O. Adekoyeni
Department of Home Science and Management, Federal University, Gashua, Yobe State, Nigeria.
E. O. Fadipe
Department of Home Science and Management, Federal University, Gashua, Yobe State, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aim: The insurgency in the north-east zone of Nigeria has aggravated rate of malnourished children and many are roaming the streets unattended. This study determined the effect of home-made formula on growth performance of malnourished pre-school children in Yobe State, Nigeria.
Study Design: A factorial experiment.
Place and Duration of Study: Yobe state, Nigeria, 6 weeks.
Methodology: Three local Government Areas (LGA) of Yobe state, Nigeria (Bade, Bursari and Potiskum) used. A formulated home-made formula (HMF) was compared with therapeutic milk powders (TMPs). Twenty malnourished pre-school children were purposefully selected in each LGA and were grouped into two. Each group was randomly allotted to a dietary treatment, a child stood as replicate. At commencement children with complications were treated in the hospital. They were fed at 16.88 ml/kg body weight at 3 hours interval daily throughout a 6th week study using plastic cups. Parameters studied included weight, height, mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) and W/HZ-score. A SPSS statistical package was used to analyze the results.
Results: All the parameters were (p>0.05) affected with dietary treatments among districts. However, children fed HMF had higher final MUAC (127.50±2.04mm), higher height gain (3.45±0.18cm) and higher MUAC gain (13.76±0.22mm) among districts while those fed TMPs had higher final weight (10.74±0.25kg), higher final height (83.77±0.16cm) and higher weight gain (2.11±0.01kg). Based on average, the children fed HMF had higher final MUAC (127.50±2.04mm), height gain (3.45±0.18cm) and MUAC gain (13.76±0.22mm) while their counterparts fed TMPs had higher final weight (10.74±0.25kg), final height (83.77±0.83) and weight gain (2.11± 0.01kg). The children fed TMPs had slightly higher daily weight gain (50.23g) than those fed HMF (48.81g); and all the children were discharged with -2<z-score.
Conclusion: It can be concluded that HMF was effective in managing malnutrition in pre-school children. Therefore, it is recommended as alternative therapeutic food.
Keywords: Malnutrition, milk powders, performance, preschool children, therapeutic formula, child nutrition, child growth