Nutritional status and nutrient intake of preschool children in northern Ghana.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the nutritional status and nutrient intake of preschool children in a sub-Sahelian setting so as to ascertain whether they meet the acceptable standards.


METHODS
Prospective/investigative study.


METHODS
The study was carried out in Saboba, a rural sub-Sahelian village in northern Ghana.


METHODS
Five hundred and eighteen preschool children (2.5-6 years) drawn from three kindergartens and five other localities were used.


METHODS
Anthropometric measures of age, weight, and height were assessed. Blood and stool samples were taken for analyses.


RESULTS
The nutritional status was generally poor, with 27% (140/519) stunted, 4.4% (23/519) wasted and 1.9% (10/519) wasted and stunted. Majority of the children (92%) were anaemic and 16.3% had deficient level of vitamin A (< 10 micrograms/dL). Total caloric intake was low (only 26.5% met RDA values) and apart from protein and iron whose RDA were met by the majority of the children (> 90%), the intake of other nutrients-calcium, vitamin C, vitamin A and provitamin A, were low and unacceptable, compared to their respective RDA values. In the case of iron, even though intake was adequate, the high anaemic rate of 92% was due to high incidence of malaria (32%), hookworm infestation, low intake of vitamin C and low bioavailability of iron from the mainly cereal diet.


CONCLUSIONS
The poor nutritional status of the children was largely due to the low intake of essential nutrients.
Takyi
E E
EE
Nutrition Unit, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana.
D000886:Anthropometry; D015362:Child Nutrition Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002149:Energy Intake; D005869:Ghana / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012423:Rural Health