title: Nutrition status and associated factors among children in public primary schools in Dagoretti, Nairobi, Kenya.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Malnutrition among school-age children is due to inadequacies in one or more of the three main preconditions for good nutrition: food, care and health. Children stunted at school age are likely to have been exposed to poor nutrition since early childhood. Interventions for school age children can supplement efforts to reduce levels of stunting in the preschool years.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the nutrition status and associated risk factors of children in selected public primary schools in Dagoretti Division, Nairobi.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive cross sectional design was used. 208 students aged 4-11years of both gender were randomly selected from four public primary schools in Dagoretti Division. Data was collected from school registers and directly questioning the students, parents /guardians.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the children surveyed, 24.5% were stunted, 14.9% underweight and 9.7% were wasted. There were more boys than girls who were stunted. Breakfast contributed 10.2% of the daily energy intake. Few children consumed foods from more than four food groups. Incidence of diarrhea, colds/coughs increased the risk of stunting and underweight.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Consumption of food which is inadequate in required calories and from less than four varieties of food groups by the children were important predictors of malnutrition.
authors: Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Kenya. lizmwaniki@yahoo.co.uk
authors: E W
authors: EW
authors: Mwaniki
authors: A N
authors: AN
authors: Makokha
mesh_terms: D000886:Anthropometry; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D005518:Food Preferences; D006801:Humans; D007630:Kenya / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009752:Nutritional Status; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012574:Schools; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
references: Br J Nutr. 2001 May;85 Suppl 2:S159-66
references: 11509105
references: Am J Trop Med Hyg. 1996 Aug;55(2):150-6
references: 8780452
references: J Nutr. 1997 Jun;127(6):1099-105
references: 9187623
references: Food Nutr Bull. 2004 Sep;25(3):271-82
references: 15460271
references: Public Health Nutr. 1998 Jun;1(2):83-92
references: 10933404
references: Lancet. 2004 Dec 4-10;364(9450):2030-7
references: 15582060