Nutrition and child care amongst Ethiopian refugees in Eastern Sudan
1982
Barnabas, G.
A summary report is presented for a 2-month 1981 cross-sectional nutritional survey of 151 Ethiopian refugee chidren from a refugee camp in Eastern Sudan which was conducted to assess nutritional status of child feeding practices in this low socioeconomic group. Measurements of duration and severity of undernutrition, using height/age (90% cut-off) and weight/height (80% cut-off) ratio standards, showed that most children (up to 64%) were stunted, an indicator of long-standing undernutrition. Only a small number of the children (6%) were currently undernourished (wasted) at the time of the survey. Age, birth place, and diarrhea during the survey period (rainy season) significantly correlated with children's nutritional status. Of the mothers interviewed, 1 in 8 gave bottle milk during the course of breastfeeding, a notable departure from the the predominant breastfeeding practices of the same refugee class in their native Ethiopia. Only 26% gave semi-solid food to their babies before 6 months of age. Mothers falsely believed they should stop breastfeeding when they again become pregnant and generally use persuasion, food, or local applications to their breast to stop lactation. (wz)
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