Thesis:

Determinants of nutritional status among children aged 6-59 months in kericho county, kenya

Child growth and well-being are critically dependent on proper nutrition, particularly during the developmental phase between the ages of 6 and 59 months. Poor nutritional status is associated with high proportion of mortality and morbidity in Kenya and globally. Malnutrition during this critical window can predispose children to cognitive impairments, infectious diseases, and an increased risk of chronic conditions, contributing to high mortality rates. Despite the severity of the problem, few studies have focused on the factors affecting the nutritional status of children in this age group in Kenya. This study aimed to identify the factors influencing the nutritional status of children aged 6 months to 5 years in Kericho County, Kenya. Specifically, the study sought to assess the nutritional status, examine dietary practices, explore the socio-economic and demographic characteristics of caregivers, and evaluate the morbidity status of the children. The research employed a cross-sectional analytical design, targeting children attending outpatient child welfare clinics at Kericho County Referral Hospital and Kapkatet Sub-County Hospital. A total of 172 children were selected through systematic random sampling, and data was collected using a structured questionnaire. Anthropometric data were analyzed using ENA for SMART, and all other variables were processed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 27. Descriptive statistics were used to outline the population characteristics, while regression analysis was employed to identify predictors of nutritional status, with a confidence interval of 95% and significance set at p≤0.05. Key findings revealed that stunting affected 25% of the children, while wasting and underweight were prevalent in 23.8%. Dietary practices showed that only 39.2% of children aged 6 to 23 months met the minimum dietary diversity, and 39.2% received a minimum acceptable diet. Moreover, 45.3% of children experienced illness in the past month. Regression analysis identified several key predictors of malnutrition: children of caregivers without formal education were more likely to be underweight (AOR = 0.70, p = 0.01), those born via caesarean section were at higher risk of being underweight and stunted (AOR = 3.39, p = 0.03; AOR = 3.12, p = 0.04), and delayed complementary feeding reduced the likelihood of being underweight (OR = 0.53, 95% CI: 0.12-0.85, p = 0.01), wasted (OR = 0.49, 95% CI: 0.29-0.83, p = 0.04) and stunted (OR = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.25-0.99, p = 0.02). Additionally, children with illness symptoms lasting over 6 days were more likely to be underweight (AOR = 1.27, p = 0.01). Evidence from this study highlights the critical role of caregiver education, birth method, feeding practices, and illness duration in influencing child nutritional outcomes. These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions that enhance caregiver education and improve early childhood feeding practices. Future research should investigate the link between nutritional status and childhood morbidity, assess the long-term effects of early childhood nutrition on health, and develop scalable interventions to improve dietary diversity and reduce malnutrition in resourcelimited settings.