Publication: Dietary intake and cognitive development among children in Kisumu county, Kenya
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2020-10
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Consortium for Advanced Research Training in Africa (CARTA), Carnegie Corporation of New York, Sida , the DELTAS Africa Initiative, and Deutscher , Akademischer Austauschdienst(DAAD)
Publisher
African Scholarly Science Communications Trust
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Abstract
Varied nutrient-dense and high-quality diet are key to ideal growth and cognitive
function in the early years of life. Nutrient deficiency can lead to negative functional
effects of the brain and poor cognitive function. High rates of poverty in developing
countries predispose children to malnutrition. This study aimed at exploring factors
associated with dietary intake and cognitive development among children in Kisumu
County, Kenya. This was a cross-sectional study survey that recruited 192 children aged
less than 24 months. Food frequency questionnaire and Bayleys Scale for Infant
Development kit was used to collect data. It was revealed that a total of 51% were girls
with 30% aged below 6 months. Only 12% had cognitive scores above average.
Child cognitive scores were linked with age (p= 0.022), carbohydrate (p=0.021), fat
(p=0.011) and iron (p=0.022) intake. Only 34% and 32% of children consumed diets
adequate in proteins and iron, respectively. Of children aged above 18 months, only 13%
consumed diet adequate in iron. Factors associated with carbohydrate intake included:
mother's marital status (p=0.036) and her level of income (p=0.028) while protein intake
related to the type of housing (p=0.013). Fat intake was linked with the mother's marital
status (p=0.009) and her level of income (p=0.001) while the iron intake was linked to
the mother's level of income (p=<0.001) and her educational level (p< 0.001). Vitamin
A intake was linked to the ability to pay rent by the household (p=0.016). Further analysis
revealed that children whose fathers were earning more than Kenya shillings 3000.00 per
month had 0.2 times lower risk of being above average on cognitive scores compared to
those whose fathers were earning less than Kenya shillings 3000.00 per month, while
those with an inadequate intake of carbohydrate had 8 times more risk of having
cognitive scores above average compared to those whose diets were adequate. In
conclusion, majority of children consumed diets inadequate in protein and iron while
12% of children had cognitive scores above average. Mother’s marital status, eduation
and income influenced child’s dietary intake while their age groups and father’s income
were associated with child's cognitive outcomes. Policies to enhance parental education
and income level should be formulated to improve child's dietary and cognitive
outcomes.
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Keywords
Dietary intake, Cognitive development, Children, Bayleys Scale for Infant Development, Malnutrition