Child-eating behaviour as predictor of anthropometric status of preschool children aged 2–4 years in Umuahia South LGA Abia State, Nigeria

Abstract Introduction and objective Eating behaviour at the childhood level plays a vital role in the outcome of the nutritional status and the overall health of an individual. The study was focused on the association between anthropometric status and child eating behaviour. Methodology A community-based cross-sectional survey purposively enrolled consenting participants from 256 households with preschool children aged 2–4 years. The parents/legal guardians were interviewed on the eating behaviour of their children using a validated semi-structured child-eating behaviour scale, and anthropometric measurement of the children were taken. WHO Anthro-software for child growth standards was used to categorize anthropometric status of the preschool children. Paired sample t-test was performed to compare child-eating behaviour by gender, while regression and correlation analysis was performed to determine the extent to which child-eating behaviour predicted anthropometric status at 5% level of significance. Results Mean comparison of child eating behaviour by gender showed significant difference (P < 0.05) between male and female children in their eating behaviour with respect to enjoyment of food and satiety responsiveness. Some of the children were wasted (26.6%), stunted (20.7%) and underweight (16.4%). A significant association (P < 0.05) was observed between body mass index-for-age and food fussiness behaviour of the children. There was also a significant difference (P < 0.05) between weight-for-age and food fussiness behaviour of the children. Conclusion The study showed that child eating behaviour may have contributed to the anthropometric status of the children, however, differences in their eating behaviours by gender was observed

Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS coinfection in patients attending Directly Observed Treatment Short‐course (DOTS) centers in Anambra State, Nigeria: A retrospective study

Background and Aim(S)This study retrospectively assessed the prevalence of TB and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/AIDS coinfection among patients that attended the Directly Observed Treatment Short-course (DOTS) centers in Anambra State, Southeast, Nigeria, between 2013 and 2017.MethodsThe study adopted a descriptive and retrospective epidemiological survey design. A total of 1443 case files of patients aged 15−60 who were treated in DOTS centers selected from Anambra State's 21 Local Government Areas between 2013 and 2017 were investigated. The uniform data form, a standardized instrument used in Anambra State's health facilities for data collection, was used to collect data from case files of all those identified as coinfected with TB and HIV/AIDS.ResultsThe mean prevalence rate of TB and HIV/AIDS coinfection in the state during the 5-year period (2013–2017) was 20.00%. The highest annual prevalence of TB and HIV/AIDS coinfection was recorded in 2014 (23.84%). The state's prevalence of TB and HIV/AIDS coinfection increased dramatically from 13.17% in 2013 to 23.84% in 2014, followed by a slight downward trend to 22.80% in 2015, 20.17% in 2016, and 20.03% in 2017. In terms of gender, age, marital status, and occupation, females (59.5%), those aged 15 to 25 years (30.7%), married people (43.90%), and traders/business owners (50.7%), respectively, had the highest rates of tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS coinfection during the study period.ConclusionThe findings of this study show that young people, females, married people, and traders/business owners appear to be the most vulnerable groups affected by TB and HIV/AIDS coinfection, accounting for the majority of the disease burden in the state. To address the high prevalence of TB and HIV/AIDS coinfection in the Anambra State, novel intervention and control programs should be developed and implemented, and existing intervention frameworks should be strengthened