CHILD MORBIDITY PATTERNS AND THE RISK TO ZINC DEFICIENCY: A CASE OF ELGEYO-MARAKWET COUNTY, KENYA

Author's Name: Caroline K.Gatobu, Peter Gutwa Oino & Pauline Tarkwen
Subject Area: Health Science
Subject Other
Section Research Paper

Keyword:

Morbidity, risk, zinc deficiency, Nutrition, Elgeyo Marakwet County, Kenya


Abstract

Millions of people throughout the world have inadequate levels of zinc in the diet due to limited access to zinc-rich foods and the abundance of zinc inhibitors such as phytates, common in plant-based diets. However, Zinc deficiency is a major health problem in developing countries, especially among young children. This is due to lack of intake of animal foods, high dietary phytates content, inadequate food intake and increased fecal losses during diarrhea and Kenya is no exception. This research was carried out in Kibirem Location,Tot Sub-district in Elgeyo Marakwet County, a region that is largely an Arid and semi-arid and suitable for limited agricultural production. The main objective of this study was to determine the relationship between child’s morbidity patterns and the risk to zinc deficiency. The study found that the increase in morbidity patterns in children leads to increase in risk to zinc deficiency. It was also found that those children who had Zinc supplementation in their diets had shown momentous paybacks in prevention, management and treatment of diarrhea and pneumonia. The study recommends that zinc supplementation for under-five year old children in the county be enhanced.

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