TÌNH TRẠNG DINH DƯỠNG Ở TRẺ 6 THÁNG ĐẾN 5 TUỔI TẠI PHÒNG KHÁM DINH DƯỠNG BỆNH VIỆN NHI TRUNG ƯƠNG

Abstract

Background: Nutrition plays an important role in the growth and development of a child, especially under 5 years old. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the nutritional status and associating factors of children aged from 6 months to 5 years old who visited the Nutrition Clinics at the Children’s National Hospital.  Methods: In this cross-sectional study, the nutirtional history and anthropometrics of 234 children aged from 6 months to 5 years old who visited the Nutrition Clinics at the Children’s National Hospital from 9/2020 to 6/2021 were taken and interpreted based on the World Health Organisation (WHO) 2006 growth reference data. Results: 56,0% of subjects were breast-fed within an hour of life. 67,0% were fed entirely on breast milk for the first 6 months and 58,8% for the first 18 months. Complementary feeding was introduced at 6 months of age in 87,0% and 67,9% were provided with all food groups. While the number of meal per day was sufficient in 77,8%, the meal quantity was adequate in only 41,9%. This study observed that 25,6%, 22,7% and 18,4% of the children were stunted, underweight, and wasted respectively. The incidence of overweight and obese was 6,8%. Children with low birth weight (under 2500 g) were more likely to have lower weight later on in life. Conclusion: Childhood malnutrition is still a prevalent challenge among children under 5 years old. Birth weight is associated with the nutritional status.