Frequency of Al - Health Malnutrition in Children Under Five Years of Age and their Parent’s Awareness about Children Nutrition in District Loralai Balochistan, Pakistan

Abstract

Background: Children represent the future and are among society's most invaluable assets. Parental awareness regarding the nutritional status of their children is dynamic Objectives: This study was aimed to assess the frequency of malnutrition under five-years of age in district Loralai, Balochistan. It was also intended to determine the awareness of parents about child nutrition and their association with demographic variables. iv Methodology: A cross-sectional study was carried at two UCs of district Loralai, Balochistan. A total of 264 were selected through simple random sampling for data collection. Data regarding awareness about child nutrition was collected using a validated tool. Data were entered and analyzed using SPSS version 26.0. Pearson Chi-square test of Independence was applied to find out the awareness of parents about child nutrition with socio-demographic factors of the respondents. Results: Among the 264 participants, the majority were male respondents (n = 131, 49.6%). The findings of this study indicated that a significant proportion of children fell within the age group of 26-38 months (n=117, 44.3%). Approximately half of the mothers (n=133, 50.4%) had completed matriculation. It was observed that a considerable number of children under five years old were being fed formula milk (n=142, 53.8%). Notably, the results revealed a moderate frequency of malnutrition among children (n=122, 46%). The study also demonstrated that a significant number of parents of children under five years old exhibited a poor understanding of child nutrition (n=147, 56%). Furthermore, the research identified a noteworthy association between parents' awareness of child nutrition and various socio-demographic variables (p-value<0.05), such as the child's gender, mother's education, family size, milk-feeding practices, monthly income, and father's source of income. Conclusion: The recent study concluded that a significant proportion of children under the age of five experienced a moderate level of malnutrition. The majority of parents with children under five showed poor awareness of child nutrition. Several socio-demographic factors were associated with awareness of parents about child nutrition. Keywords: Awareness of Parents, Child Nutrition, District Loralai, Malnutrition, Pakistan, Frequency.