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  • Title: Growth of under five-year-old children in Kyeni, Kenya.
    Author: Vonk R, de Kleuver M, Ie EH, Voorhoeve HW.
    Journal: Trop Geogr Med; 1993; 45(4):175-8. PubMed ID: 8236469.
    Abstract:
    During a three-months period a cross-sectional study of the measurements of head circumference, mid-upper-arm circumference (MUAC) and weight was performed in 515 under five-year-old children in Kyeni, Kenya. Growth of Kyeni children seems to develop according to international standards for weight-for-age, MUAC-for-age and head circumference and for all parameters the average remains above minus 2 SD of the standard. Despite the presence of anthropometric malnutrition and downward trend in weight-for-age, MUAC-for-age and to a lesser degree the head circumference-for-age, the average growth of the Kyeni children in Kenya is within normal limits of international references. A cross-sectional study was performed during a 3-month period on 515 children 0-5 years old who attended the daily maternal and child health clinic of Consolata Hospital in Kyeni, Embu District, Kenya, to determine growth and nutritional status through weight-for-age, head circumference and mid-upper-arm circumference (MUAC). It was found that the average growth of these children developed according to international standards for the 3 parameters and remained above minus 2 standard deviations (SD). At age 4 months for females and 5 months for males, both sexes showed a downward trend in weight- for-age. With increasing age, a larger proportion fell below minus 2 SD of the standard (2.2% of the 0-3 month age group, 16.6% between 6 months and 5 years). This criterion revealed that an average 10.3% of the children were malnourished. However, since many of the children were stunted and weight-for-height was normal, the minus 2 SD is too high a criterion. The MUAC measurement, which reflects weigh-for-height, gives a more accurate figure of malnutrition. Using the Blankhart classification for this criterion, 3.7% of these children were malnourished and 16.0% were borderline for a total of 19.7% insufficiently nourished children. These estimates may also be too high and may result in too many children being classified as borderline, however, since they assume a constant MUAC from 6-60 months, which is not the case. Cross-tabulation of the data above age 6 months results in the presumably more realistic figure of 2.2% anthropometric malnutrition, 24.7% borderline, and 73.1% well nourished. It is recommended that MUAC be included in routine clinical measurements. In conclusion, despite the presence of anthropometric malnutrition and the age-related downward trend in indicators, the children exhibited average growth in terms of international standards.
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