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Dietary patterns and nutritional status of pre-school children in Nairobi.

OBJECTIVE
To determine the dietary patterns and nutritional status of pre-school children in Nairobi, Kenya.


DESIGN
A cross-sectional study.


SETTING
Pre-schools in Nairobi, Kenya.


SUBJECTS
Three hundred and four pre-school children (149 males and 155 females) aged three to five years were assessed.


RESULTS
About 96% of the children had been breastfed 46.7% of them for 12-24 months (46.7%), and the mean breastfeeding duration was 20.17 months. The most commonly consumed foods on a daily basis were fruits, vegetables bread, ugali, porridge and milk. The level of malnutrition was low with underweight at 16% stunting 4.3% and wasting 1.0%. The factors that positively correlated with child nutritional status were the age of the mother and father.


CONCLUSIONS
The children were consuming a variety of foods both at home and in school, and this together with the high literacy levels the parents/guardians could have contributed towards the good nutritional status.