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Undernutrition and Associated Factors Among Children and Adolescents Aged 2 to 19 Years Under Antiretroviral Therapy at the Bamenda Regional Hospital, Cameroon

Received: 9 August 2022     Accepted: 31 August 2022     Published: 16 September 2022
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Abstract

Poor nutrition aggravates the effect of HIV by further decreasing the immune system and potentially reducing the efficacy of antiretroviral therapy (ART). This study aimed to assess associated factors of undernutrition among children and adolescents aged 2-19 years old at the paediatric daycare center of the Bamenda Regional Hospital, North-West region of Cameroon. This analytical cross-sectional study included 31 children and 170 adolescents for which anthropometric, biochemical, clinical and dietary parameters were assessed. Knowledge, feeding practices, hygiene and sanitation of parents/guardians were also assessed using a structured pretested questionnaire. The results showed that the prevalence of undernutrition, stunting, acute malnutrition and underweight among study population were 32.8%, 27.4%, 20.4% and 13.9%, respectively. Age between 2 to 9 years old (aOR = 3.988; p = 0.018), occurrence of typhoid fever (aOR = 7.250; p = 0.039), and avitaminosis A (aOR = 7.664; p = 0.004) were positively associated with undernutrition. Being a female (aOR = 0.378; p = 0.029) was negatively associated with undernutrition. Age (p = 0.012), high levels of LDL-cholesterol (p = 0.015) and low dairy products’ intake (p = 0.048) were associated with underweight. Avitaminosis A (p = 0.030) and hyperalbuminemia (p = 0.014) were positively associated with stunting. Positively-associated factors of acute malnutrition were age (p = 0.013), avitaminosis A (p = 0.005), and hypertriglyceridemia (p = 0.039). Out of the 8 food groups recorded, pulses and dairy products were infrequently consumed. About one-quarter of households had good knowledge of a balanced diet. Dyslipidemia was predominant (56.2%). Summarily, the prevalence of undernutrition and its forms were high among HIV-positive children and adolescents. Associated factors were being a male, being a child aged 2 to 9 years, occurrence of typhoid fever, avitaminosis A, hyperalbuminemia and dyslipidemia.

Published in International Journal of Nutrition and Food Sciences (Volume 11, Issue 5)
DOI 10.11648/j.ijnfs.20221105.13
Page(s) 122-133
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2022. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Associated Factors, Dietary Habits, Dyslipidemia, HIV-Positive Children and Adolescents, Undernutrition

References
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    Choumessi Tchewonpi Aphrodite, Saha Foudjo Ulrich Brice, Njeck Thecla Anweck, Nantia Akono Edouard, Tibi Sheron Ateh, et al. (2022). Undernutrition and Associated Factors Among Children and Adolescents Aged 2 to 19 Years Under Antiretroviral Therapy at the Bamenda Regional Hospital, Cameroon. International Journal of Nutrition and Food Sciences, 11(5), 122-133. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijnfs.20221105.13

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    Choumessi Tchewonpi Aphrodite; Saha Foudjo Ulrich Brice; Njeck Thecla Anweck; Nantia Akono Edouard; Tibi Sheron Ateh, et al. Undernutrition and Associated Factors Among Children and Adolescents Aged 2 to 19 Years Under Antiretroviral Therapy at the Bamenda Regional Hospital, Cameroon. Int. J. Nutr. Food Sci. 2022, 11(5), 122-133. doi: 10.11648/j.ijnfs.20221105.13

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    Choumessi Tchewonpi Aphrodite, Saha Foudjo Ulrich Brice, Njeck Thecla Anweck, Nantia Akono Edouard, Tibi Sheron Ateh, et al. Undernutrition and Associated Factors Among Children and Adolescents Aged 2 to 19 Years Under Antiretroviral Therapy at the Bamenda Regional Hospital, Cameroon. Int J Nutr Food Sci. 2022;11(5):122-133. doi: 10.11648/j.ijnfs.20221105.13

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijnfs.20221105.13,
      author = {Choumessi Tchewonpi Aphrodite and Saha Foudjo Ulrich Brice and Njeck Thecla Anweck and Nantia Akono Edouard and Tibi Sheron Ateh and Ejoh Aba Richard and Tume Bonglavnyuy Christopher},
      title = {Undernutrition and Associated Factors Among Children and Adolescents Aged 2 to 19 Years Under Antiretroviral Therapy at the Bamenda Regional Hospital, Cameroon},
      journal = {International Journal of Nutrition and Food Sciences},
      volume = {11},
      number = {5},
      pages = {122-133},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijnfs.20221105.13},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijnfs.20221105.13},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijnfs.20221105.13},
      abstract = {Poor nutrition aggravates the effect of HIV by further decreasing the immune system and potentially reducing the efficacy of antiretroviral therapy (ART). This study aimed to assess associated factors of undernutrition among children and adolescents aged 2-19 years old at the paediatric daycare center of the Bamenda Regional Hospital, North-West region of Cameroon. This analytical cross-sectional study included 31 children and 170 adolescents for which anthropometric, biochemical, clinical and dietary parameters were assessed. Knowledge, feeding practices, hygiene and sanitation of parents/guardians were also assessed using a structured pretested questionnaire. The results showed that the prevalence of undernutrition, stunting, acute malnutrition and underweight among study population were 32.8%, 27.4%, 20.4% and 13.9%, respectively. Age between 2 to 9 years old (aOR = 3.988; p = 0.018), occurrence of typhoid fever (aOR = 7.250; p = 0.039), and avitaminosis A (aOR = 7.664; p = 0.004) were positively associated with undernutrition. Being a female (aOR = 0.378; p = 0.029) was negatively associated with undernutrition. Age (p = 0.012), high levels of LDL-cholesterol (p = 0.015) and low dairy products’ intake (p = 0.048) were associated with underweight. Avitaminosis A (p = 0.030) and hyperalbuminemia (p = 0.014) were positively associated with stunting. Positively-associated factors of acute malnutrition were age (p = 0.013), avitaminosis A (p = 0.005), and hypertriglyceridemia (p = 0.039). Out of the 8 food groups recorded, pulses and dairy products were infrequently consumed. About one-quarter of households had good knowledge of a balanced diet. Dyslipidemia was predominant (56.2%). Summarily, the prevalence of undernutrition and its forms were high among HIV-positive children and adolescents. Associated factors were being a male, being a child aged 2 to 9 years, occurrence of typhoid fever, avitaminosis A, hyperalbuminemia and dyslipidemia.},
     year = {2022}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Undernutrition and Associated Factors Among Children and Adolescents Aged 2 to 19 Years Under Antiretroviral Therapy at the Bamenda Regional Hospital, Cameroon
    AU  - Choumessi Tchewonpi Aphrodite
    AU  - Saha Foudjo Ulrich Brice
    AU  - Njeck Thecla Anweck
    AU  - Nantia Akono Edouard
    AU  - Tibi Sheron Ateh
    AU  - Ejoh Aba Richard
    AU  - Tume Bonglavnyuy Christopher
    Y1  - 2022/09/16
    PY  - 2022
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijnfs.20221105.13
    DO  - 10.11648/j.ijnfs.20221105.13
    T2  - International Journal of Nutrition and Food Sciences
    JF  - International Journal of Nutrition and Food Sciences
    JO  - International Journal of Nutrition and Food Sciences
    SP  - 122
    EP  - 133
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2327-2716
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijnfs.20221105.13
    AB  - Poor nutrition aggravates the effect of HIV by further decreasing the immune system and potentially reducing the efficacy of antiretroviral therapy (ART). This study aimed to assess associated factors of undernutrition among children and adolescents aged 2-19 years old at the paediatric daycare center of the Bamenda Regional Hospital, North-West region of Cameroon. This analytical cross-sectional study included 31 children and 170 adolescents for which anthropometric, biochemical, clinical and dietary parameters were assessed. Knowledge, feeding practices, hygiene and sanitation of parents/guardians were also assessed using a structured pretested questionnaire. The results showed that the prevalence of undernutrition, stunting, acute malnutrition and underweight among study population were 32.8%, 27.4%, 20.4% and 13.9%, respectively. Age between 2 to 9 years old (aOR = 3.988; p = 0.018), occurrence of typhoid fever (aOR = 7.250; p = 0.039), and avitaminosis A (aOR = 7.664; p = 0.004) were positively associated with undernutrition. Being a female (aOR = 0.378; p = 0.029) was negatively associated with undernutrition. Age (p = 0.012), high levels of LDL-cholesterol (p = 0.015) and low dairy products’ intake (p = 0.048) were associated with underweight. Avitaminosis A (p = 0.030) and hyperalbuminemia (p = 0.014) were positively associated with stunting. Positively-associated factors of acute malnutrition were age (p = 0.013), avitaminosis A (p = 0.005), and hypertriglyceridemia (p = 0.039). Out of the 8 food groups recorded, pulses and dairy products were infrequently consumed. About one-quarter of households had good knowledge of a balanced diet. Dyslipidemia was predominant (56.2%). Summarily, the prevalence of undernutrition and its forms were high among HIV-positive children and adolescents. Associated factors were being a male, being a child aged 2 to 9 years, occurrence of typhoid fever, avitaminosis A, hyperalbuminemia and dyslipidemia.
    VL  - 11
    IS  - 5
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Bamenda, Bambili, Cameroon

  • Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Bamenda, Bambili, Cameroon

  • Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Bamenda, Bambili, Cameroon

  • Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Bamenda, Bambili, Cameroon

  • Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Bamenda, Bambili, Cameroon

  • Department of Nutritional Sciences, College of Technology, University of Bamenda, Bambili, Cameroon

  • Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Bamenda, Bambili, Cameroon

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