Knowledge Regarding Nutrition among Mothers Having Children Between 1 to 5 years age in selected area of Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

 

Sharma Priya¹*, Maheswari Sudha², Kumari Mukesh³

¹Assistant Professor, Shri Vinoba Bhave College of Nursing, Silvassa

²Associate Professor, Shri Vinoba Bhave College of Nursing, Silvassa.

³Tutor, Shri Vinoba Bhave College of Nursing,Silvassa.

 

ABSTRACT:

Background: Mothers are important role models for eating and are gatekeepers of food in the home. An understanding of maternal dietary behaviours could assist in the promotion of healthy eating for both mother and child. Objectives: To assess the knowledge of mothers regarding nutrition, to determine the association between knowledge and selected demographic variables. Materials and Method: Community based descriptive study was conducted in Kudacha village, Dadra and Nagar Haveli district. Pre-tested structured Performa used to collect information from 25 mothers having 1 to 5 years child during study period by utilizing personal interview method. Statistical Analysis: Demographic variable frequency percentage distribution, knowledge scoring and statistical association was analysed by using chi-square test. Results.overall knowledge of mothers regarding was not adequate. Out of 25 only 40% have adequate knowledge regarding nutrition, 20% have average knowledge and rest 40% are having poor knowledge. Conclusion: Knowledge regarding nutrition among mothers having child 1 to 5years age was of moderate level.

 

 

 

INTRODUCTION:

Mothers' perfect nutrition knowledge plays an important role of their children health issue. Malnutrition is the burning problem among the infants and young children.¹ Infants in their early life are completely dependent for their nutritional requirements on their parents both in terms of quality and quantity.^2,3

 

Nutritional status of today reflects a healthy and productive generation in future. Especially for pre-school children, nutritional condition is a critical factor for optimum growth and it should neither be inadequate nor excessive. Improved nutrition and health enhance the learning ability of children.⁴ In the long-run it leads to an increase in the strength of the labour force and thereby it contributes positively for the economic growth.⁵ Thus, good nutrition is essential for healthy, thriving individuals, families and a nation.⁶ The cascading effects of childhood malnutrition include diminished immune functioning; which leads to greater susceptibility to infection, especially gastrointestinal and respiratory infections; which leads in turn to increased child mortality.⁷ Even mild to moderate malnutrition significantly undermines a child's health and chances of survival.⁸

 

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Descriptive study was conducted in Kudacha village of Dadra Nagar Haveli. Kudacha Village is a tribal area with population in Dadra and Nagar Haveli (Union Territory). Samples were selected by purposive sampling during year 2017 and all mothers who have child between 1 to 5 years of age were included as study population. After verbal consent from each study respondents after inclusion and exclusion criteria, data was collected from 25 study subjects who were participated in study. Questionnaire method was used to collect data from study respondents by utilizing structured questionnaire that includes demographic characteristics as well as knowledge variables related to general nutrition. The respondent with right or correct answer was marked as knowledge score ‘1’and with don’t know or wrong scored as ‘0’ for variables under study.

 

The maximum and minimum knowledge score was obtained and respondents were categorized into poor, moderate, good and excellent knowledge quality. Knowledge variable and demographic characteristics frequency percentage distribution of study subjects were done and Chi-square test applied to find out statistical association between knowledge and demographic characteristics.

 

RESULTS:

The table I shows, maximum 10 (50%) respondents were belonged to age group 30-36 years, 20(100%) Hindu by religion, 9 (45%) completed their primary and middle level of education. However, 9 (45%) respondents were having one child.

 

 

Table I: Distribution of respondents according to demographic profile. (N=25)

Sr. No.	Demographic Variables	FrequencyN = 25	Percentage  ( % )
1.	Age in years: a) 16 - 22 b)23 - 29 c)30 - 36 d)37 and above	01 15 06 03	04% 60% 24% 12%
2.	Religion: a) Hindu b) Muslim c) Sikh d) Christian	25 0 0 0	100% 0% 0% 0%
3.	Education: a) No Formal Education b) Primary to Middle Education c) Secondary to High. Secondary d) Graduation and Above	05 15 05 0	20% 60% 20% 0%
4.	Occupation a) House wife b) Government Job c) Private Job d) Other	20 04 01 0	80% 16% 04% 0%
5.	Dietary Habit a) Vegetarian b) Non-vegetarian	15 10	60% 40%

 

Table no II depicts, maximum 10(40%) respondents have poor knowledge about nutrition,9(36%) subjects have good knowledge and only 4% respondents have excellent knowledge regarding nutrition.

 

Table II: Knowledge category distribution of respondents

 

Table III showed that there is no association between demographic characteristics and knowledge on nutrition.

 

 

Table III: Association between demographic characteristics and knowledge.

Variables	>=m	<=m	Chi square value	Df	Result
Age in years: a)         16-22years b)        23-29 years c)         30-36 years d)        More than 37years	0 7 5 0	1 8 1 3	6.69	3	There is no association
Religion a)         Hindu b)        Muslim c)         Sikh d)        Christian	11 0 0 0	14 0 0 0	0	3	There is no association
Education: a)         No Formal Education b)        Primary to Middle Education c)         Secondary to High. Secondary d)        Graduation and Above	3 9 1 0	2 6 4 0	2.55	3	There is no association
Occupation  a) House-wife  b) Govt. Job  c) Private Job  d) Others	10 2 1 0	10 2 0 0	0.95	3	There is no association
Food Pattern  a) Vegetarian  b) Non-vegetarian	7 6	8 4	0.41	1	There is no association

 

DISCUSSION:

The key to have good knowledge about general nutrition is likely to be information, education, and communication (IEC) strategies. In our study it was seen that Out of 25 mothers, majority of them belongs to the age group of 23-29 years (60%). All are from Hindu religion (100%).60% of total mothers were having primary education and 20% are illiterate mothers. Mostly mothers were house-wife (80%) and total 60% samples were vegetarian. Our study reveals that maximum 10(40%) respondents had poor knowledge about nutrition, 9 (36%) had good knowledge whereas only 3% respondents have excellent knowledge regarding nutrition. Study carried out by students of P.B.B.Sc. Nursing Noida among rural Indian population showed similar knowledge i.e. 24%% with poor knowledge, and 62% witth average knowledge about nutrition. An another study carried out by Shrishali Tambakad and Vaishali Bagwad in Belgaum showed that knowledge was 20% good and 60% respondents had average knowledge about nutrition.

 

CONCLUSION:

The present study was conducted among mothers having child from 1 to 5 years age living in Kudacha village, Dadra and Nagar Haveli. In our study maximum 10(40%) respondents had moderate knowledge about nutrition whereas only 36% respondents have good knowledge regarding nutrition. It needs to be strengthening of information education and communication activities, need further strengthening of primary health care services through peripheral health functionaries with co-operation from community itself with other departments of community development. Informing all mothers about importance of nutrition especially for under five child during their anganwadi visit.

 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

The authors are grateful to the authorities of Shri Vinoba Bhave College of Nursing, Silvassa for the facilities.

 

CONFLICT OF INTEREST:

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

 

REFERENCES:

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Received on 07.11.2017          Modified on 28.11.2017

Accepted on 12.01.2018      ©A&V Publications All right reserved