Knowledge and preventive practices regarding malnutrition among mothers of under-fives in Kaduna North Local Government Area: A descriptive cross-sectional study

Background: Malnutrition (undernutrition) and its attendant complications remain the plight of many countries globally. However, sub-Saharan Africa is disproportionately affected with the burden of this largely preventable condition. Basic knowledge of nutrition and good feeding practices among caregivers are essential to reduce childhood malnutrition. The aim of this study was to determine the knowledge and preventive practices related to malnutrition among mothers of children aged <5 years in Kaduna North Local Government Area. Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study that was carried out to determine the knowledge and preventive practices related to malnutrition among mothers of children aged <5 years. A multistage sampling technique was used to select 262 mothers of children aged <5 years, from whom data were collected using interviewer-administered questionnaires. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25. Results: The mean age of the respondents was 27.5 ± 3.5 years. The majority of the respondents, 164 (62.6%), had secondary school education. Only 11.5% of the respondents had good knowledge on malnutrition. Almost one-third (30.9%) of the respondents had good preventive practices regarding malnutrition. There was a statistically significant relationship between respondents' knowledge of malnutrition and their educational status (P < 0.0001), occupation (P < 0.0001), and the number of children they have (P < 0.0001). There was a statistically significant relationship between respondents' preventive practice regarding malnutrition and their educational status (P < 0.0001) and occupation (P < 0.0001). Conclusion: In view of the findings of poor knowledge and practice among the respondents, improving female education will lead to better nutritional outcomes among their children.