PERCEIVED SOCIO – CULTURAL FACTORS INFLUENCING

NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF CHILDREN BELOW 5 YEARS IN

SELECTED RURAL COMMUNITIES

BY

KAMALA MUSA
kamaladenmusa@gmail.com

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH

200 LEVEL

A TERM PAPER WRITE-UP

AND RESENTATION

SUBMITTED
TO

JOIN PROFESSIONALS TRAINING AND SUPPORT

INTERNATIONAL
KANKIA STUDY CENTRE, KATSINA STATE

JULY, 2021
 ABSTRACT

This research project based on the incidence of malnutrition among children

a case study of selected areas in Katsina state. It was written in order to find

out the level of awareness of parents towards nutrition and nutritional

behavior and the disease arising due to inadequacy of nutritional values

more particularly in children. The study reveals the level of awareness and

the need for government participation in curtailing the menace of

malnutrition among children. Government, private sector and other

philanthropist should join hand in order to bridge the gap between the

unpoteinous eating habit and the enriching supplements most particularly in

children.

1
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The most important issue in designing is to serve as an identifier of a

particular problem, therefore, this term paper write after successfully

compiling; it would assist government, public health official, NGOs, and the

entire general public on the causes of malnutrition.

2
CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

Child nutrition refers to the dietary needs of healthy children age 2 years

through 11 years of age. A. sound eating routine helps youngsters develops

and learns. It likewise aides forestall obesity and weight related infection.

This can be done if the parents follow some regular healthy routine for their

children. This includes healthy sources of protein, united junk food,

consumption of milk and water instead of high energy drinks etc.

Child nutrition refers to the dietary needs of healthy child ages 2 years

through 11 years of ages. Since children younger than 2 years of age have

unique nutritional requirement and primarily on healthy child age 11 years.

A child diet should provide sufficient while preventing excess weight gain.

The diet should be moderate enough so not to deliver to much of a dietary

constituent.

Malnutrition continues to be a significant public health and development

concern around the world with about one-third of the world’s children

malnourished and an estimate 150 to 200 million pre-school children (< 5

years) in developed countries being under weight and stunted, respectively

(WHO,2006).

3
Malnutrition is nutritional disorder resulting from not having enough food,

or enough of the right food, or their excess for a long time. Malnutrition is

caused by either a long term deficiency (under-nutrition or an excess (over

nutrition) of nutrient intake. When body is not given enough of any one of

the essential nutrient over a period of time, it becomes weak and less able to

fight infection. The brain may become sluggish and react slowly. The body

taps its stored fat for energy and muscles is broken down to use energy.

Eventually the body withers away, the heart ceases to pump properly, and

death may occur, the most extreme result of a dietary condition known as

deficiency-related malnutrition or under nutrition. Under malnutrition is the

primary cause of specific n nutrientdeficienciesthat can result in blindness

(from vitamin A deficiency), goiter (form iodine deficiency) scurvy (from

vitamin C deficiency) rickets(from vitamin D deficiency) kwashiorkor and

marasmus(protein calorie deficiency) and a host other problem. Malnutrition

impairs normal development and function. It often reflects condition of

poverty, war, famine and disease; it can also result from eating disorder such

as anorexia nervous bulimia nervosa and binge eating, conversely, when

more nutrient are consumed than the body needs, a condition known as over

nutrient result. The common types of over nutrition is obesity (accumulation

4
of excess fat in the body caused by excess intake of energy-yielding

nutrient) [VICTOR C.I 2017]

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Malnutrition has for a long time been recognized as a consequence of

poverty because most of the world’s malnourished children live in the

developed nation of Africa, Latin America, Asia, where those mostly

affected are from law income families (Unicef, 2004) especially those living

in the rural area and urban slums. When income decreases, the quality and

quantity of food also decrease.

Evidence shown that when unemployment and hair wage are presenting

factors, families eat. Cheaper food, which is less nutritious leading to weight

loss and malnutrition (unicef, 2009).

The spate of acute malnutrition amongst children in Katsina State has

remained a sources of worry to critical stake holder in the health sectors as

the diseases is currently bedeviling many children in the state (Francis

Sadcuns, 2019)

Severe Acute malnutrition popularly known as SAM according to the united

nation children fund (Unicef) is mostly prevalent in the northern state of

Nigeria and is associated with poor hygiene, food insecurity, poverty,

illiteracy and poor diet among children of five years.

5
According to a health research conducted by the national nutrition and health

survey (NNHS) in 2018 children with acute malnutrition at the national level

is seven percent while that of Katsina is 9.2 percent and the number of those

with stunting problem at the national level stood at 32 percent while the state

have a prevalence rate of 58 percent, thereby calling for global attention

(NNHS, 2018).

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The purpose of this research is to assist socio-cultural factors influencing the

nutritional status of children below 5 years in selected some Local

Government Areas in Katsina State.

SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The research will be limited to mothers of young children under the age of 5

years living at selected in some local government area in Katsina state. The

research will cover the influence of families structure on the nutritional

status of children.

OPERATIONAL DETINATION OF TERM

- SOCIAL FACTORS: such as income, education, employment community

safety, and social support can significantly affect how well and how long we

live. These factors affect our ability to make healthy choices, afford medical

care and housing, manage stress, and more.

6
- CULTURAL FACTORS: This research include, encompasses the set of

beliefs, moral value tradition, language and law (or rules of behavior).

- NUTRITIONAL STATUS: Is a requirement of health of a person

convinced by the diet, the level of nutrient containing in the body and

normal metabolic integrity. Normal nutritional status is managed by balance

food consumption and normal utilization of nutrient.

Malnutrition is caused by 1m because food intake and faulty utilization, of

nutrient. Journal article is sometime called scientific article.

OBJECTIVES

1- This research is determine the influence of family structure on the

nutritional status of child with less five 5 years.

2- This research is determining the influence of the socio-economic status on

the nutritional status of the family on nutritional status of children.

3- Identify the religious and cultural practices that influence of nutritional

status of children.

CHAPTER TWO

2.0 This chapter is mainly concerned with the writings and sayings of others,

i.e., experts and extracted in some specific textbooks, journals in line with

the topic under discussion.

7
Therefore nutrition as defined by Mark C.P et al (1974) as the process

concerned with the growth, maintenance and repair of the living body as a

whole and its constituents parts.

The definition clearly indicated the fact that health and nutrition is

something much wider than mere intake of sufficient food. It requires not

only a sufficient and properly balance diet, but also a healthy, receptive and

responding body. People living within some selected areas in Katsina State

should understand that nutrition and children health are in separable, good

nutrition provide requirement necessary for growth, repaired and production,

a well nourished child is more resistance to disease than one who is

malnourished.

One of the major causes of malnutrition within some selected areas in

Katsina State is poverty. David M and Woodland M. (1998) emphasized the

facts that poverty especially among the families, lack of education on what

children to eat, this increased use of sugar or refined starches, the lack

essential protein and vitamin, poor methods of cooking could be the major

contributing factor toward the incidence of malnutrition.

From the above statement, this clearly indicated the facts that the people

living within selected areas in Katsina State should appreciate the potential

health problems associated with poverty, because with the constrains of

8
poverty children could not get adequate proteins. Many can survive, but their

physical and mental development is affect, the need of people to raise the

standard of their living in order to promote adequate nutrition.

Inadequate information on health service systems can promote the incidence

of malnutrition among children in some selected areas in Katsina State.

Whitehead R. et al (1988) shed more light that “in most developing

countries; it is difficult to measure the health status of the community;

medical records and health information systems are usually inadequate,

being full errors and omissions. It should also be stated that malnutrition are

the major causes of high morbidity and mortality, which is either

preventable by simple measure of good nutrition”.

This challenge rest upon the people living within the selected areas and

professional personal to understand that one way of measuring the status of

community as a whole could be by the number of cases of malnutrition, the

need to educate people on the importance of good nutrition has significant

impact to children than the number of pediatrics beds in a community like

selected areas in Katsina State, this is what is happing in our communities

when government build hospitals, clinics does it make any sense to treat

people suffering from a particular environment and send them back to the

same environment that will make them sick again.

9
In research carried out at the food science and applied nutritional unit of

Ibadan University, (1994) it has shown that “infants that are adequately

nourished by breast milk during the first 3 – 4 months of their lives, the rates

of their growth and development are comparable with and in most cases

better than those infants in Britian and America, but with constant threat of

poverty and ignorance nutritional disease set in with the introduction of

traditional supplementary food by the age of 5 – 6 months. These food are

made from maize, millet, sorghum and other cereals only rich in

carbohydrate, while in areas where breast feeding is stopped early maramous

is seen in these children before the end of their first year of life”.

From the above statement, this is a clear challenge that rest upon the teeming

population of selected areas in Katsina State to understand the poverty of has

a significant effects toward promoting malnutrition within their communities

and in some vein, poor breast feeding among children especially during

infancy period contributed greatly toward the incidence of malnutrition,

therefore, proper breast feeding is the best protection a child has against

nutrition diseases in future, while introduction of supplementary food is

increasing the nutritional disease to invade children, not only the constrains

of poverty or poor breast feeding among children is responsible for

incidence of malnutrition among the children.

10
According to professor M.A (1987) shed more light that “the present

population of Nigeria about 100 million people with a birth rate between 35

– 40 per thousand. Between 2,500,000 and 2,800,00 children delivered every

year of these 70,300 and 80,400 will die malnutrition before they reach the

age of 4 – 6 years. The number of malnourished children born every year

will suffer from other nutritional diseases like exophthalmia, rickets etc, a

condition that need not happing in this country. It is realized that the present

state of nutrition in Nigeria, the gravity of the incidence among children

attributed to viz:-

- A low intake of kilojoules in most areas

- A low intake of protein in all areas

- A low intake of specific vitamins in scattered localities, vitamin ‘A’ in

some areas members of vitamin ‘B’ groups in others.

- A low intake of some minerals such as iodine resulting in endemic

goiter, iron deficiency causing anaemia in others”.

From the above statement which has clearly shown that lack of proper

nutrition is other important factor causing malnutrition among children in

selected areas in Katsina State. In other word, lack of protein rich food both

animal and vegetables such as meat, fish, eggs, tomatoes, beans and peanuts.

11
While on the other hands, farmers within selected areas in Katsina State, it is

believed and rightly too that good nutrition is the best preventive medicine

for children and to keep children healthy it is important that they should be

eat good balance mixed diet with an adequate amount of all different types

of food.

Ayalewa A. (2006) in daily trust newspaper further expressed that “Nigeria

has listed among the ten countries with large number of underweight

children totaling six million, the highest of such in Africa, out of the total

146 children under focuses who are weight in developing world, 106 million

amounted to 73% who live in just 10 countries which Nigeria belongs the

average annual rate of reduction of underweight prevalence of 2.2%

insufficient to meet the target of the first millennium development goals by

2015, with 6 million children under five years being underweight, Nigeria

dominates the reginal statistic of malnutrition and underweight”.

The statement above present itself as a challenge to tropical countries and

people living within some selected areas in Katsina State to appreciate the

potentials health hazard associated with malnutrition or at least to health

educate the people especially those in rural areas on how to embark on

producing nutritional food for the benefit of their children against

malnutrition. In other word, malnutrition in children poses the most

12
important and widespread nutritional problem in the world today, this is

more so in developing communities like selected areas in Katsina State with

lower standard of living, poor nutrition educator and outdated nutritional

habit.

Still in the formal launch of report entitled progress for children. A report

card on nutrition in Abuja, the country representative of the UNICEF on

May 2005, II “in Nigeria, protein energy and micronutrient (Vitamin ‘A’ and

Iodine) malnutrition is still unacceptable high which results in over 100,000

infants death due to the PEM. Other death cause include over 80,000 due to

in adequacy of vitamin ‘A’ over 6,000 maternal deaths due to iron

deficiency anaemia with the total loss of over 70 billion incurred as a result

of iodine deficiency, child stunting and iron anaemia in woman”.

From the above statement this is clearly challenge that rest upon professional

health personal in selected areas in Katsina State to understand and find a

possible way of educating the teeming population of the area at the

grassroots level on early childhood care and the importance nutritional

practices. In the same vein, basic importance in good nutrition to children

will definitely improve their status as discourage intake drugs, it will

promote health and vitality and decrease the amount of money spent on

medication, because good nutrition has a lot of health benefits in the sense

13
that it provides direct and indirect remedies against malnutrition. Good

nutrition maintains or improves the quality of sleep, improves recovery

times from disease or injuries as well as increase energy, mood and

wellbeing of children.

There are various problems associated with malnutrition among children in

selected areas in Katsina State, for instance, malnutrition, marasmus, etc all

those contributed greatly toward child morbidity and mortality.

Devies B. et al (1996) emphasized “malnutrition affect the cellular immunity

necessary in body’s defense against measles, TB, in diarrhea, malnutrition

cause the Mucosa of the intestine to be replaced more slowly resulting in

malabsorption and more diarrhea. All those disease are no longer serious

disease, in advanced industrial countries, this is principally because matter

nutritional status of their children, while developing countries especially in

Asia, Africa malnutrition is common, mortality and morbidity rates of

incidence of these diseases is 400 times higher than wealthy countries.

The above statement clearly indicated the fact that malnutrition tend to

increase the severity of an infection, this an infection may become worse,

this is a simple way of saying malnutrition affect children health, therefore,

people living in selected areas in Katsina State should understand that the

14
incidence of these diseases is due to lack of proper nutrition and can affect in

various ways.

Whitehead R. et al (1988) further expresses this “nutritional marasmus is a

similar disease to kwashiorkor, but is some common in children between the

age 1 – 5 years, this is due to starvation and under feeding or severe cases of

neglect. Marasmus child shows greater appetite, less substance fat, but alert

with no Odema or skin trouble and this nutritional disease affect more than

30 percent of the world’s under five years old children about 192 million,

but the prevalence is more common in African countries, where there is 15%

increased due to population growth”.

From the above statement, this is a clear indication that nutritional marasmus

is due to lack of proper nutrition and the most important factor causing

nutritional marasmus in selected areas in Katsina State, while on the other

hand, nutrition is such an important part of child rearing, especially in the

tropics, parent in selected areas in Katsina State should make it a point to

know the problem of malnutrition and in case of doubt, parents should seek

medical advice.

Not only nutritional marasmus is common disease associated with

malnutrition in selected areas in Katsina State, Kwashiorkor is of great

importance toward the incidence of malnutrition in Katsina State. Ebrahim

15
G.J (2007) Alleyo H. et al (2008) they all agreed that Kwashiorkor is a

disease occurs mainly in children 1 – 4 years of age. It occurs in children

whose diet deficient in protein, in Africa and especially in Nigeria. It is

disease of the poor and early wearing of children, when a child is taken from

breast to a starchy foot such as gruels, millets, maize and cassava product.

Therefore, this is clear challenge that rest upon the teeming population of

selected areas in Katsina State to understand that kwashiorkor is a factor

which hinged on children progress in all aspect of human health, early

weaning of children and introduction and supplementary food to children

should be avoided. Proper breast feeding among children is the most

important step toward curtailing and preventing malnutrition, because it is in

our knowledge to look to the new specific discoveries such as the latest

vaccine and medicines to reduce child deaths and the very best way to

ensure children grow up healthy is through traditional practice and cost

nothing breast feeding.

Still lack of efficiency vitamin ‘A’ among children contribute greatly toward

the incidence of malnutrition among the children in selected areas in Katsina

State.

According to WHO/WB/UNICEF and JICA Technical Report Series Vol. I

No 336 of Nov. 2001 they emphasized that “apart from data on protein

16
malnutrition vitamin “A” more than quarter of a million children are

estimated to go blind every year due to a deficiency of vitamin “A” and

some 14 million currently exhibit sign of clinical exophthalmia, ranging

from dryness to severe ulceration. And at least 50 million more children

have deficient vitamin” A” body stores, which comprises their health and

reduce their chance of survival, the report stresses that recent improving of

vitamin ‘A’ status of both deficient and health children in population six

months to six years of age contribute significantly to decreasing the risk of

morbidity and mortality in malnutrition.

From the above statement, it is clear evidence that vitamin ‘A’ in

malnutrition problem which affect children directly or indirectly therefore

people living within selected areas in Katsina State should understand that

children need all major classes of food for necessary growth, tissue

replacement and protection against certain diseases especially those rich in

vitamin ‘A’ this include green leafy vegetables, palm oil, fish, carrot all

which are common in selected areas in Katsina State and subsidize cost. We

have to seriously understand that if children in selected in Katsina State diet

contain insufficient quantities of vitamin ‘A’ they may become permanent

blind, xeross may develop, follow by xerophallmia, resulting softening of

cornea, perforation and infection of eye ball. Many children suffers with

17
difficulty of survival and its fact that in poor communities and in terms of

hardship for everyone a handicapped child usually suffer most, while all

those could be prevented easily with adequate green vegetables.

This report further expressed this view that “iodine deficiency disorder is a

greatest worldwide, because of brain damage in children at times to infants

is currently a significantly problem of 188 countries including Nigeria. Thus

35 million children live in iodine deficient environment and are therefore at

risk of IDD while 5.5 million children actually have goiter”.

From the above statement, it is clear evidence that poor nutritional status has

range diseases, therefore in order to control malnutrition within selected

areas in Katsina State, there should be specific and clear government policy

or promoting nutritional food among its teeming population and of the same

time people living in selected areas in Katsina State must increase food

production, particularly animal utilization of protein from animals plants.

The task of providing an adequate food supplies requires increasing

community participation this is one of the major ways of improving

nutrition. Because as food supplies are decreasing the population is

increasing every now and then, moreover, farmers should increase the

production of protenious food in selected areas in Katsina State in order to

meet the food demand of the teeming population of the local government.

18
The nutrition status of children in selected areas in Katsina State is poor,

although no current specific surveys have been done to quantify the extent of

malnutrition, problem, information available points to the existence of

protein energy malnutrition, deficiencies of iron, iodine, and vitamin “A” as

being the leading disorder in the rural communities, in addition, nutritional

deficiencies have been found to contribute to high rates of morbidity and

mortality in selected areas in Katsina State, especially amongst infants and

young children.

To a large extent, the feeding practices contribute to the prevalence of

malnutrition, the food consumption and nutrition survey 2003 indicates that

42% of children are stunted, 9% are wasted or thin and 25% are

underweight, in addition, the survey revealed micronutrient deficiency in

pregnant women to be 48% for iron, 34% for iodine 19% for vitamin A and

42% for zinc.

Furthermore, short stature secondary to malnutrition increase both

susceptibility in children malnutrition of whatever form, increases likelihood

of mortality from a number of complications and disease entities, likewise,

micronutrient deficiencies also have implications of maternal health, vitamin

‘A’ deficiencies increases prunes to right blindness.

RECOMMENDATIONS

19
In order to effectively control and deal with malnutrition among children,

the following recommendations were made to the government and public at

large.

Government

- There should be specific and clear government policy on national

nutrition programmes at all level.

- Government should subsidize the cost of food production to cheap

baby food from locally available products.

- Government should increase food production, particularly animal

protein by improving farming of all kinds utilizing protein from

animal and plants protein and marketing and distribution.

- Government should reduce the losses from spoilage, bad harvesting,

poor storage and parasitic or pest infestation of food crops by modern

storage preservation.

- Universal education in primary school, secondary and postsecondary,

medical and para-medical institution as a most and serious attention

should be accorded to it.

- Adults mass education classes especially to mothers on cooking, meal

planning and proper use of locally available food materials should be

done most often.

20
- Mass media propaganda and education of public on the ill-effects of

malnutrition and how to overcome it by proper diet should be done

most often, so as to get people involved in fighting malnutrition.

- Government should encourage NGOs in fighting malnutrition by

making fund available to them.

- Government should fine a means of eradicating poverty among its

teeming population by creating a job opportunity to them, this will

enhance them buying proper nutritional food their children .

- Government should encourage the teeming population to produce

food crops instead of cash crop.

- The people should give their maximum support and cooperation for

all programmes meant for their benefit.

- They should participate actively in promoting nutrition by producing

food crops instead of cash crops.

- Each households should have its own personal garden in which to

plant vegetable for own benefit.

- Proper personal and community hygiene should be observed

seriously, so as to control diseases that contribute to malnutrition e.g.

diarrhea, helminthes.

21
 - Public especially mothers should reject the introduction of

supplementary food or infant formula through advertisement and early

weaning of children.

- Customs and traditional in terms of children diet should be exempted

in children.

- Regular visit of under-five clinics for child assessment is of great

importance to children health.

- The public should appreciate the concern of government in terms of

children health by accepting immunization especially routine

immunization.

- People should at least fine away of fighting poverty, so as to break the

chain of ignorance and diseases.

5.2 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

The entire term paper research was aimed at in depth analysis of incidence

of malnutrition among children, in some selected communities in Katsina the

purpose of study is to fine out the major causes of malnutrition among

children, various problems associated with malnutrition, its prevalence and

effect with the possible control and preventive measures.

As we know some selected communities is laid in sub-saharan region and

it’s attached by two heavy season as dry and wet season, therefore the

22
production of nutritional food in that area is obvious, and control of

malnutrition depend on the adequate provision of nutritional food to

children.

Malnutrition poses the most important and wide spread nutritional problem

in developing world today, this is more so in developing countries with poor

nutrition education and varies outdated nutritional habits and the main

disease resulting from the deficiency are kwashiorkor and nutritional

marasmus.

Based on hypothesis, formulated that ignorance and poverty of people have

a significant role toward the incidence of malnutrition and that lack of

information system to measure the nutritional status of children can promote

malnutrition.

From information collected and analyzed, using various methods some

recommendations were made to the government and public at large of the

area of study, there should be specific and clear government policy on

national nutrition, government should subsides production of cheap balanced

baby food from locally available product. Public should give their maximum

support and corporation for all programmes meant for their benefit.

The reader will easily appreciate the facts that malnutrition has to do with

poverty and ignorance of people. The need to educate people on the

23
importance of good nutrition has a significant impact to children than

number of pediatric beds in a community.

Conclusively, unless and until the problems of malnutrition was given a

serious attention it deserved both by the government and public at large the

problem associated with malnutrition will continue to exist and spread even

beyond the area of study.

24
REFERENCES

 (Unicef 2004)

 National nutritional and health survey, (NNHS) 2018.

 (Francis Sadcuns, 2019)

 World health organization (WHO, 2016)

 David M and Woodland M. (1998)

 Mark C.P et all (1988)

 Food science and applied nutritional unit of Ibadan University (1994).

 Akimokun, O.O. (1989). The impact of nutrition on intelligence

performance of school age children in Ibadan, Ph.D. Thesis

Department of human nutrition university of Ibadan, Ibadan.

 Alade, IbukunOlu (2001), public health nutrition (2nded.) Ilori, S.O.A

Fosco venture press Begley, S. (1996), your child’s brain Newsweek,

new york, 19 February

 Durojaiye, M.O.A. (1976), a new introduction to education

psychology, Ibadan, Evans Brothers Limited

 Fleck, H. (1976), in introduction to nutrition, 3 rde.d, new york,

Macmillan publishing co. Inc

 G.O, Ayenigbara. Malnutritionamong children in Sahel region:

Causes, consequences and preventions. International journal of

25
 nutrition and food sciences. Vol.2, No. 3, 2013, pp. 117-121:

doi:10.111648\j.ijnfs.20130203.14

 Gera, T. (2010) Efficacy and safety of Therapeutic Nutrition

Production for Home Based Therapeutic Nutrition for severe Acute

Malnutrition: A systematic Review, Indian Pediatrics, August; 47 (8):

709-18

 Harragin S. (2006) The cost of being poor: Markets, mistrust and

malnutritionin southern Niger 2005-2006. Save the children UK. Final

Version-6th June.

 Horton S. and Ross J. (2003),the Economics of Iron Deficiency. Food

Policy 28:517-5

 Lucas, A.O and Gilles, H.M. (2003),a short Textbook of Preventive

Medicine for the Tropics. London, Holders and Nutrition’s, A

Comprehensive Treatise, Academic Press, New York

 Pellet, P.I. (1983), commentary: changing concept on world

Malnutrition, Ecal. Ed. Nutr. 13

 Robinson, W.D (1966), in proceedings, Western hemisphere Nutrition

congress, 1965, American Medical Association, Chicago, P.206

 Save the children (2012)A Life Free from Hunger.

26
 Scrimshaw, N.S, (1964), Ecological Factors in Nutrition Diseases Am

J.ClinNitri. 14:112-122. Stoughton.

 UNICEF and the micronutrient Initiative, (2004). Vitamin Minerals

Deficiency: A Global Progress Report

 UNICEF, (2001), Children’s and Women’s rights in Nigeria: A Wake

up call. National Planning Commission, Abuja, Nigeria.

 UNICEF: (2009). State of the world’s Children.

 UNICEF: Overview of Nutritional Status of Nigerians.

 World Bank. (2009). World Development Indicators (Database).

27