Assessment of Nutrition Status for Sudanese Children (6-59 months) Internally Displaced Persons Camps in Kosti, White Nile State, Sudan

الملخص

Background: Malnutrition among displaced children remains a major public health issue, especially due to the heightened vulnerability of this age group.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the nutritional status of children aged 6–59 months in two displaced camps, Alalgaia and Dababt-Bosin, in East Kosti, White Nile State, Sudan.

Methods: This cross-sectional study and data were collected between December 2023 and January 2024. Data were collected from 110 children and their mothers, using questionnaires that focused on socio-demographic, health, and dietary aspects. The data were analyzed using SPSS Version 22.0.

Results: Most mothers (40%) were aged between 18 and 24 years, and 52.7% were illiterate. Approximately 66.1% of the mothers had between 1 and 5 children under the age of five. The majority of fathers (62.7%) were over 30 years old. Nutritional assessments using MUAC showed that 58.2% of children were normal, while 28.2% had moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) and 13.6% had severe acute malnutrition (SAM). Based on the prevalence of Z-scores, 42.7% of children were wasted, 37.3% underweight, and 28.2% stunted. Severe forms included 18.2% severely underweight, 14.5% severely wasted, and 10.9% severely stunted, while overweight and obesity were minimal (1.8%). Using BMI-for-age, 54.5% were within normal range, 37.3% had MAM, 6.4% had SAM, and 1.8% were overweight and obese. No significant relationships were found between age of children and MUAC status (p = 0.185) or age group and weight-for-age (p = 0.185). Dietary patterns showed poor meal frequency and limited consumption of fruits, milk, and protein-rich foods, with a reliance on staple items like Kisra, Miakilo, and Acida.

Conclusion: The high prevalence of malnutrition highlights the urgent need for targeted nutritional interventions and healthcare services to improve the well-being of displaced children in these camps.