Determination of the nutritional status of preschool children (=5 years) among resident estate workers of brooke bond tea estates at Limuru and small scale farmers in the adjoining area

Abstract

The aim of the study was to determine the nutritional status of children of resident estate workers and small scale farmers, their morbidity experience and the factors that show assocIation with the nutritional status. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire, and weight and height measurements were taken for the children. The survey was conducted in a random sample of 200 households of smal I scale farmers with 305 children and 200 households of estate workers with 253 children. Eighteen percent of the children of smal scale tarmers had a weight-tar-age deticit «80% of National Center for Health Statistics lNCHS) standards), while 35.2% of the children of the estate workers had a weight-far-age deficit. The was statistically significant (p<O.05). Of the children surveyed, 21.3% tram the small ditference scale farms had a height-far-age deticit «90 % of NCHS standards), while 41.1% at the children at estate workers had a height-far-age deficit. 1'he difference was statistically signiticant (p<0.05). Though 14.0% of the children of the smal I scale farmers had a weight-tar-height deficit (90% NCHS standards), while 15.8% of the children of estate

workers had a weight-for-height deticit. the ditterenee was not statistically sIgnIficant. There was a higher prevalence of diarrhea, cough, fever and vomiting among the chIldren of the ot the estate workers as compared households to those tram the households of small scale tarmers. The households of the small scale farmers are general ly better off socia-economically, although they have bigger families, more dependents