Prevalence of Wasting, Stunting, and Underweight Among HIV Infected Underfives', in Lagos Using W.H.O z Score.

Abstract

Background: HIV affects more than 2.3 million children worldwide and 90% live in Africa. Malnutrition is also a major problem in Africa with 25% of children under the age of five being malnourished.

Objective: The study is to determine the nutritional status of HIV infected children using weight-for-age, height-for-age and weight-for-height.

Methods: This was a cross sectional descriptive study where the severity of malnutrition based on weight for age, height for age and weight for weight for height of HIV infected children were compared with controls.

Results: The study showed that both HIV infected children and controls were both wasted stunted and underweight, however the severity was more marked in the HIV infected children. The prevalence of wasting was 17.5% in the HIV group compared to 6.6% of the controls, while 17.1% and 7.5% in the HIV infected and controls respectively were stunted. The HIV infected children were more underweight 18.5% compared to the non-infected 8%.

Conclusion: HIV infected children were three times more wasted, stunted and under-weight than the controls and was statistically significant.