@article { , title = {Risk factors for malnutrition among children 5-years and younger in the Akuapim-North District in the eastern region of Ghana}, abstract = {Malnutrition remains a significant public health problem in developing countries. The aim of this study was to identify risk factors for malnutrition among preschool children in the Akwapim-North District in the Eastern Region of Ghana. This was a cross-sectional study. Mothers who brought their children to the "Well Baby Check-up" clinics were invited to participate. Anthropometric measurements (weight and height/length) and blood hemoglobin were measured. Mothers also completed a questionnaire consisting of closed and open-ended questions. A total of 305 pre-school-age children were included in this study. Of this sample, 43.3\% were males, and 56.7\% were females. The prevalence of wasting, stunting, and underweight was 6.2, 11.4 and 7.3\%, respectively. The majority of the children (80.7\%) were anemic. Children who were exclusively breastfed for 6 months showed slightly lower prevalence of both anemia (75.5\% vs. 89.0\%) and stunting (8\% vs. 13\%) but not wasting (8.3\% vs. 4.3\% ) or underweight (8.3\% vs. 5.2\%) compared to their mixed feeding counterparts. Children under 12 months of age showed a higher prevalence of wasting (9.4\%) compared to other age groups. Children from homes with electricity showed lower prevalence of stunting (9.7\% vs. 17.6\%, p = 0.050), and children from households with a radio showed lower prevalence of wasting (5.3\% vs. 19.0\%, p = 0.033). Nutrition education encouraging exclusive breastfeeding and adequate provision of animal protein to preschool children is important in semi-rural and farming communities in developing countries such as Ghana in order to combat the prevalence of childhood malnutrition (stunting, wasting, underweight and anemia).}, eissn = {2041-0778}, issn = {2041-076x}, issue = {3}, journal = {Current Research Journal of Biological Sciences}, note = {Authors publishing with Current Research Journal of Biological Sciences retain the copyright of their work under the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC-BY). See: https://maxwellsci.com/jp/aims.php?jid=CRJBS}, pages = {183-188}, publicationstatus = {Published}, publisher = {Maxwell Scientific Publishing Corp.}, url = {http://www.AiritiLibrary.com/Publication/Index/20410778-201005-201512220011-201512220011-183-188}, volume = {2}, keyword = {Health and Health Inequalities, Ghana, Malnutrition, Preschool children, Stunting, Wasting}, year = {2010}, author = {Alex Kojo Anderson, and Whitney Bignell, and Sophie Winful, and Ireneous Soyiri, and Matilda Steiner-Asiedu,} }