EFFECT OF SOYBEAN (Glycine max) FORTIFIED PORRIDGES ON THE NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF CHILDREN 36-60 MONTHS OLD IN MATEKA EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT CENTRE, BUNGOMA COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

Protein energy deficiency is still common in developing countries, particularly among pre-school children and therefore there should be sustainable ways to alleviate this. Bungoma is one of the counties with high prevalence of Protein Energy under nutrition among young children. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of soybean fortified porridges on the nutritional status of children 36-60 months old in Mateka Early Childhood Development Centre, Bungoma County. A longitudinal survey and experimental designs were employed in this study. One hundred and twenty five (125) children selected from three Eearly Childhood Development classes in the school formed the sample size. Purposive and simple random sampling techniques were used to select the study area and the children respectively. The treatments were; 100% maize, 75:25 maize:soybean and 50:25:25 maize:sorghum: soybean porridges, randomly assigned to the baby, middle and top classes. The treatment groups were fed on maize-sorghum-soybean fortified porridges while the control was fed on a maize-only porridge. Structured questionnaires were administered to the caregivers of the children. Information on demographics, socio-economic status, and food consumption patterns were gathered. Anthropometric measurements (weight, height, mid upper arm circumference) were used to assess the nutritional status of the children at baseline and at monthly intervals for six months and the ninth month. Anthropometric measurements were analyzed using the ENA for SMART computer program, nutrient adequacy data was analyzed using Nutri-survey for Windows (2007) while the rest of the data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 21 (2007). A P value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results revealed that most of the children were deficient of Energy, Protein, Vitamin A, Iron and Zinc. Majority (55.2%) of the children had a low dietary diversity score. Findings revealed that the prevalence of under nutrition at baseline 30.1% stunting, 6.7% wasting and 10.8% underweight. Introduction of soybean as a fortificant in an experimental study revealed reduced levels of wasting to 3.8% and underweight (5.4%). It can be concluded that most of the households were of poor socio-demographic characteristics, there was nutrient inadequacy among the children, and that soybean fortified porridges improved the nutritional status of the children. It is recommended that most o awareness of the nutritional benefits of soybean should be raised to increase consumption at household level and in the school feeding programs to alleviate Protein Energy under nutrition.