Nutritional Status of Women of Reproductive Age (20-50 Years Old) in Wamakko Area of Sokoto State, Nigeria

Aims: This cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the nutritional status of women of reproductive age in nine villages of Wamakko Local Government, Sokoto State, Nigeria.

Study Design: Community based cross sectional survey design.

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Biochemistry, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria, between November 2015 and July 2016.

Methodology: Four hundred women were selected for the study and a structured questionnaire was used to collect information on demographic, socio-economic, reproductive health, ante-natal care, delivery practices, exclusive breast feeding and educational status. Height and weight of mothers were measured by standard methods. Body mass index (BMI) was used to assess mothers’ nutritional status.

Results: Results from the nine villages revealed that predominant women had no formal education (55.0 to 100.0%). There was very low level of ante-natal care attendance (18.0%) and ingestion of micronutrient supplementation during pregnancies (12.0%). Most deliveries (86.0%) from Gunfar Dangara and (92.0%) from Sabon Garin Dole were performed at home and mainly assisted by untrained traditional birth attendants. The dietary habit of the women indicated that carbohydrates base diet is the major food consumed by the women (55.6 – 76%) except Bakassi with only 7.5% of women who consumed carbohydrate base diet and with 60% of women who consumed protein rich food. Most women from the study areas were under weight <18.5 kg/m2 and very few women were obesed >30 kg/m2.

Conclusion: Poor health status during child bearing period, high deliveries at home along with high prevalence of under nutrition of mothers, are mainly due to low socio-economic condition, high illiteracy and lack of awareness among the villages.