Malnutrition in a Megacity: A Community-based Survey of Anthropometric Patterns among Children under Five in Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Malnutrition is widespread among children under five in densely populated areas like Lagos State, Nigeria's economic hub. OBJECTIVE: This study examines the prevalence and anthropometric patterns of malnutrition among children under the age of 5 yearsin Lagos, Nigeria. METHODS: The was a cross sectional study of 8157 children under the age of 5 years old, selected from households in all 20 local government areas of Lagos, Nigeria. The main outcomes were underweight, wasting, stunting, overweight and obesity. Data analysis was performed using SPSS and the World Health Organization Anthro Survey Analyser. RESULTS: The average age of the children was 19.6±16.81 months and male to female ratio was 1.1:1. Among the children, 23.2% (95% CI: 22.3%, 24.1%) were underweight, 15.9% (95% CI: 15.0%, 16.9%) showed varying degrees of wasting, 38.3% (95% CI: 37.2%, 39.5%) were stunted. The prevalence of wasting and stunting was higher among male children, with wasting at 16.8% in males versus 15.1% in females and severe stunting at 26.6% in males versus 22.3% in females. CONCLUSION: The burden of malnutrition in Lagos from this survey is generally high. It is essential to improve feeding practices, develop community based nutrition programmes and enforce state policies aligned with global targets.