NUTRITION KNOWLEDGE, SOCIOCULTURAL PRACTICES AND NUTRITION STATUS AMONG PREGNANT AND LACTATING ADOLESCENTS IN TURKANA SOUTH SUB-COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

Worldwide, teen pregnancies are on the rise, with the majority of instances (99%) being recorded in poorer nations. The World Health Organization report in 2018 showed a global increase in teenage pregnancy at a rate of 46 births per 100 girls. In Kenya teenage pregnancy rate is at 18% and lactation at 12%. The cultural practices coupled with the high food insecurity status in the region tend to exacerbate the situation in Turkana risking major health conditions including malnutrition. This study investigated the nutrition knowledge, sociocultural practices and nutritional status of pregnant and lactating adolescents in Turkana South Sub-County. The study adopted a cross-sectional analytical design to collect primary data. The target population was adolescent girls aged 15-19 years (9,361) from which 384 respondents were selected. A multistage sampling technique was adopted to identify the respondents. Data was collected using researcher-administered questionnaires, focus group discussions and direct observations. Data collected was analysed using GENSTAT version 18.0. and Nutri-Survey version 20. Correlation between mothers’ knowledge and their nutritional status was tested using Pearson’s correlation. The results indicated that most respondents were unemployed (62.3%), and their households were in the poorest quintile (71.5%), negatively affecting their dietary diversity. Most (44.4%) of the respondents had no formal education and 67.3% had low nutrition knowledge, which directly affected their dietary diversity (p<0.05). Most respondents did not meet their daily caloric energy intake (725.06 and 805.29 kcal for pregnant and lactating women, respectively) and other vital minerals including calcium and iron, vital during pregnancy and lactation. While education level was positively associated (p<0.05) with nutrition knowledge, dietary diversity was significantly linked to it, likely due to cultural food restrictions and economic limitations. The low dietary diversity, coupled with cultural practices that limited the intake of nutritious foods, contributed to insufficient energy and nutrient intake among both pregnant and lactating mothers, leading to a high prevalence of underweight and suboptimal nutritional status among lactating (39.6%) and pregnant (75.8%) mothers respectively. The findings indicate that improving education, especially nutrition education among adolescent mothers could aid in promoting good eating practices and, hence, maintain proper health for the mother and baby. These findings underscore the urgent need for targeted interventions, including comprehensive nutrition education programs and improved access to nutritious foods, to address the complex challenges facing adolescent mothers in Turkana County and ensure the health and well-being of both mothers and their children.