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Background <p>Iron Deficiency Anaemia (IDA) remains a major public health concern, particularly in Ghana where nutritional challenges are prevalent. This study aimed to assess the nutritional status, including dietary diversity and haemoglobin levels among under-five children attending the Ntakorfam Lowcost Community Healthcare Facility in the Central Region of Ghana.</p> Methods <p>A cross-sectional design was employed, with data collected from 119 children and their caregivers using structured interviews and anthropometric measurements. Haemoglobin was measured using the HemoCue Hb 201 + analyzer with Hemocue microcuvettes. Descriptive analysis, independent t-test and correlational analysis were done to determine the relationship between dietary diversity and haemoglobin levels.</p> Results <p>The study found that 43.7% of the children had haemoglobin levels below 11.0&#xa0;g/dL, indicating a moderate to high prevalence of anaemia. The majority (83.2%) had a dietary diversity score greater than 4. Maternal age was significantly associated with weight-for-age and height-for-age nutritional status, with older caregivers tending to have more overweight and stunted children, while younger caregivers had more normal growth patterns. Cereal-based foods (99.2%) were the most commonly consumed, whereas vitamin A-rich fruits and vegetables (49.2%) were less frequently included. An independent samples t-test showed a significant difference in mean haemoglobin levels (<i>p</i> = 0.035) between children with higher and lower dietary diversity scores. The regression coefficient for dietary diversity score was 0.823 (<i>p</i> = 0.035), suggesting that each unit increase in dietary diversity is associated with a 0.823&#xa0;g/dL increase in haemoglobin level. These findings should be interpreted within the context of the dietary diversity indicators applied, which reflect pre-2021 WHO IYCF guidelines.</p> Conclusions <p>The findings indicate that while dietary diversity is relatively high among the children, it plays a role in improving haemoglobin levels, albeit to a modest extent. There is a need for targeted interventions to enhance the consumption of vitamin A-rich foods to further support the nutritional status and health of children in the community. Also, haemoglobin testing and screening programmes should be regularly done at the hospitals and health centres for children under-five.</p>

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Nutritional status, dietary diversity and hemoglobin levels among children under five in Ntakorfam Lowcost Community, Ghana

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年6月19日

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  • Patience Darko,
  • Kingsley Kwadwo Asare Pereko,
  • Esther Kumea Ashun

摘要

Background

Iron Deficiency Anaemia (IDA) remains a major public health concern, particularly in Ghana where nutritional challenges are prevalent. This study aimed to assess the nutritional status, including dietary diversity and haemoglobin levels among under-five children attending the Ntakorfam Lowcost Community Healthcare Facility in the Central Region of Ghana.

Methods

A cross-sectional design was employed, with data collected from 119 children and their caregivers using structured interviews and anthropometric measurements. Haemoglobin was measured using the HemoCue Hb 201 + analyzer with Hemocue microcuvettes. Descriptive analysis, independent t-test and correlational analysis were done to determine the relationship between dietary diversity and haemoglobin levels.

Results

The study found that 43.7% of the children had haemoglobin levels below 11.0 g/dL, indicating a moderate to high prevalence of anaemia. The majority (83.2%) had a dietary diversity score greater than 4. Maternal age was significantly associated with weight-for-age and height-for-age nutritional status, with older caregivers tending to have more overweight and stunted children, while younger caregivers had more normal growth patterns. Cereal-based foods (99.2%) were the most commonly consumed, whereas vitamin A-rich fruits and vegetables (49.2%) were less frequently included. An independent samples t-test showed a significant difference in mean haemoglobin levels (p = 0.035) between children with higher and lower dietary diversity scores. The regression coefficient for dietary diversity score was 0.823 (p = 0.035), suggesting that each unit increase in dietary diversity is associated with a 0.823 g/dL increase in haemoglobin level. These findings should be interpreted within the context of the dietary diversity indicators applied, which reflect pre-2021 WHO IYCF guidelines.

Conclusions

The findings indicate that while dietary diversity is relatively high among the children, it plays a role in improving haemoglobin levels, albeit to a modest extent. There is a need for targeted interventions to enhance the consumption of vitamin A-rich foods to further support the nutritional status and health of children in the community. Also, haemoglobin testing and screening programmes should be regularly done at the hospitals and health centres for children under-five.