Theses

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A long essay or dissertation or thesis involving personal research, written by postgraduates of University of Ghana for a university degree.

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    The Determinants of Health and Nutrition of Children under Five in Ghana.
    (University of Ghana, 1994-09) Asante, F. A.; Asenso-Okyere, W. K.; Fosu, K. Y.; University of Ghana, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, School of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness
    This study examines the determinants of health and nutrition of children under five in Ghana using data on 2127 children and their households drawn from the Ghana Living Standards Survey in 1987/88 (GLSS I). The study reveals that Ghanaian children of 0 to 59 months obtain 82.7 percent of the recommended required daily allowance of calorie intake. Also the children weighed 9.9 percent higher than the recommended weight of 12.0 kg. It was further shown that the level of undernutrition of children under-five has not changed since 1980. About 29.5 percent of children are chronically undernourished, 27.2 percent are underweight and 7.1 percent are acutely undernourished. ,, Empirical results show that a 10 percent increases in income (proxied by total expenditure), household size in adult equivalent, relative prices of millet, garri, cocoyam and plantain to maize result in an increase of 9.56 percent, 0.73 percent, 5.45 percent, 6.04 percent, 3.33 percent and 3.45 percent of food available to the household, respectively. Similarly, a 10 percent increase in the relative prices of yam, cassava and guinea corn to maize result in a decrease in food availability to the household by 21.29 percent, 10.46 percent and 2.97 percent, respectively. The study further shows that food intake of the child and the genetic factors of parents have important roles in the determination of the health condition of children with elasticities of 0.019 and 0.445 respectively. Policy experiments with household expenditure, household size in adult equivalent, price of cassava and price of maize showed that percentage changes in the mean expenditures give the greatest impact on the food available to the child while percentage changes in the mean household size in adult equivalent give the least impact.
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    Zinc Nutritional Status of Preschool Children in Selected Communities of Southern Ghana
    (University of Ghana, 1994-12) Takyi, E. E. K.; Asibey-Berko, E.; University of Ghana, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Department of Nutrition and Food Science
    Zinc is a micronutrient indispensable for growth, development, reproduction, and for the activities of over 200 enzymes embracing all physiological activities. Zinc deficiency in the preschool age group therefore leads to growth faltering, wasting, stunting and general degeneration in physiological activities. In rural areas of Egypt and Iran where zinc deficiency was first identified, dietary factors of plant origin ( especially phytic acid and fibre), which impair zinc absorption, were the main etiological factors of zinc deficiency. For the fact that recent studies have suggested that zinc deficiency might be as alarming as iron deficiency and the fact that zinc deficiency predominates in populations which subsist largely on vegetable diet with little animal protein, it was felt that this study, is both relevant and necessary in the Ghanaian context. Studies were carried out in 4 communities on 200 preschool (nursery) children aged 3 to 5 years, to determine if zinc deficiency occurs within this age group; and if it does, whether it relates in anyway to any of the anthropometric indices of the cohorts. The four communities were Ashalley Botwe, Kwabenya,( typical rural southern villages), Dome (periurban) and New Achimota ( urban), all located in Greater Accra region, southern Ghana. In the study, age and the anthropometric indicators of nutritional status ( weight, height, mid upper arm circumference, triceps, and subscapular skin-folds), and the biochemical indicators of zinc nutriture [ hair zinc, plasma zinc, red blood cell (rbc) zinc, and alkaline phosphatase activity], as well as indicators of protein nutriture (plasma protein, albumin, and A/G ratio) were determined. Results of anthropometric measurements indicated that the mean percentage of pre-schoolers affected by Wasting, Stunting and Wasting plus stunting in the four communities combined were 3.5%, 16.5%, and 1.5% respectively, with 78.5% of normal status. When the results were considered for each community, 69.6% (Ashalley Botwe), 81.2% (Kwabenya), 80.9% (Dome), and 84.1% (New Achimota), respectively, were of normal stature. Percentage wasting was 3.6%, 0%, 4.4% and 4.5% while stunting levels were 25%, 18.8%, 13.2%, and 9.1% respectively. The percentage wasting plus stunting was 1.8%, 0%, 1.5%, and 2.3%, respectively. Statistical analysis using Duncan's and Least significant difference (LSD) multiple comparison tests, indicated that there were no significant differences (p>0.05) in the mean values for the indicators of zinc nutriture (plasma zinc, rbc zinc, hair zinc, and plasma alkaline phosphatase activity) in the different nutritional states (normal, wasted, stunted, wasted plus stunted). Further comparison with reference values indicated that there was no zinc deficiency in any of the groups- eg. the mean plasma zinc values obtained for the normal, wasted, stunted, and wasted plus stunted groups ( for the 200 cohorts) were 1.13+0.35, 1.16 ± 0.37, 1.04 + 0.23 and 0.95 + 0.29 ppm, respectively, as compared to a normal range of 0.50-1.50ppm. The corresponding values for the hair zinc were 247.0 + 101.6, 200.9 +. 65.2, 220.0 +, 83.8 and 157.6 + 40 ppm, as compared to a normal level of >70 ppm. Also, the mean plasma, red blood cell, and hair zinc values for all the cohorts were normal. Analysis of indicators of protein nutritional status (total plasma protein, albumin, and A/G ratio) revealed that the Plasma Protein values for the various anthropometric states were within the normal reference ranges eg. the mean Albumin/Globulin ratio for the normal, wasted, stunted and wasted plus stunted groups ( for the 200 cohorts) were 1.6 +0.5, 1.2 + 0.3, 1.6 + 0.5, and 1.5 + 0.5, respectively, as compared to a normal range of 1-2.5. This indicates that the protein nutritional status was adequate. It was- concluded that there was no zinc deficiency in the cohorts, and that zinc nutritional status did not differ in the various nutritional states of the cohorts.
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    Effects of Infectious Diseases and Malnutrition on the Nutritional Status of Pre-School Children in Selected Areas in Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria
    (University of Ghana, 1998-08) Ekong, A. J.; Orraca-Tetteh, R.; Asibey-Berko, E.; Sefa-Dedeh, S.; Armar-Klemesu, M.; Eka, O. U.; University of Ghana, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, School of Agriculture, Department of Family and Consumer Sciences
    A research was conducted in some urban and rural areas of Akwa ibom State of Nigeria from August 1990 to July 1991. The objectives were to study the interactions of infectious diseases and malnutrition and their effects on the nutritional status of pre-school children (Study I). The occurrence and distribution of diarrhoeal disease and its relationship to infant feeding practices (Study II) and the influence of socio-economic and environmental factors on the prevalence and severity of infectious diseases (study III). Four hundred and sixty-six (466) pre-school children aged 6 months to 48 months were the subjects. Infant feeding practices were recorded. Follow-up visits involved fortnightly records of morbidity, and 3 monthly anthropometric measurements. The effects of infectious diseases and malnutrition on the growth pattern of the pre-school children were examined. For study I, a 2 x 2 factorial design was used in grouping the Sick/ Malnourished children and the Not Sick/Not Malnourished children into four groups as follows : (1 ) the “Not Sick Not Malnourished”(NSNM) (control group), (ii)The “Sick but Not Malnourished” (SNM), (iii) the “Not Sick but Malnourished” (NSM), (iv)The ’’Sick and Malnourished” (SM).Nutritional status of the children in each group was assessed and compared to that of their age control group. The results showed that the "Sick and Malnourished" (SM) group had low body weight, poor growth, low skinfold thickness, low head circumference, low upper arm circumference, low chest circumference, low muscle circumference, low body fat, low buttocks circumference, low upper thigh circumference, low lower thigh circumference, low calf circumference and low haemoglobin levels compared to other groups. Mean weights of the "Not Sick Not Malnourished" (NSNM) group were significantly (p<0.05) higher throughout all ages when compared to those of the other three groups (NSM, SNM and SM). Mean weight of the "Sick but Not Malnourished" (SNM) group was significantly (p<0.05) higher than those of the malnourished groups (NSM, SM). Subsequently, Mean weight of the "Not Sick but Malnourished" (NSM) group was significantly (p<0.05) higher than that of the "Sick and Malnourished" (SM) group. Increase in weight and length/height of children were measured as 3 monthly changes in body weights and lengths/heights. Mean values were based on NCHS/WHO standard. Mean increase in weights and lengths/ heights of the "Not Sick Not Malnourished" (NSNM) group exceeded that of the NCHS/WHO standard.. Mean increase in weights and lengths/heights of the "Sick but Not Malnourished" (SNM) group compared favourably with that of the NCHS/WHO standard. Mean increase in weights and lengths/heights of the "Not Sick but Malnourished" (NSM) and "Sick and Malnourished " (SM) groups were below the NCHS/WHO standard.This study demonstrates synergism between malnutrition and infectious disease, in which the combined effect was greater than the sum of the impact of each condition. It was found in Study II that the incidence of diarrhoea occurred among the children at the ages of 12 months and 24 months of life. There was a gradual increase in diarrhoeal prevalence in infancy. The observed first peak at 12 months coincides with the age of introduction of supplementary foods. The observed second peak at 24 months coincides with age at which children are left crawling on the floor. There is, in general, greater exposure to contamination in areas with poor hygiene and improper sanitation. Place of residence emerged as a strong predictor of diarrhoeal disease in children. The percentage of children who had diarrhoea was higher among the children from the rural areas compared to those from the urban area. During the \ season of high diarrhoeal incidence which is usually from September to January, the percentage of children who had diarrhoea was higher among children from the rural areas. In Study III factor analysis was used to group the children into social strata. The influence of socio-economic and environmental factors on the prevalence and severity of infectious diseases among the children were assessed. The results reveal high incidence of infectious diseases among the low socio-economic class followed by the middle socio-economic class with least occurrence among children from high socio-economic class. Severity of infectious diseases as it affects preschool children according to social strata was also assessed. It was found that severity was highest among children from low socio-economic class. A model was developed using variables used in factor analysis to predict outcome of nutrition and infections. The model reveals that the relative risk of being sick and malnourished were high among children from low socio- economic class and children from families with poor sanitary conditions.