Dietary calcium intake and sunlight exposure among children aged 6-23 months in Dale Woreda, Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

Nutritional rickets can be caused by either or both calcium and vitamin D deficiencies, and can frequently occur in Africa. In Ethiopia, limited evidence exists regarding the calcium intake of children and their sunlight exposure practices. The purpose of this study was to assess information regarding dietary calcium intake and sunlight exposure practice, which are factors related to nutritional rickets. The study was conducted in Dale Woreda, Southern Ethiopia using a community based cross-sectional survey design with both descriptive and analytic components. A total of 170 children were selected using multi-stage sampling technique. A structured questionnaire and an interactive 24-hour dietary assessment method were used to collect data on sociodemographic and economic information and to assess dietary calcium intake of participant children. The Ethiopian food composition table supplemented by world food data were used to convert dietary intake into nutrient content. The mean (SD) age of the study children was 14.4 (+4.7) months. The male to female ratio was 1.24. The mean (± SD) calcium intake of participant children was 407 ± 235 mg/day; 26.5% had low dietary calcium intake compared with their age specific recommended nutrient intake (RNI) value. Regarding sunlight exposure, 41.1% participant mothers exposed their child to sunlight within 1 (one) month of birth and 56.5% of study children were exposed to sunlight for 20 to 30 minutes per day. In conclusion, the risk of dietary calcium inadequacy was prevalent because of low intakes by some children. Even if only 26.5% of participating children had low dietary calcium intake, the children in the study area have some risk of dietary calcium inadequacy due to the high content of phytate in the prevailing complementary foods such as fruits and maize based complementary food, which can inhibit bioavailability of calcium. The participant children were not at risk of inadequate exposure to sunlight because they had good exposure practices and there was no sunlight avoidance practices among the majority of participant children.

Knowledge and practice on adequate sunlight exposure of infants among mothers attending EPI unit of Aleta Wondo Health Center, SNNPR, Ethiopia

“…This finding was slightly lower than the study done at Debre Markos on exposing without sun screening and time of exposure which accounts 57.3% and 99.1%, respectively; whereas, its higher on duration of exposure which accounts 25.5% [19]. This study finding was also incomparable with similar study done in Dale woreda of Southern Ethiopia as shown that 41.1% of the mothers exposed their child to sunlight within 1 month of birth [24].…”

Knowledge and Practice of Infants Exposure to Sunlight Among Lactating Mothers Attending at Yirgalem Hospital, Sidama Regional State

“… 22 However, the finding was inconsistent with the reports of other studies, such as 67.6% in Aleta Wondo, 21 40% in Gondar, 23 and 49.4% in Southern Ethiopia. 27 Regarding the time of exposure, majority (83%) of mothers exposed their babies to sunlight between 8:00 and 10:00 AM. However, different studies reported variable rates about the exposure of infants to sunlight in the depicted period: e.g.…”

Complementary Feeding Practices among Infant and Young Children in Southern Ethiopia: Review of the Findings from a Canada-Ethiopia Project

“…Though it was not a major objective of all surveys conducted, some studies (Tezera et al, 2015;Regassa, 2014;Negash et al, 2014;Ersino et al, 2013), collected and analyzed wealth and food security status of the households surveyed. Household food security was measured by using tools developed by the Food and Nutrition Technical Assistance Project (FANTA).…”