Umar A.T^{1, 2}, Anigo K.M², Nwajagu I.U^2,, Okoye N.G², Kahu J.C¹, Hassan S.M²

Children who are orphaned are faced with an increasing risk of malnutrition, which is attributed from poor feeding practices, inadequate food supply, utilization coupled with limited access to treatment facilities. In this study, the Anthropometric indices and Micronutrient status of children under five in orphanages of Kaduna metropolis, was assessed. Some standard methods were used for the sampling, anthropometric measurements and micronutrient analysis. Results revealed that the demographic characteristics of the orphan children were mostly aged between 13 to 24 months (37.93%) with the female (52.87%) and the male (47.13%). Anthropometric measurements of the children in the orphanages revealed mean z scores for Weight for Height (WHZ/Acute Malnutrition) as -1.74±1.84, -2.59±1.65 for Weight for Age (WAZ/Underweight) and -2.32±2.23 for Height for Age (HAZ/Stunting). Prevalence of Severe Acute Malnutrition among the orphans was (36%), Severe Underweight (36.1%) and severely stunted (44.8%). Micronutrient status of the under five orphan children indicate mean concentrations of Vitamin A (26.88ug/l ± 66.54), Iron (21.78ug/l ± 12.85) and Zinc (62.65 ± 29.25 ug/dl). The orphans’ micronutrient status and anthropometric indices showed significant association between the Iron and Vitamin A concentrations, WHZ and WAZ (r = 0.681) and between WAZ and HAZ (r = 0.467). The outcome of this research will contribute to improving the nutritional status and address micronutrient deficiencies among orphans in orphanages of Kaduna Metropolis.

orphans, micronutrients, nutritional assessment, dietary diversity