Abstract
:
Abstract Amidst various global and local interventions, children below five years still die of preventable illnesses. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of dietary practices on disease cases and the various factors that contribute to diseases among children below five years in households Nangabo, Wakiso district-Uganda. This was a cross-sectional descriptive study. A total of 100 households with children below five years were randomly selected from the different villages of Nangabo sub-county. The study found out that 54% of households (HHs) had 3-5 members, 72% headed by fathers, 56% of HHs heads were in business and transport, and 88% had 1-2 children below five years. All HHs had toilets, but 90% did not have tip water taps for washing hands after using the toilet, 62% had proper sanitation, and 82% got water from taps and tanks. 34% of HHs had children falling sick monthly, where 84% of them had children affected by flu, cough, and malaria. 90% of HHs purchased food, 54% had 3 meals a day, and 60% did not separate children's food when cooking. However, 95% of those who separately cooked children's food used boiling and steaming as primary cooking methods. 58% of HHs had children fed by themselves, but only 4% had children sharing plates, and 84% had a daily dietary-diversity score of 3/6 and above. There was a negative correlation between HHs daily dietary-diversity score and the incidence of diseases among children, -0.06 (0.66), although it was not statistically significant. Increasing knowledge towards IYCF practices followed by improved sanitation, hygiene, and access to clean water is critical for prevention and control for childhood diseases among HHs.