Dietary Practices and Nutrition Status of Infants Born to Adolescent Mothers in Transmara West, Narok County, Kenya

Abstract

Introduction Globally, approximately 12.8 million girls aged 15-19 years and two million girls under the age of 15 give birth every year putting themselves and their infants at risk due to complications of child birth and pregnancy (WHO, 2018). Infants born to adolescents who are considered young mothers are likely to have low birth weight, which can have an effect on their health and development (WHO,2018). Globally, approximately 22% of children under the age of five years were stunted, 5.6% overweight and 7.5% wasted globally while in Sub-Saharan Africa the prevalence of the three forms of malnutrition is stunting 5.6% overweight 21% and wasting is at 9% (WHO, 2018). Early conceptions and childbearing have been associated with stress and negative mental health which impacts negatively in the development of their children (Huang, 2014). Most of the adolescent mothers may not be formally employed and are from low socioeconomic status which may affect the health outcomes of their infants (Godbout, Goldsberry, & Franklin, 2016). They also deal with individual, social and personal changes which make it hard for them to properly take care of their infants (Chen et al., 2014). The Kenya Demographic Health Survey (KDHS, 2014) reported that; 26% of children below the age of five years in Kenya are stunted, 4% wasted and 11% underweight based on WHO 2006 reference growth standards. In addition, 18% of young women aged 15-19 years have begun childbearing, 15% have already had a live birth and an additional 3% are