Acute and Chronic Undernutrition in Swaziland

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Abstract
Information about infant feeding, diarrhoeal illness, and nutritional status from the Swaziland National Nutrition Status Survey is presented. This survey was conducted from September 1983 to January 1984 on a representative sample of preschool children (0–59 months) in the rural areas (n = 4698) and a convenience sample of disadvantaged peri-urban children (n = 772). Although rates of initiating breastfeeding were high in both rural (94.4 per cent) and peri-urban (92.1 per cent) areas, introduction of breast milk substitutes was common and early; the median age of introduction was 1 month in the rural and <1 month in the peri-urban sample. Diarrhoeal illness was reported in 16.4 per cent of rural and 14.5 per cent of peri-urban children during the 2-week period preceding the study. Rates were highest among children 3–35 months of age. Chronic undernutrition without concomitant acute undernutrition was identified as the most common nutritional condition in the Swazi preschool population. Chronic undernutrition as measured by retarded linear growth was identified in 30.3 per cent of rural and 23.0 per cent of peri-urban children. Despite the relatively high prevalence of chronic undernutrition, the study population exhibited a low level of acute undernutrition as measured by low weight-for-height. Only 0.9 per cent of rural and 0.6 per cent of the peri-urban children were acutely undernourished, a prevalence slightly lower than the reference population. Overall, Swazi children appear to be similar to or slightly better off nutritionally than children in other African countries that have been surveyed using similar methodology.