Abstract

This study evaluated the nutritional programmes among nursing mothers in Federal Medical Center, Umuahia, Abia State. The study used a purposive sampling to select 320 nursing mothers attaining nutrition programme in Federal Medical Center, Umuahia. Data were collected with the use of a well-structured and validated questionnaire to obtain information on (i) socio-demographic characteristics of the nursing mothers, (ii) assess the type of nutritional programmes conducted among the nursing mothers in Federal Medical Center, Umuahia, Abia State, (iii) assess how the nutritional programmes has benefited the participant in the study area, (iv) examine the extent of the programme in the study area (v) determine the weight, height and BMI of the nursing mothers in the study area. Data obtained was analyzed using WHO anthropometric software and statistical package service software (SPSS) version 20.0. The result obtained was presented in frequency and percentage. The result showed that, about 50.6% of the respondent were aged 21 to 30 years and 45.6 % had secondary school education, and 38.1% were traders/business women. Some 33.4% of the respondents earned below minimum wage N30,000 per month. Little above half 51.9% were less than 5 in their household, some 39.1% of the respondents had number of children greater than or equal to 3. The demographic characteristics of the children are showed that 41.3% were 6-7 months old, majority 51.6 % were male and child’s birth order, 30.9% of them were 2, less than half 48.8% of the children weighed 2.6-3.0 kg. The type of nutritional programmes conducted among the nursing mothers in Federal Medical Center, Umuahia, Abia State, majority 80.9 % of the respondents said they have attended growth monitoring and promotion (GMP) program, most 98.1 % attended promotion of exclusive breast-feeding and more than half 74.4% attended complementary feeding, preferably with recipes based on local foods program. the extent of the nutritional programme in the study area. About 38.7 % of the respondents said sometime there is an age bias at GMP session and about 35.3% of the respondents often understand problems of growth faltering. Benefits of the nutrition programmes on nursing mothers, about 85.0% of the respondents said nutrition programmes improves underweight prevalence, majority 95.6% said it improves women’s health and nutrition status while, most 82.8% of the respondents said there is significant improvement in child nutrition. In conclusion, having examined the socio-economic determinants of nutritional status of women in Federal Medical Center Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria, the outcome has huge implications for addressing their wellbeing and food security in Nigeria. The study identified a number of socio-economic factors that appear to be significant in determining women’s nutritional status.