Browsing by Author "Ernest, Samuel K"

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
  • Item
    Nutritional status of primary school children in Ilorin-West LGA, Kwara State, Nigeria.
    (2020-03) Olasinde, Yetunde T; Adesiyun, Omotayo O; Olaosebikan, Rasaq R; Olasinde, Adeola; Ibraheem, Rasheedat M; Popoola, G; Olayonu, D; Ernest, Samuel K
    Background: Malnutrition in children remains a global health problem in developing countries including Nigeria. Nearly half of all under-five deaths in Africa and South-East Asia can be traceable to malnutrition. The nutritional status of primary school children in Ilorin-West Local Government Area of Kwara State is not known, therefore the study set out to determine this and its associated factors. Methods: This study was a descriptive cross-sectional study carried out between February and May 2016 across 16 primary schools in Ilorin-West LGA. Four hundred and eighty school children aged 6-12 years were recruited into the study through a multi- stage sampling technique. Anthropometry was taken following standard procedures; weight was measured with a digital bathroom weighing scale (Camry, Model: EB9323H, China), while height was measured with a stadiometer (Seca Model: 213, USA). Anthropometric indices were determined. Data collected was analysed using the IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Tm version 20.0 for windows. Results: The prevalence of underweight, stunting, wasting and obesity were 3.0%, 5.0%, 4.4% and 1.0%, respectively. Stunting was more prevalent among female pupils, pupils attending the public primary schools and children of mothers with no formal education, while obesity was more prevalent in the private primary schools. Conclusion: The prevalence of obesity recorded in this study confirms the emerging concept of ‘the double burden of malnutrition,’ and poses a public health challenge to policy makers. It is recommended that community nutrition enlightenment campaigns be strengthened and possibly school meals be re-introduced to both private and public schools.
  • Item
    The Iron status of children with and without sickle cell disease at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Nigeria
    (West African College of Physicians and West African College of Surgeons, 2023-10) Akintola, Moshood A.; Ibraheem Rasheedat Mobolaji; Biliamainu, Sikiru A.; Ernest, Samuel K; Ojuawo, Ayodele I
    BACKGROUND: Children with sickle cell disease (SCD) are at potential risk of iron overload from chronic transfusion and probable iron deficiency due to accelerated growth. However, only few studies on the iron status of children with SCD in Nigeria are available. METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional study compared the iron status of 109 children with sickle cell disease with 109 age- and sex matched haemoglobin AA controls at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital. Parameters assayed were serum iron, ferritin, transferrin, and haemoglobin (Hb) concentrations. Considering the appropriate reference values for age and sex, these parameters were used to classify the children into high, normal or low iron status. RESULTS: The median (interquartile range) serum ferritin level of180.00 (237.50)ng/ml for the SCD subjects was significantly higher than 70.00 (120.00)ng/ml observed among controls, but the mean Hb and median serum transferrin levels were significantly lower in the subjects compared with the corresponding values in the controls, each showing statistical significance ( p<0.05). The median serum iron levels did not differ significantly between the SCD (112μg/dl) and non-SCD (128μg/dl), p=0.309. A high proportion of subjects had low HB status (96.3%) compared with controls (56.9%), p=0.001. A significantly higher proportion of subjects (78%) had high ferritin status compared with the controls (48.3%; p <0.001). Ten (9.1%) SCD children had low serum iron status compared to 28 (25.7%) HbAA controls, p=0.002. Thirty-four (31.2%) subjects had low transferrin status which was significantly higher than the corresponding number of controls (8; 7.3%; p<0.001) CONCLUSION: The children with SCD in the index study were iron sufficient.
  • Item
    Urinary iodine levels of primary school children in Ilorin, Nigeria
    (2020) Olasinde, Yetunde T; Adesiyun, Omotayo O; Olaosebikan, Rasak R; Olasinde, Adeola; Ibraheem, Rasheedat M; Biliaminu, Sikiru A; Areola, Emmanuel D; Ernest, Samuel K
    Background: Iodine deficiency is one of the commonest micronutrient deficiencies. Globally, it is the commonest cause of preventable mental retardation and also associated with impaired physical growth. The current iodine nutrition of school children in Ilorin, North-Central Nigeria is not known. Objective: The study aimed to determine the urinary iodine levels (UIL) of school children in Ilorin and explored the relationship with socio-demographic variables. Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out among primary schools children in Ilorin, Nigeria. We recruited school children aged 6-12 years through a multi-staged sampling method. Relevant data including socio-demograhic variables were obtained with a pretested study proforma. The recruited school children had urinary iodine determined using the Sandell-Kolthoff method. Data analysis was with Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 20.0. Results: The median with interquartile range (IQR) of urinary iodine level was 117.2 (99.6-148.6) g/L. Of the 480 recruited children, 336 (70.0%) had normal urinary iodine levels while 144 (25%) had mild iodine deficiency and two (0.4%) had excess urinary iodine levels. Pupils with iodine deficiency was higher among public schools than those in private schools (33.3% vs 23.6%, 2= 150.149, p < 0.022). The median UIL of the age-group 6-9 years was higher than the 10-12year age group (p = 0.026). However, the median UIL values were comparable across gender, socioeconomic strata and mother’s educational level. Conclusions: This study showed that a quarter of the children still had mild iodine deficiency despite salt