ABSTRACT

 Prevalence Of Severe Acute Malnutrition (Sam) Among Children Aged 6-10 Years In Umuahia South, Abia State. Severe acute malnutrition is the most extreme and visible form of under nutrition plagued by chronic poverty, household food insecurity, lack of education. This study assessed the prevalence ofsevere acute malnutrition among children aged 6-10years in umuahia south, Abia state. A multistage technique was used to select the study sample. 3 communities were randomly selected to make up the LGA was used. Children 6_10 years were the respondents were selected in the community schools in the communities which makes total of 223.Structured and validated questionnaire were used in data collection. Data collection included basic characteristics of child, Sociodemographic and socio- economic and demographic characteristics of the parents. Food habits of the participants, determinants of severe acute malnutrition, 6anthropometric characteristics of 6 to 10 years children, relationship between socio economic statuses. Feeding pattern and anthropometric characteristics among children, clinical manifestation ofsevere acute malnutrition. Data obtained from this study were analyzed using descriptive statistics-frequency, percentages and pearlson’s correlation. The statistical software SPSS version 22 was used for analysis, cross tabulation and chi-square analysis were used to examine the relationship between the variables, significance was accepted at p<0;05.this study shows that in anthropometric characteristics of the children 5.8% were severely underweight, 29.6% were severely stunted and 2.6% were severely thin. There was a. positive relationship between anthropometric status and socio economic characteristics of the respondents. Recommendation include that School nutrition education should focus not only on the provision of nutrition information, but also on the development of skills and behaviors related to areas such as food preparation, food preservation and storage; social and cultural aspects offood and eating