Authors : Ibrahim Ali Mahat

Volume/Issue : Volume 11 - 2026, Issue 5 - May

Google Scholar : https://tinyurl.com/mr4yuw4a

Scribd : https://tinyurl.com/2w2db7rv

DOI : https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/26may1203

Note : A published paper may take 4-5 working days from the publication date to appear in PlumX Metrics, Semantic Scholar, and ResearchGate.

Abstract : The findings revealed that frequent childhood illnesses such as diarrhea, pneumonia, malaria, and measles significantly contribute to malnutrition among children. These infections not only weaken the immune system but also reduce the child’s ability to absorb nutrients effectively. Socio-economic factors, including poverty, unemployment, and limited access to clean water and healthcare, were also found to play a central role in worsening malnutrition. Furthermore, maternal education emerged as a key determinant, where mothers with little or no formal education exhibited poor knowledge of breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices. As a result, inappropriate feeding, delayed initiation of breastfeeding, and the early introduction of non-nutritious foods were identified as common practices that increase the risk of malnutrition. The study also found that malnutrition leads to both short- and long-term consequences. Short-term effects include increased vulnerability to diseases and higher child mortality rates, while long-term effects include stunted physical and cognitive development, low academic performance, and reduced productivity in adulthood. Despite the existence of interventions such as the Community-Based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM), supplementary feeding programs, and nutrition education initiatives by UNICEF and the World Food Programme (WFP), the implementation and coverage of these programs remain inadequate due to resource constraints and poor community awareness. The study concludes that addressing malnutrition requires a multifaceted approach that combines medical, social, and educational strategies. Strengthening maternal health education, promoting exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months, and expanding community nutrition programs are critical steps toward reducing malnutrition rates. Moreover, collaboration between government agencies, humanitarian organizations, and local communities is essential to ensure the sustainability of nutrition programs. The research recommends further studies to explore long-term strategies for improving household food security and enhancing healthcare access for vulnerable populations in Kismayo and other parts of Somalia.

References :

1. Adedokun, S. T., Uthman, O. A., & Adekanmbi, V. T. (2019). Maternal education and child nutrition in sub-Saharan Africa: A multi-country analysis. Nutrients, 11(6), 1325. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11061325
2. Adepoju, A., & Adejare, B. (2021). Causes in Sub Saharan Africa. Dove Medical Press.
3. Analysis of predictors in Somalia surveys. (n.d.). PubMed Central.
4. Bhutta, Z. A., Berkley, J. A., Bandsma, R., Kerac, M., Trehan, I., & Briend, A. (2020). Severe childhood malnutrition. Nature Reviews Disease Primers, 6(1), 1–18.
5. Bhutta, Z. A., Das, J. K., Rizvi, A., Gaffey, M. F., Walker, N., Horton, S., ... & Black, R. E. (2020). Evidence-based interventions for improvement of maternal and child nutrition: What can be done and at what cost? The Lancet, 382(9890), 452–477. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(13)60996-4
6. Black, R. E., Allen, L. H., Bhutta, Z. A., Caulfield, L. E., de Onis, M., Ezzati, M., ... & Maternal and Child Undernutrition Study Group. (2013). Maternal and child undernutrition and overweight in low-income and middle-income countries. The Lancet, 382(9890), 427–451. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(13)60937-X
7. Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101.
8. Care Group community intervention impact. (n.d.). Wikipedia.
9. Collins, S., Sadler, K., Dent, N., Khara, T., Guerrero, S., Myatt, M., ... & Walsh, A. (2006). Key issues in the success of community-based management of severe malnutrition. Food and Nutrition Bulletin, 27(3_suppl3), S49–S82. https://doi.org/10.1177/15648265060273S304
10. Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (4th ed.). Sage.
11. Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approach (5th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
12. Denzin, N. K. (2012). Triangulation 2.0. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 6(2), 80–88.
13. Desai, S., Alva, S., & Krishnan, V. (2019). Maternal education and child feeding practices in low-income countries: Evidence from Demographic and Health Surveys. International Journal of Public Health, 64(4), 457–467.
14. Development Initiatives. (2021). Global Nutrition Report 2021: The State of Global Nutrition.
15. Environmental models forecasting stunting using rainfall. (n.d.). PubMed.
16. FAO. (2021). Somalia: Food security and nutrition assessment. Food and Agriculture Organization. https://www.fao.org/3/cb2781en/cb2781en.pdf
17. FAO. (2021). The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2021. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
18. FAO. (2022). Regional malnutrition overview. UNICEF.
19. Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit (FSNAU). (2022). Somalia Nutrition Update.
20. FSNAU. (2022). Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit – Somalia: Nutrition Situation Report. Nairobi: FAO.
21. Gillespie, S., Haddad, L., Mannar, V., Menon, P., & Nisbett, N. (2019). The politics of reducing malnutrition: Building commitment and accelerating progress. The Lancet, 382(9891), 552–569. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(13)60842-9
22. Gluckman, P. D., Hanson, M. A., Cooper, C., & Thornburg, K. L. (2008). Effect of in utero and early-life conditions on adult health and disease. The New England Journal of Medicine, 359(1), 61–73. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMra0708473
23. Global Nutrition Report. (2022). Global Nutrition Report 2022.
24. Global Nutrition Report. (2022). Data on stunting and wasting globally. BioMed Central.
25. Humphrey, J. H. (2009). Child undernutrition, tropical enteropathy, toilets, and handwashing. The Lancet, 374(9694), 1032–1035. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(09)60950-8
26. Israel, G. D. (1992). Determining sample size. University of Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, EDIS.
27. Kavle, J. A., & Landry, M. (2018). Addressing barriers to maternal nutrition in low- and middle-income countries: A review of the evidence and programme implications. Maternal & Child Nutrition, 14(1), e12508. https://doi.org/10.1111/mcn.12508
28. Kothari, C. R. (2014). Research methodology: Methods and techniques (2nd ed.). New Delhi: New Age International. pp. 129, 173, 174.
29. Krejcie, R. V., & Morgan, D. W. (1970). Determining sample size for research activities. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 30(3), 607–610.
30. Levin, K. A. (2006). Study design III: Cross-sectional studies. Evidence-Based Dentistry, 7(1), 24–25.
31. Mugenda, O. M., & Mugenda, A. G. (2012). Research methods: Quantitative and qualitative approaches. Nairobi: ACTS Press. pp. 43, 98.
32. MyHospitalNow. (2024). Kismayo General Hospital profile. Nairobi: East Africa Healthcare Directory. p. 7.
33. Patton, M. Q. (2015). Qualitative research & evaluation methods (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. p. 53.
34. Prentice, A. M., Ward, K. A., Goldberg, G. R., Jarjou, L. M., Moore, S. E., Fulford, A. J., & Prentice, A. (2013). Critical windows for nutritional interventions against stunting. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 97(5), 911–918.
35. Saunders, M., Lewis, P., & Thornhill, A. (2016). Research methods for business students (7th ed.). Pearson Education.
36. Somalia Health Cluster. (2022). Nutrition Situation in Somalia.
37. Somalia Nutrition Cluster. (2021). Nutrition Cluster Annual Report. https://www.humanitarianresponse.info/en/operations/somalia/nutrition
38. Teshale, A. B., & Tesema, G. A. (2020). Determinants of childhood malnutrition and the role of maternal education in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review. BMC Public Health, 20, 720. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-08864-4
39. UNICEF. (2020). Conceptual model of malnutrition. ResearchGate.
40. UNICEF. (2021). The State of the World’s Children 2021. https://www.unicef.org/reports/state-worlds-children-2021
41. UNICEF. (2023). Nutrition – Somalia. https://www.unicef.org/somalia/nutrition
42. UNICEF. (2021). Annual report: Nutrition programme in Somalia. New York: UNICEF. p. 11.
43. UNICEF & WHO. (2019). WASH and nutrition: Integrating water, sanitation, and hygiene into nutrition programming. https://www.unicef.org/wash
44. UNICEF Somalia. (2020). Somalia Humanitarian Situation Report. https://www.unicef.org/somalia/reports
45. UNICEF Somalia. (2021). Nutrition Situation Report Somalia. https://www.unicef.org/somalia/reports/nutrition-situation-report
46. UNICEF Somalia. (2024). 2 in 3 children in Somalia live in severe food poverty. ResearchGate, PubMed Central, BioMed Central, Wikipedia.
47. UNHCR. (2022). Somalia: Kismayo area of displacement fact sheet. Geneva: UNHCR. p. 23.
48. Victora, C. G., Christian, P., Vidaletti, L. P., Gatica-Domínguez, G., Menon, P., & Black, R. E. (2021). Revisiting maternal and child undernutrition in low-income and middle-income countries: Progress and remaining challenges. The Lancet, 397(10282), 1388–1399. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)31968-1
49. WHO. (2011). Standards and operational guidance for ethics review of health-related research with human participants. Geneva: World Health Organization.
50. WHO. (2023). Community-based management of acute malnutrition guidelines. Geneva: World Health Organization. p. 32.
51. World Bank. (2023). Somalia urbanization review: Fragility and opportunities. Washington, DC: World Bank. p. 14.
52. World Food Programme (WFP). (2022). Somalia: Nutrition and Food Security Programmes. https://www.wfp.org/countries/somalia
53. World Health Organization (WHO). (2023). Community-based management of acute malnutrition. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/malnutrition
54. World Health Organization (WHO). (2023). Malnutrition fact sheet. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/malnutrition