?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rft.title=Studies+on+the+Predisposing+Factors+of+Protein+Energy+Malnutrition+Among+Pregnant+Women+in+a+Nigerian+Community&rft.creator=Okwu%2C+GN&rft.creator=Ukoha%2C+AI&rft.creator=Nwachukwu%2C+N&rft.creator=Agha%2C+NC&rft.subject=Online+Journal+of+Health+and+Allied+Sciences&rft.description=Protein+Energy+Malnutrition+(PEM)+continues+to+be+a+major+public+health+problem+in+developing+countries+and+affects+mostly+infants%2C+young+children%2C+pregnant+and+lactating+mothers.+This+study+was+carried+on+some+of+the+factors+that+predispose+pregnant+women+to+PEM+and+hence+identify+groups+at+greater+risk.+A+total+of+1387+pregnant+women+(910+in+the+urban+area+and+477+in+the+rural+areas)+were+recruited+for+the+study.+Anthropometric+indices+of+weight%2C+height+and+Body+Mass+Index+(BMI)+of+the+pregnant+women+were+measured+and+semi+structured+questionnaires+were+used+to+elicit+information+on+possible+predisposing+factors+such+as+age%2C+level+of+education%2C+parity%2C+child+spacing+etc.+Results+obtained+showed+that+the+mean+weight+and+height+of+the+rural+pregnant+women%2C+were+significantly+(p%3C0.0001)+lower+than+those+of+the+urban+pregnant+women.+The+mean+BMI+of+the+rural+subjects%2C+was+also+significantly+(p%3C+0.0027)+lower+than+that+of+the+urban+subjects.+Analysis+of+the+effect+of+age+showed+that+the+younger+age+category+(24+years+and+below)+had+significantly+(p%3C0.0001)+lower+mean+BMI+and+higher+prevalence+of+PEM+while+the+effect+of+level+of+education+showed+significantly+(p%3C0006)+lower+mean+BMI+and+higher+PEM+prevalence+among+the+less+educated+(no+formal+and+primary+education).+Those+with+parity+of+two%2C+one+and+primipara+showed+significantly+(p%3C0.0175)+lower+mean+BMI+while+child+spacing+did+not+have+any+significant+effect+on+both+mean+BMI+and+prevalence+of+PEM.+The+implications+of+these+findings+are+discussed+and+recommendations+made+on+how+to+tackle+the+problem.&rft.publisher=Dr.+B.S.+Kakkilaya&rft.contributor=Kakkilaya%2C+Dr.+Srinivas&rft.date=2008-01-24&rft.type=Journal+(On-line%2FUnpaginated)&rft.type=PeerReviewed&rft.format=application%2Fpdf&rft.identifier=http%3A%2F%2Fcogprints.org%2F5927%2F1%2F2007-3-1.pdf&rft.identifier=++Okwu%2C+GN+and+Ukoha%2C+AI+and+Nwachukwu%2C+N+and+Agha%2C+NC++(2008)+Studies+on+the+Predisposing+Factors+of+Protein+Energy+Malnutrition+Among+Pregnant+Women+in+a+Nigerian+Community.++%5BJournal+(On-line%2FUnpaginated)%5D+++++&rft.relation=http%3A%2F%2Fcogprints.org%2F5927%2F