Poverty and Human Development Report 2009 - UNDP in Tanzania

POVERTY AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT REPORT 2009
As reported in Cluster I, levels of income poverty declined only slightly between the 2000/01 and
2007. Therefore, it is unlikely that recent improvements in nutrition among under fives, especially
in rural areas, can be attributed to changes in income/consumption. It is more probable that they
reflect three main factors: (i) advances in malaria control described earlier; (ii) the introduction of
universal vitamin A distribution for infants since 2002 37 ; and (iii) the increase in the proportion of
women who breastfed their infants exclusively up to three months of age (up from 25% in 1999
to 42% in 2004/05).
The greatest damage to children from poor nutrition occurs in the first two years of life. As Figure
23 illustrates, the average Tanzanian child was on the borderline of stunting (z = -2.0) by the age
of two years, with no subsequent recovery.
Figure 23: Indicators of Child Malnutrition by Age in Months
Mean Z - score
60
0.5
0
-0.5
-1
-1.5
-2
-2.5
0-2
6-8
Malnutrition Trend by Age Group:
3 - month cohorts, 0-59 months
12-14
18-20
24-26
30-32
Age in Months
39-41
45-47
Height for Age Weight for Age
Source: Ifakara Health Institute calculations based on TDHS 2004/05 data
51-53
57-59
A major factor in poor nutritional outcomes in very young children is low levels of exclusive
breastfeeding for infants; 41% of Tanzanian newborns are not breastfed in the first hour of life,
and fewer than 15% are exclusively breastfed up to the age of six months. A recent study from
37 Vitamin A contributes to immunity, thereby reducing the frequency of illness and consequent malnutrition.