Journal of Food Security, 2018, Vol. 6, No. 2, 74-78 Available online at http://pubs.sciepub.com/jfs/6/2/4 ©Science and Education Publishing DOI:10.12691/jfs-6-2-4 Effect of Malnutrition on Health Status of Child-bearing Women in Nigeria Faweya O. 1 , Adeniran A. T. 2,* , Balogun K. O. 3 1 Department of Statistics, Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria 2 Department of Mathematical Sciences, Augustine University Ilara-Epe, Lagos, Nigeria 3 Department of Statistics, Federal School of Statistics, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria *Corresponding author: adefemi.adeniran@augustineuniversity.edu.ng Abstract In this study, symptoms of food crisis, knowledge of nutritional constituents and values together with good health practices were investigated among child-bearing women attending Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido-Ekiti, Ekiti-state. A structured questionnaire was used as a measuring instrument which consists of four sections, namely, personal characteristics, nutritional knowledge, basic health and effects of food crisis on their health. The distribution of respondents based on their demographic characteristics and the proportion of women in different arbitrary categorized state of health (Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, Very poor) were determined. Test of association between some demographic variables (age, marital status, educational qualification and income level) and derived variable (Body Mass Index (BMI)) with health status were also explored. Keywords: nutrition, variables, proportion, body mass index, demographic characteristics Cite This Article: Faweya O., Adeniran A. T., and Balogun K. O., “Effect of Malnutrition on Health Status of Child-bearing Women in Nigeria.” Journal of Food Security, vol. 6, no. 2 (2018): 74-78. doi: 10.12691/jfs-6-2-4. 1. Introduction Few decades ago, human health has been continually threatened by food crisis, with young children, women and elderly ones in the developing world being most affected [1]. People virtually eat what they can afford and not what they actually need. In the past, malnutrition used to occur only in communities under prolonged war or severe draughts and natural disasters. Today, hunger and famine are the worst enemies of human race regardless of whether they have been exposed to natural disasters or not. Not that the food is absolutely unavailable, but the financial resources to acquire and demand for it is another predicament [2]. According to International Food Policy Research Institute [3], food availability, accessibility and sufficiency by low income earning families are increasingly becoming difficult to achieve. Food and Agriculture Organization [4] revealed that an increasing number of about 108million people from 48 countries, 20 of which are Africa facing severe food crisis. The characteristics of the country’s most vulnerable to this crisis includes high poverty rates, inflation, high food expenditure, share of household income, large net food, food imports, large stagnant or low agricultural productivity and vast urban populations. Importance of food cannot be over-emphasized, foods supply the body with energy, amino acids, vitamins and minerals which are needed for growth, efficiency, immunity and maintenance of cells and tissues in the body [5,6]. The process of supplying and receiving nourishments from food by the body is called Nutrition [7]. Conversely, malnutrition worldwide includes a spectrum of nutrient related disorders, deficiencies and condition such as growth retardation, protein-energy malnutrition, iodine deficiency, anemia, overweight (obesity) and other diet related non-communicable disease [8]. The nutritional status of an adult woman is progressively the culmination of nutrients intake, metabolism and utilization over the course of a lifetime from her nutritional status at birth. Nutritional problem among childbearing women are reflected in high rates of overweight and obesity as well as eating disorders which can lead to underweight and compromised nutritional status [9]. In order to set a strong basis for good maternal and infant health, it is necessary for women in childbearing age to engage in or be guided along healthy living which include the consumption of healthy diets, drinking adequate clean water, moderate and regular exercise and having appropriate rest [9]. Women in childbearing age may also be able to promote their wellbeing and live healthier and long life through regular screening for common illnesses. The healthy habit in childbearing years can improve birth outcomes, support healthy long-life, their well-being and may prevent premature death for women [10]. Preventive health activities are not negotiable for reducing illness and detecting disease in early and treatable stage. The nutritional issues of women of childbearing age have rarely been investigated, since the female is responsible for ensuring that a full term healthy viable infant is born and adequately nursed, maternal nutrition should be properly focused at all phases of reproductive