Although malnutrition and micronutrient deficiency command global interest, the effect of
gender favoritism on the nutrition status of infants and young children has not been extensively
studied. In most developing countries, the nutritional standing of infants and young children is
influenced by social cultural and traditional feeding practices with a gender bias in favour of the
male child contributing to differences in prevalence of malnutrition between boys and girls
related to disparities in levels of micronutrient intake. The study examines relationships and
determinants of vitamin A and iron in infants and young children (6 to 36 months) of Machakos
and Makueni Counties in Kenya, with a focus on variations and differences of micronutrient
levels and dietary diversity score between the boys and girl as influenced by culture and taboos.
Data collected included: anthropometry, C-reactive protein, α-1-acid glycoprotein, retinol
binding protein (RBP), hemoglobin, dietary intake, culturally prohibited foods and mother‘s
demographic and economic characteristics. Pearson and Fisher‘s exact tests were used to
determine correlations and relationships with a confidence interval of 95% applied. Data for 277
children were analyzed after adjustment for inflammation using CRP and AGP. Prevalence of
anemia was 35.3% with a mean (standard deviation) of 11.4(1.4) g/dL. Prevalence of vitamin A
deficiency (VAD) was 42.6% with a mean of 0.94µmol/L. 35.7% of the children were stunted
with a mean of -1.5(±1.3). DDS showed that 76.6% of the children had a low DDS (≤ 3 food
groups). No significant difference was observed (p > 0.05) in prevalence of anemia, VAD and
low DDS between male and female children. A few locations had cultural/traditional forbidden
foods like raw animal blood, meat from stomach of goat, meat, honey and fats. Relationship
between anemic and VAD children was significant (p=0.03), with an odds ratio of (OR=1.59;
95% CI = 1.17, 2.16. A significant difference (p=0.01) was also observed between low education
of child‘s mother/caregiver and child‘s DDS.
Tradition/cultural practices that prohibit consumption of certain foods does lead to low dietary
diversity score causing micronutrient (iron and vitamin A) deficiency which reflects on the poor
nutrition status of the IYC. However, the ―Action Plan 2012-2017‖ put in place by the Kenyan
Government‘s Ministry to improve nutrition status reduces the bias in micronutrient deficiencies
between boys and girls by wiping out myths centered around feeding practices.