LAUSR

Background: A good nutrition is an essential component of good health. Malnutrition is known contributingfactors to diseases and death. In the developing world, malnutrition affects approximately 800 million people,greater than 340 million whom are children under the age of five years. Over six million of those childrendie every year from malnutrition(2).Objectives: The study aims at assess the domains of nutritional status in term of (weight and height for age)through anthropometric measurements.Methodology: A descriptive/Cross-sectional study is conducted throughout the period of October 1st 2019to June 17th 2020 in order to nutritional status for children less than 5 years old in AL-najaf city in terms of(weight and height for age) through anthropometric measurements. And also, to find out the relationshipsbetween child’s and mother’s demographic characteristics and nutritional status.A non-probability convenience sample of (1000) children with their mothers visiting the primary health carecenters. This sample is distributed throughout two primary health care sectors according to Najaf HealthDirectorate. A total of (10) primary health care centers is selected for the purpose of the study. A pilot studywas conducted and the questionnaire validity was achieved through a panel of (17) experts.Results: The majority of children were normal with assessed regard the nutritional status by weight for ageindicators, as well as, nutritional status assessed through height for age and weight for height nutritionalindicators. Some socio-demographic characteristics influenced children nutritional status, especially themother educational, level economic status of the family and breast feeding.Conclusions: The majority of study sample recorded normal nutritional status according to all threenutritional indicators; weight for age (WAZ), weight for height (WHZ), and height for age (HAZ).Recommendations: Nutrition counseling and education to the mothers is an important component on healthservices which would help to decrease the effect of ignorance and faulty cooking or dietary practices. Aswell as proper feeding, home health care, food preparation, hygiene.