DISCUSSION
The present study provides some evidence that in this Kenyan
district and at the aggregate level diarrhoea morbidity is correlated
with malnutrition among young children. Though this correlation
does not indicate causality, it may imply that addressing one issue
may lead to an improvement in the other. A quarter of children in
Ijara district are at risk of malnutrition. Kenya’s North Eastern
province has the highest proportion of moderate and severely
underweight children, estimated to affect about 25% (KDHS,
2008). The district is characterized by frequent drought and
unreliable rainfall, which do not favour the growth of food crops
and pasture for livestock. These conditions create food insecurity
and high poverty levels.