Factors associated with malnutrition in children <5 years in western Kenya: A hospital-based unmatched case control study

Abstract

Background: Globally, under-nutrition accounts for >3 million deaths annually among children <5 years, with Kenya having ~35,000 deaths. This study aimed to identify factors associated with malnutrition in children aged <5 years in western Kenya. Methods: We conducted a hospital-based unmatched case-control study between May and June 2017. Cases were defined as children aged 6-59 months with either z-score for weight-for-height ≤-2SD or ≥+2SD; weight-for-age ≤-2SD or ≥+2SD; or height-for-age ≤-2SD. Controls were children aged 6-59 months with age-appropriate anthropometric measurements. Cases were consecutively recruited while systematic random sampling was used to select controls. Data from interviews and clinical records were collected and entered into Epi-Info, which was used to run unconditional logistic regression analyses. Results: A total of 94 cases and 281 controls were recruited. Of the cases, 84% (79/94) were under-nourished. Mother not having attended ante-natal clinic (OR=7.9; 95% CI: 1.5-41.2), deworming (OR=0.8; 95% CI: 0.4-1.2), and pre-lacteal feeding (OR=1.8; 95% CI: 1.1-3.0) were associated with under-nutrition. Delayed developmental milestones (AOR=13.9; 95% CI: 2.8-68.6); low birth weight (AOR=3.3; 95% CI: 1.4-7.6), and paternal lack of formal education (AOR=4.9; 95% CI: 1.3-18.9) were independently associated with under-nutrition. Conclusion: Proper pre-natal care, child feeding practices and deworming programs should be enhanced to reduce pediatric malnutrition.

Nutrition status among Children under 5 years in Ibalikoma Village Apac District. A Cross-sectional Study.

“…All those various utensils seemed to have equal advantages and similar risks to the children's nutrition status depending on how best the caretakers adhered to the hygiene standards when using either of them. These findings were similar to those of a study in Western Kenya which revealed that only 40% of the participant's parents still use bottles with nipples for feeding (Edwin Gudu, 2020).…”