Prevalence and Potential Determinants of Aggregate Anthropometric Failure among Pakistani Children: Findings from a Community Health Survey

Abstract

Malnutrition among children is an important public health problem in Pakistan. Conventional indicators (stunting, wasting and underweight) are well known. However, there is a need for aggregate indicators in this perspective. The goal of this study is to assess the prevalence and trends of malnutrition among Pakistani children under the age of five using the so-called composite index of anthropometric failure (CIAF), a tool for calculating the whole aggregate burden of malnutrition. The data were extracted from the Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey 2012–2013. Mothers’ education and socioeconomic statuses (SES) were assessed as important factors in malnutrition. Chi-squared analysis was used to check the bivariate association, and multiple logistic regression was used to identify the significant correlates of child malnutrition. Moreover, multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) was applied to strengthen the use of CIAF as an outcome variable. The study looked at 3071 children under the age of five, with 52.2% of them falling into the CIAF. Children of educated mothers had 43% fewer odds of being malnourished (OR (Odd Ratio) = 0.57, 95% CI (Confidence Interval) = 0.44–0.73). Additionally, a decreasing trend in malnutrition was found with increasing SES. There is a need to improve maternal education. Such programs focusing on increasing women’s autonomy in making home decisions should be established. Furthermore, long-term interventions for improving home SES and effective nutritional methods should be examined. For policymakers, the use of CIAF is suggested since it provides an estimate of the entire burden of undernutrition.

Potential mediators of the link between wealth index and anthropometric indices of under-five children in Ethiopia

“…Besides, family size, residence, and contraceptive use were noticed as important determinants of wasting. Likewise, a study by Balogun et al ( 2 ) reported that improving maternal education helps to reduce the venerability of children to malnutrition by implementing effective nutritional methods.…”

“…Malnutrition in children is mainly responsible for reduced immunity for the prevention of diseases. Due to this fact, reducing malnutrition is the most important constituent of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) ( 2 ). Malnutrition enables to aggravate the risk of death, morbidity, and infection and reduces the mental, physical and psychological development of children during their early ages ( 2 , 3 ).…”

“…Due to this fact, reducing malnutrition is the most important constituent of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) ( 2 ). Malnutrition enables to aggravate the risk of death, morbidity, and infection and reduces the mental, physical and psychological development of children during their early ages ( 2 , 3 ). However, the common type of malnutrition that occurred in developing countries, such as sub-Saharan Africa, including Ethiopia is undernutrition.…”

“…Maternal education, age, residence, religion, body mass index, access to health care, and economic status are among the most prevalent determinants of malnutrition ( 2 – 4 ). Mothers' body mass index was also significantly associated with a child's undernutrition in which lower BMI was linked with a child's underweight ( 7 ).…”

Correlations between Maternal Knowledge, Attitude, and Posyandu Utilization on Nutritional Status in Children Under Five

“…The cause of higher malnutrition in children is not only lack of nutritious food and poverty but also the value attached to girls in their families from early adulthood. Analysis in Balogun et al (2021) revealed that girls are less likely to be malnourished.…”