Identifying the factors causing malnutrition and its impact on mortality among under-five Bangladeshi children

Abstract

Background. Nutritional status is the best indicator of global well-being. Childhood malnutrition is a major public health problem among Bangladeshi children. Objectives.The main objectives of this study are to: (i) determine the prevalence of malnutrition among under-five (U5) children; (ii) assess the association between malnutrition and selected factors; (iii) determine the high-risk factors for malnutrition and its impact on U5 mortality. Material and methods. The data was taken from the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS), 2014. Chi-square analysis was performed to explore the association between malnutrition and selected potential factors. Moreover, logistic regression (LR) was also performed to determine the factors associated with malnutrition and its impact on U5 mortality based on the p-value and odds ratio (OR) along with a 95% confidence interval (CI). Results. The prevalence of stunting, wasting and underweight were 37.1%, 14.7% and 33%, respectively. Most of the selected factors were found to be highly significant (p < 0.05), which were performed via chi-square analysis. In the LR model, it was found that place of residence, region, mother's working status, mother's education, mother's age at first birth, wealth index and toilet facilities were the factors mostly responsible for child malnutrition. Our study also showed that wasting and underweight have a significant impact on U5 mortality. Conclusions. It is recommended that educating mothers, delaying a mother's age for first birth, improving sanitation facilities, reducing poverty and creating health-related services are essential to improve a child's health and nutritional status. As a result, U5 mortality will be reduced in Bangladesh.

Determinants of coexisting forms of undernutrition among under‐five children: Evidence from the Bangladesh demographic and health surveys

“…In Bangladesh, the rate of stunted children is considered to be higher than the rate of underweight and wasted problems due to the high incidence of childhood infections, and maternal anxiety during pregnancy. A similar finding is revealed in previous research (Ahmed et al, 2021;Dewey & Begum, 2011;WHO, 2021) and a previous study showed the reverse findings (Querol et al, 2021).…”

“…One of the logical reasons behind this may be the lack of adequate time for the child due to the busy schedule of working mothers. Similar findings are exhibited in the several preceding studies (Ahmed et al, 2021 ; Chowdhury et al, 2016 ). It is a common belief that if a child suffers from different childhood morbidity, the child has the possibility to become a malnourished child.…”

“…Findings revealed that the likelihood of malnutrition is high among children whose parents have no education and children whose parents are highly educated because educated parents have an idea about child malnutrition and take necessary steps. Preceding studies evolved that a child of families with no education is more likely to have malnutrition (Ahmed et al, 2021; Babatunde & Qaim, 2010; Olwedo et al, 2008). A previous study exhibits a similar relationship between the coexistence of underweight with wasting and stunting and the education of mothers (Khaliq, Wraith, Miller, & Nambiar, 2022).…”

Vitamin A Supplementation in Madagascar: Coverage and Multifaceted Analysis of Influencing Factors During Transition to Routine Mode

“…These findings are consistent with several studies conducted in India, Ethiopia, and twenty-three sub-Saharan African countries [13][14][15], which showed that socioeconomic status (age, residence of children), maternal education and household income were associated with vitamin A intake. However, our study found no significant association between maternal education and VAS, as was also the case in Bangladesh when Manoj Kumar Raut [16] conducted a secondary analysis on 4852 children with DHS 2007 data and found no association, although a significant association was obtained on 7,087 children with DHS 2011 data; more generally, higher maternal education is positively associated with better child health and survival [17][18][19].…”

Determinants of stunting among under‐five children: Evidence from Cambodian Demographic and Health Survey 2021–2022

“…The term 'malnutrition' is used to encompass both undernutrition and overnutrition in humans (Ahmed et al, 2021;Garanet, 2020;Sumon, Hossain, Ar Salan, et al, 2023), which are barriers to good health characterised by an inadequate intake of calories and nutrients, which can cause disease and, in severe cases, death (Sumon, Hossain, Ar Salan, et al, 2023). The scarcity of affordable, nutrient-dense food options influences children's health (Hossain, Huq, & Abdulla, 2023).…”