Temporal variation of chronic child malnutrition in the context of strengthening healthcare services in Burkina Faso: an Oaxaca-Blinder multivariate decomposition analysis.

Malnutrition seriously affects children's health, survival, and future productivity. According to the literature, increasing the supply of health services should help reduce the spread of malnutrition. This article analyses the sources of changes in the decline of chronic malnutrition during the 2000s, where there was an increase in the supply of health services in Burkina Faso. We used data from demographic and health surveys conducted in 2003 and 2010 in Burkina Faso. Malnutrition was defined according to the recommendations of the World Health Organization, while using standards of growth which are current and uniform for the two periods of study considered. We analyzed the source of temporal variation of chronic malnutrition through the Oaxaca-Blinder multivariate decomposition of the proportion of children suffering from chronic malnutrition. The analyses showed that the relative extent of chronic malnutrition in children decreased significantly, from 43.4% (CI 95%: 42.3-44.4) in 2003 to 34.7% (CI 95%: 33.6-35.9) in 2010. A quarter of this variation is due to a change in characteristics (composition effect), and the remaining 74.74% is due to a difference in coefficients (performance or behavior effect). Improved access to health services played a crucial role in reducing the scale of chronic malnutrition between 2003 and 2010. Other factors, such as educating mothers and urbanization, also contributed significantly. This study shows that improving access to health services is crucial for reducing chronic malnutrition. So, programs tackling child malnutrition must first and foremost ensure that children have access to health services.

Burden of undernutrition among under-five Bengali children and its determinants: Findings from Demographic and Health Surveys of Bangladesh and India.

BACKGROUND: Globally, undernutrition is the leading cause of mortality among under-five children. Bangladesh and India were in the top ten countries in the world for under-five mortality. The aim of the study was to investigate the nutritional status of Bengali under-five children. METHODS: Data on 25938 under-five children were retrieved from the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey 2017-18 (BDHS) and the National Family Health Survey of India 2015-16 (NFHS-4). Stunting, wasting, underweight and thinness were considered to understand the nutritional status of under-five children. Binary logistic regression was used to identify associated factors of undernutrition among children. RESULTS: Over one-quarter of Bengali under-five children were found to be suffering from the problem of stunting (31.9%) and underweight (28.1%), while other nutritional indicators raised serious concern and revealed inter-country disparities. In the cases of wasting, underweight and thinness, the mean z-scores and frequency differences between Bangladesh and India were significant. The nutritional status of Bengali under-five children appeared to have improved in Bangladesh compared to India. Child undernutrition had significant relations with maternal undernutrition in both countries. Girls in Bangladesh had slightly better nutritional status than boys. In Bangladesh, lack of formal education among mothers was a leading cause of child undernutrition. Stunting and underweight coexist with low household wealth index in both counties. CONCLUSIONS: The research revealed that various factors were associated with child undernutrition in Bengalis. It has been proposed that programmes promoting maternal education and nutrition, along with household wealth index be prioritised. The study recommends that the Governments of Bangladesh and India should increase the budget for health of children so as to reach the sustainable development goals.

Anthropometric failures and its predictors among under five children in Ethiopia: multilevel logistic regression model using 2019 Ethiopian demographic and health survey data.

BACKGROUND: Composite Index of Anthropometric Failure (CIAF) combines all three forms of anthropometric failures to assess undernutrition status of children. There is no study on CIAF to identify the real and severe form of under nutrition among Ethiopian children that addressed community level factors. So, this study determined CIAF and identified important factors which helps to design appropriate intervention strategies by using multi-level advanced statistical model. METHODS: The study included 5,530 under five children and utilized a secondary data (EMDHS 2019) which was collected through community-based and cross-sectionally from March 21 to June 28, 2019. Composite index of anthropometric failure among under five children was assessed and a two-stage sampling technique was used to select the study participants. Descriptive summary statistics was computed. A multi-level binary logistic regression model was employed to identify important predictors of CIAF in under five children. Adjusted odds ratio with its 95% CI was estimated and level of significance 0.05 was used to determine significant predictors of CIAF. RESULTS: The prevalence of composite index of anthropometric failure (CIAF) was 40.69% (95% CI: 39.41, 42.00) in Ethiopia. Both individual and community level predictors were identified for CIAF in under five children. Among individual level predictors being male sex, older age, short birth interval, from mothers who have not formal education, and from poor household wealth quintile were associated with higher odds of CIAF among under five children. Low community women literacy and being from agriculturally based regions were the community level predictors that were associated with higher odds of CIAF in under five children in Ethiopia. CONCLUSIONS: The burden of composite index of anthropometric failure in under five children was high in Ethiopia. Age of child, sex of child, preceding birth interval, mother's education, household wealth index, community women literacy and administrative regions of Ethiopia were identified as significant predictors of CIAF. Therefore, emphasis should be given for those factors to decrease the prevalence of CIAF in under five children in Ethiopia.

Epidemiological study of pediatric nutritional deficiencies: an analysis from the global burden of disease study 2019.

BACKGROUND: Nutritional deficiencies (ND) continue to threaten the lives of millions of people around the world, with children being the worst hit. Nevertheless, no systematic study of the epidemiological features of child ND has been conducted so far. Therefore, we aimed to comprehensively assess the burden of pediatric ND. METHODS: We analyzed data on pediatric ND between 1990 and 2019 from the Global Burden of Disease study (GBD) 2019 at the global, regional, and national levels. In addition, joinpoint regression models were used to assess temporal trends. RESULTS: In 2019, the number of prevalent cases of childhood malnutrition increased to 435,071,628 globally. The global age-standardized incidence, prevalence, and DALY rates showed an increasing trend between 1990 and 2019. Meanwhile, the burden of child malnutrition was negatively correlated with sociodemographic index (SDI). Asia and Africa still carried the heaviest burden. The burden and trends of child malnutrition varied considerably across countries and regions. At the age level, we found that malnutrition was significantly more prevalent among children < 5 years of age. CONCLUSION: Pediatric ND remains a major public health challenge, especially in areas with low SDI. Therefore, primary healthcare services in developing countries should be improved, and effective measures, such as enhanced pre-school education, strengthened nutritional support, and early and aggressive treatment, need to be developed.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on child malnutrition in Selangor, Malaysia: A pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Child malnutrition risk factors are globally recognized, but the specific impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the prevalence of child malnutrition, considering socioeconomic burdens and changes in family lifestyles, remains underexplored. This study aims to identify the significance of COVID-19-related factors in relation to the prevalence of child malnutrition in Selangor, Malaysia. METHODS: Purposive sampling was employed in this pilot study to select the households with under-5 children and, a structured questionnaire was developed to gather data. Chi-squared tests, logistic regression modelling and World Health Organisation AnthroPlus software-based visualization were used for analyses. RESULTS: The present study's findings indicate that demographic and social factors, including 'Citizenship,' 'Type of House,' 'Number of Earning Members,' 'Father's Highest Educational Level,' and 'Number of Children in a Family,' have a statistically significant association with Wasting. Additionally, the mother's 'Highest Educational Level' is found to be linked to underweight prevalence. Within COVID-19 factors, "COVID-19 Impact on Employment/Business" demonstrated significance for both stunting and wasting. Multivariate analysis revealed disparities in childhood malnutrition by gender, age, and factors such as "COVID-19 impact on children's physical activity" and "COVID-19 impact on children's decrease in health over the last two weeks." CONCLUSIONS: This study identified COVID-19 factors alongside sociodemographic variables with statistically significant relationships impacting childhood malnutrition in Selangor, Malaysia. The results underscored the substantial influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on child malnutrition prevalence. Decision-makers at family and community levels can benefit by considering these factors in their actions. However, the study's limitation lay in its dataset, urging larger-scale analyses to explore further sub-categories of the examined variables.

Association between short birth spacing and child malnutrition in Bangladesh: a propensity score matching approach.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to explore the effects of short birth spacing (SBS), which is defined as a period of less than 33 months between two successive births, on multiple concurrent forms of child malnutrition (MCFCM) and at least one form of child malnutrition (ALOFCM) using propensity score matching (PSM). METHODS: This study used data extracted from the 2017-18 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey. PSM with four different distance functions, including logistic regression, classification and regression tree, single hidden layer neural network and random forest, were performed to evaluate the effects of SBS on MCFCM and ALOFCM. We also explored how the effects were modified in different subsamples, including women's empowerment, education and economic status (women's 3E index)-constructed based on women's decision-making autonomy, education level, and wealth index, and age at marriage, and place of residence. RESULTS: The prevalence of SBS was 22.16% among the 4652 complete cases. The matched samples of size 2062 generated by PSM showed higher odds of MCFCM (adjusted OR (AOR)=1.25, 95% CI=1.02 to 1.56, p=0.038) and ALOFCM (AOR=1.20, 95% CI=1.01 to 1.42, p=0.045) for the SBS children compared with their counterparts. In the subsample of women with 3E index≥50% coverage, the SBS children showed higher odds of MCFCM (AOR: 1.43, 95% CI=1.03 to 2.00, p=0.041] and ALOFCM (AOR: 1.33, 95% CI=1.02 to 1.74, p=0.036). Higher odds of MCFCM (AOR=1.27, 95% CI=1.02 to 1.58, p=0.036) and ALOFCM (AOR=1.23, 95% CI=1.02 to 1.51, p=0.032) for SBS children than normal children were also evident for the subsample of mothers married at age≤18 years. CONCLUSION: SBS was significantly associated with child malnutrition, and the effect was modified by factors such as women's autonomy and age at marriage.

Critically High Burden of Acute Malnutrition and Its Associated Factors Among Children Under 5 Years in the Rural Settings of Southern Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Globally, acute malnutrition threatens the lives of several million children under 5 years of age. Malnutrition affects the social, economic, and medical aspects of all countries. In Ethiopia, acute malnutrition is not decreasing at the intended rate for unclear reasons. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the burden of acute malnutrition and its associated factors among children under 5 years of age in a rural setting of southern Ethiopia. METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from January to March 2022. A multistage sampling technique was used to select 421 children. Mothers/caretakers were interviewed using interviewer-administered questionnaire, while their children's height/length and weight were measured. Logistic regression analyses were used and presented as the crude odds ratio (COR) and adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with their 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: The burden of acute malnutrition among children under 5 years of age in the study area was 22.6% (95% CI = 18.5-26.8). Fathers with primary education (AOR = 4.48; 95% CI = 1.93-10.39), households with improper solid waste disposal (AOR = 2.54; 95% CI = 1.11-5.82), not usually sleeping under insecticide-treated bed net (ITN) (AOR = 1.79; 95% CI = 1.01-3.19), unacceptable children dietary diversity score (DDS) (AOR = 2.56; 95% CI = 1.28-5.14), and unacceptable household DDS (AOR = 2.26; 95% CI = 1.02-5.00) were factors associated with acute malnutrition. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of acute malnutrition among children was critically high. Upgrading paternal educational status, encouraging safe solid waste disposal, ensuring consistent use of ITN, and improving both child and household DDS should be stressed.

Plain language titleVery High Level of Acute Malnutrition and Related Factors Among Children Under 5 Years in the Rural Parts of Southern EthiopiaPlain language summaryWhy was the study done?Acute malnutrition is a cause of death for several million children under 5 years of age in the world. It affects the social, economic, and medical features of all countries. In Ethiopia, acute malnutrition is not decreasing at the intended rate for unclear reasons. Numerous studies in the country reported varying level on acute malnutrition in spite of similarities in the study area and time. Therefore, this study aimed to find out the level of acute malnutrition and related factors among children under 5 years of age in rural parts of southern Ethiopia.What did the researchers do?The research team selected 421 representative children and collected information by asking their mothers/caretakers some relevant questions, and by weighing and measuring their height. Then, the collected information was computed by a computer software.What did the researchers find?One out of 5 children in the rural parts of southern Ethiopia had acute malnutrition. Educational status of fathers, households with inappropriate solid waste, not usually sleeping under mosquito bed net, low level of children and household food variety were factors related to acute malnutrition.What do the findings mean?The level of acute malnutrition among children in the study area was very high. Educating fathers, encouraging safe solid waste disposal, ensuring consistent use of mosquito bed net, and improving both the level of children and household food variety should be underlined.

Malnutrition in children under five years in a squatter settlement of Karachi: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Multidimensional factors such as socioeconomic or environmental factors influence malnutrition. Several studies have strongly linked malnutrition to poverty. Some international studies point to the worse nutritional status of urban slum children than rural children. Limited data is available regarding the nutritional status of slum children in Karachi. This study aimed to determine characteristics of malnourished children in an urban squatter settlement in Karachi, Pakistan. METHODS: A case- control study was carried out at the primary healthcare center of a squatter settlement in Karachi, Pakistan. All children under five years of age visiting the primary healthcare center were recruited consecutively. Cases were defined as children with z scores < -2 SD of WHO reference measurements of WFA, HFA, WFH and OFC. The controls were similar in terms of age group but had z scores between - 2SD and + 2SD. A self- structured risk factor questionnaire that included information about sociodemographic, economic and environmental factors as well as child- related characteristics was researcher administered via face-to-face interviews with the mothers of children. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted. Crude and adjusted odds ratios were calculated with 95% confidence interval. RESULTS: A total of 280 participants including 140 cases and 140 controls participated in the study. A larger proportion of the sample originated from individuals with low household income. After adjusting for the confounders, childhood malnutrition was significantly associated with a low education level of father (aOR 4.86, 95% CI 2.23-10.60), a monthly income less than 25,000 PKR (89 USD) per month (aOR 7.13, 95% CI 1.67-30.54), pour pit latrine type of toilet (aOR 4.41, 95% CI 2.67-7.3), less than six months of exclusive breast feeding (aOR 3.578, CI 1.58-8.08), inappropriate weaning age (aOR 3.71, 95% CI 1.53-9). CONCLUSION: Malnutrition in children under five years of age in the community is associated with low family income, low paternal education, poor toilet facilities, lack of exclusive breastfeeding and inappropriate weaning age. The implementation of poverty reduction programs, sanitation provision at affordable rates, community-based breast feeding and weaning education intervention are urgently required to efficiently improve children's nutritional status.

Continuum of care for maternal and child health and child undernutrition in Angola.

BACKGROUND: Continuum of care (CoC) for maternal and child health provides opportunities for mothers and children to improve their nutritional status, but many children remain undernourished in Angola. This study aimed to assess the achievement level of CoC and examine the association between the CoC achievement level and child nutritional status. METHODS: We used nationally representative data from the Angola 2015-2016 Multiple Indicator and Health Survey. Completion of CoC was defined as achieving at least four antenatal care visits (4 + ANC), delivery with a skilled birth attendant (SBA), child vaccination at birth, child postnatal check within 2 months (PNC), and a series of child vaccinations at 2, 4, 6, 9 and 15 months of child age. We included under 5 years old children who were eligible for child vaccination questionnaires and their mothers. The difference in CoC achievement level among different nutritional status were presented using the Kaplan-Meier method and examined using the Log-Lank test. Additionally, the multivariable logistic regression analysis examined the associations between child nutritional status and CoC achievement levels. RESULTS: The prevalence of child stunting, underweight and wasting was 48.3%, 23.2% and 5.9% respectively. The overall CoC completion level was 1.2%. The level of achieving CoC of mother-child pairs was 62.8% for 4 + ANC, 42.2% for SBA, 23.0% for child vaccination at birth, and 6.7% for PNC, and it continued to decline over 15 months. The Log-Lank test showed that there were significant differences in the CoC achievement level between children with no stunting and those with stunting (p < 0.001), those with no underweight and those with underweight (p < 0.001), those with no wasting and those with wasting (p = 0.003), and those with malnutrition and those with a normal nutritional status (p < 0.001). Achieving 4 + ANC (CoC1), 4 + ANC and SBA (CoC 2), and 4 + ANC, SBA, and child vaccination at birth (CoC 3) were associated with reduction in child stunting and underweight. CONCLUSIONS: The completion of CoC is low in Angola and many children miss their opportunity of nutritional intervention. According to our result, improving care utilization and its continuity could improve child nutritional status.

Undernutrition in children under five associated with wealth-related inequality in 24 low- and middle-income countries from 2017 to 2022.

Undernourishment is a persistent public health problem contributing to increased mortality in children under five in low-income countries, likely exacerbated by socio-economic disparities within communities. This paper aimed to examine the effect of wealth-related inequality on undernutrition in children under five in low, lower-middle, and upper-middle-income countries (LMICs). We analyzed cross-sectional data from the demographic and health survey program collected between 2017 and 2022 from 24 LMICs. Children born within 5 years preceding the survey were included in the analysis. Child undernutrition was the dependent variable (measured by stunting, wasting, and underweight) and country-level wealth-based inequality was the independent variable assessed by concentration index values stratified by the World Bank's income categories. Within country inequality of child undernutrition was determined by concentration index (C) values with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) and sub-group analysis by place of residence and sex of the child. We then fit bootstrapped meta-regression to check the variation in inequality of child undernutrition across different income category countries. The analysis was controlled by potential confounding variables. From the total sample size of 334,502 children included in the study, 35% were undernourished. Wealth-related inequality in child undernutrition was observed in 11 countries, consistently across income categories. Child undernutrition was highly concentrated among the poor households of Türkiye [C: - 0.26, 95% CI - 0.31 to - 0.20], and Cameroon [C: - 0.19, 95% CI - 0.22 to - 0.17], and relatively it was less concentrated among the poor in Liberia [C: - 0.07, 95% CI - 0.11 to - 0.04], and Gambia [C: - 0.07, 95% CI - 0.11 to - 0.04]. There is no difference in undernutrition associated with inequality between the three broad LMIC categories. The wealth-related inequality in child undernutrition within many of the included countries is still very significant. However, the economic category of countries made no difference in explaining wealth-related inequality in child undernutrition. Inter-sectoral collaboration to fight poverty and render special attention to the disadvantaged population segments would potentially help to address the observed inequity.

[Temporal trend in the prevalence of malnutrition in children under five assisted by the Brazilian Income Transfer Program (2008-2019)]. / Tendência temporal da prevalência de desnutrição em crianças menores de 5 anos assistidas pelo Programa Bolsa Família (2008-2019).

This study aimed to analyze the temporal trend of malnutrition in children aged under five years assisted by the Brazilian Income Transfer Program from 2008 to 2019, by exploring regional inequalities and seeking to determine the impact of the economic and political crises aggravated in 2014, and the government's adherence to fiscal austerity policies on the trend. The analyses were performed using aggregated data from infants (0-23 months) and preschoolers (24-59 months), extracted from the Brazilian Food and Nutritional Surveillance System (SISVAN) assisted by the Brazilian Income Transfer Program (n = 34,272,024). Trends were analyzed using generalized linear models with age-specific mixed effects (negative binomial distribution and log linkage function). The regional inequalities were analyzed based on the grouping of Federative Units according to the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) and the influence of crises and austerity policies on the prevalence of malnutrition by the interaction between "year" and "crisis" (2008-2013 vs. 2014-2019). There was a reduction in the prevalence of child malnutrition until mid-2013, when the trends became stationary for preschoolers and upward for infants. There was also a higher risk of malnutrition in Federative Units with medium- and high-social vulnerability, when compared to those with low-social vulnerability. The inflection points in the trends corroborate the hypothesis that the political and economic crises, and the governmental responses to these crises, negatively impacted the nutritional status of children in poverty and extreme poverty in Brazil.

O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar a tendência temporal da desnutrição em crianças menores de 5 anos de idade assistidas pelo Programa Bolsa Família entre 2008 e 2019, explorando desigualdades regionais e buscando determinar o impacto das crises econômica e política agravadas em 2014 e da adesão governamental às políticas de austeridade fiscal na tendência. As análises foram realizadas utilizando dados agregados de lactentes (0-23 meses) e pré-escolares (24-59 meses), extraídos do Sistema de Vigilância Alimentar e Nutricional (SISVAN) assistidas pelo Programa Bolsa Família (n = 34.272.024). As tendências foram analisadas por meio de modelos lineares generalizados, com efeitos mistos específicos para as faixas etárias (distribuição binomial negativa e função de ligação log). As desigualdades regionais foram analisadas a partir do agrupamento das Unidades Federativas segundo o Índice de Vulnerabilidade Social (IVS) e a influência das crises e das políticas de austeridade na prevalência de desnutrição por meio da interação entre "ano" e "crise" (2008-2013 vs. 2014-2019). Houve redução na prevalência de desnutrição infantil até meados de 2013, quando as tendências passaram a ser estacionárias para pré-escolares e ascendentes para lactentes. Observou-se, também, maior risco de desnutrição nos estados com média e alta vulnerabilidade social, quando comparadas àqueles com baixa vulnerabilidade social. Os pontos de inflexão nas tendências corroboram a hipótese de que as crises política e econômica, e as respostas governamentais a essas crises, provocaram impacto negativo sobre o estado nutricional de crianças em situação de pobreza e extrema pobreza no Brasil.

El objetivo de este estudio fue analizar la tendencia temporal de la desnutrición en niños menores de cinco años atendidos por el Programa Bolsa Familia entre los años 2008 y 2019, explorando desigualdades regionales y buscando determinar el impacto de las crisis económica y política que se intensificaron en 2014, así como la adhesión del gobierno a políticas de austeridad fiscal en esta tendencia. Los análisis se realizaron utilizando datos agregados de lactantes (0-23 meses) y preescolares (24-59 meses), extraídos del Sistema de Vigilancia Alimentaria y Nutricional (SISVAN) atendidos por el Programa Bolsa Familia (n = 34.272.024). Se analizaron las tendencias a través de modelos lineales generalizados con efectos mixtos específicos para los grupos de edad (distribución binomial negativa y función de enlace de logaritmo). Se analizaron las desigualdades regionales a partir del agrupamiento de las unidades federativas conforme el Índice de Vulnerabilidad Social (IVS) y la influencia de las crisis y de las políticas de austeridad en la prevalencia de desnutrición a través de la interacción entre "año" y "crisis" (2008-2013 vs. 2014-2019). Hubo una disminución en la prevalencia de desnutrición infantil hasta mediados de 2013, cuando las tendencias se volvieron estacionarias para preescolares y ascendentes para lactantes. También se observó un riesgo más alto de desnutrición en estados con vulnerabilidad social media y alta, en comparación con aquellos con vulnerabilidad social baja. Los puntos de inflexión en las tendencias corroboran la hipótesis de que las crisis política y económica, y las respuestas del gobierno para estas crisis, tuvieron un impacto negativo en el estado nutricional de niños en situación de pobreza y extrema pobreza en Brasil.

Geospatial and environmental determinants of stunting, wasting, and underweight: Empirical evidence from rural South and Southeast Asia.

OBJECTIVE: Child malnutrition, comprising of undernutrition and obesity, is a global concern with severe implications for survival, leading to acute and chronic diseases that adversely affect the productivity of individuals and society. Asia shoulders the greatest burden, with 7 out of 10 undernourished children residing in the region. Despite the decline in global child stunting, particularly in Asia, its prevalence remains significant. In 2017, an estimated 151 million children under five experienced stunting, and an additional 38 million were overweight, with Africa and Asia accounting for 25% and 46% of the global figures, respectively. Therefore, this paper aims to analyze the geospatial and environmental determinants of undernutrition in rural South and Southeast Asia. METHODS: To explore the geospatial and environmental determinants of undernutrition (stunting, wasting, and underweight), we use Poisson regression and the data from recent rounds of the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) from India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, Cambodia, and Timor-Leste. RESULTS: This study found a high prevalence of stunting, wasting, and underweight among children aged 0 to 59 months in rural areas of South and Southeast Asia, with considerable variation between countries and clusters/primary sampling units. Results show a positive association between child malnutrition and factors such as maternal illiteracy, unsafe drinking water, and dirty cooking fuel in South and Southeast Asia. Children from impoverished households in India, Pakistan, and Cambodia were disproportionately affected. In addition to socio-economic factors, climatic risks such as temperature increase and rainfall variations also emerged as important determinants of child malnutrition in India, Bangladesh, and Timor-Leste. CONCLUSIONS: This paper emphasizes the role of environmental and climatic factors on child nutrition, underscoring their significance regardless of socio-economic conditions. As the impacts of climate change continue to intensify, and agrarian societies bear the brunt, these factors will play a critical role in shaping child nutritional outcomes. Thus, amid growing climate change, nutritional security should be prioritized, considering the spatial domain and targeting climate distress areas along with other socio-economic and demographic aspects.

A pilot study using hospital surveillance and a birth cohort to investigate enteric pathogens and malnutrition in children, Dili, Timor-Leste.

In low-to-middle-income countries (LMICs), enteric pathogens contribute to child malnutrition, affecting nutrient absorption, inducing inflammation, and causing diarrhoea. This is a substantial problem in LMICs due to high disease burden, poor sanitation and nutritional status, and the cyclical nature of pathogen infection and malnutrition. This relationship remains understudied in Timor-Leste. In our pilot study of enteric pathogens and malnutrition in Dili, Timor-Leste (July 2019-October 2020), we recruited 60 infants in a birth cohort from Hospital Nacional Guido Valadares (HNGV) with up to four home visits. We collected faecal samples and details of demographics, anthropometrics, diet and food practices, and animal husbandry. Additionally, we collected faecal samples, diagnostics, and anthropometrics from 160 children admitted to HNGV with a clinical diagnosis of severe diarrhoea or severe acute malnutrition (SAM). We tested faeces using the BioFire® FilmArray® Gastrointestinal Panel. We detected high prevalence of enteric pathogens in 68.8% (95%CI 60.4-76.2%) of infants at home, 88.6% of SAM cases (95%CI 81.7-93.3%) and 93.8% of severe diarrhoea cases (95%CI 67.7-99.7%). Diarrhoeagenic Escherichia coli and Campylobacter spp. were most frequently detected. Pathogen presence did not significantly differ in birth cohort diarrhoeal stool, but hospital data indicated associations between Salmonella and Shigella and diarrhoea. We observed wasting in 18.4% (95%CI 9.2-32.5%) to 30.8% (95%CI 17.5-47.7%) of infants across home visits, 57.9% (95%CI 34.0-78.9%) of severe diarrhoea cases, and 92.5% (95%CI 86.4-96.2%) of SAM cases. We associated bottle feeding with increased odds of pathogen detection when compared with exclusive breastfeeding at home (OR 8.3, 95%CI 1.1-62.7). We detected high prevalence of enteric pathogens and signs of malnutrition in children in Dili. Our pilot is proof of concept for a study to fully explore the risk factors and associations between enteric pathogens and malnutrition in Timor-Leste.

Trends in social determinants of inequality in child undernutrition from the Ethiopian Demographic and Health Surveys, 2005-2016.

BACKGROUND: While child undernutrition has been eliminated in some middle-income countries, it remains highly prevalent in sub-Sahara African (SSA) and South Asian regions, and is disproportionately concentrated among the poor. In this study, we estimated trends in child undernutrition by social determinants and related risks from wealth inequality in Ethiopia, from 2005 to 2016. METHOD: We analyzed data from three consecutive surveys (2005, 2011, and 2016) from the Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey. First, we estimated trends in the prevalence of childhood undernutrition variables (stunting, underweight, and wasting) and social determinants (household wealth status, education level, place of residence, and administrative regions). Then we assessed evidence of undernutrition by wealth-related inequality with concentration curves (visual) and concentration indeces (quantitative). A multilevel mixed-effect Poisson regression model was used to identify predictors of undernutrition variables expressed as covariate-adjusted rate ratios, with 95% confidence intervals (RRs, 95%CI). RESULT: A total of 23,934 mother-child pairs were obtained from the three surveys. The average prevalence decreased by 12.4 percentage points for stunting (from 50.8 to 38.4%, P<0.01), 9.5 percentage points for underweight (33.2% to23.7%, P<0.01), and 2.1 percentage points for wasting (12.2% to10.1%, P<0.01). There was persistent and statistically evidence of wealth inequality in stunting, underweight, and wasting (concentration indeces of -0.2 to -0.04, all P values <0.05). Stunting, underweight, and wasting variables were associated with male sex of the child (RR 0.94, 0.95, 0.85, all P-values <0.01) recent diarrhea (RR 1.18, 1.27, 1.37, all P-values <0.01), secondary education status of the mother (RR 0.66, 0.57, 0.61, all P-values < 0.057), increasing wealth index (richest) (RR 0.73, 0.70, 0.50, all P-values < 0.05), and having no toilet facility (RR 1.16, 1.22, 1.18, all P-values < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Despite the decreased burden of stunting and underweight, the prevalence of wasting remained relatively unchanged in Ethiopia from 2005 to 2016. Moreover, wealth-related inequality in child undernutrition increased for most of the child undernutrition indicators during this period. Social determinants of child undernutrition warrant urgent implementation of strategies to reduce their health impacts in SSA.

Factors mediating the association between recurring floods and child chronic undernutrition in northern Bangladesh.

OBJECTIVES: Although there is some evidence that flood exposure in Bangladesh and other developing countries increases the risk of chronic undernutrition in children, the underlying mechanisms are, to our knowledge, unknown. The objectives of this research are to examine the association between recurrent flood exposure and the likelihood of chronic undernutrition in children and to investigate the mediators of this association. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Naogaon District in northern Bangladesh. Purposive sampling was used to choose 800 children between the ages of 12 and 59 mo in equal numbers in the specified flood-affected and flood-unaffected areas: 400 children from the flood-affected area and 400 from the flood-unaffected area. The nutrition indicator height for age, expressed as z scores, was used to define child chronic undernutrition. Our study focused on children who have been exposed to multiple floods in the past 5 y. RESULTS: In our sample data, children who had experienced flooding had a 1.74-times higher chance of having chronic undernutrition (95% CI, 1.53-2.28) than children who had not experienced flooding. The mediation analyses found inadequate minimum dietary diversity, history of diarrhea, not being fully vaccinated, not using clean cooking fuel, and not having a separate kitchen contributed 19.5%, 10%, 9.8%, 14.8%, and 10%, respectively, to the flood exposure-child undernutrition association. CONCLUSIONS: Flood exposure was found associated with the likelihood of child chronic undernutrition, and this relationship was mediated through lack of having a separate kitchen, history of diarrhea, insufficient vaccination, use of unclean cooking fuel, and poor minimum dietary diversity. Interventions to reduce the prevalence of these risk factors could contribute to reducing the disparities in child undernourishment brought on by exposure to flooding.

Geostatistical modelling of child undernutrition in developing countries using remote-sensed data: evidence from Bangladesh and Ghana demographic and health surveys.

Childhood chronic undernutrition, known as stunting, remains a critical public health problem globally. Unfortunately while the global stunting prevalence has been declining over time, as a result of concerted public health efforts, there are areas (notably in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia) where progress has stagnated. These regions are also resource-poor, and monitoring progress in the fight against chronic undernutrition can be problematic. We propose geostatistical modelling using data from existing demographic surveys supplemented by remote-sensed information to provide improved estimates of childhood stunting, accounting for spatial and non-spatial differences across regions. We use two study areas-Bangladesh and Ghana-and our results, in the form of prevalence maps, identify communities for targeted intervention. For Bangladesh, the maps show that all districts in the south-eastern region are identified to have greater risk of stunting, while in Ghana the greater northern region had the highest prevalence of stunting. In countries like Bangladesh and Ghana with limited resources, these maps can be useful diagnostic tools for health planning, decision making and implementation.

Mixed-method study on the association between inclusion to conditional cash transfer program and the multiple faces of malnutrition in children and adolescents aged 3 to 19 years: a school-based evidence from Caraga Region, the Philippines.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the association between inclusion to Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), a CCT program in the Philippines, and malnutrition in children and adolescents and examine the perceptions and experiences of parents and other stakeholders on how 4Ps influenced child nutrition. METHODS: A concurrent mixed-method study was conducted in the Caraga Region, Philippines. Quantitative data from 5541 children and adolescents aged 3 to 19 were analyzed using multilevel mixed-effect logistic models. To allow in-depth understanding of the programmatic components that support the findings from the quantitative study, eight focused group discussions (FGDs) were concurrently conducted, cumulating 33 participants, including 4Ps parents, school coordinators/teachers, and school nurses. A constructivist grounded theory approach was used for analysis, and joint displays were employed to integrate quantitative and qualitative results. RESULTS: Quantitative findings revealed high rates of malnutrition, with significant rates of stunting (12.0%), wasting/thinness (9.4%), and overweight/obesity (16.4%) among children and adolescents. 4Ps beneficiaries had higher odds of stunting and overweight/obesity compared to non-4Ps beneficiaries (AOR = 1.43, 95%CI: 1.08-1.91; AOR = 1.21, 95%CI: 1.01-1.45, respectively). However, no significant association was observed between inclusion to 4Ps and concurrent stunting and wasting/thinness or overweight/obesity (AOR = 1.05, 95%CI: 0.72-1.55). Geographic variations were observed, with 4Ps children in Agusan del Sur having lower odds of stunting than those in Agusan del Norte (AOR = 0.41, 95%CI: 0.23-0.71). Age and gender also showed significant associations with malnutrition. The qualitative analysis provided insights into the challenges contributing to malnutrition, including child labor, sickness, long distances to school, limited access to healthy food, and larger families. Unintended consequences such as cash card mismanagement, inappropriate cash grant allocation, and falsification of school attendance were identified. However, teachers and parents demonstrated resilience by implementing adaptive approaches to enhance child nutrition. CONCLUSIONS: While 4Ps beneficiaries exhibit higher odds of stunting and overweight/obesity, the program's association with malnutrition was significantly influenced by geographic variations. It is crucial for social protection programs to prioritize comprehensive support strategies that effectively counter unintended consequences and challenges faced by beneficiaries and other stakeholders and address malnutrition in children and adolescents.

Identifying factors associated with child malnutrition in Ghana: a cross-sectional study using Bayesian multilevel ordinal logistic regression approach.

OBJECTIVE: In developing countries, malnutrition is a noteworthy concern related to the well-being of people, and this study aimed to determine the factors that affect malnutrition among children below 5 years in Ghana. DESIGN: The study used a secondary data source, specifically the Ghanaian Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey Six (MICS 6), which was conducted by the Ghana Statistical Service in 2017-2018. The MICS data are hierarchical, as children are categorised within households, and households are further grouped within a higher cluster, violating the independence assumption that must be addressed in the analyses. This study used a Bayesian multilevel ordinal logistic regression to model, identify and analyse the factors linked to child malnutrition in Ghana. SETTING: The setting of the study was the household level across the previous 10 administrative regions in Ghana. PARTICIPANTS: Data for 8875 children under 5 years were used for the study. The data were gathered from households in all 10 administrative regions of Ghana using a sampling procedure consisting of stratification and random selection to ensure national representation. RESULTS: The results showed that the Northern Region of Ghana had the highest occurrence rate of severe and moderate malnutrition, and factors such as the count of children's books or picture books, whether the child experienced fever in the last 2 weeks, age and sex of the child, and the child's household wealth index quintile were strongly linked to malnutrition among Ghanaian children. CONCLUSION: These findings underscore the intricate interplay of factors contributing to child nutrition in Ghana and suggest that addressing malnutrition necessitates a comprehensive approach that considers factors such as access to healthcare and reading materials, household wealth, and other social and environmental factors.

Economic Growth and Childhood Malnutrition in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.

Importance: Economic growth may reduce childhood malnutrition through improvements of several contributing factors, but the empirical evidence is mixed. Identifying the most important factors that contribute to child malnutrition and their associations with economic growth can inform decision-making about targeted investments to improve children's health. Objective: To assess the associations between economic growth and malnutrition, contributing factors and malnutrition, and economic growth and contributing factors of malnutrition in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Design, Setting, and Participants: This cross-sectional study used data from 239 Demographic and Health Surveys from January 1, 1990, to December 31, 2021. Observations included 1 138 568 children aged 0 to 35 months with valid anthropometric measures and information on contributing factors of malnutrition from 58 LMICs. Data were analyzed from May 20, 2022, to February 16, 2023. Exposure: National per-capita gross domestic product (GDP) was used as a proxy for economic growth. Main Outcomes and Measures: Six measures of childhood malnutrition were constructed: stunting (height-for-age z score <-2), underweight (weight-for-age z score <-2), wasting (weight-for-height z score <-2), overweight (weight-for-height z score >2), obesity (weight-for-height z score >3), and dietary diversity failure (consumption of less than 5 of 8 different food groups in the past 24 hours). Eighteen contributing factors of malnutrition were constructed, of which 10 were underlying determinants (eg, access to improved sanitation) and 8 were immediate determinants (eg, breastfeeding initiation). Results: A total of 1 138 568 children (mean [SD] age, 17.14 [10.26] months; 579 589 [50.9%] boys and 558 979 [49.1%] girls) were included in the analysis. Of these, 27.3% (95% CI, 27.2%-27.4%) had stunting; 25.7% (95% CI, 25.6%-25.8%), underweight; 11.2% (95% CI, 11.1%-11.2%), wasting; 3.8% (95% CI, 3.7%-3.8%), overweight; 1.1% (95% CI, 1.1%-1.1%), obesity; and 79.8% (95% CI, 79.7%-79.9%), dietary diversity failure. Per-capita GDP was weakly associated with childhood malnutrition. The odds ratios associated with a 5% increase in per-capita GDP were 0.99 (95% CI, 0.99-1.00) for stunting, 1.01 (95% CI, 1.00-1.01) for wasting, 1.00 (95% CI, 1.00-1.00) for underweight, 0.98 (95% CI, 0.98-0.98) for overweight, 0.98 (95% CI, 0.97-0.98) for obesity, and 1.03 (95% CI, 1.01-1.04) for dietary diversity failure. Although strong associations were found between many contributing factors and most outcomes for malnutrition, associations identified between per-capita GDP and these contributing factors themselves were ambiguous. Conclusions and Relevance: In this multicountry cross-sectional study, economic growth was weakly associated with childhood malnutrition and several contributing factors. To reduce child malnutrition, economic growth may need to be accompanied by more targeted investments to improve contributing factors that are strongly associated with child malnutrition, such as maternal health and education.