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Acute malnutrition in Bangladeshi children: levels and determinants

Azizur Rahman1, Soma Chowdhury, Delwar Hossain

  • 1Centre for Rural and Remote Area Health, University of Southern Queensland, QLD 4350, Australia. Azizur.Rahman@natsem.canberra.edu.au

Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health
|May 1, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Acute malnutrition, or wasting, affects about 10% of Bangladeshi children under five, posing a significant public health challenge. Key determinants include maternal body mass index (BMI), child

Area of Science:

  • Public Health Nutrition
  • Pediatric Epidemiology
  • Child Health and Development

Background:

  • Acute malnutrition, specifically wasting, is a critical indicator of child health and a significant public health concern in many developing nations.
  • Understanding the prevalence and contributing factors of wasting is essential for targeted interventions and policy development in child nutrition programs.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence and identify the key determinants of acute malnutrition (wasting) in children under five years of age in Bangladesh.
  • To provide data that can inform public health strategies aimed at reducing childhood malnutrition in the region.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized data from the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (1999-2000), employing a 2-stage stratified random sampling design.
  • Collected anthropometric data (weight-for-height) for 5333 children aged 0-59 months and their mothers.
  • Assessed wasting using the z-scores approach based on WHO guidelines and cutoff points for weight-for-height.

Main Results:

  • The overall prevalence of acute malnutrition (wasting) was approximately 10%, highlighting it as a major public health issue in Bangladesh.
  • Severe and moderate wasting were found to be common among the surveyed children.
  • Multivariate analysis identified significant associations between wasting and maternal body mass index (BMI), maternal media exposure, child's age, birth size, and history of childhood respiratory illness.

Conclusions:

  • Acute malnutrition remains a substantial public health problem in Bangladesh, affecting a significant proportion of young children.
  • Maternal nutritional status (BMI), socioeconomic factors (media exposure), child's early life characteristics (age, birth size), and health status (respiratory sickness) are critical determinants of wasting.
  • Findings underscore the need for integrated interventions addressing maternal health, child care practices, and early childhood illness prevention to combat wasting.
Abstract

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