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Prevalence and associated risk factors of chronic malnutrition amongst children under five in Eswatini

Glorious H Dlamini1, Boikhutso Tlou

  • 1School of Nursing and Public Health, College of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban. gloriousdlamini12@gmail.com.

African Journal of Primary Health Care & Family Medicine
|September 8, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Chronic malnutrition affects 18.1% of children under five in Eswatini. Key risk factors include low birth weight, maternal education level, and child age, highlighting the need for targeted interventions.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Pediatrics
  • Nutrition Science

Background:

  • Chronic malnutrition is a significant public health issue affecting approximately 20 million children under five in Southern Africa.
  • This study addresses the critical need to understand malnutrition prevalence and its determinants in young children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of chronic malnutrition in children under five in Eswatini.
  • To identify and investigate the associated risk factors contributing to chronic malnutrition in this vulnerable population.

Main Methods:

  • A retrospective cross-sectional study utilizing data from the 2014 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS).
  • Involved analysis of data from 3261 children under five, examining nutritional status and household characteristics.
  • Logistic regression models (univariable and multivariable) were employed to identify significant risk factors.

Main Results:

  • The overall prevalence of chronic malnutrition was found to be 18.1% among children under five.
  • Prevalence varied by region, with Shiselweni showing the highest at 20.8% and Hhohho the lowest at 16.7%.
  • Significant risk factors identified include low birth weight (OR = 4.63), mothers' lack of education (OR = 1.50), and child age between 12-24 months (OR = 1.28).

Conclusions:

  • Chronic malnutrition represents a substantial public health challenge in Eswatini, necessitating a multisectoral approach for effective prevention and management.
  • Low birth weight, maternal educational attainment, and child's age are identified as key modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors.
  • Findings provide evidence for targeted interventions to combat childhood malnutrition and contribute to achieving Sustainable Development Goals.
Abstract

Keywords:
associatedchildrenmalnutritionnutrition.prevalencerisk factorsstunting

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