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Prevalence and Associated Factors of Malnutrition among Children Under Five Years with Clefts Attending a Hospital in

Lorraine Rwigema1, Rosemary Okova1, Amanuel Kidane Andegiorgish2

  • 1School of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Mount Kenya University, Rwanda.

Rwanda Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences
|September 24, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Malnutrition affects over half of children with clefts in Rwanda, with higher risks for males, infants under 12 months, and those with combined clefts. Early identification and feeding support are vital for these vulnerable children.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Nutrition
  • Cleft Lip and Palate Research
  • Global Health

Background:

  • Children with clefts are at significant risk of malnutrition and associated life-threatening complications.
  • Undernutrition poses a substantial health burden in this population.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To estimate the prevalence of malnutrition among children with clefts in Rwanda.
  • To identify factors associated with malnutrition in this demographic.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective cross-sectional study of children with clefts (2018-2022).
  • Nutritional status assessed using WHO Z-scores (stunting, wasting, underweight).
  • Chi-square and logistic regression analyses identified risk factors (P < 0.05).

Main Results:

  • Overall malnutrition prevalence was 54.2%.
  • Higher malnutrition rates observed in children with combined clefts (61.8%), males (AOR: 1.69), and infants <12 months (AOR: 2.81).
  • Factors like parental divorce (AOR: 2.20), combined clefts (AOR: 2.50), and low household income were significantly associated with malnutrition.

Conclusions:

  • A high burden of malnutrition exists among children with clefts in Rwanda.
  • Early detection and tailored feeding interventions are critical for improving outcomes.
  • Addressing socioeconomic factors may also mitigate malnutrition risks.
Abstract

Keywords:
ChildrenCleft lipRwandacleft palatemalnutrition

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