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Concurrent child undernutrition indicators in Malawi: application of trivariate logistic regression
1Department of Mathematical Sciences, School of Natural and Applied Sciences, University of Malawi, Zomba, Malawi.
Insights
Child undernutrition in sub-Saharan Africa is a major concern. This study found stunting and underweight often occur together, with specific risk factors, informing better child health policies.
Area of Science:
- Global Health
- Pediatrics
- Nutritional Epidemiology
Background:
- Sub-Saharan Africa experiences a high prevalence of child undernutrition.
- Child nutrition indicators are often interconnected but studied in isolation.
- Understanding combined undernutrition is crucial for effective interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the risk of joint child stunting, underweight, and wasting in Malawian children under 5.
- To identify shared and distinct risk factors for concurrent undernutrition outcomes.
- To inform policy development for comprehensive child nutrition programs.
Main Methods:
- Utilized trivariate logistic regression analysis.
- Employed data from the 2024 Malawi Demographic and Health Survey.
- Conducted computations using R software version 4.5.3.
Main Results:
- Stunting and underweight frequently co-occurred, sharing similar risk factors.
- Simultaneous stunting and wasting, and underweight and wasting, had unexplained risk factors.
- Joint stunting and underweight risk decreased with age (≥12 months), higher household income, and rural residence, but increased with higher birth order.
Conclusions:
- Analyzing concurrent undernutrition risk factors provides critical data for policy.
- This research supports the development of targeted child health policies.
- Effective policies can address multiple forms of undernutrition simultaneously.
Background:
The sub-Saharan Africa region faces a significant burden of child undernutrition. Indicators of child nutrition are often interrelated; however, previous research has typically analyzed them separately.
Methods:
This article investigated the risk of joint child stunting, underweight, and wasting in children under 5 years old in Malawi, utilizing trivariate logistic regression. The study used data from the 2024 Malawi Demographic and Health Survey. All computations were carried out using R software version 4.5.3.
Results:
The findings revealed that stunting and underweight frequently occurred together in children, sharing similar risk factors. However, the cases of simultaneous stunting and wasting, as well as underweight and wasting, could not be adequately explained by the available factors. The likelihood of experiencing both stunting and underweight was lower in children aged 12 months and above, those from middle- or high-income households, and those living in rural areas. Conversely, the risk of these two conditions was higher in children with higher birth orders.
Conclusion:
Analyzing the risk factors associated with concurrent child undernutrition outcomes provides valuable data for developing child health policies aimed at eliminating multiple forms of undernutrition.
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