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Risk Factors of Coexisting Form of Undernutrition Among Under-5 Children in Bangladesh: Evidence From BDHS 2022 Data

Afrida Tasnim1,2, Moinur Rahman1,2, Onnesha Saha1,2

  • 1Department of Statistics and Data Science, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Child: Care, Health and Development
|August 6, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Coexisting forms of undernutrition (CFU) affect 19.44% of Bangladeshi children under five. Key risk factors include lower socioeconomic status, maternal education, and maternal weight, necessitating targeted interventions for improved child nutrition.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Public Health
  • Nutrition Science

Background:

  • Malnutrition in developing countries poses severe short-term and long-term risks to children, including cognitive impairment, stunting, underweight, wasting, and mortality.
  • Understanding the root causes and risk factors of undernutrition is critical for developing effective interventions.
  • This study focuses on coexisting forms of undernutrition (CFU) in Bangladeshi children under five.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the risk factors associated with coexisting forms of undernutrition (CFU) in Bangladeshi children under five.
  • To identify key demographic and socioeconomic determinants influencing CFU.
  • To inform strategies for enhancing nutritional outcomes in vulnerable populations.

Main Methods:

  • Secondary data analysis of the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS) 2022 dataset, including 4085 children under five.
  • Application of descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, Boruta algorithm, and logistic regression within a Bayesian framework.
  • Utilized a comprehensive dataset to explore multiple risk factors simultaneously.

Main Results:

  • The prevalence of CFU was found to be 19.44%, with a higher concentration in the Sylhet division.
  • Children from lower wealth quintiles and urban areas face increased risk of CFU.
  • Maternal education level significantly impacts CFU risk: children of uneducated mothers have 3.4 times higher odds. Maternal underweight (1.6 times higher odds) and maternal overweight/obesity (0.6 times higher odds) also showed significant associations. Poorer households, higher birth order (≥6), and older child age (>23.9 months) were associated with increased CFU risk.

Conclusions:

  • Targeted interventions are crucial to reduce the prevalence of CFU.
  • Improving maternal health, including nutritional status and education, is essential.
  • Addressing socioeconomic disparities and other socio-demographic factors is vital for enhancing child nutritional outcomes.
Abstract

Keywords:
BangladeshBayesian approachchildren under 5undernutrition

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