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Gender and age differentials in risk factors for childhood malnutrition in Bangladesh
F J Henry1, A Briend, V Fauveau
1International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Insights
Children with siblings under five and those consuming formula foods face higher marasmus risk. Maternal education and religion impact risk differently based on child
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Nutritional Science
- Public Health
Background:
- Clinical marasmus remains a significant global health challenge, particularly in vulnerable populations.
- Understanding gender and age-specific risk factors is crucial for targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify demographic, socioeconomic, environmental, and health-related risk factors for clinical marasmus.
- To investigate how these risk factors vary by gender and age groups in children aged 1-4 years.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study design was employed, including 164 pairs of children aged 1 to 4 years.
- Case patients had mid-upper arm circumference < 110 mm; controls had arm circumference > 120 mm, matched for age and sex.
- Multivariate analysis using conditional logistic regression assessed various potential risk factors.
Main Results:
- Increased marasmus risk was associated with having siblings under five years old, irrespective of gender or age.
- Consumption of formula foods also elevated marasmus risk in both boys and girls.
- Higher maternal education showed a protective effect, significant for boys and children aged 18 months or older. Religion was a factor only in older children.
Conclusions:
- Interventions to reduce severe malnutrition require strategic planning, considering factors like sibling age and formula feeding.
- Addressing age- and sex-preferential behaviors is vital for effective malnutrition reduction strategies in certain societies.
Abstract:
A case-control study of risk factors of clinical marasmus was undertaken to determine which factors differed according to gender and age groups. Case patients were children whose mid-upper arm circumference measured less than 110 mm and control subjects were children matched for age and sex with an arm circumference more than 120 mm. Between June 1988 and June 1989, 164 such pairs of children aged 1 to 4 years were studied. The effect of various demographic, socioeconomic, environmental, and health factors was investigated in a multivariate analysis using conditional logistic regression. Results showed an increased risk of marasmus among children with siblings under 5 years old. This increased risk was observed irrespective of gender or age. Children who consumed formula foods also had an increased risk of marasmus. Again, this elevated risk was maintained for boys and girls. Overall, higher maternal education was associated with a reduced risk of marasmus; however, this was only statistically significant for boys and for children 18 months or older. Religion was also associated with marasmus but only in older children (> or = 18 months). These results indicate that better strategic planning is necessary to formulate effective interventions to reduce severe malnutrition, particularly in societies where strong age- and sex-preferential behavior exists.