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Nutritional status and risk of infection among Ethiopian children
B Lindtjørn1, T Alemu, B Bjorvatn
1Centre of International Health, University of Bergen, Norway.
Insights
Malnourished children, particularly those with wasting, face a higher risk of diarrhoeal disease. This association varied between pastoralist and agricultural communities in Ethiopia, highlighting the impact of nutritional status on child health.
Area of Science:
- Child Health
- Nutritional Epidemiology
- Infectious Disease Epidemiology
Background:
- Protein energy malnutrition (PEM) is a significant global health concern, particularly in developing regions.
- Understanding the link between PEM and infection risk is crucial for targeted public health interventions.
- Previous research suggests a correlation, but community-specific differences require further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between protein energy malnutrition and the risk of infection in children under five.
- To compare this association in two distinct Ethiopian communities: pastoralist and agricultural.
- To identify specific nutritional indicators linked to increased infection risk in each community.
Main Methods:
- A prospective observational study involving 425 children under five years of age.
- Data collection over an 8-month period in southern Ethiopia.
- Statistical analysis controlled for social, economic, environmental factors, and past illness history.
Main Results:
- Malnourished children exhibited a significantly higher incidence of diarrhoeal disease overall.
- The association between nutritional status and diarrhoeal disease incidence differed between communities.
- In pastoralists, only wasting was linked to increased diarrhoeal disease; in agriculturalists, wasting, stunting, low weight-for-age, and low arm circumference were associated.
Conclusions:
- Protein energy malnutrition increases the risk of diarrhoeal disease in young children.
- Community-specific factors, including demographic and socioeconomic characteristics and stunting prevalence, influence the malnutrition-infection relationship.
- Tailored nutritional and health strategies are needed for different populations to mitigate infection risks.
Abstract:
This is a prospective study on the possible association between protein energy malnutrition and risk of infection in a pastoralist and in an agricultural community in southern Ethiopia. A total of 425 children under 5 years of age were observed for 8 months. In general, malnourished children had a significantly higher incidence of diarrhoeal disease, even after controlling for possible confounding social, economic, and environmental effects, as well as for past history of illness. However, the extent of this association between nutritional state and morbidity differed between the two study populations. Thus, only wasting was associated with increased incidence of diarrhoeal disease among the pastoralist, whereas wasting, stunting, low weight for age, and low arm circumference all showed such an association in the agricultural community. Demographic and socio-economic characteristics as well as differences in the prevalence of stunting may explain this discrepancy.