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Maternal nutritional status as a determinant of child health
To determine the relationship between the nutritional status of the mother and that of the child, 339 children aged 3-36 months and their mothers in two urban hospitals and a community out-patient clinic, were studied. The weight and height of both children and their mothers were measured, and body mass indices (BMI) of the mothers were calculated. Socio-economic status, maternal educational level, and dietary information were recorded in a predesigned questionnaire. The child's nutritional status, as indicated by weight for age (as a percentage of NCHS median), was associated with the body mass index of the mother (P < 0.001), socio-economic status of the family (P < 0.001), and breastfeeding status of the child (P < 0.005) in a multivariate analysis after adjusting for several prognostic factors. The results indicate that maternal nutritional status is a proximate determinant of a child's nutritional status and should be considered in programmes aiming at improving child health.
To determine the relationship between the nutritional status of the mother and that of the child, 339 children aged 3-36 months and their mothers in two urban hospitals and a community out-patient clinic, were studied. The weight and height of both children and their mothers were measured, and body mass indices (BMI) of the mothers were calculated. Socio-economic status, maternal educational level, and dietary information were recorded in a predesigned questionnaire. The child's nutritional status, as indicated by weight for age (as a percentage of NCHS median), was associated with the body mass index of the mother (P < 0.001), socio-economic status of the family (P < 0.001), and breastfeeding status of the child (P < 0.005) in a multivariate analysis after adjusting for several prognostic factors. The results indicate that maternal nutritional status is a proximate determinant of a child's nutritional status and should be considered in programmes aiming at improving child health.