KUMJ | VOL. | NO. | ISSUE ONLINE |
Risk Factors of Malnutrition among under Five Children Admitted in Kanti Children’s Hospital in Nepal
Karki S, Koirala S, Shrestha S
Abstract: Background
World Health Organization (WHO) stated that malnutrition is a major global health
and social problem from which many people are suffering, particularly children. Poor
feeding and care practices, insufficient nutrient intake, high rate of infection and
teenage pregnancy are the immediate causes of chronic malnutrition.
Objective
To identify the risk factors for malnutrition among under five children.
Method
A case control study was carried out among the mothers having under-5 years’
children who were admitted in the Kanti Children’s Hospital of Nepal from 1
August
2019 to 7
th
September 2020. Non-probability purposive sampling technique was
used to select 50 children with malnutrition and 100 children without malnutrition
matched on age, sex and setting. A structured interview was used to collect data
from mothers of both cases and controls. Descriptive and inferential statistics were
used to analyze the data.
Result
Present study reveals that 58% girl got marriage before 20 years. After confounders
adjusted, mother’s age ≥ 20 years at marriage (OR: 2.74, 95% CI: 0.98-7.63. p=0.05),
and mother’s age ≥ 20 years at child birth (OR: 7.74, 95% CI: 2.37-25.27. p=0.001),
were significantly associated with having malnutrition among under five children.
Similarly, accessibility of health facility (OR: 3.31, 95% CI: 1-10.94. p=0.05), fathers
who completed master in education (OR: 0.08, 95% CI: 0.01-0.88. p=0.04), children
who lived in joint family (OR: 0.25, 95% CI: 0.07-0.86. p=0.03), child < 2.5 kg at birth
(OR: 0.18, 95% CI: 0.05-0.62. p=0.01), and second and third or above in order (OR:
0.09, 95% CI: 0.01-1.04. p=0.05) had significantly less chance of having malnutrition.
Children’s whose birth interval was 2-3 years were significantly (OR: 9.74, 95% CI:
1.16-82.23. p=0.04) associated with the occurrence of malnutrition. Children who
had suffered from multiple co-morbidities in last one year were (OR: 4.55, 95% CI:
0.48-43.03. p=0.18) more chance of having malnutrition.
Likewise, the mothers who feed colostrum to their child had (OR: 2.28, 95% CI: 0.529.26.
p=0.29)
almost
two-fold
less
chance
of
having
malnutrition.
Mothers
who
had
done
exclusive breast feeding ≥ 4 months had (OR: 40.55, 95% CI: 3.35-1.490.92.
p=0.008) significantly associated with having malnutrition.
Conclusion
Low education status of father, living in single family, exclusive breast feeding ≥ 4
months, lack of balance diet were significant risk factors of malnutrition. Based on
finding, reliable longitudinal studies, interventions and program to educate parent
for prevention of malnutrition are necessary in future.
Keyword : Malnutrition, Mothers, Risk factors, Under five children
