Socioeconomic related potentials on Malnutrition among Children in Qena Governorate

Document Type : Original research articles

Authors

1 Public Health and Community Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt.

2 Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, South Valley University, Qena, Egypt.

3 Public Health and Community Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, South Valley University, Qena, Egypt.

Abstract

Background:  Childhood malnutrition is an increasing public health problem. Child growth is an important indicator of nutritional status and is a reflection of the socioeconomic status of the family and the social well-being of the community.
Objectives: The study aimed to assess the socioeconomic-related risk factors that contribute to the occurrence of malnutrition among the under-five children
Patients and methods: This was a community-based cross-sectional study conducted with under-five years’ old children in the Qena governorate using the cluster sampling method with an equal number of children in each cluster during the study period of one year with a complete evaluation of socio-demographic data, socioeconomic levels, maternal factors and child factors that may be related to malnutrition. 
Results: the current study revealed that malnutrition state was more common among the lower social class. Wasting was more common among children with family sizes>7 persons. Being Underweight was more common among children in rural areas and the multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that children residing in the rural area had a three-time risk of developing underweight than those living in the urban area and children who received artificial feeding had higher odds of developing wasting than children who received breast feeding.
Conclusion: Rural residency, lack of breastfeeding, large family size, and lower social class were risk factors for developing malnutrition in children.

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