Prevalence and Associated Factors of Malnutrition in Under Five Children in Eastern Nepal: A Hospital Based Study

Authors

  • Manju Shrestha Assistant Professor, Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS), Dharan, Nepal
  • Basant Rai Associate Professor, Department of Paediatrics and dolescent Medicine, BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS), Dharan, Nepal
  • Jyoti Agrawal Associate Professor, Department of Paediatrics and dolescent Medicine, BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS), Dharan, Nepal
  • Shipra Chaudhary Associate Professor, Department of Paediatrics and dolescent Medicine, BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS), Dharan, Nepal
  • Kala Shrestha College of Medicine, Nepalese Army Institute of Health Sciences, Bhadnarkhal, Sanobharyang, Kathmandu, Nepal
  • Rupa Raj Bhandari Singh Professor, Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS), Dharan, Nepal

Keywords:

Malnutrition, Low Birth weight, Nutrition

Abstract

Introduction: Malnutrition among children remains one of the most important causes of morbidity and mortality in the developing countries like Nepal. Multiple interrelated determinants are involved in causing malnutrition that needs to be catered. This study aims to assess the prevalence and associated factors of malnutrition among under-five children in eastern Nepal.

Methods: This is a hospital-based correctional study. The enrolment occurred between Jan 2018 and Dec 2019 among children who visited nutrition clinic in our hospital. The data analyses were performed using Logistic regression and 95% confidence interval along with p-value. A p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results: A total of 310 children were analyzed for malnutrition. Among them, the prevalence of underweight, stunting and wasting was 34.10, 32.45, 17.54 % respectively. Among them, majority of the mother belonged to young age group between 18- 25 years, 216 (69.68%) were females and 120 (38.71%) and Majority of malnutrition fell in the age group of 12 – 23 months. Mother’s age, mother’s education, family size, economic status, child’s age and sex, exclusive breast, ethnicity, mother’s occupation and total family size were found to be significantly associated with malnutrition.

Conclusions: This study highlights serious concern of malnutrition among under five years old children in eastern part of Nepal. Multiple hierarchically interrelated determinants associated with child, mother and the social environmental factors were found significant in malnutrition among the children. 

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Published

2023-09-10

How to Cite

Shrestha, M. ., Rai, B. ., Agrawal, J. ., Chaudhary, S. ., Shrestha, K. ., & Bhandari Singh, . R. R. . (2023). Prevalence and Associated Factors of Malnutrition in Under Five Children in Eastern Nepal: A Hospital Based Study. Journal of Nepal Paediatric Society, 43(1), 73–81. Retrieved from https://www.nepjol.info/index.php/JNPS/article/view/58503

Issue

Vol. 43 No. 1 (2023)

Section

Original Articles

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