Prevalence of undernutrition and associated factors in young children in Malaysia: A nationwide survey
-
Published:2022-08-18
Issue:
Volume:10
Page:
-
ISSN:2296-2360
-
Container-title:Frontiers in Pediatrics
-
language:
-
Short-container-title:Front. Pediatr.
Author:
Lee Way Seah,Jalaludin Muhammad Yazid,Khoh Kim Mun,Kok Juan Loong,Nadarajaw Thiyagar,Soosai Anna Padmavathy,Mukhtar Firdaus,Fadzil Yong Junina,Anuar Zaini Azriyanti,Mohd-Taib Siti Hawa,Rosly Rozanna M.,Khoo An Jo,Cheang Hon Kit
Abstract
IntroductionUndernutrition in young children is a significant public health problem globally. We determined the prevalence of and factors predisposing to stunting and underweight in children aged 1 to 5 years in Malaysia.Materials and methodsData were extracted from a cross-sectional nationwide campaign involving healthy children aged 1–5 years conducted over a 4-month period in 2019. We obtained information on demography, parental height and risk factors of undernutrition and anthropometric measurements (height and weight) of children enrolled. Age and sex-specific z-score for length/height-for-age (HAZ), weight-for-age (WAZ), body mass index (BMI) z-score (BAZ) and weight-for-height/length (WFH) z-score (WFHZ) were obtained using World Health Organization growth standards. The following definitions were used: (a) HAZ < −2 SD as stunted and −2 to −1 SD as at risk of stunting; (b) WFHZ < −3 SD as severe, −3 to < −2 SD as moderate wasting, and −2 to < +1 SD as normal; (c) WAZ −2 to −1 as at risk of underweight; (d) BAZ +1 to < +2 SD as at risk of and > +2 SD as overweight.ResultsOf the 15,331 children surveyed, prevalence of stunting and at risk of stunting were 16.1 and 20.0%, severe and moderate wasting were 4.0 and 6.1%, while 21.1% was at risk of underweight. Prevalence of at risk of and overweight 14.2 and 7.3%, respectively. One in fifth (25.0%) children had at least one form of undernutrition (stunting and/or underweight/wasting). Of the 1,412 (13.2%) children reported to have risk factors of undernutrition, 47.2% had feeding difficulties, 44.8% had poor dietary intake and 8.0% had both. Boys, paternal height < 156 cm and poor dietary intake were significantly associated with stunting and/or wasting. Compared with children with no risk factors, children with feeding difficulties were more likely to be wasted (AOR: 1.48, 95% CI: 1.18–1.85), and had at least one form of undernutrition (AOR: 1.45, 95% CI: 1.25–1.69).ConclusionsIn Malaysian children aged 1 to 5 years, dual burden of under- and overnutrition are common. Poor dietary intake and feeding difficulties were risk factors for undernutrition.
Publisher
Frontiers Media SA
Subject
Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health
Reference35 articles.
1. 2017
2. 2014 The coexistence of different forms of malnutrition is the “new normal”,1998
Cited by
1 articles.
订阅此论文施引文献
订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献